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Daniel Barenboim cancels Middle East concerts over safety concerns

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:48:00 -0500

Israeli conductor Daniel Barenboim has cancelled two concerts in the Middle East because of safety concerns.

Barenboim had been due to appear with his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra on 10 January in Doha, Qatar, with a second date in Cairo, Egypt, two days later, reports the BBC.

However, Barenboim has called off the concerts ‘due to the escalating violence in Gaza and the resulting concerns for the musicians'' safety’.

Now, the Arab-Israeli ensemble will now begin its 10th anniversary concert tour in Berlin on 12 January.

The remainder of the tour will proceed as planned, with scheduled dates in Moscow, Vienna and Milan unaffected. (ANI)

Obama, Biden apologise to Feinstein over Panetta snub

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:47:00 -0500

U.S. President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden have apologized to Diane Feinstein, the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, for not consulting her about the nomination of Leon Panetta to head the CIA.

According toa Fox News report, Obama and Biden called Feinstein a day after her spokesman said the California senator did not receive a phone call about Panetta from anyone in the Obama camp and learned about the decision to nominate him from news reports.

Feinstein''s committee would be in charge of holding Panetta''s confirmation hearing.

"I have been contacted by both President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden, and they have explained to me the reasons why they believe Leon Panetta is the best candidate for CIA director," she said in a written statement.

"I look forward to speaking with Panetta about the critical issues facing the intelligence community and his plans to address them," she added.

Feinstein told Roll Call, a newspaper on Capitol Hill, that Obama and Biden "apologized profusely" for not calling her and that she has no hard feelings.

"I''ve been around a long time I know this happens," she said.

Biden, who previously served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Tuesday called it a "mistake" to exclude Feinstein in discussions on a CIA pick. (ANI)

The web sex language of Brits revealed!

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:46:00 -0500

ONS (one night stand) and BPO (Beautiful People Only) are among the key phrases that Brits are using to bag nights of nookie.

Horny Brits are using a series of coded messages to arrange hot dates. And industry leaders believe that it is now a fully-fledged web sex language.

Sex-starved housewives have advertised themselves as MBA (Married But Available) and W2SI (Willing To Slum It) in a cheap hotel.

“There is undoubtedly a massive community – both in the UK and globally – of people from all corners of society that want to meet like-minded individuals for fun with no strings attached,” the Daily Star quoted Andy Hammonds, founder of MyFbuddy.co.uk, a new site for adults seeking sex without commitment, as saying.

“What we’re seeing is the fact that this community is evolving fast and is choosing to communicate in an extremely direct way.

“They’re arguably taking the anonymity that the web offers and making best use of the technology to get what they want,” Hammonds added.

Among other key phrases are ONO (One Night Only) and W2T (Willing To Travel).

Estee Lauder’s anti-wrinkle cream ad banned over misleading claims

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:45:00 -0500

A skin cream from the cosmetics company Estee Lauder, which claimed to make wrinkles disappear instantly, will no longer be advertised after watchdog ruled that the commercial were misleading.

According to Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the research that the US-based company conducted on the product was seriously flawed, reports the Independent.

They said that Estee Lauder failed to follow scientific norms when it tested Tri-Aktiline Instant Deep Wrinkle Filler.

The company had run an open non-blinded trial where all researchers and volunteers were aware of the intended effect of the research, instead of running a randomised controlled trial for the product that would have eliminated bias.

The ASA has banned the advertising, described the study as "inadequate to support claims of visible changes".

The cosmetics company had claimed two studies showed that the skin cream reduced wrinkles. In the ad, it stated: "Immediately: 68 per cent of subjects reported a visible filling of wrinkles."

Estee Lauder submitted a copy of a clinical test on 25 women with lines and wrinkles.

It also said it carried out a consumer evaluation study with 50 participants on the final formula but it failed to submit a full copy of that second trial to the ASA.

After taking expert advice on the clinical evidence, the ASA said: "We considered that a consumer evaluation study was not sufficient to support a claim for the reduction of wrinkles per se. We concluded that the clinical study and excerpts from the consumer evaluation study were not sufficient to substantiate the claim and therefore that Estée Lauder had not justified it." (ANI)

Islamic extremists have drawn up Brit Jew hit list

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:45:00 -0500

Hate-filled Islamic extremists are reported to be drawing up a “hit list” of Britain’s leading Jews.

The Sun reports British anti-terror expert Glen Jenvey as saying that he is convinced that the online forum Ummah is being used to prepare a deadly backlash against British Jews.

Jenvey’s warning came as Europe was hit by anti-Semitic attacks over Israel’s push into the Gaza Strip.

On the Ummah site, “Saladin1970” asks for help compiling “a list of those who support Israel”.

Saladin1970 gives a link to the Power 100 list of top British Jews.

“Those listed should treat it very seriously. Expect a hate campaign and intimidation by 20 or 30 thugs,” Jenvey warns.

His warning came as Al-Qaeda’s second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahiri called on Muslims yesterday to strike Western and Israeli targets “wherever you can”. (ANI)

Hamas'' weaponry could prove deadly to Israelis

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:44:00 -0500

The Islamist militant group Hamas is reported to have several key weapons that could inflict heavy casualties on any invading force, including Israel, despite being overmatched.

According to Fox News, the Hamas has built a force of willing suicide bombers whose explosive vests are typically packed with an assortment of shrapnel to raise the casualty rate among their targets.

While Israeli soldiers are prepared to die in the defense of their country, they are also trained to survive. The suicide bomber is, therefore, a weapon available only to one side of this conflict.

Hamas has been talking tough in the face of superior military power; its leaders have vowed to inflict massive casualties.

As Israel pushes into Gaza on the ground, it does not know exactly what weapons -- and how many of them -- Hamas possesses.

According to the Israelis, the Syrians and Iranians have supplied Hamas with training and weaponry.

The weapons systems flowed into Lebanon more easily than they can in Gaza, where the borders are under stricter surveillance. But a network of underground tunnels used for smuggling has military analysts questioning exactly what weapons the militants in Gaza may possess.

Hamas lacks air, sea and armor assets, so it has little hope of successfully challenging Israeli forces on an open battlefield. But a modern military''s overwhelming advantage dwindles quickly in an urban environment.

Al Aqsa Television has broadcast footage of Hamas gunmen brandishing American assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, rocket launchers and ammunition the U.S. reportedly provided to Fatah.

The captured weaponry is said to include 7,400 American M-16 assault rifles and 800,000 rounds of bullets.

Israeli soldiers have the advantage of specific urban operations training, a modern communications system, personal weapons like night vision goggles (NVGs) and the Israeli designed Tavor, a highly accurate automatic assault rifle conceived specifically with close-quarter combat in mind.

They also possess a variety of hand-grenades and explosives to breech obstacles and eliminate the enemy, but they must be mindful of civilian casualties. (ANI)

iTunes songs could soon be used on any MP3 player

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:44:00 -0500

From now on, all songs on Apple’s iTunes music service could be played on any MP3 player, the company has announced.

The move to lift copy protection from tracks bought via iTunes would bring Apple at par with its smaller competitors.

Earlier, the majority of songs bought through the iTunes library of 10 million songs could be exclusively played via the programme itself or on the company''s iPods.

The announcement was made at the Macworld technology show in San Francisco by Apple''s senior vice president of marketing Phil Schiller.

Apple is the biggest music vendor in the world and has sold 6 billion songs till date, reports The Telegraph.

However, the change, which will come into effect before the end of the year, will only be applicable to new purchases from the iTunes store.

Thus, consumers who have previously built up a library on their computers might have to pay for upgrading their music to the new format.

But, there’d still be many music players and mobile phones that won’t be able to play songs in the format Apple is using.

That’s because the company will continue to use its proprietary "AAC" files, instead of switching to the more universal MP3 format.

Still, it is expected that the change may spur many hardware manufacturers to update their products. (ANI)

God''s existence questioned by adverts on atheist buses in London

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:41:00 -0500

Atheist buses have taken to the streets of London with adverts questioning the existence of God, in answer to posters put up by religious groups.

Campaign organisers had at first decided to put the adverts on just a few buses to counteract the posters the religious groups had put up, in which non-believers were "threatened eternal damnation".

The fundraising campaign''s target had been just 5,500 pounds, but they far exceeded it when prominent atheist Prof Richard Dawkins and the British Humanist Association added their support, and they ended up collecting more than 140,000 pounds.

With the campaign money exceeding the target, there was enough money to put the retort, "There''s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life", on 200 buses, plying in the capital, for a month.

Another 600 buses have been added, and passengers and passers-by in cities across England, Wales and Scotland, from Aberdeen and Dundee to York, Coventry, Swansea and Bristol, will see them.

The atheist bus adverts had been thought by writer Ariane Sherine, who believes that they will brighten people''s lives.

"You wait ages for an atheist bus, then 800 come along at once. I hope they will brighten people''s days and make them smile on their way to work," the Telegraph quoted Sherine as saying.

The buses have also been accepted by religious groups, who see them as a means of increasing the debate about faith.

Paul Woolley, director of Theos, a theology think tank that donated 50 pounds to the cause, has welcomed the ads.

"The posters will encourage people to consider the most important question we will ever face in our lives," he said.

Though some atheist supporters of the campaign were disappointed that the ads did not declare categorically that God does not exist.

Prof Dawkins, renowned evolutionary biologist and author of The God Delusion, had wanted something more prominent.

"I wanted something stronger but with hindsight I think it''s probably a good thing because it makes people think. It''s just food for thought - people will have conversations in pubs when they see these buses," he said.

Hanne Stinson, chief executive of the British Humanist Association, said that the adverts were "overwhelmingly positive", and were intended to reassure agnostics and atheists that there is nothing wrong with not believing in God. (ANI)

MI5 chief says Pakistan-linked al-Qaida threat to UK is not yet over

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:40:00 -0500

With three out of four al-Qaida and Islamist-related terrorist attacks in Britain having a Pakistan link, the head of Britain’s MI5 intelligence service, Jonathan Evans has warned that while the threat of this terror network has diminished, it would be naïve to think that it is over.

In a report, The Telegraph quotes Evans as saying that potential jihadists have in the recent past made their way to Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia) by circuitous routes to receive training from Islamic militant outfits.

"There is no super highway. Lots of little lanes will get there," Evans said.

He also played down any idea that the terrorists who attacked Mumbai in November had links to Britain.

"Alarming statements" had been made, but MI5 had not found "any connections of national security significance to the UK," he said.

Evans said that what the MI5 is very concerned about is the "upsurge" in plots by dissident republicans with sophisticated booby-trap bombs aimed at police officers.

He claimed that the London Olympic Games in 2012 was a potential target, but added that any real threat to the event was more likely to come from extremists already known to MI5, rather than any dedicated team established to target the games.

Evans warned that al-Qaida leaders still intend to mount an attack, and that there are individuals in Britain able to do so.

In a first newspaper interview by a serving MI5 director general, Evans warns that:

• Israeli attacks on Gaza give extremists in Britain more ideological ammunition.

• The Afghan conflict and its outcome has a "direct impact" on UK domestic security.

• The international economic crisis could affect Britain''s security.

• Dissident republican groups in Northern Ireland are a growing threat.

• Not getting access to emails and data on internet sites would be detrimental to national security.

Speaking on the centenary of the establishment of MI5, Evans said his agency believes "core-al Qaida", the leadership based on Pakistan''s north-west frontier, retains a strategic interest in carrying out attacks in the UK, using British nationals or residents.

He also pointed out to 86 successful prosecutions in terror trials since January 2007.

Evans predicted that the Israeli invasion of Gaza would see "extremists try to radicalise individuals for their own purposes". (ANI)

Bristol Palin’s ''unqualified'' boyfriend is now jobless

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:40:00 -0500

Levi Johnston, the father of Sarah Palin’s 17-year old-daughter’s baby, has quit his oil field job after questions arose concerning his eligibility for the post.

According to Anchorage Daily News, the 18-year-old worked in Milne Point oil field with ASRC Energy Services Inc.

Johnston’s father confirmed that he has quit his job after questions arose concerning his eligibility.

Employees in the electrical apprenticeship program in which Johnston worked are required to have a high school diploma, which he does not possess.

A local radio host, Dan Fagan, questioned his eligibility in a newspaper column.

"He felt it was the best thing to do to kind of calm the waters, so to speak," the New York Daily News quoted Johnston’s father Keith as saying.

Rumours were also rife that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin helped the father of her grandson Tripp get the job, which she denied.

Keith has also denied that the Sarah helped his teenage son with the job.

"Sarah had nothing to do with him getting hired on the Slope. If there was any help getting him on up there, it was because of my associations and no one else''''s," he said. (ANI)