Microsoft to open research centre in South Korea: institute

SEOUL ( 2008-09-29 14:05:16 ) :Microsoft will set up a research and development centre in South Korea in cooperation with the country's leading scientific research institute, officials said Monday.

The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) said it would sign an initial deal with the US company next month.

"Microsoft's chief research and strategy officer Craig Mundie will visit our institute to sign a memorandum of understanding on October 30," KAIST professor Choi Key-Sun told AFP.

Microsoft is expected to fund the establishment and management of the centre while KAIST will provide staffing, he said, adding that details such as the amount of Microsoft's investment are still being discussed.

During a trip to Seoul in May, Microsoft founder Bill Gates promised to invest 147 million dollars in South Korea over five years to strengthen his company's presence in the country.

Microsoft also agreed with top automaker Hyundai Motor to set up a strategic alliance and to jointly establish an auto IT innovation centre.




Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2008

Nicole makes public appearance with daughter

LONDON ( 2008-09-29 13:15:58 ) :Aussie actress Nicole Kidman made her public appearance with daughter Sunday Rose in London.

Kidman was photographed cradling her daughter close to her chest, as she left the famous Abbey Road Studios, letting the world catch a glimpse of the little baby’s strawberry-blonde hair.

In the picture taken, Sunday Rose could be seen dressed in a pink dress with white socks, oblivious to the photographers clicking away as she slept peacefully in her loving mum's arms.

Ever since she was born, on July 7 in Nashville, the public has only seen pictures of her wrapped in a papoose.

“She's like a doll - a little, little thing,” News.com.au quoted 41-year-old Kidman as saying of her first biological child. Even her dad Keith Urban, 40, could not stop showing his adoration for her. “We're still experiencing the pure bliss of welcoming her into our lives,” he said.

But where a proper public photograph is concerned, Kidman and Urban have refused million-dollar offers for shots of Sunday Rose, who has been named after painter Sidney Nolan's muse Sunday Reed.






Copyright www Aaj TV, 2008

Taliban grows stronger and better organised

KABUL:Just one year ago, the Taliban insurgency was a furtive, loosely organized guerrilla force that carried out hit-and-run ambushes, burned empty schools, left warning letters at night and concentrated attacks in the southern rural regions of its ethnic and religious heartland.

Today it is a larger, better armed and more confident militia, capable of mounting sustained military assaults. Its forces operate in virtually every province and control many districts in areas ringing the capital. Its fighters have bombed embassies and prisons, nearly assassinated the president, executed foreign aid workers and hanged or beheaded dozens of Afghans.

Parallel structure

The new Taliban movement has created a parallel government structure that includes defense and finance councils and appoints judges and officials in some areas. It offers cash to recruits and presents letters of introduction to local leaders. It operates Web sites and a 24-hour propaganda apparatus that spins every military incident faster than Afghan and Western officials can manage. "This is not the Taliban of Emirate times. It is a new, updated generation," said Waheed Mojda, a former foreign ministry aide under the Taliban Islamic Emirate, which ruled most of the country from 1996 to 2001.

"They are more educated, and they don't punish people for having CDs or cassettes," he said. "The old Taliban wanted to bring sharia, security and unity to Afghanistan. The new Taliban has much broader goals -- to drive foreign forces out of the country and the Muslim world."

In late 2001, U.S. forces made common cause with ethnic groups in Afghanistan's north to overthrow the Taliban, in response to Osama bin Laden's use of the country as a base. Hamid Karzai was tapped as president by the United States and other powers, then elected to the job. In the early years, much of the deeply conservative Muslim country was largely peaceful and secure. Over the past two years, the Taliban's revival has been fueled by fast-growing popular dissatisfaction with Karzai's government. (Courtesy: Gulf News)

No going back for Golan brides

QUNEITRA, Golan Heights: Arina Safadi, wearing a sumptuous white wedding dress, walked past barbed wire in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights so she could join her future
husband on the Syrian side.

She was beaming with happiness at the prospect of embarking on a new life, but the young bride could also not hold back the tears as she waved farewell to her native home, knowing she could never return.

Just before she reached the Quneitra border post, Safadi had one last heart-wrenching task to perform -- signing a document in which she pledged to relinquish her right to residency in the Israeli-annexed area.

"I give up my right of residence and I know that I may not return because of the absence of diplomatic ties between Israel and Syria," says the text.

The Golan Heights, a rocky mountainous plateau rich in water and also a strategic military outpost, has been at the core of the Syrian-Israeli conflict since it was seized by the Jewish state in the 1967 Six-Day War.

Israel annexed the mostly Druze-inhabited territory in 1981, a move never recognised by the world community.

Israel and Syria have been holding indirect peace talks with Turkey as a mediator since May, after an eight-year freeze, with Damascus expecting the process to lead to the eventual return of the Golan Heights.

But until that happens brides such as Safadi, 24, who wish to marry on the Syrian side of the Golan, must make a one-way trip past barbed wire covered in camouflage netting and
past "checkpoint Charlie" in a demilitarised zone.

Safadi will tie the knot with her cousin, Rabih Safadi, and the couple will live in Jaramana, a town near Damascus but miles away from her little village of Ein Qiniya on the windswept borders of Israel, Syria and Lebanon.

She got a facial -- a bittersweet escape from the family home for a short while, away from the constant stream of friends and relatives who have been calling in every day for the past two weeks to bid her farewell.

"I love him," she said of her husband-to-be. "It is my choice to start a new life, but I will have to start from scratch."

Safadi has never been to Syria and only knows what she has seen about it on television. "Of course they have a different lifestyle from ours," she said.

She met her future husband in Jordan during a reunion of the extended Safadi clan which, like many Golan families, was broken up after Israel occupied the strategic plateau in the 1967 war.

More than 18,000 Syrians, mostly Druze, an offshoot branch are left from the Golan's original population of 150,000. The vast majority of these Druze have refused to take Israeli citizenship.

The plateau which overlooks much of northern Israel is also home to nearly 20,000 Jewish settlers.

The father of the bride, Yahiya Safadi, is sad to see his daughter leave. "I raised her, took care of her," he said, his voice choked with emotion. "I didn't sleep at all last night. I will never see my grandchildren."

Safadi, clutching a bouquet of flowers, turned for a last look, a final wave. Then the yellow gate of the crossing gently shut behind her. There is no going back.

Paul Newman remembered for cool style, heart

LOS ANGELES: The death of film legend Paul Newman sparked an outpouring of reaction on Saturday with friends remembering the Oscar winner for his cool acting style and his warm, charitable heart.

Newman, known for roles in films including "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "The Hustler," "The Sting," and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," died at his Westport, Connecticut, home on Friday night at age 83 after a long battle with cancer.

His wife of 50 years, Joanne Woodward, and family were at his side.

Friends and associates remembered his talent that earned Newman nine Oscar nominations, his passion for auto racing and his philanthropy through such causes as his Newman's Own Foundation and Hole-In-the-Wall camps for sick children.

"There is a point where feelings go beyond words," said Robert Redford, his longtime friend and co-star in "Butch Cassidy" and "The Sting." "I have lost a real friend. My life -- and this country -- is better for his being in it."

"He comes from that era of actors along with the Deans, Brandos and Clifts that I, that we all looked at, as actors who changed the art form," said Leonardo DiCaprio.

Eva Marie Saint, who starred with Newman in "Exodus," said: "Yes, his eyes were that blue and beautiful. ... His legacy as a humanitarian for children around the world is unmatchable."

Indeed, in 1982 Newman co-founded Newman's Own food products and decided to funnel much of his profits to charity. Over the years, his Newman's Own Foundation has given some $250 million to charitable and other organizations.

Newman sponsored 11 Hole-In-The-Wall camps worldwide that helped 135,000 kids experience the fun and healing powers of outdoor activities.

"His heart and soul were dedicated to helping make the world a better place for all," said Newman's Own Foundation Vice Chairman Robert Forrester.

Along with philanthropy, Newman was active in liberal political causes, and former President Bill Clinton and Sen. Hillary Clinton on Saturday offered their condolences.

"Paul was an American icon, philanthropist and champion for children," the Clintons said. "Our prayers and thoughts are with Joanne and the Newman family and the many people who Paul impacted through his endless kindness and generosity."

From the world of auto racing, where Newman proved to be as adept a driver as he was an actor, McLaren Formula One team boss Ron Dennis said Newman "was one of those very few people for whom the term 'megastar' was no exaggeration."

But perhaps the most poignant words came from Newman himself, via a statement from his five daughters.

"Always and to the end, Dad was incredibly grateful for his good fortune," they said. "In his own words: "It's been a privilege to be here."

China’s astronauts safely complete first space walk

BEIJING ( 2008-09-27 14:45:52 ) :A Chinese astronaut completed a space walk Saturday, state television said, as China became only the third nation to perform the feat after the United States and the former Soviet Union.

Zhai Zhigang, 41, left the Shenzhou VII spacecraft at about 4:45 pm Beijing time (0845 GMT) for a walk in orbit that lasted just under 15 minutes, according to the live TV transmission.

"I feel well," Zhai said, waving to a camera outside the spacecraft. "I am greeting the Chinese people and the people of the world."

In a highly symbolic move, Zhai produced a small Chinese flag shortly after leaving the spacecraft, and waved it to the camera.

Zhai slowly moved towards a test sample of solid lubricant placed outside the orbital module, Xinhua news agency said.

He took the sample and handed it over to fellow astronaut Liu Boming who stayed in the orbital module and closely monitored Zhai's moves.

Zhai returned to the Shenzhou VII's orbital module, closing its hatch shortly before 5 pm Beijing time (0900 GMT), state TV said.

The walk was supposed to last 20 minutes, with no immediate explanation given for the shortened length of time.

President Hu Jintao had appeared at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center to watch the live transmission of Zhai's spacewalk, according to Xinhua.

The walk was the highlight of the 68-hour mission -- China's third manned foray into space -- and is considered an important step towards building a space station, China's next major ambition in space.




Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2008

US nuclear carrier docks in Japan to protests

YOKOSUKA, Japan: A giant US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier arrived Thursday in Japan, greeted by thousands of people waving US flags but shunned by many residents concerned about their safety.

The 97,000-ton USS George Washington sailed into Yokosuka, a naval hub 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of Tokyo, becoming the first US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to be based outside of the United States.

Despite sensitivities in the only nation to have suffered nuclear attack, Japan agreed to accept the George Washington to replace the diesel USS Kitty Hawk, which is being retired from service.

The mood on the dock was festive with people, mostly Americans, holding balloons and ribbons of red, white and blue. Some 2,000 US military personnel and their families welcomed the ship, according to a military spokesman.

But the ship was not welcome for all. Residents of this port city planned protests against the arrival of the carrier, saying that they feared radiation and crimes by US military personnel.

It is unprecedented for a nuclear-powered ship to be stationed in a densely populated area, according to a civil group which is calling for people to prepare for a possible nuclear accident with iodine syrup.

The United States argued it must deploy its best carrier to Yokosuka due to East Asia's tense security situation. Japan has been officially pacifist since World War II and hosts more than 40,000 US troops under a security alliance.

Bush calls McCain, Obama, leaders to White House

WASHINGTON: US President George W. Bush will host White House rivals John McCain and Barack Obama, as well as top lawmakers, for unprecedented economic crisis talks on Thursday, a spokesman said Wednesday.

The news came 40 minutes before the US president, at pains to convince wary lawmakers to adopt his administration's 700-billion-dollar Wall Street rescue plan, was to take his case to the US public in a prime-time televised speech.

Bush, who telephoned Obama around 7:30 pm (1130 GMT), hopes "to work on driving toward a bipartisan and timely solution on the financial rescue package," said White House spokesman Tony Fratto.

Obama spokesman Bill Burton confirmed in a statement that the Illinois senator would attend.

Bush warns 'entire economy is in danger'

WASHINGTON: President George W. Bush said Wednesday that lawmakers risk a cascade of wiped-out retirement savings, rising home foreclosures, lost jobs and closed businesses if they fail to act on a massive financial rescue plan.

“Our entire economy is in danger,'' he said. “Without immediate action by Congress, American could slip into a financial panic and a distressing scenario would unfold,'' Bush said in a 12-minute prime-time address delivered from the White House East Room that he hoped would help rescue his tough-sell bailout package.

“Ultimately, our country could experience a long and painful recession.'' Said Bush: “We must not let this happen.'' The unprecedented $700 billion bailout, which the Bush administration asked Congress last weekend to approve before it adjourns, is meeting with deep skepticism, especially from conservatives in Bush's own Republican Party who are revolting at the high price tag and massive private-sector intervention by government.

Though there is general agreement that something must be done to address the spiraling economic problems, Bush has been forced to accept changes almost daily, based on demands from the right and left.

Seeking to explain himself to conservatives, Bush stressed he was reluctant to put taxpayer money on the line to help businesses that had made bad decisions and that the rescue is not aimed at saving individual companies but to save entire US nation.

Face value: Why we love, hate, fear cars

PARIS ( 2008-09-24 00:02:16 ) :Do you find that the Renault Twingo has a smiling face? That the VW Beetle looks startled? The Trabant is sad? And a BMW looks angry?

In a new study, scientists say that if we see a mellow, macho or other expression on the front end of a car, it is because we are hardwired to scan human faces for vital information.

Humans, like other animals, have evolved the ability to size someone up in the briefest of glances, they say. Seeing a face for just a tenth of a second in enough to figure out if that person is hostile or helpful, a stranger or kin -- a prehistoric survival mechanism that can make the difference between life and death.

To see if this reflex extends to automobiles, a team of researchers led by Karl Grammer of the University of Vienna asked 40 young adults -- half women, half men -- to rate the front ends of 38 recent-model cars, all of the same colour.

The researchers first classified the "expressions" on the cars using a computerised system of standardized measures for human faces that indicate degrees of masculinity or femininity, and different emotions, based on the size and position of facial features.

Then they asked participants to rate each car's "face" for 19 criteria: Is the "face" more like a child or an adult? More friendly or hostile? More male or female? Is it arrogant? Happy? Afraid? Aggressive?

Respondents were also simply asked if the car's front end looked like a face and, if so, whether it was more human or animal. Finally, they picked the vehicles they liked.

More than a third said that 90 percent of the cars reminded them of a face, and all of the participants indicated headlights for the "eyes" and a radiator grill for the "mouth." Their ranking of emotions matched the ones generated by computers in most cases, according to the experiment, reported this week in the journal Human Nature, published by Germany's Springer group.

As for preferences, both men and women showed a clear liking for cars they described as mature, dominating, masculine, arrogant and angry -- characteristics the researchers bundled together under the heading "power".

These cars had a low-slung bonnet and wide front, associated with with the square jaw and prominent chin of stereotyped masculinity. Topping the list of "power" cars were top-of-the-line BMWs and the Chrysler 300C, 340-horsepower alpha-male of an auto with a V-8 under the bonnet.

At the submissive, friendly and childlike end of the spectrum were Nissan's New Micra, Volkswagen's New Beetle and the Kia Picanto.

"The tendency to interpret car fronts as faces could be the result of an error management strategy which has evolved in order to not miss any information about faces," the authors argue.

Error management theory looks at the consequences of making a mistake in judgement. In evolutionary terms, faces are the quickest indicators of potential danger.

The next step could be to quantify how our perception of car "faces" affects our auto purchases and driving behaviour, offering potential benefits for marketeers but also for road safety, the researchers say.

"Do we feel that driving a car that looks arrogant and dominant might be of benefit in the daily 'battles' on the road?" they ask.

"Does one change lanes and give way sooner when an 'aggressive' car appears in the rear-view mirror?"




Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2008

Amazon's Google phone alliance ramps up attack on iTunes

SAN FRANCISCO ( 2008-09-24 11:34:22 ) :Internet retail titan Amazon has ramped up its attack on Apple's iTunes by having links to its MP3 online music and movie store built into a 'Google phone' due out next month.

Contrary to the way things are done at iTunes, digital music sold at Amazon MP3 store isn't shackled with digital rights management (DRM) software that prevents people from copying tunes or moving them between devices.

"Amazon arguably has the best DRM-free music service out there and it is a coup that Google got them," said analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group in Silicon Valley.

"It is very aggressive. They are seriously targeting Apple. They want to break that monopoly Apple has with iTunes."

Apple's chief executive Steve Jobs has cited industry statistics saying that iTunes is the largest music seller in the world.

Amazon MP3 launched a year ago with an online music catalogue listing more than two million songs from more than 180,000 artists and 20,000 labels, including EMI Music and Universal Music Group.

Songs are priced from 89 cents to 99 cents and albums are priced from 1.99 dollars to 9.99 dollars.

Amazon's music download store is similar to offerings from Apple, Real Networks, and retail behemoth Wal-Mart.

Amazon boasts that MP3 store tunes can be played "on virtually any personal digital music-capable device," including Apple's iPods and iPhones and Microsoft's Zune line of players.

Amazon MP3 "turns up the heat on iTunes" while boosting an MP3 audio format compatible with most music players, Lazard Capital Markets analyst Colin Sebastian said when the online shop debuted in September of 2007.

Meanwhile, Internet search leader Google took a giant leap into the mobile phone market on Tuesday, unveiling a handset developed with telecom carrier T-Mobile to compete with Apple's hot-selling iPhone.

The T-Mobile G1, the first mobile device powered by Google's open-source Android software, will be available in stores in the United States on October 22 and will cost 179 dollars.

T-Mobile chief technology and innovation officer Cole Brodman called the G1, built by the Taiwanese firm HTC, a "game-changing" device which will "power a new mobile Internet of the future."

The G1 will go on sale in Britain in early November and in other European countries served by T-Mobile, a subsidiary of Germany's Deutsche Telekom AG, in early 2009.

Amazon's escalated attack on iTunes' mainstay, digital music, comes just weeks after the Seattle-based firm enhanced its UnBox service to offer on-demand streaming of ad-free films and television shows.

The improved service, which competes with iTunes digital video rentals and sales, lets people watch programs or movies instantly in Web browsers or download them to watch on home computers whenever they wish.

"We're continuing to create new, convenient ways for our customers to watch digital movies and TV shows," Amazon Video On Demand directory Roy Price said in a release.

"The ability to watch content instantly without downloading first was among the most requested features of our customers."






Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2008

Bollywood goes hi-tech in hunt for new audiences

MUMBAI ( 2008-09-24 11:34:10 ) :Indian cinema is getting hi-tech, as Hollywood increasingly influences its themes and plots away from traditional love stories and towards spectacular superheroes and fantasy.

Directors are turning to special effects to woo younger, more upwardly mobile and middle class fans, spawning home-grown computer-generated imagery (CGI) firms and tie-ups with established figures in the United States.

"Indian audiences are very much exposed to Hollywood films and they draw parallels with our cinema when it comes to visual effects," said Rakesh Rohan, who produced and directed the 2006 science fiction film "Krrish."

"So, here we want to prove that Bollywood is no longer less than Hollywood."

"Krrish," which cost nearly nine million dollars to make, draws much from the 1978 blockbuster "Superman." It raked in 33 million dollars worldwide and was one of the biggest grossing Bollywood films that year.

"To take a big risk is better than making a common film," said Rohan. "Indian audiences don't want to see the same wedding scenes all the time. They want something new and we have to give it to them."

The latest film to follow the trend for special effects is "Drona" (Saviour), which is released worldwide on October 2, station and distribution company Red Chillies Entertainment for that purpose.

The venture proved lucrative in his film 2007 "Om Shanti Om." The film is thought to have made 44 million dollars at the box office, making it one of Bollywood's biggest ever hits.

"The mode of entertainment is changing and we really don't know what the future will be," said Khan. "Tomorrow, mobile phone may be the biggest platform of entertainment.

"At this time I feel India's entertainment industry is booming and many Hollywood companies are looking for production services over here. So, I feel it is a good time to cater to them with VFX (special effects) facilities."

More than a dozen Indian companies are now catering for the trend.

In February 2008, "The Golden Compass," starring Nicole Kidman, won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects, using a team of Indian digital artists from California-based Rhythm and Hues.

Darby has also linked up with another Indian production and distribution firm, Eros Entertainment, to found the Mumbai-based EyeQube with the aim of creating a world-class special effects facility in India.

"A visual treat is what makes a film in Hollywood a good grosser," he said in a recent lecture on the subject here. "The real star of the film is the film itself.

"And of course if there is a good script then it is surely going to be success."




Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2008

Obama and McCain spend US$ 3 mln daily

WASHINGTON: US presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain have spent a record amount on their advertising campaigns. The two runoffs have spent about $94 million in dozens of states, financial reports say. According to experts’ calculations, each of the two candidates spends about $3 million a day.

It is worthy of note that the advertising campaigns of the two candidates have been getting more and more aggressive recently. Barack Obama portrayed his rival, John McCain, as a retarded old man, who does not even know how to use a computer. The pre-election website of the senator also offers Believers for Barack and Catholics for Obama buttons and bumper stickers.

In the nearest future, Obama’s headquarters plan to release a new portion of advertising material addressing representatives of other religions.

Obama’s online advertising campaign has proved to be a lot more successful than that of his Republican rival. Obama has left McCain behind on his website traffic, banner impressions and even search entries. However, the difference in the ratings of the two senators is very small – only two or three percent.

Two US-based mathematicians said that they had developed a technique which allowed to envisage the results of the election. Calculations showed that Barack Obama would outstrip John McCain.

Wes Colley of the University of Alabama said that McCain would need to win several hesitating states over to his side, whereas Obama can afford losing in a couple of states, although Obama will win the election anyway.

Scientists from the Institute for Operational Research and Management stick to a different opinion. Their calculations show that Republican John McCain will become the next President of the United States. They based their research on the technique of the mathematical model of voting in separate states that uses a dynamic and progressive algorithm to predict the election results.

The early voting in the USA has already begun. The population of Virginia and several other states will be able to cast their ballots 45 days before the election. Thirty-six states in total will participate in the early voting. Not less than 30 percent of US citizens are expected to take part in the voting by absentee ballots.

US respects Pakistan sovereignty, says Bush

NEW YORK: US President Bush Tuesday said that his country respects the sovereignty of Pakistan. He said this during his meeting with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari.

President Bush said Pakistan is an important ally of USA. Bush also offered condolences to Zardari over the demise of Benazir Bhutto. He also expressed grief over the casualties in suicide attack in Islamabad.

Zardari said a democratic government has been established in Pakistan. On this occasion, he thanked President Bush for continuing support to Pakistan.

Zardari said Pakistan would continue efforts against terrorism and extremism, adding the bilateral relations between the two allied countries will further be boosted in future.

Zardari will also call on Indian Premier Manmohan Singh to discuss various affairs including Indo-Pak peace process.

McAfee to buy Secure Computing in $465 million deal

WASHINGTON ( 2008-09-22 23:59:32 ) :McAfee the second-largest US maker of security software, announced on Monday that it was buying California-based Secure Computing Corp. for 465 million dollars.

McAfee, whose headquarters are in Santa Clara, California, said the purchase of the San Jose-based Secure Computing would make it one of the largest network security vendors in the world.

McAfee offered 5.75 dollars a share for Secure Computing, whose stock soared more than 20 percent on news of the deal and was trading at 5.58 dollars at midday. McAfee was trading at 36.74 dollars, down 1.53 percent.

Dave DeWalt, chief executive and president of McAfee, described the purchase of Secure Computing as a "natural extension of McAfee's security-only focus.

"We believe that this pending acquisition will allow us to immediately establish a leading and highly competitive position in the network security space," he said.

McAfee is the second-largest US maker of security software after Symantec Inc.

Secure Computing provides protection solutions for Web, email and network assets and has more than 22,000 customers in 106 countries.




Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2008

Magician David Blaine hangs in Central Park

NEW YORK: Magician David Blaine unveiled his latest stunt at Wollman's Rink in Central Park, this time, the daredevil, will hang upside-down at a height of 44 feet for 60 hours.

Blaine, who has made a name for himself by pushing the limits of what humans can endure, will abstain from eating and sleeping for the duration of the challenge but will drink fluids. He will also be able to zip around freely while upside-down to talk to those who want to visit him.

Two hours after being hoisted upside-down, Blaine looked uncomfortable.

He could be seen stretching his legs and pulling himself up to a horizontal
position about every five minutes.

"I thought it was going to be pretty bad but it's probably worse than I anticipated," said Blaine.

Blaine's past challenges include holding his breath under water for more than 17 minutes, fasting for 44-days while suspended in a glass box over the Thames in London and surviving in a block of ice for more than 60 hours.

With each challenge, he takes things minute by minute, he said, not contemplating the remaining time he must spend in discomfort.

This challenge where the blood rushes to his head for a prolonged period has been particularly difficult, he said.

"I think the hardest part of this is going to be sleep-deprivation plus keeping blood flow and I guess the good news is... I guess the other factor that we didn't consider is heat from the sun. That'll need to be considered," said Blaine, who grunted from the pain.

Joining him above ground was tv host Kelly Ripa who interviewed him upside-down for a segment on "Live with Regis and Kelly".

Blaine's doctor, Ronald Ruden, who has advised him on all of his challenges said he was particularly concerned about blood clots and blindness.

"We get into real trouble because if he throws a clot or he breaks a blood vessel in his brain, there is nothing stopping it. So we just have to hope it doesn't happen because if it happens it will literally be a tragedy for David," he said.

A crowd of fans on onlookers had gathered at the rink, many incredulous that he was undertaking his latest stunt.

"I don't know how he does it. He must have the biggest headache, I would think but it's pretty amazing. He's an amazing person," said Cameron Scansaroli, who lives nearby.

The challenge ends on Wednesday night with a two-hour special airing on ABC called "David Blaine: Dive of Death".

Cool discovery lifts global warming outlook: researcher

OTTAWA ( 2008-09-20 10:31:15 ) :Ice unearthed in Canada that stayed frozen for 700,000 years, even in warmer times, should allay fears of melting permafrost venting its vast carbon stores to hasten global warming, a study said on Friday.

Permafrost, or subsoil that remains frozen year-round, underlies a quarter of the land in the Northern Hemisphere and is estimated to hold twice as much carbon as is in the atmosphere.

When it melts, some experts fear it will quicken the pace of global warming significantly.

But the discovery of a cone-shaped wedge of subterranean ice near Dawson City, Yukon, that did not melt during balmier times shows that permafrost is more "stubborn" than first believed, researcher Duane Froese of the University of Alberta's earth and atmospheric science department told AFP.

And so, current climate models that predict "extensive and severe degradation of permafrost in response to global warming, with a potential for release of large volumes of stored carbon" should be revised, the study says.

In theory, the permafrost in the interior of Yukon and Alaska, along with this wedge of ice exposed by Klondike gold mining, should have melted during more temperate periods, Froese explained.

Some 120,000 years ago, for example, the Earth is believed to have been a few degrees warmer than now, he said.

The fact that the wedge did not melt indicates "some inherent properties of permafrost" are keeping it cool, and so climate models that predict significant melting of permafrost in the coming decades are wrong, he said.

The findings also suggest that global warming will occur at a much slower pace than predicted, Froese said.

"We don't have to be as worried," he told AFP. "Permafrost seems to be very resilient."

"Relative to other parts of our cryosphere or frozen parts of the Earth, like sea ice that is responding so quickly (to warming) or glacier ice which is responding quickly as well, deep permafrost is remaining cool."

Froese surmised that the layer of soil atop the permafrost acts as insulation from the warming atmosphere.

Environmental groups immediately lambasted Froese's conclusions, saying all evidence so far points to a melting permafrost, causing sinkholes to open up, and homes and forests to tilt.

In an interview with AFP, Froese qualified his findings.

He pointed out that his study dealt with the "deep" or continuous layer of permafrost that can be up to 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) deep at spots and contains more carbon that the thin top layer that has mostly concerned others.

"This does not tell us that we don't need to worry about shallow permafrost which also contains tremendous stores of carbon," he said.

His ice chunk, determined to be the oldest in North America, was first discovered seven years ago, but was not dated until more recently based on a layer of volcanic ash later found on top of it.

The study appeared in Friday's issue of the journal Science.




Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2008

Potter author donates 1m pounds to Labour Party

LONDON: Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has donated one million pounds (1.3 million euros, 1.8 million dollars) to Britain's governing Labour Party, it announced Saturday.

The donation is a much-needed shot in the arm for Prime Minister Gordon Brown's debt-ridden party, which has been trailing the main opposition Conservatives by as many as 28 percentage points in the polls, and comes as Labour is set to kick off its annual party conference.

Rowling -- who was a single mother in Edinburgh surviving on state benefits when she was writing the first in the series about the bespectacled boy wizard -- said she backed the government's efforts to reduce child poverty, and opposed Conservative plans to give tax breaks to married couples.

The 43-year-old author now has a fortune totalling around 560 million pounds, according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List.

"I believe that poor and vulnerable families will fare much better under the Labour Party than they would under a Cameron-led Conservative Party," Rowling said, referring to Conservative leader David Cameron.

"Gordon Brown has consistently prioritised and introduced measures that will save as many children as possible from a life lacking in opportunity or choice."

She said opposition plans for tax support for married couples sent a message that the Conservatives "still believe a childless, dual-income, but married couple is more deserving of a financial pat on the head than those struggling, as I once was, to keep their families afloat in difficult times."

Brown, meanwhile, said in a statement that he was "delighted that J.K. Rowling, who is one of the world's greatest ever authors, has made such a generous donation."

Labour -- which has debts totalling 17.8 million pounds -- is entering its conference in the northern city of Manchester amid internal party rows over Brown's leadership, with the party near its lowest-ever points in the opinion polls.

The Harry Potter series of books have sold over 400 million copies, have been translated into 67 languages, and have spawned a successful film franchise and theme park.

UN text message campaign on Peace Day

NEW YORK: Seeking global efforts against conflict, poverty and violation of human rights, the United Nations has launched a peace campaign through text messages on mobile phones and websites to mark the International Peace Day.

"On September 21, the International Day of Peace, I call on world leaders and peoples around the world to join forces against conflict, poverty and hunger, and for all human rights for all," said UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon in the text message.

The effort is part of a UN campaign that urges cell phone users in the United States to compose peace messages to be published on a website and delivered to world leaders gathered for the General Assembly beginning later this week.

Renowned violinist Midori Goto was appointed UN's Messenger of Peace in yesterday's ceremony which was kicked off with the traditional ringing of the peace bell.

The Secretary-General noted that the International Day has special significance as the year 2008 also marks the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the universal declaration of human rights by the UN.

"We know that human rights are essential to peace," he said, "yet too many people around the world still have their rights violated, especially during and after armed conflict."

"That is why we must ensure that the rights in the Declaration are a living reality - that they are known, understood and enjoyed by everyone, everywhere," he added.

Later, Ban and the President of the 63rd session of the General Assembly Miguel D'Escoto Brockmann welcomed more than 700 participants in a students' conference on 'Peace and Human Rights' organised by the UN's public information department.

Asking the students to utilise the chance to speak out about their concerns and think about their future as well as the future of this world, the secretary general said that today's generation has powers of social networking that his generation can "hardly comprehend".

"I use electronic communications all the time, but honestly - this is a little embarrassing - I have zero friends online. But you, collectively, can reach tens of thousands of people in an instant," Ban said.

"You can mobilise way beyond your clique, beyond your community, even beyond the borders of your own country. That is the power you have and I count on it - your power to make this world different when you become leaders, and even before," he added.

The function was attended by several peaceniks including Oscar-winning actor Michael Douglas, wildlife researcher and conservationist Jane Goodall and Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace prize winner Elie Wiesel.

Marriot Massacre: Death toll raises to 57

ISLAMABAD: The death toll in the suicide bombing at Marriot Hotel Islamabad raised up to 51 as the rescue workers retrieved eleven more corpses from the wreckage of the building on Sunday.

Near 236 people were also injured in the deadliest attack in the history of Islamabad that almost completely destroyed the hotel building and dozens of vehicles parked aside.

Czech Republic’s ambassador to Pakistan is also among dead whose body was recovered from the hotel today, reported ARY OneWorld.

Czech ambassador Ivo Zdarek was missing since the attack.

Zdarek, 47, who used to serve in Vietnam, was appointed ambassador to Pakistan last month and has been staying at the hotel, the embassy sources said.

Earlier, doctors at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Islamabad said that bodies of a Czech national and a foreigner lady were brought to the hospital Sunday.

A security official said the body of the ambassador was delivered to the Czech mission.

Many foreigners were also included among injured of the blast.

British High Commission in Islamabad has confirmed that five of its nationals got hurt in the blast, out of two were still be medicated in hospitals.

Meanwhile, the rescue efforts are underway at the blast site and some 11 more dead bodies have been recovered from various rooms of the hotel.

“More dead bodies have been found from the premises this morning,” a relief worker told ARY One World correspondent. “However, many of the hotel’s portions and rooms are still inaccessible due to intense fire and its aftermaths,” he added.

According to the relief workers the temperature of the building reached to 400 centigrade and the structure has been declared dangerous.

A joint investigation team constituted by the federal government has started probe into Marriott blast Sunday morning at the location.

The police and other investigation teams were collecting evidences at the location and pieces of the truck used in the bombing have been gathered.

According to the sources, surveillance cameras installed in the premise can help the investigators but entry in the hotel premises has been banned.

Meanwhile, United States has offered help to Pakistan in the investigations of the bombing.

“A 15-member team of investigators will leave for Pakistan after receiving permission from Pakistan,” US officials said.

Obama mingles with Hollywood royalty at lucrative fundraiser

BEVERLY HILLS ( 2008-09-17 12:52:45 ) :Hollywood's A-list was out in force on Tuesday at a fundraiser for Barack Obama with stars including Leonardo DiCaprio helping to amass an estimated nine million dollars for the Democrat's White House campaign.

A dinner in a Beverly Hills mansion costing about 300 attendees 28,500 dollars each also attracted director Steven Spielberg along with a bevy of actors such as Jodie Foster and Tobey Maguire, and comedian Chris Rock, reporters saw.

Obama told the high-rolling audience that many of them had expressed jitters to him about his chances of success in the November 4 election against Republican John McCain.

The Illinois senator urged his supporters to "keep steady" in the days ahead and never forget what his candidacy was about.

He offered a reminder that his campaign "was about those who will never see the inside of a building like this and don't resent the success that's represented in this room, but just want the simple chance to be able to find a job that pays a living wage."

Drawing laughter, Obama added that he was "confident about winning because, I've looked at John McCain, I've looked at (McCain's running mate) Sarah Palin, I've looked at their agenda, and they don't have one."

Singer-actress Barbra Streisand crooned at a 2,500-dollar-per-head reception at the swanky Beverly Wilshire hotel after the dinner, where the stars ate goat's cheese, roasted potatoes, filet mignon and asparagus.

Obama aides would not confirm how much the twin events were set to raise but did not dispute reports that predicted a bumper haul of nine million dollars, which would be a record for a single night's fundraising.

McCain had accused Obama of siding with the Hollywood glitterati at his lucrative events instead of with hard-hit voters trapped by the economic malaise sweeping the United States.

Addressing voters in Vienna in the battleground state of Ohio, the Arizona senator earlier said Obama "talked about siding with the people, just before he flew off to Hollywood for a fundraiser with Barbra Streisand and his celebrity friends."

"Let me tell you, my friends, there's no place I'd rather be than here with the working men and women of Ohio," McCain said.

"Senator Obama's not interested in the politics of hope, he's interested in his political future."

But Obama's staff said McCain was on shaky ground, as he was flush with more than five million dollars after his own big fundraising event in Miami late Monday.

"I don't know who showed up in Florida where he raised five million dollars, but my guess is that it wasn't a lot of nurses, firefighters and police officers," Obama's top strategist David Axelrod told reporters.

Senator McCain raised an impressive 5.1 million dollars at his own fundraising dinner late Monday in Florida, the Republican's campaign said.

Supporters paid 50,000 dollars a ticket to attend the buffet dinner in Miami's InterContinental hotel, taking McCain's total fundraising in Florida to date to 26.2 million dollars.

Tuesday's events in Beverly Hills come after Obama racked up a record-breaking 66 million dollars in fundraising last month, beating his previous high mark of 55 million in February.

McCain raised 47 million dollars in August -- his best month so far. But the Republican has accepted public financing for his effort, which limits his spending to 84 million dollars for the general election campaign.

Obama has opted out of public financing, but both candidates are maintaining a regular schedule of fundraisers to top up their coffers for the most expensive US election ever.

Under US law, the first 2,300 dollars of donations can go to Obama's campaign and anything over that was going to the Democratic Party's election war chest.




Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2008

Scientists to use satellites to count kangaroo rats

FRESNO ( 2008-09-18 22:08:02 ) :Scientists plan to use satellite photos to count Giant Kangaroo Rats, the first-ever monitoring of an endangered species from outer space.

Scientists will examine images taken from the same satellite used by Israeli defense forces to find the circular patches of earth denuded by the rats as they gather food around their burrows. From that they plan to get the first-ever accurate population count of the rodents, a bellwether for the health of a parched plains environment.

By comparing the photos to 30 years of satellite images being released this month by the U.S. Geological Survey, researchers hope to better understand how the population has fluctuated in response to climate change and as the arrival of state and federal canal water turned the arid San Joaquin Valley into a patchwork of intensely cultivated farms and forced Giant Kangaroo Rats to concentrate on higher ground.

The information will help scientists determine when cattle might be used to reduce nonnative grasses, allowing the rats to more easily find food.

This study using satellite technology is taking place on the vast Carrizo Plain, a 390-square-mile desert grassland 150 miles southwest of here that is home to the most concentrated remaining populations of kangaroo rats.

The technology replaces trapping and tedious airplane fly-overs as a means of taking census.

"It allows us to more quickly recognize whether populations are declining where we want them to exist," said Scott Butterfield, a biologist with of The Nature Conservancy. "If they go below a threshold that is when we would consider intervening."

Giant Kangaroo Rats, nocturnal rodents so named because they hop on back legs, adapted to their desert environment by extracting moisture from seeds and in their nasal passages from the humid air they exhale. For food, they pile seeds from native grasses in circles outside their burrows, which provide shelter for the endangered San Joaquin antelope squirrel and blunt-nosed lizards. Their fat five-inch bodies are a favoured source of food for the endangered kit fox.

High rainfall encourages the growth of taller nonnative grasses, which overrun the shorter grasses that kangaroo rats depend on for food. Less food means fewer offspring. When kangaroo rats decline, so do the endangered native plant and animal species that depend on them for survival, the researchers say.

Determining at what point rainfall affects foraging will help the U.S. Bureau of Land Management establish grazing policy to control nonnative grasses and encourage a healthy kangaroo rat population.

"Without them the entire ecosystem would go out of whack," said Tim Bean, a doctoral student with the department of environmental policy and management at the University of California, Berkeley. "It's fairly rare for something so small to be a keystone species. It's easier to track, say, bison."

Farming has taken 90 percent of the kangaroo rat habitat since the middle of the last century.

The Carrizo Plain National Monument is California's largest remaining undisturbed tract of grasslands similar in biology and geography to the San Joaquin Valley, and it supports many plant and animal species that once thrived on the valley floor.

"Carrizo is like a Yosemite for grasslands, and there are decisions people are learning to make to manage it in a way that preserves its natural state," Bean said. "Since the kangaroo rat is so important to its function, we've got to get a handle on it."




Copyright Aaj TV, 2008

Johnson space center to reopen next week: NASA

WASHINGTON ( 2008-09-18 23:57:35 ) :The Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, which was shut down as Hurricane Ike barreled toward the US Gulf Coast, will reopen next week, US space officials said Thursday.

Officials in a statement set a September 22 date for reopening the space center, which controls many systems aboard the orbiting International Space Station (ISS).

Space officials said the center emerged unscathed from the killer hurricane, which exacted billions of dollars of damage around the region.

The space center shut down on September 11, as the monster storm steamed toward the US mainland. Johnson Space Center officials temporarily handed over control of the ISS to backup facilities elsewhere in Texas and in Alabama.

The hurricane killed more than 100 people in the Caribbean, then killed more than 17 across nine US states after making landfall in southeastern Texas.




Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2008

Yahoo opens its doors to hackers

SUNNYVALE ( 2008-09-15 11:20:02 ) :Hackers armed with laptop computers, camping tents and dreams of software glory invaded Yahoo during the weekend as the Internet pioneer opened its strategy and its doors to outside developers.

The "hackathon" was as much a symbol of Yahoo rising from the ashes of a burned-out courtship with US technology colossus Microsoft as it was a chance for software wizards to work their magic on Yahoo's platform.

The approximately 300 hackers that swept onto the firm's campus in Sunnyvale, California, had the first chance to tinker with the inner workings of Yahoo online offerings such as its globally popular free email.

Yahoo earlier in the week outlined a shift to an "Open Strategy" that it believes will jazz-up the website and lead to meshing offerings from hot online properties such as Amazon and iTunes with its web pages.

"Open is a really important strategy for us," Yahoo Developer Network head Chris Yeh told AFP as hackers fueled up on pizza, keg beer and caffeine-based energy drinks for all-night software writing sessions.

"It is a new course for the ship. Our ability to turn Yahoo from a company that owns and operates its own sites to a company that lets other people in on the action is a critical growth moment. This is really exciting."

Breaking down walls between websites where people store digitized photos, videos, messages, and musings is a trend that's overdue, according to Internet users and developers.

"It's something that really needs to happen," Developer Ryan Moore said as he worked on a hack in a purple-and-yellow armchair overlooking sand volleyball courts. "It's the way everything ought to work."

Yahoo announced plans to revamp its homepage in coming months to allow people to customize home pages with mini-applications, including those crafted by third-party developers and vetted by Yahoo.

"Jerry (Yang) and I are dedicated to keeping that spirit of openness and innovation alive, but we know that we can't come up with all the great ideas ourselves," Yahoo co-founder David Filo wrote in a 'Hack Day' message.

"Hackers, bring it on."

Hackers working alone or in teams set up camps in booths or tables in URL's Cafe in the heart of Yahoo's campus while others retreated to classrooms or stuffed chairs on the second floor of the two-story building.

"This is the Yahoo that you know; that you've always dealt with," said Moore, who attended the company's first and only other US hack day in 2006.

"It's the old Yahoo: 'We have eyeballs; we have data -- have at it."

Some broke from coding intermittently through the night to nap in tents pitched in a grassy courtyard or play classic arcade videogames including Pac-Man and Galaga.

Musically inclined hackers tested their skills on faux instruments playing pretend rock stars in the Rock Band video game.

Nearly 50 "hacks" were completed by the time the event wrapped after dark on Saturday.

Software creations included a "Ganzbot" robot that reads people news, weather, Twitter messages or other information streamed to their home pages by automated delivery mechanisms known as "feeds."

An Icarus.tv hack served up music videos in online radio style, scouring the Internet and fetching performances that promise to fit people's tastes.

"The people here from Yahoo are psyched, excited," Yeh said. "It's a great event. It is one of the things we can rally about as a company."

Yahoo claims more than 500 million users worldwide but has been struggling to cash-in on its popularity.

Yahoo's sagging fortunes and Google's ascension as Internet advertising king prompted Microsoft on January 31 to offer to buy Yahoo for 44.6 billion dollars in a half-cash, half-stock deal.

Microsoft was eager to combine online resources with Yahoo in order to better battle Google.

Microsoft walked away from negotiations May 3 after Yahoo rejected an offer it raised from 31 dollars to 33 dollars per share, which amounted to 47.5 billion dollars.

Yahoo subsequently made a deal with Google to put its online advertising expertise to work on Yahoo websites. That deal is to take effect later this year if it passes muster with US anti-trust regulators.

"It's been a remarkable year so far and it is going to continue to be a remarkable year," Yeh said. "I like interesting times. I think when things are in flux good things happen."




Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2008

Self-flying helicopter takes off

STANFORD ( 2008-09-16 21:25:53 ) :A four-foot-long helicopter flew itself over the Stanford University campus on Monday in a test of artificial intelligence that researchers say could be used to scout wildfires or on military missions.

The autonomous helicopter performed flips, rolls, pirouettes, stall-turns, knife-edges, and an inverted hover over a field.

The helicopter is equipped with an artificial intelligence system developed by computer scientists at Stanford and taught itself to fly by watching the aerobatics of a radio-controlled helicopter flown by a human.

"These helicopters can fly maneuvers at the edge of what a helicopter is capable of," said Adam Coates, a PhD student who worked on the project.

The helicopters, which communicate with a ground-based computer that guides it, are still being developed.

PhD student Pieter Abbeel said the research group has been contacted by a number of companies interested in surveillance and mapping applications, while scientists saw the mini-helicopters investigating wildfires and looking for land mines.

Each helicopter costs approximately $4,000 and is outfitted with an accelerometer, gyroscope and a magnetometer to determine its orientation and acceleration, and a GPS or two ground-based cameras to determine its location.




Copyright Reuters, 2008

Ozone hole larger in 2008 than previous year: WMO

GENEVA ( 2008-09-17 00:31:35 ) :The ozone hole is larger in 2008 than the previous year but is not expected to reach the size seen two years ago, the World Meteorological Organisation said on Tuesday.

"In 2008, the ozone hole appeared relatively late. However, during the last couple of weeks it has grown rapidly and has now passed the maximum size attained in 2007," the WMO said in a statement.

The hole in the layer over the Antarctic was discovered in the 1980s. It regularly tends to form in August, reaching its maximum size late September or early October before it fills again in mid-December.

The size it reaches is dependent on weather conditions.

Experts warned that such is the damage to the ozone layer, which shields the Earth from harmful ultra-violet rays, it will only attain full recovery in 2075.

"It would take decades for the hole to disappear and for it to return to the situation before 1980. We are looking at 2075," Geir Braathen, who is the World Meteorological Organisation's expert on the subject told AFP.

On September 13, the hole covered an area of 27 million square kilometres, while in 2007, the maximum reached was 25 million square kilometres, said the WMO.

"Since the ozone hole is still growing, it is too early to determine how large this year's ozone hole will be," it added.

Ozone provides a natural protective filter against harmful ultra-violet rays from the sun, which can cause sunburn, cataracts and skin cancer and damage vegetation.

Its depletion is caused by extreme cold temperatures at high altitude and a particular type of pollution, from chemicals often used in refrigeration, some plastic foams, or aerosol sprays, which have accumulated in the atmosphere.

Most of these chemicals, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), are being phased out under the 1987 Montreal Protocol, but they linger in the atmosphere for many years.




Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2008

Coen brothers light up US box office with 'Burn' comedy

LOS ANGELES ( 2008-09-16 10:42:42 ) :The Coen brothers conquered the weekend box office in the United States and Canada with their farcical "Burn After

Reading" only six months after winning an Oscar for a much darker film, industry figures showed Monday.

Starring Brad Pitt, George Clooney, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand and

Tilda Swinton, the spy comedy earned 19.1 million dollars from Friday to Sunday in its opening weekend.

The successful debut of the latest film from sibling directors Ethan and Joel Coen comes after the two won Best Picture at the Oscars for the grim and violent "No Country for Old Men."

The revenue for "Burn After Reading" marked the best commercial result at the box office for the directors since they started making movies more than 20 years ago.

The film with its goofy, rapid-fire dialogue has won mainly rave reviews and praise in particular for Pitt, who plays a clueless gym trainer. The movie tells the story of a fired CIA analyst, played by Malkovich, whose memoir falls into the hands of Pitt and his cohorts at a fitness gym.

"The Family that Preys" by playwright-turned-filmmaker Tyler Perry came in second place with earnings of 17.3 million in its weekend debut while another new release had a solid showing at third place, police thriller "Righteous

Kill." Starring screen giants Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino as New York police detectives, the film earned 16.3 million dollars, showing the two can still draw a big audience in their sixties -- though the movie got mixed reviews.The modern update of George Cukor's 1939 classic film "The Women," featuring Meg Ryan, was in fourth place with 10.1 million over the weekend.

The spoof "Tropic Thunder" -- Ben Stiller's movie-within-a-movie about filming a war flick in the middle of a real-life conflict zone fell to fifth place with a take of 4.2 million dollars, boosting its earnings beyond 100 million dollars over five weeks.

"House Bunny," about an ousted Playboy bunny who becomes a college sorority house mother, was in sixth with 4.15 million, followed by "Batman" sequel "The Dark Knight."

Still in the "Top Ten" after nine weeks, the latest Batman movie took in 4.12 million over the weekend for total earnings of 517.8 million, the second best box office showing after "Titanic" which earned 600.8 million.

Last week's box office winner "Bangkok Dangerous," starring Nicolas Cage as a ruthless hitman on assignment in Thailand, fell all the way to eighth this week, with 2.6 million in earnings.

"Traitor," a war-on-terror epic featuring Don Cheadle as a former US

Special Ops officer and potential international conspirator, was ninth, with 2.1 million.

In 10th place was "Death Race," an action-adventure flick about an

Ex convict competing against prison inmates in a freedom-or-death car race, taking in two million.






Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2008

Parents can reduce exam stress in kids

ISLAMABAD: Exam for students means a dreadful time to deal with. Exam time is very stressful for both parents and children.

Stress in life is very helpful, as it inspires us to perform tasks and propels to achieve things enthusiastically, Health news reported.

However, too much stress is very damaging and it generally occurs when we lack confidence and worry that we are incapable of doing anything efficiently.

When exams are nearby, children often worry about their exams and buckle under some stress and pressure. Parents, on the other hand, also worry as much as their children do. For them, it is something like experiencing their most horrible phase in life with full of stress.

This stress leads to regular irritation, depression, fatigue, sleeplessness, headache, body pains, and lack of appetite.

The parental stress can also affect children, if parents undergo excessive stress because of their child's exam.

Loss of interest to study, memory lapse, lack of ability to concentrate for long periods and headache, mild fever, and stomachache are the result of parental stress in children.

Often, parents feel that they can do nothing to reduce the exam stress and fear in their child. However, as a parent, you have several ways through which you can help your child-and yourself-pass through this stressful time.

As a parent, pay special attention towards your child and encourage him/her to overcome their worries and gain confidence to go through their exams successfully. Do not show over-attention and keep over-expectations.

Always be affectionate, supportive, and a study partner in their academic activities. Take time, spend with your child, and reassure that you are always with him/her to support and encourage.

Concentrate on the nutrition, as it can influence more on exam stress in you and your child. So, plan a balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables and low fat, low- sugar, and low-caffeine foods that increase memory power.

Also, ensure that your child is sleeping well for about 6-8 hours. This helps in increasing the thinking and concentration power of your child.

Remind your child that nervousness is a common phenomenon for every student. Explain the child that nervousness can make him/her lose confidence and the key is to set these nerves to activist use.

Focus on your kid's activeness. Encourage your child to follow an exercise routine, as it helps enhance their energy levels, ease stress and increases concentration and memory power.

Never set rules for studying; allow your child to go with his/her schedule while studying. Instead, assist your child in drawing up a regular study time schedule. Do not add stress and pressure, be a good listener and listen to them, give support and stay away from criticism.

After completing an exam, discuss about the paper and encourage your child to move ahead, focus on the next test, and do better in the coming exams. Also, encourage your child to concentrate on the next test rather than thinking on the finished exam that no one can change.

Remember that exam is not the end of everything. If the child does not do well in the exam, encourage him/her to take the exam again and succeed in it.

New coin of Prince Charles on 60th birthday

LONDON: Britain's Royal Mint has issued a new collectors coin featuring images of Prince Charles and his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, to celebrate his 60th birthday.

Royal Mint officials say the coin is unusual because it features a member of the royal family on each side.

The last coin to feature an image of Charles -- who turns 60 on Nov. 14 -- on one side and the queen on the other was issued to mark the Prince's 50th birthday.

The Royal Mint released three versions of the coin Monday. The gold coin costs 925 pounds ($1,665). The solid silver coin costs 39.95 pounds ($72) and the nickel coin costs 9.95 pounds ($18).

Pakistani Lawyers movement (Efforts for restoration of judges): pictures

Global economic slowdown to push 100m into poverty

NAIROBI: Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General, warns in a new report that the gains made in reducing extreme poverty are under threat from the rise in global food and fuel prices and global economic slowdown.

In the UN's Millennium Development Goals Report 2008, launched on 11 September, Ban writes: "The largely benign development environment that has prevailed since the early years of this decade, and that has contributed to the successes to date, is now threatened. The economic slowdown will diminish the incomes of the poor; the food crisis will raise the number of hungry people in the world and push millions more into poverty; climate change will have a disproportionate impact on the poor."

According to World Bank data, the number of extreme poor has fallen - from 1.8 billion to 1.4 billion - between 1990 and 2005, with the biggest gains made in eastern Asia, in particular, China. In sub-Saharan Africa and the Commonwealth of Independent States, however, the number of poor has increased in the same period.

These figures confirm that the global poverty rate is likely to be halved by 2015 - achieving the first MDG.

However, the worldwide increases in food prices will push another 100 million people into absolute poverty, according to the UN report.

"Even though the proportion of people worldwide suffering from malnutrition and hunger has fallen since the early 1990s, the number of people lacking access to food has risen. With recent increases in food prices, it is estimated that one billion people will go hungry, while another two billion will be undernourished," the report states.

Sub-Saharan Africa's poverty rate is constant at 50 percent, while East Asia cut its rate over 25 years from almost 80 percent to less than 20 percent. Overall numbers are thus down from 52 percent in 1981 to 26 percent in 2005.

Slight improvements have been seen in primary school enrolment - up from 83 percent to 88 percent on average worldwide, although the rate for sub-Saharan Africa is only 71 percent, with 38 million children of primary school-going age not in school. In contrast, the enrolment ratio tops 90 percent in Southern Asia, although 18 million children do not attend school.

The fourth MDG, cutting child mortality, also saw improvements, with the number of deaths of under-fives falling below 10 million for the first time in 2006, to 9.7 million. The rate has declined from 93 to 72 deaths per 1,000 live births between 1990 and 2006.

However, in 62 countries under-five mortality is not falling fast enough to meet the target of reducing the mortality rate by two-thirds by 2015.

Worlds highest concentration of millionaires

NEW YORK: The US may have the largest number of millionaires, but tiny Singapore rules the world when it comes to the highest concentration.

According to Boston Consulting Group’s latest Global Wealth report, an astounding one in 10 households in Singapore have investible assets of $1 million or more. That compares with 4.3% in the U.S., which ranks sixth.

Singapore, of course, is very small – it has about a million households. And its 112,000 millionaires are dwarfed by the 4,884,000 millionaires in the U.S., according to Boston Consulting’s calculations.

Of course, wealth surveys, by nature, are imprecise, given the small sample sizes, the agendas of the surveyors and the difficulty of polling the rich. Still, they can offer insights into broader trends and directional changes with the wealthy.

If you want to know where to go to have the highest chance of bumping into a millionaire, here are the top five:

1 — Singapore — 10.6%
2 — Qatar — 7.9%
3 — Switzerland — 7.3%
4 — United Arab Emirates — 6.6%
5 — Kuwait — 5.3%

Interestingly, the chances of running into a millionaire are almost twice as high in the U.S. than in Saudi Arabia, which has a millionaire density of 2.2%.

As for cities with the largest number of millionaires, the report found that nine of the top 15 are in the U.S., with New York topping the list, followed by London, Tokyo, Los Angeles and Chicago.

Oprah to ask viewers to support Senate bill

CHICAGO: A few weeks after cheering presidential candidate Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention, Oprah Winfrey will take up a different kind of political activism.

Monday's episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" will be dedicated to a Senate bill targeting child predators, according to a release issued Friday by Chicago-based Harpo Productions.

During the show, which will detail the "extent and pervasiveness of child pornography trafficking in America," Winfrey will ask viewers to contact their senators about U.S. Senate Bill 1738, the Protect Our Children Act, Harpo said.

"What you are going to see is going to shock you to the core, but I'm asking you to please not turn away because this is happening in our country, to our children, in the United States every day," Winfrey said in the release.

Harpo said the show will be rated TV-14.

In 1991, Winfrey testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee in support of a national database of convicted child abusers. The "Oprah Bill" was signed into law in 1993.

In 2005, Winfrey, who has said she was also a victim of child abuse, launched the "Oprah's Child Predator Watch List" and pledged a $100,000 reward per case for information that leads to the arrest of fugitives featured on her show and Web site. Nine of the featured fugitives have been captured, Harpo said.

Winfrey has been a longtime supporter of Obama's and said she was moved to tears by his acceptance speech at the convention.

Kidman tops most overpaid star list in Hollywood

NEW YORK: If you were wondering who made the most money in Hollywood without truly deserving it - apparently the answer is Nicole Kidman, at least according to Forbes magazine. She was named the most overpaid celebrities in the second annual list of least bankable stars.

Kidman's films were estimated to only earn $1 for every dollar the Oscar-winning actress was paid compared with $8 a year ago.

The article says, "Despite winning an Oscar for her performance in 2002's "The Hours," Kidman has become the most overpaid celebrity in Hollywood."

Second in the list came Jennifer Garner - who acted in 'The Kingdom' and 'Catch and Release', which have both under performed at the box office, earning roughly $3.60 for every $1 she was paid.

Kidman's ex-husband, Tom Cruise, came third in the list with a $4 return for every dollar he was paid, mostly because of the failure of last year's movie "Lions for Lambs."

Forbes said the ranking was compiled by looking at a star's past three films and dividing their total earnings by the films' gross income to get the actor's payback figure.

Here's my opinion - if I was one of these stars, I don't think I'd care too much about the list. After all, they're the ones making the money!

Hackers find black hole in atom smasher computers: report

LONDON ( 2008-09-13 18:46:47 ) :Hackers claim they have broken into the computer system of the Large Hadron Collider, the mega-machine designed to expose secrets of the cosmos, British newspapers reported on Saturday.

A group calling itself the Greek Security Team left a rogue webpage mocking the technicians responsible for computer security at the giant atom smasher as "schoolkids", the Times and Daily Telegraph reported.

The hackers vowed they had no intention of disrupting the experiment at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) on the Swiss-French border, they just wanted to highlight the flaws in the computer system's security.

"We're pulling your pants down because we don't want to see you running around naked looking to hide yourselves when the panic comes," they wrote, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The hackers claimed to have gained access to a website open to other scientists on Wednesday as the LHC passed its first test with flying colours, the reports said.

They appear to have tried to gain access to the computer system of the Compact Muon Solenoid Experiment, one of the four detectors that will be analysing the progress of the experiment.

James Gillies, a spokesman for CERN, told the Times: "We don't know who they were but there seems to be no harm done. It appears to be people who want to make a point that CERN was hackable."

Scientists hailed the success of the start of the experiment on Wednesday in the Large Hadron Collider, the 27-kilometre (16.9-mile) circular tunnel in which parallel beams of protons will be accelerated to nearly the speed of light.

Superconducting magnets will then steer the counter-rotating beams so that strings of protons smash together in four huge laboratories, fleetingly replicating the conditions that prevailed at the "Big Bang" that created the Universe 13.7 billion years ago.




Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2008

Nokia expending its device range

KARACHI ( 2008-09-13 18:38:42 ) :Nokia Saturday announced that it is expanding its device range which enables Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync to all Nokia S60 3rd Edition devices.

An announcement here said that 43 Nokia devices will now feature the Mail for Exchange mobile email application, making Nokia's device range the largest ever to enable the solution chosen by more businesses than any other messaging solution.

It said that Nokia also announced Saturday that Mail for Exchange will be available out-of-the-box in future releases of Nokia Eseries and Nokia Nseries devices.

With this announcement, Nokia is enabling about 80 million mobile phone users which is the number of Nokia S60 3rd Edition converged devices shipped globally to date to connect to their email accounts on the Exchange Server.

Exchange Server 2007 provides customers with anywhere access to information, advanced built-in protection and greater operational efficiency.

`The Nokia-Microsoft collaboration to bring corporate mobile email to businesses and mobile professionals is truly unbeatable. No other device manufacturer provides the wide range of devices that we have, which immediately mobilize the hundreds of millions of email accounts from Microsoft Exchange', said Anssi Vanjoki, Executive Vice President, Markets, and Nokia.

`The costs of mobility are contained as companies are able to utilize existing Microsoft Exchange infrastructure, and there is also the strong possibility that a large number of employees already have one or more of the 43 Nokia devices that enable Exchange ActiveSync'.

`Nokia is a valued partner and we are pleased they are making it easier for their approximately 80 million S60 3rd Edition customers to realize the benefits of Exchange Server', said Terry Myerson, Corporate Vice President, Exchange Server, Microsoft Corp.

`This announcement with Nokia further demonstrates the importance consumers and businesses place on accessing Exchange Server data from mobile devices in addition to traditional desktop clients. Nokia's announcement today will help give its users that access and help make them more productive'.

`We take corporate and IT security policies seriously, and a comparison study showed that the device management and security policies for devices such as the Nokia Eseries are robust', added Vanjoki.

`This should give business heads and IT managers greater confidence when choosing between device brands to mobilize their workforce'.

By connecting to the Exchange Server 2007, Mail for Exchange enables features such as Autodiscover, which drastically simplifies the set-up process by requiring the email account holder to only enter their email address, password, domain and usernames; Out of Office messaging, enabling busy professionals to set their out-of-office messages directly from their Nokia device; synchronization when roaming, a must-have feature for travelling businesspeople; and also Flag status for follow-ups.

While the Exchange ActiveSync protocol is compatible with many types of devices, Nokia device users will have access to features that are currently not available in other Exchange ActiveSync licensees' devices. Setting email priorities, alerts for meeting request conflicts, a standalone global address list application to search for a colleague's contact details quickly, downloading and editing all types of attachments, not just image files, are must-have factors that users will expect from their mobile email application.




Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2008

Breakthrough in understanding of speech offers hope to the deaf

PARIS ( 2008-09-14 17:45:04 ) :Scientists on Sunday said intelligible speech is learnt in part through nerve signals from the vocal tract, a discovery that could open up an ambitious avenue of therapy for the deaf.

Muscles and receptors in the mouth and throat retain a memory of their position and feeling when a word is uttered, and their signals provide key input for the brain as it hones the power of speech, they suggest.

Researchers David Ostry and Sazzad Nasir at McGill University in Montreal carried out an unusual experiment into an enduring mystery: why is it that many deaf people are still able to speak coherently, sometimes years after losing their hearing?

They recruited five middle-aged people who had lost their hearing in adulthood and were now profoundly deaf but had a cochlear implant to pick up sounds.

With the implant turned off, the five were asked to repeat four specific words while the front of their lower jaw was gently pulled forwards by a small device attached to their bottom row of front teeth.

The movement was only tiny but it was sufficient to deform the sounds emitted from the volunteers' mouth.

The point of the experiment was to see whether the volunteers were able to adapt to the sudden speech deformation, even if they could not hear the sound they were making.

The four words were "saw," "say," "sass" and "sane," chosen because their vowel, dipthong and fricative -- the hiss of the "s" -- require a very precise jaw position to be pronounced intelligibly.

Even though they were unable to hear the deformed sounds they made, the volunteers progressively learnt to fix the errors in their pronunciation as they ran through a programme of 300 utterances.

In fact, they learned as fast as a comparison group of people of a similar age and with normal hearing who performed the same experiment.

"The deformation (by the machine) is in the orders of millimetres. Even when these individuals can't hear what they're saying, when the motion path of the jaw is changed just a tiny amount, it's enough to prompt a corrective response," Ostry told AFP.

The study is published online by the journal Nature Neuroscience.

He and Nasir attribute the remarkable adaptive power to "mechanoreceptors," or nerves and soft tissues in the vocal tract, which remember how they should feel when a word is pronounced properly.

Ostry said that the discovery shows that the brain corrects our speech through two simultaneous inputs -- through hearing the sound that we make, and also through these subtler feedback signals.

"When a child learns to talk, it gets two kinds of information," Ostry told AFP.

"One is the auditory information, being the sound of its own voice. At the same time, it also gets information from receptors that are in the skin and in the muscles.

"These receptors develop not only in expectation of what words should sound like, they also develop an expectation of what the word should feel like."

Ostry said the experiment focussed only on the muscles of the jaw and facial tissues, but the outcome suggests "mechanoreceptors" are also likely to exist in the lips, the tongue and the muscles of the larynx.

"It is conceivably a basis for speech therapy, absolutely," he said.

"When you're deaf, you've lost one of the two systems that basically support speech, but you still have the other one. And the other one accounts for an enormous proportion for the total sensory inflow that's associated with speech. "It's like having a flat [tyre] and discovering that you have a spare after all."




Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2008