Article Arena

Malaria vaccine trial raises hope

2011-10-21T20:09:00.004+05:30

A malaria vaccine has shown promising results in a clinical trial in Africa.

Infants given the prototype vaccine had about half the risk of getting malaria compared with those who did not receive the jab, say researchers.
The vaccine, known as RTS,S, is one of two experimental malaria vaccines being tested around the world.
More than 15,000 children aged under 18 months took part in the year-long study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine .
The trial was conducted in seven African countries on two groups of children - newborns aged six-12 weeks - and babies aged five-17 months.
One year on, there were about half the number of cases of malaria in the older group of children given the vaccine, compared with those in a control group who received vaccines against other illnesses.
"These data bring us to the cusp of having the world's first malaria vaccine," said Andrew Witty, chief executive of the British pharmaceutical company, GSK, which developed the vaccine alongside the non-profit PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative.
'Burden' The international team involved dozens of scientists in Africa and also the United States and Europe.

The researchers wrote in The New England Journal of Medicine: "These initial results show that RTS,S/AS01 reduces malaria by half in children aged five-17 months during the 12 months after vaccination and that it has the potential to have an important impact on the burden of malaria in young African children."

Results in the younger infants are still being assessed.
Global health experts say the vaccine is less effective than others against common infections like polio and measles, and it is not yet clear how much it will cost.
Tsiri Agbenyega, a principal investigator in the vaccine trials in Ghana, said: "We would have wished that we could wipe it out, but I think this is going to contribute to the control of malaria rather than wiping it out."
Each year, about 225 million people get malaria, with about 800,000 deaths, mainly in African children.

The World Health Organization said on Monday that there had been remarkable recent progress to combat the disease, with a nearly 20% fall in the number of deaths worldwide in the past 10 years.
A preliminary trial of another potential vaccine recently revealed promising results.
The trial was designed to test safety, but researchers found that 45 children given the MSP3 vaccine had high levels of protection.
The results of the Burkina Faso trial were also published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
The RTS,S study was funded by GSK and the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, assisted by a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

- source bbc

Study finds link between swine flu and stillbirth

2011-10-21T20:07:00.003+05:30

Babies born to mothers who contracted the swine flu virus faced a much greater risk of being stillborn, according to a new study.

Baby deaths among women infected with the 2009 strain of the virus were five times higher than normal.
There was also a greater risk of premature births when compared to mothers who had not caught the virus.
Health workers say the findings reinforce the message that all pregnant women should get immunised against flu.
The study was carried out by the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit at the Oxford University and it examined the cases of every pregnant woman in the UK who was admitted to hospital while suffering from flu.
In 256 mothers infected with the H1N1 flu virus between September 2009 and January 2010, seven of the babies were stillborn and three died shortly after birth.
That is the equivalent of 39 babies in 1,000 dying, before or shortly after birth, compared to 7 in 1,000 in mothers not infected with the virus.
Protection The research was led by Dr Marian Knight who said getting vaccinated against flu was the best protection.
"This new evidence of the risk to babies shows even more clearly the severe consequences H1N1 flu infection can have in pregnancy. By getting vaccinated against flu, women can prevent these risks to both themselves and their unborn child."
Figures from the Health Protection Agency show that the uptake of flu vaccinations in England among pregnant women was relatively low.

Just over half of pregnant women considered to be in high risk groups, such as those with conditions like asthma, were vaccinated.

But only 36.6% of healthy pregnant women with no underlying health conditions were vaccinated.
Janet Scott, research manager at Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, says seasonal flu is not normally linked with stillbirth so it was alarming that there were much higher rates associated with H1N1.
"I suspect many pregnant women have no idea that flu could potentially be a serious risk to their baby, yet early immunisation is an easy and effective way for mums to protect themselves and their babies against the potential threat.
"These statistics are very worrying, and as the flu season approaches we would urge pregnant mums to go and see their GPs and get vaccinated.
"Furthermore, it is crucial that GP surgeries are equipped with the staff and vaccine stocks to be able to meet this need. These findings must not be ignored."
Professor David Salisbury, director of immunisation at the Department of Health, urged all pregnant women to get the flu jab.
"This study shows how harmful flu can be for unborn babies. This is because pregnant women are more likely to develop complications if they get flu.
"The vaccine can be given safely during any stage of pregnancy. And studies have shown that mothers who have had the vaccine while pregnant pass some protection to their babies, which may last for the first few months of their lives.

- source bbc

European court ruling 'threatens stem cell work'

2011-10-21T20:04:00.005+05:30

Europe's highest court says stem cells from human embryos cannot be patented, in a case that could have implications for medical research.

Scientists say the Court of Justice decision may impede European research into the use of stem cell therapies, or drive research abroad.
Others have welcomed the news, calling it a victory for human dignity.
The ruling follows a challenge by Greenpeace over a patent for nerve cells from embryonic stem cells.
Embryonic stem cells have the ability to turn into any tissue in the body.
They offer the hope of one day being able to treat diseases such as Parkinson's, stroke, heart disease and diabetes, if technical hurdles can be overcome.
The case concerns a method invented by a German professor, Oliver Bruestle, for converting human embryonic stem cells into nerve cells.
The court's decision had been seen by some scientists as critical for research into the use of stem cells as treatments for a range of diseases.
The European Court of Justice said in a statement: "The use of human embryos for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes which are applied to the human embryo and are useful to it is patentable.
"But their use for purposes of scientific research is not patentable."
It added: "A process which involves removal of a stem cell from a human embryo at the blastocyst [early embryo] stage, entailing the destruction of that embryo, cannot be patented."

Prof Pete Coffey of the Institute of Ophthalmology in London, who is researching the use of stem cell treatments for blindness, said the decision was "devastating".

He told the BBC: "This could really halt the progress of stem cell therapies for as yet untreatable diseases."
Prof Coffey is among several leading UK scientists who wrote a letter expressing concern over an earlier recommendation by the advocate-general of the court.
Scientists were concerned that the ruling would threaten the future of medical research, saying companies in Europe would be less likely to invest in research to develop therapies using embryonic stem cells.
But Greenpeace in Germany, which triggered the case, argued it was unethical to issue a patent based on cells from a human embryo.
Greenpeace says it is not opposed to stem cell research itself, but to the idea that patents can be granted for scientific discoveries as opposed to inventions.
The court ruled in the group's favour.
Peter Liese, of the EPP Christian Democrat group at the European Parliament, welcomed the court's ruling.
He said: "We are in favour of research and development in biotechnology, but human beings must not be destroyed, not even in the early stages of their development."
The German Bishops' Conference, part of the Catholic Church, called the ruling a "victory for human dignity," and said it strengthened its view that a human being begins life at the moment of conception.
'Ridiculous' Commenting on the decision, Prof Austin Smith of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Stem Cell Research, University of Cambridge, said: "This unfortunate decision by the court leaves scientists in a ridiculous position.

Stem cells

Stem cells are found in the embryo, the foetus, placenta, umbilical cord, and in many different tissues of the body
There are three types: tissue (adult) stem cells, embryonic stem cells and engineered pluripotent stem cells
Stem cells can be used to study development and disease, and have a host of potential medical applications, although there are many technical hurdles

"We are funded to do research for the public good, yet prevented from taking our discoveries to the marketplace where they could be developed into new medicines.

"One consequence is that the benefits of our research will be reaped in America and Asia."
Prof Bruestle, of Bonn University, who was initially awarded the patent, said: "With this unfortunate decision, the fruits of years of translational research by European scientists will be wiped away and left to the non-European countries.
"European researchers may conduct basic research, which is then implemented elsewhere in medical procedures, which will eventually be reimported to Europe. How do I explain this to my students?"

- source bbc

Climate change 'grave threat' to security and health

2011-10-21T20:02:00.002+05:30

Climate change poses "an immediate, growing and grave threat" to health and security around the world, according to an expert conference in London.

Officers in the UK military warned that the price of goods such as fuel is likely to rise as conflict provoked by climate change increases.
A statement from the meeting adds that humanitarian disasters will put more and more strain on military resources.
It asks governments to adopt ambitious targets for curbing greenhouse gases.
The annual UN climate conference opens in about six weeks' time, and the doctors, academics and military experts represented at the meeting (held in the British Medical Association's (BMA) headquarters) argue that developed and developing countries alike need to raise their game.
Scientific studies suggest that the most severe climate impacts will fall on the relatively poor countries of the tropics.
UK military experts pointed out that much of the world's trade moves through such regions, with North America, Western Europe and China among the societies heavily dependent on oil and other imports.
Rear Admiral Neil Morisetti, climate and energy security envoy for the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), said that conflict in such areas could make it more difficult and expensive to obtain goods on which countries such as Britain rely.
"If there are risks to the trade routes and other areas, then it's food, it's energy," he told BBC News.
"The price of energy will go up - for us, it's [the price of] petrol at the pumps - and goods made in southeast Asia, a lot of which we import."
Coffee climate A number of recent studies have suggested that climate impacts will make conflict more likely, by increasing competition for scarce but essential resources such as water and food.
The International Institute for Strategic Studies, for example, recently warned that climate change "will increase the risks of resource shortages, mass migration and civil conflict", while the MoD's view is that it will shift "the tipping point at which conflict occurs".

Alejandro Litovsky, founder of the Earth Security Initiative, said that even without the increasing effect of conflict, prices of essential goods were bound to rise.
"From the year 2000 onwards, we have been seeing commodity prices climb, and this is not likely to stop," he said.
"It is primarily driven by resource scarcity, and the trends suggest that depletion of these natural resources is unlikely to be reversed in the near future without drastic interventions."
He also said that degradation of natural resources such as forests and freshwater was removing much of the resilience that societies formerly enjoyed.
Last week, multinational coffee house Starbucks warned that climate change threatened the world's coffee supplies in 20-30 years' time.
Compromised by carbon The military officers at the meeting also emphasised the interest that armed forces have in reducing their own carbon footprint.
In Afghanistan, for example, fuel has to be delivered by road from Pakistan.
By the time it reaches its destination, it can cost 10 times the pump price. And the convoys are regularly targeted by opposing forces.
Several officers admitted that armed forces were "the gas-guzzlers of the world" - and while that was sometimes necessary in operations, reducing fossil fuel use and adopting renewables wherever possible made sense from economic and tactical points of view.
Rear Admiral Morisetti recalled that when commanding an aircraft carrier, it took a gallon of oil to move just 12 inches (30cm), while as many as 20 tonnes per hour were burned during a period of intensive take-off and landing.
"You can do that [with oil prices at] $30 a barrel, but not at $100 or $200," he said.
Health gains On the health side, doctors warned of a raft of impacts, particularly in developing countries.
Hunger and malnutrition were likely to increase, and some infectious diseases were likely to spread, they said.
Poorer societies could expect to see an unholy symbiosis between the two, with under-nourished people more prone to succumb to infections.
Tackling carbon emissions, by contrast, would bring a range of health benefits, they argue in their statement.
"Changes in power generation improve air quality.
"Modest life style changes - such as increasing physical activity through walking and cycling - will cut rates of heart disease and stroke, obesity, diabetes, breast cancer, dementia and depressive illness.
"Climate change mitigation policies would thus significantly cut rates of preventable death and disability for hundreds of millions of people around the world."
No cause for optimism As the UN summit in South Africa approaches, the statement here calls on the EU to increase its ambition and pledge to reduce emissions by 30% from 1990 levels by 2020, rather than the current target of 20%.
Currently, there does not appear to be political consensus for such a move within EU governments, however.
Additional recommendations are that developing country governments should analyse climate threats to their health and security, and that all governments should stop construction of new coal-fired power stations without carbon capture and storage (CCS) - which, as commercial CCS systems do not exist, would as things stand amount to a complete ban.
Without urgent action, carbon emissions could rise to levels that should cause major alarm, said Chris Rapley, professor of climate science at University College London.
Already, he noted, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has risen to about 380 parts per million [ppm] - whereas in the millions of years before the pre-industrial era, it fluctuated between about 180ppm during Ice Ages and about 280ppm in the warm interglacial periods.
"If we don't do something, then at the rate we're going, carbon emissions will continue to accelerate, and the atmospheric concentration is not going to be 450ppm or 650ppm by the end of the century, but 1,000ppm," he said.
"That is 10 times the difference between an Ice Age and an interglacial; and you have to be a pretty huge optimist to think that won't bring major changes."

- source bbc

IQ 'can change in teenage years'

2011-10-21T19:59:00.003+05:30

The mental ability of teenagers can improve or decline on a far greater scale than previously thought, according to new research.

Until now the assumption has been that intellectual capacity, as measured by IQ, stays quite static during life.
But tests conducted on teenagers at an average age of 14 and then repeated when their average age was nearly 18 found improvements - and deterioration.
The findings are published in the journal Nature.
They have implications for how pupils are assessed, and the age at which decisions about their futures are made.
This study involved 19 boys and 14 girls, all undergoing a combination of brain scans and verbal and non-verbal IQ tests in 2004 and then in 2008.
The results show that a change in verbal IQ was found in 39% of the teenagers, with 21% showing a change in "performance IQ" - a test of spatial reasoning.
The findings are seen to have greater validity because for the first time the variations in IQ correlated with changes in two particular areas of the teenagers' brains.
An increase in verbal IQ corresponded with a growth in the density of part of the left motor cortex - a region activated during speech.
And an increase in non-verbal IQ correlated with a rise in the density of the anterior cerebellum - an area associated with movements of the hand.
The work was led by Professor Cathy Price of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging at University College London and is published in the journal Nature.
The paper suggests that the results could be "encouraging to those whose intellectual potential may improve and… a warning that early achievers may not maintain their potential".

Professor Price said: "We have a tendency to assess children and determine the course of their education relatively early in life.
"But here we have shown that their intelligence is likely to be still developing.
"We have to be careful not to write off poorer performers at an early age when in fact their IQ may improve significantly given a few more years."
The research did not seek to understand the causes of the changes.
One explanation is that teenagers mature at relatively different ages - with "early" and "late" developers - while relative standards in education may play a part too.
One of the participants, Sebastian Friston, now aged 23, recorded a marked increase in IQ between the two tests - from average to one of the highest categories.
Educated in the state sector, he told me he had struggled in his early years, needing remedial maths tuition, but is now planning a doctorate in computer engineering.
"I think the change came in school I started doing subjects that really interested me, that I was engaged in, then I found it easier and far more interesting."
The research was funded by the Wellcome Trust, one of many projects supported under its programme of Understanding the Brain.
Future work may focus on how adaptable the brain may be beyond teenage years, and the implications for tackling mental diseases and other neurological conditions.

- source bbc

'Glue ear' treatment could see 'end to grommet surgery'

2011-10-21T19:56:00.001+05:30

Scientists have identified a potential new treatment for "glue ear" - a common hearing disorder in children - that uses existing cancer drugs.

Writing in PLoS Genetics, researchers from the Medical Research Council found that these drugs relieved the symptoms of persistent ear inflammation in mice.
They say the discovery could lead to an alternative to grommet surgery for many children.
A hearing loss charity said it was an important step towards a new treatment.
The study says that several existing drugs currently used in cancer treatment, known as VEGF inhibitors, can tackle the root causes of 'glue ear'.
Prof Steve Brown, director of the MRC mammalian genetics unit at the Medical Research Council and lead study researcher, said that a lack of oxygen reaching the middle ear was a key factor in the development of the condition.

GENEVIEVE'S STORY

Unbeknown to her parents, Genevieve Albooye had learnt to lip read as a toddler.
Constant ear infections had left her with chronic glue ear, affecting her hearing and speech.
She had operations to install grommets at three and four-and-a-half years old which helped restore her hearing by allowing air to circulate in the middle ear.
She was tested continuously until the age of nine. Doctors found no more problems.
Then, six weeks ago at the age of 12, Genevieve realised she couldn't hear the teacher properly and was getting confused at school.
Her mum, Jane, realised it had probably been going on for months.
Genevieve was regularly watching TV at top volume and friends were frustrated trying to communicate with her.
"Genevieve was always told she was a dreamer and some people started calling her 'random' because she would say odd things at odd times, simply because she didn't always hear conversations going on around her."
Their GP tried to tell them wax was the cause, but they sought specialist advice and got her booked in for another grommet operation.
"The effect was immediate. She woke up saying, 'why are you all shouting?'"

"This lack of oxygen, known as hypoxia, appears to prevent the inflammation in the middle ear resolving, allowing fluid to build up, which can impair hearing.

"By using existing drugs that tackle the root causes of hypoxia, we have been able to significantly reduce hearing loss and the build-up of fluid in the middle ear of our mouse models."
Non-invasive The researchers say they want to "repurpose" the cancer drugs into a treatment which can be delivered directly into the ear at the area of inflammation.
They claim this will help to eliminate any potential side-effects of the drugs.
"The next stage involves looking in more detail at how to apply this in humans and children," Professor Brown said.
"We wouldn't normally want to give anti-cancer drugs to children, but the middle ear is relatively accessible and a GP could put a patch directly on the membrane in the middle ear."
He also said it would be a non-invasive, non-surgical treatment.
Currently, NICE recommends grommets or hearing aids as effective treatments for glue ear which does not clear up over time.
Grommets are tiny plastic tubes which are put into the eardrum to improve ventilation during a short operation under general anaesthetic.
Around 30,000 grommet insertions are carried out each year in the UK.
'Ground-breaking' Dr Ian Williamson, senior lecturer in general practice at the University of Southampton, expert in the field of otitis media and adviser to Deafness Research UK, said the study was a considerable scientific advance.
"By developing genetic disease models for glue ear, the research team have gained new insights into potential ways of identifying children at risk.

GLUE EAR FACTS

Glue ear is the common term for the medical condition otitis media with effusion.
It is one of the most common childhood illnesses.
Children under the age of five are most often affected.
It is often linked with ear infections.
Colds and flu, allergies and passive smoking can also contribute to glue ear.
Glue ear will often clear up on its own after congestion has gone.
But if it continues, it can cause temporary deafness, delayed speech development and affect behaviour.

"Although the results published today are clearly ground-breaking, carefully controlled clinical trials would be needed before any new treatments would be available in the clinic or doctors surgery."

Vicki Kirwin, audiologist with the National Deaf Children's Society, said they also welcomed the research.
"This research is at a very early stage, but we welcome all medical discoveries which contribute to a greater and more positive understanding of deafness and which will give families more choice in support and treatment.
"Eight out of 10 children will have experienced glue ear at least once before they reach the age of 10. Although it's a common condition, it can have a big impact.
"If a child has glue ear for a long time, it can affect their speech and language development, they may fall behind at school and can even become disruptive if they don't get extra support."
Dr Ralph Holme, head of biomedical research at Action on Hearing Loss, said: "This research is an important step towards an effective pharmacological treatment for this common and distressing condition."
The research was carried out by the MRC Mammalian Genetics Unit, the Mary Lyon Centre at Harwell and the University of Oxford.

- source bbc

Terror strike foiled in Islamabad

2011-10-14T11:02:00.001+05:30

Pakistan interior minister Rehman Malik on Thursday claimed that authorities had foiled a major terrorist plot to target a high-security zone here, home to embassies and the ISI headquarters, as police seized two vehicles carrying caches of arms and explosives. Malik said the plot was uncovered after police seized a large quantity of weapons during a raid on a home in the Chatta Bakhtawar suburb ofIslamabad over the weekend.

The terrorists wanted to target "certain specific places in the Red Zone" , a heavily guarded area in the heart of Islamabad, and the "headquarters of an elite agency" , he said.

The Red Zone is home to the diplomatic enclave, the presidency, PM's House, parliament and the headquarters of the ISI agency.

- source TOI

Chennai's links to ancient Rome found

2011-10-14T11:00:00.000+05:30

Ancient Romans did not restrict themselves to coastal Tamil Nadu; they set up trading centres even far inland. A team of archaeologists exploring a dry lake bed in Naduvirapattu village, some 12km from Tambaram, unearthed a few days ago some artefacts, including broken pieces of amphorae (jars used by Romans).

The team comprised assistant professor Jinu Koshy and students S Vasanthi and K Vignesh of the department of history and archaeology of the Madras Christian College.

The evidence at the site, archaeologists said, was a sign that the village may have been a transit staging area for the Romans before they proceeded towards Kancheepuram, a famous trading centre since the pre-historic era, to exchange their glass utensils and wine for rice, sesame oil, spices and silk.

In fact, they said, the pieces of amphorae were clear evidence of the presence of Romans. Earlier, similar jars had been found at excavation sites in Kancheepuram, Vasavasamudram and Arikamedu near Puducherry. These sites are located near the shore or river (Kancheepuram is near the Palar river), but Naduvirapattu is far from the coast or a river.

"The findings are interesting because the site is between two towns - Somangalam and Manimangalam - important since the pre-historic era," said former deputy superintending archaeologist K Sridharan.

It was a tip by a villager, engaged in sand-mining on a dry lake bed, that took the team to the site where it found artefacts of the Sangam Age (between 3rd century BCE and 4th century CE) and some from ancient Rome. Among them, the archaeologists said, were black-and-red ware, black ware, red slipped ware, double slipped ware, broken handles of vessels, hopscotch and lid knob.

Brick from Sangam Age also found

We also found two shreds that formed the base of a conical jar. The conical jar is an imitation of the Romans' amphorae and is indigenously made," said assistant professor Koshy. Also found was an old brick structure, reportedly from the Sangam Age. Each brick, it was found, was 31cm long, 20.5cm wide and 7.5cm thick.

The dry lake bed is being exploited by sand miners with earth movers, the archaeologists said, adding that unless checked it could destroy rare evidence to trace the cultural history from the early historic period or Sangam Age. The site should be preserved for further research and excavation that could help throw light on the importance of the village during the Sangam Age, structural activities and trade contacts during the Age.

- source TOI

5 things returning NRIs should know about salaries in India

2011-10-14T10:56:00.000+05:30

Salaries in India are quoted in terms of CTC or cost to company. CTC is nothing but the cost that the company incurs to employ you and keep you employed. It includes your pay and anything else that the company may incur to keep you in employment. It's important because a lot of components of your CTC may not translate into actual take-home cash every month. Says Kris Lakshmikanth, Founder CEO of The Head Hunters India Pvt Ltd, "As a broad thumb rule, what you get in hand will be 70% of your CTC. So if your annual CTC is Rs 50 lakh, you can expect to get an annual take home of 35 lakh or Rs 2.9 lakh per month."

So what happens to the difference? That's one question we will try to answer today. The next is, there are many components that are offered in addition to the CTC, ESOPs being a good case in point. So what are the things you need to look at there? Let's take a look.

1. Certain components of CTC may not be cash components

A company may beef-up your CTC with components that don't really translate into month-end cash or that may have just a notional components. Some examples include:

-Value of perquisites is included in CTC. So if you are provided with a company accommodation, car, driver, child education expenses and so on, the value of these get included in the CTC.

-Banks may include interest subsidies in CTC. That is, if you are a bank employee, you are entitled to a discounted rate on loans. The difference between the market rate and the discounted rate maybe considered part of your CTC. Even corporate give out loans and advances at subsidized interest rates and the subsidy would be added to the CTC.

-Companies may include the cost of group medical or life insurance. Some companies may add food subsidies, that is, you may be getting a subsidy on your lunch in the office canteen. If you carry your lunch from home, you may not actually benefit from this component. Similarly, if the company provides transport, there maybe transport costs or subsidies.

-Companies include gratuity in the CTC. Gratuity is a sort of bonus that is paid out when you resign or retire from your company. The catch: You are entitled to gratuity only after completing 5 years in the company.

-Employer's contribution to your provident fund is included in CTC. This amount is deposited by the employer in your provident fund and so this does not form part of your take-home. You will get this amount only at the time you resign or retire.

"Ask to see the cash-in-hand figure. That will give you a good idea of what you will get," advises Aseem Juneja, Country Manager - India at US based executive search firm ZRG Partners.

2. Deductions further reduce monthly take home

Even after you have arrived at the cash value of your take home, there are certain deductions made from it. Tax is one such deduction. It is nothing but the taxes withheld from your income by the company. It is the equivalent of 'withholding tax' that several countries have. How much tax is deducted depends on the various components of your salary. This guide should help you understand.

In addition to income tax deduction, you will find a professional tax deduction being made every month.

"A lot of companies may allow you to choose the components in your salary. For instance, they may allocate a certain amount as a 'flexi pay' component. Within this amount, you maybe able to choose components such as HRA, medical reimbursement, etc depending on what maybe most tax efficient for you. If you are in a higher income bracket, it would be wise to consult a professional to help you optimize your salary to make it tax effective," advises Lakshmikanth.

Also read: Companies like M&M, Wipro, KPMG, Mercer dangle custom-made perks to retain talent

The other deduction is your contribution to provident fund. This amount is deducted from your monthly salary and deposited in the provident fund. This is your contribution and comes out of your monthly salary, thus reducing your take-home. Again, a lot of companies make this deduction optional. However, making provident fund contributions maybe a wise saving tool. Currently company provident funds earn tax free returns of 8.5% per annum. Over a long period of time, that would build up to a decent corpus.

3. Annualised and variable components

There are certain components that are paid out to you annually or subject to your performance; these do not become part of your monthly take home. Examples include leave travel allowance, annual bonus etc.

"Variable salaries can range between 15-50%," Lakshmikanth says, adding, "For programmers the variable pay would be around 15% of the CTC while for marketing professionals it could go up to 50%. Before the 2008 crisis, most companies paid out the variable components in full, but that has changed now. There are various factors that come into play while arriving at the variable pay outs. The company's performance as well as your individual performance would both matter."

4. Understand what your ESOP consists of

Employee Stock Option Plans or ESOPs are given out over and above the CTC. The company gives employees an option to purchase stocks at a certain future date at a discounted price. As the value of the company scrip increases, the employee stands to earn capital gains. "When a company offers ESOPs, the CTC part of the compensation maybe a little lower," Lakshmikanth explains.

While ESOPs might seem attractive when the company HR presents the numbers to you, it is important to look into the fine print. Says Juneja, "There are a number of issues here. Firstly, people do not realize that there is a certain vesting period for ESOPs. That is, you will be eligible to exercise the ESOP only after working in the company for a certain period, say 2 years or so. The second issue is the strike price. This is the price at which the ESOP is granted. If the market price at the time of exercising the ESOP is lower than the strike price, there is really no gain. And that has happened many times in the past."

So is there room for negotiation? "There is always a 10% room for negotiation in any component of your salary," Juneja says adding, "So you might ask the employer to reduce the variable component by 10% or the value of ESOPs by 10% and increase the cash component by 10%. It's worth giving a shot."

5. Don't forget to negotiate a relocation package

"It's very common for senior executives to forget to negotiate a relocation package," says Juneja. "Relocating to another country, even if it is India, especially with a family in tow can be an expensive affair. You might get a few weeks of accommodation. Sometimes that time may not be enough. So negotiate a package before-hand. For instance, make sure the relocation package includes important things like getting a real estate agent through the company. That way, the likelihood of bumping into rogue agents is less," he adds.

- source TOI

Obama says Iran to face toughest possible sanctions

2011-10-14T10:51:00.001+05:30

Saudi Arabia on Thursday accused Iran of fomenting instability but pledged a "measured response" over the alleged conspiracy that has heightened tensions between OPEC's two top oil producers.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, on a visit to Austria, said that the evidence showed "Iran is responsible" for the suspected assassination plan and said Tehran had tried to "meddle" in the affairs of Arab states before.

In Washington, Obama told a news conference that the United States would not take any options off the table in dealing with Iran, a phrase U.S. officials regularly use toward Tehran that is diplomatic code for the possibility of military action.

"This is part of a pattern of dangerous and reckless behavior by the Iranian government," Obama said in his first public comments on the affair.

U.S. authorities on Tuesday said they had broken up a plot by two men linked to Iran's security agencies to assassinate Saudi Ambassador Adel al-Jubeir. One was arrested last month while the other was believed to be in Iran.

Iran called the accusations a fabrication designed to create tensions in its relations with its neighbors, already under strain over its nuclear program.

"Repeating stupid and useless methods by hopeless Western policy-makers to create Iranophobia will not be fruitful and they will fail again," Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency, although he did not directly address U.S. allegations over the thwarted plot.

FINANCIAL SCREWS

The U.S. Treasury Department said it was weighing more sanctions against Iran's central bank to tighten the financial screws and deepen the country's estrangement from the international financial community.

"We're looking quite intensively at how to ratchet up the pressure," Treasury Undersecretary David Cohen told a Senate committee.

Obama came to office in 2009 promising to seek diplomatic engagement with Iran. But his outreach failed to halt Iran's nuclear advances and he has instead spearheaded several packages of international sanctions.

The plot raises tensions to a new level between the Obama administration and Iran, which says its nuclear work is peaceful and aimed at generating electricity.

Obama told reporters during a news conference with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak the United State would continue "to apply the toughest sanctions and continue to mobilize the international community to make sure that Iran is further and further isolated and pays a price for this kind of behavior."

"Now, we don't take any options off the table in terms of how we operate with Iran, but what you can expect is that we will continue to apply the sorts of pressure that will have a direct impact on the Iranian government until it makes a better choice in terms of how it's going to interact with the rest of the international community," Obama said.

U.S. financial institutions are already generally banned from doing business with any bank in Iran, including the central bank. But the U.S. Treasury said more action, if it had international support, could further isolate the institution.

Republican Senator Richard Shelby said the U.S. government could do a better job in persuading other countries to enforce sanctions laws.

"One problem is that the White House and the State Department have carefully managed to avoid labeling any major Russian, Chinese or other U.S. trading partner's companies as violators of U.S.-mandated sanctions," he said.

The White House has persistently sought to highlight the disparity between Iran's support for popular uprisings against other autocratic regimes in the region and its brutal treatment of protesters at home, and Obama repeated this message.

"We will continue to work to see how we can bring about a Iranian government that is actually responsive to its people but also following the rules of the roads that other countries and the international community follow," he said.

MIDDLE EAST RIFTS

Saudi Arabia's Prince Saud, speaking Vienna where he was discussing opening a religious dialogue center, said Riyadh would hold Tehran accountable.

"Any action they take against us will have a measured response from Saudi Arabia," he said. Asked what actions Saudi Arabia might take, he said: "We have to wait and see."

Iran meanwhile painted the accusation as a plot to create rifts between the two Middle East powers.

"We have no problem with Saudi Arabia ... Though our interpretation of regional developments are different ... I hope Saudis are aware of the fact that our enemies do not want us to have convergence and cooperation," Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi told state radio on Thursday.

The plot allegations looked certain to play into fears over Iran's atomic ambitions, which the United States and its allies suspect are geared toward producing nuclear weapons.

Glyn Davies, the U.S. envoy to the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said on Thursday that Washington hoped a new IAEA report due out next month would "sharpen the case" for referring Tehran to the U.N. Security Council again.

"We expect the IAEA to begin to get more explicitly into the issue of what is called the possible military dimensions of the Iranian nuclear program," he told reporters in Chile, where he was on an official visit.

Some Iran experts were skeptical about the plot, saying they could not see the motive for such an assassination. Iran has in the past killed its own dissidents abroad, but an attempt to target an ambassador of another country would be a highly unusual departure.

Iran said the allegations threaten stability in the Gulf where Saudi Arabia and Iran, the biggest regional powers, have been fierce rivals for decades and Washington has a huge military presence.

Russia, which built a nuclear power plant for Iran and has used pressure on Tehran as a diplomatic tool in its relations with Washington, expressed concern over reports of the alleged plot.

The reports "have been treated with concern in Moscow," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a statement late on Wednesday.

-source BBC

Google's Q3 eases fears over ad market, costs

2011-10-14T10:49:00.003+05:30

The Internet search and advertising leader, benefiting from a growing online ad market and sharper research focus, increased its profit by 26 percent and revenue by 37 percent in the third quarter.

A darkening economic outlook -- particularly in Europe, had stoked worries about advertising growth. But Google's revenue and paid-clicks performance boded well for the fourth quarter, analysts said.

"These guys continue to show that they are not immune to the market but that they are going to perform better than traditional players," said Macquarie Research analyst Ben Schachter.

Robust demand from advertisers in emerging markets, such as in Asia, as well as strength in its mobile and display advertising businesses, juiced Google's financial results during the third quarter, he said.

"They are beginning to see some softness in Western Europe but it's being more than made up for by the broader distribution of their products in mobile and the fact that emerging markets are becoming more and more important," said Schachter.

Shares of Google rose to $594.01 in extended trade after closing 1.91 percent higher on Nasdaq. The stock is off nearly 8 percent from its 52-week high of $642.96 on concerns about the growing regulatory scrutiny facing the company as well as fears that spending would spiral out of control as Google steps up competition with Apple Inc and Facebook.

"The real interesting thing here is the expenses that weren't as high as the Street was anticipating. R&D was less than we were expecting," said UBS analyst Brian Pitz. "This is the fourth quarter in a row the company has accelerated their revenue on top line."

Chief Executive Larry Page, who assumed the top job in April, told analysts on a conference call that he was whittling down Google's sprawling portfolio of projects and diverting resources to businesses with higher potential returns.

"We have to make tough decisions about what to focus on, or we end up doing things that don't have the impact that we strive for," Page said. "Since we last spoke we've begun the process of shutting over 20 different products.

The company is plowing money into its fast-growing mobile business which competes with iPhone-maker Apple. Google's Android mobile software, already the world's most-used smartphone platform, is gaining momentum. It powers 190 million devices, up from 135 million in mid-July.

GOING MOBILE - IN A BIG WAY?

Page said the revenue run rate for Google's mobile business is more than $2.5 billion, a significant leap from $1 billion just a year ago.

In August, Google announced plans to acquire Motorola Mobility Holdings for $12.5 billion. Thedeal, which Google expects to close this year or early 2012, will give it one of the wireless industry's largest patent libraries, as well as hardware manufacturing operations that will allow Google to develop its own line of smartphones.

But analysts and investors worry that Google is entering a low-margin business in which it has no experience. A move to build its own phones could also jeopardize support for Google's free Android mobile software from other phone manufacturers such as Samsung Electronics and HTC Corp.

Google executives on Thursday's conference call did not address plans for Motorola, which Google has said it plans to run as a separate business. But Page took a jab at Microsoft Corp for waging a legal battle against companies that sell Android devices.

"They continue resorting to legal measures to hassle their own customers," Page said, referring to recent licensing deals between Microsoft and companies such as Samsung, HTC and Acer, many of which are also Microsoft customers.

"We see Android going gangbusters and we don't see anything that's going to stop that," he added.

Google said its net income in the three months ended September 30 grew to $2.73 billion from $2.17 billion in the year-ago period.

Excluding certain items, Google said it earned $9.72 per share in the third quarter. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S were expecting adjusted EPS of $8.74.

"A lot of people were expecting spending to be out of control, but they had good control," said Herman Leung, an analyst with Susquehanna Financial Group.

Google's recently launched social networking service, Google+, is also on investor radars. Its effort to challenge Facebook's dominance in the red-hot social networking market got off to a fast start in June, collecting 10 million users in the first two weeks.

On Thursday, it said it had signed up more than 40 million users for its recently launched Google+ social network. Page also said that more than 3.4 billion photos have been uploaded to Google+ by users of the service.

Its third-quarter net revenue, which excludes fees that the company shares with partner websites, increased 37 percent year-on-year to $7.51 billion. Analysts were looking for $7.22 billion in net revenue.

- source Telegraph

India successfully launches monsoon research satellite

2011-10-14T10:45:00.005+05:30

India has successfully launched a new satellite, the Megha-Tropiques, to study the patterns of the monsoon.

The one-tonne satellite was one of four spacecraft fired into orbit on Wednesday from Sriharikota, about 80km from Madras.

The Megha-Tropiques satellite is a joint venture with France.

Its should give meteorologists fresh insight into how water moves through the atmosphere to produce the intense weather associated with monsoons.

India built the satellite platform and provided the launch rocket; France has provided its instruments.

The Megha-Tropiques has been put on a low-inclination orbit around the equator (between 23 degrees North and South), meaning it will pass over India almost 12 times a day.

The launch is the latest in a series carried out by the Indian space agency (Isro), which is establishing closer ties with a number of its international counterparts.

For example, data from Megha-Tropiques will be shared with the meteorological organisations in Europe and the US that acquire their weather satellite information.

- source BBC

Sony offers to check 'smoking' TV models

2011-10-14T10:44:00.000+05:30

Sony is to offer free safety checks on several of its TV models after a number of sets started smoking.

The company warned that a component used in eight different versions of its Bravia televisions may be faulty and could, in rare cases, overheat.

However, it stopped short of issuing a full recall.

Instead Sony said that anyone who was concerned could request an engineer come to their home for free to inspect their TV.

The models affected are all LCDs, sold in Europe since June 2007.

They are: KDL-40D3400, KDL-40D3500, KDL-40D3550, KDL-40D3660.

KDL-40V3000, KDL-40W3000, KDL-40X3000, KDL-40X3500.

Some 1.6 million of the TVs have been sold worldwide; 630,000 of them in Europe.

Reports of overheating sets have so far all come from Japan.

The company said that the televisions were not at risk while they were switched off.

It warned owners to be aware of any unusual noises, smells or smoking coming from their Bravia.

Anyone noticing those symptoms should unplug the power cable and stop using the set immediately, said a Sony statement.

- source BBC

Apple wins battle to block Samsung tablets in Australia

2011-10-14T10:40:00.000+05:30

An Australian court has temporarily banned the sale of Samsung Electronics' tablet computer in Australia, a victory for Apple in its global patent dispute with the South Korean company.

Apple has accused Samsung of copying its touch-screen technology for its Galaxy Tab 10.1.

The two companies are embroiled in legal battles in nine countries.

Samsung is one of Apple's biggest challengers in the smartphone and tablet industry.

The decision by the federal court threatens to hurt Samsung's position in the Australian market, as it could miss the lucrative Christmas season.

The two companies have been locked in patent disputes since April, with each accusing the other of infringing patents.

Apple has already won a victory in Germany, Europe's biggest economy, banning the sale of the Galaxy Tab 10.1. An appeal hearing is expected in that case.

Last week, Samsung said it would try to stop the sale of Apple's iPhone 4S in France and Italy, accusing the company of infringing 3G transmission patents.

- source BBC

Google profits and revenue surge in the third quarter

2011-10-14T10:37:00.003+05:30

The search engine said net income in the third quarter surged 26% to $2.73bn (£1.74bn), up from $2.17bn in the same period last year.

Earlier this year, Google launched Google+, a social network to take on Facebook.

"People are flocking into Google+ at an incredible rate," said Google head Larry Page.

The profits were well ahead of market expectations, and shares in the company rose 6% in trading after the market closed.

"The real interesting thing here is the expenses weren't as high as the Street was anticipating," said UBS analyst Brian Pitz. "This is the fourth quarter in a row the company has accelerated their revenue on top line."

Revenue rose 33% to $9.72bn - just shy of having a quarterly turnover of $10bn.

Mr Page, a co-founder of the company, replaced Eric Schmidt as CEO in April.

"We had a great quarter," he said. "Google+ is now open to everyone and we just passed the 40 million-user mark."

Facebook, around since 2004, has around 800 million users.

As well as generating money through advertising based on search, Google also makes the popular Android mobile phone operating system.

-source BBC

Brain may sabotage efforts to lose weight

2011-10-10T13:50:00.001+05:30

In obese people, even when the brain knows the body isn’t hungry, it responds to food as if it were, new brain-scan data show. That means that when obese people try to shed weight, they may find themselves on the losing side of a battle with neural centers that unconsciously encourage them to eat.
For instance, in normal-weight people a neural reward system that reinforces positive feelings associated with food turns off when levels of the blood sugar glucose return to normal after a meal — a signal that the body’s need for calories has been sated. But in obese people, that reward center in the central brain turns on at the sight of high-calorie food even when their blood sugar levels are normal.
The new findings show that “the regulatory role of glucose was missing in the obese,” says Elissa Epel of the University of California, San Francisco, an obesity researcher not involved with the new study. She says the data might “explain the drive to eat that some obese people feel despite how much they’ve eaten.”
For the study, nine lean and five obese adult volunteers viewed pictures of foods such as ice cream, french fries, cauliflower or a salad while undergoing brain scans. Throughout the procedure, researchers asked the recruits to rate their hunger and how much they wanted a particular item.
Volunteers arrived for their brain scans several hours after eating, and the researchers used insulin pumps to establish volunteers’ blood sugar levels at either normal background values (roughly 90 milligrams per deciliter), or at the “mild” end of low (around 70 milligrams per deciliter). That low value can occur briefly in some people during the day, especially in people with diabetes or metabolic conditions that precede diabetes, notes endocrinologist Robert Sherwin of Yale University, coauthor of the new study.
All volunteers reported wanting food, especially high-calorie fare, when blood glucose was low, Sherwin’s team reports online September 19 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Brain scans showed that parts of the brain that control reason and willpower, such as the prefrontal cortex, were relatively inactive when blood glucose was low, while regions that foster eating and offer positive reinforcement turned on. For lean people, the opposite trend emerged when blood glucose was normal.
The surprise, Sherwin says, was that the part of the brain that allows people to consciously exert willpower over food intake largely turns off in obese people. This suggests, he says, that their brain differences “may perpetuate obesity.”
Though small, this study was so well designed and controlled that it “lets us see some clean results in a relatively small cohort,” says obesity scientist Dianne Lattemann of the Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System in Seattle. The research team’s ability to discern differences in the desire for foods relative to body weight — and based on a not-too-dramatic drop in blood sugar — “is extremely interesting,” she adds. The results pull together trends seen in animals and findings reported in more limited human trials.

- source 'sciencenews'

Thirsty frogs make do with dew

2011-10-10T13:41:00.001+05:30

During Australia’s dry season, green tree frogs apparently can pull a drink out of thin air.
Even on chilly nights, green tree frogs (Litoria caerulea) unexpectedly turn up outside the warm, cozy tree cavities where they take shelter. Experimenting with frogs in a real tree as well as in a lab version made of PVC pipe shows that chilled frogs get welcome water condensing on them when they hop back inside from the cold, Christopher Tracy of the University of Melbourne in Australia and his colleagues report in the OctoberAmerican Naturalist.
“It’s a mechanism where they can get a little bit of water, and that little bit of water might be very important,” Tracy says. Researchers found that frogs air-cooled below 15° Celsius accumulated 0.03 percent to 0.54 percent of their body mass in condensation. Every drop of water helps during the dry season in the northern part of Australia’s Northern Territory, where from June through August it typically doesn’t rain at all.
This study documents for the first time the actual water gains available from condensation in an animal’s refuge, says physiological ecologist Harvey Lillywhite of the University of Florida in Gainesville, who notes having seen condensation droplets on geckos sheltering under rocks in summer.
The strategy is a trade-off for the animals that employ it, however, because leaving a humid refuge for the dry, cold night air increases water loss through the skin. Using a computer model, Tracy and colleagues calculated that a typical frog would come out ahead if it stayed outside for the half an hour or so necessary to chill to the temperature of the night air.
A misjudgment of time or temperature, however, could end up losing a frog water in the end, says comparative physiologist Stanley Hillman of Portland State University in Oregon. Collecting condensation certainly could work, but he says he’ll need more observations before he’s convinced that the process makes a difference in the lives of real frogs.

- source 'sciencenews'

Hack Facebook !

2011-10-10T13:35:00.002+05:30

Possible Ways to Hack Facebook Password

1. Keylogging – The Easiest Way!

Keylogging refers to simply recording each and every keystroke that is typed on a specific computer’s keyboard. This is possible with the use of a small computer program called keylogger (also known as spy software). Once installed, this program will automatically load from the start-up, runs in the invisible mode and start capturing each and every keystroke that was typed on the computer.

Some keyloggers with advanced features can also capture screenshots and monitor every activity of the computer. One doesn’t need to have any special knowledge in order to install and use a keylogger. That means, anyone with a basic knowledge of computer can install and use this software with ease. Hence for a novice computer user this method is the easiest way to hack Facebook password. I recommend the following keylogger as the best for gaining access to Facebook account.

SniperSpy (TESTED) is a revolutionary product that will allow you to easily access *ANY* online account or password protected material such as MySpace, Facebook, Yahoo, Gmail or Hotmail. There are absolutely *NO* limitations to what accounts or websites this software can access!

SniperSpy – for Windows

SniperSpy – for Mac

Why SniperSpy is the best?

Today there exists hundreds of keyloggers on the market but most of them are no more than a crap. However, there are only a few that stand out of the crowd and SniperSpy is the best among them. I personally like SniperSpy for it’s REMOTE INSTALLATION FEATURE. With this, you can install it on a remote computer without the need for having physical access to it. It operates in a complete stealth mode so that it remains undetected.

Here is a summary of benefits that you will receive with Sniperspy software:

1. Access ANY Password
With SniperSpy you can hack any password and gain access to Facebook or any other online account.

2. Monitor Every Activity
You can monitor every activity of the target computer, take screenshots and record chats & IM conversations.

3. Never Get Caught!
SniperSpy operates in a total stealth mode and thus remains undetectable. Therefore you need not have the fear of being traced or getting caught.

4. Remote Installation Feature
With the Remote Install feature, it is possible to install it even on computers for which you do not have physical access. However, it can also be installed on a local computer.

5. Extremely Easy to Use
Installing and using SniperSpy is simple and needs no extra skill to manage.

6. Completely Safe to Use
This software is 100% safe to use since it does not collect any personal information from your computer. SniperSpy is a reputed, trustworthy and reliable company which offers 100% privacy for it’s users.

7. Works on both Windows and Mac
Fully compatible with Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7 and Mac.

So what are you waiting for? If you are really serious to hack Facebook password then SniperSpy is for you. Go grab it now and expose the truth!

Click Here to Download SniperSpy for Windows

Click Here to Download SniperSpy for Mac

2. Phishing – The Difficult Way

The other common way to hack passwords or online accounts is via Phishing. This is the most widely used technique by many hackers to gain access to Facebook and other social networking websites. This method will make use of a fake login page (often called as spoofeed webpage) which will exactly resemble the original one. Say for example, a spoofed webpage of Facebook looks exactly same as that of the original page. This page is actually created by the hacker and is hosted on his own server. Once the victim enters his/her password in such a fake login page, the login details are stolen away by the hacker.

Most Internet users would easily fall prey to such online phishing scams. Thus phishing scams trick users in such a way that, they themselves give away their passwords. But phishing requires specialized knowledge and high level skills to implement. Hence it would not be possible for a noob user (perhaps like you) to attempt this trick. It is a punishable offense too. So, I would recommend that you stay away from phishing and make use of the keyloggers to hack Facebook password since it is the easiest and the safest way.

Facebook Hacking Methods that Do Not Work!

Today, there are hundreds of scam websites out there that are waiting to rip off your pockets by making false promises. These websites claim to be the experts in the field of hacking and boast to instantly obtain any password for you. Most people fall victim to these websites and lose their hard earned money. Thus the idea behind this post is to expose the truth behind hacking the Facebook (or any email password) so that you can learn how to do it for yourself and stay away from all those scam websites. The following are some of the hacking methods that actually do not work:

1. Many scam websites claim to exploit a certain vulnerability of Facebook website as a means to crack the password. Unfortunately, there is no such vulnerability in Facebook (or any other online account) that can be exploited to crack the password. I advise you to stay away from such scam websites.

2. There is no ready-made software program that is available to hack Facebook password except the keylogger (spy software). In fact, keyloggers are pretty generic and meant to record the keystrokes of a computer which obviously includes the password also. Keep in mind that apart from the keylogger, there is no such program that is specifically designed to gain access to Facebook accounts. Stay away from any website that claim to sell such program.

3. Beware! On many websites and Internet forums you will often see fake articles about Facebook hacking. Most of them will tell you something like this: “you need to send an email to passwordretrieve@facebook.com along with your username and password” (or something similar). Never give away your password to anyone nor send it to any email address. If you do so, you will lose your password itself in attempt to hack somebody else’s password.

- source 'gohacking'

Hack Symbian S60 Phones to Install Unsigned Applications

2011-10-10T13:31:00.002+05:30

If you own a Nokia Symbian S60 phone, you will most likely be aware of the fact that it is not possible to install applications on it unless they are signed using a valid certificate. Have you been trying to install applications on your S60 3rd or 5th edition phone but ending up getting a certificate error? At times, this can be really annoying; but here is a smart solution to this problem!

Here in this post, I will show you how to hack your Symbian S60 3rd or 5th edition smartphone, so as to modify the phone’s firmware and completely bypass the mandatory signing requirement. So, once you are done with this one time hack, you should be able to install any compatible application including unsigned and those with an expired certificate.

What is the Need for Signing Applications?

From the 3rd edition onwards, all the Symbian S60 applications need to be signed in order to ensure their integrity, so that it would not be possible for a third party to tamper with the application. Also, signing ensures that you always install applications from a trusted source.

However, there are many freeware and beta applications that come unsigned as the developers cannot afford to buy a symbian certificate. Hence, it can be a real nightmare for the users who need to install such applications on their phones. So, here is a step-by-step procedure to hack your phone and permanently disable this security feature.

1. Download HelloOX2 V2.03 or the latest version from the HelloOX2 Ofiicial Website.

HelloOX2 is an excellent tool to hack Symbian S60 3rd, 5th and Symbian^3 smartphones which makes it possible to install a root certificate by gaining full access to the phone’s system files. With this capability, you can install anything you want on your phones without the need to worry about the annoying certificate error!

2. The signed version of HelloOX2 demands for a donation and hence, only the unsigned version is available for free download. So, if you have the unsigned version, you need to sign it before installing on your phone. In order to sign any application, you need to have the certificate and the key file which can be obtained as follows:

Go to the OPDA Website, get registered and login to your account.
Click on the “Apply Certificate” tab, enter the model number and the IMEI of your phone and then click on “Submit and Upload” button.
It will usually take up 24 hours for your certificate and key file to be generated and uploaded. To check the status of your certificate click on “My Certificate” tab. If the certificate is ready for the download you will see something as follows:

Download the certificate and the key file on to your computer. Also download the SisSigner tool to sign your HelloOX2 application.
Open the SisSigner, load the HelloOX2.sis, certificate and the key file as shown below and click on “Sign”. Leave the “Key File Password” field blank.

Your HelloOX2 application is now signed and ready for the installation.

3. Install the signed HelloOX2 application on your phone and run it to start the hacking process, which is completely automatic. Within a minute your phone will be hacked. Once this is done, say goodbye to the annoying certificate error and install any application.

- source 'gohacking'

Firewalls' Working funda

2011-10-10T13:11:00.000+05:30

If you have been using Internet on a regular basis or working in a large company and surf the Internet while you are at work, you must have surely come across the term firewall. You might have also heard of people saying “firewalls protect their computer from web attacks and hackers” or “a certain website has been blocked by firewall in their work place”. If you have ever wondered to know what exactly is this firewall and how it works, here we go. In this post I will try to explain “How firewalls work” in a layman’s terms.

How Firewalls Work

Firewalls are basically a barrier between your computer (or a network) and the Internet (outside world). A firewall can be simply compared to a security guard who stands at the entrance of your house and filters the visitors coming to your place. He may allow some visitors to enter while denying others whom he suspects of being intruders. Similarly a firewall is a software program or a hardware device that filters the information (packets) coming through the Internet to your personal computer or a computer network.

Firewalls may decide to allow or block network traffic between devices based on the rules that are pre-configured or set by the firewall administrator. Most personal firewalls such as Windows firewall operate on a set of pre-configured rules that are most suitable under normal circumstances so that the user need not worry much about configuring the firewall.

Personal firewalls are easy to install and use and hence preferred by end-users for use on their personal computers. However large networks and companies prefer those firewalls that have plenty of options to configure so as to meet their customized needs. For example, a company may set up different firewall rules for FTP servers, Telnet servers and Web servers. In addition the company can even control how the employees connect to the Internet by blocking access to certain websites or restricting the transfer of files to other networks. Thus in addition to security, a firewall can give the company a tremendous control over how people use the network.

Firewalls use one or more of the following methods to control the incoming and outgoing traffic in a network:

1. Packet Filtering: In this method packets (small chunks of data) are analyzed against a set of filters. Packet filters has a set of rules that come with accept and deny actions which are pre-configured or can be configured manually by the firewall administrator. If the packet manages to make it through these filters then it is allowed to reach the destination; otherwise it is discarded.

2. Stateful Inspection: This is a newer method that doesn’t analyze the contents of the packets. Instead it compares certain key aspects of each packet to a database of trusted source. Both incoming and outgoing packets are compared against this database and if the comparison yields a reasonable match, then the packets are allowed to travel further. Otherwise they are discarded.

Firewall Configuration

Firewalls can be configured by adding one or more filters based on several conditions as mentioned below:

1. IP addresses: In any case if an IP address outside the network is said to be unfavorable, then it is possible to set filter to block all the traffic to and from that IP address. For example, if a cetain IP address is found to be making too many connections to a server, the administrator may decide to block traffic from this IP using the firewall.

2. Domain names: Since it is difficult to remember the IP addresses, it is an easier and smarter way to configure the firewalls by adding filters based on domain names. By setting up a domain filter, a company may decide to block all access to certain domain names, or may provide access only to a list of selected domain names.

3. Ports/Protocols: Every service running on a server is made available to the Internet using numbered ports, one for each service. In simple words, ports can be compared to virtual doors of the server through which services are made available. For example, if a server is running a Web (HTTP) service then it will be typically available on port 80. In order to avail this service, the client needs to connect to the server via port 80. Similarly different services such as Telnet (Port 23), FTP (port 21) and SMTP (port 25) services may be running on the server. If the services are intended for the public, they are usually kept open. Otherwise they are blocked using the firewall so as to prevent intruders from using the open ports for making unauthorized connections.

4. Specific words or phrases: A firewall can be configured to filter one or more specific words or phrases so that, both the incoming and outgoing packets are scanned for the words in the filter. For example, you may set up a firewall rule to filter any packet that contains an offensive term or a phrase that you may decide to block from entering or leaving your network.

Hardware vs. Software Firewall

Hardware firewalls provide higher level of security and hence preferred for servers where security has the top most priority whereas, the software firewalls are less expensive and are most preferred in home computers and laptops. Hardware firewalls usually come as an in-built unit of a router and provide maximum security as it filters each packet in the hardware level itself even before it manages to enter your computer. A good example is the Linksys Cable/DSL router.

Why Firewall?

Firewalls provide security over a number of online threats such as Remote login, Trojan backdoors, Session hijacking, DOS & DDOS attacks, viruses, cookie stealing and many more. The effectiveness of the security depends on the way you configure the firewall and how you set up the filter rules. However major threats such as DOS and DDOS attacks may sometimes manage to bypass the firewalls and do the damage to the server. Even though firewall is not a complete answer to online threats, it can most effectively handle the attacks and provide security to the computer up to the maximum possible extent.

- source 'gohacking'

How to Trace Mobile Numbers

2011-10-10T13:08:00.000+05:30

With the rapid growth of mobile phone usage in recent years, we have often observed that the mobile phone has become a part of many illegal and criminal activities. So in most cases, tracing the mobile number becomes a vital part of the investigation process. Also sometimes we just want to trace a mobile number for reasons like annoying prank calls, blackmails, unknown number in a missed call list or similar.

Even though it is not possible to trace the number back to the caller, it is possible to trace it to the location of the caller and also find the network operator. Just have a look at this page on tracing Indian mobile numbers from Wikipedia. Using the information provided on this page, it is possible to certainly trace any mobile number from India and find out the location (state/city) and network operator (mobile operator) of the caller. All you need for this is only the first 4-digit of the mobile number. In this Wiki page you will find all the mobile number series listed in a nice tabular column where they are categorized based on mobile operator and the zone (state/city). This Wiki page is updated regularly so as to provide up-to-date information on newly added mobile number series and operators. I have used this page many a time and have never been disappointed.

If you would like to use a simpler interface where in you can just enter the target mobile number and trace the desired details, you can try this link from Numbering Plans. Using this link, you can trace any number in the world.

By using the information in this article, you can only know “where” the call is from and not “who” the caller is. Only the mobile operator is able to tell you ”who” the caller is. So if you’re in an emergency and need to find out the actual person behind the call, I would recommend that you file a complaint and take the help of police. I hope this information has helped you!

- source 'gohacking'

See Germany's nuclear plant turned family playground

2011-10-10T13:03:00.001+05:30

In Germany, nothing says fun for all ages like an abandoned nuclear power plant cooling tower! That's the sentiment behindWunderland Kalkar amusement park--formerly known as the Schneller Bruter cooperative energy project--where you're more likely to encounter cotton candy and motion sickness than Geiger counters and radiation poisoning.

Before you let those fashionably hip Cold War-meets-Steampunk visions in your head take hold, I should note that the nuclear facility was, for political reasons, never completed, so there's actually no danger of coming in contact with any radiation while taking a ride on the mechanical swings that have been installed in the cooling tower.

(Credit: Wunderland Kalkar)

Germany recently decided to shutter its nuclear energy program, which could leave a number of similar facilities pondering their options for an encore career. If they opt for the amusement park route, they'll have an awful lot of cleaning up to do, and they'll have to play catchup with Wunderland Kalkar, which is about the size of 80 football fields and has planned upgrades including a spa and a rooftop pool.

Check out a few more shots below of what Three Mile Island could have been...

Apparently, some mutation of park employees is normal.

(Credit: Wunderland Kalkar)

Wunderland Kalkar's nightlife can be enjoyed without having to worry about uranium's half-life.

(Credit: Wunderland Kalkar)

While the nuke plant was never turned on, there still seems to be some unexplained threat from giant mutant spiders.

(Credit: Wunderland Kalkar)

(Via Gizmag)

- source CNET

Galaxy Nexus launch delayed due to Jobs' death

2011-10-10T13:01:00.003+05:30

Google and Samsung have delayed the arrival of the next, much-anticipated Androidsmartphone, because of the passing of Steve Jobs.

In a statement today, the companies said they won't be showing off the upcoming device at the Samsung Unpacked event next week during CTIA as had been expected. They are looking for a "new date and venue" to unveil the smartphone, which has been dubbed both the Galaxy Nexus and the Nexus Prime.

"We agree that it is just not the right time to announce a new product," the companies said in a statement. In a follow-up statement to CNET, a Samsung spokesperson said that the death of Apple co-founder Jobs prompted the decision.

Apple announced earlier this week that Jobs had died after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 56.

"We believe this is not the right time to announce a new product as the world expresses tribute to Steve Jobs's passing," the spokesperson said. "We do not have information on the rescheduling of the event."

Samsung's upcoming smartphone could be one of the worst-kept secrets in the mobile arena right now.

While neither Google nor Samsung wants to admit its existence, several reports have cropped up that offer details on what the device will feature when it's finally announced. Just two days, Samsung has posted a teaser video for the device, which has a definite curve in its design.

Yesterday, Boy Genius Report said the phone will be available exclusively on Verizon's network and run Ice Cream Sandwich--the newest, and as-yet unlaunched, version of the Android OS. The smartphone will reportedly come with a 1.2GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal storage. BSG says the device will feature a 5-megapixel camera and have the ability to record video content in 1080p HD. The handset is also rumored to have a 4.65-inch display.

In addition, images and video of Samsung's handset have reportedly been leaked by a Romanian Web site, called Mobilissimo. Those images and video seem to corroborate BGR's claims about the handset's specs, including a big display and 5-megapixel camera.

If and when the smartphone hits store shelves, the device will be facing off with Apple's latest handset, the iPhone 4S. That device, unveiled this week at Apple's Cupertino, Calif., headquarters, features the same body as its predecessor, the iPhone 4 but offers a dual-core processor, 8-megapixel camera, and up to 64GB of storage. Apple's iPhone 4S is available for preorder starting today and will launch next week.

Tablet vendors scurry to undercut $500 iPad

2011-10-10T12:58:00.001+05:30

What's the sweet spot fortablet pricing? We're finding out as Hewlett-Packard, RIM, HTC, and others learn that trying to sell a tablet at the iPad's starting price of $500 may be a fool's errand.

Lenovo and Best Buy are the latest to bring down pricing, selling the 10-inch Lenovo IdeaPad K1 tablet with 32GBtoday and Monday for $329, down from $499. And that 10-inch tablet comes with a dual-core Nvidia processor and Android 3.1.

At Best Buy, HTC also recently knocked down the 7-inch HTC Flyer to $299 from $499. This happened--probably not coincidentally--right after the $199 Amazon Kindle Fire was announced--which is selling briskly, thank you.

RIM and Best Buy have also been testing the $299 price-point waters for the 7-inch BlackBerry PlayBook, $200 off the regular price. As of Sunday, it's back up to $499. But that price seems almost fanciful now.

And India's $60 Android tablet--albeit with very-low-end features--offers a whole new take on tablet pricing.

Tablet price reality check:

HP TouchPad (10-inch, WebOS): sold at fire-sale for $99.99 (16GB), reduced from $499.
Amazon Kindle Fire (7-inch, Android): $199.99 (8GB).
BlackBerry PlayBook (7-inch, QNX): periodically on sale for $299.99 (16GB), reduced from $499.
Lenovo K1 (10-inch, Android): on sale for $329.99 (32GB), reduced from $499 (Sunday, Monday only).
HTC Flyer (7-inch, Android) : $299.99 (16GB), reduced from $499.
Asus Eee Pad Transformer (10-inch, Android): regular price of $399 (16GB).
Acer Iconia (7-inch, Android) : $329.99 (8GB).
Toshiba Thrive (10-inch, Android): $399.99 (16GB).

But don't expect Apple's iPad to come down in price anytime soon. It still starts at $499.99 and is still listed as a top seller at Best Buy and Amazon.

That doesn't mean Apple is invulnerable of course. A future 10-inch Amazon tablet priced aggressively could put pressure on Apple. "Amazon is already working with Foxconn to develop a direct competitor to Apple with a 10-inch display," said Ashok Kumar, an analyst at Rodman & Renshaw. "Potentially they could come up with some disruptive pricing. For that, I think Apple would have to react," he said.

That may be wishful thinking though. Apple is famous for sticking to its price guns. Kumar suggests one scenario, however, where Apple reduces the price on an older iPad, similar to what it has done withe iPhone 3GS.

Egypt PM Essam Sharaf urges calm after Cairo clashes

2011-10-10T12:54:00.000+05:30

Egypt's PM has appealed for calm after 24 people were killed as clashes between Coptic Christians and security forces escalated into full-scale riots.

The violence broke out after a protest in Cairo against an attack on a church in Aswan province last week, with Muslims joining in on both sides.

PM Essam Sharaf said discord between Muslims and Christians in Egypt was "a threat to the country's security".

An emergency cabinet meeting has been called for Monday.

The BBC's Yolande Knell in Cairo says there is pressure on ministers and on the country's military rulers to give assurances about national unity.

A nighttime curfew was lifted at 07:00 local time (05:00 GMT).

Mr Sharaf, who toured the area where the clashes occurred, also addressed calls by protesters for the removal of the military rulers.

"The most serious threat to the country's security is tampering with national unity, and the stirring of discord between Muslim and Christian sons of Egypt," he said in a televised address late on Sunday.

He added that such violence - the worst in Egypt since President Hosni Mubarak was ousted in February - was "tampering with the relationship between the people and the army".

Earlier, Egyptian TV showed protesters clashing with security forces as army vehicles burned outside the state TV building where protesters had originally planned a sit-in.

There were also reports of burning vehicles outside the Coptic hospital, where many of the injured have been taken.

Sectarian tensions have increased in recent months in Egypt.

The Copts - who make up about 10% of the population - accuse the governing military council of being too lenient on the perpetrators of a string of anti-Christian attacks.

Stones hurled

Thousands - mainly but not exclusively Christians - joined the initial march from the Shubra district of northern Cairo to the state TV building in Maspero Square.

They were calling on the military council to sack the governor of Aswan province. They also accused state TV of fanning the flames of anti-Christian agitation.

“

But the demonstrators said they were assaulted by attackers in plain clothes before the clashes with the security forces broke out.

The violence began outside the state TV building but soon spread to Tahrir Square, the epicentre of the demonstrations which led to President Mubarak's resignation.

There were reports of thousands joining in the street violence, attacking both sides. Rioters tore up the pavement and hurled stones.

Correspondents say that many Muslims came out to defend Christians from the security forces and protest against the military's continued hold on power.

Some called for the resignation of the military council, in particular its chairman, Field Marshal Mohamed Tantawi.

Others responded to government calls to help the army quell the unrest for the sake of stability.

Some protesters reported hearing gunfire, and several said they had seen a military vehicle run over at least five people.

Eyewitness Nigel Hetherington says troops fired rubber bullets and teargas into crowds. "I saw civilians running past my window as troops fired wildly into the crowds," he told the BBC.

The ministry of health said that at least 24 people had been killed and 212 had been wounded in the violence.

Of this number, at least 86 were security forces, ministry spokesman Hisham Shiha told the BBC.

Discrimination concern

The BBC's Yolande Knell in Cairo says sectarian tensions have simmered in the political and security vacuum that has developed in the past couple of months.

Christians have been worried by the increasing show of strength by ultra-conservative Islamists.

In May, 12 people died in attacks on Coptic churches. In March, 13 people were killed in clashes between Muslims and Copts in Tahrir Square.

This latest violence comes ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for 28 November, the first such vote since former President Hosni Mubarak stepped down.

The Copts, the largest minority in Egypt, complain of discrimination, including a law requiring presidential permission for churches to be built. Egypt only recognises conversions from Christianity to Islam, not the other way.

- source BBC

Recession 2011: No double-dip recession !

2011-08-08T11:13:00.000+05:30

The world is unlikely to plunge into a double-dip recession, notwithstanding the crash in global stock markets and the US loss of AAA rating from Standard & Poor's. However, the global economy is slowing down, and slow global growth may persist for years - this typically happens when a recession arises from a financial crisis.

The fall in stock markets looks more a buying opportunity than the start of another slide to recession levels. US politicians managed to increase the country's debt ceiling on August 2 just in time to avoid technical default. The stand-off between Democrats and Republicans was seen by alarmists as political paralysis with grave future portents.

In fact, it was political theatre, a variation of a similar drama that played out in 1995. Remember, the conflict between Mukesh and Anil Ambani over their industrial inheritance was terribly bitter, but nobody thought for a minute that it would lead to Reliance defaulting on its debts.

The same holds for the US: partisan battles can be bitter and can lead to gridlock, even technical default, but not to real inability to pay up. Even if the US had technically defaulted by being unable to issue cheques for a few days - as actually happened in 1995 - nobody doubted that the cheques would become cashable with a small delay.

Indeed, in the past few days global investors have exited emerging markets and rushed into dollars as a safe haven. That underlines the point that, no matter how big the problems of the US may be, no other country looks a safer haven. Investors may desire an alternative to the American dollar as the main global currency, but neither the euro nor yen look remotely capable of taking its place.

The US remains unrivalled in its innovation and academic strength. The problems of Europe are deeper. The Eurozone was created as a monetary union of European countries without a corresponding fiscal union. This has turned out to be unsustainable. One alternative is for the weaker countries of southern Europe to abandon the euro and regain flexibility over their own currencies.

The second alternative is for Eurozone countries to go for some sort of fiscal union, in which the stronger countries guarantee the debts of the weaker economies. Politicians find both alternatives too radical to contemplate, and so preferred one fudge after another.

Markets Apprehensive

The markets can see this, and so are apprehensive. Yet fudging is indeed possible for quite some time. Voters in Germany and some other northern countries are dead against repeated rescues of what they regard as the profligate and ungrateful south. So a formal fiscal union of all Eurozone countries is impossible.

But it is entirely possible for the weaker countries to be given the right to issue Eurobonds - bonds guaranteed by all countries of the European Union. Since Germany and France are among the guarantors, the bonds will be seen as safe, and interest rates will come down to sustainable levels. This fudge can continue for years before the contingent liability of the northern countries begins to look excessive.

Synthia: The First Man Made Cell

2011-08-02T23:58:00.000+05:30

Scientist accused of playing God after creating artificial life by making designer microbe from scratch - but could it wipe out humanity?

Scientists today lined up to air their fears over a genome pioneer's claims that he has created artificial life in the laboratory.
In a world first, which has alarmed many, maverick biologist and billionaire entrepreneur Craig Venter, built a synthetic cell from scratch.
The creation of the new life form, which has been nicknamed 'Synthia', paves the way for customised bugs that could revolutionise healthcare and fuel production, according to its maker.
But there are fears that the research, detailed in the journal Science, could be abused to create the ultimate biological weapon, or that one mistake in a lab could lead to millions being wiped out by a plague, in scenes reminiscent of the Will Smith film I Am Legend.

While some hailed the research as 'a defining moment in the history of biology', others attacked it as 'a shot in the dark', with 'unparalleled risks'. The team involved have been accused of 'playing God' and tampering 'with the essence of life'.
Dr Venter created the lifeform by synthesising a DNA code and injecting it into a single bacteria cell. The cell containing the man-made DNA then grew and divided, creating a hitherto unseen lifeform.
Kenneth Oye, a social scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the U.S., said: 'Right now, we are shooting in the dark as to what the long-term benefits and long-term risks will be.'

This picture shows the colonies of the artificial lifeform nicknamed 'Synthia'
Pat Mooney, of the ETC group, a technology watchdog with a special interest in synthetic biology, said: 'This is a Pandora's box moment - like the splitting of the atom or the cloning of Dolly the sheep, we will all have to deal with the fall-out from this alarming experiment.'
Dr David King, of the Human Genetics Alert watchdog, said: 'What is really dangerous is these scientists' ambitions for total and unrestrained control over nature, which many people describe as 'playing God'.
'Scientists' understanding of biology falls far short of their technical capabilities. We have learned to our cost the risks that gap brings, for the environment, animal welfare and human health.'
Professor Julian Savulescu, an Oxford University ethicist, said: 'Venter is creaking open the most profound door in humanity's history, potentially peeking into its destiny.
'He is not merely copying life artificially or modifying it by genetic engineering. He is going towards the role of God: Creating artificial life that could never have existed.'
He said the creation of the first designer bug was a step towards 'the creation of living beings with capacities and a nature that could never have naturally evolved'. The risks were 'unparalleled',' he added.
And he warned: 'This could be used in the future to make the most powerful bioweapons imaginable. The challenge is to eat the fruit without the worm.'
Dr Venter, who was instrumental in sequencing the human genome, had previously succeeded in transplanting one bug's genome - its entire cache of DNA - into another bacterium, effectively changing its species.
He has taken this one step further, transplanting not a natural genome but a man-made one. To do this, he read the DNA of Mycoplasma mycoides, a bug that infects goats, and recreated it piece by piece.
The fragments were then 'stitched together' and inserted into a bacterium from a different species.
There, it sprang to life, allowing the bug to grow and multiply, producing generations that were entirely artificial.
The transferred DNA contained around 850 genes - a fraction of the 20,000 or so contained in a human's genetic blueprint.

In future, bacterial 'factories' could be set up to manufacture artificial organisms designed for specific tasks such as medicines or producing clean biofuels.
The technology could also be harnessed to create environmentally friendly bugs capable of mopping up carbon dioxide or toxic waste.
Dr Venter, a 63-year-old Vietnam War veteran known for his showman tendencies, said last night: 'We are entering a new era where we're limited mostly by our imaginations.'
But the breakthrough, which took 15 years and £27.7million to achieve, opens an ethical Pandora's box. Ethicists said he is 'creaking open the most profound door in humanity's history' - with unparalleled risks.
Dr Venter, whose team of 20 scientists includes a Nobel laureate, likens the process to booting-up a computer.
Like a program without a hard drive, the DNA doesn't do anything by itself. But, when the software is loaded into the computer - in this case the second bacterium - amazing things are possible, he said.

Now that the scientist, whose J Craig Venter Institute has labs in California and Maryland, has proved the concept, the path is open for him to alter the 'recipe' to create any sort of organism he chooses.
At the top of his wishlist are bugs capable of producing clean biofuels and of sucking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. Other possibilities include designer microbes that can mop up oil slicks or generate huge quantities of drugs, including the flu vaccine.
Any such organisms would be deliberately 'crippled' so that they cannot survive outside the lab, he claimed.
Brushing aside the ethical concerns of his work, Dr Venter wrote in his autobiography that it would allow 'a new creature to enter the world'.
'We have often been asked if this will be a step too far,' he said. 'I always reply that - so far at least - we are only reconstructing a diminished version of what is out there in nature.'
Last night, he claimed the breakthrough had changed his views on the definition of life. 'We have ended up with the first synthetic cell powered and controlled by a synthetic chromosome and made from four bottles of chemicals,' he said.
'It is pretty stunning when you just replace the DNA software in a cell and the cell instantly starts reading that new software and starts making a whole new set of proteins, and within a short while all the characteristics of the first species disappear and a new species emerges.
'That's a pretty important change in how we approach and think about life.'
The process was carried out on one of the simplest types of bacteria, under strict ethical guidelines. The research team insist that they cannot think of a day when the technology could be used to create animals or people from scratch.

Huawei - the secretive tech giant

2011-07-27T09:56:00.001+05:30

Huawei's workforce is young, with an average age of just 29 years old

Huawei's Ross Gan says the company cut its teeth on rural markets

The company is moving aggressively into consumer electronics

It's one of the world's leading - and somewhat inscrutable - technology companies.

Its telecom systems connect a third of the world's mobile phones. And globally, it employs 110,000 staff - more than Cisco or Microsoft.

The company is Huawei - born and bred in Shenzhen, southern China. And it epitomises today's power of Asia.

"It's a very young company, it's less than 20 years old," explains Ross Gan, global head of Huawei Technologies' corporate communications.

"Our workforce is also very young - the average age is 29 - so there's a very dynamic environment within the company."

This is certainly the impression one gets at the sprawling headquarters campus in Shenzhen's Longgang district, where 40,000 employees work.

Here, the company houses key research-and-development units, global testing facilities, and an executive training centre. But the enthusiasm on show isn't all down to the youth factor.

Huawei is owned totally by its employees - with around 60% of its staff holding non-tradable shares that are allocated according to position and performance.

Zhong Jianwei is a project manager in Huawei's technical compliance unit

In its early days, Huawei had to fight its corner for a share of China's mobile telecoms market.

Back then, the main orders for the lucrative urban network systems went to either state-owned companies or foreign firms. So Huawei, instead, focused on the challenging countryside.

"Huawei actually cut its teeth in the rural markets where the conditions were such that we had to design very specialised and customised equipment in order to meet our customers' needs," says Ross Gan.

This included developing infrastructure that could withstand variable power supplies, lightning and attacks by rats.

As the company grew and expanded into foreign markets, it made a name for itself as a problem solver - listening to its potential customers' needs or problems and designing solutions.

Huawei is now the world's second-largest supplier of mobile telecom equipment, after Ericsson, serving 31 of the top 50 telecoms operators. It also boasts 55% of the global market share in 3G dongles.

Engineering cream

Revenues in 2010 topped $28bn, and the company predicts an aggressive expansion over the next 10 years to $100bn.

The main driver is its workers - of which 46% are engaged in research and development (R&D). The company has applied for more than 49,000 patents.

Huawei attracts the cream of China's engineers - postgraduates like Zhong Jianwei, project manager at the company's technical compliance unit.

He discovered that working here is very different from most large Chinese companies with their typical rigid, statist, chains of command.

"Every day, I need to communicate with Huawei staff all over the world. It's international here - global," remarks Zhong Jianwei.

"I've never experienced this before."

To achieve its growth targets, Huawei wants new experiences.

It's not going to drop its core business - providing the systems for mobile operators in 140 countries - but it is developing two new strategic pillars.

"A lot of it is driven by the larger forces of convergence," says Ross Gan.

"There are other customer segments out there - such as the enterprise market and increasingly the device markets."

Enterprise is about developing technology that helps make companies, even cities, more efficient and even more secure.

At the Shenzhen headquarters, it's clear that huge efforts are going into video conferencing - from standard desktop or mobile use to the kind of systems used by large corporations and governments. The goal is to create near face-to face communication.

The design team is now working on reducing today's distracting seams between the multi-screens.

"Within the next one-to-two years, we will, step-by-step, go from a narrow gap to no gap, to even 3D, " enthuses Luo Shan, software development engineer.

"Now we're working on the technology. We want to deliver a trusted high-level experience."

Enterprise has moved the company into the IT sector. It plans to be a big player in providing solutions for tech convergence.

Huawei has also set its sights on the cloud - from creating the basic hardware to developing the software and applications.

It's also marketing the cloud in a box - kitting out standard shipping containers as fully functional data centres which can then be dropped off ready for use.

Gadgets and gizmos

For large operations, customers need only prepare a shell of a building that can house multiple containers.

Huawei is making an aggressive push into the consumer market - video on demand, phones, 4G network cards - albeit delivering in much smaller boxes.

This year, it expects to ship 60m cellphones - from entry level to smart.

Much of the manufacturing is outsourced - including to Foxconn which has its huge Shenzhen manufacturing complex close by.

Huawei mainly supplies, wholesale, to the likes of mobile operators - though this strategy is changing.

After two decades of being in the crucial, but "boring", end of the mobile revolution - and largely unknown among the world's public at large - it's now seriously into brand building.

The company is rolling out tablets and smart phones and establishing new marketing channels.

The reality about Huawei is that it is a private company, wholly owned by its employees”

Taking a leaf out of Apple's book, the company plans to develop a network of retail stores, in China and overseas.

Security concerns

The company has an image problem, however, among US lawmakers - who accuse it of maintaining links with China's military.

Citing national security concerns, they've vetoed two Huawei purchases of US technology firms.

Huawei has long rejected such concerns - stressing it is an employee-owned company that welcomes a serious discussion with its detractors in order to put the accusations to rest.

"There is no link between Huawei and the military," stresses Ross Gan.

"The reality about Huawei is that it is a private company, wholly owned by its employees, who are its shareholders - and the company operates on a commercial basis and nothing more."

That said, the company hasn't made life easy for itself. It lifted a cloak of secrecy over its board membership only in April 2011.

- Source BBC

US tries 'mango diplomacy' with Pak as ties sour

2011-07-27T09:40:00.000+05:30

At a time when the bilateral relationship between Pakistan and the US is at its "lowest ebb", the Obama administration hopes to sweeten the ties with its mango diplomacy.

The first consignment of mangoes from Pakistan, that too the mouthwatering 'Chaunsa' variety, is all set to land in the US this week, thus ending the decades old ban on import of any variety of mango from Pakistan.

Incidentally the mangoes are flown from Pakistan to Chicago, the home town of President Barack Obamawhich also has a significant Pakistani community.

The Pakistani Consulate in Chicago has organized a "grand mango arrival ceremony" on Friday, a Pakistani embassy official said.

Administration officials said Pakistan started calling for lifting ban on its mangoes soon after the US gave permission for import of Alphonso mango from India; the first consignment of which arrived in US in 2007.

The process was accelerated when secretary of state Hillary Clinton during her visit to Pakistan last year announced to lift import restrictions on Chaunsa variety of mango from Pakistan.

However, it could not make to the US last year because of the floods.

The first consignment of Chaunsa mangoes, said an official of the Pakistan Consulate in Chicago, would land in Chicago on July 27. Following which the mangoes would be treated at a radiation facility. The consulate has organized the mango arrival ceremony on July 29.

Even though import of Chaunsa - which is also grown in parts of Uttar Pradesh in India - gives a sense of accomplishment to the Pakistani officials, mango traders in the US argue that it is likely to meet the same fate as that of the Alphonso vareity from India.

Because of the high cost factor involved due to its importation by flight, both Chaunsa and Alphonso would remain beyond the reach of the common man here.

- Source Indiatimes

Norway killer's pro-Hindutva rant has Sangh squirming

2011-07-27T09:37:00.000+05:30

Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik's ringing endorsement of Hindutva and Hindu nationalists has left saffron leaders embarrassed.

Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik's ringing endorsement of Hindutva andHindu nationalists has left saffron leaders embarrassed.

Ram Madhav of RSS called it "motivated propaganda", while VHP's Vinod Bansal insisted that his manifesto, in which he has praised Hindu nationalists, "made no sense". However, BJP MP B P Singhal was quoted as saying that the killer's ideas were not wrong but his methods were.

In his over 1,500-page manifesto titled "2083: A European Declaration of Independence", Breivik talks of Hindutva elements as allies and urges them to fight shoulder to shoulder with his knights. His mission: To stem the spread of Islam in Europe. That India occupies a large part of his perverse mindspace is clear from the 100 pages he dedicates to the country. He comes out in support of "sanatana dharma movements and Indian nationalists in general". He provides the BJP, RSS and ABVP websites as references for more information. The Indian government, he claims, should have insisted on a name change of the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan, because they were named after the Hindus who "were massacred" there. Modern India, he says, "white washed this Hindu genocide", which he likens to "Auschwitz".

Breivik quotes an NCERT directive of 1982 (which actually shows India embracing its multicultural identity) to say he is outraged that it stipulates, "characterization of the medieval period as a time of conflict between Hindus and Moslems is forbidden".

Reacting to Breivik's rant, Ram Madhav, senior RSS leader, said: " His entire so-called manifesto quotes conservative writers from both sides of the Atlantic. Ideological similarities have been drawn from all over, so to say suddenly that it is linked to Indian nationalists or Hindutva is simply motivated propaganda."

The VHP's Vinod Bansal said: "Most of what he has to say makes no sense, except the bit about appeasing Muslims is right. Basically, the UPA government under Sonia Gandhi has been indulging in it and also framing policies in such a way that the whole country is converted to Christianity."

Hindus, Breivik says, have been victims of the greatest historical "genocide" by waves of Islamic jihad.

He quotes right-wing historian KS Lal to argue his point. The most important part of this document is his cherry-picking of history and religion to come to some terribly distorted conclusions.

Breivik claims he wrote several emails and also used Facebook to reach out to people in India. It is possible that he sent his manifesto to the addresses he farmed ahead of the massacre.

There are several themes running through Breivik's tortured manifesto. On the one hand, he attacks Islam and the "appeasement" of Muslims by everybody from western countries to countries like India. But on the other, he has a special place for what he calls the Marxist intellectuals, who, he says, dominate western thought and stifle free societies.

- Source TOI

Biggest deal: IAF may buy 189 jets for $20bn

2011-07-27T09:32:00.001+05:30

The "mother" could well become the "granny" of all defence deals in the years ahead.India is likely to go in for another 63 fighters after delivery of the first 126 MMRCA (medium multi-role combat aircraft) if the "timelines" for its other fighter development projects are not met, say top defence officials.

When the MMRCA selection process was initiated by the defence ministry in mid-2007, the overall project cost was pegged at Rs 42,000 crore, or $10.4 billion for 126 fighters. But it will zoom well beyond $20 billion, if India eventually decides to opt for 189 jets since inflation is also being factored in. Even with 126 jets, this is the biggest such fighter contract going around the world as of now.

This comes even as MoD is all set to open the commercial bids of the two jets left in the MMRCA fray -French Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon -"within a week or two". Eurofighter Typhoon is backed by the UK, Germany, Spain and Italy,

MoD has already rejected "any scope for comeback" by the other four jets, including the American F/A-18s and F-16s, ejected out of the MMRCA race in April on technical grounds after gruelling field trials.

"We are looking for only 126 fighters. The first 18 jets will come from abroad, while the rest 108 will be manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd after transfer of technology (ToT) from end-2016 or early-2017 onwards," said a senior MoD official.

"But yes, if the timelines for the Tejas LCA (light combat aircraft) and the stealth Indo-Russian FGFA (fifth-generation fighter aircraft) projects are not met, we will go for more MMRCA to retain IAF's combat edge," he added.

Apart from progressively inducting 272 Sukhoi-30MKIs contracted from Russia for around $12 billion, IAF is slated to induct the first lot of 120 indigenous Tejas from end-2013 onwards. India also hopes to begin inducting 250 to 300 FGFA from 2020 onwards under the joint project with Russia, which rough calculations show will eventually cost India around $35 billion in the decades ahead.

But that is in the future. The request for proposal (RFP) for the ongoing MMRCA competition, issued in August 2007, did have the standard clause of India reserving the option to go in for 50% more fighters, over and above the initial 126, in the coming years.

This, however, is the first time that top defence officials have directly linked the progress in the LCA and FGFA projects to the possibility of exceeding the MMRCA acquisition beyond the first 126 jets.

"Commercial bids of Eurofighter and Rafale will soon be opened, with the reports of the Technical Oversight Committee (TOC) and Technical Offsets Evaluation Committee (TOEC) virtually complete now," said another official.

But it will not be "a cut-and-dried" affair to determine the lowest bidder (L-1). "Calculation of L-1 will take around a month due to the huge amounts of mathematical and data verification of the lifecycle costs of operating the jets over a 40-year period, with 6,000 hours of flying, as well as cost of ToT," he added.

Final commercial negotiations with the L-1 vendor will then begin before the contract is ready for signing by December or January. IAF, on its part, wants deliveries of the 126 fighters to begin from December, 2014, onwards to stem its fast-eroding combat edge. Plans have already been firmed up to base the first MMRCA squadron at Ambala, with subsequent squadrons coming up both in the western and eastern theatres.

- Source TOI

2G scam: PM a man of honesty, integrity, says Congress

2011-07-27T09:25:00.001+05:30

Congress dismissed BJP's demand for resignation of Prime MinisterManmohan Singh on the 2G issue, saying that he is a man of "honesty, integrity and rectitude". (Read : BJP demands resignations of PM, Chidambaram )

"If at all anyone raised questions about the processes on the 2G issue, it was the Prime Minister," Congress spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters here.

He was replying to a volley of questions on former telecom minister A Raja's claims in a Delhi court that the issue of sale of equity by spectrum licences was discussed with Singh and the then finance minister P Chidambaram and the BJP demanding the Prime Minister's resignation.

Tewari's refrain was Raja's claims in a Delhi court were statements of an "accused trying to defend himself at the time of framing of charges".

"The allegations are made not by a member of the Council of Ministers but by an accused," he said, adding that it would be a "very sad day for Indian democracy if excessive and unnecessary reliance is given to a statements by an accused who is making a point".

On the BJP demand for resignation of the Prime Minister, Tewari said: "Unke upar laanchan lagana suraj ke upar thookne jaisa hai (To denigrate him is like spitting at the sun)".

The Congress spokesman said he made the statement with regard to the Prime Minister with "full and complete responsibility".

"The Prime Minister is known for his integrity, probity and rectitude all over the world," Tewari said.

Raja's court argument is not evidence: Sibal

Telecom minister Kapil Sibal on Monday hit out at opposition BJP for demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and home minister P Chidambaram by treating the argument of former telecom minister A Raja in 2G scam case in the court as evidence against the government.

His comments came after BJP president Nitin Gadkari demanded resignation of Singh and Chidambaram stating that what Raja had said in court showed that the top leadership of the government was aware of all 2G transactions.

Raja told a Delhi court hearing the 2G case that Chidambaram, then finance minister, had told the Prime Minister that dilution of shares by 2G licencees to attract FDI did not not amount to sale of licence.

Sibal told a press conference it was "unfortunate" that President of a national political party like BJP demanded resignation on the basis of arguments made by Raja in the court. "He (Gadkari) should have consulted Arun Jaitley (senior BJP leader) or some other lawyer".

On the allegations that two new telecom licencees -- Unitech and Swan-- divested their equity at premium, the telecom minister asserted that "there was no disinvestment and it was only dilution of stake by bringing in additional equity".

Asked whether the Prime Minister knew about the dilution of equity by Unitech and Swan, Sibal said "yes, the Prime Minister knew that it was dilution of equity" by way of issuing new shares and there was no divestment of promoters' equity.

He also took a dig at BJP for not acting against Karnataka chief minister B Yeddyruppa who is facing allegations of corruption.

"The way these issues are being raised by them (BJP) ahead of Parliament session, it seems thay have no other issue and they are adopting these tactics to disrupt the session", Sibal said.

- Source TOI

2G scam: A Raja trains guns on attorney general Vahanvati

2011-07-27T09:18:00.001+05:30

Raja himself took to the bar in order to launch a 10 minute-long diatribe against the attorney general, asking his counsel Sushil Kumar to step aside.

A day after he named Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and home minister P Chidambaram, jailed former telecom minister A Raja on Tuesday trained his guns on attorney general G E Vahanvati, saying the top law officer, after supporting the Department of Telecom on spectrum allocation, reversed his position under pressure.

Raja himself took to the bar in order to launch a 10 minute-long diatribe against the attorney general, asking his counsel Sushil Kumar to step aside.

"For three years, the then SG (Vahanvati was then solicitor general) made money by appearing for the Department of Telecom, for the government and defending this case but now suddenly, under pressure or for whatever reasons, he gives such a statement which even a rustic villager would throw out," a charged up Raja said, as he pressed for Vahanvati to be made a witness in the 2G spectrum scam.

Accusing Vahanvati of an about-turn, Raja said he was being punished for following the AG's legal advice. "He (Vahanvati) has become the AG from SG after defending this case for three years... and I am in jail for following his advice. Is this justice," the jailed telecom minister demanded.

He disputed Vahanvati's statement to CBI that the jailed telecom minister forged changes in a press statement after getting it cleared by Vahanvati, then the solicitor general. The amended press note was allegedly used by Raja to arbitrarily change the eligibility criteria for allocation of 2G spectrum in order to favour select telecom companies.

Raja claimed that he did no forgery, saying the changes he made in the press statement were approved by Vahanvati. Saying that Vahanvati "vetted" all his decisions, the former telecom minister insisted that the attorney general be made a witness.

Vahanvati refused to comment on Raja's allegations against him, saying the matter was sub-judice. But he did reiterate his stand taken before the CBI that the only press release he approved was the one that talked about the first-come first-served basis for telecom licences. "This press release was then changed to make it first-comply first-served, that is whoever complies with the conditions first will be given the licence. I was never shown this amended release but Raja wrote in separate ink saying it had been approved. This is what I also told the CBI," the AG said.

Raja also criticizes SC for the probe

Raja also criticized the Supreme Court for the probe into the 2G spectrum scam case. The former telecom minister told the trial court it should act independently by using its "judicial conscience", asking how anybody could "interfere" with trial proceedings.

"How can anybody tell you (special CBI judge O P Saini) that the chargesheet will be filed after 60 days? How can anybody say that the bail plea can be heard only after framing of charges? No court in India can interfere in your work," senior advocate Sushil Kumar, appearing for Raja, said.

"Was the Supreme Court conscious of the fact that the chargesheet was filed (in this case) after 60 days? Some persons in the highest court have illegally looked at the chargesheet," Kumar said.

"This is the most unfair trial. For the last six months, you (CBI judge) have been examining documents. I am put in jail. I am not getting bail because of the pressure exerted by some other court. Please use your judicial conscience," Kumar said.

Advancing arguments on framing of charges, the DMK MP submitted before Saini that the case was depicted as a "sensational" one and as a consequence, nobody was caring for the judicial system.

"Did anyone care? This is so sensational a case because of Raja that no one cares for provisions of the CrPC and the judicial system. You are degrading the judicial system in this case," he said.

- source TOI

The Biological Clock

2011-07-25T12:20:00.000+05:30

Have you ever thought how the biological clock inside every living things are maintained?

Well its quite a interesting story.

The biological compound named Melatonin is responsible for that. Questions comes how? What is Melatonin?

Well to start with the details , lets say,

Melatonin is a hormone( N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine ) secreted by the pineal gland in the brain. Many biological effects of melatonin are produced through activation of melatonin receptors, while others are due to its role as a pervasive and powerful antioxidant, with a particular role in the protection of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. It helps regulate other hormones and maintains the body's circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm is an internal 24-hour “clock” that plays a critical role in when we fall asleep and when we wake up. When it is dark, your body produces more melatonin; when it is light, the production of melatonin drops. Being exposed to bright lights in the evening or too little light during the day can disrupt the body' s normal melatonin cycles. For example, jet lag, shift work, and poor vision can disrupt melatonin cycles.

Here is the chemical structure of the compound.

This compound looks something like this in 3d shape -

Some researchers also believe that melatonin levels may be related to aging. For example, young children have the highest levels of nighttime melatonin. Researchers believe these levels drop as we age. Some people think lower levels of melatonin may explain why some older adults have sleep problems and tend to go to bed and wake up earlier than when they were younger. However, newer research calls this theory into question.

Melatonin has strong antioxidant effects. Preliminary evidence suggests that it may help strengthen the immune system.

If you are considering using melatonin supplements, talk to your doctor first.

To sum up the uses of Melatonin , Lets highlight the fields in which Melatonin plays a significant role :-

Insomnia
Menopause
Breast Cancer
Prostate Cancer

The hormone melatonin is used to treat circadian rhythm sleep disorders and some types of insomnia.

Studies have found that the use of melatonin can help entrain the circadian clock to environmental cycles and have beneficial effects for the treatment of certain forms of insomnia. Prolonged release melatonin has shown good results in treating insomnia in older adults.

Legal availability of melatonin varies in different countries, ranging from being available without prescription (e.g., in most of North America) to being available only on prescription or not at all (although its possession and use may not be illegal). The hormone may be administered orally, as capsules, tablets or liquid, sublingually, or as transdermal patches.

Activate Windows7 Any Version

2011-07-25T11:56:00.001+05:30

How to Activate Windows7 without genuine license ?

How To --

While using Windows7 you have often seen error messages popping out of the system tray saying that 'This copy of windows is not genuine. You may be a victim of software counter-feiting' and blah blah ! Also sometimes it is very confusing when you want to use a pirated copy of windows7 but you don't have a patch or activator. You may also find that most of the patches found in the internet for activating Windows7 is rather a virus or Trojan.

Here is what you need to do. This is quite easy.

Go to Google's home-page and search for 'WAT-remover'. Search will produce a list. From there you'll get enough links to download a free WAT-remover software.

Alternatively you can download the torrent from here.

After downloading you need to run that software. But remember to disconnect the Internet-connection before running this tool, or may be the clever Windows7 (really ?) will black-list that tool. So better be on safe-side.

This 'WAT remover' also works fine if you want to update your Windows7 and it gets a piracy-message and then apply Windows Activation Tool(WAT).