Court OKs sale of U.S. government-backed A123 to Chinese firm

WILMINGTON, Delaware (Reuters) - China's largest auto parts maker got court approval on Tuesday for its controversial purchase of A123 Systems Inc, a bankrupt maker of electric car batteries, but the judge said he was troubled that a U.S. rival might be working to kill the deal. A123, which was partly funded with U.S. government money, was sold at an auction on Saturday for $256.6 million to Wanxiang Group of China, which outbid Johnson Controls Inc of Milwaukee. The auction result prompted outcry from U.S. politicians who objected to A123's taxpayer-financed lithium-ion technology ending up in the hands of an economic rival. Johnson Controls has said it remains interested in A123 if Wanxiang fails to get approval from the U.S. government, which is coming under pressure to block the deal. "I'm troubled by suggestions that someone who participated in the auction may in fact already be working against it," said Delaware Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Carey at the end of Tuesday's hearing. Carey ordered into escrow a $5.5 million fee from the sale that was earmarked for Johnson Control's in return for it being the lead bidder to support the A123 auction. The money will be released when the sale closes or after an investigation by A123 creditors. William Baldiga of Brown Rudnick, who represents the official committee of unsecured creditors, had told Carey he had a confidential letter that suggested Johnson Controls planned to undermine Wanxiang if the Chinese company won the auction. Johnson Controls attorney, Joshua Feltman of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, said the company should not be punished "because we sympathize with Michigan Congressional delegation." A123 has several facilities in Michigan and its politicians have been vocal in opposing the sale to Wanxiang. A123 has never turned a profit and received a $249 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop lithium-ion batteries. A Department of Energy official said on Monday the grant, which has about $120 million remaining, would not be transferred to Wanxiang. Opposition to the deal will now shift to Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). Pressure has been building on Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, the head of the panel, to block the takeover. Chinese firms have been pouring cash into overseas investments, and with that money has come concerns around the globe that firms with ties to Beijing may not play by free-market rules. CFIUS recently rejected a bid to build wind farms in Oregon by Ralls Corp, owned by two executives of China's Sany Group, and has blocked multiple deals by Huawei Technologies Co, a Chinese telecom equipment manufacturer. China's state-owned oil company CNOOC Ltd received approval on Monday for the country's biggest foreign takeover, a $15.1 billion acquisition of Nexen Inc after intense scrutiny. CNOOC withdrew its bid for California-based Unocal Corp in 2005 in the face of political opposition. Wanxiang has tried to blunt some of the political opposition by excluding A123's defense contracts from its bid. A123 filed for bankruptcy in October as demand for electric vehicles did not live up to expectations and it was forced to recall defective car batteries. Its customers include Fisker Automotive, General Motors Co and BMW. If the foreign investment committee does not approve the sale in the coming weeks, Wanxiang could walk away, although it would forfeit a $25 million deposit that would go toward repaying A123's creditors. If that were to happen, A123 could then go back on the block. Johnson Controls and NEC Corp of Japan made a final runner-up bid of about $251 million, according to Alex Molinaroli, president of Johnson Controls Power Solutions. The only other company that qualified for the auction, Siemens AG of Germany, does not appear to have made a bid, according to a transcript of the auction. If the foreign investment committee has not approved the sale by January 15, the deal could still close by transferring A123 to a trust controlled by U.S. citizens, which would not need CFIUS approval. Wanxiang's money would then be turned over to repay the creditors of A123, which filed for bankruptcy with $376 million in liabilities. The Chinese company is no stranger to investing in the United States. Wanxiang generates about $1 billion in revenue in the United States by supplying parts to GM and Ford Motor Co and has bought or invested in more than 20 U.S. companies, many of them in bankruptcy, said a congressional report published in October. The case is A123 Systems Inc, Delaware Bankruptcy Court, No. 12-12859.

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Google explains cause of massive Gmail, Chrome outages

Users took to social networks on Monday to vent their displeasure with Google (GOOG) following a 40-minute disruption of service affecting the company’s Chrome Web browser and Gmail service. It was previously unclear what caused the services to simultaneously crash and some suspected the company was hit with a denial-of-service attack. Google engineer Tim Steele took to the company’s developer forums to clear up the confusion and confirmed what some developers had already suspected: The reason for the crash had to do with the Google Sync servers getting overwhelmed following a change in the code, not a DDoS attack. “It’s due to a backend service that sync servers depend on becoming overwhelmed, and sync servers responding to that by telling all clients to throttle all data types,” he said, noting that the “throttling” messed things up in the browser and caused it to crash. Google Sync keeps bookmarks, extensions, apps and settings in the Chrome browser synchronized across a variety of devices and services. Along with Chrome and Gmail, the worldwide outage also affected Google Docs, Drive and Apps, all of which rely heavily on Google Sync.

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Facebook helps FBI bust cybercriminals blamed for $850 million losses

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Investigators led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and aided by Facebook Inc, have busted an international criminal ring that infected 11 million computers around the world and caused more than $850 million in total losses in one of the largest cybercrime hauls in history. The FBI, working in concert with the world's largest social network and several international law enforcement agencies, arrested 10 people it says infected computers with "Yahos" malicious software, then stole credit card, bank and other personal information. Facebook's security team assisted the FBI after "Yahos" targeted its users from 2010 to October 2012, the U.S. federal agency said in a statement on its website. The social network helped identify the criminals and spot affected accounts, it said. Its "security systems were able to detect affected accounts and provide tools to remove these threats," the FBI said. According to the agency, which worked also with the U.S. Department of Justice, the accused hackers employed the "Butterfly Botnet". Botnets are networks of compromised computers that can be used in a variety of cyberattacks on personal computers. The FBI said it nabbed 10 people from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, New Zealand, Peru, the United Kingdom, and the United States, executed numerous search warrants and conducted a raft of interviews. It estimated the total losses from their activities at more than $850 million, without elaborating. Hard data is tough to come by, but experts say cybercrime is on the rise around the world as PC and mobile computing become more prevalent and as more and more financial transactions shift online, leaving law enforcement, cybersecurity professionals and targeted corporations increasingly hard-pressed to spot and ward off attacks.

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10 Great Opportunities for Older Volunteers

If you have time and an interest in volunteering, you can literally create your own program. Aided by Internet sites that match needs and volunteers, along with other do-it-yourself online tools, boomers are rewriting the book on how volunteering works. [See Top 10 U.S. Places for Healthcare.] AARP has kicked off a large volunteer effort through its "Create the Good" program and website. "People want more flexibility in their volunteering," says Barb Quaintance, AARP senior vice president for volunteer and civic engagement. There is a preference for self-directed volunteer efforts: More than half of all boomers select this approach, according to AARP, as it allows them to satisfy their needs as well as those of the recipients they help. Americans' willingness to volunteer has been steadily increasing, according to a survey from the government's Corporation for National & Community Service, which oversees the Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and related volunteering programs. Across different age groups, the rate of volunteering has grown dramatically. More than 26.5 percent of adults ages 45 to 64 volunteer, the corporation says, up from 22 percent 20 years ago. For older volunteers, the rate has increased during the same period, from 17 percent to more than 28 percent. In 2010, 21.9 million baby boomers dedicated 2.9 billion hours of service to communities throughout the country, most often with a religious institution--the most popular organizations through which this age group volunteers. "The baby boomer generation is the largest, healthiest, and most educated generation in history," says Robert Velasco, II, acting CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). "While a large portion of older adults volunteer, it's crucial to not place them in the same category. Seniors aren't monolithic," he says. "All of them want to make a difference, but I think they may want to make a difference in different ways." At the younger end of the senior age spectrum are people who are still working or have recently retired. They might have a preference for skills-based volunteering, in which they can put their career skills to work in volunteer settings. Funding cutbacks during the recession have increased the needs of nonprofits, he notes. Accountants are needed to work on agency finances. Social workers are needed to work with children and at-risk populations. Various nonprofits may need a range of skilled tradespeople--plumbers, electricians, and the like. [See AARP Moves to Protect Social Security and Medicare.] But it's the wave of younger volunteers that is changing the model. "There's a whole new world of volunteering," Quaintance says. In some cases, volunteers' demand for flexibility and control has been hard for nonprofits to accept. Some agencies are accustomed to recruiting volunteers who go where they are directed and do what they're told. "Nonprofits are waking up to the fact that they need to be more flexible," and it can be a difficult adjustment, Quaintance says. On the Create the Good site, volunteers can access local volunteer needs by ZIP code and see these needs broken down into several categories: Show-Up, DIY (Do It Yourself), Online, and what it calls "5 Minute" opportunities that may be nonrecurring, relatively quick ways that people can help. "The strategic nonprofits have figured out how volunteers can be a critical part of their solution," Velasco says. "Many boomers bring advanced professional and management skills that can help nonprofits increase their impact on community issues. Engaging boomers in more challenging assignments has the added benefit of increasing the likelihood they will continue to volunteer over a longer period of time because they find the work more engaging." Here is a list of volunteering opportunities that might be of interest: Preparing income taxes. The AARP Tax Aide program has more than 34,000 volunteers throughout the country who donate their time and expertise to help people with their taxes. It is a major example of "skills-based" volunteering, which is growing. Road and waterway clean-ups. If it's green, people want to help. Weekend clean-up campaigns are great opportunities for people to improve their communities, meet like-minded neighbors, and get outside for some exercise. These activities also meet volunteers' growing interest in flexible and even one-shot volunteer opportunities. Helping the helpers. Nonprofits have seen funding decline even as demand for their services soars. Skills-based volunteers are increasingly filling key roles at agencies that had been performed by full-time staffers. [See The Secret to a Long and Happy Life.] Applying for benefits. The steep recession has led to record increases in food and other assistance programs. Often, people need help in applying for benefits, to make sure they qualify and obtain benefits promptly. Helping kids at school. Just about anything that has to do with children is high on the list of desired activities, ranging from reading to younger children, tutoring, helping coach sports teams, and assisting with a wide range of extracurricular enrichment programs. There are many other school-based volunteer opportunities, and the need will grow this fall because of widespread school funding cutbacks throughout the country. Helping kids at home. The slow economic recovery has put tremendous stress on families, forcing all adults in a household to seek work and creating rising demand for home-based caregivers and after-school support programs. Repairing safety nets. From assisting food banks to driving people to healthcare clinics, there is plenty of help needed. Cash-strapped governments and social-service support programs badly need volunteers to help meet a range of human needs. Live the dream. There are loads of opportunities to volunteer in activities you've always wanted to try: working with animals, being a docent or tour guide, helping arts organizations, and the like. Someone needs and will appreciate having the benefit of your skills. National and state parks. Parks often take an early hit when budgets are cut. The government regularly seeks volunteers to clean and even help manage the under-staffed and under-funded National Park Service. When disaster hits. Americans step up when their neighbors are hurting. Recent weather volatility has produced unusually severe storm damage throughout the country, and a related increase in volunteer activity.

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One Big Reason Not to Rush into Early Retirement

You might want to think twice about retiring early. That’s because, new research has shown a link between early retirement and premature death. Research by Andreas Kuhn, Jean-Philippe Wuellrich and Josef Zweimüller found that men, in particular, had an increased risk of death before age 67 when they retired early. To prove this, the researchers looked at a group of blue-collar workers from Austria, born between 1929 and 1941. "We find that a reduction in the retirement age causes a significant increase in the risk of premature death for males, but not for females," the research said. "The effect for males is not only statistically significant but also quantitatively important. According to our estimates, one additional year of early retirement causes an increase in the risk of premature death of 2.4 percentage points (a relative increase of about 13.4 percent, or 1.8 months in terms of years of life lost)." [10 Easy Paths to Self Destruction] According to the research, this can be attributed to negative health habits of people during retirement. These habits, which include smoking, drinking, unhealthy diet and limited exercise, contribute to 78 percent of casual retirement deaths, while smoking and drinking alone result in 32 percent of casual retirement deaths. "Our results also suggest that preventive health policies should be targeted to (early) retirees," the research said. "Policies that induce individuals to adopt healthy (or avoid unhealthy) behaviors may have disproportionately positive health consequences for workers who (are about to) permanently withdraw from the labor market."

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Aging in America Conference Attendees Told Who Will 'Transform Aging'

Aging in America 2012 Conference The conference is held each year to allow those interested in aging and older adults to come together to talk, learn and advocate for their various agencies, businesses and institutions, as explained in the conference introduction. Three thousand attendees were expected for the event. With 80 million Americans reaching age 65 from 2011 to 2029, all aspects of American life will be affected, just as they have been throughout the lifetimes of the baby boomer generation. Putting Effects of Baby Boomer Aging into Perspective Ken Dychtwald, CEO of AgeWave and noted gerontologist, was one of the panel of presenters at the conference. Dychtwald said just as hospitals, pediatricians, schools and other institutions were strained by the volume of those people born from 1946 to 1964, so it is with health care and geriatric medicine today, according to the Huffington Post. Solutions for Dealing with Aging and the Future Baby boomers have done more than strain institutions and budgets throughout the decades. As Dychtwald stated, "Anyone who thinks (the boomers) will turn 65 and be the same as the generation before are missing out on the last 60 years of sociology. The boomers change every stage of life through which they migrate." Rhonda Randall, chief medical officer of United Healthcare, said the single biggest factor driving the cost of health care upward is the care required for chronic diseases. Preventive care is becoming increasingly important -- and covered -- by health insurance providers. Scripps Howard columnist Ann McFeatter reported Dychtwald's proposed solutions for the future in CrescentNews.com: Americans need to take control of their health by avoiding unhealthy lifestyle choices such as smoking and becoming/remaining overweight; more funding is needed for scientific research to eliminate, control and cure diseases affecting older adults; and more health care professionals need to be better versed in health and lifestyle issues associated with aging. Smack dab in the middle of the baby boomer generation, L.L. Woodard is a proud resident of "The Red Man" state. With what he hopes is an everyman's view of life's concerns both in his state and throughout the nation, Woodard presents facts and opinions based on common-sense solutions.

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How to Communicate with Younger Colleagues

In today's workforce, baby boomers constantly interact with younger co-workers and managers. These younger workers have been raised in a generation of social media, with connectivity always and everywhere. Individuals constantly update their status and current events via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, texting, and other technologies. If anything new or unexpected occurs, friends are notified immediately. This tendency to constantly update and make on-the-fly changes sometimes leads to reluctance to meet commitments for meetings and appointments. When baby boomers were young, our technology was pretty basic. We called each other from a land line, mail was in written form and took days to arrive, and "being connected" meant you knew people, rather than were accessible 24/7. Making plans required planning in advance, and last-minute changes happened only for emergencies. Our lives may have seemed less flexible, but we generally met commitments and arrived on time. With the advent of today's smart phones, people are perpetually connected. Why worry about making changes in advance when, with a quick text, plans are easily altered at the last moment. It is a new way of thinking. Being late has become acceptable as long as you warn your companion before the actual hour ticks by. Fewer people feel obligated to honor specific time commitments since they can quickly make changes on the fly. Without feeling a need to stick to a scheduled event, a mindset develops that accepts last-minute changes as the norm, often frustrating those patiently waiting at the other end. Have you had the experience of arriving on time only to receive a last minute message that "plans have changed" as your young friend lays out an alternative agenda? Some young people make on-again, off-again arrangements for a visit which changes multiple times until the very last minute. I have learned to write in pencil on my calendar and believe the kids are coming only when they physically walk through the front door. Another concern is the incredible distraction that perpetual connectivity encourages. Everywhere you go people are using smart phones to communicate and update their status. Lunches are interrupted, conversations misunderstood, and attention is diverted from where it should be directed. Not only does it give the impression that those on the other end are more important than the person you are currently engaged with, but it can be dangerous. Every day I see people texting while driving. There is a time and a place for connectivity. A balance needs to be maintained if we are to best interact with each other. Respect for each other's time and busy life is a basic tenant of living and working together harmoniously. Calendars are typically packed with events for the weeks and months ahead as we carefully monitor and balance free time with our obligations. We count on others to be there when they say, and that most changes will be made in advance. This new lifestyle with instant access everywhere is not a bad thing. It is a powerful technology with broad applications that can be more effective if better controlled and managed. Baby boomers should attempt to understand that this is how the younger generation operates and adapt accordingly. If you have an appointment, reconfirm as the date gets closer. If you experience a last-minute change of plans, don't get angry. At least you were made aware of the delay and understand what is happening, rather than wondering what is up. Feel free to inform others that you are a bit of a stickler when it comes to being on time, but realize that you may be in the minority. Since it appears that perpetual connectivity is here to stay, a little tolerance can go a long way.

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Do Baby Boomers Resent Their Children?

When new research came out recently about 20-somethings' financial struggles, the survey also revealed some encouraging news: Not only are members of Gen Y optimistic about their future, but older Americans--Gen Y's parents and grandparents--agreed that young people today have it rough. That kind of cross-generational solidarity suggests a mutual understanding and support network that Gen Yers desperately need to get on their feet. After all, some experts have found that help from family members, in the form of emotional support or financial assistance, can make the difference between falling further behind and finding a way to move forward. Luckily, many of today's 20-somethings benefit from so-called "helicopter parenting" and continued closeness with their parents--one reason why at least 1 in 4 feel comfortable enough to move back home after college graduation. But the comments left by readers in response to our recent articles on the subject suggest that a far stormier relationship might be lurking beneath those cheery survey findings. Comments left by older Americans are often full of resentment toward the younger generation, describing them as spoiled brats who don't know how to be frugal and lack any appreciation for what's been given to them. In response to the finding that half of young adults have taken jobs they don't want in order to pay bills, a commenter calling himself "old unemployed guy" wrote, "The shock! The horror! It's called being a grown up and it really sucks. Fortunately there is a support group that meets at the corner bar every night." Another commenter wrote, "The problem with Generation Y is that they're[sic] idiotic enough to believe government can fix the economy." Another focused on student-loan debt and argued that young people should not complain about having so much of it. Rick of Texas wrote, "We worked our way through school, and graduated without debt. I have two sons, and both worked their way through school. If you built up debt going through school, you have to pay it off." A commenter calling herself Kathryn also disagreed with the premise that young people have it harder today. "Things are no harder now, than [they were] in their grandparents' generation. They just want more, and sooner. They see the house the earlier generations have, and automatically think that is what they should have," she wrote. The harsh words also flowed in the other direction. A younger American, calling himself Danny of New York, wrote, "I am really tired of older Americans trying to talk about how younger Americans are stupid? The economy is crap, not because of us but because of you." Another story that profiled a young man surviving on $20,000 a year drew similar ire from older commenters. They wrote that it was irresponsible to live without health insurance and that he was too young to understand how hard life would become once he also had a family to support. These commenters raise questions about how older and younger Americans are truly getting along. We might be living together more than in the past, and be more involved in each other's daily decisions and lives, but do we like each other? What explains this intergenerational anger? Do older Americans resent younger ones, and if so, why? Does either generation really have it "better" than the other? The unfortunate truth might be that the economy has made it harder for everyone--young and old--to feel good about their financial state. And that frustration easily pours out into angry comments.

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The Challenges of Launching an Encore Career

Many people dream about launching a second career in a field they have always wanted to try. But the transition into an encore career can be a long and costly process. Most people earn a significantly lower amount of money (43 percent) or no money at all (24 percent) during the transition from one job to the next, according to a recent MetLife Foundation and Civic Ventures survey conducted by Penn Schoen Berland. The online survey of 253 adults between ages 44 and 70 who are currently in encore careers found that over half (57 percent) of these older workers had to tap their personal savings to make ends meet during the transition. "That transition is not necessarily a very easy or a sure thing," says Jim Emerman, executive vice president of Civic Ventures. "The financial hardship of the transition, while not really surprising, really jumped out at us as one of the big challenges." It often takes a significant amount of time for older workers to launch second careers. Three quarters of the survey respondents currently in encore careers experienced an employment gap of longer than 6 months. And a third (34 percent) of these older workers were unemployed for two or more years before they found another job. Some people used that time to volunteer (23 percent) or retrain by taking college courses (20 percent). When Lisa Roger, 53, a former software engineering project director, was laid off in 2009, she faced a substantial reduction in income for about 14 months. She had to use her savings, collect unemployment benefits, and sign up for COBRA continuing health coverage to make ends meet. During the transition she participated in the Encore Hartford program in Storrs, Conn., a fellowship that helps experienced professionals transition to the nonprofit sector. She eventually found a new job as a family self-sufficiency services manager for the Norwalk Housing Authority. "Today I don't make nearly the salary that I did as a software engineer and I am ok with that," Roger says. "The work is incredibility rewarding. I know I am making a difference." The new job has caused her to reevaluate her retirement plans. "I used to feel that I was going to retire at a really early age, before 65," Roger says. "The career that I am in now, I see myself going beyond that because it is so rewarding." Older workers are motivated to make a career change by a variety of financial and personal reasons. Insufficient income (28 percent) and inadequate savings (25 percent) were among the top reasons for making the switch. But realizing that some lifetime goals have yet to be fulfilled (28 percent) and a desire to make a bigger difference in the world (21 percent) also play a large role in decisions to move on to something new. Sometimes the transition is sparked by health problems (15 percent), an empty nest (11 percent), or hitting a specific age such as 50 (12 percent). Some people also speak of a spiritual calling into a new line of work (12 percent). Most people switched into new jobs at for-profit businesses (22 percent) or nonprofit organizations (20 percent). Education (19 Percent), health care (15 percent), and government agencies (6 percent) are also popular second career choices. "Some people will work longer in their current jobs, whatever they are, and other people will want a change," says Emerman. Often the new job comes with shorter hours and a more flexible schedule. People in encore careers work an average of 30.5 hours per week, the Civic Ventures survey found. Almost half of people who made a career change (47 percent) did so between ages 50 and 59. Only 3 percent of those surveyed changed careers at age 60 or older. The typical person in an encore career expects to continue working for an average of another 11 years and eventually retire at an average age of 69. They have an average of 24 years of work experience. Many individuals need to keep working for the income (69 percent) and benefits (30 percent). Other people launch second careers to stay active and productive (58 percent), pursue a new challenge (6 percent), and because they simply enjoy the work (31 percent). Some older workers also want to give something back by helping others in the community (35 percent) and staying involved with other people (19 percent). "People are living much longer and they are healthier, and so they want to stay engaged. People need and want and are able to work longer," says Emerman. "If people are out of work now or worried about their current job, the idea of a next career that combines continued financial security with personal satisfaction and something that they are passionate about is very strong."

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Rebels circle Damascus airport; Russia, U.S. downbeat

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Rebels fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad declared Damascus International Airport a battle zone on Friday, while Moscow and Washington both sounded downbeat about the prospects of a diplomatic push to end the conflict. Fighting around the capital city has intensified over the past week, and Western officials have begun speaking about faster change on the ground in a 20-month-old conflict that has killed 40,000 people. But Russia and the United States, the superpowers that have backed the opposing sides in the conflict, both played down the chance of a diplomatic breakthrough after talks aimed at resolving their differences. "I don't think anyone believes that there was some great breakthrough," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said of a meeting with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and international mediator Lakhdar Brahimi. "No one should have any illusions about how hard this remains. But all of us, with any influence, need to be engaged with Brahimi for a concerted, sincere push." Lavrov said the sides had agreed to send officials to another meeting with Brahimi, but also sounded a skeptical note. "I would not make optimistic predictions ... It remains to be seen what will come out of this," he added, noting that Brahimi knows the chance of success is "far from 100 percent". Rebels, meeting in Turkey in the presence of Western security officials, elected a 30-member unified military command, giving prominent posts to Islamists and excluding some senior officers who defected from Assad's army. Washington and its NATO allies want to see Assad removed from power. Moscow has blocked action against him at the U.N. Security Council, and while outsiders repeatedly point to signs of Russia losing patience with him, its stance has not changed. The past week has brought a war previously fought mainly in the provinces and other cities to the threshold of the capital. Cutting access to the airport 20 km (12 miles) from the city center would be a symbolic blow. The rebels acknowledge the airport itself is still in army hands, but say they are blockading it from most sides. "The rebel brigades who have been putting the airport under siege decided yesterday that the airport is a military zone," said Nabil al-Amir, a spokesman for the rebels' Damascus Military Council. "Civilians who approach it now do so at their own risk," he said. Fighters had "waited two weeks for the airport to be emptied of most civilians and airlines" before declaring it a target, he added. He did not say what they would do if aircraft tried to land. Foreign airlines have suspended all flights to Damascus since fighting has approached the airport in the past week, although some Syrian Air flights have used the airport in recent days. Syria says the army is driving rebels back from positions in the suburbs and outskirts of Damascus where they have tried to concentrate their offensive. Accounts from rebels and the government are impossible to verify on the ground. "SOME FIGHT LEFT IN THEM" Although Western opponents of Assad believe events are tipping against him, they also acknowledge that the war is still far from over. "It's very clear to me that the regime's forces are being ground down," U.S. ambassador to Syria Robert Ford, withdrawn last year, was quoted as saying by CNN. "That said, the regime's protection units continue to maintain some cohesion, and they still have some fight left in them, even though they are losing. I expect there will be substantial fighting in the days ahead." Rami Abdelrahman, of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has tracked the fighting since it began in March 2011, said: "I think it's unrealistic to expect that the battle is in its last stages right now." The meeting of rebels in Antalya, Turkey, was aimed at forming a structure to run the conflict in conjunction with a new opposition National Coalition, which some European and Arab states have recognized as Syria's legitimate representatives. One delegate at the meeting, who asked not to be identified, said two-thirds of the 30 members of the newly named command had ties with the Muslim Brotherhood or were its political allies. "We are witnessing the result of the Qatari and Turkish creations," said the delegate, referring to leading anti-Assad countries that are seen as backing the Brotherhood. Colonel Riad Asaad, founder of the Syrian Free Army rebel force, and General Hussein Haj Ali, the highest-ranking officer to defect from Assad's military, were among those excluded. NATO decided this week to send U.S., German and Dutch batteries of air-defense missiles to the Turkish border, putting hundreds of American and European NATO troops close to the frontier with Syria for the first time in the crisis. Russia's ambassador to NATO said the move risked dragging the alliance into the conflict. "This is not a threat to us, but this is an indication that NATO is moving toward engagement, and that's it," Alexander Grushko said. "We see a threat of further involvement of NATO in the Syrian situation as a result of some provocation or some incidents on the border, if they take place. The Dutch on Friday said they would send two Patriot batteries with up to 360 personnel. Germany approved its mission on Thursday. The United States and its NATO allies have issued coordinated warnings in recent days to Assad not to use chemical weapons, prompting Syria to accuse Western countries of conjuring the threat to justify a military intervention. Syria has not signed an international chemical weapons treaty banning poison gas, but has repeatedly said that it would never use such weapons on its own people. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said: "We have no confirmed reports on this matter. However, if it is the case, then it will be an outrageous crime in the name of humanity."

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