Global call for Libya 'no-fly zone'

David Cameron has raised the prospect of more aggressive international action against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in an effort to prevent him carrying out further attacks on his own people.

The Prime Minister has ordered government officials to draw up plans with Britain's allies for a no-fly zone over Libya. He also suggested that anti-regime forces could be armed to help oust the dictator.

The intervention came as Col Gaddafi again dismissed demands to quit, insisting his people "loved" him and blaming al Qaida for the uprising.

Speaking in the Commons on Monday, Mr Cameron said the international community could not tolerate the "illegitimate" regime using military force on the civilian population and warned that they needed to be ready to act if the repression worsened.

"We do not in any way rule out the use of military assets. We must not tolerate this regime using military force against its own people," he told MPs. "In that context I have asked the Ministry of Defence and the Chief of the Defence Staff to work with our allies on plans for a military no-fly zone."

Asked whether Britain would be willing to arm rebel groups, Mr Cameron said: "If helping the opposition would somehow bring that about it is certainly something we should be considering."

The Prime Minister spoke to French president Nicolas Sarkozy on the telephone on Monday night, and agreed that their experts would work together on "the range of possible options for increasing pressure on the regime", according to Downing Street.

US secretary of state Hillary Clinton, attending the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, said that America was also actively looking at the possibility of a no-fly zone. "The no-fly zone is an option we are actively considering. I discussed it with allies and partners," she said. "All options are on the table. That of course includes a no-fly zone."

The Libyan deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, Ibrahim al-Dabashi - one of a number of diplomats to desert the regime - said it was "very important" to have a no-fly zone to "prevent the dictator using helicopters to terrorise people in the streets". "He uses these helicopters to shoot on people," he told BBC Radio 4's PM programme. "People are afraid to go to the streets whenever they see the helicopters."

Meanwhile, in an interview with the BBC on Monday night, Col Gaddafi insisted his people "loved" him. "They love me, all my people love me," he said. "They would die to protect me." Asked why so many appeared to be rebelling, he blamed al Qaida fighters. "This is al Qaida, not my people," Col Gaddafi said. "They come from outside."

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http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5jiR8GvGATAwbXGncnlF9D0VN3Vlw?docId=N0218741298949061323A

Surge in births after deadly New Zealand quake

Christchurch Women's Hospital, which has experienced a surge in births after last week's 6.3-magnitude tremor

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — As many as 240 people likely died in New Zealand's devastating earthquake, but health services have also been stretched coping with a different problem -- a surge in new life.

Canterbury district health director David Meates said there had been a "real pressure" to deal with births after last week's 6.3-magnitude tremor, and that premature babies packed out Christchurch Hospital's neonatal unit.

"Earthquakes do tend to hurry things along for those intending to deliver," said Meates of the surge in births, which saw some 76 maternity patients hospitalized in the days after the February 22 quake.

So many births followed the deadly jolt that some babies had to be transferred to North Island hospitals while Christchurch Hospital put out a call for extra midwives from across the country.

An even greater spike was seen after last September's 7.0-level tremor, when 21 babies were born at the hospital in the following 24 hours, a record number for a Saturday.

"It's just one of those things. You could blame it on the full moon or the high tide. I think anecdotally people go into survival mode," Canterbury midwifery director Samantha Burke told local media.

Christchurch woman Jo Blackman visited her midwife just hours before the earthquake and was told not to expect her baby for a few more days. When the tremor struck, all she could think about was rushing through her shuddering house to reach her two-year-old son, Josh.

"I didn't even think about the pregnancy -- I just wanted to get to Josh," Blackman, 34, told Fairfax newspapers. "Then when my husband got back and we were looking at a few cracks in the house I suddenly felt my contractions."

Baby Alyssa was born at 7:30 pm as frantic searches continued for survivors in central Christchurch and as hundreds of injured people were tended on surrounding floors.

"It was just good to have a healthy baby girl born into the world when so many others were experiencing suffering and loss," she said.

Among those who went into labour during the quake was the sister of New Zealand soccer captain Ryan Nelsen.

Nelsen is making his way home to Christchurch, hoping to help in the recovery after gaining permission from his Blackburn Rovers.

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http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hqJ_JWI0JzOY97-O1ZgeyN48YYlQ?docId=CNG.9a526f024928171d5495752e60ea262c.241

Replays on giant screen a potential tinderbox

The debate is already on about the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS), after what transpired at the Chinnaswamy stadium, where the television umpire declined to overturn a leg before decision against Ian Bell in India’s favour despite Hawkeye showing the ball hitting middle stump.

What is more important to think for a moment is what, thankfully, didn’t happen in that jam-packed 41,000-seater on Sunday night. A decision unexpectedly going against India, that too after a series of replays on the giant screen, is a potential disaster waiting to happen. The last thing the ICC would want after the stadium and ticket fiasco is a crowd trouble disrupting a game. What if it was a knockout game instead of a harmless league game? What if India had lost?

It is difficult for a partisan fan to understand the 2.5-metre clause in the UDRS, which states that if the point of impact is more than 2.5 meters from the stumps, the decision remains in the hands of the on-field umpire. So why show the blue line or Hawkeye on the giant screen?

Colin Gibson, the ICC’s head of media and communications, says, “From the ICC’s perspective, they don’t consider the fans sitting at the stadium any less informed than the ones sitting at home. So it’s important for them to know what happened in the replay.”

The rules about the UDRS are such to allow the on-field umpire some oxygen even as technology creeps in to shadow their existence. MS Dhoni and other skippers may have to give the UDRS a fair go before forming a strong opinion.

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http://www.indianexpress.com/news/replays-on-giant-screen-a-potential-tinderbox/756155/2

Happy teenagers 'more likely to get divorced'

Happy teenagers make happier adults but they are more likely to get divorced, scientists have discovered.


Cambridge researchers found teenagers they were more likely to get divorced, due to a higher level of self esteem and greater ability to leave an unhappy marriage.

Researchers at Cambridge university have studied the link between a positive adolescence and well-being in later life and say one has a direct effect upon the other.

Those who have a happy upbringing are 60 per cent less likely to suffer mental problems and also perform better at work and socially.

But they are also more likely to end up divorced, the team found.

Researchers used statistics from 2776 people who took part in the 1946 British cohort birth study, and looked at their mental well-being through life.

A positive childhood was based on teacher evaluations on their levels of happiness, friendship and energy at the ages of 13 and 15. Negative problems such as restlessness and anxiety were also noted.

These were then compared to their later mental health, work experience and relationships, reports the Journal of Positive Psychology.

The youngsters rated positively in their teens were found to be significantly more likely to have higher levels of well-being later on, including greater work satisfaction, more frequent contact with family and friends and more social engagements.

But researchers also found they were more likely to get divorced, with one possible explanation being a higher level of self esteem so a greater ability to leave an unhappy marriage.

Professor Felicia Huppert said: "The benefits to individuals, families and to society of good mental health, positive relationships and satisfying work are likely to be substantial.

"The findings support the view that even at this time of great financial hardship, policymakers should prioritize the well-being of our children so they have the best possible start in life."

Co-author Dr Marcus Richards added: "Most longitudinal studies focus on the negative impact of early mental problems, but the 1946 birth cohort also shows clear and very long-lasting positive consequences of mental well-being in childhood."

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/8350587/Happy-teenagers-more-likely-to-get-divorced.html

Cup force with us now, says ton-up Strauss

England captain Andrew Strauss said his side's sensational tie with India proved they were a World Cup force to be reckoned with after his superb century so nearly saw the visitors to victory. England, chasing what would have been a new World Cup winning total batting second of 339, finished on 338
for eight in reply to co-hosts India's 338 all out at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, with Strauss making 158.

His was the first World Cup hundred by an England captain and the highest World Cup score by any England batsman, surpassing Dennis Amiss's 137 against India at Lord's in the competition's inaugural fixture back in 1975.

England's performance was an improvement upon their lacklustre six-wicket opening win over the Netherlands, where Strauss made 88.

"Coming into this game after the Holland performance, it was a great bounce-back and showed everyone around the tournament that we're going to be a force to be reckoned with," said Strauss.

When Ian Bell (69) and Strauss, who put on 170 for the third wicket, fell in successive balls to left-arm quick Zaheer Khan, the match swung back the way of India, who'd earlier seen cricket great Sachin Tendulkar become the first player to score five World Cup hundreds.

England had a poor batting powerplay towards the finish, losing four wickets for 25 runs in five overs.

And it needed tailenders Graeme Swann and Ajmal Shazhad to secure only the fourth tie in World Cup history, as 13 runs came off the final over.

This was the match a World Cup full of lopsided early encounters desperately needed and Strauss said: "We've got to celebrate the fact it was an unbelievable game of cricket -- probably the best advert for the 50-over format you could possibly get."

Strauss has now scored five of his six ODI hundreds in the past two years.

But he was in no doubt Sunday's innings was the best of the lot.

"Given the importance of the game, against India in India in the World Cup, it was obviously crucial one of our players went on and got a big score.

"It was an innings I'm very proud of. It would have been great to have been not out at the end and seen the boys home.

"It was my best one-day knock."

Asked what he told his players during the interval between innings, Strauss replied: "I said 'Lads, that is an unbelievably flat wicket -- we can chase this."

However, he was left lamenting England's poor powerplay performance, saying: "We got ourselves in a position at 41 or 42 overs where we just needed to have a good powerplay, and we were there.

"But these powerplays can affect you both ways -- and unfortunately, it affected us in the negative way.

"Then in the end, we did pretty well to scramble a tie out of it.

"There were some great performances on both sides.

"When we take stock of this game we'll probably both say: 'Look, we've got a point' -- which is an important point -- and go on and play better as the tournament goes on."

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http://www.hindustantimes.com/Cup-force-with-us-now-says-ton-up-Strauss/Article1-667703.aspx

Two NZ earthquakes to cost NZ$20 bllion - PM Key

The two earthquakes that hit the New Zealand city of Christchurch are likely to result in an economic cost of about NZ$20 billion ($15 billion), Prime Minister John Key said on Monday.

The first earthquake, which struck on Sept. 4 and resulted in no fatalaties, is likely to have a final cost at about NZ$5 billion while the Feb. 22 quake is likely to be as much as three times the cost.

"At this stage the likely combined cost of the two earthquakes is in the order of NZ$20 billion," Key told a media briefing.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/28/newzealand-quake-idUSWLF00505620110228

Google Glitch Disables 150,0000 Gmail Accounts

Google, we have a problem. About 150,000 Gmail account holders woke up to a nightmare this morning, with all their e-mail, attachments and Google Chat logs gone. What happened?

Google explains 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. They, and especially visitors to the Gmail Help Forum, were not amused.

But there’s good news here. The way Google is explaining it on its Apps Status Dashboard, “Google engineers are working to restore full access. Affected users may be temporarily unable to sign in while we repair their accounts.”

In an earlier message, Google wrote, “For those Gmail users reporting missing messages, our engineers are working to restore them as soon as possible.” So maybe this is not so bad after all. As long as Google restores the messages, all we had was a big scare. Will Google restore all the messages? We’ve contacted a Google spokesperson, and will let you know when we hear back.

Meanwhile, I’m going to back up all of my Gmail forthwith. But wait a minute – how do you back up Gmail?


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http://mashable.com/2011/02/27/gmail-glitch/

Education reduces blood pressure

Higher levels of education have been linked to lower blood pressure

Despite exam stress, a long stint in education is good for people's blood pressure, according to researchers in the US.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is linked to heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure.

The study, published in the journal BMC Public Health, shows the link is stronger in women than in men.

The British Heart Foundation said the findings supported the link between deprivation and heart disease risk.

Higher levels of education have been linked to lower levels of heart disease. The researchers suggest that blood pressure could be the reason why.

The study looked at 30 years of data from 3,890 people who were being followed as part of the Framingham Offspring Study.

People were divided into three groups, low education (12 years or less), middle education (13 to 16 years) and high education (17 years or more).

The average systolic blood pressure for the 30 year period was then calculated.

Predisposition

Women with low education had a blood pressure 3.26 mmHg higher than those with a high level of education. In men the difference was 2.26 mmHg.

Other factors, such as smoking, taking blood pressure medication and drinking, were taken into consideration and the effect on blood pressure remained, although at a much lower level.

Writing in the journal, the researchers says: "Low educational attainment has been demonstrated to predispose individuals to high strain jobs, characterised by high levels of demand and low levels of control, which have been associated with elevated blood pressure."

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12577353

New Zealand quake toll rises as hope fades for survivors

(Reuters) - International rescue teams searched through the rubble of quake-ravaged Christchurch on Friday for more than 200 people still missing, but rain and cold were dimming hopes of finding more survivors in the country's worst natural disaster in decades.

Teams from quake-prone countries such as Japan, Taiwan and the United States used sniffer dogs and microphones to scour collapsed buildings for any sign of life, after Tuesday's 6.3 magnitude tremor struck the country's second biggest city.

The disaster has so far claimed 113 lives, and authorities warned the death toll was set to climb.

Many of the missing were students who had come to the city, one of New Zealand's most attractive, from Japan, China, Taiwan and India to learn English against a backdrop of the country's dramatic southern alps.

"For those people in those far off places, your families are our families, your children are our children," Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said in a message to their families overseas, promising searchers would not abandon hope.

Tales were emerging of daring rescues, with doctors in the depths of one collapsed building having to use a Swiss Army knife to amputate one man's legs to free him.

"There wasn't really any other option. Essentially the procedure was performed with a Swiss Army knife. I know that sounds terrible, but that's all we had," doctor Stuart Philip told the Dominion Post newspaper.

Rescuers pulled aside massive stone blocks and 13 one-tonne church bells from the toppled spire of the landmark ChristChurch Cathedral in the city heart, where as many as 22 bodies could now be trapped in a square popular with tourists.

"We're having to move extremely slowly, we're working brick by brick. There are a lot of loved ones in here that we want to get out," rescue worker Steve Culhane told.

Police said 228 people were listed as missing. The list could include many people whose bodies have been found but yet to be identified. More than 2,500 were injured in the quake, and more than 160 of them seriously.

Fears that a teetering 26-storey hotel might be toppled by aftershocks eased after engineers found the building had stabilized over the past day, allowing an exclusion zone around it to be narrowed and for rescuers to enter nearby buildings.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/25/us-newzealand-quake-idUSTRE71L04320110225

Apple takes wraps off new MacBook Pro lineup

(Reuters) - Apple Inc released its new lineup of MacBook Pro notebook computers, featuring Intel's peppy new processors and graphics chips made by Advanced Micro Devices, helping boost the smaller chipmaker's stock more than 5 percent.

The new MacBook Pros will be powered by Intel Corp's latest dual-core and quad-core chips, which were previously code-named Sandy Bridge and include integrated graphics processing.

More expensive versions of the MacBook Pro also include graphics chips from Advanced Micro Devices for added performance. Graphics processors made by competitor Nvidia had been used in past versions of the MacBook Pro.

Apple's trend-setting personal computers are a high-profile battleground for chipmakers Intel, AMD and Nvidia.

News of AMD's presence in the new MacBook Pros helped boost its stock 5.5 percent to $9.02.

"It starts to show that the new AMD products have the potential to start to elevate their notebook share," said Cody Acree, an analyst at Williams Financial Group.

Intel supplied the MacBook Pro with a faster, compact input/output technology called Thunderbolt, which supports high-resolution displays and devices through a single port.

The price of a 13-inch MacBook Pro, with a full-size keyboard, seven-hour battery life and an aluminum casing, will start at $1,199. The 15-inch starts at $1,799 and the 17-inch is priced at $2,499.

Nvidia's shares were up 1.13 percent at $22.36 following a 13 percent sell-off over the past two days.

Intel's stock rose 0.14 percent to $21.17.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/25/us-apple-macbookpro-idUSTRE71N3IG20110225

James Franco's a fitting host for Oscars

LOS ANGELES — Deep inside the Kodak Theatre, Oscar co-host James Franco is on a short break from rehearsal for Sunday's show. Amid the hubbub of pre-show activity, a long rack of suits (and a few dresses) sits outside his dressing room door (opposite co-host Anne Hathaway's, which has a "Please Do Not Disturb" sign taped onto it).

As Franco's door swings open, the sound of Tom Petty's Here Comes My Girl spills into the hallway.

A first step into Franco's small dressing room reveals countertops with coffee, a fruit tray, pomades, sprays and a candy dish. In a span of seconds, Franco brushes his teeth, checks his iPhone, pops a few M&Ms and says hello, ready for the first fitting of four Gucci outfits he'll don for the show.

Franco, 32, arrived in Los Angeles at 3:30 a.m. and started rehearsal just five hours later.

"We've done some script readings, but they haven't finalized the script," he says while slipping into the first of four looks, a classic black Gucci Marseille two-button tux. His nerves, for now, are at bay. "For me and Anne, I think it will feel like it went by really fast by the time that we're done. There's a lot to do, and when you do live shows, it goes by really fast."

Gucci, which has been dressing Franco for two years, custom-made four tuxedos for the actor (who is also the face of Gucci by Gucci men's fragrance). Each pocket inside the black, cream, charcoal and burgundy jackets is carefully inscribed with Franco's name.

"They've been incredibly supportive," says Franco, who is so enamored by the Italian fashion house, he pitched Gucci creative director Frida Giannini about making a documentary on how she works. "I think what they do over there is so interesting and has got such a great spirit." Giannini says she wanted Franco to look like a classic Hollywood star for the Oscars. "But at the same time modern and sharply tailored," Giannini says by e-mail. "He is natural and effortless in whatever he wears, very much the Gucci man, and I was able to play with color and fabrication as additional options to the traditional tuxedo."

"I love movies. I like the idea that I can do this at a time when no one expected me to do it," he says. "Movies are changing, the way you watch entertainment is changing, and honestly I don't know how much longer we'll love movies the way we do now. So it's nice to be a part of this while movies are still a really important part of our world."



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http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/movieawards/oscars/2011-02-25-franco25_ST_N.htm

'Match against India is huge for us'

England's middle-order batsman, Ravi Bopara, on Thursday reckoned that Sunday's high-profile match against India would be one of their toughest in the ongoing World Cup, but added that their spinners can trouble the hosts if the game is played on a turning track.

- World Cup coverage

"This is one of our toughest challenges in this tournament. We know what the Indian batsman are capable of, but we do have our plans to keep them quiet. We will see on Sunday," Bopara said ahead of the team's training session at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, the venue for the high-voltage encounter.

"If it is a spinning deck we have got our own spinners who can cause problems. A pitch that spins is going to cause trouble for any team. It is going to cause problems for India as well. A lot is going to depend on the conditions," he added.

Bopara is aware of the enormity of the India game.

"Every match is big for us. Even the game the other night was also big for us. But against India in India is going to be huge.

"We are not thinking too much about it. If you think too much about it you will get out of the mould. We want to stay relaxed."

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http://www.rediff.com/cricket/slide-show/slide-show-1-world-cup-2011-india-toughest-challenge-at-world-cup-bopara/20110225.htm

Most locked-in patients 'happy'

The majority of people with locked-in syndrome are happy, a small French study suggests.

The disease "traps" people in their own body, able to think, but incapable of moving or talking.

The study of 65 patients, published online by the British Medical Journal, found 72% reported being happy - with just 7% wanting help to commit suicide.

Experts said it showed it would be unwise to make assumptions about people's mental state.

The findings could also have implications on the assisted suicide debate, the researchers said.

However, they warned that there could be some bias in the study with the most unhappy patients refusing to take part.

The participants, from the French Association for Locked in Syndrome, responded by blinking or moving their eyes.

About half of those questioned, 55%, had recovered some speech and 70% had recovered some limb movement.

The majority, 72%, said they were happy and 68% said they never had suicidal thoughts.

The longer people were locked-in, the more likely they were to be happy.

Researchers at the University of Liège, Belgium, said: "We suggest that patients recently struck by the syndrome should be informed that, given proper care, they have a considerable chance of regaining a happy life.

"In our view, shortening of life requests are valid only when the patients have been give a chance to attain a steady state of subjective wellbeing."

Dr Adrian Owen, from the Centre for the Brain and Mind at the University of Western Ontario, said: "This is an extremely important study with a clear message - we cannot, and should not, presume to know what it must be like to be in one of these conditions.

"I think most of us feel that life in a lifeless body would not be a life worth living, but this study demonstrates that this is not always the case.

"On the basis of the results, it would be unwise for us to make assumptions about the mental state of those individuals."

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12551753

New Zealand earthquake: Rescuers refuse to give up hope

New Zealand rescuers say they are continuing to search for survivors in the aftermath of Tuesday's powerful earthquake in Christchurch.

Superintendent Dave Cliff said it remained a rescue operation, and that specialists were working at a number of sites where there were signs of life.

At least 76 people have been killed, but 238 others are missing - up to 120 of them under one collapsed building.

Prime Minister John Key has said people should prepare for more bad news.

Officials say there might be fatalities from a number of countries.
'Unsurvivable'

The earthquake struck at a shallow depth of 5km (3.1 miles) early in the afternoon on Tuesday, when the South Island city was at its busiest.

It was Christchurch's second major tremor in five months, and New Zealand's deadliest natural disaster for 80 years.

Hundreds of foreign specialist rescuers arrived in the city on Thursday to help local police and soldiers searching through the dangerously unstable ruins for any survivors.

The BBC's Phil Mercer in Christchurch says there is an unshakeable determination among everyone there to keep looking.

But it is a meticulous and painstakingly slow operation, as rescue workers use sniffer dogs, sound detectors, thermal imaging equipment and cameras to detect any signs of lif.,

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12563177

I batted left-handed in nets just for fun: Sachin

All eyes at the Indian team's net session here yesterday were on Sachin Tendulkar. And those eyes almost popped out when the maestro decided to swing the bat... left-handed at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

As the local bowlers ran in and delivered ball after ball, Tendulkar whacked them all over the park. Three of those deliveries sailed over the rope, much to the amusement and astonishment of his teammates.

True, the bowlers might not have been at their fiery best as Tendulkar was without any protective gear, but there was no doubting the smoothness and style of his shots. What that brief stint also did, was dispel all concern over his fitness. But, from cricketing point of view, was the world's best batsman trying to add new weapons to his armoury?

"It was nothing serious. I played left-handed today just for fun and nothing else. I just tried to enjoy the net session," Tendulkar told after nets.

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http://www.mid-day.com/sports/2011/feb/240211-Sachin-Tendulkar-Chinnaswamy-Stadium.htm

Apple is expected to unveil new iPad

Apple fuels speculation that it will unveil the iPad 2 by inviting the media to a March 2 event in San Francisco. The next version of the pioneering tablet may be lighter and sleeker than the original.

Reporting from Los Angeles and San Francisco —
Apple Inc. will probably unveil a new iPad that could keep its name carved firmly at the top of the tablet computer market.

The company is holding an event next week in San Francisco at which it is widely expected to show off a lighter and sleeker iPad that could maintain its massive lead in the multibillion-dollar tablet industry it pioneered.

The media invitation for the possible iPad 2 rollout was sent as Apple shareholders met at the company's Cupertino, Calif., headquarters amid calls for the company to disclose a succession plan in the wake of Chief Executive Steve Jobs' recent medical leave. Jobs was not present, missing only his second shareholder meeting in a decade.

Apple shareholders rejected the proposal for the company to disclose its plans for Jobs' replacement. Investors are wrestling with the uncertainty stemming from Jobs' sudden announcement last month that he would take his second medical leave in two years.

Apple said it already engages in succession planning but that requiring disclosure would divulge confidential information and potentially harm the company's ability to recruit and retain executives.

The shareholder meeting came a week before the March 2 event at which Apple is expected to launch the next version of its iPad

Since it launched the first iPad last April, Apple has sold more than 15 million units, and analysts expect the company to sell 30 million this year — or about two-thirds of all tablets projected to be sold globally.

"Right now, Apple is the tablet market," said Andy Hargreaves, an analyst at Pacific Crest Securities, who noted that the company will have little serious competition until rival products emerge this year from BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion, Hewlett Packard Co., and Motorola Inc. Released in November, Samsung Electronic Co.'s Galaxy Tab has seen tepid sales and been "a fringe competitor at best," Hargreaves said.

When Apple releases new iterations of its products, the company often sells them at the same price as their predecessors. If Apple sticks to its playbook, the price for the new iPad will probably remain close to the current $499 for a Wi-Fi version and up to $829 for one with a 3G cellular connection.

And although the new model will probably be faster and more elegant, analysts believe Apple has hit some technical obstacles that will limit eye-popping new bells and whistles on the iPad 2.

"I don't think they'll break any new ground in terms of hardware features," said Ashok Kumar, an analyst at Rodman & Renshaw. "But then again, you never know with Apple — they can always pull a rabbit out of a hat."

Last summer, when its iPhone sales had flattened amid increased competition from Google-powered Android phones, observers wondered whether Apple had lost its edge in the smart phone market. But after the release of its souped-up iPhone 4 in July, sales of the device skyrocketed and Apple tightened its grip on the profitable market once again.

Early news and blog reports indicate that the iPad 2 will have a few notable improvements — but may not pull off the quantum leap that its cousin, the iPhone, managed last year.

• Screen: The resolution of the iPad 2's screen may not be much improved. While Apple managed to double the resolution of the iPhone's 3.5-inch screen last summer, analysts believe that digital display technology may be lagging and that a 10-inch version of the iPhone's screen would be too expensive and consume too much battery power to make it viable for the iPad.

Cameras: The new iPad will almost certainly have a camera that faces the user and allows for live video chatting using Apple's FaceTime software and other video chatting applications. Less certain is whether the device will have a second, high-resolution camera in the back that would allow users to take videos and photos. Rival tablets such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab already have front and rear cameras.

Weight: Among the complaints about the iPad has been that it is a bit heavy, making it tiring to hold for long periods while reading or surfing the Web. But Apple has tended to reduce the weight and thickness of its laptops and mobile devices each year, and the same will probably be true for the new iPad.

Apple's other advantage in the tablet world has been the number and diversity of its applications. The company has said there are upward of 60,000 software programs and utilities designed for the iPad, including apps that allow users to stream movies; read books, magazines and newspapers; play video games; and create music and illustrations. The company frequently highlights new applications at its launch events.

At the shareholder meeting Wednesday, Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook declined to comment when asked by an investor about the expected release of the next iPad. "The March 2 event might give you some clues," he said.

Also at the meeting, shareholders approved a proposal by the California Public Employees' Retirement System that called for a majority vote before unopposed candidates could be elected to the board of directors. Currently the company does not require a majority. All seven Apple board members, including Jobs, were reelected Wednesday.

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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/tech-news/the-ipads-of-march-apple-plans-tablet-event/article1917481/

Suicide girl’s dad slams web sickos

Natasha MacBryde, 15: Died under the wheels of a train

THE devastated dad of a bullied public schoolgirl who killed herself blasted internet ghouls yesterday.

Natasha MacBryde, 15, died after being hit by a train.

But just a week after the tragedy a sick hoaxer posted vile comments on a Facebook tribute page - and branded her "a whore".

A internet user, calling herself Pro Fesser, posted a picture of Natasha with a banner saying: "I committed suicide for the Lulz" (amusement).

Another poster wrote: "Natasha wasn't bullied, she was just a whore", while one declared: "I caught the train to heaven LOL."

A macabre video entitled Tasha The Tank Engine was removed from YouTube after her brother James complained to the website.

Natasha was killed near her home in Upton Warren, Bromsgrove, Worcs, on Valentine's Day.

Yesterday her dad Andrew, 47, demanded Facebook and other social networking sites do more to combat sick messages.

He said: "I am disgusted at these comments made by some seriously sick individuals. I am shocked that Facebook don't monitor these sites more closely."

A pal said: "It isn't enough that Tasha is dead, these evil bullies can't leave her in peace."

Facebook has removed the comments and disabled Pro Fesser's profile.

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http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3427677/Suicide-girl-Natasha-MacBrydes-dad-slams-web-sickos.html

Brain Scans 'To Predict Future Criminals'

Scientists may soon be able to identify potential criminals using developments in brain research on children as young as six months, an expert has claimed.

Psychologist Dr Adrian Raine said recognising problems in a child's limbic system, which controls emotion, will allow scientists to predict future offenders and psychopaths.

"Seeds of sin are sown quite early in life," Dr Raine told a science conference in the US.

The British scientist, who is at the University of Pennsylvania, said three year olds with a poorly-functioning amygdala, a key part of the limbic system, were more likely to commit crime 20 years later.

Further research presented at the conference showed emotional problems, like "callous-unemotional" (CU), were hereditary.

CU traits are associated with a lack of emotion, empathy and guilt and are linked to persistent bad behaviour in young children.

After assessing more than 9,000 twins between the ages of four and 12, Dr Nathalie Fontaine concluded that genetics played a fundamental role in the emergence of CU traits, especially in young boys.

Dr Raine said that a time would come when "we are going to be able to predict reasonably well which individuals at a modest age say eight to 10 years old are predicated to become criminal offenders".

The scientist added people would have to decide whether or not to intervene at an early age to stop crime despite possible mistakes in predictions.

Omega 3 - a fatty acid that helps build brain cells - was identified as being able to reduce aggressive behaviour in children based on studies that have shown giving supplements to prison inmates cut serious offending by a third.

"Its very simple - bad brain, bad behaviour… improve brain functioning and you will improve behaviour," Dr Raine said.

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http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Technology/Brain-Scans-On-Children-Will-Be-Able-To-Predict-Future-Criminals-Says-Scientist-At-US-Conference/Article/201102415938533?lpos=Technology_First_Home_Article_Teaser_Region_4&lid=ARTICLE_15938533_Brain_Scans_On_Children_Will_Be_Able_To_Predict_Future_Criminals%2C_Says_Scientist_At_US_Conference

Christchurch earthquake: CTV building 'not survivable' - police

Police have abandoned all hope of finding survivors at the collapsed Canterbury TV building in central Christchurch.

Inspector Dave Lawry said he was "100 per cent" certain those trapped in the building, including a non-sworn police staff member and a group of overseas students, were dead.

All emergency personnel have been moved away from the building because of danger the unstable Grand Chancellor Hotel would collapse onto it, he said.

He felt particularly sorry for the family of what is believed to be a group of Japanese students who died inside.

"At a certain point I'm not going to risk my staff for people where I believe there is no chance of survivability."

Fires burned in the CTV building overnight and no signs of life have been detected there by cameras or listening devices.

Christchurch area commander Dave Cliff said the loss of a staff member in the building was painful.

It meant police could relate to the loss and desperation being suffered by family with loved ones still trapped, he said.

Nancy Wu, whose husband Paul Wu is among the missing in the CTV building, said news that search and rescue workers were putting efforts at the site on hold was "devastating".

"But hopefully they will return and not give up because people can still be alive for many hours. We are not giving up hope."

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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10708252

Ponting apologises for damage to TV at Cricket World Cup 2011

Ricky Ponting has apologized for his unruly behaviour when he was declared runout in the match against Zimbabwe on Monday.

The incident happened on Monday during the 4th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. In the 33rd over of the first innings, Ricky Ponting was given runout. He had gone for a second run, but a throw from Clarke Mpofu reached the stumps before he could reach the crease.

Ricky Ponting, obviously in a fit of rage, threw his gloves at a LCD television set in the dressing room and damaged it. The behaviour from a captain of a cricket team is specially demeaning.

Australia had won that match against Zimbabwe by 91 runs.

It is learnt that the captain of Australian team has since then apologised. A spokesman of the team had come forward with a statement that Ponting had accidentally damaged the television set in the dressing room.

Now it remains to be seen how the International Cricket Council reacts to the incident.

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http://merabsp.com/UrNews.aspx?News=0001370

Ponting smashes LCD in Aus dressing room

Australian skipper Ricky Ponting smashed a LCD television, apparently in a fit of anger, in the team's dressing room here after he was run out against Zimbabwe, sources in the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) said on Tuesday.

The incident took place immediately after Ponting was run out on Monday by a direct hit from deep wicket by Zimbabwe's Chris Meofu in the Group A clash between the two teams. The captain was run out on 28.

GCA said they have informed Australian cricketing authorities about the incident. However, when contacted Australian media manager Lachy Patterson said he was not aware of any such incident.

GCA officials said that they would be meeting today to decide on further action in this connection.

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http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Ponting-smashes-LCD-in-Aus-dressing-room/753147

Tourism in Egypt struggles to recover

CAIRO—Thank God for the Dutch.

If it weren’t for the Dutch, there would have been no foreign tourists here at all on Sunday, strolling among the vast shadows of the legendary pyramids of Giza or gazing in wonder at the aloof, leonine profile of the Sphinx.

Well, that isn’t quite true.

A three-member contingent of Chinese adventurers also was visiting the famed tourist site, and they briefly crossed paths in the desert with a Dutch tour group of 27 intrepid travelers.

Along with a smattering of Egyptians, these doughty international wayfarers pretty much had the place all to themselves, as tourism continues to implode in the land of the pharaohs, nearly a month after hundreds of thousands of Egyptians first took to the streets, demanding the removal of octogenarian ruler Hosni Mubarak.

Mubarak finally got the message and left town more than a week ago, but most of Egypt’s hotels are still all but deserted, not to mention its Nile cruise boats, its casinos, and the cool, stone-walled corridors of its ancient monuments.

Meanwhile, Egypt itself is once again largely at peace.

“It’s wonderful here,” enthused Sietse Plantinga of Amsterdam, who refused to let a little thing like a popular insurrection interfere with her Middle East travel plans. “Nice people. Not many tourists.”

Like other foreign travellers here, they are enjoying a rare opportunity — full access to Egypt’s vaunted ancient wonders with almost nobody else around, apart from Egyptians, of course.

In a normal year, this country attracts nearly 13 million foreign visitors, but you wouldn’t know it now.

By one estimate, roughly a million foreigners fled the country after unrest broke out on Jan. 25. And the tourists have yet to return.

Their absence imperils the livelihood of the one in every eight Egyptian workers who depends directly upon tourism to get by.

In a normal year, the industry contributes as much as 10 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product. Now, however, air carrier EgyptAir is offering to lease some 25 of its newest airplanes, along with their crews, because of a continuing dearth of passengers.

“Things are dead,” said Mohamed Ali, who should know.

Aged 31, he’s a typically ebullient Egyptian camel handler, who normally rents out his four-year-old male dromedary, named “Michael Jordan,” more than 10 times a day.

His clients are foreign visitors with a romantic streak, people who hanker to experience the pyramids in something vaguely approaching the traditional fashion, balanced upon an ornate saddle atop a lofty and compliant ungulate that, in this case, just happens to be named after a former U.S. basketball star.

Nowadays, Ali is hard-pressed to find any takers at all.

“About $20 is the normal price,” he said, before switching to a practised, beseeching tone. “It’s not too much, my brother.”

In fact, it probably is too much, considering there is nowadays almost zero demand for camel rides at Giza or for anything else in Egypt that normally appeals to foreigners.

“There is no business,” said Mohamed Ahmed, 28, a clerk at the venerable Lehnert & Landrock bookstore on Sphinx St. in the western Cairo suburb of Haram. The store, which caters to the tourist trade, is located about a five-minute walk from the Sphinx itself. “Before Jan. 25, we saw thousands of tourists a day. Now, nothing.”

Gross revenues at the store for the more than three weeks that have passed since Jan. 28, he said, amount to a paltry $500 — far less than the $850 or so he would normally expect to earn, not in a matter of weeks, but on a single February day.

He said the collapse in trade is even worse than the vertiginous decline this country’s tourist industry suffered following a 1997 terrorist attack in Luxor, in which 58 foreigners died.

Many here expect the trade to recover fairly quickly. By March, they say, the tourists should return.

Their arrival can’t come soon enough for Hanan Ragab, 30, an itinerant vendor who supports her husband and their three children by selling stone carvings of the pyramids for five pounds — or 84 cents — apiece. She last sold one of the things more than three weeks ago, and she’s getting desperate.

“I’m living on my savings,” she said. “I’m going to run out soon. Send the tourists back, please.”

Read More

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/942613--tourism-in-egypt-struggles-to-recover?bn=1

DR Congo colonel Kibibi Mutware jailed for mass rape

A military court in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo investigating a case of mass rape has sentenced Lt Col Kibibi Mutware to 20 years in jail.

He was found guilty of crimes against humanity for sending his troops to rape, beat up and loot from the population of Fizi on New Year's Day.

Forty-nine women came to testify in the court in in Baraka.

The BBC's Thomas Hubert says it is the first conviction of a commanding officer for rape in eastern DR Congo.

Humanitarian agencies regularly cite government troops as the largest single group of perpetrators of widespread sexual violence in the Kivu region, says our reporter, who is in the town of Baraka, not far from Fizi.

Anger

Sitting in a mobile open air court in Baraka, the military judges also sentenced three officers serving under Lt Col Mutware to 20 years and five soldiers to between 10 and 15 years.

Our reporter says some of the estimated 2,000 people who attended the verdict proceedings, reacted angrily to the sentences.

Crowds surrounded the vehicles which took away the soldiers and began shouting.

"The people are not happy with this judgement; the people were expecting the death sentence," one man in the crowd told the BBC.

Lt Col Mutware is one of many former rebels who joined the army as part of peace agreements in 2009.

The judges said the state should pay compensation to the more than 60 women were raped on 1 January in Fizi.

Our reporter says it is unusual for such large numbers of victims in eastern DR Congo to be willing to testify against their rapists.

Ahead of the verdict, many of them gathered at the rape victims' centre in Fizi.

"I was fleeing the violence but unfortunately I met four soldiers," a 29-year-old mother of five told the BBC about the events on New Year's day.

"They began to tear the pants I was wearing. They took my child from my arms and left him on the ground. Then they had sex with me."

In August 2010, rebel forces were accused of raping hundreds of women, girls, men and boys around the town of Luvungi.

The UN recorded some 11,000 rapes in 2010 - the true figure is believed to be much higher.

Our reporter says since January there have been other reports of sexual violence in an area where the Rwandan FDLR rebels are still active, 40km (about 25 miles) from Fizi.

Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres says it is planning to deploy a mobile clinic to the area on Monday after receiving credible reports of 30 new rapes last week.

It says it has treated more than 70 victims of rapes in two similar incidents in the area between 19 January and 4 February.

Read More

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12523847

Berlo's gifts to Ruby: Rolexes, £12k necklace

LONDON: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's 24 gifts worth almost £200,000 given to the teenage dancer at the centre of the underage prostitution charge against him have emerged.

Berlusconi, 74, is said to have given Karima El-Mahroug , better known as Ruby the Heart Stealer, two Rolex watches, one of which was worth £42,000, a £15,000 fur stole and the promise of an Audi R8. He is said to have also given her a £12,600 diamond necklace.

"The person who gave me the necklace is Silvio Berlusconi whom I met twice at Arcore ," she said, referring to his villa outside Milan. El-Mahroug also revealed when questioned by prosecutors that Berlusconi had given her a red and black Valentino dress encrusted with Swarovski pearls, as a gift on Valentine's Day 2010 to mark "our first meeting" .

The list of gifts included Versace shoes, a Dolce and Gabbana Swarovksi crystal designer watch, and diamond bracelets, pendants , rings and earrings from brands like Bulgari and Tiffany.

Read More


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/Berlos-gifts-to-Ruby-Rolexes-12k-necklace/articleshow/7544534.cms

Asia stocks tumble on Mid East tensions, oil up

(Reuters) - Oil prices jumped a dollar and Asian stocks slipped on Monday as spreading tensions in Libya and other oil-producing regions encouraged some profit taking after last week's solid gains.

Brent crude oil futures and U.S. crude futures both vaulted around $1/bbl to $103.50 and $87.31 per barrel respectively, while gold prices inched higher, adding to last week's gains of nearly 3 percent.

Anti-government protesters rallied in Tripoli's streets at the weekend, tribal leaders spoke out against leader Muammar Gaddafi, and army units defected to the opposition as oil exporter Libya endured one of the bloodiest revolts to convulse the Arab world.

Beijing's latest move to tighten policy in the form of banks' required reserve increases saw Shanghai .SSEC and Hong Kong .HSI stocks take a tumble with lenders leading declines.

The MSCI's index of Asia Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS eased by 0.3 percent after advancing 2.5 percent last week, its best weekly performance in two months.

"There are few buying or selling cues in the domestic market. Investors will likely stay alert to geopolitical news that could affect markets across the world," said Hikaru Sato, a senior technical analyst at Daiwa Securities Capital Market.

"The Middle East continues to be a focus, while there are concerns about China."

While some stock markets across the region have somewhat recovered after a sharp selloff in the opening weeks of 2011, analysts say selling pressure may intensify if tensions in the Middle East escalate further.

Asia-ex Japan equity funds saw the biggest weekly outflows in the second week of February since the first quarter of 2008, data from fund tracker EPFR Global showed.

Moreover, concerns that a breathtaking rally in U.S. stocks in recent weeks, which has boosted the region's developed markets such as Australia .AXJO and Tokyo .N225 may be nearing a close, also weighed on sentiment.

U.S. markets are shut on Monday for a public holiday.

China's benchmark short-term money market rate soared more than 300 basis points on Monday after Beijing on Friday raised required reserves for banks by 50 basis points to a record 19.5 percent.

FX VIEW BRIGHTENS

The foggy outlook for equities in the near term is in sharp contrast to the view emerging in the region's currency markets, where analysts are calling for more gains.

Barring the baht, yen and the rupee, all other Asian currencies have posted substantial gains so far this year, indicating authorities are allowing more currency strength to tackle inflation.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/21/us-markets-global-idUSTRE71H0EB20110221

Ricky Ponting confident Australia can make it 'difficult for anyone'

AHMEDABAD Feb 21 (Reuters) - Australia will look to take a leaf out of New Zealand's book and thump opponents Zimbabwe to make a statement in their World Cup opener later on Monday.

On Sunday, New Zealand bundled out Kenya for 69 and then returned to reach the target in eight overs and with 10 wickets in hand in a lop-sided Group A match.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting said they would love to follow their neighbours' examples.

"I would like to go out and have a very similar result like New Zealand had. That's what we would like to do," Ponting told reporters ahead of their practice on Sunday.

"We will not take anybody lightly. If we can start the tournament by making a big statement in the event, it will be good for the team."

The Australian pace attack of Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait should prove to be quite a handful for unfancied Zimbabwe, who will look to tie their opponents in a spinners' tangle.

But Ponting was not worried.

"Lots of teams have tried spin against us and tried different things against us in this part of the world and we have always managed to find a way to play good cricket here and win games," the Australia captain said.

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http://af.reuters.com/article/zimbabweNews/idAFSGE71J01J20110221

Libyan protesters brave bullets to close in on Gaddafi

TRIPOLI, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi will fight a popular revolt to "the last man standing," one of his sons said on Monday as people in the capital joined protests for the first time after days of violent unrest in the eastern city of Benghazi.

Anti-government protesters rallied in Tripoli's streets, tribal leaders spoke out against Gaddafi, and army units defected to the opposition as oil exporter Libya endured one of the bloodiest revolts to convulse the Arab world.

Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam Gaddafi appeared on national television in an attempt to both threaten and calm people, saying the army would enforce security at any price.

"Our spirits are high and the leader Muammar Gaddafi is leading the battle in Tripoli, and we are behind him as is the Libyan army," he said.

"We will keep fighting until the last man standing, even to the last woman standing...We will not leave Libya to the Italians or the Turks."

Wagging a finger at the camera, he blamed Libyan exiles for fomenting the violence. But he also promised dialogue on reforms and wage rises.

The cajoling may not be enough to douse the anger unleashed after four decades of rule by Gaddafi -- mirroring events in Egypt where a popular revolt overthrew the seemingly impregnable President Hosni Mubarak 10 days ago.

In the coastal city of Benghazi protesters appeared to be largely in control after forcing troops and police to retreat to a compound. Government buildings were set ablaze and ransacked.

In the first sign of serious unrest in the capital, thousands of protesters clashed with Gaddafi supporters. Gunfire rang out in the night and police used tear gas to disperse demonstrators, some of whom threw stones at Gaddafi billboards.

Human Rights Watch said at least 223 people have been killed in five days of violence. Most were in Benghazi, cradle of the uprising and a region where Gaddafi's grip has always been weaker than elsewhere in the oil-rich desert nation.

Habib al-Obaidi, a surgeon at the Al-Jalae hospital, said the bodies of 50 people, mostly shot dead, were brought there on Sunday afternoon. Two hundred wounded had arrived, he said.

"One of the victims was obliterated after being hit by an RPG (rocket propelled grenade) to the abdomen," he said.

Members of an army unit known as the "Thunderbolt" squad had brought wounded comrades to the hospital, he said. The soldiers said they had defected to the cause of the protesters and had fought and defeated Gaddafi's elite guards.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/21/libya-protests-idUSLDE71K00720110221