NEWS crunch of interesting feeds...
DEBKa
| Iraqi PM Maliki sweeps polls, defeats pro-Iranian bloc |
Preliminary Iraqi election results show incumbent prime minister Nouri Maliki returned with a commanding 100 parliamentary seats out of 325 and the ability to form a pro-American coalition with Iyad Allawi's secular alliance and the Kurdish bloc that will be stable enough for US troops to depart Iraq on schedule. |
| Mitchell: Direct Israeli-Palestinian talks to start next week in Washington |
debkafile's Middle East sources reveal that the US Middle East envoy George Mitchell presented his mission to Israeli and Palestinian leaders Monday, March 8, as getting direct talks between them started without delay and moved to Washington. Their lead negotiators have been appointed. They are the Israeli prime minister's adviser Yitzhak Molcho and the senior Palestinian negotiator Saab Erekat. |
| Gates visits Kabul, beats Ahmadinejad to the post |
Despite Tehran's denial, president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delayed his trip to Kabul by 48 hours when US defense secretary Robert Gates arrived suddenly in the Afghan capital Monday, March 8. |
| More Radical Palestinian unrest in store to torpedo talks |
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas complained to the UN about Israel's enforcement of order on Temple Mount Friday, March 5, even though the disturbances were staged by radical Hamas and Islamist elements to destroy the US-mediate peace track which he has agreed to join. |
| US-Israel tough sanctions strategy falls apart. Tehran is sitting pretty |
The Western powers are scrapping tough measures incorporated in the original motion they drafted for a UN Security Council sanctions resolution against Iran to make the draft more acceptable to Russia and China.
debkafile reports: By the time it is tabled, the resolution will be toothless as an instrument for holding back Iran's dash for a nuclear bomb. |
| How Iran Generated War Frenzy to Hold off US Sanctions |
Ahmadinejad scripted a step-by-step performance and show of allied unity to convince Washington that Iran, Syria, Hizballah and eleven radical Palestinian groups were poised to ignite a Middle East religious war. The gambit worked - at least for now. |
| As Sanctions Recede, an Israeli Strike Looms Larger |
Israel feels the Obama administration has been stringing it along. The urgency of sanctions suddenly receded in Washington at the very moment that Jerusalem believed they were fully aligned on the handling of Iran's nuclear program. But the US insists the policy is still in place despite difficulties. |
| Far-Out Document Demonizing the Jews Stirs Muslim World Interest |
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is unmoved by Western obliviousness to his hate campaign against Jews and Israel. He is campaigning hard to plant the poison in the Muslim mainstream. Its malevolence recalls Nazi "final solution" propaganda. |
| Is the Army Vanquished, Or Able to Fight Another Day? |
The Turkish army, NATO's second largest, is showing little fight against the pro-Muslim Erdogan government's mass arrests of top military chiefs, past and present. Washington and Brussels ask which way it will jump in a war involving Iran. |
| Assad Warned of Retribution in Store for Mocking America |
The Obama administration does not propose to let Bashar Assad go scot free for publicly poking fun at America as he stood side by side with the Iranian president. Syrian ambassador Imad Moustapha was left guessing about the shape of the punishment to come. |
Reforma
| Hallan muerto a aspirante yucateco de AN |
Ángel Valentín Balan Tun, aspirante panista a la Alcaldía de Mayapan, fue encontrado muerto en una carretera, confirmaron dirigentes de AN-Yucatán. |
| Cae en DF operador de cártel colombiano |
Policías federales detuvieron en el DF a un presunto operador financiero del Cártel colombiano del Norte del Valle con 2.8 millones de dólares. |
| Anuncia IFE recorte de personal |
Pese a la reducción de programas, proyectos y gasto en el IFE, el Instituto anunció un recorte de 4.1 por ciento de su planta laboral. |
| Cierra TKD con plata en Mundial Juvenil |
La taekwondoín Vanessa Gallegos cerró la participación de México en el Campeonato Mundial Juvenil del arte marcial con una medalla de plata. |
| Celebra PRI dicho de Paredes sobre pacto |
Al concluir el debate en San Lázaro sobre el pacto PRI-PAN, que duró tres horas, la dirigente del PRI fue aplaudida y felicitada por los priistas. |
CNN
| Bali bombings plotter dead, Indonesia's president says |
The suspected mastermind behind the 2002 Bali bombings has been killed by Indonesian authorities, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said. |
| India passes pro-women bill |
India's upper house of parliament has passed a historic bill aimed at reserving one-third of seats for women in federal and state legislatures. |
| U.S. spokesman sorry for Gadhafi joke |
A U.S. State Department spokesman has apologized for a joking remark he made about Libya's leader that threatened to turn into a diplomatic incident. |
| Biden condemns Israel housing units |
Joe Biden has criticized Israel's decision to build 1,600 housing units in a Jerusalem neighborhood, calling it "a step that undermines the trust we now need." |
| Nigeria urged to pursue killing mobs |
Nigeria faces international calls to bring to justice killer mobs armed with guns and knives who massacred hundreds of villagers in the country's rural heartland. |
| U.S.: Terror charges for 'Jihad Jane' |
A Pennsylvania woman has been indicted for conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and kill a person in a foreign country, the Justice Department announced Tuesday. |
| Mexico: Allow cross-border trucking |
Mexico asked the United States to move forward with creating a proposal to end a ban on cross-border trucking in violation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. |
| Jury urges death for 'Bachelor No. 1' |
A California jury recommended Tuesday that a man who once appeared on "The Dating Game" be executed for the murders of four women and a child. |
| Doctor gets life for wife's cyanide death |
A former Ohio doctor was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison for poisoning his wife with cyanide five years ago. |
| India parliament debates pro-women bill |
Indian lawmakers began debating a landmark bill aimed at reserving one-third of the seats in the federal parliament and in state assemblies for women. |
BBC News
| Indonesia militant 'was killed' |
Indonesia's President Yudhoyono confirms security forces killed terror suspect Dulmatin in raids in Jakarta on Tuesday. |
| US attacks East Jerusalem plans |
The US vice-president condemns Israel's approval of 1,600 new homes in East Jerusalem, as he prepares to visit the West Bank. |
| US 'hid terror suspect treatment' |
A former UK spy chief says she did not know US intelligence services were mistreating terror suspects until after she retired. |
| Nigeria 'ignored attack warnings' |
A Nigerian governor accuses the army of ignoring warnings of attacks, as communal tension remains high near Jos. |
| Formal Suu Kyi ban in Burma poll |
A new election law formally bars pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from taking part in elections planned in Burma. |
| Ban honours UN's Haiti 'heroes' |
Ban Ki-moon pays tribute to the 101 UN staff who died in the Haiti quake, as President Preval seeks US support for the economy. |
| Activist case to open in Israel |
A court case brought by the family of Rachel Corrie, a US protester killed by an Israeli army bulldozer in 2003, is to open. |
| Five killed in Pakistan attack |
Unidentified gunmen attack the office of a Western aid agency, killing up to five people, police say. |
| Arrests in Cyprus body theft case |
Three men are arrested in connection with the theft of the corpse of Cyprus's ex-President Papadopoulos, officials say. |
| Leaping off the page - Belgian paper prints '3D edition' |
A Belgian daily has issued what is thought to be Europe's first 3D newspaper - complete with cardboard viewing glasses. |
| Good egg - DNA of extinct birds found in ancient shells |
The eggshells of long-dead and extinct species are a particularly good source to find preserved DNA, researchers say. |
| Bendtner shines as Arsenal progress |
Nicklas Bendtner silences his recent critics with a hat-trick as Arsenal see off Porto in emphatic fashion to reach the Champions League quarter-finals. |
| Portsmouth 1-2 Birmingham |
Two goals from Cameron Jerome inspire Birmingham to a battling win against bottom-club Portsmouth at Fratton Park. |
| Can US broker Middle East peace? |
Joe Biden is in the region to encourage talks between the Palestinians and Israel. What can be achieved? |
| BBC World News |
| Tracked down |
Paedophile priest left untouched by Church and state |
| Galapagos tension |
Can all species live side by side in unique ecosystem? |
| Biswas on India |
Women's quotas - historic moment for largest democracy |
| Earth Watch |
Whales and tuna tied up in Eurotangle |
| Thin red line |
Lone stand of anti-Taliban militia in Pakistan |
| Separation fear |
Families fight 'racist' Israeli marriage and citizenship law |
| Obama backs Greece on speculators |
President Barack Obama has 'responded positively' to calls to clamp down on market speculators, says the Greek PM after talks. |
| EU concern over end of tanker bid |
Brussels says it hopes European aerospace group EADS was not prevented from fairly bidding for a major US defence deal. |
| Aer Lingus to make 670 job cuts |
Aer Lingus announces plans to lay off 670 staff, including nearly a quarter of its cabin crew, as part of restructuring plans. |
| File-sharing sanctions 'unfair' |
Illegal file-sharers should be fined, rather than have their internet connection cut off, says the boss of BT. |
| Hard drive evolution could hit XP |
Hard drives are about to undergo one of the biggest format shifts in 30 years but it could cause problems for Windows XP users. |
| Porn net domain name plan revived |
A plan to create a .xxx net domain for adult content will be revisited three years after it was rejected by internet regulators. |
| Producer admits Letterman blackmail |
A US TV producer pleads guilty to attempting to blackmail US chat show host David Letterman over his affairs. |
| Pink Floyd take EMI to court |
Pink Floyd launch legal action in the High Court against EMI over payment of online royalties and marketing of their music. |
| Collider to shut for year to fix faults |
The Large Hadron Collider must be shut down for a year starting in late 2011 to address design flaws, the BBC has learned. |
| Ring may be giant 'impact crater' |
Deforestation has revealed what could be a giant impact crater in Central Africa, according to Italian scientists. |
| 'No proof' IVF aided by acupuncture |
There is no evidence acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine boost the chance of IVF success, fertility experts warn. |
| Somali hope for Chandlers release |
Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed says efforts are being made to release a UK couple held by pirates as soon as possible. |
| US apology for Gaddafi comments |
The US State Department apologises for comments its spokesman made after Libya's Col Gaddafi called for a holy war against Switzerland. |
| US woman on 'jihad terror' charge |
A US woman from Pennsylvania faces charges of using the internet to recruit female militant fighters for deadly attacks abroad. |
| Oscars 'most watched since 2005' |
This year's Oscars ceremony in Los Angeles was the most watched in the US for five years, early figures suggest. |
| Japan confirms secret nuclear pact |
Japan confirms the existence of a secret Cold War pact allowing nuclear-armed US vessels to call at its ports. |
| Thailand invokes emergency laws |
Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva says he will use emergency security laws to help cope with opposition rallies. |
| Third of EU emissions 'imported' |
Research shows some EU countries "import" about a third of their carbon emissions from developing countries. |
| Dutch bishops order abuse inquiry |
Dutch bishops order an inquiry into alleged sexual abuses of children by Catholic priests, threatening a new scandal. |
| Israel and Syria in nuclear bids |
Israel and Syria both tell a conference in Paris they want to use nuclear power to generate electricity. |
| Iraq election voter turnout '62%' |
The voter turnout in Iraq's parliamentary election was 62%, officials say, despite attacks that killed 38 people. |
| Indian MPs approve women's bill |
India's upper house sees a second day of uproar as it backs a bill to reserve a third of all parliamentary seats for women. |
| UK seeks Afghan political drive |
Foreign Secretary David Miliband is to urge the Afghan president to seek a political solution to the conflict with the Taliban. |
| Inmate reoffending 'costs £10bn' |
Reoffending by thousands of criminals serving short sentences in England and Wales costs up to £10bn a year, says a report. |
| Economic storm not over, says PM |
Gordon Brown is expected to say he has guided the economy through a "storm" and is best-placed to secure its recovery. |
| Call to halt NHS medical database |
Doctors' leaders urge ministers to halt the development of a medical records database for patients in England. |
| Baby P rules 'may increase risks' |
Rules to improve child protection after the Baby P case may leave children more vulnerable to harm, council leaders warn. |
| Cars in rail 'Russian roulette' |
The driving test should have compulsory questions on level crossings to teach good habits in learner drivers, says Network Rail. |
| Social care deal 'dead in water' |
Attempts to reach a cross-party deal on funding social care appear to be dead in the water ahead of a key summit. |
Universal
| Realizan acciones para revertir veto a camarón |
El gobierno mexicano se compromete con el de Estados Unidos a iniciar una capacitación a rederos, para que se reabra la frontera a las exportaciones del crustáceo de altamar para la próxima temporada |
| Hallan narcolaboratorios de productos pirata |
Autoridades de la Séptima Zona Militar tienen informes de que la elaboración y distribución de las películas, música y programas pirata son controladas por organizaciones relacionadas con el tráfico de drogas |
| Presumen escisión en cártel de los Beltrán Leyva |
Por un lado estaría Héctor Beltrán, alias El grande, y por otro Édgar Valdez Villarreal, La Barbie, refiere el jefe de la División Antidrogas de la SSPF, Ramón Eduardo Pequeño García |
| Probaré que soy inocente: Carpinteyro |
Aunque no quiso especular sobre quién podría estar detrás de estas acciones que realiza la Procuraduría General de la República, aseveró que debe ser alguien que tienen recursos y tiempo |
| Creel reprocha a Nava acuerdo con el PRI |
El senador panista afirma que el pacto va en contra de lo que persigue el PAN, es decir, eliminar los cacicazgos priístas en el país |
| IFE funciona coordinaciones por recorte |
Serán reestructuradas las oficinas de las Direcciones Ejecutivas, Unidades Técnicas y de Coordinaciones en las que se comprobó duplicidad de funciones |
| ONU termina examen de derechos humanos a México |
El comité se interesó particularmente en la reforma del sistema judicial, así como la situación de la violencia de género y el uso del Ejército en la lucha contra el crimen organizado |
| Pinocho, detrás de los priístas |
La diputada priísta María Estela de la Fuente intentó llevar la piñata del personaje infantil al curul de César Nava, pero no pudo y lo que sí logró fue dejarla cerca del curul de su dirigente nacional, Beatriz Paredes |
| Llevan un Pinocho a sesión en San Lázaro |
Desde su lugar Beatriz Paredes expresó que era una "lástima que no esté aquí, me encantaría tener un debate con César Nava", a quien aludía el personaje |
| Calderón visitará Ciudad Juárez el 16 de marzo |
La representación presidencial en la estrategia "Todos somos Juárez. Reconstruyamos la Ciudad" presentaron avances en las acciones |
| PGR espera fallo sobre Carpinteyro |
Refiere el vocero de la procuraduría, Ricardo Nájera, que la magistrada unitaria con sede en Nezahualcóyotl otorgó una suspensión provisional contra la orden de aprehensión |
| Destinarán 177 mdp para modernizar SMN |
Buscan garantizar al cien por ciento la operación de los 13 radares, 79 observatorios y 15 estaciones de sondeo atmosférico con los que cuenta el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional en todo el país |
| Sedesol anuncia 700 mdp para Ciudad Juárez |
El primer programa para reconstruir el tejido social de la localidad fronteriza será Oportunidades; además se ofrecerán becas para inhibir la deserción escolar y acciones para mejorar las viviendas |
| Romper las alianzas beneficiaría al PRI: Ortega |
El dirigente nacional del PRD dijo que no caerán en el juego de los priístas, quienes buscan debilitar las alianzas en los estados donde gobiernan sus "caciques" |
| PAN presentará reforma política el jueves |
El líder de los senadores de Acción Nacional, Gustavo Madero, adelantó que la propuesta prevé reformas constitucionales en materia electoral para mejorar el sistema político mexicano |
| Carpinteyro niega que vaya a ser detenida |
La ex subsecretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes, Purificación Carpinteyro, recibió una orden de aprehensión en su contra por revelar conversaciones de Luis Téllez |
| Pacto PRI-PAN desvía debate en San Lázaro |
El panista Javier Corral dijo que no está de acuerdo en que su presidente nacional, César Nava, haya firmado el pacto, como tampoco puede avalar la firma del PRI |
| Madres de muertos en Juárez piden salga Ejército |
Piden familiares de asesinados al presidente de la Cámara Alta, Carlos Navarrete, crear de manera urgente una comisión legislativa que dé seguimiento a los avances prometidos por el gobierno federal |
| México ofrece estímulos a producciones foráneas |
El presidente Felipe Calderón anuncia un programa de apoyo a la industria cinematográfica extranjera, pretende hacer de México la capital latinoamericana del cine |
| Presunto narco mexicano se declara inocente en EU |
Oscar Arriola Márquez está acusado de utilizar una finca remota en Colorado para almacenar cientos de kilos de cocaína que eran distribuidos después a las principales ciudades de Estados Unidos |
| EU pide evitar carreteras de NL y Tamaulipas |
El consulado estadounidense en Monterrey urge a sus ciudadanos a acatar todas las instrucciones cuando se encuentren con retenes militares y de policías |
| Necesaria reforma para equilibrar poderes: CEM |
Afirma Rogelio Cabrera, vicepresidente de la Conferencia del Episcopado Mexicano, que los partidos deben ver por los intereses del pueblo y del país |
| Senado suspende sesión por falta de quórum |
La sesión ordinaria inicia casi a las 12:00 horas, con 79 legisladores, aunque a las 15:00 horas no había el mínimo de 65 que se requieren para continuar con la asamblea senatorial |
| Partidos chocan por dichos de IP sobre reforma |
Josefina Vázquez Mota, del PAN, dice que los temas electorales no deben detener la agenda de la Cámara; Francisco Rojas, del PRI, señala que las mentiras del albiazul generan confusión en la política mexicana; y Alejandro Encinas, del PRD, niega que haya parálisis legislativa |
| Encarcelan a nueve colaboradores de Los Zetas |
Estos sujetos están acusados de los ilícitos de delincuencia organizada y portación de arma de fuego de uso exclusivo del Ejército, Armada y Fuerza Aérea |
| Paredes explica acuerdo con Nava en tribuna |
No hubo ninguna negociación que vinculara el tema de impuestos con las alianzas, se trató de un acuerdo de civilidad política, lo que los partidos no distorsionan su ideología, asegura la presidenta nacional del PRI |
| PRI busca candados a coaliciones |
Plantea que, ante los acuerdos entre PAN y PRD, es necesario que sea la Asamblea Nacional de cada partido la que intervenga en la aprobación de la plataforma electoral |
| Rojas aribuye decepción a malos gobiernos |
El coordinador del PRI en San Lázaro lamenta el creciente margen de hartazgo de los ciudadanos; culpa la incompetencia de autoridades |
| PAN y PRD buscan alianza para Sinaloa y Q .Roo |
Los líderes del PAN, César Nava, y del PRD, Jesús Ortega, sostuvieron un encuentro con el coordinador del frente de izquierdas Diálogo por la Reconstrucción de México, Manuel Camacho, para dialogar al respecto |
| Segob insiste en emisión de Cédula de Identidad |
Refrenda su disposición de mantener un diálogo abierto con los legisladores en torno a las inquietudes que pudieran tener y evitar la dilación de proyectos relacionados con el Registro Nacional de Población |
| PRI arropa a Beatriz Paredes |
Diputados priístas le pidieron a la dirigente nacional mayor presencia e interlocución con la bancada en San Lázaro |
| Contrarreformas afectan derecho a información |
México enfrenta un momento crítico en materia de Derecho a la Información, pues a nivel local se han presentado una serie de "contrarreformas" que afectan este derecho ciudadano |
| FCH inaugura parque Eólico La Rumorosa |
En menos de cinco minutos Calderón oprimió el botón que puso en marcha el Sistema de Generación de Energía Eólica, con el cual se pretende cubrir la necesidad para todo el alumbrado público de la ciudad de Mexicali |
| Corte: CNDH, impedida para indagar a PGR |
La Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación validó una reforma que la Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos considera que le impedirá investigar las violaciones de garantías cometidas por funcionarios de la PGR |
| Caen cuatro mexicanos con mariguana en EU |
Transportaban en una embarcación más de una tonelada de la hierba a la isla Santa Rosa, al sur de California |
| SCJN impide a CNDH investigar violaciones de PGR |
La Suprema Corte de Justicia determinó que la PGR podrá negar información a la Comisión sober violaciones de derechos humanos, si considera que al hacerlo pone en riesgo investigaciones o seguridad de las personas |
| Última oportunidad para reforma laboral: Lozano |
El secretario del Trabajo y Previsión Social federal aseguró que la coyuntura política podría frenar los cambios que necesita México en materia de trabajo |
| Increpan a Molinar Horcasitas por caso ABC |
El titular de la Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transporte Juan Francisco Molinar Horcasitas, fue increpado por algunos legisladores de la Comisión de Transporte y varios ciudadanos por su relación en los hechos |
| Martí y Wallace piden avalar reforma política |
Organizaciones ciudadanas consideran prioridad la reelección, candidaturas independientes, facultad de los ciudadanos para presentar iniciativas de ley y reducir el financiamiento a los partidos |
| Episcopado Mexicano pide denunciar abusos |
La Iglesia católica señaló que la pederestia es uno de los crímenes más terribles y exigió aplicar la ley para castigarlo |
| Corte analiza revés a CNDH en juicio contra PGR |
La SCJN inició la revisión de uno de los juicios más importantes que ha promovido la CNDH porque de él dependerá que pueda o no investigar los casos de violaciones de garantías cometidas por la PGR |
| Habrá alcoholímetro en 47 ciudades del país |
Los accidentes son considerados como un grave problema de salud pública, por lo que se pretende que en 2011 se completen 132 ciudades para que se integren a este programa |
| Debate de reforma inicia con ausentismo |
Las Comisiones Unidas debaten la reforma política con base en dos visiones: la de un régimen semiparlamentario, propuesto por la oposición, y la que fortalece el presidencialismo, como impulsa el gobierno de Calderón |
| Monsiváis descarta estallido social en México |
El colaborador de EL UNIVERSAL afirmó que no hay indicios de una gran Revolución, aunque exista un empoderamiento social como nunca se había visto y el cual, sigue creciendo |
| México encubre violaciones de militares: HRW |
La organización internacional presentó ante la ONU su quinto informe sobre la situación de derechos humanos en el país; sólo hay una condena de 38 casos de abusos comprobados por la CNDH |
| Inaugurará FCH parque eólico #39;La Rumorosa#39; |
El presidente realizará una gira de trabajo por Baja California |
| PAN buscará que IFE organice elecciones locales |
El senador Ricardo Torres Origel rechazó que se busque eliminar la estructura electoral de cada entidad; asegura que no se busca suplir la propuesta de reforma política que presentó el presidente |
| Busca PT derogar ley de Ingresos |
El coordinador del Partido del Trabajo, Ricardo Monreal, solicitará la creación de una Comisión Especial encargada de dar seguimiento a la agenda político electoral |
| Prevén lluvias ligeras en el norte del país |
La temperatura máxima se registró en Tapachula, Chiapas, con 36 grados centígrados, mientras que la mínima fue en Temósachi, Chihuahua, con dos grados |
| Inicia negociación de la reforma política |
Senadores coinciden en que el debate se dará en un clima "enrarecido" por el escándalo político que generó el pacto de dirigentes del PRI, del PAN para evitar la conformación de alianzas en Edomex |
| ONU: leyes antiaborto, retroceso contra mujeres |
El coordinador residente en México, Magdy Martínez Solimán, recordó que los Estados miembros deben respetar el derecho de las mujeres a decidir sobre su salud sexual y reproductiva |
| Democracia del país defrauda a un 69% |
Las principales fallas señaladas al sistema democrático son el abuso de poder, la corrupción y las promesas de campaña incumplidas |
| Dia presenta querella contra Gómez Mont y Peña Nieto |
| Navarrete increpó a titular de Segob |
El Ejecutivo me dijo que supo del acuerdo hasta enero, dice el legislador |
| Detectan iregulariades en gasto del IFE |
Reuters
| Democrats doubt deadline on healthcare |
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional Democrats on Tuesday cast doubt on their chances of meeting the White House's March 18 deadline for voting on a stalled healthcare overhaul, but said they are moving as fast as they can. |
| Visiting Biden condemns new Israel settlement plan |
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday condemned Israeli plans to build 1,600 more homes on occupied land where Palestinians seek statehood, announced in the middle of his visit to help revive peace negotiations. |
| Toyota, U.S. officials investigate runaway Prius |
LOS ANGELES/DETROIT (Reuters) - U.S. safety regulators and Toyota dispatched teams on Tuesday to inspect a Prius that sped out of control on a California freeway a day earlier, as the automaker struggled to reassure consumers shaken by its recall crisis. |
| UK PM Brown warns of bumpy economic road ahead |
LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown sees risks to the economic recovery and says it is not the moment to change course as he prepares for an election by June. |
| Pelosi faces biggest test on healthcare vote |
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The leader of the House of Representatives -- a persuasive arm-twister and deal maker -- faces her toughest challenge yet in the coming weeks: getting 216 votes to pass final legislation revamping the U.S. healthcare system. |
| Economists trim 2011 U.S. growth forecast |
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. economists raised their forecast for economic growth in 2010 in March, the third straight monthly rise, while trimming their growth forecast for 2011, according to a survey released on Wednesday. |
| Obama backs bipartisan crackdown on healthcare cheats |
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama, making a final push for healthcare reform, will back bipartisan plans to stamp out waste in government-run medical programs for the old and needy, the White House said on Tuesday. |
| Accused Letterman extortionist pleads guilty |
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A television producer pleaded guilty Tuesday to trying to extort $2 million from U.S. talk show host David Letterman by threatening to reveal his affairs with women who worked on his late-night program on CBS. |
| Bali bombing suspect killed: Indonesia president |
CANBERRA (Reuters) - A leading Southeast Asian militant, wanted for the 2002 Bali bombings, was the man killed in police raids in Jakarta, Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Wednesday. |
| 9/11 suspects should face civilian court, U.N. envoys say |
GENEVA (Reuters) - United Nations human rights investigators called on the Obama administration on Tuesday to prosecute the accused September 11 masterminds in a civilian court, declaring that U.S. military tribunals would not be fair. |
Politico
| Massa: 'I did nothing sexual' |
The House ethics committee has groping allegations against former Rep. Eric Massa. |
| GOP weighs Massa options |
They are considering a formal investigation. |
| Ex-friend tries to explain Spitzer |
Former confidant Lloyd Constanines new book offers to help understand Spitzer's aborted career. |
| Pelosi's grip on House slips |
Her handling of the Rangel scandal reveals a loss of authority over the Democratic Caucus. |
| Frank wants reform on C-SPAN |
The type of 'old-fashioned" conference Frank is talking about is a real rarity in today's Congress. |
| Rove: Reagan wouldn't ace test |
He reminds conservatives that 'not even Ronald Reagan will get a perfect score on a purity test." |
| Schumer explores filibuster buster |
The New York Democrat plans to begin holding hearings to reform the potent stalling tactic. |
| Hutchison: No announcement yet |
Hutchison remains mum about her political plans and is avoiding the press. |
| Romney warns tea parties |
Romney says they shouldn't run third party candidates that would 'divide" GOP voters. |
| Graham denounces Cheney spot |
Keep America Safe ad spurs backlash. |
| New 'gang' gathering on energy? |
A bipartisan group of 14 Senators and top cabinet officials are forging ahead with a climate bill. |
| Senators spar over consumer body |
Shelby proposes yet another protections structure. |
| Drudge vs. the Senate? |
The Drudge Report fires at a Senate committee for urging staffers to avoid site because of viruses. |
| Lights, camera, reconcile! |
The titanic, yearlong health care epic is headed toward a wonkish finale. |
| Crist suggests Rubio got 'back wax' |
Florida governor criticizes Rubio's '$130 haircut, or maybe it was a back wax." |
| Filibuster reform: Talk but no action |
Despite some Democrats' efforts, there's little real appetite for changing the rules in the Senate. |
| Bennet reinforces his left flank |
Bennet takes lead role in pressuring Dems to push through a public health insurance option. |
| Obama, insurers wrestle over rates |
Health care execs blame rising medical costs for premium hikes, but the president isn't buying. |
| Critics question whistleblower bill |
Advocacy groups complain the proposal doesn't go far enough to protect government employees. |
| GOP sharpens midterm attack line |
Cornyn says they'll hammer Democrats on health care reform if they squeeze a bill through. |
MSNBC
| WP: When jobless benefits turn to welfare |
Millions of Americans have been forced to rely on unemployment payments for extended periods, and critics are taking aim. 
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| Toyota, U.S. officials probe runaway Prius |
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| Roberts: Scene at State of Union ‘troubling’ |
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| Sponsored By: |
| NYT: Food aid to Somalia diverted |
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| Celizic: Why no buzz about UConn women’s reign? |
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| Pa. woman charged with recruiting jihadists |
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| Producer pleads guilty in Letterman case |
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| Ellen’s making the other ‘Idol’ judges improve |
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| Feds: Calif. man ran student visa fraud ring |
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| Lohan sues E*Trade over ‘milkaholic’ baby |
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| Toyota recalling all 2000 to 2003 Tundras |
Toyota said on Tuesday it would fix all Tundra pickups sold in the United States for the 2000 to 2003 model years to address a risk that part of the truck's frame could corrode.
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| Jobless aid bill passes key Senate hurdle |
Legislation to give additional months of unemployment benefits to people who have been out of a job for more than half a year cleared a key hurdle Tuesday.
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| Ex-Edwards aide narrowly avoids trip to jail |
A former John Edwards aide narrowly avoids getting sent to jail for contempt over his handling of a purported sex tape showing the former presidential candidate.
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| Massa: ‘Groping’ of male aide wasn’t sexual |
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| UConn’s bubble bursts with loss to St. John’s |
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| Sponsored By: |
| Iditarod king Mackey lashes out at drug testing |
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| Israel, Syria pursue nuclear Mideast |
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| Manufacturer expands pet food recall |
Nature's Variety has expanded its recall of chicken-flavored pet food because of concerns over salmonella.
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| Indonesian villages cashing in on ‘hobbit’ craze |
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| Baby slings to get safety warning after deaths |
The U.S. government is preparing a safety warning about baby slings — those popular and fashionable infant carriers that parents can sling around their chests to carry their baby.
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| Biden slams Jerusalem housing plan |
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| Conservatives trade barbs over detainee lawyers |
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| 3 arrested in theft of Cyprus ex-leader’s body |
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| Chile quake moves city 10 feet |
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| Pope’s brother: I slapped pupils in the face |
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| The dark side of digital ‘love’ |
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| Sponsored By: |
Digg
| Bottled Wind Could Be as Constant as Coal |
Wind power has made incredible inroads into the U.S. energy system thanks to big, efficient machines standing hundreds of feet tall. But the future of wind power may be underground.
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| Obama Using 'Bounty Hunters' for Health Care Fraud |
President Barack Obama said Tuesday he'll bring in high-tech bounty hunters to help root out health care fraud, grabbing a populist idea with bipartisan backing in his final push to overhaul the system.
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| When Goods Get Traded, Who Pays for the CO2? |
The carbon equation isn't as straightforward as we might think. Scientists find that rich nations are essentially outsourcing some of their carbon emissions to developing nations through global trade
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| "Valley of the Neptunes" Surprises Jimi Hendrix Skeptics |
In the span of his brief career, Jimi Hendrix only produced three albums.Now comes Valleys of the Neptunes, a collection of recordings from the final days of The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Music critics have been reluctant to embrace the album because so many of his posthumous releases have been throwaways. However, this effort is turning heads.
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| The Secret Of A Long & Happy Sex Life? Be Healthy & Be A Man |
Men and women are living longer than ever before, but are they still having sex? Yes, say researchers in the US, but how often, and how enjoyable it is depends partly on their gender and partly on their state of health.
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| CBS Will Broadcast Men's Hoops Final Four Games in 3D |
CBS Sports will show the semifinals and championship game of the NCAA men's basketball tournament in 3D, marking the network's first foray into 3D TV. The network has struck a deal with Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. to show the Final Four games in 100 movie theaters nationwide, with pricing yet to be established.
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| Will Lunar Hole Become First Settlement on the Moon? |
An international team of scientists has discovered an enormous hole that may well become the base for a moon colony. The lunar “lava tube” is not a new find, but the lava sheet that protects it and appears not to be prone to collapse, makes it different from all the others.
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| Sony Signs All 6 Major Studios for HD Movies on PlayStation |
Well, it looks like Sony has a little treat for PS3 users now that they're able to turn their consoles back on -- it's just announced that it has signed up all six major studios to deliver HD movies on the PlayStation Network (the first company to do so, as Sony is happy to point out). That includes 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures... MORE!
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| Star Trek: The Next Generation of Fandom |
From the fantastic to the ridiculous, here are 10 of the most interesting expressions of Star Trek fanaticism.
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| Finally see an actual Giant Squid |
Controversial anatomist Gunther von Hagens has stuffed the monstrous pair of squid with silicone for preservation. A new technique preserves the squid in a life like form.
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| DR Congo ring may be giant 'impact crater' |
Deforestation has revealed what could be a giant impact crater in Central Africa, scientists say. The 36-46km-wide feature, identified in DR Congo, may be one of the largest such structures discovered in the last decade.
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| Physicists Find Way To See Through Opaque Materials |
New experiments show that it's possible to focus light through opaque materials and detect objects hidden behind them, provided you know enough about the material.
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| Adderall Is Baseball's New Drug Problem, Says Doc |
A major league baseball player’s bitter divorce has lifted the lid on the sport’s new drug problem – players abusing the drug Adderall.
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| 2004-2008 Toyota Prius Recall Will Reshape Accelerator Pedal |
Owners of Toyota's iconic Prius hybrid model who thought they'd escaped the rash of Toyota recalls need to think again. The company is working on a fix to reshape accelerator pedals so that they cannot be trapped by floor mats, and will issue details within weeks.
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| America's Cheapest Hooker Charges $5 and a Jawbreaker |
Yes, she solicited an undercover Cincinnati cop, and all she wanted was5 bucks and a large clump of candy.
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| Nokia Files Patent for Self-Charging Phone |
Kinetically powered cell phones have been relegated to futuristic concepts..or have they? Nokia files a patent that could lead to the first real piezoelectric mobile phone.
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| Apple's Long History of Lousy First Reviews |
Though the iPad has drawn some harsh reviews, it's hardly the first Apple product to get trashed (at first). A look back at 25 years of "flops"
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| Moms Iron Daughters' Breasts in Mutilation Practice |
Though not publicly acknowledged, many pubescent girls in the West African country of Cameroon are subjected to the practice of breast ironing, which involves massaging a child's growing breasts with an object like a stone, hammer or spatula that has been heated over coals, until the breasts actually disappear. The practice of breast ironing is...
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| Hourly Wage Earners Are Happier Than Salaried Workers |
The relationship between money and happiness is stronger for people paid hourly because they're more often reminded of how much they earn, according to researchers at Stanford University and the University of Toronto. That lets workers more easily measure their value, which in turn increases happiness.
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| Cisco's New Router To Delivers 322 Terabits per Second |
Cisco Systems, has announced the launch of a super-fast and effeciency-focused router technology which will be at the heart of "the next generation of the Internet".
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| While US, Europe Go Green, 1/3 of Emissions Hidden Overseas |
The extent to which tindustrialized nations are "outsourcing " their carbon emissions to developing countries was again highlighted today with the publication of a major new report revealing that goods and services imported into developed countries typically account for around a third of their total carbon footprint.
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| Sea lions killed for eating too many salmon |
Wildlife officials have tried everything to keep sea lions from eating endangered salmon, dropping bombs that explode under water and firing rubber bullets and bean bags from shotguns and boats.
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| Execution Halted - For Medical Reasons |
Lawrence Reynolds Jr. was scheduled to die today, but the governor of Ohio halted the execution so that Reynolds could be given medical treatment and be in tip-top shape for the lethal injection.
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| H&R Block Feeling the Pain from TurboTax |
Late last month, H&R; Block (HRB) dropped a bomb on investors. The company slashed its outlook because of the slow start of the tax season. As a result, H&R; Block's stock price fell 13%. It looks as though Turbo Tax is taking its toll on the, ubiquitous, tax-preparing giant.
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| David Letterman's Extornist Pleads Guilty |
David Letterman's extortionist just plead guilty to one count of grand larceny in the second degree.
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| The Definition of Insanity |
It’s time for change in the video game industry. Graphics are getting better, gameplay is evolving, and expectations are rising. The following games need to take that next step to stay relevant in the ever changing gaming landscape.
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| The 7 Dumbest Celebrity Lawsuits of All Time |
With news today that Lindsay Lohan is suing E-Trade over the use of her name in a commercial, we thought we’d take a look back at some of the most ridiculous celebrity lawsuits of all-time
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| Check Out The Secret McMenu Item In SF: The Mc10:35 |
Peter has stumbled upon a McDonald's secret menu item that can only be ordered during the changeover from breakfast to the standard menu. The Mc10:35 is the unholy but oh-so-hot union between the McDouble and Egg McMuffin.
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| Pink Floyd, EMI Brawl Over iTunes Royalties |
Pink Floyd and its label, EMI, are battling over online royalties stemming from a contested clause in their decade-old contract. The developer of The Dark Side of the Moon and other top-selling albums claims its contract with EMI requires its music to be sold as an entire album, not the single tracks that EMI has permitted iTunes to distribute...
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| Creationist Ousted from TX State Board of Ed. |
The top conservative activist on the powerful Texas Board of Education, who rejects evolution and has pushed a revisionist right-wing U.S. history curriculum, is on the way out, after a moderate candidate defeated him in a tight GOP primary last week. Thomas Ratliff edged out Don McLeroy 50.4%-49.6% for the seat McLeroy has held since 1999.
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| A Computer That Processes Faster Than The Speed of Light |
Exceeding the speed of light opens one up to all kinds of theoretical problems, but two Austrian researchers claim there's no reason we can't build a computer that processes information at superluminal speeds.
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| Rock Band to Release Cartman's "Poker Face" |
It was announced today that four Lady Gaga songs are being released in the Rock Band Music Store for Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii. And in a classic case of lead-burying, it was additionally revealed that Eric Cartman's version of Gaga's "Poker Face" would also be made available in the store.
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| Apple's Secret iPhone Developer Agreement Goes Public |
The first rule of the iPhone developer program is: You do not talk about the iPhone developer program...
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| "Benign" Flight Simulators Could Be Training Pilots to Crash |
The behavior of the pilots in last year's crash that killed 50 people has become an all-too-familiar response when airliners go out of control. Over and over again, startled pilots mishandle stalls, icing and other emergencies. The way airline training simulators portray stalls now is so benign it gives the pilot a false impression of reality.
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| Man Buys Crack With Monopoly Money |
When you attempt to pull one over on a drug dealer, they might be looking for retribution. For evidence, take a look at this case in Kansas in which a man bought hundreds of dollars worth of crack with Monopoly money and, weeks later, police found him driving with a bloodied face.
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| Voodoo practitioners shrug off blame for Haitian quake |
In a whirl of limbs and with eyes bulging, the woman is helped to a squat in the ramshackle shed and starts cackling maniacally like a terrified chicken.
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| Biggie Smalls is Still Influential 13 Years After his Death |
Today is the 13th-year-anniversary of Biggie Smalls (aka The Notorious B.I.G.) death. He was one of the most momentous hip hop artists of all time. Here he is before he made it, rapping, age 17 on a Brooklyn street corner.
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| The 7 People You Meet at The Gym |
And how you can avoid becoming them.
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| NJ Airport Breach a Few Months Back Was From A Goodbye Kiss |
A 28-year-old student pleaded guilty today to breaching security at Newark Liberty International Airport so that he could give his girlfriend a goodbye kiss. Haisong Jiang also agreed to a $500 fine and to perform 100 hours of community service. The Jan. 3 security breach shut down Terminal C for six hours, stranding thousands of travelers.
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| Two Of Oldest People In World Die On Same Day |
Mary Josephine Ray, who was certified as the oldest person living in the United States, died Sunday at age 114 years, 294 days. Ray died just hours before Daisey Bailey, who was 113 years, 342 days
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FARK
Slashdot
| US Considers Some Free Wireless Broadband Service |
gollum123 writes "US regulators may dedicate spectrum to free wireless Internet service for some Americans to increase affordable broadband service nationwide, the Federal Communications Commission said on Tuesday. The FCC provided few details about how it would carry out such a plan and who would qualify, but will make a recommendation under the National Broadband Plan set for release next week. The agency will determine details later. One way of making broadband more affordable is to 'consider use of spectrum for a free or a very low-cost wireless broadband service,' the FCC said in a statement." Nobody has more than a couple of paragraphs on this story. None of the press coverage mentions the obvious likelihood that any such free network would be heavily filtered, censored, and monitored.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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| US Gamers Spend $3.8 Billion On MMOs Yearly |
eldavojohn writes "A new report from Games Industry indicates that MMO gamers in the United States paid $3.8 billion to play last year, with an analysis of five European countries bringing the total close to $4.5 billion USD. In America, the report estimated that payments for boxed content and client downloads amounted to a measly $400 million, while the subscriptions came to $2.38 billion. Hopefully that will fund some developer budgets for bigger and better MMOs yet to come. The study also found that roughly a quarter of the US population plays some form of MMO. Surely MMOs are shaping up to be a juicy industry, and a market that can satisfy people of all walks of life."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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| The World's First Commercially Available Jetpack |
ElectricSteve writes "It's been a long time coming. While Arthur C. Clarke's geosync satellites have taken to space, and James Bond's futuristic mobile technology has become commonplace, still the dream of sustained personal flight has eluded us — until now. At $86,000, the Martin Aircraft jetpack costs about as much as a high-end car, achieves a 30-minute flight time, and is fueled by regular gasoline. A 10% deposit buys you a production slot for 12 months hence." Here's a video of some indoor test flights. This isn't Buck Rogers's jetpack — it's about 5 by 5 feet and weighs more than the average human. You won't be able to commute with it (the FAA has not certified this class of device) so it's recreational only for now.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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| Google's Computing Power Refines Translation |
gollum123 sends an excerpt from the NY Times on how Google has taken a lead in language translation, in one of the company's few unqualified successes as it attempts to broaden is offerings beyond search. "...Google's quick rise to the top echelons of the translation business is a reminder of what can happen when Google unleashes its brute-force computing power on complex problems. The network of data centers that it built for Web searches may now be, when lashed together, the world's largest computer. Google is using that machine to push the limits on translation technology. Last month, for example, it said it was working to combine its translation tool with image analysis, allowing a person to, say, take a cellphone photo of a menu in German and get an instant English translation. ...in the mid-1990s, researchers began favoring a so-called statistical approach. They found that if they fed the computer thousands or millions of passages and their human-generated translations, it could learn to make accurate guesses about how to translate new texts. It turns out that this technique, which requires huge amounts of data and lots of computing horsepower, is right up Google's alley. ...Google's service is good enough to convey the essence of a news article, and it has become a quick source for translations for millions of people."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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| Jeff Jaffe Named CEO of W3C |
blozza2070 notes the news that Jeff Jaffe has been appointed CEO of the World Wide Web Consortium. Until January Jaffe was CTO at Novell and, while his name hasn't come up very often in this community, he is one of the architects of the Novell-Microsoft patent deal. A reading of Jaffe's blog while at Novell tends to paint him as a software patent supporter, Microsoft apologist, and no fan of the FSF. This strongly worded page at Boycott Novell features copious links to support the above characterization.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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| NewEgg Confirms Shipping Fake Core i7s |
adeelarshad82 writes "After originally rejecting the story, online retailer NewEgg confirmed that a shipment of Core i7s were indeed fake, and apologized for the affair. NewEgg has also broken off its relationship with IPEX, the supplier of the phony lot. The retailer said that it has already contacted affected customers and would continue to reach out and replace the counterfeit parts. We discussed the fake Core i7s over the weekend."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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| Dot-Com Craze Peaked 10 Years Ago This Week |
netbuzz writes "When the NASDAQ stock index hit its all-time high of 5,133 on March 10, 2000, it had more than doubled in a year and the dot-com bubble was already leaking in a big way. A week later the NASDAQ had fallen 9 percent. A year later it was below 2000. Gone were such poster children of the era as Pets.com, Kozmo, and — who could forget? — Whoopi Goldberg's Flooz. Here's a look back."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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| Best Resource For Identifying Legit Applications? |
bjb writes "While helping a somewhat computer illiterate person figure out a problem recently, they mentioned that PDF files had recently stopped working. Upon investigation I found something installed called 'PDF Suite.' Never having heard of it, I Googled it with 'malware' and other key words, but nothing turned up, though my suspicion remained (and was somewhat confirmed by WOT.) So my question is, where can you go to find out if something is legitimate? Because the person I'm helping is on a dial-up connection, downloading malware detection applications (and updates) is too heavy consider. And I don't maintain a USB stick with such apps, since I don't do this kind of thing very often. Where can you quickly find information?"
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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| Cisco Introduces a 322 Tbit/sec. Router |
CWmike writes "Today Cisco Systems introduced its next-generation Internet core router, the CRS-3, with about three times the capacity of its current platform. 'The Internet will scale faster than any of us anticipate,' Cisco's John Chambers said while announcing the product. At full scale, the CRS-3 has a capacity of 322Tbit/sec., roughly three times that of the CRS-1, introduced in 2004. It also has more than 12 times the capacity of its nearest competitor, Chambers said. The CRS-3 will help the Internet evolve from a messaging to an entertainment and media platform, with video emerging as the 'killer app,' Chambers said. Using a CRS-3, every person in China, which has a population just over 1.3 billion, could participate in a video phone call at the same time. (Or you could pump nearly one Library of Congress per second through the device, or give everyone in San Fransisco a 1Gbps internet connection.) AT&T said it has been using the CRS-3 to test 100Gbit/sec. data links in tests on a commercial fiber route in Florida and Louisiana."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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| Doctors Skirt FDA To Heal Patients With Stem Cells |
kkleiner writes "For many years countless individuals in the US have had to watch with envy as dogs and horses with joint and bone injuries have been cured with stem cell procedures that the FDA has refused to approve for humans. Now, in an exciting development, Regenerative Sciences Inc. in Colorado has found a way to skirt the FDA and provide these same stem cell treatments to humans. The results have been stunning, allowing many patients to walk or run who have not been able to do so for years. There's no surgery required, just a needle to extract and then re-inject the cells where they are needed. There has always been a lot of hype around stem cells, but this is the real deal. Real humans are getting real treatment that works, and we should all hope that more companies will begin offering this procedure in other states soon."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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| The Secret Origin of Windows |
harrymcc writes "Windows has been so dominant for so long that it's easy to forget Windows 1.0 was vaporware, mocked both outside and inside of Microsoft — and that its immediate successors were considered stopgaps until OS/2 was everywhere. Tandy Trower, the product manager who finally got Windows 1.0 out the door a quarter century ago, has written a memoir of the experience. (He thought being assigned the much-maligned project was Microsoft's fiendish way of trying to get rid of him.) The story involves such still-significant figures as Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, Ray Ozzie, and Nathan Myhrvold; Trower left Microsoft only in November of 2009 after 28 years with the company."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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| Open Data Needs Open Source Tools |
macslocum writes "Nat Torkington begins sketching out an open data process that borrows liberally from open source tools: 'Open source discourages laziness (because everyone can see the corners you've cut), it can get bugs fixed or at least identified much faster (many eyes), it promotes collaboration, and it's a great training ground for skills development. I see no reason why open data shouldn't bring the same opportunities to data projects. And a lot of data projects need these things. From talking to government folks and scientists, it's become obvious that serious problems exist in some datasets. Sometimes corners were cut in gathering the data, or there's a poor chain of provenance for the data so it's impossible to figure out what's trustworthy and what's not. Sometimes the dataset is delivered as a tarball, then immediately forks as all the users add their new records to their own copy and don't share the additions. Sometimes the dataset is delivered as a tarball but nobody has provided a way for users to collaborate even if they want to. So lately I've been asking myself: What if we applied the best thinking and practices from open source to open data? What if we ran an open data project like an open source project? What would this look like?'"
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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| HTC Android Phones Found With Malware Pre-Installed |
Trailrunner7 writes "Security researchers have found that Vodafone, one of the world's larger wireless providers, is distributing some HTC phones with malware pre-installed on them. The phone, HTC's Magic, runs the Google Android mobile operating system, and is one of the more popular handsets right now. A researcher at Panda Software received one of the handsets recently, and upon attaching it to her PC, found that the phone was pre-loaded with the Mariposa bot client. Mariposa has been in the news of late thanks to some arrests connected to the operation of the botnet."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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| Cybercrooks Surpassed Old School Bankrobbers In '09 |
krebsonsecurity writes "Organized cyber-criminal gangs stole $25 million in the 3rd quarter alone last year, by pilfering the online bank accounts of small to midsized businesses, the FDIC reported last week. In contrast, traditional bank robbers hauled just $9.4 million in 1,184 bank robberies during that same period, according to an analysis of FBI bank crime statistics by krebsonsecurity.com. From that story: 'The federal government sure publishes a lot more information about physical bank robberies than it makes available about online stick-ups. Indeed, the FBI's bank crime stats are extraordinarily detailed. For example, they can tell you that in the 3rd quarter of last year, bank robbers were more likely to hold up their local branch between the hours of 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. on a Wednesday than at any other time or day of the week; they can tell you the number of tear gas and dye packs taken with the loot, the number of security cameras activated, the number of food stamps taken, even what percentage of suspected perpetrators had illegal drug habits at the time of the robberies. About the only thing the stats don't tell you is what brand of jeans the perpetrators were wearing and whether the getaway car had cool vanity plates. What do we get about e-crime statistics from the federal government? One guy from the FDIC giving a speech at the RSA conference."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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| European Parliament Declaring War Against ACTA |
An anonymous reader writes "The European Parliament is preparing to take on ACTA. A joint resolution (DOC) has been tabled by the major EP parties that threatens to go to court unless things change. The EP is calling for public access to negotiation texts and rules out further confidential negotiations. Moreover, the EP wants a ban on imposing a three-strikes model, assurances that ACTA will not result in personal searches at the border, and an ACTA impact assessment on fundamental rights and data protection."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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