WhatsApp users make over 1.4bn phone calls on New Year’s Eve

WhatsApp users all over the world have made more than 1.4 billion voice and video calls on New Year’s Eve. This is the highest number of calls ever made globally in a single day on the messaging app. 

“More than 1.4 billion voice and video calls were made on New Year’s Eve 2020 globally, the most ever calls in a single day on WhatsApp. WhatsApp calling increased over 50% compared to the same day last year,” Facebook, the owner of the messenger, ‍said in its press release on Friday. 

More than 55 million live broadcasts were held on Facebook and Instagram on New Year’s Eve, the company added that. WhatsApp is a free messaging service that supports voice calls. In 2014, the messenger was acquired by Facebook for $19 bln. In February 2020, the number of WhatsApp users all over the world reached two billion. - TASS, Source: https://www.daily-bangladesh.com/

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India's Assocom Institute of Baking Technology and Marketing First choice for Young Aspirants

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Monday, August 4th, 2014, BY Valerie Tullar (Info@koriatimes.com) Assocom Institute of Baking Technology and Marketing (AIBTM) situated at (Knowledge Park III), Greater Noida has become the first choice for students seeking admission in Bakery Institute. This year’s response to various courses being offered by the AIBTM has been more than encouraging. Within one year, AIBTM has become the most

primitive choice of students, which fill the dream and life of student with flying colors. Career in the culinary arts is undergoing rapid growth, and offers dynamic opportunities for all those with a taste for food. The essence of AIBTM success lies in requisite exposure and academic knowledge, it is only time and experience which give you confidence and mastery with interactive sessions.  Subhash Kapoor,Chairman, AIBTM says" Today with globalisation and the opening of the economy to an international market, the Indian bakery industry has grown exponentially, with almost every international hotel chain operating in India requiring an increasing number of trained Pastry chefs and bakers".By joining, Assocom Institute of Baking Technology and Marketing (AIBTM) , you get acquainted with basic cooking techniques; gain insights into culinary secrets of different regions, position to assess industry standards; polish your art of presentation; understand the mechanics of sanitation and safety; go through the basics on personal management development; career development (time/training management); book keeping and, restaurant accounting; sales, loss

prevention; marketing and palate development. Raj Kapoor, CEO & Managing Director of AIBTM said " Whether making sugar sculptures, elegant wedding cakes, or simply adding that final drizzle of chocolate to the perfect torte, a baker knows the importance of visual appeal as well as of good taste. Being a baker is more than just knowing how to bake bread". He also added that "In the culinary community, pastry chefs have a unique focus on baked goods and desserts. From kneading the dough for a morning Danish, to icing a child's birthday cake, to dipping strawberries in chocolate for a romantic evening, a career in this field involves a wide range of ingredients and culinary techniques that capture the imagination of the most creative and skilled chefs".With wide variety of courses and careers, the thriving Bakery industry is an attractive option after Class XII. The industry offers many options, both in what you can do and where you work. A charming personality and passion to serve and help guests will take you far in this field. A specialisation in bakery truly enables you to have your cake and eat it too.

Following are the Degree, Certificate and Diploma courses offered by AIBTM: 

• PG Diploma- Bakery Science & Technology ( One Year)
• PG Diploma- Pattisseries & Artisan Bakery Skills ( One Year)
• Diploma- Bakery Technology & Management ( Two Years)
• Diploma in Patisserie & Artisan Bakery Craft ( One Year)
• International Diploma in Bakery Science & Technology ( Four years)
• International Degree in Bakery Craft & Technology ( Four years)
• Capsuled Program on Advance Bakery Technology ( Six Weeks) Source: Article

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Samsung Takes Commanding Share in N. American TV Market...NPD DisplaySearch

SEOUL, KOREA - The market share of Samsung Electronics in North America has hit a record-high level. In addition to the conventional flat TV, the company took the leadership in the new markets of curved and ultra TVs, getting close to reaching the world's No. 1 position in the TV market for nine consecutive years. According to NPD DisplaySearch, a market research firm, on July 30, Samsung Electronics' first-half market share in the North American market was 35.6 percent. This is 6.2 percentage points higher than the same period last year. Samsung's share in the ultra-high-definition TV market was 53.2 percent. The company launched the UHD TV in North America in July last year. Its share reached 49.8 percent in December last year and has since steadily gained. This year, it introduced a Samsung section in hundreds of Best Buy stores in the United States under a store-within-a-store arrangement. In the premium TV segment over 60 inches, Samsung took a share of 45.7 percent. A Samsung Electronics official said, "Thanks to Samsung TV's excellent picture quality, design, and UHD TV's future industry standard-ready feature, Samsung brand could take a commanding share in the North American market including the United States, Canada, and Mexico." Source: Koreaittimes

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Smartphone Makers Gear up again for New Product Marketing

BY Yeoun Je-Hyun , SEOUL, KOREA - A group of smartphone makers, including Pantech, Sony, and LG Electronics, are gearing up again to promote new product marketing. After holding their breath due to the business suspension of major telecom operators and the sinking of the Sewol ferry, major smartphone makers are taking steps to keep Samsung Electronics from being the sole lead in the smartphone market. Pantech and Sony will open fire first. Each will release its new strategic smartphone model—Vega Iron 2 and Xperia Z2—on May 2. Vega Iron 2 features a metallic design. Compared to its predecessor model which has a 5-inch screen, it has a bigger screen (5.3 inches) and a more powerful AP (SnapDragon 801). Other specs include a 3-GB RAM and a 3,140-mAh battery, emulating those of Galaxy S5. Sony is set to knock on the door of the Korean market again with its brand-new Xperia Z2 which it showed off first at the CES 2014 in January 2014. Armed with an ultra-thin design and water and vibration-proof function, the Xperia Z2 uses aluminum and reinforced glass materials. With an 8.2-mm thickness, it is mounted with IP58-class water proof function. In other words, it can be used in water depth of 1.5 meters for 30 minutes. Source: Korea-Times

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Samsung Smartphone Sales Rise again in 1Q

SEOUL, KOREA - Despite market concerns, Samsung Electronics performed relatively well in its smartphone business, with its operating profit taking an upturn. Samsung Electronics released on April 29 its consolidated financial results for the first quarter of this year. Sales and operating profit each reached 53.68 trillion won and 8.49 trillion won. Compared to a quarter ago, sales fell 9.4 percent but operating profit grew 2.1 percent. Its sales decline is attributable to the sluggish performance in the areas of home electronics, display, and semiconductors. Through a conference call held on the same day, the company noted, “We expect our performance to improve in the second quarter thanks to the full-scale sales of Galaxy S5,” adding that some uncertainties remain, including foreign exchange rate movements and the concerns about the slowing growth of the emerging markets due to the U.S. quantitative easing tapering. Samsung Electronics, which was shocked by the sluggish sales of Galaxy S4 in the fourth quarter of last year, saw its smartphone sales rise again. The IM division, which is responsible for IT and mobile, posted an operating profit of 6.43 trillion won in the first quarter, accounting for 75.7 percent of the company’s total profit. Source: Korea Times

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Microsoft Ventures Enables Global Entrepreneurship in China

BEIJING, CHINA - Today, Microsoft Ventures held the preliminary recruiting round for the fifth Microsoft Ventures Accelerator (MVA) session in Beijing. Rahul Sood, Global General Manager and Partner of Microsoft Ventures, a former global entrepreneur himself, attended the session. He shared and exchanged insights with dynamic Chinese business innovators on important trends driving global innovation and entrepreneurship. Sood reiterated Microsoft Ventures' commitment to helping Chinese entrepreneurs succeed both in China and globally in line with the overall Chinese innovation agenda. The event also featured previous MVA participants in a panel discussion and demos from 15 Chinese startups aspiring to be recruited by MVA and to receive funding from investors. Sood emphasized that Microsoft Ventures' strategy for China is to leverage in-depth understanding of the local business environment and the needs of Chinese startups to empower and enable a new generation of business and technology innovators. "China is seeing an unprecedented wave of entrepreneurship thanks in part to a maturing environment for startups. We are very impressed by the enthusiasm and excellence that Chinese entrepreneurs are exhibiting every day. Their efforts will enrich and invigorate the global innovation ecosystem benefiting China and the world," Sood said. "Microsoft is excited by the innovation and entrepreneurship in China both at Microsoft and in the wider innovation ecosystem. Our Venture investments and related support are key ways we contribute towards building an innovation-driven society and economy. We appreciate the opportunity to work with and learn from such dynamic entrepreneurs by leveraging our unique global perspective and resources." Two panels of leading venture capitalists and founders of startups discussed a range of issues and opportunities at the session. Topics included general entrepreneurship and innovation conditions in China, as well as trends for technology development in China and globally. Fifteen startups were then selected to give one-minute presentations of their ideas during a demo session. Sood offered his advice on the skillsets needed for innovation and startups and shared the qualities necessary to be successful entrepreneurs. Startups that are selected for MVA will have access to MVA offices and resources around the world in a bid to help Chinese startups compete on the global stage. "We are delighted to see China's startups grow and develop so quickly," Wang Qiang, the co-founder of the Zhen Fund and New Oriental Education, and a guest venture capitalist speaker in the panel, said. "More and more startups are developing rapidly with the help of organizations like Microsoft Ventures. As a vocal supporter of startups, Microsoft Ventures brings their global vision and resources to help them take their place on the world stage." Since its China launch in July 2012, the MVA program has provided a wide range of support to 66 startups, more than 90 percent of which have received financing. Two startups that had received support during previous MVA sessions shared their stories of rapid growth and success at the event. Class Box, one such company, has launched a service that is now the application of choice among more than six million college students in China. 91Jinrong, an online financial intermediary website from the third MVA session, received RMB60 million in Series A funding during its participation in the Accelerator program, with more than RMB300 million in daily loan transactions. Its finance product Zeng Zhi Bao ("Value-added Treasure") received RMB300 million in subscriptions in the first week after its launch. The outstanding growth of these two companies has further inspired the enthusiasm of entrepreneurs for MVA in China. After preliminary recruitment for MVA wraps up in Beijing on May 2, Sood will travel to Hong Kong as part of Microsoft Ventures' commitment to supporting Chinese startups and promoting innovation development across the Greater China region. Source: Korea-Times, Image: flickr.com

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The Mind-Boggling Numbers Behind India's Election

By The Associated Press: With more than 800 million eligible voters and close to a million polling stations across the country, everything about India's general elections promises to be huge. For six weeks beginning Monday, Indians will head to the polls in nine phases for parliamentary elections in the world's biggest democracy.

Some of the mind-boggling numbers:

• 1.2 billion: India's population.
• 814.5 million: Eligible voters.
• 543: Constituencies where elections are being held.
• 11 million: Election officials, paramilitary officers and police who will preside over the voting process.
• 1.4 million: Electronic voting machines set up for the election.
• $600 million: What the government will spend to conduct the election.
• $72,800 to $113,250: What each political candidate is allowed to spend on his or her election campaign.
• 935,000: Polling stations.
• 28,000: Transgender voters who registered. For the first time, India offered a third gender choice — "other" on voter registration forms.

Courtesy: http://abcnews.go.com/, Source: flickr.com

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World's biggest ship named in honor of former Maersk CEO

The world’s largest ship has been named after Danish shipping magnate Arnold Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller at an official ceremony. Maersk Line’s newest vessel, the first of the Triple-E series being built at the Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering shipyard in Okpo, South Korea, now bears the name of the Danish conglomerate’s former CEO who passed away in 2012 at the age of 98. The Triple-E is the largest ship in the world and sets new standards in the container industry, not just for size, but also of energy efficiency and environmental performance. Unique design features for slower speeds and maximum efficiency mean the vessel will emit 50 per cent less CO2 per container moved than the current average on the Asia-Europe route. The ships will measure 400 metres by 59 metres and will be able to carry 18,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) containers, 2,500 more than their predecessors the Mærsk E-class series. They will be powered by dual 32MW (43,000hp) ultra-long stroke two-stroke diesel engines, driving two propellers at a design speed of 19 knots using a strategy known as "slow steaming" to lower fuel consumption by about 37 per cent. Maersk Line has ordered 20 of the vessels, which will be phased in gradually over the next couple of years on the existing route between Asia and Northern Europe, with the first due for delivery on June 28. CEO, Søren Skou, began the ceremony by welcoming guests and recounting the important tradition of naming ceremonies in Maersk ever since the first event in 1906 welcomed Peter Mærsk as the second vessel in the fleet. He then handed the podium and the honour of naming the first Triple-E vessel to Ane Mærsk Mc-Kinney Uggla, the youngest daughter of Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller. “I name you Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller,” she said. “As you sail the waters of the world, may your journeys be smooth and your tasks successful. May you bring happiness to your crew, may you be a safe haven for all who board you and may you bring pride and prosperity to all. I wish you Godspeed!” Source: eandt.theiet.org. Source: Article

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US Military Train in Cyber-city to Prepare Hack Defence

NEW JERSEY, USA – A miniature "cyber-city" has been created in New Jersey, complete with a bank, hospital, water-tower, train system, power grid and a coffee shop. The buildings are tiny - fitting into an area 6ft (1.8m) by 8ft - but the underlying computer systems mimic those in the real world. The aim is to train US government "cyber-warriors" to fend off attacks. Experts believe attacks on critical infrastructure are likely to become more widespread.Real-world damage Developed in response to a challenge from the US military, the NetWars CyberCity was created by security training organisation the Sans Institute. It will send government hackers on various missions, starting in December. These will include fending off attacks on the city's power company, hospital, water system and transportation services. CyberCity director Ed Skoudis said: "We've built over 18 missions, and each of them challenges participants to devise strategies and employ tactics to thwart computer attacks that would cause significant real-world damage." The missions will typically last between a few hours and a few days.Lose control Sans Institute director Eric Bassel said Greater understanding of a city's vulnerabilities could be critical as computer attacks from nation states became increasingly frequent and sophisticated. "When you lose control of cyberspace, you lose control of the physical world," he said. "We have seen detailed evidence of foreign nations deep inside the computer networks of our financial services companies, manufacturing companies and critical infrastructure," Mr Bassel added. Such attacks had been going on for many years, he said, but efforts to fight them off had been limited. "With NetWars CyberCity we hope to turn the tables by providing our first-line cyber-defenders with the necessary skills and hands-on training to fend off online attacks and regain control of cyberspace," he added. For security consultant Alan Woodward, such cities perform a vital job. "Dotted around Salisbury Plain there are loads of deserted villages that the army now uses for training, and this is the cyber-equivalent," he said. He said such mock-ups would become increasingly sophisticated but would always be limited. "All it will do is teach you have to defend and respond to a situation but it will never prevent attacks," he said. Source: BBC News,  Source: Koreaittimes 

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Apple loses tablet copyright appeal against Samsung in UK

Apple has lost its appeal against a ruling that cleared rival Samsung of copying its registered designs for tablet computers, in a decision which could end the two firms’ legal dispute on the subject across Europe. The world’s two leading smartphone makers are fighting over patents, both for smartphones and for tablets like Apple’s iPad, in courts around the world. Britain’s Court of Appeal upheld the country’s High Court judgment that, despite some similarities, Samsung’s Galaxy tablet did not infringe Apple’s designs, in part because its products were not as good. The decision is valid throughout Europe and should prohibit further legal disputes between the two companies over the design of tablets in the region. South Korea’s Samsung welcomed the decision saying in a statement: “We continue to believe that Apple was not the first to design a tablet with a rectangular shape and rounded corners”. Apple declined to comment on the decision. The U.S. company has been instructed to run advertisements saying Samsung did not copy its registered tablet designs, both on its website and in selected newspapers. Apple can appeal to the Supreme Court. For the design of tablets in Europe this should be the final word. Source: SAM Daily Times

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After winning the right to die, NY woman wants to live

After winning the right to refuse life-sustaining treatment, a woman in New York has decided that she wants to live. Grace Sung Eun Lee, 28, a financial manager working in Manhattan was so healthy that she was training for a marathon when she became paralysed. Doctors at diagnosed a fast-moving brain stem cancer which will probably kill her within weeks. She is currently at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset on Long Island. Grace cannot breathe or eat on her own. She can only communicate by blinking or mouthing words. In this diminished state she indicated to hospital staff that she wanted her respirator to be removed to allow her to die. However, her Korean migrant parents sued to stop this. Her father is a Christian pastor and said that Grace, who is a devout woman who ran a church youth group and had done missionary work abroad, was incompetent because of her medication. They contended that refusing treatment is suicide and is gravely sinful and that this could not possibly represent their daughter’s wishes. Last Friday, the case ground to an end. The courts found that Grace was competent to request an end to her treatment and that her parents should not be granted guardianship. “Whatever little power this poor lady has left, she feels empowered that the court has clearly now recognized that this is up to her and only up to her,” said her court-appointed lawyer. And then, in a surprising reversal, Grace decided that she did not want to die and was willing to remain on a ventilator. “When I asked her if she’s doing this to make peace with her parents, she told me she was doing it to make peace with her parents and to make peace with God,” said the lawyer. Dr J. Randall Curtis, director of a palliative care centre at the University of Washington, told the New York Times that this unusually acrimonious case highlighted different approaches to informed consent. “It’s not terribly unusual in our increasingly multicultural society to have this clash, where Western-trained clinicians really view the patient as the sole determinant of all decision-making and the family sees it different.”Source: BioEdge

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Ogilvy expands eCommerce practice for Smarter Commerce with IBM

New York: eCommerce@Ogilvy, Ogilvy & Mather’s (O&M) global eCommerce practice, announced the formalization of a partnership with IBM and its portfolio of solutions for Smarter Commerce that will add world-class technology infrastructure options to eCommerce@Ogilvy’s growing client engagements. O&M has already built a multi-million dollar global eCommerce practice. The agency plans to build revenues from eCommerce@Ogilvy to exceed $100 million in three to four years and will continue to invest in building its offering. eCommerce@Ogilvy, brings together the analytics and CRM capabilities of OgilvyOne with the retail and shopper marketing of OgilvyAction, to build enhanced consumer retail and cross industry ecosystems. Its work for clients over the past several years incorporates the new realities of the interconnected digital and store shopping experiences. O&M’s growing eCommerce practice works on behalf of such blue-chip clients as Louis Vuitton, British Airways, Kimberly-Clark, Nike, Nestlé, Ciaro and others. It has offices in New York, London, Paris, Melbourne, Sao Paulo, Taiwan, Singapore, China and Korea with plans to expand. “We’ve already built an extensive network of offices and capabilities that add value to our clients’ businesses and has proven to be in keeping with our model to add new offerings that leverage changes in our industry such as consulting, performance marketing, sustainability and more,” explained Miles Young, Worldwide Chairman and CEO of Ogilvy & Mather. “IBM’s technology solutions in this space are unequaled and will add to the solutions eCommerce@Ogilvy delivers. At the same time, we will also provide IBM with an expanded base of potential clients.” O&M has already brought several IBM solutions into client engagements over the past several years most specifically its Unica interactive software company that is being used globally by such clients as Kimberly-Clark and others. The partnership follows IBM’s three year and $3 billion investment in its Smarter Commerce initiative that includes a series of acquisitions expanding its software capabilities in customer analytics and focus on helping CMO’s and CIO’s collaborate in new ways to engage today’s increasingly selective and digitally empowered consumer. In addition to the analytics and cloud technology that IBM offers, the partnership will incorporate the CRM, insight-driven and shopper centric capabilities that eCommerce@Ogilvy provides. eCommerce@Ogilvy has already developed and implemented multichannel digital customer experience offerings including online retail and mobile applications for Louis Vuitton, growing CRM user experience platforms for Nestle, and the redesign of one of the leading cable television operators platform and portal to add ecommerce, small business development and channel line-ups. Carl Hartman, who assumed leadership of eCommerce@Ogilvy in January said, “ecommerce engagements are complex and require multiple types of vertical expertise, to meet that client need. The IBM/O&M partnership will include joint training and education sessions, new collaborative service options and a one-stop solution for clients to power and simplify their ecommerce engagement.” “We are optimistic this partnership will help clients on both sides and will benefit from the shared understanding between O&M and IBM based on our 17-year working relationship and the success of that partnership in driving results for IBM,” said Mr. Young. *** Source: Media News Line

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India, SKorea to expand political, security and trade ties

India  and  South  Korea  on  Sunday  decided  to expand their political and security cooperation besides upgrading the already booming business ties to achieve an ambitious trade target of USD 40 billion by 2015. During his talks with President Lee Myung-bak, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh noted that bilateral trade had risen by 65 per cent over the past two years since the two countries implemented the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. "We have therefore set a new target of USD 40 billion by 2015. We also agreed to accelerate work in progress to upgrade the Agreement and make it more ambitious," Singh told reporters after wide-ranging talks with Lee. Since the implementation of CEPA from January 1, 2010, bilateral trade had crossed USD 20 billion mark in 2011. Today's announcement enhances the trade target set by the leaders to USD 40 billion by 2015 as against USD 30 billion by 2015 as decided earlier. Responding to Lee's call, Singh agreed to expand the political and security cooperation between the two countries. "With this objective in mind, I informed President Lee of India's decision to position a Defence Attache at our Embassy here in Seoul before the end of the year," he said. "India has also offered to launch Korean satellites on Indian space launch vehicles," Singh said. Singh and Lee also agreed to enhance cooperation and coordination on regional issues, including in the East Asia Summit process. Singh arrived here on Saturday for a four-day visit to attend a Nuclear Security Summit here. The two-day summit begins on Monday when world leaders will meet at over dinner. The Prime Minister also invited Korean businessmen to invest in India in a big way and underlined that India was making a huge effort to upgrade its physical infrastructure. "We want the Korean companies to help us realise this objective and benefit from the opportunities provided by this," Singh said. India and Korea also signed an agreement on simplifying visa procedures. This agreement will make travelling easier for business persons, the Prime Minister said. Noting that companies such as LG, Hyundai and Samsung were already household names in India, Singh said he would like to see small and medium sized Korean companies also making India a base for their manufacturing. Singh and Lee also discussed ways and means to enhance cooperation between our scientists and technicians, including how to operationalise a joint Science and Technology Fund of USD 10 million. Singh also updated his host of the development in the re-establishment of the Nalanda University and that he looked forward to Korean participation in the project. Next year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and the Republic of Korea and the two countries also agreed to celebrate the occasion in a befitting manner. Source: The Asian Age

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Global 'trap' for the Internet

By: Nikita Sorokin, Thousand of Poles took to the streets on Thursday to protest their country’s accession to the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), a document that has already been signed up to by the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia and South Korea. ACTA envisages the introduction of international standards in the field of protection of intellectual property. Polish internet users fear that the Agreement will tighten Internet censorship and infringe on their online freedom of expression. In a separate development, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) was debated US Congress earlier this month. Experts say that both documents, which are very much alike, may well ride roughshod over the Internet and its users’ interests.In Poland, hackers attacked government websites, in a show of protest against ACTA, while in the United States, lawmakers had to put SOPA on the back burner after Google and Wikipedia reacted angrily to the document. In an interview with the Voice of Russia aired on Thursday, Yandex press secretary Ochir Mandzhikov argued that if adopted, SOPA could significantly change the balance of power between copyright holders and Internet companies. He added that SOPA could also affect the Internet and would make it possible to use a country’s national legislation in relation to those Internet users who fall under other jurisdictions. Tags: internet, Commentary, SOPA, Society, World, Читать далее, Source: Voice of Russia. 

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Clinton warns of bioweapon threat from gene technology

Geneva: New gene assembly technology that offers great benefits for scientific research could also be used by terrorists to create biological weapons, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton warned Wednesday. The threat from bioweapons has drawn little attention in recent years, as governments focused more on the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation to countries such as Iran and North Korea. But experts have warned that the increasing ease with which bioweapons can be created might be used by terror groups to  develop  and 

Hillary Clinton speaks during a conference on bacteriological (biological) and toxin weapons in Geneva. (AP)

spread new diseases that could mimic the effects of the fictional global epidemic portrayed in the Hollywood thriller "Contagion.'' Speaking at an international meeting in Geneva aimed at reviewing the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention, Clinton told diplomats that the challenge was to maximize the benefits of scientific research and minimize the risks that it could be used for harm. Read Full: Clinton warns of bioweapon threat from gene technology - Indian Express

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The second Chinese actress in 'Cloud Atlas' unveiled - China

China: As renowned Chinese actress Ju Ju put a photo she took with Korean star Du-na Bae onto her microblog, rumors of her involvement in the science fiction blockbuster 'Cloud Atlas' were finally confirmed, meaning she is the second Chinese A-lister after Zhou Xun, mtime.com reports. Adapted from the novel of the same name written by English author David Mitchell, the film will be directed by a trio consisting of celebrated German director Tom Tykwer who once made "Run Lora Run" and "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer", as well as Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski, the directors of "The Matrix". The film boasts an all-star cast including Tom Hanks, Hugo Weaving, Halle Berry, Susan Sarandon, Jim Broadbent , Hugh Grant and Korean star Du-na Bae and Chinese actress Zhou Xun. Ju Ju made a name for herself by the identity of hostess of MTV channel, and in recent years, she has been active in the areas of film and television, fashion and music. The second Chinese actress in 'Cloud Atlas' unveiled - China.org.cn

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Clash at the National Assembly in Seoul

China: Lawmaker Kim Sun-dong (bottom) of the Democratic Labour Party detonates a tear gas canister towards the chairman's seat at the National Assembly, to try to stop the ruling Grand National Party's move to ratify a bill on a free trade agreement with the United States, in Seoul in this still image taken from video Nov 22, 2011. South Korea's ruling conservatives rammed a controversial free trade deal with the United States through parliament on Tuesday as legislators scuffled and one opposition MP let off a tear gas device, briefly clearing the chamber. [Photo/Agencies] Source: China.org.cn

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A Time - Lapse Map of Every Nuclear Explosion Since 1945 - by Isao Hashimoto

Uploaded By: aConcernedHuman, ShareLink: DPWorld, Japanese artist Isao Hashimoto has created a beautiful, undeniably scary time-lapse map of the 2053 nuclear explosions which have taken place between 1945 and 1998, beginning with the Manhattan Project's "Trinity" test near Los Alamos and concluding with Pakistan's nuclear tests in May of 1998. This leaves out North Korea's two alleged nuclear tests in this past  decade  (the  legitimacy 

Screen Shot On Uploaded Video

of both of which is not 100% clear). Each nation gets a blip and a flashing dot on the map whenever they detonate a nuclear weapon, with a running tally kept on the top and bottom bars of the screen. Hashimoto, who began the project in 2003, says that he created it with the goal of showing"the fear and folly of nuclear weapons." It starts really slow — if you want to see real action, skip ahead to 1962 or so — but the buildup becomes overwhelming. Link: http://www.ctbto.org/specials/1945-1998-by-isao-hashimoto/

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Alex Salmond: England needs our green energy to keep their lights on

   Image Link Flickr

By Katrine Bussey: Green energy from Scotland may be needed to keep the lights on in England, First Minister Alex Salmond said today. Mr Salmond said in 10 years' time power from offshore windfarms north of the border will be needed to help England meet its energy requirements. The First Minister spoke out as it was reported that financial services corporation Citigroup was warning its clients about the dangers of investing in Scottish renewable energy projects. With an independence referendum to be held some time before 2016, Citigroup is said to have argued that a "precautionary approach" should be taken because of the uncertainty over Scotland's constitutional future. But Mr Salmond dismissed that as he argued that renewable energy from Scotland would be required in England. For that reason, the First Minister argued, companies from both Scotland and overseas were already committing billions of pounds to renewable energy projects. Mr Salmond told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: "In order to get anywhere near the renewable energy obligations that London is going to have, England is going to have to have Scottish renewables from the sea. "Perhaps the reason why all these international companies are committing funds to Scotland is because in 10 years' time, without Scottish offshore wind power, then there would be a severe danger of the lights going off in England. I don't think anybody is going to want or allow that to happen." He stressed that investment in renewables projects was "happening at the present moment", as he pointed out companies such as industrial giant Mitsubishi, Spanish wind turbine manufacturer Gamesa and  Korean  firm  Doosan  Power  Systems  had  all committed resources to Scotland recently. The reason major international companies are "committing billions of pounds to invest in the future is they know that power from the seas around Scotland, renewable power, is going to be required in order to fulfil England's electricity requirements". Mr Salmond hit out at the Citigroup report: "The analyst from Citigroup, he seems to think we're going to use all this power in Scotland. We're not. It's power for export. "Believe me, in the modern world the ability to produce power is a great asset, not a liability." Read Full; Alex Salmond: England needs our green energy to keep their lights on

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WATCH: Best smartphones at the IFA

Thin smartphones-cum-mini-tablets with huge screens and hundreds upon hundreds of Android-powered smartphones have characterized smartphone previews and launches at the IFA expo in Berlin. Relaxnews takes a look at some of the most notable smartphones appearing on the showroom floor at this year’s IFA: A prototype for a smartphone-tablet hybrid Samsung’s Galaxy Note is a device that fits in between the smartphone and tablet categories. It sports the industry’s first and largest 5.3" HD Super AMOLED display but still manages to fit into a (large) pocket. The Galaxy Note can be used with your finger or with an "advanced pen-input called the S Pen." It has a profile of 9.65mm, a 1.4GHz dual-core processor, HSPA+ and 4G LTE connectivity, an 8MP camera, full HD recording and runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread. The device is currently in a prototype stage so pricing and release dates have not been revealed. http://global.samsungtomorrow.com/?p=5334A smartphone that connects to different screens to become a tablet, laptop or game console Korean telecommunication company KT unveiled its Spider Phone prototype at IFA, a device that connects to and provides functionality to tablet PC, laptop or gaming console kits. The Android-powered Spider Phone has a large 4.5" high resolution display of its own plus a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, rear- (8MP) and front (3MP)-facing cameras with 1080p video recording, and 5.1Ch audio. The Spider Phone will be launched in November. No price has been announced. Read Full: WATCH: Best smartphones at the IFA - Hindustan Times, Image: https://www.flickr.com

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