Internet Explorer 9 Beta is Out

I prefer to browse the interwebs via Firefox or Safari, but if you in the majority who use Internet Explorer, check out the new version of the browser which was just released in beta today.
In their new IE9 website, Microsoft says the new version will have better graphics and video capabilities, HTML5 support and a cleaner, sleeker design. Much of the look and feel comes from IE competitors Firefox and Chrome.
Note that Windows XP is not supported! Internet Explorer 9 requires either Vista or Windows 7.
The final release date of IE9 may not come until the spring or later next year.
Here’s a preview of what’s to come in IE9 via mashable.

Facebook Hits 500 Million Users

Love it or hate it, Facebook has come a monster. The oft-controversial social networking site just announced that is has reached the 500 million user mark.
“This is an important milestone for all of you who have helped spread Facebook around the world,” said founder Mark Zuckerburg. “Now a lot more people have the opportunity to stay connected with the

NASA launches free online video game about lunar adventure

Players can step into the role of an exploration team member in a futuristic 3-D lunar settlement.

The objective is to restore critical systems and oxygen flow after a meteor strike cripples a solar array and life support equipment. Available resources include an interactive command centre, lunar rover, mobile robotic repair units and fully stocked equipment shed.

The first game in NASA's Learning Technologies project, it supports the delivery of NASA content through interactive technologies such as virtual worlds, games and software applications to enhance science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, education.

Moonbase Alpha is a precursor to a planned NASA-based massively, multiplayer online game project. The project is being designed to have content and missions that require players to gain and demonstrate STEM knowledge to succeed

New ‘American Idol’ judge J.Lo promises kinder, more nurturing show

New York, Sept 30: After sharp-tongued Simon Cowell's exit, it's Jennifer Lopez's turn to judge 'American Idol', and she promises a kinder, more nurturing show.

"I don't want to let anybody really great [not make it through] because they're nervous, and not get to see what they could have did," The New York Daily News quoted Lopez as saying.

"So we work them a little bit more than maybe you've seen in the past. We've given them more of a chance," she added.

That may be probably because Lopez and fellow newbie Steven Tyler have experienced firsthand the struggles of a rising performer.

"We know what it's like to be out there," Lopez said.

The singer said she's already been a combination of "tough, easy and fair" in just the first two days of judging.

Tyler, who grew up in Yonkers, said he was impressed with the local talent that showed up at the Liberty House restaurant in Jersey City, just across the Hudson River from downtown Manhattan.

The rocker's advice for those who didn't impress him, "Don't get mad at what we say, get better."

Lopez said she is looking for a sense of style and a good voice in participants.

"It's definitely part of the package when you're going to be an artist," she said. "[It's important] that you have your own image, and that it's very unique. What we're looking for, I don't know. It's individual for each person."

Partnerships with bat and ball pivotal to Oz defeating India: Ponting

Chandigarh, Oct.1: Australian cricket team captain Ricky Ponting has said that partnerships, both with the bat and the ball, would be pivotal to side putting up a good performance agai I thought that's what we did particularly well in the tour game, our batting partnerships on day one and even late in the second innings were good, and when we started our first bowling innings were really good as well," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Ponting, as saying.

"I think we bowled 10 or 11 maidens out of the 35 overs we've bowled in that first day, and what that does is create pressure on the opposition so that's what it's all about. Our partnerships with the bat and ball will create pressure on them, and if we keep them under pressure then we're doing what we want to do,” he added.

Ponting further said: "As a batting group you know in this part of the world that starting your innings can be really difficult, so whenever you've got partnerships going you've got to make sure you get big partnerships, knowing there's a chance you can lose a couple of quick ones once that's over."

"We're talking about trying to build pressure and it only needs to be a rotation of strike to get a batter down the other end, whether it's a single or a bye, can lead to all that pressure you're building not being there anymore," said Ponting.

The Australians are currently fourth in the ICC Test rankings, but will slide to fifth if they lose the series, while a victory will take them to third, ahead of Sri Lanka but behind South Africa and the top-ranked Indians..

US man with 23 kids by 14 women jailed for not paying child support

London, Sept 30: A man in the US, who fathered 23 children by 14 women, has been jailed for not paying child support.

Howard Veal, 44, who owes an astonishing 533,000 dollars in child support payments, has been sentenced to four-years imprisonment.

Michigan judge Denis Lieber branded Veal a "poster child for irresponsibility", who was an "insult to every responsible father who sacrifices to provide for his children".

"Animals procreate, human beings are supposed to nurture their children," the Daily Mail quoted Judge Lieber as saying.

"When you create a human being, I think you have a fundamental responsibility to provide for that child with necessities like food, clothing and shelter," he stated.

The judge was so appalled that he far exceeded the sentencing guidelines, which called for Veal, from Muskegon, Michigan, to receive no more than six months in the county jail.

Veal has been revealed to have barely worked over the years, choosing instead to live off benefits.

His jailing followed a guilty plea he made in July to owing Sherri Black, the mother of two of his children, more than 60,000 dollars in child support.

In seven years, Veal had paid just 87.75 dollars for the two children, now aged 16 and 11.

He told the court he was contributing money from his unemployment benefit and had never refused to pay.

However, Mitchell Wood, Michigan's assistant attorney general, had recommended that Veal's behaviour justified a jail sentence because he was unlikely ever to make substantial inroads into what he owes, especially as there remain 14 outstanding cases against him.

In Britain, parents who refuse to pay can be jailed for up to six weeks, although they can get out as soon as they hand over the money

Ayodhya verdict opens a new chapter for national integration: BJP

New Delhi, Sep.30: Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday said that the Ayodhya verdict has opened "a new chapter for national integration" and "a new era of inter- community relations". Reading out a statement before the reporters on behalf of the BJP after convening a meeting of the party's core group at his residence in Delhi after the court's verdict, Advani said, "In so far as the judgement upholds the right of the Hindus to construct a temple , it is a significant step forward toward the construction of a grand temple of the birthplace of Lord Ram." "The expert opinion of the Archaeological Survey of India and other expert agencies engaged by it has clearly opined that there were remains of a Hindu religious structure where the disputed structure stood," he stated.

"The BJP believes this verdict opens a new chapter for national integration and a new era of inter- community relations," the statement stated and further added: "The BJP is gratified that the nation has received the verdict with maturity."

Senior BJP leaders Murli Manohar Joshi, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitely, Rajnath Singh, M.Venkaiah Naidu, Ananth Kumar, Najma Heptullah and BJP President Nitin Gadkari were present in the meeting.

Earlier, Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, appealed to people across the country and all sections of religious faith to observe solidarity and unity, and respect the three-way judgment of the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court on the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case.

Addressing a news conference in the national capital, Bhagwat said: "The Allahabad High Court's judgment should not be viewed as anyone's victory or defeat. I appeal to all, including Muslims, that they should display national unity, as we have got an opportunity to express our unity through it."

Bhagwat also said: "The judgment has cleared the way to build Ram temple at Lord Ram's birthplace".

The high court bench decided to divide the disputed 2.7 acres of land into three parts, with each of the three parties to the suit getting a part of it.

Hindus, the Sunni Waqf Board and the Nirmohi Akhara, will each get one part of the disputed land.

The ownership of the disputed land has been divided as follows: (1) Ram Lala, the birthplace of Lord Ram, given to Ram Lalla Virajman (2) Sita Rasoi and Ram Chabootra to Nirmohi Akhara and (3) The remaining part to be given to the Sunni Waqf Board.

Meanwhile, there will be a status quo in Ayodhya for three months during which a petition can be filed.

Court splits Ayodhya mosque site between religions

A court ruled on Thursday that the site of a demolished mosque in Ayodhya would be split between Hindus and Muslims, dousing immediate fears of a violent backlash in one of the country's most religiously divisive cases.The Uttar Pradesh court also ruled Hindus will be allowed to keep a makeshift temple that was built over the demolished central mosque dome, sparking celebrations by priests who dipped in a nearby river chanting "The temple is now ours".The 1992 demolition of the 16th century mosque in northern India by Hindu mobs triggered some of India's worst riots that killed about 2,000 people. More than 200,000 police fanned out in India on Thursday to guard against any communal violence

Alert, India waits for Ayodhya ruling today

Thu, Sep 30 03:58 AM

States across the country went on alert as the countdown began for the verdict on Thursday on the decades-old title suits over the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya. Security was stepped up across states and reinforcements tightened in and around the disputed site. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi appealed for equanimity and tranquility in the aftermath of the court verdict, asking people to 'accept whatever' the decision on the title suits.

Home minister P Chidambaram, expressing confidence that there would be no trouble after the judgement, said: "I think India has moved on, young people have moved on. Young people have recognised that the India story is much more than a dispute over a place to which one religious group claims they are entitled to than another religious group... that bigger story should not be derailed over a dispute over a piece of land."

Pointing out that political parties and religious leaders have appealed for peace, Chidambaram said, "I think India has moved on, especially people who were born after 1992. They have a very different world view."

In the twin towns of Ayodhya and Faizabad, searches were being carried out and security personnel deployed there equipped with tear gas shells and rubber bullets.

The area around the building of the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court, which will pronounce the verdict at 3.30 pm on Thursday, was declared a 'no-access zone'. Security of the three judges on the bench—Justices SU Khan, Sudhir Agarwal and D V Sharma—has already been increased.

Lucknow DM Anil Kumar Sagar said only persons related to the title suits would be allowed entry to Court No. 21 and can exit only after the verdict is delivered. Any overt display of victory or defeat after the pronouncement of verdict has also been banned by the administration. "Any such attempt will be firmly dealt with," DIG Rajeev Krishna said.

Uttar Pradesh sealed its borders with Nepal and Uttarakhand and, as a preventive measure, ordered closure of liquor and firecrackers shops tomorrow. Securitymen staged flag marches in Ayodhya, Varanasi and Mathura. The UP government has identified 25 districts as 'sensitive' and 19 others as 'hyper-sensitive'.

The Centre has kept forces in readiness at 16 places for quick deployment, including by helicopters and heavy-lift aircraft like Il-76 and An-32. The Home Ministry issued an advisory to states and Union Territories to keep the forces on high alert as the judgement could trigger "sharp reactions".

Chidambaram said 1.90 lakh security personnel were available in Uttar Pradesh, more than enough to maintain law and order there.

Political parties happy uncertainty is over

The political parties on Tuesday appealed for calm and asked people not to be provoked, following the Supreme Court's green signal to the Allahabad High Court to deliver the verdict on the Babri Masjid title suits.

From the right to the centre and the left of the political spectrum, parties said they were relieved that the uncertainty was over.

Law Minister Veerappa Moily dismissed as speculation that the government wanted to delay the verdict.

AICC general secretary Janardhan Dwivedi welcomed the order and said the party had always held that the issue should either be resolved through mutual talks or the court order should be obeyed.

BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar expressed “satisfaction” that the verdict would be out.

CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said after the 1992 Masjid demolition, it was clear the dispute could not be resolved except through a judicial verdict.

Atul Anjaan of the CPI regretted that the Supreme Court had entertained the last-minute bid to delay the High Court verdict when all efforts towards a negotiated settlement had failed over the last 20 years.

Keywords: Ayodhya verdict, Ram Janma Bhoomi, Babri Masjid, Ayodhya dispute

Mumbai-Style' Terror Attack Foiled in Europe

Mumbai-Style' Terror Attack Foiled in Europe

Yash Chopra back with Band Baaja Baraat!

Yash Raj Films' Band Baaja Baraat starring Anushka Sharma and debutant Ranveer Singh is set to hit the screens December 10. Produced by Aditya Chopra, the film is about two people - Shruti and Bittoo - who are just out of Delhi University. A chance and inopportune meeting brings them

together to reluctantly start a tumultuous entrepreneurial venture - Wedding Planners. With their business, they enter the glamour and glitz of Delhi's baaraats and weddings that will test their friendship over time.

The film is directed by Maneesh Sharma, who worked with Aditya Chopra as an associate director on Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, with music by composers Salim-Sulaiman.

After Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and Badmaash Company, this is Anushka's third film with the Yash Raj banner

Ayodhya announcement soon? Court decides today

Ahead of the crucial hearing on the highly sensitive Ayodhya case in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, the government on Monday said the two sides should either resolve the matter through negotiations or accept the court verdict. The comments from Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee came on a day when

the government indicated its readiness to maintain law and order situation in the country. Supreme Court will, on Tuesday, hear a public interest litigation seekin deferment of the judgment by the Allahabad High Court in one of India’s longest running legal disputes.

A day before the Allahabad High Court judgment was to be delivered (on September 24), the Supreme Court had stayed it for a week. The high court had decided to deliver the much-anticipated verdict on whether the land belongs to Sunni Central Wakf Board or to the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha.

The case has been lingering in courts since 1949.

"We are waiting for the court verdict. There are two solutions to this issue that both the Congress and the government would accept," Mukherjee said in Murshidabad district of West Bengal.

Asked about the Centre's stand on the 60-year-old dispute, Mukherjee replied: "The two contesting parties who filed the Ayodhya title suit have to resolve the matter among themselves through discussions. If it was not possible, then the court verdict has to be accepted."

The Supreme Court has asked the government's top law officer, Attorney General G. E. Vahanvati, to be present during the hearing. It means the court could pose a few questions to the government on the issue.

Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily and Vahanvati had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last week after the Supreme Court deferred the judgment.

The issue of stand to be taken by the government before the apex court was understood to have been discussed in the meeting.

'Titanic' actress Gloria Stuart dies age 100

Los Angeles, Sep 28 (DPA) Gloria Stuart, the Oscar-nominated actress who revived a long-dormant career to play an elderly survivor in the film 'Titanic', has died at the age of 100.
Stuart died Sunday at her West Los Angeles home, her niece Sylvia Thompson told the Los Angeles Times. The cause of death was unclear, though Stuart was diagnosed with lung cancer five years ago.

'She also was a breast cancer survivor,' Thompson said, 'but she just paid no attention to illness. She was a very strong woman and had other fish to fry.'

Stuart was cast in the role of old Rose in 'Titanic' by director James Cameron, who was looking for a star from the 1930s or '40s who had been off the Hollywood radar.

Among the approximately 50 films Stuart made in that era, she starred opposite Claude Rains in James Whale's 'The Invisible Man' and with Warner Baxter in John Ford's 'The Prisoner of Shark Island'.

She played opposite James Cagney in 'Here Comes the Navy' and was in two Shirley Temple movies, 'Poor Little Rich Girl' and 'Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm'.

Stuart withdrew from screen acting after becoming disillusioned with the roles she was getting under the Hollywood studio system and only re-entered the fray at the age of 86, when she auditioned for the 'Titanic' role.

In what become the biggest-grossing film of all time until Cameron's 'Avatar' earlier this year, Stuart played Rose Calvert, the 100-year-old 'Titanic' survivor. Kate Winslet portrayed Rose as a young woman in flashbacks to the love story aboard the legendary ship.

'I knew the role I had wanted and waited for all these many years had arrived! I could taste the role of Old Rose!' she wrote in her 1999 memoir, Gloria Stuart: I Just Kept Hoping.

12-yr-old girl dies after 'rape' in school

Tue, Sep 28 06:22 AM

A woman has alleged that her 12-year-old daughter died after she was raped in a private school in Kanpur on Monday.

On a complaint filed by the girl's mother Shanu, a case of rape has been registered at Kalyanpur police station against unidentified staff members of the private school. The police is questioning some staff members and has sealed the school after finding blood in one of the classrooms.

Kanpur DIG Prem Prakash told The Indian Express: "Prima facie, it appears to be a case of rape. But the postmortem will confirm it and also the cause of death. The postmortem will be carried out by a panel of doctors."

A resident of Roshan Nagar area of Kalyanpur, the victim was a class VI student of Bharatiya Gyan Sthaliya School, located near the Namak Factory Chauraha. She went to school in the morning. Later in the day, Shanu, who works in a shopping mall, received a call from school that her daughter wasn't feeling all right and was, therefore, being dropped at her residence by the staff.

Shanu told media persons: "The neighours informed me that two school maids dropped my daughter on a cot lying outside my residence and left. No one was present at home at that time. When I arrived around 1pm, I was shocked to find my daughter lying unconscious there. She was not in the school uniform but in some other clothes. Her uniform which had blood marks was kept in her school bag."

Shanu called her brother Ranu, who lives nearby, and they rushed the girl to a nursing home, but it was closed due to the strike by private doctors. So they took her to Lala Lajpat Rai hospital, but she died on the way.

"My daughter was perfectly fine when she went to the school in the morning," Shanu said. She blamed the school for her rape and death.

ADM (City) S K Singh said the police and administration team arrived at the school around 5pm. Since the school building was locked, the police team broke the lock. Inside, the police found blood stains in a classroom. "The school building was then sealed by the police team," he added.

Bharatiya Gyan Sthaliya School is owned by Chandra Pal Verma who is also the principal of the school. Late in the night, Verma, his family members and school staff were brought to the Kalyanpur police station for interrogation.

Police said the two school maids who dropped the girl at her residence are also being questioned

Chennai wins Champions League T20

Clinical all-round performance saw Dhoni’s boys clinch Champions League trophy beating Warriors by 8 wickets.

Indian attacked in another race crime in Oz

Melbourne: After a long lull in the racial attacks in Victoria, a 21-year-old man was reportedly bashed and bruised after being asked if he was an Indian.

According to a local newspaper Dandenong Leader, police said the man was walking to Sandown Park rail station about 6.40 am when four teenage males on bikes approached him, three with baseball bats.
Federation of Indian Association of Victoria (FIAV) president Vasan Srinivasan said he was surprised about the attack which took place in eastern suburb which is considered to be multicultural.

"My only request to youngsters is, let's learn to respect each other, live with harmony and peace. What else we can say?", Srinivasan was quoted as saying by the paper.

The newspaper quoted Hayden as saying that another Indian was attacked last Tuesday night, but refused to comment if it was racially motivated.

The 39-year-old was walking home about 6 pm along Moncur Ave in Springvale.

Police said he was punched to the ground from behind and kicked while on the ground.

Police said there were witnesses, but no clear description of the attacker.

Since 2006, the Indian population of Greater Dandenong has risen by 1200, with 3

First Australian CWG team arrives in Delhi

New Delhi: Australia’s first Commonwealth Games athletes have arrived in Delhi vowing to keep an open mind despite the troubled build-up to the event.

Australia’s lawn bowls team became the first to touch down in India at 3am local time on Monday to begin preparations for the event starting in six days.

Despite ongoing security and health concerns in the lead-up to the Games, the bleary-eyed athletes appeared in good spirits and were confident they were well prepared for the experience.