After Tunisia, Egypt, Libya,Bahrain Riots Begin in Oman!

Protesters set a supermarket ablaze and rallied at two places in this seaside town in a third consecutive day of unrest that has included deadly clashes in the strategic Gulf nation.

Security forces sealed off main roads to Sohar, about 120 miles (200 kilometres) northwest of the capital of Muscat, in an attempt to isolate the protesters and keep crowds from swelling.

Witnesses said a supermarket was set on fire today and several hundred protesters mostly young men were rallying in the town's main roundabout, demanding higher salaries, jobs for unemployed youth and the dismissal of some government ministers.

By late afternoon, protests spread to Oman's second largest port in Sohar. Witnesses said about 500 protesters blocked trucks from entering the port, about 8 miles (12 kilometres) away from protest's focal point at the roundabout. Police did not respond to Monday's protests, witnesses said.

Oman, ruled by a powerful family dynasty, marks the latest flashpoint in the Arab world's challenges to authority and suggests that demonstrations could widen in the Gulf with protest rallies planned next month in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Oman shares control with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf the route for about 40 per cent of the world's oil-tanker traffic. Oman also plays an important role as a mediator between Iran and the West because of its strong ties to Tehran and Washington.

US moves forces close to Libya - Another War?

International pressure on Moammar Gadhafi to end his crackdown on opponents escalated Monday as his loyalists closed in on rebel-held cities nearest the capital. The U.S. moved naval and air forces closer to Libya and said all options were open, including the use of warplanes to patrol the North African nation's skies and protect citizens threatened by their leader.

France said it would fly aid to the opposition-controlled eastern half of the country. The European Union imposed an arms embargo and other sanctions, following the lead of the U.S. and the U.N. The EU was also considering the creation of a no-fly zone over Libya. And the U.S. and Europe were freezing billions in Libya's foreign assets.

Gmail Back Up

Google had a glitch yesterday disabling nearly 150000 gmail accounts!

Google explained that “less than 0.08%” of all Gmail users were affected by the bug, which completely reset accounts, even down to the detail offering a welcome message to those users when they first logged on today.

If Google restores the messages, all we had was a big scare.  But if you are like me and don't really want to take any chances, then check out  Gmail Backup.

It is a free application for Mac, PC and Linux. It’s easy to use. After a quick download, you just give it your credentials and it begins downloading all your e-mails, backing them up securely no matter what Google decides to do with 'your' data. 

Room77 - World’s First Hotel Room Search Engine.

The mobile app will let you know if the room you've been assigned is a match with your preferences.

(Credit: Room 77)

Yesterday, at the  LAUNCH Conference an exciting new application - Room 77-  was officially launched.  There were many other notable folks like Kara Swisher, Aaron Patzer, Bill Lee and Robert Scoble — not to mention several other startups doing some very cool and innovative things at the conference.

The start-up Room 77,  is building a system that gives hotel guests a look at their potential room before they check in. 

In short, the company is building a database of individual hotel rooms, including information like distance from elevators, what floor they're on, subjective ratings from people who have stayed in them.

If you get the upcoming Room 77 app, when you're checking in to a hotel you'll be able see if the room you're offered matches what you like, and also check out the view. Bad-for-you rooms will come back red-tagged.

Better yet, when you're booking a hotel room online, you can tell Room 77 what's important to you and it will rank the rooms in the hotel based on your preferences. You can jump between entries and see their views, and possibly interior pictures. 

Assuming that Room 77 can build a good database of hotel room information, using its own services as well as customer-provided images and reviews, the company's future hinges on how successful it can be in inserting this database into the travel economy.

The first way the company will make a buck is straightforward: From booking fees, just like any other travel site. If you book through the site, the company will get its cut. You have to call the hotel to make sure you get the room you want, though. Room 77 provides a cheat sheet for doing so. 

Eventually, though, Room 77's real value will be in bulk transactions around its database--in selling the room-specific data back to hotels or allowing other travel sites or hotel sites to use the Room 77 database through a paid API. If Room 77 ends up with a lock on this data, this is the killer business.

Projecting the economics of Room 77 out a bit, this service could have an impact on how hotel rooms are priced. With granular data available to travelers about each room, it stands to reason that pricing could get granular as well. Instead of just booking a deluxe room at a hotel, you'd book a room by view quality and proximity to elevator, if that's what matters to you. An algorithm could end up pricing hotel rooms by demand, similar to how airfares change frequently based on booking flow, availability, and other projections.

Room 77 seems to be a useful, fun, and economically interesting start-up. A few turns of the development wheel as the product grows up and this travel company could become very important.

US freezes Gadhafi assets, closes Libya embassy

The Obama administration froze assets of the Libyan government, leader Moammar Gadhafi and four of his children Friday, just hours after it closed the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli and evacuated its remaining staff. U.S. officials said announcements of the steps were withheld until Americans wishing to leave the country had departed as they feared Gadhafi might retaliate amid worsening violence in the North African country.

The measures announced Friday ended days of cautious U.S. condemnation of Gadhafi that had been driven by concerns for the safety of U.S. citizens in Libya. They struck directly at his family, which is believed to have amassed great wealth over his four decades in power.

President Barack Obama accused the Gadhafi regime of violating "human rights, brutalization of its people and outrageous threats." In a statement issued by the White House, the president said "Gadhafi, his government and close associates have taken extreme measures against the people of Libya, including by using weapons of war, mercenaries and wanton violence against unarmed civilians."

"By any measure, Moammar Gadhafi's government has violated international norms and common decency and must be held accountable," the statement said. 

He added that the instability in Libya constituted an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to U.S. national security and foreign policy.

Libyan army attacks mosque near Tripoli

A Libyan army unit loyal to Moammar Gadhafi blasted a minaret of a mosque with anti-aircraft missiles and automatic weapons Thursday after scores of anti-government protesters refused to leave the area west of Tripoli, a witness said.

Protesters who had been camped inside and outside the mosque suffered heavy casualties in the attack on Zawiya, 30 miles (50 kilometers) west of Tripoli, the witness said, but he couldn't provide an exact toll.

The witness, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, said the 9 a.m. attack came a day after a Gadhafi aide identified as Abdullah Megrahi came to the city and warned the protesters to"leave or you will see a massacre."

"We told him we are not leaving, either death or victory," the witness said.

He expressed disbelief the army would attack its own people. Several military units have sided with the protesters since the uprising began on Feb. 15.

"What is happening is horrible, those who attacked us are not the mercenaries; they are sons of our country," the witness said while sobbing. "Now there is heavy gunfire. They bombed the minaret of the mosque."

He said the protesters were mostly youths armed only with hunting rifles. He also said protesters from Zawiya did not intend to respond to a call by the opposition movement for a nationwide march to the capital on Friday.

"We had no intention to march to Tripoli. We talked about it and we agreed to stay here," he said.

The protesters have been sleeping inside the mosque and in an empty lot outside for days and refused to leave.

"The youth have no means to defend themselves but hunting rifles and their determination while the army has anti-aircraft missiles and automatic weapons," he said.

International momentum has been building for action to punish Gadhafi's regime for the bloody crackdown it has unleashed against the protesters.

Another proposal gaining some traction was for the United Nations to declare a no-fly zone over Libya to prevent it using warplanes to hit protesters. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said that if reports of such strikes are confirmed, "there's an immediate need for that level of protection."

Julian Assange to be extradited to Sweden

A British court on Thursday approved the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to Sweden.

Assange, a 39-year-old computer expert who has infuriated the US government by releasing thousands of secret US diplomatic cables on his website, is wanted in Sweden to face allegations by two WikiLeaks volunteers of sexual misconduct during a visit there last August.

Assange will appeal against a British court's ruling giving the go-ahead to his extradition, his lawyer said on Thursday.

Russia: 'Google manipulated Egyptians'

A top Russian official said on Tuesday that Internet giant Google was behind 'manipulations' of Egyptians whose mass revolt toppled longtime strongman Hosni Mubarak.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin brushed off comparisons between Mubarak's 30-year reign and the government in Moscow, insisting Russia had 'political stability'.

"We need to more closely examine what has happened in Egypt. See, well, what senior managers of Google have been doing in Egypt, what kind of manipulations of the energy of the people took place there," he told the newspaper.

He appeared to be referring to Wael Ghonim, a 30-year-old Google marketing executive who galvanized protesters when he tearfully recounted the 12 days he spent in detention during a TV interview days before Mubarak's overthrow.

Ghonim had been one of the architects of the youth-led protests, which made use of social networking sites Facebook and Twitter and brought hundreds of thousands of people into the streets to demand Mubarak step down.

The 82-year-old leader resigned on February 11, handing power to a council of military commanders.

The world's biggest family: The man with 39 wives, 94 children and 33 grandchildren!

He is head of the world's biggest family - and says he is 'blessed' to have his 39 wives.

Ziona Chana also has 94 children, 14-daughters-in-law and 33 grandchildren.

They live in a 100-room, four storey house set amidst the hills of Baktwang village in the Indian state of Mizoram, where the wives sleep in giant communal dormitories

He even married ten women in one year, when he was at his most prolific, and enjoys his own double bed while his wives have to make do with communal dormitories.
He keeps the youngest women near to his bedroom with the older members of the family sleeping further away - and there is a rotation system for who visits Mr Chana's bedroom.
Rinkmini, one of Mr Chana's wives who is 35 years old, said: 'We stay around him as he is the most important person in the house. He is the most handsome person in the village.

She says Mr Chana noticed her on a morning walk in the village 18 years ago and wrote her a letter asking for her hand in marriage.

Another of his wives, Huntharnghanki, said the entire family gets along well. The family system is reportedly based on 'mutual love and respect'

And Mr Chana, whose religious sect has 400 members, says he has not stopped looking for new wives.

'To expand my sect, I am willing to go even to the U.S. to marry,' he said.

Italy says 1,000 killed in Libya

Muammar Gaddafi's attempts to crush a revolt against his four-decade rule have killed as many as 1,000 people and split Libya, Italy's Foreign Minister said on Wednesday.

In the eastern city of Benghazi, cradle of the revolt against Gaddafi, people let off firecrackers and honked their horns to mark the end of days of bloodshed there.

With much of the east said to be under control of the protesters, an empty jail burned in Benghazi and Britain's Sky News showed footage of anti-aircraft missiles at what it said was an abandoned military base near Tobruk.

As countries with strong business ties to Africa's third largest oil producer scrambled to evacuate their citizens, and residents of the capital lay low for fear of pro-Gaddafi gunmen, France became the first state to call for sanctions.

"I would like the suspension of economic, commercial and financial relations with Libya until further notice," President Nicolas Sarkozy said.



Much of the country is shut down, including up to a quarter of oil output, prompting fears the crisis could stall global economic recovery.

Gaddafi, once respected by many Libyans despite his repressive rule, called for a mass show of support on Wednesday, but only around 150 people gathered in Tripoli's central Green Square, carrying the Libyan flag and Gaddafi's portrait.

US woman on quest to meet all her Facebook friends this year

Winnetka resident ArLynn Leiber Presser has decided to meet face to face with 335 of her original facebook friends this year, including ones that live outside the US. Presser updates her blog in her home that describes her experiences.

 

"I am learning about friendship, what my friends are like, getting to know some of them better than I did before and in some cases, getting to know them at all." 

When she set her goal at the beginning of the year, she had more than 300 Facebook friends.

"It's doable, (but) it's going to take an enormous amount of dedication on my part," said Presser, an author and former attorney. "I cannot let up."

"About one-fourth of my friends are people I never met," Presser said, such as six people with whom she plays online Scrabble. "I am done with 42 friends," Presser said last week. By done, Presser means she has met face to face with them. "By the end of the month, I will get to more than 60." 

Her 335 friends on Facebook include her sons and some neighbors and relatives. 

"Even in a town as small as Winnetka, you're friends with someone, but if you don't make the time, you realize it has been six months since you talked to them," said Presser, who has lived in Winnetka 18 years.

Getting together with friends who live out of state is more difficult. So Presser prepared for her odyssey practically.

About 30 of her Facebook friends live outside the country. The day after she posted an online video explaining her Face-to-Facebook plan, friends who live in the Philippines sent her a picture of a roasted pig.

"They said, 'we can't wait until you get to the Philippines. We are going to have a big feast when you show up.'"

Presser is single, which affords her some flexibility. But one obstacle she has to overcome is her own  Like the folks in the Philippines, some friends are excited about Presser's visit and want to do something special. 

She is taking pictures and videos of her meetings. But if a friend does not want to be recorded, Presser respects that. There may be some Facebook acquaintances who do not want to meet her in person.

"I am willing to roll with that," Presser said. "So far, it hasn't happened, but I would respect the other person's boundaries.

"Part of the project is to find out what it means to be a friend," Presser said. "I want the friends to do what is most comfortable for them. Letting the experience be guided by them lets me learn more about them and lets me be a friend to them. You can't have crazy experiences all the times. There are friends for different purposes, friends who will shepherd you through a crisis, friends who will show you something amazing. I am appreciative of all of them." 

As happens in the online world, Presser's project has snowballed. Publicity, most recently from a Brazilian newspaper, has brought more than 1,400 new friends to her site, with 999 friendship requests waiting in a queue.

"I don't think I can add more friends," Presser said Monday.

New Zealand Hit By EarthQuake, Church Destroyed

New Zealand's second-largest city Christchurch was rocked Tuesday by an earthquake that destroyed part of its cathedral and caused possible fatalities, closing the airport and sending office workers running from damaged buildings.

The initial 6.3 magnitude quake hit 10 kilometers south-east of the city at 2351GMT according to the Ministry of Civil Defense and Emergency Management. The first quake was followed by aftershocks, including one measured at 5.6 magnitude.

Sky News television footage from the scene of the earthquake showed the collapsed spire of Christchurch Cathedral, a major landmark in the city, cracked roads and a number of badly damaged buildings. Sky also reported the evacuation of the city's airport and hospitals following the quakes.

Police said that multiple fatalities have been reported in several parts of the city including two buses being crushed by falling masonry.

"Other reports include multiple building collapses, fires in buildings in the central and persons reported trapped in buildings. All available police staff are assisting with evacuations and emergency responses," said the police in a statement.

The earthquake comes nearly six months after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the area in early September. Matthew Stevens, a geologist with GNS Science, said the earthquake was occurring in the same fault line as September's shock.

"This is technically an aftershock because it only happened because of the first earthquake," said Stevens.

Philippine volcano erupts twice in 24 hours

Philippine seismologists issued an alert on Mount Bulusan Sunday after the Luzon Island volcano erupted twice during a 24-hour period, according to a bulletin released by the nation's volcano-monitoring agency.

However, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology  said the eruptions posed little threat to the villages surrounding the Luzon Island volcano. Most of the villages lie outside the 4-kilometer (2 1/2-mile) danger zone, the bulletin stated.

Philippine volcanologists, according to the agency, aren't expecting Mount Bulusan to erupt again soon. The volcano is located about 249 kilometers (155 miles) southeast of Manila.

The area immediately surrounding the Bulusan Volcano is mostly rural. There are several villages, but most are outside the danger zone, according to PHILVOCS. The most recent eruption, which took place before dawn local time on Sunday lasted about 20 minutes, according to the agency.

In declaring an "Alert Level 1," the agency warned nearby residents not to enter the 4-kilometer "permanent danger zone" because of possible steam and ash explosions. Area residents were also warned of the possibility of flooding if heavy rains push sediment-filled streams out of their banks.

Advani himself is a Pakistani

Strongly condemning BJP national leader, Mr L K Advani’s remarks against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, senior Congress leader Minister for Handloom and textiles Dr. P Shankar Rao said Advani, whose origin was Pakistan, has no moral right to criticize Ms Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

Talking to media persons here on Saturday Dr. Shankar Rao came down heavily on BJP leader Mr. L K Advani and said the citizens of the country would not forgive him for targeting Gandhi family as he himself is not an Indian but a ‘sharnarthi’ migrated from Pakistan.

Congress leader demanded an unconditional apology from BJP leader to the family of Ms Gandhi for his remarks otherwise, Mr Advani's name would be scripted in the history in black letters. He warned.

Gadhafi's son warns of civil war in Libya

After anti-government unrest spread to the Libyan capital and protesters seized military bases and weapons Sunday, Moammar Gadhafi's son went on state television to proclaim that his father remained in charge with the army's backing and would "fight until the last man, the last woman, the last bullet."

Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, in the regime's first comments on the six days of demonstrations, warned the protesters that they risked igniting a civil war in which Libya's oil wealth "will be burned."

The speech followed a fierce crackdown by security forces who fired on thousands of demonstrators and funeral marchers in the eastern city of Benghazi in a bloody cycle of violence that killed 60 people on Sunday alone, according to a doctor in one city hospital. Since the six days of unrest began, more than 200 people have been killed, according to medical officials, human rights groups and exiled dissidents.

Lybia's response has been the harshest of any Arab country that has been wracked by the protests that toppled long-serving leaders in neighboring Tunisia and Egypt. But Gadhafi's son said his father would prevail.

ICC drops smaller teams from World Cup 2015

Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, has said there will be no going back on the decision to reduce the 50-over World Cup from 14 to 10 teams, despite protests from the Associate countries who are likely to be left out of the tournament in 2015.

"We have felt in the past few years that Twenty20 is the best format to develop the game world-wide and it provides a better environment for competition," Lorgat told PTI. "The 50-over format is more skill-based and suitable for the top teams."

To compensate for the loss of places in the 50-over tournament, the ICC has added four spots to the Twenty20 World Cup, making it a 16-team event, but Cricket Kenya chief executive, Tom Sears, told AFP that the ICC will not be acting in the interests of the game if the smaller teams were locked out of the next World Cup.

"If we have to improve on the standards, there is no point of denying us the opportunity of competing at the top level." Sears said. "We had a meeting with the other Associate countries during the World Cup training camp in Dubai last week, and we plan to raise the matter again at the World Cup. We are disturbed about the whole issue."

In an earlier interview with The Wisden Cricketer, Sears, called the decision "scandalous and bloody ridiculous", saying "I've no desire to be diplomatic... Not to let anyone else in is scandalous. It's all about money, power and votes - and that's not good for cricket."

Former Kenya captain Steve Tikolo and batsman Collins Obuya also voiced their concerns, saying the World Cup remained crucial for the development of the Associate countries. Kenya famously made the semi-finals in the 2003 World Cup, but remain the only non-Test team to have made it so far into the tournament.

Several leading players from the Full Member countries came out in support of the Associates as well, with England offspinner Graeme Swann asking: "Why would you want to take the world out of the World Cup?" He was joined by Australian fast bowler Shaun Tait, who said, "to play against the best players and sides in the world is massive and I wouldn't want to take that away from anyone," and South Africa wicketkeeper AB de Villiers, who saw value in the smaller nations' involvement in major tournaments. "It makes it more colourful and it's good for the growth of the game."

Egypt agrees to let 2 Iranian vessels transit Suez Canal

State media on Friday said Egypt has agreed to let two Iranian naval vessels transit the Suez Canal.

State-run news agency MENA said that authorities approved a request from Iranian diplomats who offered assurances that the two ships won't have weapons or nuclear or chemical material.

The move had been widely expected and Iranian officials have insisted the request is in line with international regulations. They said the two vessels are headed to Syria for training.

On Thursday, the two Iranian naval vessels submitted a request to transit the Suez Canal, Egypt's Foreign Ministry said.

Ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki said Egyptian authorities received the request to grant the vessels passage, while a Suez Canal official said the Defense Ministry would process the application.

Iran denied claims Thursday that it had canceled plans to send two warships through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean Sea, saying that despite various media reports the vessels were on their way to Syria.

On Wednesday, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman first called attention to the Iranian intentions during a speech to the Conference of President of Major American Jewish Organizations, terming the move a “provocation” and calling on the world to “put the Iranians in their place.”

Bahrain troops 'fire on crowds'

Bahraini security forces have opened fire on anti-government protesters, witnesses and opposition activists say.

The protesters were fired on after they had streamed into the centre of the capital Manama from the funerals of protesters killed in a security crackdown earlier this week.

Witnesses said the army fired live rounds and tear gas, and officials said at least 25 people had been hurt.

Many of the protesters are calling for the overthrow of the royal family.

Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa appeared on state TV on Friday to promise a national dialogue once calm has returned.

The prince, who is also deputy supreme commander of the army, called for everyone to withdraw from the streets.

Bahrain launches surprise attack on protesters

Security forces in tiny but strategic Bahrain launched a brutal assault early Thursday against at least 1,000 defiant anti-government protesters, including women and children, camped out in tents in the capital's Pearl Square.

A barrage of tear gas canisters thundered across the square about 3 a.m. as dozens of police cars, armored security vehicles and ambulances converged on a makeshift tent city in the center of Manama that was beginning to resemble a smaller version of Tahrir Square in Cairo, where Egyptian protesters this month were successful in overthrowing their president.

Most of the protesters in Pearl Square were asleep when the assault began, witnesses said, noting that no steps had been taken to guard the area against the security forces, even though two people had been killed in earlier clashes with them.

Unlike the heavily nationalist revolts in Egypt and Tunisia, Bahrain's unrest is rooted in the discrimination felt by the impoverished Shiite Muslim majority at the hands of the governing Sunni Muslim royal family.

The island nation of nearly 800,000 people is also crucial to U.S. interests in the region: It hosts the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet.

The successful uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt have become models for a daily phenomenon in places such as Yemen and Bahrain. With new marches planned in several other countries over the next several days, including Morocco and Libya, governments from North Africa to the gulf were settling in for what looks to be an extended period of instability.

Brit going home after ‘no-fly’ list had him trapped in Toronto

Questions remain after a British man who was flagged for being on the U.S. no-fly terrorist list was suddenly cleared to go home Wednesday when his story became public.

Dawood Hepplewhite, 30, a self-employed auto mechanic in Sheffield, England, identifies himself as a white Muslim. He ran afoul of the air rules while attempting to fly home Sunday with his Canadian wife and their three children, ages 1, 3 and 5.

He says Air Transat flagged his passport and turned him away. The same thing happened when he tried to fly on Air Canada and British Airways.

He has been in Toronto since Oct. 29 visiting his wife, who was raised in Toronto and was trying to sponsor him so they could live together in Canada. He has travelled to Toronto several times in the past year. His visitor’s visa was to expire April 29.

A call from the British Embassy came Wednesday afternoon.

“The British government stepped up and did their part,” said his wife, Farhi, 26. “They said, ‘We have a one-time offer for you. We have a ticket for you tonight to take you to Glasgow. Do you want it or not?’ ”

Air Transat has confirmed the family will be flown to Glasgow and ground arrangements will be made to get them to Sheffield.

“I’m shocked. This happened so quickly,” Farhi said.

Pierre Tessier, spokesman for Air Transat, said three different airlines, including Air Transat, made the same decision “in light of the circumstances.”

However, a lingering question remains. Why was Hepplewhite’s name on the no-fly list, or was it a case of mistaken identity?

“At the beginning, people (in government) were telling us there was nothing we could do, that they couldn’t override the law,” his wife said. “They were washing their hands of it.”

Earlier in the day, her husband told the Star he felt “imprisoned” in Toronto after he was denied a flight on Sunday.

Hepplewhite believes he has been put on the U.S. no-fly list because about three years ago, he applied for a teaching position in Yemen, considered a breeding ground for terrorism. He later abandoned the idea after he was pulled aside by police in England.

“I’m just a family guy. I go to work and go home,” Hepplewhite said. “I’ve never been in any groups. The only thing I can see is that I am a white Muslim.”

He says the airlines have told him that although their flight path to England does not go over U.S. air space, there is the possibility their planes could land in the U.S. during an emergency.

Sukanya Pillay, director of the national security program for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, says this case raises several questions.

“One issue for us is whether Canadian airlines are already participating in the U.S. Secure Flight program for overflights. We’re looking into that. Also we are concerned about fairness issues for people who believe they are wrongly placed on a no-fly list.”

Hepplewhite said he won’t come back to Toronto until he is sure his name is cleared from the list.

U.S., British and Canadian authorities would not comment on the specifics of the case.

Israel Warns It Might Act on Iranian Warships Passing Through Suez Canal

Israel is monitoring two Iranian warships about to pass through the Suez Canal for Syria and warn they might act.

Israeli's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman says that "Israel cannot ignore these provocations," according to ynetnews.com.

Lieberman added that the warships was "a provocation that proves Iran's nerve and self-esteem is growing from day to day."

Iran announced plans to deploy warships near Israel and dock at a Syrian port for a year, IsraelNationalNews.com reports.

A senior Israeli official tells the site that "Israel will know how to deal with it.

Apple's next iPhone could have 4-inch screen

According to Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes, upstream component suppliers report that Apple will expand the screen size of the fifth-generation iPhone to 4 inches in order to compete with a growing class of 'super phones' in the 4- to 7-inch range. By comparison, the iPhone 4 sports a 3.5-inch display with a resolution of 960 by 640 pixels.

The screen bump could also serve to push the iPhone toward the smaller end of the tablet market. "The component suppliers noted that the production lines for Apple's next generation iPhone have begun testing, and Apple is interesting in expanding the screen size to 4-inches to support the tablet PC market as the vendor only has a 9.7-inch iPad in the market," said the report.

Google Android-based phones appear to be driving the screen race, the report noted.

A recent unverified report from another Taiwanese website claimed that Apple has built three prototype models for the "iPhone 5," including a version with a "sliding cover" that conceals a keyboard.

Watch ICC World Cup 2011 LIVE Online

Below is a list of links, which proclaim to have live streaming for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2011. 

If you have internet and a screen, you have your own online TV and you wont miss any action.

1. Crictime:This site has live streaming of all the international cricket matches and has more than 5 links in case any one is not working.

2. CricBuzz: This website gives live scoreboard and ball by ball update for all cricket matches

3. ESPN: This website gives live scoreboard and ball by ball update for all cricket matches

4.  WebCric:  Again a wonderful site for watching live streaming of cricket matches for world cup 2011. Also gives link for alternate servers.

Dump petrol and gas on Valentine Day

Chances are that you may have seen that email already. ‘No-petrol day’ — has an amazingly simple logic — ‘if we don’t buy oil for a day, oil companies will choke on the supply’ and will be forced to cut petrol prices.

Well, before you forward it to five friends, here’s a secret. It won’t work.

Right now, the big worry for motorists in India is that petrol prices may go up, again. It is only a matter of time, feel experts, as the price of crude oil had shot past the $100/barrel mark last week. And higher price of raw materials do mean that the cost of end product also increases. The cause is political unrest in a distant land, but the pinch on the pocket would be immediate — talk of a connected world. But is it inevitable? The answer may surprise you.

“Almost 50-55 per cent of what you ipay for petrol in Mumbai is taxes,” says an official working with an oil company. Petrol price differs across cities because of changes in tax rates, but by and large, almost half of what you pay at the pump is taxes, he adds. Motorists in the US, where taxes are lower, pay just around `40/litre for petrol. Even consumers in Pakistan pay just `42/litre. There too, taxes on petrol are lower. So if the government was willing to forego some tax revenue, it could keep prices stable. But you should really thank your stars that you don’t live in Europe. Drivers in London pay more than `90/litre every time they want to tank up. Prices in Singapore are also a little more than price in India. In many of these countries, governments charge high taxes on fuel to push people towards using public transport. But in most Indian cities, efficient public transport is conspicuous by its absence.
This brings us back to the original premise. Is it possible to force oil companies/government to cut prices? The answer is No, short of reducing the global demand — which is impossible.

What you can do, however, is to cut back your own petrol consumption. It could be by car-pooling, moving to a more fuel efficient vehicle or even using public transport where feasible.

Buy Today Cassette-to-MP3 Converter - $19.99

If you’ve got shelves full of old cassettes that have garnered more dust than your first grade spelling bee trophy, it may be time to don the face mask and sift through them. As you uncover hits by The Eagles, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Pat Benatar, it becomes blatantly obvious that the tapes can’t just go in the trash.

With the Hype Tape to PC Recorder USB Walkman Cassette Player, you can convert all those cassettes into digital MP3 files. Want to experience the music as it actually sounded in the 80s? This nifty gadget can also play cassettes to give you that déjà-vu experience. Offering plug and play compatibility, it’ll be easier than ever to record those tapes onto your PC.



Specifications:

Condition: NEW
Retail Packaging
1-Year Warranty
Manufacturer: Hype

Features Include:
•Cassette tape deck plays and records cassettes
•Features rewind and fast forward functions
•Rotary volume control
•USB link to PC for recording MP3 and preserving rare cassettes
•3.5mm earphone jack
•Plug and play compatibility
•USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 backwards compatible
•Powered by USB or batteries (not included)
•Compatible with Windows 97/98SE/2000/ME/XP/Vista/7.0


Available today for $19.99 Only!

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Gets Stalked, Obtains A Restraining Order!

Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, who’s also apparently the youngest self-made billionaire has reported that he fears Pradeep Manukonda, a 31-year old who has been stalking Mark Zuckerberg since January this year.


Reportedly, Pradeep Manukonda attempted to contact Mark Zuckerberg, in a rather unusual and vituperative way. He’s been looking for the Zuckerberg’s — at the Facebook offices, at the residence and elsewhere.

Stating a personal reason (that he did not disclose yet), and seeking “advice” and “help” from Zuckerberg, Pradeep now popularly known as Mark Zuckerberg stalker has been “stalking” Mark. He’s written a wall post on Randi Zuckerberg’s (Mark’s sister) wall.




Furthermore, he has been paying visits to FB offices and have been restlessly trying to approach and “contact” Zuckerberg “before it get’s too late”. As natural as it should be, this has alarmed Mark Zuckerberg to call for safety and he subsequently obtained a restraining order from the court.



According to the restraining order obtained by Mark Zuckerberg, Pradeep Manukonda who tried to “follow, surveil and contact Mr. Zuckerberg using language threatening his personal safety and the safety of his girlfriend [Priscilla Chan] and his sister [Randi Zuckerberg]”, has been asked to stay away from the Zuckerberg’s.

The court has asked Pradeep to stay at least 300 yards away from Mark Zuckerberg and his aforementioned affiliates. Reasons behind Pradeep “stalking” Mark has been elusive and unclear but it is said that Pradeep approached Mark seeking financial assistance as well.

A report published by TMZ dicloses that Pradeep sent flowers with a handwritten letter to Mark’s residence. The facebook stalker even tried reaching the Facebook offices in Palo Alto in hope of contacting Zuckerberg personally. His efforts to establish communication in person, however seem to have gone in vain.

TMZ, who claim to have contacted Pradeep Manukonda in this regard, added to the story by quoting Pradeep who says “I’m a peaceful guy … I’m sorry he thought I was trying to harm him….I understand he’s a busy man … I’ll respect his privacy.”

That should bring some relief to the Zuckerberg’s and keep Pradeep off from further stalking the Zuckerbergs.

UK visa curbs may hit India and China

Britain’s move to abolish the visa that allows Indian and other non-EU students to take up employment in the UK for two years after the completion of their courses is likely to reduce the number of Indians coming here for MBA degrees, an industry body has said.



The London-based Association of MBAs, which accredits business management courses in 70 countries, including the UK, said the proposed move was of “significant concern” and would restrict enrollment of international students from India and elsewhere.

 In a speech last week, the immigration minister, Mr Damian Green said that non-EU students could not be allowed unfettered access to the UK labour market amidst growing unemployment in Britain.

He said: “The post study work route was intended to form a bridge between study and skilled work, allowing all international graduates to remain for two years after graduation. To allow unfettered access to the jobs market for two years to anyone with a student visa from abroad is putting an unnecessary extra strain on our own graduates.”

Ryanair: Plane offloaded in baggage fees row

All 166 passengers were offloaded from a Ryanair plane after a number of travellers became disruptive in a row over outsize baggage fees.

The offloading at Lanzarote airport in the Canary Islands was made at the request of Spanish police, Ryanair said.

The Irish budget carrier added that a group of 100 passengers had "become disruptive, and refused to comply with crew instructions after a number of their group were required to pay a gate bag fee for outsized luggage".

UAE: Emirati vs. Expat

In the first of its kind survey, more than a quarter of young Emirati males admitted to reckless driving behaviors, like speeding; illegally overtaking other cars; and tailgating.

The survey conducted on 466 Emirati men in an age group of 18-to-33 revealed that more than half don’t wear a seatbelt, drive wrong lane down in a one-way street, and talk on mobile phones while driving on highways.
The survey was conducted by a group of 98 students at the UAE University’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and revealed that around 2.6 percent Emiratis admit to consistently jumping traffic lights.

According to the report, a small number of men admitted to getting tempted to overtake if their car is fancier than the one driving in front of them. However, 16 percent of Emiratis will overtake if the driver in front is an expatriate or belonging to another emirate.

The report said that this kind of behavior is termed as ‘territoriality’, and comes from the culture of praise among local males for risk-taking without getting caught or being punished for the act.

“Approaching cars at high-speed, flashing headlights to budge cars out-of-the-way is seen as respected behavior among young Emiratis males,” the report said.

Ironically, one who abides traffic rules is seen as ‘unmanly or cowardly’ and is termed as an unskilled driver among Emirati males.


The UAE has one of the highest rates of road deaths in the world. In 2008, road traffic accidents were responsible for nearly 70 percent of injury related deaths in the capital. Around 75 percent of traffic accidents are caused by human fault rather than road or car conditions.

The report also stated that nearly 65 percent of Emirati young males admitted to being involved in one or more car crashes, with more than 25 percent suffering injuries from the accidents.

The government is working closely with the concerned agencies to ensure safe roads for both Emiratis and expatriates who become victims to such reckless drivers. However, changing the attitude of young Emiratis who are behind reckless driving is not going to be easy as such behavior draws inspiration from the culture.

Sarah Palin - TradeMarked

What's in a name you ask? A lot if you're one of the Palins.

Politics Daily reports that Sarah Palin's lawyer has filed applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to trademark the names "Sarah Palin" and "Bristol Palin."

According to records, the "Sarah Palin" trademark was filed November 5, just days after the 2010 midterm elections.

More interesting timing? Bristol Palin's application was filed September 15, five days before she appeared on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars."

USA, Israel worried about democracy in Egypt

The crisis in Egypt raises many questions about how the United States will navigate its relationship with Israel — in particular the balance between encouraging the development of a democratic government in Egypt and the desire in Washington not to risk a new government’s abandoning Mr. Mubarak’s benign posture toward Israel.

The unsettled outlook in Egypt has also scrambled American calculations about nurturing peace talks back to life between Israel and the Palestinians. And it has left both American and Israeli diplomats wondering about a broader regional realignment in which Israel would be left feeling more isolated and its enemies, including Iran and Syria, emboldened.

Israeli government officials started out urging the Obama administration to back Mr. Mubarak, administration officials said, and were initially angry at Mr. Obama for publicly calling on the Egyptian leader to agree to a transition.


Daniel Levy, a former Israeli peace negotiator.  said, “This gets to the core of what is the American interest in this. It’s Israel. It’s not worry about whether the Egyptians are going to close down the Suez Canal, or even the narrower terror issue. It really can be distilled down to one thing, and that’s Israel.”

Daniel Shapiro, a White House Middle East adviser, met on Tuesday with American Jewish leaders, and Mr. Obama talked to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel on Sunday.


But administration officials must also balance support for Israel against the real desire among many Egyptians — and others on the Arab street — for an end to the Israeli occupation in the West Bank.

Supporters of Israel in the United States have been focusing on playing up the dangers they see as inherent in a democratic Egyptian government that contains, or is led by, elements of the now-banned Muslim Brotherhood, which opposes Egypt’s 1979 peace treaty with Israel.

Obama officials say that the United States cannot rule out the possibility of engagement with the Muslim Brotherhood — the largest opposition group in Egypt — at the same time that it is espousing support for a democratic Egypt.

But many American Jews are also debating the irony of Israel, which long promoted itself as the only democracy in its neighborhood, now voicing concerns about the birth of a democracy next door. And that that democratic movement is happening in Egypt — with all of its historic ties to the enslavement of the Jewish people — is being picked apart in conversations within American Jewish communities. “I’ve been saying to my Israeli friends, ‘Come on guys, you’re supposed to be the national manifestation of a group of people whose story is the story of liberation from Egypt,’ ” said Jeffrey Goldberg, a writer for The Atlantic who is the author of well-read blogs in the American Jewish community.

Mr. Levy, the former Israeli peace negotiator, said: “The problem for America is, you can balance being the carrier for the Israeli agenda with Arab autocrats, but with Arab democracies, you can’t do that.”

7 Year Old "Buys" Harrier fighter jet on eBay

A seven-year-old British boy nearly bought a real-life Harrier fighter jet for $113,515 via online shopping.

The boy hit the 'buy it now' button to purchase the fighter jet, which was put on sale at the online store eBay.
But his father quickly apologised to the sellers, saying his son was not able to buy the aircraft out of his pocket money, news.com.au reported on Friday.
"His dad rang up and profusely apologised to us, so it's still for sale. We've put it on as an auction now so that won't happen again," said a spokeswoman for Britain-based Jet Art Aviation, which is selling the Harrier.

The elite fighting machine was part of Britain's arsenal in the 1982 Falklands War, but the government put the plane out of service in 1997.

Falklands War was fought in 1982 between Argentina and Britain over the disputed Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

Verizon iPhone 4 preorders sell out on first day

Initial demand for the Verizon iPhone is strong, as Apple and Verizon both appear to have run out of pre-sale stock of the new CDMA iPhone and are directing customers to wait until Feb. 9 to purchase the device online or Feb. 10 for in-store purchases.


Preorders for the Verizon iPhone began at 3 a.m. Eastern on Thursday, but only for existing Verizon customers. Initial interest appeared heavy, as some customers reported difficulty accessing the Verizon website.


Though it is unclear exactly how many units were offered during Wednesday's preorder, Apple and Verizon have stopped taking orders for the device. Customers interested in purchasing the iPhone 4 on Verizon are directed log back on to either the Verizon or Apple website starting at 3:01 a.m. Eastern on Feb. 9. Retail stores will begin offering the handset at 7 a.m. on Feb. 10.


The carrier has asserted that the launch of the iPhone will be flawlessly executed, but has expressed concern that initial supply of the CDMA version of the iPhone 4 may be limited.
Verizon has begun airing a new advertisement for the iPhone 4, featuring the "Verizon Guy," actor Paul Marcarelli. Displaying dramatic closeups of the iPhone 4, a voice-over says, ""It's beautiful. It's intelligent, even genius. But does your network work?" The phone rings and Marcarelli answers: "Yes, I can hear you now," in an apparent jab at AT&T's notoriously poor coverage.