Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/cnn_topstories/~3/iAEeZqvnqjE/index.html
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Report: Anti-Semitic incidents down
Anti-Semitic incidents worldwide dropped sharply in 2010 from their peak in 2009, according to an annual report issued by an Israeli university on the eve of the nation's Holocaust Memorial Day.
Levee battle heads to Supreme Court
Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to stop the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from intentionally breaching the Birds Point-New Madrid levee. 
Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/cnn_topstories/~3/wWFs0Au8M-s/index.html
Ahmadinejad ends 'duties boycott'
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is reported to be at odds with Ayatollah Khamenei Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has ended a boycott of his official duties by chairing a cabinet meeting, Iranian media say.
Mr Ahmadinejad had not been seen at work for more than a week, amid reports of a rift with the supreme leader.
The confrontation came to light after supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei rejected the dismissal of Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi last month.
Conservatives MP had put pressure on Mr Ahmadinejad to resume his duties.
Tensions between supporters of the president and of Ayatollah Khamenei came to a head on 17 April when the intelligence minister, a conservative, was forced to resign.
Mr Moslehi was promptly re-instated by the supreme leader.
Mr Ahmadinejad then stayed away from official work. He was not seen in public, missed two cabinet meetings and cancelled a visit to the holy city of Qom.
On Saturday, it was reported that a letter signed by nearly 300 MPs had urged Mr Ahmadinejad to resume his duties and respect Ayatollah Khamenei's decision.
Fars news agency says a group of conservative lawmakers met Mr Ahmadinejad on Saturday, and quotes them as saying that the president had renewed his allegiance to Ayatollah Khamenei.
This article is from the BBC News website. � British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/world-middle-east-13254010
Cyber-stalking laws review urged
Cases of cyber-stalking are on the increase. A senior police officer is calling on the government to review whether laws governing cyber-stalking in the UK are fit for purpose.
Greater Manchester Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan wants police to be given more powers to seize computers used to harass victims online.
It is hard to prove who committed stalking even though it is easy to establish which computer was used.
The Home Office says it is investigating the issue.
Mr Shewan, who is the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) leader on the issue of stalking and harassment, met ministers at the Home Office last week.
He said: "The legislation is 12 years old and I don't think anyone envisaged 12 years ago the extent that the world wide web would open up opportunities to harass and stalk people via the internet."
Cyber-stalkers can currently either be charged under the Protection from Harassment Act or the Malicious Communications Act, but charities and academics say neither is sufficient given the expansion in technology in recent years.
As the number of people using computers has increased, so has the ability to tap into personal information online.
Mr Shewan wants it to be easier to seize computer equipment from a suspect and to get internet providers to hand over the unique identifier of each computer - the IP address.
Cyber-stalked by a stranger 
Award-winning photographer Robin Cracknell was cyber-stalked by a stranger for four years.
Christopher John Hobby, aka Kris Manalien, set up bogus websites in Mr Cracknell's name and claimed online he was a paedophile.
Last month Hobby, who is also an artist, was jailed for six months for harassment.
Mr Cracknell said: "Being stalked, harassed and blackmailed by a stranger for four years is psychologically very draining."
Collectors and gallery owners searching for his award-winning work online found fake blogs and offensive Youtube clips about him instead.
His professional reputation was damaged and he was devastated to find his 12-year-old son could see the paedophile allegations on the internet.
Mr Cracknell said: "I refuse to feel like a victim but I have had my integrity and credibility damaged and am still coming to terms with the financial and psychological consequences."
Professor Carsten Maple, who heads the National Centre for Cyber-stalking Research at Bedfordshire University, said it was easy for those in-the-know to track down information.
He said Trojan spyware can be used to hack into anybody's computer, access their personal files and even secretly switch on their webcam.
Trojans are viruses which pose as harmless programmes and can be sent into computers via e-mails and other methods.
Yet currently police find it difficult to seize computer equipment unless they can prove there was an intention to cause fear or distress.
Prof Maple added his voice to calls for a review of the legislation.
He said: "The lack of power to seize computers makes it difficult to prove who is responsible for stalking, even if it can be shown beyond reasonable doubt that a particular device was used to commit a crime."
Jane Harvey from the Network for Surviving Stalking said 77% of stalking victims waited until more than 100 incidents had happened before going to the police.
She said when they finally took that step it was vital their allegations were taken seriously and the situation investigated fully.
"This is a devastating crime - being stalked online can ruin people's lives," she said.
"We urge the government and the police to do everything possible to ensure those affected by cyber-stalking get proper access to justice."
LISTEN TO THE FULL REPORT
Hear the full report on 5 live Investigates, on Sunday 1 May at 2100 BST on BBC Radio 5 live.
Listen to the 5 live Investigates podcast Post comments on Facebook Send comments via TwitterProsecutions under the Malicious Communications Act have soared to an all-time high and increased almost 300% in five years to 899 last year.
Charges under the Protection from Harassment Act have risen from just under 12,000 to 12,549 in five years.
Separate figures from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) show that last year 33% of stalking incidents were by e-mail, 32% by text message and another 8.4% through social networking sites.
A Home Office spokesman said it was working with the police, Crown Prosecution Service and charities to try to improve the police response and make sure there were robust prosecutions.
He said: "Cyber stalking is a crime. As with all other forms of stalking we take it very seriously and we expect other agencies to do the same.
"The Home Office, Ministry of Justice and the Crown Prosecution Service are currently working together with victims and support charities to discuss whether the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and its enforcement has been effective in providing an appropriate response to stalking."
You can hear the full report on 5 live Investigates on Sunday 1 May at 2100 BST on BBC Radio 5 live. You can also listen again on the BBC iPlayer or by downloading the 5 live Investigates podcast.
This article is from the BBC News website. � British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/13200185
HBO Go hits iOS and Android, free for subscribers
[Thanks, Jason]
HBO Go hits iOS and Android, free for subscribers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Android Market, iOS App Store | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/29/hbo-go-hits-ios-and-android-free-for-subscribers/
Amazon launches 69-cent MP3 store for chart-toppers
Amazon launches 69-cent MP3 store for chart-toppers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 17:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Los Angeles Times | Amazon | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/29/amazon-launches-69-cent-mp3-store-for-chart-toppers/
EU immigrants add billions to UK economy
More than half a million Polish nationals moved to the UK between 2004 and 2009 Immigrants from eastern Europe have added almost £5bn to Britain's economy since 2004, according to a new report.
The National Institute for Economic and Social Research says 700,000 people moved to the UK after their former communist homelands joined the EU.
It believes they drove up British GDP by 0.38% in the years to 2009, the equivalent of £4.91bn.
The report says countries which imposed restrictions on eastern workers saw growth reduced because of this.
Only the UK, Ireland and Sweden allowed free access from the start to workers from the eight 2004 accession countries, which included Poland, Latvia and Hungary.
The last EU members to keep restrictions -- Germany and Austria -- lift them on Sunday.
Between 2004 and 2009, an estimated 1.5 million people from eastern Europe came to the UK. It is thought 700,000 of them stayed, with half a million from Poland alone.
During the same period Britain's GDP grew by £98bn, or 7.7%, and the NIESR study says that a 5% share of the £98bn can be put down to the migrants.
The NIESR says the UK probably benefited from the restrictions imposed by other member states. It says Germany will suffer a "permanent scar" on its level of output, with its GDP reduced by between 0.1 and 0.5%.
One of the report's authors, Dawn Holland, says that the final lifting of restrictions by all EU countries will make little difference to the situation.
"Lifting barriers in Germany may divert some Polish and other workers away from the UK", she says, "especially given the relative strength of the German economy".
"But as the existence of support networks for new migrants is one of the most important factors, much of the shift in migrants since 2004 is likely to prove permanent."
This article is from the BBC News website. � British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-13251614
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