Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper dress in 70s attire for new film! Plus, check out more pics of your favorite stars on the scene!
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BANGKOK (Reuters) - A Thai anti-graft body said it had found no irregularities in an asset disclosure by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, effectively removing any question that she might have to step down, a prospect which unsettled Bangkok markets on Thursday.
"The National Anti-Corruption Commission has found no discrepancies in its initial investigations into these allegations but we will keep evidence as background for any future investigations," Klanarong Chanthick, a member of the committee, said in a televised statement.
"The Prime Minister will be able to continue in her position as normal. There will be no impact on her political position," he told Reuters after giving the statement.
The commission had investigated possible inconsistencies in Yingluck's declaration of assets involving a 30 million baht ($1.02 million) loan she had given to a company run by her husband.
The benchmark SET stock index fell as much as 2.6 percent during the morning when it became clear the commission was about to hand down its decision, with some investors worried about the implications.
Yingluck's Puea Thai Party came to power in 2011 and the country has since enjoyed a period of relative stability after years of sporadic violence that pitted royalists and supporters of the establishment against the mostly poor supporters of Yingluck's brother, ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
Thaksin, a billionaire former telecoms tycoon, is a divisive figure, revered by the rural and urban poor but seen as corrupt and authoritarian by the elite. He was ousted in a military coup in 2006 and now lives in self-imposed exile to escape a two-year sentence for abuse of power handed down in 2008. ($1 = 29.3650 Thai baht)
(Reporting by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Aukkarapon Niyomyat; Editing by Alan Raybould and Michael Perry)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/thai-graft-body-finds-no-case-against-pm-082144723.html
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Apr. 3, 2013 ? Physicists from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich have, for the first time, successfully transmitted a secure quantum code through the atmosphere from an aircraft to a ground station.
Can worldwide communication ever be fully secure? Quantum physicists believe they can provide secret keys using quantum cryptography via satellite. Unlike communication based on classical bits, quantum cryptography employs the quantum states of single light quanta (photons) for the exchange of data. Heisenberg's uncertainty principle limits the precision with which the position and momentum of a quantum particle can be determined simultaneously, but can also be exploited for secure information transfer. Like its classical counterpart, quantum cryptography requires a shared key with which the parties encode and decode messages. However, quantum mechanical phenomena guarantee the security of quantum key distribution. Because quantum states are fragile, interception of the key by an eavesdropper will alter the behavior properties of the particles, and thus becomes detectable.
This encrypting strategy is already being used by some government agencies and banks. Data are sent either along glass-fiber cables or through the atmosphere. However, optical key distribution via these channels is limited to distances of less than 200 km, due to signal losses along the way. In 2007, LMU physicist Harald Weinfurter and his group successfully transmitted a key over 144 km of free space between ground stations on the islands of Tenerife and La Palma. Distribution of such keys via satellite networks would make secure data transmission possible on a global scale.
Optical data from a mobile transmitter
A team led by Weinfurter and Sebastian Nauerth at the Physics Faculty at LMU Munich, in collaboration with the German Center for Aeronautics and Space Research (DLR), has now succeeded in optically transmitting quantum information between a ground station and a plane in flight. This is the first time that quantum cryptography has been used for communication with a mobile transmitter.
The quantum channel was integrated into DLR's laser-based, wireless communications system, allowing DLR's expertise and experience with the system to be utilized in the realization of the experiment.
"This demonstrates that quantum cryptography can be implemented as an extension to existing systems," says LMU's Sebastian Nauerth. In the experiment, single photons were sent from the aircraft to the receiver on the ground. The challenge was to ensure that the photons could be precisely directed at the telescope on the ground in spite of the impact of mechanical vibrations and air turbulence. "With the aid of rapidly movable mirrors, a targeting precision of less than 3 m over a distance of 20 km was achieved," reports Florian Moll, project leader at the DLR's Institute for Communication and Navigation. With this level of accuracy, William Tell could have hit the apple on his son's head even from a distance of 500 m.
With respect to the rate of signal loss and the effects of air turbulence, the conditions encountered during the experiment were comparable to those expected for transmission via satellite. The same holds for the angular velocity of the aircraft. The success of the experiment therefore represents an important step towards secure satellite-based global communication.
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Alaa Abd El Fattah is under threat again. The Egyptian blogger, who spent more than a month in prison in 2011, missing the birth of his first child, has found himself the target of a new case. Last week, Abd El Fattah went voluntarily to the office of the prosecutor after hearing from the media that there was a warrant for his arrest for inciting ?aggression? against members of the Muslim Brotherhood.
According to his own tweets, Abd El Fattah is being investigated for a mention on Twitter made by a user who goes by the handle ?Princess Joumana.? According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, ?the na?ve members of the Muslim Brotherhood who filed the complaint against Abdel Fattah apparently thought the interaction on social media was a conspiracy involving a real princess?possibly from a hostile government such as that of the United Arab Emirates, where Brotherhood members are being put on trial.? Abd El Fattah denounced the investigation, calling for an independent judge?rather than the public prosecutor?to handle the case.
EFF spoke to Abd El Fattah, who asked that the case against Hassan Mustafa?an activist from Alexandria recently sentenced to two years in prison?be given more attention. Mustafa is an activist sentenced on March 12 to two years in prison for allegedly attacking a prosecutor, a charge he denies. Mustafa?s appeal is scheduled for April 13. Front Line Defenders is running a campaign in support of Mustafa.
EFF calls for the spurious charges against Abd El Fattah to be immediately dropped and for the Muslim Brotherhood to immediately end its crackdown on expression.
Source: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/04/egypt-blogger-crackdown
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A man smokes near the logo of Apple in Shanghai, China, Tuesday, April 2, 2013. Apple apologized to Chinese consumers after government media attacked its repair policies for two weeks in a campaign that reeked of economic nationalism. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
A man smokes near the logo of Apple in Shanghai, China, Tuesday, April 2, 2013. Apple apologized to Chinese consumers after government media attacked its repair policies for two weeks in a campaign that reeked of economic nationalism. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
A man walks by an advertisement of Apple's iPad in Shanghai, China, Tuesday, April 2, 2013. Apple apologized to Chinese consumers after government media attacked its repair policies for two weeks in a campaign that reeked of economic nationalism. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
A woman walks by an advertisement of iPhone 5 at Apple store in Shanghai, China, Tuesday April 2, 2013. Apple apologized to Chinese consumers after government media attacked its repair policies for two weeks in a campaign that reeked of economic nationalism. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
A man walks by an advertisement of Apple's iPad in Shanghai, China, Tuesday April 2, 2013. Apple apologized to Chinese consumers after government media attacked its repair policies for two weeks in a campaign that reeked of economic nationalism. Chinese on top reads; Drooling over it. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
In this Monday April 1, 2013 photo, a man leaves an Apple store with an iPhone and an iPad in his hands in central Beijing, China. Apple apologized to Chinese consumers after government media attacked its repair policies for two weeks in a campaign that reeked of economic nationalism. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan)
BEIJING (AP) ? Apple apologized to Chinese consumers after government media attacked its repair policies for two weeks in a campaign that reeked of economic nationalism.
A statement Apple posted in Chinese on its website Monday said the complaints had prompted "deep reflection" and persuaded the company of the need to revamp its repair policies, boost communication with Chinese consumers and strengthen oversight of authorized resellers.
State broadcaster CCTV and the ruling Communist Party's flagship newspaper, People's Daily, had led the charge against the American company. They accused Apple Inc. of arrogance, greed and "throwing its weight around" and portrayed it as just the latest Western company to exploit the Chinese consumer.
The attacks quickly backfired, though, and were mocked by the increasingly sophisticated Chinese consumers who revere Apple and its products. State-run media also inadvertently revived complaints over shoddy service by Chinese companies.
Nonetheless, Apple responded with an apology from CEO Tim Cook.
"We've come to understand through this process that because of our poor communication, some have come to feel that Apple's attitude is arrogant and that we don't care about or value feedback from the consumer," Cook's Chinese statement said, as translated by The Associated Press. "For the concerns and misunderstandings passed on to the consumer, we express our sincere apologies."
Although Apple enjoys strong support from Chinese consumers, the vehemence of the attacks and the importance of the Chinese market appeared to have persuaded the company to appear contrite.
The People's Daily newspaper ran an editorial last Wednesday headlined "Strike down Apple's incomparable arrogance."
"Here we have the Western person's sense of superiority making mischief," the newspaper wrote. "If there's no risk in offending the Chinese consumer, and it also makes for lower overheads, then why not?"
Chinese observers accused People's Daily of gross hypocrisy and pointed out that the newspaper had maintained a stony silence when Chinese companies were implicated over food safety, pollution and other scandals. Meanwhile, CCTV was shamed when it emerged that celebrities had been recruited to blast Apple on Weibo, China's version of Twitter, in what had been billed as a grassroots campaign.
"The public responded in two ways to this incident," popular commentator Shi Shusi wrote on his Weibo account. "One group supports this criticism but quite a number of people felt that there are state monopolies which have severely violated customer's rights, but which are not being exposed."
Popular business magazine Caijing said its readers identified a long list of abusers, including state banks that lend to those with political connections while stiffing ordinary savers with low rates on deposits; a government oil company that sets gas prices and other rates as it sees fit; and state telecom providers notorious for their lack of customer service.
"If media is going to go after Apple, let's hope they spare some thought for those big Chinese communications companies and other monopolies, the ones that enrich special interests in the name of being publicly owned," Cai Tongqi, a lawyer from the eastern province of Jiangsu, wrote on Weibo.
Consumers seem unfazed by the state media's attacks on Apple.
Perusing the wares at an Apple reseller in Beijing's tony China World mall, recent college graduate Zeng Lu said she considered the controversy a sign of the Chinese consumer's growing maturity.
"It's great to see Chinese consumers standing up for their rights, but it's ridiculous for the People's Daily to get involved," Zeng said. "They should be criticizing state companies instead."
Apple's popularity flies in the face of China's ardent attempts to push its own brands and develop internationally competitive companies. The company also has resisted trends to enter joint ventures and move research and development to China. It also ignores big state media such as CCTV and People's Daily. Apple relies on Chinese factories, though, to make iPads, iPhones and other popular products.
Sales of Apple products in the region, which includes Taiwan and Hong Kong, grew 67 percent to $6.8 billion in the first three months of 2013, compared with the same period a year earlier, according to the company. Apple sold 2 million iPhone 5s during the first weekend it was available in China, in December.
The region is Apple's third largest market, accounting for 13 percent of all sales last year. More than 17,000 outlets sell its products in mainland China, a figure that includes 11 Apple stores and 400 premium resellers. In January, Cook said he expects China to replace North America as its largest source of revenue in the foreseeable future.
The attacks on Apple center on complaints over Apple's repair policies in China ? specifically its practice of only replacing faulty parts rather than providing new iPhones, as it does in other markets. Critics say that allows Apple to avoid having to extend its service warranty by another year. Until Monday, the Cupertino, California-based company had kept silent apart from issuing a statement March 23 explaining its repair policy and pledging its deep respect for the Chinese consumer.
Yet consumers and analysts say the complaints hardly justify Beijing's campaign of vilification. Such nationalist outbursts are not uncommon, although previous campaigns against foreign companies have often been tied to perceived national slights, as often befalls Japanese firms in China. Beijing accused Google of being an arm of American "information imperialism" after the company announced in March 2010 that it would cease censoring its search responses inside mainland China and instead send visitors to its uncensored search engine in Hong Kong.
Beijing is also angry over Washington's efforts to exclude Chinese high-tech firms Huawei Technologies Ltd. and ZTE Corp. from the U.S. market, amid worries over security. A spending bill signed by President Barack Obama two weeks ago includes a clause barring NASA, the National Science Foundation and the Justice and Commerce Departments from contracting with firms tied to the Chinese government.
Washington and Beijing have also sparred over more recent hacking attacks, including a forensically detailed report by cybersecurity firm Mandiant that tied Chinese hacking to a unit of the People's Liberation Army based in Shanghai.
Apple, however, may have been singled out simply because it is "the biggest open target," said Jim McGregor, senior counselor at consultancy APCO Worldwide.
"We're still seeing a lot of things wrapped up in economic nationalism," McGregor said.
Even before Monday's apology, he had predicted Apple would make a show of contrition to get its relations with the Chinese authorities back on track.
Duncan Clark, managing director of BDA China Ltd., a Beijing research firm, said the assault probably stems from a combination of factors, including the failure of Chinese companies to make breakthroughs in high-end consumer electronics.
"There's a general sense of frustration that China can't move further up the value chain," Clark said.
___
Online:
Apple statement (in Chinese): http://www.apple.com.cn/support/warranties
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We first encountered Ergo Electronics at last year's Gadget Show Live, and since then the Birmingham-based tablet maker has graduated from its humble back-of-the-hall origins to become a major player. Its product range has swelled beyond its original budget ICS slates with a range of AIO PCs, thin-and-light laptops and even a Windows 8 tablet that has more than a few strong hints of a KIRF Surface about it. Now it's launched the GoNote Mini, a scaled down 7-inch version of the education-ready tablet / netbook hybrid that's been doing the rounds since last summer. We got to spend a few minutes playing around with the first production prototype and if you'd like to know more, after the break is where you want to be.
Filed under: Tablets
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/02/go-note-mini-hands-on/
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) ? African troops in Central African Republic have suspended the hunt for the fugitive warlord Joseph Kony because the new government there is not cooperating with the mission, Uganda's top military official said Wednesday.
Operations against Kony were put on hold until the mission's status is clarified by the African Union, under whose mandate the forces are deployed in the expansive central African country where rebels deposed a president and took the capital, Bangui, more than a week ago, said Ugandan army chief Gen. Aronda Nyakairima.
"We put a halt to operations until we consult," Nyakairima said. "We're still there and we are going nowhere until we have consulted. We're officially there under the African Union."
About 3,000 African troops, the bulk from Uganda, are currently deployed against Kony's Lord's Resistance Army in Central African Republic, where a former rebel leader named Michel Djotodia has since appointed himself president and announced a new government. The African Union forces are supported by about 100 U.S. military advisers.
Nyakairima said Ugandan troops would stay in Central African Republic until the AU clarifies their status. The AU has suspended Central African Republic's membership and imposed travel restrictions on the country's self-appointed leaders.
Kony, who over the years has taken advantage of weak governments and porous borders to regroup and recruit fighters, would get a lifeline if those deployed to catch or kill him are forced to leave Central African Republic.
It will be a "catastrophe for civilians in the Central African Republic" if the African troops left the country, said Kasper Agger, a researcher with the U.S.-based Kony watchdog group Enough Project.
"A full withdrawal of the Ugandans will also mean that the Americans have to leave as well," Agger said. "All the top commanders of the LRA are in the Central African Republic. That is where the center of gravity of the operations should be. This will only give the LRA a new safe haven."
Former Central African Republic President Francois Bozize was a strong supporter of the military effort to eliminate the LRA. African and U.S. forces use two military bases in Central African Republic for their operations against Kony, an elusive warlord whose precise whereabouts are not known.
Kony and the LRA were the subjects of a popular online video, "Kony 2012," by the charity Invisible Children which was released in March 2012 to bring global attention to his many crimes. The video was seen by more than 100 million viewers online and created international outrage against Kony. The LRA is accused of recruiting child soldiers and taking girls as sex slaves in a brutal campaign for power that originated in Uganda in the 1980s.
Although the LRA continues to abduct children and raid villages in Congo and Central African Republic, the group is not as strong as it once was. Ugandan officials estimate the rebel group's strength at about 250 men, most of them scattered in small groups that are constantly moving in the jungle to elude detection.
Most LRA fighters are operating in Central African Republic, according to Ugandan officials.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/african-forces-suspend-hunt-warlord-kony-110546816.html
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