THREE MORE INFANT DIED

Malda (West Bengal): Three more infant died at Malda Sadar Hospital on Saturday taking the death toll in the state-run facility to nine in the past two days.

While three children died in the hospital today, six other deaths occurred during Thursday-Friday, acting Superintendent Dr R R Samanta said, adding that most of them were new-born babies.

Most of the deaths were caused by respiratory difficulty induced by cold with many babies referred from far-flung areas in serious condition, the official said.

The hospital authorities have taken measures including a warmer on 24-hour basis at the neo-natal unit.

At least 15 infants had died in this hospital in a period of six days in November.

AMRI HOSPITAL FIRE

hello every body .. very sad news ..The toll in AMRI Hospital fire tragedy rose to 93 after two patients who were evacuated to two different hospitals died Sunday morning.

"Babulal Bhattacharya died in the morning today (Sunday). He died of cardiac arrest and not due to suffocation caused by the fire," said a doctor at the hospital's Salt Lake facility.

Bhattacharya was earlier admitted to the Dhakuria branch of the hospital in the city with heart ailments. Following the fire in the early hours of Friday, he was evacuated and shifted to the Salt Lake facility of the same hospital, where he breathed his last.

The other victim was 82-year old female patient who died Sunday afternoon at Bellevue Clinic. She was admitted to the hospital on Friday morning after the fire.

“A female patient who was shifted to our hospital from AMRI hospital, Dhakuria has expired today (Sunday),” said Biswajit Matilal, assitant vice president, corporate communications, Birla Corporation Limited

In another development, a fire engine was pressed into service after smoke was seen coming out of the basement of the AMRI annexe which had caught fire Friday.

"Such an occurring is normal in case of major fires. We were informed about the smoke coming out and sent an engine which doused the flame," said an officer manning the fire services headquarters in the city. do pray for them ...

Virender Sehwag let a sigh of relief and the capacity crowd erupted in unbridled joy as Darren Sammy allowed a sitter slip through his otherwise safe

hi every body ... The batsman, looking set for only the second double ton in the history of one-day internationals, pointed his bat towards a sheepish-looking West Indian skipper as if to thank his rival number for the ‘favour’.
Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, India’s stand-in skipper, on 170 when he was reprieved, blazed his way to 219 (149b, 25x4, 7x6) that powered the hosts to series win over the West Indies here on Thursday night at the Holkar Stadium.

After posting their highest ODI total – 418 for five – India bowled out the visitors to 265 in 49.2 overs to register a comprehensive 153-run win to take an unassailable 3-1 lead going into Chennai’s final match on Sunday. On a day when Sehwag authored a masterpiece, Denesh Ramdin’s valiant run-a-ball 96 was a mere footnote.

While the day largely belonged to Sehwag, debutant Rahul Sharma (3/43) managed to steal some limelight with three crucial blows when the West Indies were going berserk. The Punjab leg-spinner struck thrice in his first three overs -- all with the last ball of each over and all bowled – to reduce the match into a no-contest.

Sehwag, who also completed 8000 ODI runs during his knock, won the toss for the fourth time in succession, but this time opted to bat first on what appeared a batting beauty. Having endured a succession of poor starts in the previous three matches, India went in with their tried and tested pair at the top, Sehwag partnering his Delhi mate Gautam Gambhir (67, 67, 11x4). The move paid handsome returns as the left-right combination laid a strong platform for a big total.

Having warmed up with a flicked four off Ravi Rampaul, Sehwag played an uppercut to deposit Kemar Roach over thirdman fence. For the next few minutes, Gambhir, dropped on 20 by Andre Russell off his own bowling, struck a series of fours before his senior mate firmly took the charge welcoming off-spinner Sunil Narine with a lofted six over long-on. A placid pitch and superfast outfield had already blunted the visiting attack but a supreme lack of intensity on the field and bowlers’ own profligacy ensured that the mayhem got only more brutal.

Slight slip-up
Sehwag seldom spares even a good delivery and a slight slip-up either in line or length is inviting trouble. But West Indies seemed to welcome a calamity on the day. The 33-year-old reached his first 50 runs in 41 balls but that was only an appetiser before the main course. The opener consumed a mere 28 balls to bring up his 15th ODI ton (69b, 10x4, 5x6).

While Sehwag was bruising in his assault, Gambhir hurt the Windies no less with his deft slices and cuts. The only jarring note between the two was a surprising lack of understanding while running between the wickets which eventually resulted in the dismissal of Gambhir. The damage, however, had been done as an impressive 176 had come in a matter of 137 balls.

A struggling Suresh Raina was promoted to number three and the left-hander did his cause no harm with a strokeful 55 (44b, 6x4) before he ran himself out going for a non-existent second run after adding 140 (105b) for the second wicket.

Raina is one of the fiercest hitters of the cricket ball but looked a mute spectator in front of Sehwag’s breathtaking blitzkrieg. It was during this association that Sehwag slowed down a bit but only relatively. He took 43 balls to move from 100 to 150, his slowest phase during the innings, but needed just another 28 balls to get to the magic figure of 200.

Score Board

INDIA
Gambhir (run out) 67
(67b, 11x4)
Sehwag c (sub) Marin b Pollard 219
(149b, 25x4, 7x6)
Raina (run out) 55
(44b, 6x4)
Jadeja c Rampaul b Russell 10
(10b)
Rohit b Roach 27
(16b, 3x4)
Kohli (not out) 23
(11b, 3x4)
Parthiv (not out) 3
(3b)
Extras (LB-1, W-13) 14
Total (for 5 wkts, 50 overs) 418
Fall of wickets: 1-176 (Gambhir), 2-316 (Raina), 3-341 (Jadeja), 4-376 (Rohit), 5-393 (Rohit).
Bowling: Roach 10-0-88-1, Rampaul 9-0-66-0 (w-3), Russell 7-0-63-1 (w-1), Narine 6-0-46-0 (w-2), Sammy 3-0-30-0 (w-5), Pollard 7-0-65-1 (w-2), Samuels 8-0-59-0.
Scoring pattern: 5 overs: 30/1; 10: 63/0; 20: 149/0; 30: 225/1; 40: 311/1; Close of play: 418/5 in 50 overs.
Runs during: Power Play1: 1-10 overs: 63/0; Power Play2 (bowling): 16-20 overs: 41/0; Power Play3 (batting): 36-40 overs: 48/0.
WEST INDIES
Simmons c Parthiv b Jadeja 36
(35b, 6x4, 1x6)
Powell (run out) 7
(5b, 1x4)
Samuels b Rahul 33
(26b, 4x4, 2x6)
Hyatt b Rahul 11
(17b, 2x4)
Ramdin c Rohit b Raina 96
(96b, 12x4)
Pollard b Rahul 3
(4b)
Russell st Parthiv b Raina 29
(24b, 1x4, 3x6)
Sammy c Mithun b Ashwin 2
(6b)
Rampaul c (sub) Tiwary b Jadeja 10
(31b, 1x4)
Roach c&b Jadeja 7
(19b, 1x4)
Narine (not out) 27
(33b, 3x4, 1x6)
Extras (LB-2, W-2) 4
Total (all out, 49.2 overs) 265
Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Powell), 2-63 (Simmons), 3-81 (Samuels), 4-90 (Hyatt), 5-100 (Pollard), 6-140 (Russell), 7-145 (Sammy), 8-168 (Rampaul), 9-201 (Roach).
Bowling: Vinay 4-0-34-0, Ashwin 10-0-59-1 (w-1), Jadeja 10-2-34-3, Mithun 4-0-37-0 (w-1), Rahul 10-0-43-3, Raina 6.2-0-17-2, Rohit 5-0-39-0.
Scoring pattern: after 5 overs: 38/1; 10: 64/2; 20: 118/5; 30: 161/7; 40: 211/9; Close of play: 265 all out in 49.2 overs.
Runs during Power Play1: 1-10 overs: 64/2; Power Play2 (bowling): 16-20 overs: 22/1; Power Play3 (batting): 36-40: 37/1.

VETTEL EXITS EARLY

The world champion IN F1 2011 appeared set for victory when he made a clean start at the Yas Marina Circuit to comfortably lead Lewis Hamilton through turn one.

However, Vettel's Red Bull then suffered a right rear puncture and he was left a passenger when his car pitched into a spin.

After Hamilton had led the field past, the German trundled back to the pits but suspension damage brought his first retirement since last year's Korean Grand Prix.

"On the exit of the first corner, everything seemed fine and then turning into the second corner I could feel that something was odd on the rear right," Vettel explained. "I had to catch the car surprisingly and then the second time, I couldn't do it anymore, as I'd lost too much air in the rear right tyre.

"I had a puncture and spun off. When I got back to the pits, the resulting suspension damage meant we couldn't carry on.

"There wasn't anything we could have done better really this weekend; we just need to look at what had caused the puncture.

"I had a good start and I was very happy with the car up until that point. To lose the race there, so early on, it hurts for sure," added Vettel,

F1 ABU DHABI 2011

As the race progressed Vettel made a good start, but span off on the second corner, destroying his right rear in the process. Hamilton now leads from Button, with Alonso on the pounce. And Alonso gets past, up into P2 during the first lap.

This race could get interesting.

Massa and Webber nearly collided going into Turn 1, while the two Mercedes drivers looked close to connecting on more than one occasion. Vettel is now at the back of the pack and limping slowly to the pits.

Lap 2, and Hamilton has a 2.5s lead over Alonso in P2. Vettel makes it to the pits and looks close to retirement – the wheel is destroyed.

Lap 3, and DRS is enabled.

On replay, it’s obvious that Vettel’s suffered from hub failure, and not driver error. At least the best time to have your first retirement of the season is after you’ve won the championship, right?

Hamilton still leads from Alonso and Button, with Webber in P4. But the Red Bull driver passes Button with relative ease, prompting talk that the McLaren driver is struggling with the balance of his car.

Alonso goes purple, but is still 2.6s behind Hamilton and out of DRS reach.

Kovalainen made a great start, and is currently running in P14. Just behind him is Barrichello, who has worked his was up to P15 from a grid slot of P23.

Perez, Kobayashi, and Senna have all pitted; based on pace the latter two appeared to be suffering car trouble before heading to the pits. Perez is almost certainly on a one-stop strategy.

Alonso is currently two-tenths faster than Hamilton in the first sector, but the McLaren driver has the edges in sectors two and three.

Button – who managed to get back ahead of Webber – has just posted the fastest lap of the race and is beginning to close in on Alonso. But the McLaren driver is 6s down on his teammate, which isn’t far off one second a lap off the current pace.

Lap 9, and Buemi and di Resta are jostling for position. Buemi crept ahead, but di Resta managed to hold his position despite being on the harder tyre. The battle was brought to you – in part – by the extended DRS zone.

With the race one-fifth run, the top ten is: Hamilton, Alonso, Button, Webber, Massa, Rosberg, Schumacher, Sutil, di Resta, Buemi.

The two HRTs are tangling with each other, both drivers jostling for position at the back of the grid.

Di Resta radios that he is beginning to lose traction; Buemi might be able to pounce in the next lap.

At the front, the gap between Hamilton and Alonso is holding steady around 2.6s. Button is six seconds further back, with Webber 1.4s behind.

Rosberg is pulling out a lead on teammate Schumacher; the two cars have been running together since they nearly collided on the first lap but the younger driver is now 5.6s ahead of his compatriot.

Lap 13 and Alonso goes purple. The gap to Hamilton has been reduced to 2.3s.

Button radios complaining of car trouble; the McLaren driver is losing a second a lap and is now within Webber’s DRS range.

Buemi and di Resta are still playing pass and repass; the Scottish driver is delivering a commendable performance given his traction issues at a circuit where traction is vital.

Lap 15, and Webber makes his move on Button. Webber overshoots the corner and Button reclaims his place. The McLaren driver has KERS failure.

The gap between Hamilton and Alonso is down to 1.9s, as Ferrari call Massa into the pits. The Brazilian drops from P5 to P8 on exit, and ushers in the first major pit stop phase of the race.

Hamilton and Alonso pit together from P1 and P2, while Button enters the McLaren box as soon as his teammate leaves it. Sutil, Schumacher, Alguersuari, and Kovalainen have now all pitted this lap.

Webber now leads the race, with Hamilton in P2 and Alonso in P3. And on the next lap, Webber pits from the lead and emerges in P5. Hamilton is back in the lead, and 2.6s ahead of Alonso.

Webber had a very slow stop, over nine seconds thanks to a stuck wheel.

Hamilton goes purple on his fresh rubber, extending the gap to Alonso to 3.3s. Button is 15.9s behind his teammate, and has Massa 1.4s behind.

D’Ambrosio has retired following what felt like a ninety minute pit stop, thanks to what the team confirm is a brake problem.

Lap 21, and we’re treated to a battle for 12th between Renault teammates Senna and Petrov. But Senna pits, and the promise of action comes to nothing.

Buemi has retired.

Lap 22, and with three retirements under our belts the top ten: Hamilton, Alonso, Button, Massa, Webber, Rosberg, Sutil, Schumacher, di Resta, Maldonado. Di Resta and Maldonado have yet to pit.

The gap between Alonso and Hamilton is shrinking, thanks to time lost lapping backmarkers. On lap 23, it was holding steady at 3s, but by lap 24 Hamilton has pulled out an extra 0.3s on the Ferrari.

Further down the grid, Kovalainen is keeping Barrichello solidly in his wing mirrors; the Lotus driver is in P14 with the Williams man 2.3s further back down the track.

Lap 25, and Barrichello passes Kovalainen for P14.

Maldonado pits and crashes into the tunnel wall on exit. This is the pinnacle of motorsport, don’t you know? The Williams driver recovered and continued to the track.

Lap 28, and di Resta pits for what will presumably be his only stop of the race. Perez pits for a second time – I was wrong to assume he was one-stopping.

At the front of the pack, Hamilton is slowly extending his lead on Alonso. The two men are now split by 4.1s.

Lap 29, and Maldonado is under investigation for ignoring blue flags. And almost immediately, the stewards announce a drive-through for the Venezuelan, who is currently running in P14.

Lap 30, and Webber and Massa are getting close. Webber passes Massa on the straight, and the two make brief contact. Massa then uses his DRS to repass the Red Bull. This is a battle certain to run and run.

Lap 32, and Maldonado serves his drive-through. Can he leave the pits without driving into the tunnel wall?

Hamilton is pulling away from Alonso at the front of the pack; the gap between the two is up to 5.6s. Button is 15.8s further back in P3, with the Massa-Webber battle four seconds behind him.

Alguersuari and Maldonado are causing traffic problems for Webber and Massa, who are attempting to lap them. The grid has now been lapped up to Kovalainen in P13.

Alonso sets the fastest lap the race so far (we’re on lap 34), and chips away at the gap to Hamilton by half a second. Traffic is a serious problem for the frontrunners, especially where Maldonado is concerned.

Lap 35, and Hamilton has lost 0.7s passing backmarkers.

Maldonado and Alguersuari are being investigated for ignoring waved blues. That’ll be a stop-go penalty for Maldonado, while Alguersuari should get a drive-through.

Webber pitted from P5 on lap 36, and returned to the track in P6. One lap later, Button pits from P3 and comes back out in P5.

Senna is under investigation for ignoring waved blues, and is immediately issued with a drive-through.

Lap 37, and Senna pits for his penalty.

Lap 38, and the order in the points is: Hamilton, Alonso, Massa, Rosberg, Button, Webber, Schumacher, Sutil, di Resta, Petrov. Di Resta and Petrov are one lap down on the race leaders.

Webber goes purple on his fresh soft tyres.

At the head of the pack, the gap between Hamilton and Alonso is down to 3.1s. Hamilton will need to pit for new rubber shortly; the question is will Alonso stay out with a view to jumping the McLaren driver, or will the pair race in the stops?

Lap 40, and Hamilton pits from the lead. Alonso stays out, and the McLaren driver emerges in P2.

Massa pits from P3, and is joined by Kovalainen. The Lotus driver overtakes the Ferrari heading into the pit exit tunnel.

The stewards announce the Alguersuari-Maldonado incident will be investigated after the race.

Webber passes Button for fourth, the two men make contact and the McLaren driver wobbles across the track but recovers. It looks as though the Red Bull tapped the rear and the front in the course of the pass, but it was racing contact and not anything to worry about.

Alonso has yet to pit, but is currently sitting on a 20s lead over Hamilton in P2. Ferrari will need to best McLaren’s 3.6s stop time to stay ahead, and Hamilton is setting fast sector times on his fresh tyres.

And Alonso pits on lap 43, slowed down by Ricciardo who is also pitting.

The Ferrari stop wasn’t quick enough – Hamilton has the lead on Alonso, and both cars will now run till the end of the race.

Lap 44, and the leading pair are split by 4.4s.

Massa has just driven over a bit of what appears to be Barrichello’s front wing, possibly damaging his car in the process.

Lap 45, and Webber passes Rosberg for P3. The Australian isn’t vulnerable to a DRS-powered repass, as he’s just powered off into the distance. What was that about the unbeatable Mercedes engine?

Lap 47 and the provisional points go to: Hamilton, Alonso, Webber, Rosberg, Button, Massa, Schumacher, di Resta, Kobayashi.

Hamilton is currently 5.7s ahead of Alonso in P2. Button is now 1s down on Rosberg, and might be able to use his DRS to pass, although defending will be tough without KERS.

Pit me baby one more time. Britney (aka Rosberg) pits for the last time on lap 49.

Massa isn’t having a great day – the Brazilian driver has just slid sideways across the runoff area, but returned to the track unscathed.

With five laps remaining, the gaps have stabilised at the front of the pack. Hamilton has six seconds on Alonso, who is eleven seconds ahead of Webber. Button is just shy of 10 seconds behind the solitary Red Bull.

Closing laps drama from Ricciardo, who plants his car sideways into the barriers at Turn 16. The Australian is out, but will be a classified finisher.

It’s the penultimate lap, and there’re no changes in the points.

Hamilton crosses the line to begin the last lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and Webber pits for the last time. The Australian slips off the podium, handing P3 to Button.Abu Dhabi Grand Prix results

RACE RESULT FOR 2011 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX

1. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
3. Jenson Button (McLaren)
4. Mark Webber (Red Bull)
5. Felipe Massa (Ferrari)
6. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
7. Michael Schumacher (Mercedes)
8. Adrian Sutil (Force India)
9. Paul di Resta (Force India)
10. Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber)
11. Sergio Perez (Sauber)
12. Rubens Barrichello (Williams)
13. Vitaly Petrov (Renault)
14. Pastor Maldonado (Williams)
15. Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso)
16. Bruno Senna (Renault)
17. Heikki Kovalainen (Team Lotus)
18. Jarno Trulli (Team Lotus)
19. Timo Glock (Virgin)
20. Tonio Liuzzi (HRT)


ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX .


Daniel Ricciardo (HRT) RET
Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso) RET
Jerome D’Ambrosio (Virgin) RET
Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) RET

THNX FOR VISITING AND ITS CIAO .

UPA chief Sonia Gandhi's cancels speech fuelling succession to Rahul speculation

Sonia gandhi today has cancelled her first public speech since undergoing cancer surgery, fuelling speculation she will hand power to her son, Rahul.Sonia Gandhi's cancels speech fuelling succession to Rahul speculation

The president of India’s ruling Congress party had been due to address a rally in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand but she pulled out after being diagnosed with “VIRAL FEVER”.


“She has been running a viral fever since yesterday, so today we cancelled the plan for her to go to Uttarakhand,” said Janardan Dwivedi, the party’s general secretary and spokesman.
The future of the Congress party since Mrs Gandhi, 64, flew to New York in August to be treated for canceR is mounting .

The Congress party, which rules in a coalition in New Delhi, has been hit by a series of corruption allegations, allegedly involving top-level ministers, two of whom were forced to resign amid escalating public anger. Polls suggested that Congress’ popularity may have fallen by a third in urban areas.

More than 20,000 supporters had gathered to see Mrs Gandhi’s return to the political arena,keen to catch a glimpse of the Italian-born leader who wields uncontested power in the Congress party . but that was in vein unfortunately .


“I am very worried to hear she is sick again. I hope she gets better soon,” said housewife Kamala Rawat, 32. “I will welcome her here if she makes another visit.”

The Congress party, led by the Gandhi-Nehru political dynasty has dominated post-independence government in India, providing three prime ministers prior to Sonia and Rahul’s entry into politics. Indian media rarely report the personal life of Gandhi family members, and the internal politics of the Congress party are shrouded in secrecy.

latest result election

asiaresults.in/2011/10/19/tamil-nadu-2011-local-body-election-results-oct-21tn-election-2011-panchayat-election-results

FACEBOOK PHONE FROM HTC

hi every body . face book user must enjoy unlimited today HTC has launched the HTC Salsa, it's "Facebook phone" in India.

The Salsa will be powered by Google's Android 2.3 operating system and will feature HTC's Android skin HTC Sense.

With its emphasis on easy social connectivity, the HTC Salsa will provide one-touch access to the key functions of Facebook, integrated throughout the HTC Sense experience, via a dedicated Facebook button.

"HTC has always understood that different people want different things and the new HTC Salsa offers special new ways to socialize through a mobile device. With Indians increasingly getting hooked on to the social web, we wanted to create the ultimate socially connected phone which makes this experience simple and convenient."


The HTC Salsa is powered by a 800 Mhz Qualcomm processor and features a 5-megapixel camera, a 3.4-inch with a 480 x 320 resolution, and a VGA front-facing camera for video calling.

Previously, HTC released high end Android phones such as the Incredible S and the Desire HD but none of these devices featured a dedicated social networking experience.

hi everbody

The top South Korean mobile handset maker Samsung is betting big on smartphones and expects the segment to contribute 15 per cent to the sales volume by the year—end.

right now , smartphones account for about 10 per cent of the handsets sold by the company in the country. 1,300 Galaxy SII handsets were booked online in 10 days. We have received good response from the market on this device and we expect this model to give 20 per cent volume growth in smartphone sales month—over—month,” a company spokesperson said.



thw product is Priced at Rs. 32,890, Galaxy SII was available for online booking from May 26 and in open market from June 9. Samsung has 15 devices in its smartphone portfolio in the country.

The company is also eyeing a 40 per cent share of the Indian smartphone market by December now Growing smartphones sales are expected to get a further fillip with the roll out of 3G services in the country. 3G services, which offer high—speed Internet access, have already been doled out by operators like Bharti airtel, Vodafone, Idea Cellular and Aircel.

India is the world’s second—largest market, after China, for telecom services with 826.93 million subscribers at the end of April 2011.

this is all are the latest updates ...

BARACK OBAMA WRITES HISTORY USING AUTOPEN

There had been a plan in place to have a White House aide hand-carry the legislation re-authorizing the Patriot Act, a controversial set of anti-terrorism and law enforcement measures passed in the wake of 9/11, to Europe, where Obama was for G8 talks.

However, the vote process was delayed, which meant that the bill might not have reached Obama before the act expired at midnight Thursday.
So Obama authorised the use of autopen, a tool that exactly mimics the president's signature and is more commonly used to sign Christmas cards and letters to schoolchildren.In 2005, then Deputy Assistant Attorney General Howard C. Neilson, Jr., released an opinion that stated the use of an autopen to sign a bill was constitutionhello everybody .. Today US President Barack Obama has made history by using an autopen - an automatic signing machine - from an ocean away to sign a al. But this is the first time an autopen has actually been used to sign a bill - making it historic.

But at least one congressman disagrees. Georgia Republican Tom Graves sent a letter to Obama Friday, stating he believes the use of an autopen in this context sets a "dangerous precedent."Graves said he at first thought reports of the use of the autopen were "a joke.

Actually, the device traces back to the early 1800's and was reportedly used by Thomas Jefferson, though not necessarily to sign bills. It can cost anywhere from $2000 to $10000. Only two companies in the United States make the devices. Each signature template costs about $175 to create.

Thats it from us over barack obama who wrote history using autopen ....

HTC WILDFIRE NEW ANDROID PHONE FROM HTC

hello everybody the most awaited things in india is getting true. The smartphone market in India is really getting crowded and competitive. Now, HTC will add to the choice of Android phones that you can buy, with the launch of the HTC Wildfire S.


In terms of specifications, this baby’s no slouch. Powered by Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread and running HTC’s celebrated Sense UI, it also features a 5 MP autofocus camera with LED flash, a 3.2-inch capacitive HVGA display and measures just 10.13cm long, 5.94cm wide and 12.4 mm thick. In terms of power, it has a 600 MHz processor and 512 MB RAM. It also has a slot for an expandable MicroSD card memory.But we ‘re saving the best for the last. Given this impressive feature list, HTC has priced this device only at around Rs. 14,000, making it an absolutely “paisa vasool” deal! We think this has got to be the best entry level Android phone on the market right now, given HTC’s recent revival and subsequent excellence in hardware, and should do very well in the market.go for it .....

near-field communication

The Web search engine giant took the wraps off of Google Wallet and Google Offers, which will launch in the season. The platform is powered by a technology called near-field communication, now found on some wallets and select phones, which is compatible with newer point-of-sale terminals. G is the latest company to attempt to make its mark in mobile payments, a potentially lucrative area that has drawn not only traditional banks and credit card companies, but new entrants such as the wireless carriers and handset manufacturers. Mobile payment is attractive because it is seen increasing the rate of purchases by consumers. But the bigger opportunity lies in delivering targeted coupons and advertisements through the technology.

"Google's interest is in the data that underlies the complete chain of commerce including consideration, promotion, transaction details, coupons, and receipts," said Charles Golvin, an analyst for Forrester Research. The lure of mobile payments has for years caused a shift in alliances and disputes over how to roll out a broadly implemented system. Google, for instance, has partnered with MasterCard Inc.

Google is teaming with Sprint Nextel Corp. (S) as its carrier partner and is using the Nexus S, made by Samsung Electronic Co. Ltd. (SSNHY, 005930.SE), which is equipped with an NFC chip. Sprint sells the Nexus S 4G, which it calls one of its best-selling phones. Verifone Systems Inc. (PAY) is making the checkout terminals, while VIVOtech Inc. is supplying the NFC readers. Google also listed 15 retail partners, including American Eagle Outfitters (AEO), Macy's (M) and Walgreens (WAG).

Google Wallet will begin in New York and San Francisco, and will expand nationally in the coming months. Google Offers, which is a daily discount sent to the phone, will begin in Portland, Ore., New York and San Francisco. The discounts are designed to be redeemed using the phone to pay. MasterCard said there are 100,000 merchants ready to accept NFC payments.

"We have enormous opportunity in front of us to redefine commerce and payments," said Stephanie Tilenius, vice president of commerce for Google.

Tilenius emphasized that the announcement represents the start of a larger roll-out of mobile payments.

"It's important to realize we're just getting started," she said during a press conference on Thursday. "This will take a while to come to fruition."

Users can place multiple credit cards on the phone, and eventually add gift cards. They can also turn the card off to avoid accidentally making a payment. Tilenius touted the system as more secure. "It's a wallet you can lock," she said.
The platform also allows consumers to create a card on the fly, and will eventually offer the ability to send digital copies of receipts back to the phone. Google is also considering game dynamics, and will allow consumers to tap posters with NFC chips to get coupons. It's all part of what Google calls a "mobile, local" strategy. The vision is to have the phone ultimately store all the info.

Google isn't the only one to dabble in mobile payments. On Wednesday, Bank of America Corp. (BAC), Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) launched a service the lets people use their checking accounts to send each other money with an email address or cellphone number. Bank of America is also undergoing a trial with Research in Motion Ltd.'s (RIMM) BlackBerrys and MasterCard.

"This is truly transforming the shopping experience,"

be in touch with fresh news ... bookmark us we will provide u the latest news every now and then ..

IPL 4 FINAL TICKETS

here is the link for the the online ticket for ipl4 final

www.ipltickets.net/

enjoy watching chennai playing and hopefully winning in a throt again ..

cheers ...

windows to launch its next os 8

windows Microsoft leader Steve Ball mer announced that the next version of his company's operating system – Windows 8 – will be available in 2012.

At the Microsoft Developer Forum in Tokyo on Monday, Ball mer said the software giant is hard at work producing Windows 8, which is also expected to hit tablet computers, PC Magazine reports

this will be very interesting to use windows 8 .. hope this comes to the market very soon ..

3g booming over 9 million active users

welcome to fresh news

hot talk on cellular development in country .. The 3G has created a rage since its launch four months ago, garnering at least 9 million active users ever since. This number holds special significance taken into consideration that till date, there are 11 million wireline broadband customers. Airtel leads the 3G race with with 3 million active subscribers closely followed by Tata DoCoMo with 1.5 million subscribers. BSNL, Idea Cellular and Vodafone have about a million 3G subscribers each. Reliance communications was reluctant to disclose the numbers, but reliable sources revealed that it also had close to a million subscribers.

though poor quality of service to the customers, the numbers are clearly on a rise. This is to the initial interest triggered by several companies, or because of the several facilities promised with a 3G enabled handset. “The initial trend clearly shows that 3G is giving a boost to broadband uptake in the country. Wireless is the way forward,” said Mr Alok Shende, Principal Analyst, Ascentius Consulting. Even though 3G delivers a data speed of 500-600 kbps, customers all over the country are having trouble with the frequent call drops, uneven connectivity and non-uniform speeds. “There is no excuse for operators to offer poor 3G connectivity given that technology is available to them. The initial uptake shows that there is a huge pent-up demand for broadband and operators should use that opportunity. At present, they are not even doing personalized marketing to high-end consumers who already have a 3G handset,” said Mr Kunal Bajaj, Director of technology advisory firm Analysys Mason. Also to note is the high cost of roaming, which in case of some operators, is as high as Rs 15 per MB of data downloaded, even if the subscriber is roaming on the same network.

The operators rubbished these reports stating that these are only initial troubles and they will soon achieve the target of 100 million 3G users, till 2015, if analysts are to be believed. Mr Shireesh Joshi, Chief Marketing Officer -Mobile Services, Bharti Airtel, said, “The initial response from customers has been overwhelming – but we believe the revolution has just begun. The game changing differentiators for 3G in India will be content and services and not price points.”
The 3G revolution is here to stay, and with time, the problems teething now will soon be eradicated, and the customers will have the ultimate digital pleasure, guarantee the operators.

thats it from the fresh news . hope service providers improve and satisfy coustomer demands and need

Barack Obama John Boehner critic praises US reaction to crisis

Mr Boehner, an otherwise persistent critic of the President, said yesterday the Obama administration had "handled a very difficult situation about as well as it could be handled".But he expressed surprise that the US intelligence community did not have a better feel for what was happening in Egypt earlier.

Mr Boehner's comments came as the White House moved to sharpen its message on the need for democratic change in Egypt following confusing signals within Mr Obama's administration.The New York Times reported yesterday that Mr Obama was "seething" during the 18-day stand-off in Cairo because of contradictory messages about whether he supported demonstrators or the now-ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.

While Mr Obama pressed for transition immediately, he reportedly believed he was being portrayed wrongly as seeking to protect Mr Mubarak when former US ambassador to Egypt Frank Wisner, a special US envoy, said in Munich that the Egyptian dictator should remain in office."It did not help that his Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Mr Wisner's key backer, was publicly warning that any credible transition would take time," the Times said.

Mr Obama is known for being usually calm and composed under pressure. He responded by directing Vice-President Joe Biden to take a tougher line with Mr Mubarak's newly appointed deputy, Omar Suleiman. He also directed White House press secretary Robert Gibbs to spell out clearly that the US President wanted change now .Since Mr Mubarak's exit, Mr Obama has spoken to foreign leaders including British Prime Minister David Cameron, Jordan's King Abdullah and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Tom Donilon, who replaced Jim Jones as national security adviser, also spoke out against Iran's government for stifling the opposition Green movement's planned protest of solidarity with Egyptians.Mr Boehner's support for Mr Obama on Egypt yesterday contrasted with Republican Party figures who could be presidential candidates next year. Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty claimed the White House position had been "nearly incoherent". Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee criticised Mr Obama for walking away from Mr Mubarak as a long-time ally.

Obama Urges Mubarak to Begin Transition Now

U.S. President Barack Obama is urging Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to immediately begin the process of handing over power, but the U.S. leader stopped short of calling for Mr. Mubarak to leave office right now.President Obama said the future of Egypt must be determined by its people. He said the world is watching the events in Egypt and said this moment of turmoil should be turned into a moment of opportunity.

He spoke Friday in a joint news conference with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Mr. Obama condemned violence between supporters of President Mubarak and opposition protesters. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said earlier that Mr. Mubarak needs to make real and legitimate efforts to reach an agreement with those outside the government. White House officials have been talking with Egyptian officials about forming a temporary government to prepare Egypt for new elections.

Earlier reports citing U.S. officials said the U.S. government and Egyptian officials were holding talks on a proposal for Mr. Mubarak to resign immediately and turn power over to a transitional government headed by Vice President Omar Suleiman with the support of the Egyptian military. Suleiman has offered to meet with Egyptian political leaders to discuss such a transitional government.

A senior U.S. State Department official said a scenario "under active discussion" is the prospect of Mr. Mubarak stepping down and taking up residence in Sharm el-Sheikh, on the Red Sea at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula .Mr. Mubarak has recently said he will not go into exile and wants to die on Egyptian soil.

President Obama also spoke with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan by telephone Friday about the situation in Egypt. The White House also defended the intelligence community against critics who say it did not give Mr. Obama adequate warning of the brewing unrest in the Middle East. Gibbs said President Obama received accurate and timely intelligence on the situation in the region.

U.S. officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the talks with Egypt include a proposal for a transitional government to invite members from opposition groups, including the banned Muslim Brotherhood, to begin work on opening the country's electoral system for free and fair elections in September.

The top U.S. military officer, Admiral Mike Mullen, cautioned Friday against any move to cut the $1.3 billion in annual U.S. aid to Egypt. Mullen also said he has been assured by his Egyptian counterpart that troops will not fire on protesters.

The U.S. Senate passed a resolution late Thursday calling on President Mubarak to immediately begin a peaceful transition to a democratic political system. The resolution, co-sponsored by Republican John McCain and Democrat John Kerry, also expresses "deep concern" over any organization with an extremist ideology, including the Muslim Brotherhood.

U.S. demands immediate end to Egypt's emergency law

President Obama administration appears worried President Hosni Mubarak's government will not make meaningful changes in the largest Arab nation, a strategic U.S. partner due to its peace treaty with Israel and control of the Suez Canal.The steps, conveyed by Vice President Joe Biden to Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman, appeared to rebuff the former intelligence chief who is negotiating with opposition figures seeking Mubarak's immediate departure after 30 years in power.Suleiman was quoted on Sunday as suggesting Egypt was not ready for democracy and a government statement said the emergency law would be lifted "according to the security conditions" -- a phrase giving the authorities wide latitude.

The Egyptians staged one of their biggest anti-Mubarak protests yet, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs described Suleiman's comments about democracy as "unhelpful."Mubarak, under pressure from more than two weeks of unprecedented demonstrations, has said he will not seek re-election in September but has refused to resign.After Biden spoke to Suleiman by telephone on Tuesday, the White House issued a statement listing four steps the United States wants Egypt to take on their behalf

-- "Restraining the Ministry of Interior's conduct by immediately ending the arrests, harassment, beating, and detention of journalists, and political and civil society activists, and by allowing freedom of assembly and expression;

-- "immediately rescinding the emergency law;

-- "broadening participation in the national dialogue to include a wide range of opposition members; and,-- "inviting the opposition as a partner in jointly developing a roadmap and timetable for transition."

'IRREVERSIBLE PROGRESS'

Biden stressed U.S. support "for an orderly transition in Egypt that is prompt, meaningful, peaceful, and legitimate" and urged "immediate, irreversible progress that responds to the aspirations of the Egyptian people," the statement said.Even as Washington voiced its criticism, Defense Secretary Robert Gates praised Egypt's military for its restraint.

The armed forces -- long the backbone of Egypt's government -- have behaved in "an exemplary fashion" by standing largely on the sidelines during the uprising, he said. "I would say that they have made a contribution to the evolution of democracy and what we're seeing in Egypt," defense secretary Gates told a news conference.

The praise for the military, which gets about $1.3 billion in U.S. aid every year, appeared designed to buttress U.S. ties with a power broker whose role is expected to be key to whatever political order emerges in Egypt.U.S. officials do not believe the military was responsible for widespread violence against protesters last week, including men on horseback who rode into Cairo's Tahrir Square brandishing whips, although the army failed to stop it.The U.S. decision to support the transition effort under Suleiman and to stop short of calling for Mubarak's resignation has angered many demonstrators.

An influential group of U.S. analysts said Washington risked condoning "an inadequate and possibly fraudulent transition."

"The process that is unfolding now has many of the attributes of a smokescreen," the Working Group on Egypt, which includes a number of prominent think tank analysts and rights activists, said in letters this week to President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

President Obama on Monday pledged to make government an ally of companies as they emerge from the bleak downturn of recent years

Obama told an audience at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, his most overt effort yet to mend ties with the nation's business community. "Whatever differences we may have, I know that all of us share a deep, abiding belief in this country, a belief in our people, a belief in the principles that have made America's economy the envy of the world.”

In His administration will "help lay the foundation for you to grow and innovate," Obama said, vowing new investment in infrastructure and education and a focus on removing "barriers that make it harder for you to compete - from the tax code to the regulatory system." But even as he vowed to push hard on initiatives ranging from trade deals to corporate tax reform, Obama challenged business leaders to ramp up their hiring, bring jobs back from overseas and quit sitting on such large stockpiles of cash. "Many of your own economists and salespeople are now forecasting a healthy increase in demand. So I want to encourage you to get in the game," Obama said, noting the tax credits the administration recently negotiated to spur new investments. "As you all know, it is investments made now that will pay off as the economy rebounds. And as you hire, you know that more Americans working means more sales, greater demand and higher profits for your companies. We can create a virtuous cycle."

The president obama also defended his health-care law and urged the business community to refrain from challenging regulations. "Not every regulation is bad; not every regulation is burdensome on business," he said. "Moreover, the perils of too much regulation are matched by the dangers of too little." Obama made the short walk from White House across Lafayette Park for the much-anticipated speech to the Chamber, which has hosted nearly every president during the past century. The visit, months in the making, came as the administration and the Chamber - one of the nation's most powerful lobbying groups - have tried to thaw their often-chilly connection.

Both have reasons to seek common ground. The White House is eager to improve relations with centrist voters, corporate donors and the new Republican House majority ahead of the 2012 presidential election. The Chamber stands to benefit if it can work in a bipartisan way on initiatives it sees as beneficial to the nation's businesses. The relationship between the Chamber and the White House has been a turbulent one for the past two years. The Chamber spent tens of millions of dollars fighting Obama's signature health-care overhaul, opposing key elements of the financial regulation law and helping to deliver the House majority to the Republicans last fall.In turn, Obama recently said the group may have used foreign money to fund ads attacking Democrats - an assertion the group denied - and a senior aide called the Chamber's political tactics a "threat to our democracy."

Teetering and contagious Egypt: Obama's dilemma

Today THE outcome of the crisis in Egypt can be disastrous or instructive. US President Obama faces tough choices with this country reeling in unrest that could deteriorate into anarchy as antipathy between the demonstrators and pro-Mubarak supporters intensifies. As the situation worsens the US options narrow.In Egypt and elsewhere, the immediate causes for this popular outburst are rooted in a longstanding desire for a responsive and inclusive system of governance. Civil society advocates in Egypt have realised that economic growth and political reform marching in tandem will enable durable democracy building that goes beyond mere elections and ephemeral constitutions. The caveat is -- economic growth must evolve to economic development to be fully appreciated by all communities throughout the country.In contrast, high unemployment, corruption, and authoritarian rule are conditions courting disaster, especially since tension between Muslims and Christians persists as well as the divide between secular and sectarian elements. For example, civil society proponents could be pitted against sectarian impulses (Muslim Brotherhood). The possibility of internecine conflict is real and could rend Egypt's social fabric. This situation is contagious and is likely to spread even beyond Tunisia, Yemen, Jordan, and that region.

For example, China is a glaring example of economic growth marching out of step with political reform, and militarisation without respect for human rights. Perhaps President Obama and Secretary Clinton separately conveyed privately our concern for these matters to President Hu Jintao during his recent visit to Washington.However, popular aspirations are not assuaged by presumed private conversations between senior officials and leaders with their counterparts. The absence of clear public statements on human rights by our leaders inevitably leads to a scintilla of doubt which can grow rapidly.

In the case of Egypt, that country has been heralded for its admirable and unique history, and as a beacon of moderation in a troubled region is appreciated for its tutelary role in the region. But the tumultuous popular outpouring of dissatisfaction is specifically directed against the embattled president Mubarak and his cronies.Clearly, the populace is disenchanted by the regime's disregard for its general welfare and denial of a voice in the conduct of affairs that impact their daily lives. To his credit, President Obama in his carefully calibrated speech expressed concern over Mubarak's methods of squelching dissent and urged reform NOW.

The day of reckoning has arrived. And this momentum calling for Mubarak's resignation is unstoppable in spite of his most recent tactics of fomenting division between his supporters and the civil society activists.In the final analysis, a large portion of the Egyptian public consider Mubarak's latest manoeuvre despicable. It's clear the time has passed for tinkering, and a Cabinet reshuffle is perceived as a last-ditch attempt by the old guard now holding on to the fraying reins of powerThe credibility of US and its allies is now under intense international scrutiny and their intentions in the region may become suspect. Cautionary rhetoric may be temporarily reassuring but in the short run it will not suffice. President Obama and his vaunted foreign policy and national security advisers will have to help him blend "the merits of thinking long term with the merits of helping people have better lives", a recent phrase expressed reportedly by the president's chief election strategist David Axelrod in reference to President Obama's impending domestic campaign for a second term.

An instructive and credible course of action is the US role in the 1985 People Power Revolution in The Philippines against Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos and their cronies who showed disdain for the majority of voters who supported Corazon Aquino at the polls.The appeal of the late Cardinal Jaime Sin for peaceful protest and the adroit US action in that crisis helped avert an impending carnage, even though an American president had earlier characterised Ferdinand Marcos as a true "democrat". The US with its two largest overseas bases in The Philippines and Soviet mischief in the region required creative diplomacy and targeted action.In the case of Egypt, the US has appreciated Cairo's constructive role in the Israel-Palestine imbroglio consonant with US and allies vested interests in a durable negotiated settlement with peace and security ensured. In his speech President Obama acknowledged Mubarak's role, while recognising demonstrators' rights to exercise free speech, a fundamental tenet of democracy. The backdrop, is however, US dependence on Middle East petroleum in the absence of fully tapped alternative domestic energy sources.In this era of sophisticated technology and evaporating secret discussions (WikiLeaks), transparency has become the order of the day. This reality requires responsible leaders to be more forthright in their pronouncements and live by them. And this applies to President Obama who stressed transparency and human rights in his campaign for president.More than ever, the times now call for US candour and responsiveness while recognising the merits of negotiation and quiet diplomacy as necessary in this situation.

This outpouring of rejection for Mubarak is a clarion call for autocrats to change their style of governance and reform their calcified political apparatus.At the same time, US leadership is being tested acutely in this situation, and the world is watching. In spite of the dilemma, I hope President Obama emerges as a defender of the human spirit. In embracing US commitment to freedom of expression, he displays pragmatism and respectfully conveys the urgency of change in Egypt and elsewhere.

MCLAREN'S NEW F1 CAR

Obama critical of US intelligence agencies' failure to forecast Middle-East crisis

The president of United States of america Barack Obama has reportedly criticized his country's intelligence agencies over their performance in predicting and analyzing the recent unrest in the Middle-East.According to current and former American officials, Obama was specifically critical of the agencies for misjudging how quickly the unrest in Tunisia would lead to the downfall of the country's government, and how rapidly the unrest had spread to Egypt.The intelligence assessments last month had concluded that despite demonstrations in Tunisia, President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali's security forces would defend his government.

Instead, the military and the police did not, and Ben Ali and his family fled to Saudi Arabia.A former official also said that in recent weeks the President has urged intelligence officials to ensure that spy agencies were devoting as much effort to "long-term analysis" as they were to carrying out operations against Al-Qaeda, the New York Times reports.The officials, however, stressed that despite the question marks over the recent performances, Obama has not ordered any major changes inside the intelligence community, which has a budget of over 80 billion dollars a year. on Friday, a White House spokesman had said that spy agencies had given Obama "relevant, timely and accurate analysis"

abhishek bachchen turns 34 today

5^th February may be just another day for many but it is a special day for the Bachchans. Reason – it’s Big B son Abhishek Bachchan’s birthday ……… He has turned 34 today Abhishek always loves to be with his family at happy times but unfortunately, he is away from home shooting for Players. However, he is not going to miss his family that bad, as his wife Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is joining him in New Zealand to bring in his 34th birthday.Born on 5th February 1976 to actors Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan, Abhishek entered films as expected in 2000 with J.P. Dutta's Refugee. His debut film didn’t live up to the expectations but it was a blessing in disguise for him. Failure made him work harder, thus making him one of the leading actors in Bollywood.

Today, he has over 30 films under his belt and won many awards, including National Film Award for Paa. In spite of all the success, he is working hard as ever – maybe working even harder than the initial stage of his career.Believe it or not, he has six to seven releases this year. He has films like Game, Dum Maro Dum, Bol Bachchan, Players, Ladies And Gentleman, Dostana 2, Dhoom 3 and Department in his kitty. So it’s a big party in newzeland today …

Cancer is a burden that can no longer be ignored

Today is World Cancer Day. Most people in the developed world will know someone who has suffered from or been affected by cancer. What fewer people know, however, is that people in the developing world are just as exposed: by 2020, there are likely to be 16 million new cases of cancer every year, 70% of which will be in developing countries. As the World Health Organisation's director general, Margaret Chan, put it, "non-communicable diseases are no longer diseases of affluence". This Cancer already kills more people globally than HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and malaria put together, according to specialists, so the disease burden hasn't escaped developing governments. The WHO forecast that last year it killed nearly eight million people worldwide. But in the face of scarce resources, and so many competing priorities, many have been powerless to do much. "If you are the Kenyan minister of health and you have $10 per head to spend, you can imagine how hard it must be to prioritise," says Prof David Kerr, a cancer therapeutics specialist and co-founder of the cancer care charity for Africa, AfrOx.

Prof Kerr helped set up AfrOx to raise awareness and improve cancer care in the continent. Out of all the developing regions of the world, countries in Africa are the most resource-challenged: radiotherapy, for example, is available in just 21 out of 53 nations, and there are very few oncologists. Many African languages still do not have a word for cancer. Yet cancer is only going to become a growing burden. "More people are now reaching middle age, a time when cancer becomes more prevalent," explains Dr David Forman, a cancer epidemiologist at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a WHO agency, adding that Africa's population is growing, and getting older. The difference is that a disproportionate number of cancers in Africa are caused by infections, such as the hepatitis viruses (B and C), which cause liver cancer, or the human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes 98% of cervical cancers. The worldwide average for infection-related cancers is about 22%; in Africa, the figures are much higher: 40% of cases in women and 30% in men.

Silver lining in these grim numbers is that there is a great opportunity to intervene before the onset of cancer, thanks to vaccines, says Dr Corey Casper, an epidemiologist at the Seattle-based Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Casper, who runs the Uganda Program on Cancer and Infectious Diseases, which provides research, training and clinical care on infection-related cancers, says the problem is cost: an HPV vaccine treatment costs $350 (£220), for three doses over six months, whereas the benchmark for standard childhood vaccines is about $1. But even at $350 a pop, a vaccination campaign could still be worth running. Cervical cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women in sub-Saharan Africa and the most deadly. However, the cost of national screening programmes also remains substantial, despite efforts to develop lower-cost systems. While there hasn't been a detailed cost-benefit analysis of screening versus vaccination for cervical cancer yet, organisations such as the Global Alliance on Vaccination and Immunisation (GAVI) are already working to bring down the cost of the HPV vaccine. The problem, Casper says, is that cancer is still perceived as too expensive to treat. "Some childhood cancers cost as little $500 to cure, with success rates of 95%. It costs $300 per month for life to keep someone on ARVs [the drugs used for HIV], so a one-off $500 to treat a child seems like money well-spent."

International community also dictates the agenda to a certain extent: Uganda receives $200m annually from the US for HIV treatment, but less than a $1m for cancer. Kerr, however, says he is encouraged by the recent increase in awareness among donors and the international health community. The UN will hold a high-level meeting on non-communicable diseases in September this year and one of the debates will focus on whether cancer, diabetes, heart diseases and chronic respiratory diseases – non-communicable diseases – should be included in millennium development goals. For Kerr and his colleages, this is the holy grail of lobbying: MDG status would guarantee a flow of aid for cancer care and research in developing countries. Watch this space.

obama super bowl guest list

Jennifer Lopez has scored a place on the guest list for President Obama's Super Bowl party at the White House.

The American Idol judge and her husband Marc Anthony have been invited alongside elected leaders from Wisconsin and Pennsylvania to watch the game on Sunday.

An official said about 100 people had been asked to join the Obamas, including White House staff, family and friends and other members of Congress.

The US President said he'd go to the Super Bowl in Texas, if his team, the Bears, won the NFC title against the Green Bay Packers. But Obama's side lost and the Packers are taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Obama previously said he wouldn't take sides in the Super Bowl. But he visited Penn State University this week and told a crowd: "I've got some love for the Steelers."