Repeated Hacking Attempts Alarm NASDAQ Authorities

A number of attempts were made to hack the computer networks of Nasdaq Stock Market during last year. Federal investigators are still trying to identify the persons responsible for this offence and they are still not sure about their purpose behind doing this.
Though it was a relief that the main trading platform was not compromised in any way but the situation is still doubtful about which other parts of Nasdaq's computer network were accessed.
Investigators are anticipating different possible motives and intentions behind it but it cannot be anything other than unlawful financial gain, theft of trade secrets and a national-security threat designed to damage the exchange.
This incident came out alarming the officials as it plays an important role including power companies and air-traffic-control operations. The authorities are not taking it lightly because they can well remember the case in which hackers planted potentially disruptive software programs in the U. S. electrical grid.

UK government computers hit by Zeus information-stealing Trojan

During his Friday speech at the 47th Munich Security Conference, the UK Foreign Secretary William Hague admitted that the UK government computers were infected the Zeus information-stealing Trojan in December 2010.
Acknowledging that a Zeus variant had successfully infected UK government computers in December, Hague further elaborated that the government was targeted with bogus emails that apparently originated from the White House. The emails supposedly featured a link which downloaded the malware.
Hague told the conference attendees: “The UK Government was targeted in this attack and a large number of emails bypassed some of our filters. Our experts were able to clear up the infection, but more sophisticated attacks such as these are becoming more common.”
Hague also disclosed that the UK government had also suffered two attacks lately – while one attempted to steal information about the UK’s nuclear Trident programme; the other came from a unreal Foreign Office employee who happened to be a hostile state intelligence agency.

Health Canada Orders the Removal of Six Over-the-Counter Drugs

Health Canada has directed pharmacists to remove six types of over-the-counter drugs available at chemists across the country. The latest decision has been implemented because of a possible contamination of drugs between product lines.

The drug maker from Laval in Quebec, Pharmetics Inclusive has recalled six of its over-the-counter medicines following an evaluation carried out by Health Canada. In the report compiled after the inspection, it was reported that Pharmetics assembly line did have a lot of deficiencies.

According to an advisory posted by Health Canada on Tuesday, it has cautioned people that some of the products being sold had the wrong expiry date pasted on them. Apart from that, it has also warned that some of the medicines manufactured at the facility were contaminated because of a mix up with other drugs.

Heart and Stroke Foundation Launched a Massive Drive for Heart Patients

On the eve of Heart and stroke day, galaxy of renowned personalities from every corner of life gathered their support for Canadians. In the wake of rising concern over the heart ailments, Kassandra Clarke, of the Heart and Stroke Foundation reportedly endorsed his open support to promote an awareness campaign at Masonville Mall.


Voicing their support to the campaign, many supports came forward to join the national drive .The organizers of the drive installed kiosks in the mall to counsel people and track down their risk factors. The campaign was reported to have generated lots of support in terms of funds as people lend money to promote healthy life style.


Donations can also be made by purchasing balloons, scarves and T- shirts, sponsored by the foundation. Moreover, appropriate information has been published on the Heart and Stroke website www. heartandstroke. ca.

B.C. NDP Leadership Candidate Dana Larsen: Soft on Marijuana

Soda drinking is more lethal than marijuana. The B. C. NDP leadership candidate, Dana Larsen has appealed to levy more tax on the consumption of soft drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks fruit punches, fruit cocktails, and other sugar-sweetened beverages.

Tagging sugar–sweetened beverages as root cause of obesity, former B. C. Marijuana Party leader has expressed his willingness to market soft drinks in the similar theme of cigarette marketing.

As per recent media reports, Larsen has endorsed the idea of legalizing marijuana, by putting an end to the long time war. Criticizing British Columbians of covering the real cost of sugar-sweetened beverages, Larsen warned consumer of potential harmful effects of beverages.

CBI cuts down on their forecasts on growth after fall in GDP

Today, The Confederation of British Industry is reducing its forecasts for UK economic growth. They declared that the unexpected fall in gross domestic product in the fourth quarter of 2010 suggests basic economic expansion may have been weaker than previously assumed.
And it further expects that unemployment, on the International Labour Organization (ILO) measure, will rise throughout this year and go up higher than it thought previously at 2.71 million by the end of 2011. It will remain persistently high.
CBI forecasts that ILO unemployment will be at two million and six hundred and forty thousand by the fourth quarter of 2012, considerably higher than the latest available figure of two and a half million for the month of September to November period last year.

Blair Government under Scanner

Blair Government policies are under severe criticism. Recent study has established a fact that labor government is overly inclined towards an expensive mortgage scheme, Private Finance Initiative (PFI) leaving NHS under huge financial burden.

Sending an alarming signal, Public health expert Professor Allyson Pollock criticized the government of choosing over- valued NHS PFI contracts over health care funding.

Further, Pollock reportedly claimed that the biased policy of goverment can cost quality health care services in the country.

The report has also unveiled that 101 out of 135 new NHS hospitals, built from1997-2009, were heavily paid, for being in contracts with PFI. Adding to the woes of financial crises, the government is reported to be under debt of £42.79bn.

The author of the study has raised concern over the upsurge in the interest rate levied by PFI which would further worsen the financial crunch, NHS is facing.

Woman Braved Cancer To Save Her Daughter

A cancer-affected young woman, beating all odds, not only saved herself from the brutal clutches of cancer but even her stillborn daughter from abortion.


Victoria Webster, aged 33, felt dizzy and tired at the onset of her second pregnancy, after her four-year-old son Lewis. She contacted her gynecologist, hoping for some complications in her pregnancy.


But her blood tests had different story to tell. She was found to be suffering from acute myelogenous leukemia, a cancer of the myeloid line of blood cells and was recommended for early treatment by chemotherapy.


She was further suggested by doctors for an abortion as the treatment could have harmed her unborn child. But the brave mother-to-be postponed her therapy and stunned everyone by giving birth to a healthy girl child, Jessica.


Expressing her happiness, Victoria said: "I was terrified my treatment would harm Jessica, but she was perfect. Holding my daughter in my arms was an amazing moment. I might have risked my life for her, but she was worth it”.

ENPA’s arguments against Apple’s new in-app subscription system

Close on the heels of its last-week announcement, disallowing Sony from selling content via its Sony Reader Store app on the iPad, Apple is now sparring with publications, by looking to confine consumers as well as publications to one single purchasing site - the iTunes store.


While the move clearly reflects Apple’s attempts to benefit from consumer information and commission for periodical sales, the European Newspaper Publishers' Association (ENPA) has expressed the opinion that subscriptions should largely be left to the publishers, not the platform providers.


Appreciating the iPad for the platform it provides, ENPA – which represents 5,200 newspapers in the European Union – has voiced its concern over what it considers is a restraining condition inherent in Apple’s new in-app subscription system in its iOS 4.3 beta.

Liquid Medications And Inhalers Used Wrongly In Care-homes, Study Reveals

As per the findings of the new research, which were published in the British Medical Journal of Quality and Safety, it was found that there are ascended chances of errors in the dosage if the medication is not imparted through a monitored dosage system.

The study, which recruited 233 residents in 55 residential homes, unveiled that the liquid medicines are at the highest risks of given wrongly, with more than 4 times as compared to capsules of tablets.

The trial targeted mainly to representative sample of varying sizes, ownerships and types of care offered.
The research findings indicated that the possibilities of errors were 19 times incremented with the employment of ointments, creams or eye/ear drops, whereas the whopping 33% chances of mistakes were in the case of inhalers.

Genetic Code Discovered Could Save 10000 Prostate Cancer Patients A Year

It is one of the most common life eaters in British men. Prostate cancer is responsible for the claim of so many lives in a year. According to new researches conducted by Scientists, there has been the discovery of the genetic code of the disease.

It is a groundbreaking discovery and it could save the lives of so many. It is a horrible disease and about 35000 men are affected by it in a year. As for the death counts, about 10000 people die of it every year.

According to this discovery, patients would be able to maintain their own charts of mutation. This shall be helpful in keeping a track of the flaws that prevail and also would be able to discover the best of the medicines that could treat the ailment.

Dr Mike Berger, the U. S. study’s lead author, said: ‘This is a transforming moment in understanding the underlying biology of prostate cancer.’

Police are told to put the Drink- Drive samples on hold

The Police of BY Jon Clements were told to put on hold, the samples they have from the drink and drive case. This was after the forensic staff stopped its testing.

According to a leaked memo, the analysts of the Forensic Science Service, have halted the processing the auto cases. This is because it is being shut down.

The staff has been ordered to put in refrigeration, all the samples of urine and blood, until and unless, the ownership can be transferred to a private company which can continue the work.
There have been many important cases in which FSS has majorly been a part of. Chorley investigator Lancs has been a part of the of the Ian Huntley and Roy Whiting cases.