World News :: BLOG: July 2007

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

BSkyB in £125m Amstrad deal

Broadcaster BSkyB strikes a deal to buy television set-top box maker Amstrad, founded by Sir Alan Sugar, for £125m.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Four charged over envoy attack

Four alleged Islamic militants in north-eastern Bangladesh are charged with a 2004 attack on the British envoy.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Army ending its operation in NI

The British army's military operation in Northern Ireland is drawing to a close after 38 years.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Ryanair to cut Stansted flights

Ryanair is to cut its services from London Stansted this winter by 20% as it moves to shore up profit growth.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Flood teenager's body identified

The body of a teenager found in a flooded field in Gloucestershire is formally identified.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Cohabiting law changes proposed

Couples who live together should be awarded more protection if they split up, the Law Commission says.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Second arrest over boxer's death

A second man is arrested by police investigating the murder of a former boxer.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Football: Tevez court date set

The dispute over Carlos Tevez is scheduled for the High Court on 22 August but West Ham are still hopeful of a settlement before then.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Rugby: Henson out of World Cup

Gavin Henson is ruled out of Wales' World Cup campaign after failing to recover from an Achilles injury.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

India seal Test win over England

India beat England by seven wickets at Trent Bridge to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Man sought over TV bottom pinch

A man is being sought by police after a news presenter has her bottom pinched live on television.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Langham's son 'resented' accuser

Chris Langham's son tells a jury he resented the girl with whom the actor is accused of having underage sex.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Fortnightly bin rounds 'rethink'

English councils planning fortnightly rubbish collections are advised to collect food waste every week.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Cameron dismisses criticism

David Cameron defends his record and plays down the significance of his critics in the Conservative Party.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Killed Royal Marine named

A Royal Marine killed on a special mission in southern Afghanistan is named by defence officials.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Head guilty over boy's fatal fall

The head of a private school is convicted over health and safety laws after the death of a three-year-old.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Man 'died at hands of young mob'

A pensioner died after being pelted with missiles by jeering children as he played cricket with his son, a court hears.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Brown's UN call on global poverty

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown calls at the UN for greater efforts to fight the global poverty "emergency".

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Sex offender wins terms challenge

A convicted sex offender wins his challenge to the government's policy on indeterminate sentencing.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

A day in the life of Ban Ki-moon

The BBC has been given exclusive access to the UN's secretary general, who talked about his motivation.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Cuba's year without Castro

Cuba could face changes a year after Fidel Castro handed over power to his brother Raul.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Star jailed in Mumbai case

Film star Sanjay Dutt has received six years in jail for buying guns from bombers who attacked Mumbai in 1993.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Second hostage found dead

A second South Korean hostage has been killed by the Taleban in central Afghanistan, police have said.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Ex-Khmer Rouge leader charged

The head of a Khmer Rouge prison has become the first suspect to be charged with crimes against humanity.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Brown warns UN on world crises

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said the UN must act on global poverty and live up to promises on Darfur.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Rice: Iran is 'biggest threat'

Condoleezza Rice has warned of a threat posed by Iran as she begins a tour of US Middle Eastern allies.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Mollie's animal magic!

BBC WMs Mollie Green is once again on a mission across Birmingham and the Black Country to ensure the regions neglected and abandoned animals are cared for.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

New course opens door to career in journalism

The BBC and the University of Central Lancashire UCLan have come together to give people a lifechanging opportunity to enter the world of broadcast journalism.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Chairman of Parole Board says there is a "case for review" of IPPs

The Chairman of the Parole Board Sir Duncan Nichol has said there is a case for a review of the legislation for Indeterminate Sentences for Public Protection because they are not working as they should.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

BBC Trust announces Public Value Test into Gaelic Digital Service

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Facebook blocks 'Gay' as last name, but don't push panic button

If you're the hottest dot-com in the Valley--as Facebook undoubtedly is--you're going to come under occasional scrutiny. Over the past few days, it's been circulating around the Web that the social networking phenomenon won't let people sign up with the last name "Gay," which has led ...

Source: http://news.com.com

The value of an independent Linux

A thought struck me this morning: would you really want your database/application server/office productivity suite/etc. developer to also be the author of your operating system? On one level, the answer is an easy 'yes': tighter integration between the OS and the applications that run on it is a good thing.

On the other side of this coin, however, is the reality that today's integration is tomorrow's barrier to entry against all other applications. Take Microsoft, for example.

Microsoft has arguably done a very good job of encouraging third-party applications on its Windows platforms. But Microsoft has done less well once it starts to compete in a given application market against its partners. Even where the company has a financial incentive to boost the partner, it has a competing incentive to boost itself.

...

Source: http://news.com.com

E-voting hacks to get Capitol Hill spotlight

A recent report documenting computer scientists' ability to hack into voting machines certified for use in the state of California has already begun reverberating on Capitol Hill.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who happens to be one of the chief sponsors of a bill that would prohibit paperless voting machines by ...

Source: http://news.com.com

U.K. robot finalists announced

Copehill Down in Wiltshire, England

(Credit: Crown Copyright/MOD 2007)

The U.K. Ministry of Defense announced Monday that 14 of the 23 teams who applied have made it to the finals of its Grand Challenge.

The MOD Grand Challenge is a competition of robots similar to the U.S. ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Technology Partners to invest $300 million in clean, lifestyle

Technology Partners, one of the first VC firms to get into clean technology, announced it has raised $300 million for its eighth fund.

The firm will use the funds to invest in clean tech companies as well as life sciences and health/lifestyle companies (i.e. obesity and hair removal. ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Ubuntu on an Acer notebook--in Singapore

This deal isn't necessarily practical unless you plan on swinging by Memory World in Singapore relatively soon, but the electronics seller is advertising an exclusive Acer Aspire notebook preloaded with Ubuntu for about $660 ($999 Singapore dollars). (Link courtesy of SingpaporeHardwareZone.com)

(Credit: Acer)

But even for those of ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Facebook experiencing 'upgrade' outages

Tried to visit Facebook today and had no luck? It appears that the social-networking site has been experiencing some growing pains. No one in CNET News.com's newsroom was able to access the site starting around 10 a.m. PDT.

Some experienced a time-out while others were met with ...

Source: http://news.com.com

The Microsoft albatross

Speaking in front of a group of financial analysts Thursday, Steve Ballmer, Chief Executive of Microsoft, explained that his company needs to stay focused on moving away from the desktop and focus on Web services and consumer devices. But what Ballmer did not come out and finally admit is the ...

Source: http://news.com.com

OLED pioneer gets scooped up by Sumitomo

Sumitomo Chemical has agreed to buy Cambridge Display Technology (CDT) for approximately $285 million, giving the OLED industry a shot in the arm.

OLEDS, or organic light emitting diodes, are light sources made form organic materials. With OLEDs, you could turn a wall or a window into a light fixture, ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Monday, July 30, 2007

'JK Rowling's success is another four-minute mile...

...a flying of the flag for a post-imperial empire in which personal initiative counts for more than social position, a glorious act of individuality.'

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

MPs oppose terror detention plans

A committee of MPs and peers casts doubt on extending the 28-day limit on holding terror suspects before charge.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Former Mirror editor Stott dies

Columnist and former newspaper editor Richard Stott has died aged 63 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Many Asians 'do not feel British'

More than a third of British Asians feel just slightly or not at all British, a BBC survey suggests.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Alcohol link to bowel cancer risk

A daily pint of beer or a large glass of wine raises the risk of bowel cancer by about 10%, research suggests.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

BBC presenter Phil Drabble dies

Former One Man And His Dog presenter Phil Drabble dies at his Staffordshire home aged 93.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Rail firm fined over late works

Network Rail is to be fined £2.4m after a resignalling project in Portsmouth overran by six months.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Foster child dies in pool tragedy

A 17-month-old toddler dies after being found floating in a swimming pool at the home of her foster parents.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Athletics: GB hit by Idowu injury

Triple jumper Phillips Idowu could miss next month's World Championships after he aggravated a back problem.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Live - England v India

Zaheer Khan takes two quick wickets to leave India scenting victory at Trent Bridge.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

'Terrorist musical' under attack

A satirical musical dealing with Islamic terrorism causes protest ahead of its Edinburgh premiere.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Bank charges claim turned down

A bank customer fails in his bid to force the NatWest bank to justify its unauthorised overdraft charges.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Road death toddler named

A protest is held against speeding cars following the death of a three-year-old hit by a car which failed to stop.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

UK housing market is 'overvalued'

UK house prices are at least 20% overvalued, compared to their long term average, City forecasting firm Fitch says.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Gang jailed over viaduct killing

A teenage girl, her boyfriend and another man are jailed for killing a man who they "bullied to death".

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Taps on at some flood homes

Running water is being restored to some homes in the Gloucester area, but others face more days without.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Aircraft in emergency landing

An aircraft is forced to make an emergency landing at Edinburgh Airport after problems with an engine.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Royal Marine dies in Afghanistan

A member of the Royal Marines was killed during operations in southern Afghanistan, the MoD says.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Langham calls his accuser 'sick'

Actor Chris Langham says the woman accusing him of having sex with her when she was 14 is "a sick person".

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Bush and Brown vow co-operation

US President George W Bush and UK PM Gordon Brown pledge to work together on a range of global issues.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

No snow causes resort to shut

A Swiss ski resort has become the first in the French Alps to close down because of a lack of snow.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Cambodian families evicted

Thousands of families in Cambodia's capital are to be evicted because land has been leased to a private developer.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Poland faces labour shortage

Poland is trying to attract foreign workers to solve labour shortages since more than a million Poles emigrated.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Film director Bergman dies

Oscar-winning film-maker Ingmar Bergman has died aged 89, at his home in Sweden.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Floods wreak havoc in India

At least 100 people have died in the worst flooding to hit India and Bangladesh in three decades.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Dr Haneef arrives in India

Indian doctor Mohamed Haneef, who was cleared of terrorism charges in Australia, has arrived in India.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Third of Iraqis 'need aid'

Nearly a third of the population of Iraq is in need of immediate emergency aid, a report has said.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Becky's DanceX dream is over

Tonights Latinthemed DanceX on BBC One saw the public vote force Bruno to pick one of his team to leave the competition.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Panorama: Children's Fight Club

Hundreds of violent videos showing brutal fights between children are being shown on websites including YouTube a BBC One Panorama investigation reveals on Monday 30 July.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Tributes to Mike Reid

Tributes have been paid to actor and comedian Mike Reid who has died aged 67.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Over a third British Asians don't feel British suggests Asian Network poll

A survey commissioned as part of BBC Asian Networks Asian Nation season looks at the state of mind of UK Asians in 2007.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Extreme Pilgrim

Extreme Pilgrim is a compelling new series for BBC Two exploring the physical elements of three of the worlds great religions.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Got computer questions? Ask Leo

Most of us have personal computer questions and it's not too hard to get answers.
What is hard though, is getting an answer from someone qualified, thoughtful and reasoned.
And a constant stream of good answers, for free, is too much to hope for.

Unless you know about Leo. ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Adium, the Mac-based instant-messaging king

Given all the great consumer-facing open-source software available, I figured that I'd try to evaluate and write reviews on those I use most often. Open source long ago stopped being about developers for other developers. Here's proof.

Adium is quite simply the best instant-messaging (IM) client available. Period. It has its flaws and is, in some ways, deficient compared to iChat, Apple's own IM client. But its strengths vastly outnumber its weaknesses. I've been using it for years. In some ways, it's very similar to Trillian on the Windows platform in that it allows you to combine nearly all of your IM services (Yahoo!, MSN, AOL, Jabber, etc.) into one client.

But Adium actually goes further and provides more.

...

Source: http://news.com.com

How to blow $3 million in taxpayer funds

You read things like this and it makes you wonder why you bother paying taxes at all. In this case, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) spent $3 million on a document management system from Documentum, and it has been a complete waste of money.

The PCAOB tries to blame itself for the waste, but the reality is that it's a combination of overpriced and overly complex software wrapped in a proprietary license, and an effort to force-feed square-peg technology onto round-peg people.

Open source could have dramatically reduced the PCAOB's risk:

...

Source: http://news.com.com

German researcher denied access to U.S., Black Hat

German researcher Thomas Dullien (better known as "Halvar Flake") says he was denied entry to the United States on Sunday because he was planning to attend the Black Hat security conference as a private citizen, and thus subject to H-1B visa regulations.

As Halvar Flake, Dullien previously attended or presented ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Trend Micro announces SecureCloud

Expanding on its consumer-software-as-a-service efforts, Trend Micro announced on Sunday SecureCloud for small and midsize businesses and the enterprise market. The idea is to provide clients with a range of services without requiring them to install software.

Services available include e-mail reputation, e-mail hosting, and botnet ID service. The latter ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Green Toys makes kiddie stuff from bioplastic

First came the biodegradable fork, then the compostable coffee cup, and now "earth friendly" toys.

Green Toys said Friday that it will introduce a line of bioplastic toys in the fall. The first toys are classics aimed at babies and toddlers: a tea set, cookware, an indoor gardening kit, and ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Japanese revved up for car software standard

Japan's economy, trade and industry ministry is planning to develop a standard operating system for car electronics, according to a leading Japanese newspaper.

Among the major manufacturers signing on to the development project are Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Toshiba, Yomiuri Shimbun reported Monday.

The group's goal is to ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Friday, July 27, 2007

Nasa astronauts 'flew drunk'

US astronauts were allowed to fly while drunk at least twice, a review panel set up by Nasa has found.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Red Mosque blast kills 13

A suspected suicide bomber has killed 13 people after police and protesters clashed.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Record entries for Gillard Awards as BBC Local Radio turns 40

More than half of BBC Local Radio stations are competing to be the Frank Gillard Awards Station Of The Year the year BBC Local Radio marks its 40th birthday.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Google's Schmidt pays Capitol Hill visit

Earlier this week, we explored the political assault on Google bubbling up from an unlikely mix of companies and consumer groups--and noted none of its top executives had paid any recent personal visits to Capitol Hill in support of their company's practices.

Well, we may have spoken too ...

Source: http://news.com.com

TSMC to be AMD's new best friend?

While AMD isn't giving away any information on its future fab plans, a major chip foundry is gearing up for a big new customer.

TSMC, the largest chip foundry in the world, is apparently planning to take on a new customer that wants to use the high-k dielectrics and metal gates ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Intel's got some 'splaining to do

Intel's legal team will be very busy for the next 10 weeks.

That's how long the world's largest chipmaker has to come up with an explanation for business practices that the European Commission has declared "abuse of a dominant market position." The Directorate-General for Competition on Thursday ...

Source: http://news.com.com

BBC puts shows online

The British not only have superior television (in general) but now they can watch it online too.

The BBC launched a new on-demand service called iPlayer on Friday that lets people download from the Internet shows like "EastEnders" and "Planet Earth" that they may have missed on the telly that ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Dvorak on Mac: 'The machine is not half bad'

John Dvorak said something nice about a Mac this week.

Dvorak, the long-time tech industry columnist with PC Magazine, is notorious for his negative stances on Apple and its products. So when he admitted to liking the iMac he's using, the world seemed upside down for a second.

John ...

Source: http://news.com.com

The age of diamond-powered cell phones could be close

Within the next decade, you might take calls and surf the Web on a diamond-laced handset that would put the iPhone to shame. Unlike high-end, gem-studded cell phones, no bling would sparkle on the shell. But inside, diamond-covered components would enable crisper, faster communications.

Advanced Diamond Technologies is bringing diamond ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Rate your friends online

Do you have the urge to tell your friends how much you like them or maybe dislike them? Now you can share your feelings about them on community Web site FriendChart, which debuted this week in beta. The site slogan is "Your friends at glance".

Interested? I wouldn't do ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Life from a cat's-eye view

Ever wonder what your cat is up to after she wanders out into the garden? Well, Jurgen Perthold of Germany did. So he cobbled together a small camera, set it to take a photo every few minutes, attached it to his cat's collar and sent him on his way....

Source: http://news.com.com

Crawl the Web with Wales' open-source search tool

Friday morning, at the O'Reilly Open Source conference in Portland, Ore., Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia and Wikia, announced the release of an open-source Web crawling site called Grub.

Grub was acquired from LookSmart under the open-source project Wikia. The platform, now available for downloading and testing, is built ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Two bomb plot suspects in court

Two doctors charged over the suspected failed bombings in London and Glasgow are due to appear at the Old Bailey.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Diabetes drugs 'pose heart risk'

Two drugs prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes double the risk of heart failure, research suggests.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Cannabis 'raises psychosis risk'

Young cannabis users should be warned they may be risking psychotic illness such as schizophrenia, say UK experts.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Banks agree to charges test case

UK banks, including HSBC, Lloyds TSB and Barclays, agree to go to court in an overdraft charge test case.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Row after man misses funeral

Falkirk Council defends a decision to alter a man's funeral arrangements because of his size.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

BBC online video service begins

The BBC's flagship online TV service, called iPlayer, launches amid some concerns.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Teenager hit in drive-by shooting

A 16-year-old boy is shot in the leg in a drive-by shooting in south Manchester.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Shot boxer's life support to end

The life-support machine keeping a former British heavyweight boxer alive after he was shot outside a London club is to be switched off.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Officials confirm death of Shambo

A "sacred" bullock is slaughtered at the end of a legal battle with Hindu monks over its positive TB test.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Cycling: Wiggins slams Tour

Britain's Bradley Wiggins says this year's Tour de France is "null and void" following the spate of doping controversies to hit the race.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Live - England v India

The start of the second Test between England and India at Trent Bridge is delayed, but play is expected on Friday.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Iconic street signs are protected

Counterfeiters are warned not to fake Westminster Council's world famous red and black lettered street signs.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

No retrial for 'blackmail' cleaner

A cleaner is cleared of charges that she stole sex videos from a judge and blackmailed another one.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Junior doctor criminal check fear

Large numbers of junior doctors will start work at hospitals next week without the required security checks, it has been claimed.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Banned dog breeds for sale online

A BBC Radio Five Live investigation finds dangerous dogs are being bred, sold and fought in the UK.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Royal visit to flooding victims

Prince Charles and Princess Anne will visit flood-hit Gloucestershire later to offer their support to victims.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Boy, 16, died from shot to neck

A schoolboy gunned down on a south London council estate died from a single gunshot wound the neck, police reveal.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Asbos mean failure, says minister

Children's Secretary Ed Balls says he wants to end the era of Asbos as every one that is issued is a "failure"

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Australia 'drops bomb plot charges'

Australia drops charges against Dr Mohamed Haneef over the UK bomb attempts, admitting to "mistakes".

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

BAA seeks Heathrow ban

The owner of Heathrow Airport, BAA, seeks an injunction to ban protests by groups against expansion.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Policeman accused of City murder

Detectives investigating the death of a man killed in a City bar charge a police officer with his murder.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Cuba celebrates without Fidel

Cubans have marked Revolution Day without their ailing President, Fidel Castro, for the first time since 1959.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Iraqi refugee crisis warning

The scale of the exodus of refugees fleeing violence in Iraq has prompted a "humanitarian crisis".

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Abuse risk of migrant children

Hundreds of African migrant children in the Canary Islands are at risk of abuse, a human rights group has said.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Nasa computer sabotage probed

Nasa is investigating the apparent sabotage of a computer due to be installed on the International Space Station.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Haneef terror charges dropped

Australian prosecutors have dropped charges against an Indian doctor over the failed bomb attacks in the UK.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

BBC Trust starts service review of bbc.co.uk

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

BBC Scotland scales new heights of live broadcasting with The Great Climb

The spectacular and remote crags of Cairngorms National Park will provide the venue for a series of breathtaking live ascents this summer in a world first for Scottish broadcasting.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Wales Today prepares for summer tour

Jamie Owen and Derek Brockway will be broadcasting Wales Today live from across the country throughout next week Monday 30 July to Friday 3 August.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

All-star line up for Sunday night on BBC One in Lark Rise To Candleford

Brendan Coyle Dawn French Olivia Grant Olivia Hallinan Mark Heap Ben Miles Julia Sawalha and Liz Smith star in a BBC One tenpart adaptation of Flora Thompsons magical memoir of her Oxfordshire childhood Lark Rise To Candleford a love letter to a vanished corner of rural England and a heartwarming drama series teeming with wit wisdom and romance.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

AMD not 'chasing share for share's sake'

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--Apparently sometimes, you just can't say no, even when you know it's going to hurt.

That seems to be where AMD finds itself, as it tries to reconcile a draining price war against the high demand for its chips. Intel has been squeezing AMD's margins ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Microsoft's Ozzie opens up on Internet 'cloud' services

Microsoft Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie provided a fresh take of the technical components at the heart of its online services push on Thursday.

Speaking at the Microsoft Financial Analysts Day, Ozzie spelled out in greatest detail yet the work he has led on "cloud" Internet services.

During the next ...

Source: http://news.com.com

A business-card size (holder) hard drive

Will external hard drives ever become a fashion accessory? Seagate Technologies released its FreeAgent line of drives, complete with clever packaging, earlier this year.

Drive,she said

(Credit: Mike Kanellos)

Now, Samsung is going to give it a shot. Later this year, the South Korean electronics giant will release that ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Blu-ray v. HD DVD: Where do we stand?

The expected next-generation DVD format war isn't quite the deadlock many expected.

Target's announcement Thursday that it would sell a Sony Blu-ray player in its stores alongside Blu-ray discs in a special feature promotion is important because the second-largest retailer in the U.S. doesn't sell HD ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Swedish senior scores super-speedy Internet

Sigbritt Lothberg is a 75-year-old woman from Sweden who recently got a computer. Lothberg, however, has Internet capabilities the average user couldn't even dream of: she has what is believed to be the fastest residential connection on the planet.

The woman's speedy fiber optic connection--40 gigabytes per second--was ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Yahoo exec to join AdBrite

Paul Levine, who headed up Yahoo Local, is leaving the company to join Internet ad marketplace AdBrite, Yahoo said.

Jennifer Dulski, previously of Yahoo Autos, will oversee Local Markets and Commerce, and Scott Regan will assume the role of acting lead of Yahoo Local/Maps.

"Under Paul's leadership, Yahoo ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Sourceforge Community Choice Award winners are....

Sourceforge has been running a community-driven awards process over the last month, trying to discover the top open source projects. Today, the winners were announced. The ones selected say a lot about those who frequent Sourceforge. But before I get into that, here are the winners:

...

Source: http://news.com.com

Study: Wind power soared in 2006

The wind power industry made big strides last year, according to a Worldwatch Institute report released late Thursday.

15,200 megawatts of new wind turbines were installed around the world last year, representing a 26 percent jump in global wind power capacity, according to the study.

By year's end, ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Extreme weather hits Europe

Extreme weather continues across the continent, bringing heatwaves, forest fires and flooding.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

S Korea urges hostages' release

South Korea is stepping up efforts to secure the release of 22 of its people taken hostage in Afghanistan.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

A double launch for The Big Welsh Challenge

BBC Wales The Big Welsh Challenge is planning a double celebration at the National Eisteddfod in Flintshire.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Denon line show 2007 roundup

(Credit: Denon)

Denon held its line show Tuesday, and over the last few days, we've been covering all the major announcements. From HTIBs to AV receivers, Denon showed a bundle of new products that will be coming out over the next few months. In case you missed anything, we'...

Source: http://news.com.com

Is Verizon's flip-flop on the 700MHz auction rules for real?

Verizon Wireless says it will go along with proposed Federal Communications Commission rules for the upcoming 700Mhz spectrum auction that would require the company to permit subscribers to bring any device to its network.

The company's CEO Lowell McAdam told The Wall Street Journal (registration required) in an article ...

Source: http://news.com.com

AMD maps out server plans for next two years

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--AMD will unveil a new chip design in 2009 for the server market and faster versions of its Barcelona quad-core chip later this year, company executives said Thursday.

AMD's near-term goal is to get its Barcelona quad-core chip out into the market. The company has already said ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Sony launches its VAIO TP1 Living Room PC, doesn't tell anyone

We're not sure why Sony hasn't made a bigger deal about its VAIO TP1 Living Room PC going on sale. Sony announced the existence of its round, Roomba-like system at this year's CES, and then we didn't hear much about it. After we found out at ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Texting costs Polish bus driver his job

A city bus driver in Poland has been fired for sending $34,000 in text messages from his company cell phone.

Leszek Wojcik ran up the bill by be sending more than 38,000 SMS messages, about 1,200 a day, in an effort to win a contest, according to

...

Source: http://news.com.com

AMD's Fusion construction project takes shape

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--AMD's Fusion chip will come in two varieties, one for PCs and servers and another for consumer electronics devices.

Bulldozer is the code name for the Fusion chip that will be designed for everything from servers to handhelds, said Phil Hester, AMD's chief technology officer. Bobcat ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Study: Web-based instant messaging is growing fast

Who needs downloads? Not instant-messaging fans, apparently, according to Nielsen NetRatings. The online division of the legendary statistics-crunching company just released a news study that tracks the fastest-growing instant messaging software products from August 2006 to June 2007, and the results indicate that web-based is the way to go.

Meebo'...

Source: http://news.com.com

Solar powered servers for the masses

Next week, Greenesthost in San Diego is going to start offering carbon free web services to consumers.

The company plans to start selling web hosting services for about $14.95 a month. The trick is that its servers and other systems are powered by solar panels or batteries charged by ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Fifth man guilty in terror case

A university student is found guilty at the Old Bailey of possessing articles for terrorist purposes.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Police seek jockey impersonator

Police are looking for a man who has been impersonating a champion jockey following a burglary at a Derby pub.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

GMTV boss resigns over quiz row

GMTV's managing director resigns as the TV firm tries to restore viewers' confidence after complaints of deception.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Sheringham given caution

Footballer Teddy Sheringham is cautioned by police for perverting the course of justice.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Child porn pictures shown to jury

A juror in the trial of comedy actor Chris Langham is left in tears after being shown images of child porn allegedly found on his computer.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Shambo to be taken for slaughter

The 'sacred' bullock at the centre of a TB battle will be removed from his temple home for slaughter on Thursday.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Nine new councils to be created

The system of councils in England is to be reformed, with the creation of nine new unitary authorities.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Cricket: Trescothick out of tours

Marcus Trescothick will not join England on their winter tours this year.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Cycling: Wiggins' team withdraws

Britain's Bradley Wiggins is out of the Tour de France as his team Cofidis pull out after rider Cristian Moreni fails a drugs test.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Footballers in limo theft arrest

Two former England internationals are arrested in connection with the theft of a limousine.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

UK man dies on Mont Blanc

The Foreign Office names a British climber who died while trying to scale Mont Blanc as 30-year-old Mark Emerson.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Three charged over soldier death

Three soldiers are charged with manslaughter following the death of a private at a barracks.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Phone mast allergy 'in the mind'

Mobile phone masts are not responsible for the symptoms of ill health some blame them for, a major study says.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

MoD confirms £4bn carrier order

Defence Secretary Des Browne details a £3.8bn contract for two new Royal Navy aircraft carriers.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

UK soldier killed in Afghanistan

A British soldier has been killed in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence confirms.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Probe over disabled 'car fraud'

Six disabled people are quizzed in a probe into alleged abuse of a scheme to help wheelchair-users buy cars.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Fears as floods loom in new areas

Fresh floods hit Oxford as communities further along the Thames are warned they are also at risk.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

UK to get 'unified' border force

Britain is to get a "unified border force" to boost the fight against terrorism, the prime minister says.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Swimmer attempts Baltic record

An endurance athlete from Lithuania is hoping to enter the record books by swimming across the Baltic Sea.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Burmese prison artist show

A London exhibition opens of the work of Htein Lin who used improvised materials to paint whilst in prison.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

China rain storms continue

At least 150 people have died in China as heavy rain continues to hit large parts of the country.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Arab League visits Israel

An Arab League delegation is meeting with Israeli PM Ehud Olmert to discuss the Middle East peace plan.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Gas explosion in Dallas

Tanks of liquefied natural gas exploded in Dallas showering debris onto nearby freeways.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

India backs nuclear deal

The Indian government has agreed to buy US nuclear technology in order to increase energy supplies.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Heatwave in southern Europe

A heatwave across southern Europe has brought record temperatures and an outbreak of forest fires.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Match Of The Day all set for new Premier League season and England home Euro 2008 qualifiers

Live simulcast streaming for Match Of The Day Match Of The Day 2 and Sunday repeat show

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

A Forgotten City

One month on from the floods in Hull A Forgotten City to be shown on BBC One Yorkshire and Lincolnshire on Wednesday 25 July looks at the impact of the disaster and the citys recovery.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Sean Styles to take over mid-mornings on Radio Merseyside

Local comedian Sean Styles will be taking over the midmorning show on BBC Radio Merseyside following the move to breakfast by Tony Snell.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

All-star cast announced for BBC adaptation of Oliver Twist

Rob Brydon Gregor Fisher Edward Fox Tom Hardy Sarah Lancashire Sophie Okonedo Julian RhindTutt John Sessions and Timothy Spall star in the BBC adaptation of Oliver Twist.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Pan-England Inside Out special investigates the floods

The recent flooding has left a wake of devastation across England. Tonight BBC Inside Out teams from across England are joining forces to ask what went wrong and what lessons can be learnt.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Beware of flying NASA trash

On Monday, according to a Reuters story, NASA launched some trash into space. No, don't read that sentence again.

International Space Station commander Fyodor Yurchikhin (left) and astronaut Clayton Anderson work with an Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) earlier this month.

(Credit: NASA)

The trouble, the story says, was that ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Amazon luring new customers with Web Services business

After Amazon.com reported a 250 percent leap in second-quarter profits on Tuesday, CEO Jeff Bezos plugged its Amazon Web Services business and shined some light on the company's rationale for continued investment in it.

In response to a question from a financial analyst about the traction on the ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Scoble: Facebook walls are going to get more colorful

Former Microsoft evangelist and current ubiquitous blogger Robert Scoble paid a visit to Facebook's offices yesterday and learned something pretty cool: the social networking site's "wall" feature, which lets you leave messages for your friends, will be getting an update tonight to allow users to post multimedia like ...

Source: http://news.com.com

What does MySpace news about removing 29,000 sex offenders mean for parents?

MySpace has quadrupled its estimated number of registered sex offenders posting profiles on the site, from its May estimate of 7,000 to a current tally of 29,000. The pages of identified offenders have been deleted. What does this news mean for parents? How do we assess risk and keep it in perspective, and what best practices should be implemented on family, corporate and societal levels to keep kids safe?

...

Source: http://news.com.com

Sanity, not anarchy in the U.K.

The Sex Pistols once sang about "Anarchy in the U.K.," but that's not how we should view this news that the British government has rejected an extension to its 50-year copyright term. This is the same government that rejects software patents.

Looks like the land of Mary Poppins is ahead of us Yankees in how it views intellectual property.

Not everyone, of course, agrees:

...

Source: http://news.com.com

Computer learns vowels like a baby

A team of researchers has developed a computer program that can learn to decipher sounds the way a baby does.

The impetus behind the program was to better understand how people learn to talk, or more specifically, to see whether language is hard-wired in the brain.

Tests of the computer ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Yahoo: 13 rules for making your web pages faster

Yahoo's Exceptional Performance team has put together a list of "13 rules for making web pages fast" and posted it on Yahoo's developer network. The list, which includes "Make fewer HTTP requests," "Use a content delivery network," and "Avoid redirects," should really help webmasters figure out what is ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Statistics, Mac OS and Windows

Quoth Homer: "Oh, people can come up with statistics to prove anything, Kent. Forty percent of people know that."

Something's a little weird about the data reported earlier this week by Net Applications, a Web traffic research firm, on global operating-system share. Net Applications tracks what types of computers ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Judge gives ConnectU founders two weeks to revise complaint against Facebook

BOSTON--A federal judge in a Massachusetts district court gave the founders of college-based social networking site ConnectU two weeks to revise the complaint that they have filed against Facebook, its CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and four other early employees of the fast-growing social network. The ConnectU founders, twins Cameron and Tyler ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Monday, July 23, 2007

Walking tall

He's known as the first high-profile basketball player in the US to come out as gay, now John Amaechi hopes a new project to give thousands of UK youngsters a better start in life may provide a different kind of legacy.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Cameron defends Rwanda trip

Tory leader David Cameron arrives in Rwanda before launching a report on tackling global poverty.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Paediatrician's ban is extended

The ban on paediatrician David Southall working on child abuse cases is extended by 12 months.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Child porn 'on Langham's laptop'

A police computer expert says a laptop taken from Chris Langham's home contained graphic child porn material.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Regulator rebukes top IVF doctor

A top-performing IVF doctor been given a firm rebuke by the regulator.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Review of 24-hour drinking laws

The Home Office is to "evaluate the impact" of the 24-hour licensing laws brought in at the end of 2005.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

UK gender equality 'long way off'

Equality between men and women is potentially "generations away", the Equal Opportunities Commission says.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Coach driver faces death charges

A coach driver is charged over the deaths of three people who were killed in a crash on the M25 near Heathrow.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

MPs vote to suspend Galloway

Respect MP George Galloway is suspended for 18 days from the House of Commons after a vote by MPs.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Football: Shevchenko 'too pricey'

AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi fears the club have been priced out of a move to bring Andriy Shevchenko back to the San Siro.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Cricket: Hoggard ruled out

Seamer Matthew Hoggard is not included in England's squad for the second Test against India because of injury.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Vaughan hails bowlers after draw

Michael Vaughan says England's bowling against India was the best since the 2005 Ashes series.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

'DIY' bowel cancer test hailed

Widespread use of a DIY test kit for bowel cancer could save thousands of lives a year, experts say.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Hospices 'face funding struggle'

Many hospices struggle with debts as funding promised by ministers has failed to materialise, campaigners say.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Court backs Shambo slaughter

The decision to block a slaughter notice served on Shambo the "sacred" temple bullock is overturned on appeal.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Many 'struggling' with storytime

Bedtime stories are proving a struggle for many parents who are not confident readers, says a survey.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Blair continues Middle East visit

Tony Blair continues his first Mid-East visit as the Quartet's special envoy by meeting Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Madeleine father makes trip to US

The father of missing Madeleine McCann is in the US to find out how it tackles child abductions.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Minister sets out rail strategy

Ministers are set to announce billions of pounds to remove bottlenecks and increase capacity on the railways.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Yobs 'making towns no-go areas'

Anti-social behaviour after dark is turning town centres into no-go areas, a Commons committee chairman says.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Floods threaten power substation

As the Thames rises toward its peak, the number without water in Gloucestershire could hit 420,000.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Baby body parts found in India

Police in the eastern Indian state of Orissa have found bags full of babies' body parts at a waste dump.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Violence erupts in East Timor

Protesters in East Timor's capital Dili have clashed with police after an explosion at an army base.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Blair visits the Middle East

Tony Blair has travelled to the Middle East for his first meetings as the region's new peace broker.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Former Afghan king dies

The former king of Afghanistan, Mohammed Zahir Shah, has died at the age of 92.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Heatwave grips south Europe

A heatwave across southern Europe has brought record temperatures and an outbreak of forest fires.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Dozens die in Pakistan clash

Pakistani troops have killed at least 35 militants in North Waziristan, the army has said.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Turkey re-elects AK Party

Supporters of Turkey's governing AK Party are celebrating after a general election victory.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Team Arlene and Team Bruno are decided - let battle begin!

The DanceX final 16 have sung and danced their way through gruelling auditions against thousands of others to get to the live shows. Tonight on BBC One hosted by Ben Shephard they performed solo for one last time in the hope that Arlene or Bruno would give them the chance to join their group.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

BBC Memoryshare launches in South Yorkshire

People in South Yorkshire will be among the first in the country to contribute to an everyday history of life in the UK over the last century.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Democrat wants u 2 txt 4 peace in Iraq

Text messaging as means of political outreach is hardly a new idea, but 2008 Democratic presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich claims a new drive launched by his campaign on Monday stands out from all the rest.

The vegan congressman from Ohio is asking Americans opposed to the Iraq war to text ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Eye candy for photographing children

Finally, a camera accessory that won't be doomed to rapid obsolescence: the Pez candy dispenser.

Attach a Pez dispenser to catch the attention of kids you're photographing.

(Credit: Federico Sartorio/Photo.Net)

Federico Sartorio recommends some basic modifications to the candy dispenser that will let it slip into ...

Source: http://news.com.com

CompactFlash getting a SATA speed boost

Some smaller flash memory formats fit more conveniently into small gadgets, but allies behind the comparatively bulky CompactFlash standard are working to keep their technology desirable. This time, they're trying to follow the same Serial ATA interface route that hard drives took in recent years.

The CompactFlash Association, an

...

Source: http://news.com.com

Annual Pwnie Awards nominations open

An ad hoc group will be presenting the Annual Pwnies awards at this year's Black Hat. The categories include Best Server-Side Bug, Best Client-Side Bug, Mass 0wnage, Most Innovative Research, Lamest Vendor Response, Most Overhyped Bug, and, yes, Best Song. Nominations can be submitted by category here. Final judges ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Text-for-charity takes off at Virgin Mobile

Don't tell mainstream marketers this, but text-messaging promotions can work.

At least for Virgin Mobile, which used the power of its network of 5 million mobile customers to raise money and awareness for homeless children in America. (There are an estimated 1.2 million to 2.8 million children ...

Source: http://news.com.com

MySpace Mexico to exit beta on Tuesday

On Tuesday, MySpace will take another step in its gradual global expansion by fully launching the MySpace Mexico portal. The site has been in beta since January; MySpace has highlighted its success with ComScore statistics that put MySpace Mexico's total unique active visitors. at approximately 1.5 million per ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Intel open sources multicore development tool

Intel on Tuesday is scheduled to release the source code to a development tool for writing applications to run on multicore chips.

The company released Threading Building Blocks last August, a C++ template designed to simplify the job of writing applications that take advantage of processors with multiple cores, or ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Kodak sells its first CMOS camera sensor--to itself

Eastman Kodak just sold its first CMOS image sensor for digital cameras. The customer? Eastman Kodak.

OK, that's being a little flippant. Kodak's camera division is separate from its sensor division, and the latter must compete with other suppliers for the camera business, so the deal is a ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Saturday, July 21, 2007

'Finest' serviceman dies in Iraq

An RAF serviceman from Flintshire, killed in a mortar attack in southern Iraq, is named.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Flooding leads to more disruption

Pupils on a school trip are stranded miles from home and some events are cancelled because of flooding.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Carbon protesters reach capital

Eighteen protesters walking 1,000 miles around the UK for Christian Aid's Cut the Carbon march, reach Edinburgh.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Houses hit £140,000 average

The average cost of a home in Scotland crosses the £140,000 mark, according to new figures.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Police attacked by crowd in town

One person is arrested after police come under a "sustained attack" by a crowd in Magherafelt.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Man is remanded over city killing

A 29-year-old man is remanded into custody charged with murdering a homeless man in Belfast.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Terrorist injured in jail attack

A convicted terrorist is treated in hospital after he was attacked by fellow prison inmates.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Hundreds rescued as floods strike

More than 750 people stranded in cars, caravans, houses and boats are rescued in Worcestershire.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Torrential rain soaks the papers

The torrential rain which swept the country makes headlines in Saturday's newspapers.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Who cares

Having a degree and excellent skills count for little if you live in residential care. Why?

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Nicky is evicted from Big Brother

Big Brother's Nicky Maxwell is the fifth housemate to be evicted from the reality TV show.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Chemo best for child brain cancer

Chemotherapy treatments for children with brain tumours reduces long-term damage, say researchers.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Fresh bid to save historic ship

Campaigners launch a last ditch bid to save the historic clipper The Carrick from demolition.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Football: Fowler to join Cardiff

Robbie Fowler will join Cardiff on a two-year contract.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Hamilton unhurt following crash

Lewis Hamilton escapes unhurt after a serious crash during qualifying for the European Grand Prix.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

UK troop reserves 'almost gone'

The head of the British Army says reserves are nearly used up because of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Heathrow tackles flight backlog

Hundreds of passengers try to board flights at Heathrow which were cancelled in the bad weather.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Tax alcohol more, says top doctor

The Chief Medical Officer for England says alcohol tax should be increased to protect people's health.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Land 'no cure for housing crisis'

Handing over more greenfield land to housing will not curb rising prices, say campaigners.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Bank chief issues mortgage call

The Governor of the Bank of England tells the BBC he wishes mortgage costs were part of the inflation target.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Potter books fly off the shelves

After months of waiting, fans of the Harry Potter novels have started to devour the final book in the series.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Servicemen killed in Iraq named

The Ministry of Defence releases the names of three RAF servicemen killed in a mortar attack in Iraq.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Rescue teams tackle flood chaos

Emergency services tackle the aftermath of severe flooding which has wreaked havoc and left thousands stranded.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Duchess of York visits Liberia

The West African state of Liberia is rebuilding itself after going through 14 years of a bloody civil war.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Spanish royal sex cartoon axed

A judge has ordered that a magazine showing a cartoon of Spanish royals having sex be withdrawn from sale.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Bush bans terror torture

George Bush has signed an order banning "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment" of terror suspects.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Lula vows to act after crash

Brazil's leader has promised to improve air safety, after Sao Paulo's crash that killed nearly 200.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Canon says new firmware improves 1D Mark III autofocus

Canon will release new firmware for its high-end EOS-1D Mark III digital SLR by the end of the month, including a fix to an autofocus problem, but a prominent camera tester said the update didn't fix the problems he's been having.

Canon's EOS-1D Mark III

(Credit: Canon)

...

Source: http://news.com.com

NFL to require pro photogs to advertise Canon

National Football League rules for the upcoming season require press photographers to wear red vests that sport Canon and Reebok logos, and some shooters are objecting.

Canon sponsors the NFL.

(Credit: Canon)

A Wall Street Journal story mentioned the new rule, and the National Press Photographers Association objected on Wednesday.
...

Source: http://news.com.com

Friday, July 20, 2007

UN Kosovo vote plan on hold

US and European plans for a UN resolution on Kosovo's future have been shelved because of Russian opposition.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

Top Pakistan judge reinstated

Pakistan's Supreme Court has reinstated the chief justice suspended by the president amid corruption claims.

Source: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk

JK Rowling honoured with gold Blue Peter badge

World famous author JK Rowling appears on Blue Peter for one of only two UK television interviews prior to the release of the seventh and final book in the Harry Potter series. The programme recorded earlier this month will be shown today Friday 20 July 2007 at 4.30pm on BBC One.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Ballet Shoes dances onto BBC One

BBC Drama today announces a major new dramatisation of Ballet Shoes the classic novel by Noel Streatfeild. The featurelength film will transmit on BBC One later this year.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Ronnie Corbett remembers his parents on Radio 4's Saturday Live

Ronnie Corbett gives an emotional interview to Fi Glover on this weeks edition of Saturday Live 21 July on BBC Radio 4 as he selects the two pieces of music he would inherit and pass on for the programmes Inheritance Tracks slot.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Editorial Standards – a BBC statement

The BBC is to establish an Editorial Standards Board to oversee the Corporations response to this weeks announcement of serious editorial breaches in a number of programmes.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Electric town car's launch paved with $60 million more

Norway's Think Global has received $60 million more in advance of the launch of its electric town car later this fall.

The company hopes to resurrect an electric town car created and later abandoned by Ford. Ford spent over $50 million designing and testing the car. The company will ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Audi in with diesel and hybrids

Audi TT

(Credit: Candace Lombardi/CNET Networks)

We know Audi has the fastest diesel engine in the world, but does it also have the cleanest one?

Many car companies have been touting diesel engine technology as the short-term solution to fuel prices and environmental concerns. Others are making hybrids or ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Free laptops help kids juggle smut, studies

Now that we are breaking down the digital divide by getting computers to children in impoverished regions of the world, let's take a look at what the kids are doing with their new laptops. It turns out they are using them the same way most of the people surfing ...

Source: http://news.com.com

Zune tops million mark, again

After the false alarm back in May, yesterday's announcement that Microsoft has now officially reached their goal of one million Zunes sold (or is that shipped?) had about as much fanfare as a fart in a bathtub. Usually a product announcement like this comes with a blitzkrieg of press ...

Source: http://news.com.com

MySpace in potential deal with 'Blood Diamond' creators

Yahoo, take notes.

MySpace has quietly licensed a new series of original programming called QuarterLife from Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz, the Hollywood duo behind such films as "Blood Diamond," according to a source familiar with the deal. The social network, which recently launched MySpace TV for original Web video ...

Source: http://news.com.com

New firmware partly fixes Canon 1D Mark III autofocus

Canon's EOS-1D Mark III

(Credit: Canon)

...

Source: http://news.com.com