tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-308668679550227552024-03-05T01:00:14.759-08:00News UpdateNews Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-85311446412472060842012-04-17T16:33:00.001-07:002012-04-17T16:33:23.516-07:00Gmail goes down worldwide Shortly before 5:45pm UK time, many Gmail users received error messages on their accounts, meaning they could not send or receive email or access their inboxes. The search giant said it was "investigating reports of an issue" with its popular email service, which was partially restored by 6.30pm. A subsequent statement issued as services were being restored said "We're aware News Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-4555841955936710152012-04-17T16:27:00.001-07:002012-04-17T16:27:16.319-07:00Italian woman kidnapped in Algeria is freedAn Italian woman kidnapped in southern Algeria over a year ago has been freed, Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi said Tuesday. Terzi said he had just told the family of Maria Sandra Mariani of her release. "I join in their great joy and relief for this wonderful news," he said in a written statement. "My deepest gratitude goes to all of those who have contributed to the News Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-77251610590957388822012-04-17T14:32:00.001-07:002012-04-17T14:32:20.028-07:00U.S. factory decline suggests economy losing steam Output at U.S. factories slipped in March and builders started construction on fewer homes, offering cautionary signals for an economy that appeared to be gaining traction. Manufacturing output slipped for the first time in four months, dropping 0.2 percent, the U.S. Federal Reserve said on Tuesday. The decline dragged on overall industrial production which was unchanged and fell short of News Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-72830593307505709332012-04-17T08:44:00.001-07:002012-04-17T08:44:33.570-07:00Last 5 cruise ship bodies identified; 2 Americans named The last five bodies recovered from the wrecked Costa Concordia cruise liner have been identified, the mayor's office in the Italian city of Grosseto said Tuesday. Two Americans, Gerald and Barbara Heil, were among those named in the statement from the mayor's office. The others are identified as two Germans, Christina and Norbert Ganz, and an Italian crew member, Giuseppe Girolamo. Two peopleNews Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-44480294648169912292012-04-17T05:53:00.001-07:002012-04-17T05:53:18.619-07:00Australia to end Afghan mission in 2013 Australia has announced that its troops will be withdraw from Afghanistan nearly a year ahead of a previously scheduled 2014 withdrawal date. Julia Gillard, the Australian prime minster, said on Tuesday that most of 1,550 remaining Australian troops in Afghanistan were expected to return home by the end of 2013. That timetable would see the largest force provided by any nation outside of the News Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-16611627686488918672012-04-17T05:22:00.001-07:002012-04-17T05:22:23.327-07:00US to investigate secret service scandal The US Secret Service has revoked the security clearances of 11 agents accused of hiring prostitutes on the eve of President Barack Obama's weekend trip to the Americas summit in Colombia. The agency in charge of providing protection for the president confirmed on Monday that it was investigating the allegations that its members brought prostitutes to their Cartagena hotel on Wednesday, News Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-88562489014061406712012-04-15T20:14:00.001-07:002012-04-15T20:14:19.944-07:00Summit of Americas ends without consensus A summit of nearly 30 Western Hemisphere leaders has ended without a joint declaration due to divisions over Cuba and Argentine claims to the Falkland Islands. "There is no declaration because there is no consensus," said Juan Manuel Santos, the Colombian president, at the summit's closing news conference. Washington, backed by Canada, stood fast against widespread demands to includeNews Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-16476979043985519082012-04-15T13:55:00.001-07:002012-04-15T13:55:41.802-07:00Cruise ships mark Titanic centenary over the wreck Two cruise ships marked the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic by tossing wreaths into the North Atlantic early Sunday morning directly over the site of the ship's wreckage. The 450 passengers gathered on the Azamara Journey, a ship chartered for a "Titanic Memorial Cruise," began their evening of remembrance by sitting in silence as 1,503 names of those who perished News Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-2125480315831093032012-04-15T03:34:00.001-07:002012-04-15T03:34:16.907-07:00North Korean leader calls for 'final victory' North Korea's new leader has delivered his first major public speech on the occasion of the centenary of its founder's birth, calling for a push to "final victory" at a mass military parade in the country's capital. Kim Jong-un, the third Kim to rule North Korea, read monotonously from a script in Pyongyang's central square on Sunday after marching soldiers and sailors demonstrated News Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-79176713446689097932012-04-14T16:18:00.001-07:002012-04-14T16:18:47.636-07:00London mayoral candidates campaign on gay issues London's mayoral candidates have canvassed for the gay vote a day after the incumbent, Boris Johnson, intervened to block the capital's buses from carrying adverts from a Christian group that claimed therapy can 'cure' homosexuality. Johnson was joined by his four main challengers – Jenny Jones (Green), Ken Livingstone (Labour) and Brian Paddick (Liberal Democrat) – at the event, hosted by News Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-65752925874703881872012-04-14T15:20:00.001-07:002012-04-14T15:20:40.590-07:00Standoff near Philippines over; Chinese boats keep catchChinese fishing boats left a disputed area of the South China Sea with their catches on Saturday, ending a six-day standoff but dealing a blow to Philippine efforts to assert sovereignty over the area and protect marine resources. The Philippines had wanted the Chinese fishermen to hand over their hauls of giant clams, corals and live sharks harvested near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, in News Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-55472656794707764012012-04-13T23:14:00.001-07:002012-04-13T23:14:02.846-07:00'Vampire Diaries' Season 3 Finale: Elena to Choose Between Damon and Stefan Julie Plec promised that the ultimate question of Elena's choice between Damon and Stefan will unfold in "The Vampire Diaries" season 3 finale. Talking about the highly anticipated moment, the executive producer spilled, "It will not be easy. It will be very emotional for both sides because it's going to be a very honest, very pure, very difficult decision." Whatever the News Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-84623876224042053382012-04-13T17:28:00.001-07:002012-04-13T17:28:28.511-07:00Eurozone crisis focuses on Andalucía, home to sun, sand and soaring deficits It sells itself to British tourists as a holiday heaven of golden beaches, flamenco dresses and well-stocked sherry bars, but southern Andalucía – home to the Costa del Sol – has now become the focus of worries about the euro. As inspectors from Brussels demanded answers this week from the Spanish government about how it plans to bring profligate regional governments under control, senior News Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-82607633414498178762012-04-13T15:08:00.001-07:002012-04-13T15:08:40.486-07:00Weak China GDP growth no signal for fresh stimulus Speculation that China's weakest quarter of annual economic growth since the global financial crisis will trigger a flood of policy support to fight the downturn misses a crucial point - the taps are already turned on. The annual rate of GDP growth in the first quarter slowed to 8.1 percent from 8.9 percent in the previous three months, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Friday, below News Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-29982350604664886212012-04-13T06:24:00.001-07:002012-04-13T06:24:39.739-07:00Apple offers Flashback removal tool and strengthens iTunes accounts Apple has released an update for Java on Macintosh computers running Mac OSX 10.6 and 10.7 ("Snow Leopard" and "Lion") which it says gets rid of the Flashback malware that has affected as many as 600,000 Macs worldwide. The tool is available through the company's built-in Software Update system. Separately, the security company Symantec published research on Thursday night News Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-71439599182354600292012-04-13T05:42:00.001-07:002012-04-13T05:42:02.641-07:00Pakistani students applying for UK visa will face compulsory interview Every Pakistani student applying for a visa to come to study in Britain will face a compulsory interview with consular officials following a secret pilot study indicating that up to 40% could be ineligible. Theresa May, the home secretary, will soon announce that "bogus" students will be blocked from entering Britain when the measures are introduced. "Britain is open for News Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-1981726551693073422012-04-12T17:41:00.001-07:002012-04-12T17:41:20.511-07:00Calderon says Cuba, Mexico friends again Mexican President Felipe Calderon declared Mexico and Cuba friends again on Thursday at the end of a visit that included talks with Cuban leader Raul Castro to patch up strained relations between the two countries. Calderon, speaking to reporters as he prepared to leave Havana for Haiti, said the problems of the past had been replaced by a new cordiality, affirmed by the signing of accords to News Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-2755102713587612542012-04-12T16:30:00.001-07:002012-04-12T16:30:12.953-07:00S Sudan rejects UN appeal to withdraw troops South Sudan set conditions to pull out troops from the contested Heglig oil field seized from Khartoum's army this week, including a withdrawal by Sudan from Abyei, another disputed area. "South Sudan would withdraw from Heglig if a guarantee can be provided that it will not be used for another attack against our territory," Information Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin said. "News Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-35216047689586235402012-04-12T13:40:00.001-07:002012-04-12T13:40:29.353-07:00Mercedes ML63 AMG prices announced The Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG is on sale now, with prices starting at £82,995. The ML63 AMG is the high-performance, range-topping version of the 2012 M-Class range. Power comes from a 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine that develops 518bhp and 516lb ft of torque. An optional AMG Performance Package is available for £6165, which boosts power to 549bhp and torque to 561lb ft. It’s the first News Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-56587282059241207892012-04-12T12:56:00.001-07:002012-04-12T12:56:27.623-07:00It's time to regulate financial instruments (MoneyWatch) COMMENTARY The financial crisis of 2008 revealed the dangers of many of the derivative securities created by Wall Street, such as credit default swaps. The transactions were often so complex that the managers didn't have a handle on their risk exposure. And regulators had no handle at all on the systemic risks created by trading these securities. Supposedly sophisticated financialNews Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-60347538333031149722012-04-12T05:32:00.001-07:002012-04-12T05:32:08.076-07:00No sign of North Korean rocket launch on 1st day of window The first opportunity for North Korea to launch its controversial rocket passed uneventfully Thursday, keeping the region on tenterhooks for at least another day. As the launch window opened Thursday morning, the reclusive, nuclear-armed regime's neighbors were nervously watching for developments from the launch site, which is in a remote area in the northwest of the country. Japanese missile News Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-40004376682912775682012-04-11T20:15:00.001-07:002012-04-11T20:15:00.500-07:00One In Four Households In The World Use Wi-Fi A new study estimates that 25 percent of all Internet-connected households in the world now have wireless home networks -- and that number is growing quickly. On April 4, Strategic Analytics, a global market research and consulting firm, released a report stating that 439 million households worldwide now connect to the Internet via home Wi-Fi networks, a number that is "equivalent to 25 News Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-77574972925695383142012-04-11T14:54:00.001-07:002012-04-11T14:54:23.099-07:00Jeep Mighty FC Concept Conquers Moab Every year, Jeep aficionados head to Moab, Utah for the Easter Jeep Safari, to conquer one of the most challenging trails in the world. This year, attendees were in for a treat thanks to six Jeep concepts including the Mighty FC Concept. The folks over at Motor Trend were at the event and produced the following video featuring the Mighty FC Concept. The Jeep Mighty FC Concept is a throwback to News Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-24304590204225477542012-04-11T13:25:00.001-07:002012-04-11T13:25:08.333-07:00China's e-publishing revolution puts writers on a fast track to freedom The middle-aged man was introduced to me simply as "Old Field". He had given up his teaching job, my informant told me gleefully, and now travelled around rural China, blogging about poverty, corruption and civil conflicts. I was in Shanghai in 2005, and this was my introduction to the Chinese blogosphere, where stringent censorship can be evaded if you know how. The Chinese have neverNews Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30866867955022755.post-61122184923123400142012-04-11T12:31:00.001-07:002012-04-11T12:31:59.280-07:00Baby's death in India blamed on father's anger she was born a girlA 3-month-old baby, whose father has been arrested on allegations he beat her for being born a girl, died Wednesday at a hospital in South India, a doctor said. The baby, named Afreen, was hospitalized in Bangalore on Sunday with burn marks on her head and a dislocated neck, injuries that police said were caused by her father, Umar Farooq. Farooq, a 22-year-old car painter, was arrested Sunday News Updatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161535362314734609noreply@blogger.com