Israel vows new settlements in al-Quds

Israel is planning to evict several Palestinian people from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East al-Quds (Jerusalem) and construct two new Jewish settlements in the area.

The Jerusalem Municipal Committee for Planning and Building approved a plan on Monday to build two buildings in the neighborhood that include 13 apartments.

According to the plan, two buildings would be razed and several Palestinian families living there evicted from their homes.

The project is organized by US-registered companies, which have been probably set up by right-wing Israeli activists for transferring funds for the purchase of real estate in the occupied land, Ha'aretzreported.

Alongside other Palestinian and Arab territories, Tel Aviv occupied East al-Quds during the Six-Day War in 1967.

The occupation and later annexation of the city -- which the Palestinians have long been demanding as the capital of their future state -- have never been recognized by the international community.

Israel refused to prolong a 10-month ban on settlement construction in late September 2010, stalling US-sponsored direct talks with the Palestinian Authority, which started earlier that month in Washington.

The Palestinians say that the settlement activities are being carried out to prevent the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

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Palin won’t appear at military fundraiser after ''negative feedback''

Washington, Feb 7 : Sarah Palin’s appearance at a military fundraiser has been cancelled after "an onslaught of negative feedback" received by the organization.

The Colorado-based Sharon K Pacheco Foundation, which also support at-risk youth, announced Friday that Palin would be a host at its 2011 Patriots and Warriors Charity Gala. The next day, the foundation announced it cancelled Palin''s appearance.

"Due to an onslaught of personal attacks against Governor Palin and others associated with her appearance, it is with deep sadness and disappointment that, in the best interest of all, we cancel the event for safety concerns," Fox News quoted the foundation as saying on the website.

The group said it "deeply respects" Palin and "appreciates her willingness" to attend, but out of "concern for her safety and the safety of others" changed the event date and speaker.

Although the group began selling tickets to its May 2 fundraiser in January for 185 dollars per person and even offered 15-dollar discounts, group founder Leo Pacheco said that it''s important to protect the emotional safety of military members and their families who may be hurt by repercussions accompanying Palin''s attendance.

"Unfortunately, some have overshadowed the purpose of this event by concentrating on their personal hatred of Sarah Palin, which is truly sad," he said. (ANI)
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Egypt crisis: Prizing status quo, Mubarak resisting pressure to quit

Washington, Feb.7 : Egyptian, Arab and Western officials who have dealt with President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt say that for the past week, he has veered between anger, a sense of betrayal and stoicism.

Known for a fierce conservatism that prizes stability above all else, Mubarak has reacted to the calls for his resignation with his usual change-resistant manner, The New York Times reports.

That deep-seated aversion to change, along with Mubarak’s fierce pride and absolute certainty that he is the only person who can provide his country with the stability, now occupies center stage in the Egyptian crisis, a psychological drama to rival the clash on the streets, the paper reports further.

The question of whether Mubarak will yield power willingly — and how and under what timetable he might do so — is driving the Obama administration’s national security team to assess and reassess their strategy in dealing with him.

It is being watched intently by the anti-government protesters in Cairo, much of the Arab world and even by members of his own government.

American, Western officials and protesters are unsure to what degree Mubarak still calls the shots.

Till now, Mubarak has balked at American suggestions that he leave power.

Washington’s negotiations have been with Vice-President Suleiman, and he and other Egyptian officials have taken pains to show that their actions are at their boss’s behest, even if he does not appear to be publicly managing the country’s crisis.

American and Egyptian officials say that such considerations are all part of a carefully calibrated process aimed at avoiding a direct challenge to Mubarak’s unwavering belief that if you make concessions — like tendering a resignation — in the face of pressure, you invite more demands.

As of now, the signal going out from Cairo is that concessions must be made on the Mubarak stopwatch.

Mubarak, 82, has survived three wars, an Islamic uprising and multiple assassination attempts.

Two years ago, an aneurism caused the sudden death of his 12-year-old grandson, Muhammad, a deep personal blow. Through all of that, Egyptian and American officials said, he continues to believe that his country can succeed only if he is at the helm to protect it from being taken over by Islamists. (ANI)
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Egyptians won’t allow repressive govt. to fill Mubarak’s void: Obama

Washington, Feb 7 : US President Barack Obama has said that although Washington cannot force out Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, he hopes that a “whole bunch of secular” people in Egypt will no longer allow an unresponsive government without free and fair elections.

He further said that orderly transition to a new government could help in establishing a relatively pro -American government in that country.

"What I want is a representative government in Egypt and I have confidence that if Egypt moves in an orderly transition process, they will have a government in Egypt that will work together with us" as partners, Fox New quoted Obama, as saying.

Obama also laid to rest fears that Mubarak’s resignation could lead a group like the radical Muslim Brotherhood to fill the void.

"The Muslim Brotherhood is one faction in Egypt. They don''t have majority support in Egypt, but they are well organized and there are strains of their ideology that are against the U. S., there''s no doubt about it," Obama said.

"But here''s the thing that we have to understand, there are a whole bunch of secular folks in Egypt, there are a whole bunch of educators and civil society in Egypt that wants to come to the fore as well. So it''s important for us not to say that our own only two options are either the Muslim Brotherhood or a suppressed people," he added.

Egyptian Vice-President Omar Suleiman had met opposition groups, including the officially banned Brotherhood, to figure out ways to end the political crisis in Egypt yesterday.

Mubarak had ruled Egypt without a vice president for 30 years, but suddenly appointed 74-year-old Suleiman as his deputy last month amid huge protests demanding the autocratic ruler’s resignation. (ANI)
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Are Barbie and Ken getting together again after 43 yrs?

Washington, Feb 7 : Toy manufacturer Mattel Inc. is seeking public opinion on the possible reunion of Barbie and Ken, who split in 2004 after 43 years together.


The blond bombshell called it quits with her longtime beau in February 2004, and announced a new love in her life - an Australian surfer named Blaine.


It''s not clear what''s happened to Blaine but after seven years apart, Ken is trying to woo back his former flame.


Mattel Inc. is using Facebook and Twitter to test the waters on whether the iconic doll duo should reunite.


Ken, who has reinvented himself as the new "Sweet Talking Ken" doll -- soon to hit toy stores -- is tweeting that he thinks he and Barbie "are perfect for each other."


"If you do too, vote YES for her to take me back," the Fox News quoted the Malibu hunk as tweeting.


Mattel says the revamped Ken doll is "the ultimate boyfriend for every occasion," because he "says whatever you want him to say!" according to a report on Marshable.


For Barbie, however, an Elizabeth Taylor/Richard Burton-like comeback might not be so easy.


"OfficialKen and I have had some fab times. I just don''t know what to do!" she posted on her Twitter feed. (ANI)
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Romney, Huckabee are Republican Party’s best White House bet

Washington, Feb. 7 : Two former American governors -- Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee -- are being seen as the Republican Party’s best shots at winning back the White House.


According to the Rasmussen survey released Sunday, Romney holding a two-point edge over Obama, 44 percent to 42 percent.


On the other hand, Huckabee is locked in a draw with the president at 43 percent apiece.


According to Politico, former House of Representative Speaker Newt Gingrich trails Obama by 8 points, Ron Paul is back 9 points, and Sarah Palin is down 11 points.


No other candidate trails by less than double-digits. (ANI)
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Engineers find nanolasers for faster microprocessors

Washington, Feb 7 - Engineers have found a way to grow nanolasers -- lasers able to produce beams at nanoscale -- directly onto a silicon surface, potentially opening the way to a new class of faster and more efficient microprocessors.

"Our results impact a broad spectrum of scientific fields, including materials science, transistor technology, laser science, optoelectronics and optical physics," said Connie Chang-Hasnain, the study's principal investigator and computer sciences professor at the University of California, Berkeley.

Increasing demands on electronics have sent researchers in search of better ways to harness the inherent ability of light particles to carry far more data than electrical signals can, the journal Nature Photonics reports.

Optical interconnects are seen as a solution to overcoming the communications bottleneck within and between computer chips, according to a University of California statement.

Because silicon is extremely deficient at generating light, engineers have turned to another class of materials known as III-V (pronounced "three-five") semiconductors to create light-based components such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and lasers.

But the researchers pointed out that marrying III-V with silicon to create a single opto-electronic chip has been problematic. For one, the atomic structures of the two materials are mismatched.

"Growing III-V semiconductor films on silicon is like forcing two incongruent puzzle pieces together," said study author Roger Chen, who is a University of California, Berkeley, graduate in electrical engineering and computer sciences.

"It can be done, but the material gets damaged in the process."

The researchers overcame this limitation by finding a way to grow nanopillars made of indium gallium arsenide, a III-V material, onto a silicon surface at the relatively cool temperature of 400 degrees Celsius. (IANS)
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US strip-club-owner livid after plan for job providing club is opposed

York, Feb 7 : A strip-club-owner in the US, who planned to open a joint at one of the most unemployed boroughs, has been left fuming after civic leaders did not approve of her job providing scheme.

Monique Dawson said her King of Clubs strip club on Oak Point Avenue, in Hunts Point, would provide 50 jobs that paid 30 dollars to 50 dollars an hour.

“How are you interfering with people eating?” the New York Post quoted her as asking.

“To be met with this type of opposition in this day and age and in this economic downturn that we’re having is really crazy,” she stated.

Dawson, a retired city correction officer, had approached Hunts Point civic leaders about her business months ago.

She padded her plea for a liquor license by offering to help local nonprofits with food for the holidays and promising jobs in a borough with 12 percent unemployment.

But the idea of a G-string and lap-dance-based plan to solve the neighbourhood’s employment woes rubbed some folks the wrong way.

“It’s the most ridiculous thing you could ever say. We don’t want these jobs,” Rafael Salamanco, the district manager of Community Board 2, said.

The board said the adult enterprise would counteract work being done to clean up Hunts Point, and encouraged the State Liquor Authority to deny King of Clubs a license when the agency reviews it next month.

Elected officials also fear that the club would exacerbate drug and prostitution problems.

“These are not the jobs we are looking to bring to the community,” Assemblyman Marcos Crespo added. (ANI)
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AOL buys Huffington Post for 315 million dollars

New York, Feb 7: New York-based AOL is reportedly buying the Huffington Post for 315 million dollars.


The Huffington Post is a progressive American news website and content aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring various news sources and columnists.


The site offers coverage of politics, media, business, entertainment, living, style, the green movement, world news, and comedy, and has news, blogs, and original content.


The move represents a vote of confidence by AOL CEO Tim Armstrong in Huffington’s brand of news aggregation supported by original reporting, wired. com reports.


AOL will reportedly pay 300 million dollars in cash, and the rest in stock.


The Huffington Post was launched on May 9, 2005, as a commentary outlet and alternative to news websites like the Drudge Report. (ANI)
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America’s top civil rights group backs Hindus upset with NBC over Lord Ganesh mockery

Nevada (US), Feb 7 : National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), USA’s influential-oldest-largest civil rights organization, has come out in support of Hindus, who are disturbed over the portrayal of Lord Ganesh as a sex act on NBC’s Saturday Night Live (SNL) and want apologies from all those responsible for it, including actor Jim Carrey and NBC.

Lonnie L. Feemster, President of Reno-Sparks branch of NAACP which covers northern Nevada, in a statement today, expressed support of Hindus’ displeasure of the SNL skit showing disrespect for the Hindu deity. He urged NBC and SNL and actors “to offer a complete and immediate apology” for the lack of their understanding and insensitivity.

In a skit on NBC’s SNL (January eight) titled “The Wrath of Ganesh”, Jim Carrey (as erotic shaman Lee Licious) and Kenan Thomson (as Grady Wilson) demonstrated a sexual technique, mocking elephant-headed Lord Ganesh and his trunk in the process. Grady has traveled the world to find new sexual techniques to spice up the bedroom, the tagline of the episode (1587) “Grady Wilson''s Tantric N''Tasty” said.

Notable Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, taking up this issue, has earlier said that Lord Ganesh was highly revered in Hinduism and was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be thrown around loosely in reimagined versions for dramatic effects in TV series for mercantile greed. Such absurd depiction of Lord Ganesh with no scriptural backing was hurtful to the devotees.

In a remarkable interfaith gesture, leaders of other faith traditions have expressed support to the upset Hindus. Father Charles T. Durante; Chair of the Life, Peace and Justice Commission of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Reno; in a statement in Nevada, said: "Making fun of another’s religious beliefs leads to discontent and hurt feelings among peoples of different traditions. Is it really necessary to make fun of another’s religious beliefs?"

Reverend Dr. Tom Butler, highly respected United Methodist Pastor in Nevada, in a statement, said: “…the reference to the Hindu deity, Lord Ganesh, goes beyond poor taste; it appears to be a direct insult and intentional offense to those whose religious beliefs and practices revere Lord Ganesh. An apology from the producer of the show to the Hindu people who were subjected to it is clearly due.”

Buddhist Minister ‘Jikai’ Phil Bryan said: “It is very sad that NBC, the admired showman Jim Carrey, and others responsible for the skit ‘The Wrath of Ganesh’ fail to ‘see’ how important Ganesh is to every Hindu family''s home… A heartfelt apology from all involved would show respect, love and understanding for all our Hindu friends”.

Jewish leader Rabbi ElizaBeth W. Beyer stated: “Portrayal of a religious group''s deity in a form that is condescending and low is a serious affront to the many Hindus who worship Ganesh…Hollywood star Jim Carrey, NBC and others responsible for lampooning Hindu Lord Ganesh should provide public apologies…We Jews fully support Hindu leader Rajan Zed’s protest initiative on this issue…”

Annabelle Younger, Director of International Society for Krishna Consciousness for Northern Nevada, in a statement addressed to “NBC, Saturday Night Live and Jim Carrey”, said: “It would be to your benefit and the honorable deed for you to publicly offer an apology to those millions of people who worship Ganesh”. She described “Tantric N''Tasty” skit on Ganesh as “extremely offensive and completely TASTELESS”.

Swami Pooja Saraswati, a well respected spiritual leader, called this SNL skit “disgusting”. “I condemn such outrageous degradation of consciousness…NBC network and sponsors of the show should be boycotted”, she added.

Such trivialization of Lord Ganesh was disturbing and offensive to the one billion Hindus world over, Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, said in a statement in Nevada and requested NBC to immediately remove it from all its websites and other links.

Rajan Zed also asked Golden Globe winner actor-comedian Jim Carrey (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) , actor-comedian Kenan Thomson, NBC Universal President and Chief Executive Officer, and SNL Executive Producer Lorne Michaels to tender a public apology for it and urged them not to inappropriately drag Hindu deities to advance the commercial or other agenda in the future.

Reverend Larry Edward Schneider, a Unity Church leader, in a statement, also sought public apologies from Carrey, NBC CEO, and Michaels for hurting the feelings of Hindu faithful.

Meanwhile, Forum for Hindu Awakening has called it a “grave denigration” and “vulgar mockery of Sri Ganesh”, appealing devout Hindus worldwide to protest against it.

Hindus welcomed Hollywood and other entertainment industries to immerse in Hinduism but taking it seriously and respectfully and not just for indecorous showing of Hindu symbols and concepts to advance their selfish agenda. Casual flirting sometimes resulted in pillaging serious spiritual doctrines and revered symbols and hurting the devotees, Zed pointed out.

Rajan Zed argued that Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken lightly. No faith, larger or smaller, should be ridiculed at; Zed said and added if Hollywood or other entertainment executives needed any assistance about Hinduism, he or other Hindu scholars would be glad to help.

Emmy winning late-night comedy show SNL, which entertains millions each week, entered 36th season on September 25. Headquartered in New York (USA), founded in 1926, and available in about 112 million households; NBC Universal claims to be one of the world''s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.

Lord Ganesh, however, is favorite of many Hollywood celebrities. According to reports, actress-director Goldie Hawn reveres Lord Ganesh, actress Olivia Hussey possesses an extensive collection of his statues, actress Kelli Williams considers him as her favorite, while writer-director Tracey Jackson wears Lord Ganesh necklace. In Bollywood, Mumbai-based Indian film industry considered largest in the world, most of the productions start with invoking Lord Ganesh.

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Einstein’s 69-yr-old granddaughter wants her due

New York, Feb 7 : The university that owns the lucrative rights to Albert Einstein’s name is refusing to give a dollar to his family.

The late scientist’s granddaughter Evelyn Einstein, who approached the Hebrew University of Jerusalem about sharing the profits it earned, claims that she was ‘rudely blown off’.

“Everyone assumes I''m filthy rich, and they think I have a mental problem because I''m not using my money,” she told the New York Post.

When the iconic genius died in 1955 at age 76, he bequeathed the literary rights in his estate to the Hebrew University.

The school later trademarked Einstein’s name, and last year alone made 10 million dollars from licensing fees.

“I never made any issue of the fact that they were willed the literary estate,” said Evelyn.

“But what does a bobblehead have to do with a literary estate? I was really offended by some of the stuff that was being OK''d,” she added.

The 69-year-old, who is in poor health, said she never knew how much her late grandfather''s name was worth until 2008, when Forbes magazine released its list of highest-earning deceased celebrities. That year, Einstein''s name and likeness raked in 18 million dollars.

“I don''t want to be rich. I don''t want huge amounts of money. I''d like to move into an assisted-living facility that isn''t dangerous,” said Evelyn. (ANI)
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Pakistan has to do more in terror war: US

Washington, Aug 4 : The United States says Pakistan started to take more direct action against terrorist safe havens in its territory after extremists tried to move on to its capital, but unquestionably Pakistan needs to do more.


"If you look at the progress that we have made with Pakistan on safe havens, on confronting terrorists, I think that is a record that they and we can be proud of," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters Tuesday.


"Does more have to be done? Unquestionable," he said when asked if President Barack Obama now believes that the Pakistani military, intelligence and civilian government will support the US from now on.


"We have tough work ahead in Pakistan and in Afghanistan. And together with our partners, we'll make progress," Gibbs said refuting a reported suggestion by Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari that the Afghanistan war is lost.


"I don't think the President (Obama) would agree with President Zardari's conclusion that the war is lost," he said referring to Zardari's reported remarks to French newspaper Le Monde.


Zardari was quoted as telling Le Monde that "the international community to which Pakistan belongs is losing the war against the Taliban. Above all, it is because we've lost the battle for hearts and minds."


"I don't know why he's come to that conclusion," Gibbs said. "But I think it is safe to say that the actions and the efforts that the coalition, international forces and American forces, have taken over the last several months have very much the hearts and minds of the Afghan people at the forefront.


"The Afghan people know of the brutality of the Taliban, just as the Pakistani people, on the actions that their extremist counterparts were taking in Pakistan last year to move on the capital of Pakistan is why the country of Pakistan started to take more direct action against safe havens," he said.


"So I think that the hearts and minds of those in Afghanistan and Pakistan are obviously a key part of our strategy, as well as what is in the hearts and the minds of the extremists that seek to do Afghans or Pakistanis harm, Gibbs said. (IANS)
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