2013 Ford Fusion Energi gets range of 620 miles: New plug-in hybrid said to achieve 108 mpg-e city rating

New plug-in hybrid said to achieve 108 mpg-e city rating

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Ford
The 2013 Ford Fusion Energi has an all-electric range of 21 miles.

By: Jake Lingeman and Sherrice Gilsbach on 1/17/2013

The hybrid wars continue -- much less exciting than the MyFord Touch -- after the Detroit auto show, and Ford has thrown it latest punch: the 2013 Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid. The Energi is the Blue Oval's fifth electrified vehicle to launch in the past year, and will arrive with a total gas and electric range of 620 miles. That's 120 miles more than the 2014 Honda Accord hybrid and 80 miles more than the Prius hybrid.

Ford says the Fusion Energi can drive up to 21 miles in electric-only mode. By comparison, the Accord promises 10-15 miles on electric power and the Prius will go about 11 miles. The EPA rates the vehicle at 108 mpg-e in the city and 92 mpg-e on the highway. The Fusion Energi also boasts an electric-only top speed of 85 mph.

The plug-in Fusion uses a 2.0-liter DOHC inline four-cylinder, Atkinson-cycle engine that produces a projected 141 hp and 129 lb-ft of torque. That's supplemented by a permanent magnet AC synchronous motor and a high-voltage lithium-ion battery. Total system output is projected at 188 hp.

The 2013 Energi comes standard with active park assist, SYNC and MyFord Touch. It also offers Ford's Smart Gauge, which is designed to help drivers get the most out of the hybrid's capabilities. The right-hand LCD cluster shows green leaves growing as you drive more efficiently. The left displays one of a selection of screens with info about the vehicle including Brake Coach, which helps drivers optimize the regenerative braking system.

Other features on the 2013 Fusion Energi include eco cruise, which flattens acceleration compared to standard cruise control; EV mode button, which switches the car to all-electric operation when available and a charge port with an LED ring that lets you know when the car is fully charged.

Ford claims to have sold more than 20,000 hybrids in December, the second consecutive month that Ford has broken its own record for hybrid sales.

The 2013 Fusion Energi SE costs $39,495 including a destination charge of $795 and is on sale now.

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Source: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20130117/CARNEWS/130119857

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NBA: Hawks suspend top-scorer Josh Smith for 1 game

Associated Press

Chicago Bulls? Joakim Noah (13) struggles with Atlanta Hawks? Josh Smith and Kyle Korver (26) for a rebound during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Jan. 14, 2013, in Chicago. AP/Charles Rex Arbogast

ATLANTA ? The Atlanta Hawks suspended top-scorer Josh Smith for Wednesday night?s home game against the Brooklyn Nets for ?conduct detrimental to the team? following an incident in practice the previous day.

The one-game suspension, which comes with an undisclosed fine, was announced Wednesday by Hawks general manager Danny Ferry.

Hawks coach Larry Drew would provide no details on the incident in Tuesday?s practice.

?I really don?t want to put too much focus on that anymore,? Drew said before the game against the Nets. ?Tomorrow we?ll welcome Josh back with open arms and we?ll move forward.?

Hawks guard Jeff Teague also would provide no details on the incident.

?I don?t even remember,? Teague said. ?I think the whole practice was just a good day. I don?t even remember what happened or how it went down or anything.?

Smith was called for a technical foul in Monday night?s 97-58 loss at Chicago. Only a late basket by Teague saved the Hawks from setting their lowest scoring total in franchise history.

The Hawks have lost six of seven.

?Clearly I am competitive and was frustrated by our recent losses,? Smith said in a statement released by the team. ?I understand and respect the team?s actions and just want to get back on the court to do whatever is necessary to help my teammates. I apologize for letting them down and apologize to our fans for not being available for tonight?s game.?

Smith was not expected to be at Philips Arena on Wednesday night.

Smith, 27, leads the team with 16.5 points and 2.3 blocked shots per game. He also is averaging 8.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists.

Smith, an Atlanta native and nine-year veteran, set career highs with averages of 18.8 points and 9.6 rebounds last season.

Ferry said he expects a positive response to the suspension from Smith.

?Josh and I discussed the issue and he understood and accepted this course of action,? Ferry said. ?We are confident that he will respond positively, learn from this experience and come back with a renewed sense of purpose to the team moving forward.?

Smith can be a free agent after the season, and his future with the team is a key for the Hawks. Ferry could decide to trade the 6-foot-9 forward, especially if the Hawks keep falling in the Eastern Conference standings.

Drew said he hopes Smith remains with the team.

?We look at Josh as we do at any player in the situation of the last year of his contract,? Drew said.?

?Josh is a talented player. He?s a big part of what we do. He?s a guy that we can count on and rely on doing what we do, and hopefully he will be a Hawk for a long time. He?s just a phenomenal talent.?

Ferry traded guard Joe Johnson and forward Marvin Williams before the season. Johnson made his first return to Atlanta with the Nets on Wednesday night.

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Source: http://sports.inquirer.net/82409/nba-hawks-suspend-top-scorer-josh-smith-for-1-game

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Smoke hasn?t cleared yet on facts surrounding China bombing

BEIJING -- Questions have continued to linger this week over one of the largest reported bombings to hit China in recent years, a blast Friday that killed 11 people and wounded more than 30 and was apparently followed by an attempted coverup by local powerbrokers.

Little has been revealed about the alleged culprit, who died in the incident. He is identified in the Chinese press as a disgruntled coal miner named Gao Wanfeng, born in 1958, who is said to have served time in prison in the past and is accused of torching his home early on the morning of the explosion.

The blast ripped into a commuter bus operated by a mining company in the far northeastern province of Heilongjiang about 6:30 a.m. Friday and hit another vehicle in the opposite lane, according to the official Xinhua newswire.

A local newspaper on Tuesday quoted a neighbor of Gao as saying that his most recent job was with the Zhongxing Mineral Industry Co. and that he?d been injured in a mining accident last summer. Although it did not name Zhongxing, which owned the bus, the state-controlled Global Times in Beijing noted that Gao ?had disputes over injury compensation with a mine owner.?

The Global Times on Wednesday referred to Gao in one online report as a ?suicide bomber,? and in another version of the story ? both online and in print ? as a ?bomber.?

If Gao was, in fact, motivated by disagreement with a mining company, his story would fall in line with a deep stretch of public grievances in China rooted in a sense that ordinary people have little recourse when confronted by problems with officials or big business. Although bombings such as the one in Heilongjiang are rare, protests are not.

?It was after reaching no agreement after multiple negotiations that he adopted the extreme act of burning down houses and bombing people,? said one online user based in the city of Shuangyashan, where the explosion happened. ?Now the social divisions are serious, it?s not at all surprising that something like this happened!?

Many others posting on Sina Weibo, a Twitter-like microblog, voiced similar opinions. While not condoning the bloodshed, they viewed it in the context of broader social frustrations.

?He could only release his anger on other people, there will be more things like this later on,? said another person, writing from the southern coastal province of Fujian.

Xinhua ran a report on Tuesday saying that in the aftermath of the explosion, representatives of a coal mine, which was not identified, gave hush money to the injured, told them not to give interviews and threatened to withhold funds for medical treatment if they spoke ?carelessly.? Local officials also offered bribes to one or more journalists, according to Xinhua, presumably to persuade them not to report on the incident.

?Due to the insufficient information being released, the public has many suspicions about the truth of the matter,? according to Xinhua.

Reporting on the incident has been at times confusing.

A short initial story from Xinhua on the day of the attack said that people were killed ?after a minibus collided with a coach.? Later on Friday, Xinhua acknowledged that previous reports blaming the collision for the explosion ?proved to be inaccurate.?

Police said that ?Gao Wanfeng is suspected of placing the explosives on a commuter bus,? Xinhua subsequently reported, but gave no details of what sort of materials he might have used. A separate Xinhua piece said that authorities had concluded the detonation ?was not an accident.?

Researcher Joyce Zhang in Beijing contributed.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/01/16/3185871/smoke-hasnt-cleared-yet-on-facts.html

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WWE honors U.S. Troops at Fort George G. Meade in Maryland

WWE honored members of the United States Army at Fort George G. Meade in Maryland on Tuesday.

WWE Executive Vice President of Creative Stephanie McMahon and WWE Superstar David Otunga joined business leaders, senior military leaders, representatives and elected officials to help the USO of Metropolitan Washington open the doors to a new, expanded USO Center at Fort Meade. McMahon, a member of the USO-Metro Board of Directors, and Otunga were on hand for a ribbon-cutting event at a new recreation center where they presented a WWE Championship to Installation Commander Col. Edward Rothstein. (PHOTOS)

"Only the best, most determined and talented individuals achieve this most competitive title," Otunga said. "The way you identify a champion is by the championship title they wear."

McMahon added, "WWE is definitely a champion of the USO in that we believe your support of our men and women in uniform is of utmost importance and a cause that for years, we at WWE, continue to support."

"After hearing the story from Elaine [Rogers, USO-Metro president] about how this center came to be, we determined that Team Meade is a champion by the commitment, dedication and passion they exude for the USO," she added. ?

The new center will serve the more than 500,000 U.S. troops and their families in the Washington-Baltimore area. It has amenities like a movie theater, gaming center, computer lab and a patio. For the past eight years, USO-Metro has provided programs for military families and children at Fort Meade.

Later in the day, Otunga visited Wounded Warriors at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington.

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Source: http://www.wwe.com/inside/overtheropes/wweinyourcorner/stephanie-mcmahon-david-otunga-fort-meade

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Maine governor unveils jobs-bonds plan

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) ? Gov. Paul LePage on Tuesday announced a wide-ranging jobs plan, which includes repayment of a hospital debt approaching $500 million, release of voter-approved bonds for highways and other public improvements, and construction of a new prison to replace the aging, inefficient one in Windham.

Speaking at a press conference at the construction site of a University of New England College dental medicine building, LePage said his plan will inject $700 million into Maine?s economy in 2013. The proposal will be of particular help to hospitals, which can hire workers to fill the positions of those who were laid off because of the state debt.

??This puts Maine on the right track to pay its bills,?? LePage said. ??By paying the state?s bills we strengthen our economy and the hospitals that care for and employ Maine people.??

The Republican governor said he wants to get his proposals enacted quickly by the Democratic-majority Legislature, noting that timing on the hospital debt is critical to ensure the state gets the full federal match.

He?s submitted an emergency bill to cover $186 million the state owes to hospitals for Medicaid services dating to 2009, which would trigger $298 million in federal funding. He would get the state?s share of the money from bonds to be paid off with future liquor sales. The state will regain control over liquor sales in mid-2014.

With the full $484 million repaid, the governor would release $105 million in voter-approved bonds for transportation, land conservation, clean water and energy-efficiency projects. Democrats, who have made jobs the centerpiece of their agenda, have been pressuring LePage to allow the voter-approved bonds to go to market in hopes of stimulating the economy.

Finally, LePage is proposing $100 million in government facilities bonds to build a replacement for the minimum- and medium-security Maine Correctional Center in Windham.

The current compound, whose mostly-male population totals 622 inmates, has been expanded and modified in piecemeal fashion for several decades, compromising efficiency. Preliminary plans call for eight of the prison?s Maine Correctional Center?s 11 buildings to be demolished.

Source: http://feeds.boston.com/click.phdo?i=584f9fb0b6d329cde6ac9e8355cee076

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Boeing 787 makes emergency landing in Japan

January 15, 2013

(Reuters) ? All Nippon Airways Co. is grounding all 17 of its Boeing 787 planes for inspection after one of its Dreamliners made an emergency landing in western Japan on Wednesday, the Japanese air carrier told Reuters.

ANA said instruments on a domestic flight early Wednesday indicated a battery error, but all passengers and crew evacuated safely by using the plane's inflatable slides, ANA said.

The incident comes on top of a slew of recent problems with Boeing's new Dreamliner aircraft. The sophisticated new plane, the world's first mainly carbon-composite airliner, suffered two fuel leaks, a battery fire, a wiring problem, brake computer glitch and cracked cockpit window last week.

ANA said it evacuated 129 passengers and eight crew members from the Dreamliner after measuring instruments in the flight's cockpit indicated there was a battery malfunction and the pilot smelled something strange. The company said it is still checking whether there was any smoke emitted into the cockpit.

Wednesday's flight 692 bound for Haneda Airport near Tokyo left Yamaguchi Airport in western Japan shortly after 8 a.m. JST (2300 GMT Tuesday) but made an emergency landing in Takamatsu at 8:45 after smoke appeared in the cockpit, an Osaka airport authority spokesman said.

Boeing spokesman Marc Birtel told Reuters: "We've seen the reports, we're aware of the events and are working with our customer."

Japan is the biggest market so far for the Dreamliner, with ANA and Japan Airlines Co. flying 24 of the 50 Dreamliners delivered to date.

Japan's transport minister had previously acknowledged that passenger confidence in Chicago-based Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner jet is at stake, as both Japan and the United States have opened broad and open-ended investigations into the plane after a series of incidents that have raised safety concerns.

Japanese authorities said on Monday they would investigate fuel leaks on a 787 operated by JAL, and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said later its agents would analyse the lithium-ion battery and burned wire bundles from a fire aboard another JAL 787 at Boston's Logan International Airport last week.

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Source: http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20130115/NEWS10/130119847/boeing-787-makes-emergency-landing-in-japan

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Mali Islamists counter-attack, threaten France

BAMAKO/PARIS (Reuters) - Al Qaeda-linked Islamist rebels in Mali launched a counter-offensive on Monday after three days of strikes by French fighter jets on their strongholds in the desert north, vowing to drag France into a long and brutal ground war.

France intensified its air raids on Sunday using state-of-the-art Rafale planes and Gazelle attack helicopters to pummel training camps at the heart of the vast area seized by rebels in April, while pouring hundreds of its ground troops into the capital Bamako.

Paris is determined to end Islamist domination of northern Mali, which many fear could act as a launchpad for attacks on the West and a base for coordination with al Qaeda in Yemen, Somalia and North Africa.

Launching a counter-attack far to the southwest of recent fighting, the Islamists clashed fiercely with government forces on Monday in the central town of Diabaly, residents and Malian military sources said.

"The Islamists are fighting with the army inside the town," said one local resident. "They started to infiltrate the town last night by crossing the river in little groups."

A spokesman for the MUJWA Islamist group, one of the main factions in the rebel alliance, promised French citizens would pay for Sunday's air strikes in their stronghold of Gao. Dozens of Islamist fighters were killed when rockets struck a fuel depot and a customs house being used as their headquarters.

"They should attack on the ground if they are men. We'll welcome them with open arms," Oumar Ould Hamaha told Europe 1 radio. "France has opened the gates of hell for all the French. She has fallen into a trap which is much more dangerous than Iraq, Afghanistan or Somalia."

France has said its sudden intervention on Friday, after Mali's president appealed for urgent aid in the face of a rebel advance, stopped the Islamists from seizing the capital Bamako. It has pledged to continue air strikes in coming days.

President Francois Hollande says France's aim is simply to support a mission by West African bloc ECOWAS to retake the north, as mandated by a U.N. Security Council resolution in December. Under pressure from Paris, regional states have said they hope to have soldiers on the ground in coming days.

France convened a U.N. Security Council meeting for Monday to discuss Mali.

Hollande's intervention has won plaudits from Western leaders but raises the threat level for eight French hostages held by al Qaeda allies in the Sahara and for the 30,000 French expatriates living in neighbouring, mostly Muslim states. Concerned about reprisals at home, France has tightened security at public buildings and on public transport.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/france-bombs-islamist-strongholds-deep-north-mali-052016965.html

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