Mumbai News : Explosions shake India's financial hub

Mumbai News : Explosions shake India's financial hub

Breaking News - Three near-simultaneous explosions have shaken India's commercial capital Mumbai (Bombay), police say.

Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram said 10 people had been killed and 54 wounded in the rush-hour blasts.

One explosion was reported in the Zaveri Bazaar, another in the Opera House business district and a third in Dadar district.

Indian media have quoted the home ministry as saying the explosions were a terrorist attack.

Police sources were reported as saying the explosions were caused by home-made bombs.

Mumbai was the scene of a 10-man raid and co-ordinated attacks in November 2008 in which nearly 170 people were killed.

The BBC's Soutik Biswas, in Delhi, says there is no evidence so far to suggest that

Mumbai is under attack in the same way.

High alert

The latest explosions hit the city around 1900 local time (1330 GMT) as workers were making their way home.

While the Home Secretary said two people had been confirmed killed, police said eight people had died.

The city has been put on a state of high alert. Delhi, the capital, Calcutta and several other cities have also been put on alert.

The authorities have not yet said who they believe might be behind the explosions and no group has said it carried them out.

The explosion in Zaveri Bazaar, in the south of Mumbai, was reported in a jewellery shop, says the BBC's Rajini Vaidyanathan in Mumbai.

The third explosion hit the Opera House district, also in the city's south, at a time when it would have been crowded with workers and commuters.

The blast in Dadar district, in the city centre, went off in a taxi next to a bus stop.

One eyewitness from the scene there told our correspondent he saw the bus stop and a car were torn apart by an explosion.

According to some reports, the blasts came on the birthday of Mohammad Ajmal Amir Qasab, the sole surviving gunman from the 2008 attacks.

Those attacks, which targeted two high-end hotels, a Jewish centre and other sites frequented by foreigners, were blamed on the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group.

Pakistan condemned the latest explosions, in a statement issued by the foreign ministry.

Mumbai has been targeted many times in recent years.

As well as the 2008 attacks, co-ordinated blasts on seven of the city's trains on 11 July 2006 caused massive loss of life. More than 180 people were killed and hundreds wounded in those bombings, which were blamed on Islamist militants.

The city suffered four bomb attacks during 2003, including twin blasts on 25 August 2003 which killed 52 people.

In 1993, 257 people were killed and 700 injured in a series of 12 bomb blasts across the city. The attacks were allegedly ordered by the Muslim-dominated underworld in retaliation for Hindu-Muslim riots.

more info : BBC

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Manchester United in talks over £ 35m Wesley Sneijder

Manchester United in talks over £ 35m Wesley Sneijder

Goal.com - Inter and Manchester United in talks' over £ 35m WesleySneijder agreement sensational .

League champions increased their efforts to close the 27-year playmaker to the Netherlands as the Serie A club intends to use the money to rebuild their aging squad.

Italian apparel Premier League champions said that they are 27 years for the country playmaker £ 35m, while Sneijder is "interested" for a possible move to England.

While the Red Devils have yet to formally submit a bid, Inter have accepted that the diminutive Dutchman is on his way out of San Siro and could be willing to let him go for as low as £30m, Goal.com understands.

"United have increased their interest over the past 48 hours. The clubs are now in talks, but they will have to agree a fee," a source close to discussions told Goal.com.

"Inter know his value, so they are aiming for £35m, £30m at a push. They are ready to sell him, but only under their economic conditions. He is not a player they consider unsellable.

"The next move is down to United. If they satisfy Inter's requests, then Sneijder will be playing for United next season."

Sneijder believes a move to Old Trafford could offer him the chance to add to an already impressive medal haul which includes domestic titles in Italy, Spain and the Netherlands, in addition to the Champions League in 2010.

"He knows he would have better chances of winning things at Manchester United compared to Inter, especially on the international front," the source added.

"Sneijder is intrigued by the Premier League and he wants to try a new experience there. He can speak fluent English and so he would have no problems settling down."

The former Real Madrid schemer has indicated that he wants a move to Sir Alex's Ferguson's side, but has not publicly spoken of his desire to leave in order to avoid angering Inter fans. He has a contract at San Siro which expires in 2015 and would be content to see it out if a transfer fails to materialise this summer, hence his reluctance to agitate in public for a move.

"Wesley is trying to make it seem that it was Inter who wanted to sell him, rather than have people thinking he was the one who wanted to leave," the source continued.

"At the moment he does not want to say much as he doesn't want to upset the Inter fans. But if Inter and United reach an agreement, then he would be delighted to join them.

"He said he would be sorry to leave Inter, but in reality he would not be sorry. Sneijder is not pushing to leave, but neither is he against an exit."

New Inter head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has yet to stamp his mark on his squad and would have any proceeds from a possible Sneijder sale at his disposal for new arrivals, chief among them a new left-sided defender.

"Thirty-five million is enough to convince [Inter president Massimo] Moratti to sell Sneijder, and he will then spend part of the money for a top left-back, as Gasperini wants a player for this position," the source added.

Nonetheless, Inter director Marco Branca maintains that no deal for Sneijder to leave is in place and he told assembled reporters at the unveiling of new signings Luc Castaignos and Ricky Alvarez that the Dutchman would not be sold.

Champions League finalists United are embarking on a significant summer rebuilding campaign of their own. Sir Alex has already signed David de Gea, Phil Jones and Ashley Young, but is still seeking replacements for outgoing central midfielders Owen Hargreaves and Paul Scholes.

The Manchester United manager confirmed on Tuesday that he was no longer in the market for Arsenal's Samir Nasri but was hoping to bring in a creative midfielder.

Sir Alex said: "If we can get a player along similar lines [to Scholes] in terms of the quality of his passing and vision, then yes we'd have to do something."

more info : Goal.com

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Afghan president's brother, killed

Afghan president's brother, killed

BBC - The half-brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai has been assassinated in Kandahar.

Ahmad Wali Karzai, a leading power broker in the country's south, was shot dead at his home in a blow to Nato's battle against the Taliban in the area.

He was shot twice by his long-time head of security, Sardar Mohammed, who was himself killed almost immediately.

The Taliban said they carried out the attack, calling it one of their top achievements in 10 years of war.

But Khaled Pashtun, a Kandahar province politician, was sceptical about the Taliban claims, saying the Islamist group had claimed responsibility for many attacks in the past without much evidence of their involvement.

The White House condemned the assassination "in the strongest possible terms".

Sardar Mohammed's motives remain unclear, but the killing will raise questions about securing Afghanistan's top officials.

Previous assassination attempts

Kandahar police chief Abdul Razeq told reporters that Mr Mohammed had travelled to Mr Karzai's home early on Tuesday, saying he needed to show documents to his boss.

"The man carried his pistol through the security checks to Wali Karzai's room. As soon as Wali Karzai came out of the bathroom, he opened fire and shot him in the head and chest," Mr Razeq said.

The killing is the latest and most high-profile in a series of assassinations of senior politicians and security commanders across the country.

The Afghan president, who is expected to leave Kabul shortly to attend his half-brother's funeral, said the assassination reflected the suffering of all Afghan people.

"This is the way of life for the people of Afghanistan," said Mr Karzai.

"The homes of all Afghans feel this pain. Our hope is this will come to an end, and peace and happiness will come to our homes and will come to rule in our country."

Critics said Ahmad Wali Karzai was a warlord mired in corruption who was openly involved in the drugs trade and had a personal militia at his disposal.

His supporters saw him as a defender of Pashtun rights. The president repeatedly defended him, denouncing accusations that his brother was involved in criminal activities.

Security was intensified in Kandahar following Tuesday morning's shooting, as the body of Ahmad Wali Karzai was taken to a nearby hospital.

The BBC's Quentin Sommerville in Kabul says it is hard to overstate how important Ahmad Wali Karzai was in the south of Afghanistan and in Nato's efforts to combat the Taliban in their stronghold there.

Our correspondent adds that as head of the Kandahar Provincial Council, he was a staunch ally of US and allied forces in Afghanistan - to the extent that they turned a blind eye to accusations he was involved in drug-trafficking.

"[Ahmad Wali Karzai] had his unsavoury side, but he was someone we could work with and he kept a lid on things in Kandahar," a US official told the BBC.

The commander of the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), US General David Petraeus, condemned the assassination and said Isaf would work with the Afghan government to bring anyone involved to justice.

"President Karzai is working to create a stronger, more secure Afghanistan, and for such a tragic event to happen to someone within his own family is unfathomable," said Gen Petraeus.

In Washington on Tuesday, White House spokesman Jay Carney condemned Mr Karzai's killing and said the US administration sent its condolences to his family.

Ahmad Wali Karzai had survived attempts on his life before, most recently in a rocket and machine-gun attack in 2009 as his convoy was travelling towards Kabul.

The previous year, he was chairing a meeting in a government building when a bomb-filled fuel tanker exploded close by.

Although Mr Karzai escaped unhurt, six people were killed and 40 wounded in the blast.

He and other officials blamed Taliban militants for the bombing.

more info : BBC

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Let's Join to Google +

Let's Join to Google +

Four years ago, Eric Schmidt, who was then serving as CEO of Google had provided a kind of memo to employees in order to create a service that can connect to many more colleagues in the virtual world.

After the memo was distributed, Schmdit have not had time to follow up the memo in particular. Because he is more focus on developing other services. As a result, not long after the social networking site Facebook exploded. Slowly but surely, the site that originated from the creations of students who had not even graduated from college was also embrace many outstanding members.

Suddenly Schmidt surprised, even in a symposium All Things Digital in early June, he felt deep remorse over the dominance of Facebook in cyberspace. "I am very aware that I must do something and I failed to do," Schmidt said at the time.

Time rolled on, Google's attempt to try to create a similar service. Beginning in 2010, Google's incentive to introduce a service called Google Buzz. Google tries to combine the number of Gmail users with features adopted from social networks like Facebook and Twitter.

Successful? Of course not. Since that year, Facebook reached its peak popularity. Recorded at the time Facebook is enjoying the number of members to 500 million. It has not added 'flaw' in Google Buzz, located on the privacy system and its members account customization.

As if not cured, the middle of this year Google introduced its Google +, which touted the refinement of the previous service, which by some media called "Facebook Killer" actually. The name is not pinned by the media against Google Buzz.

What is predicted by the media (including Legal, of course) is not entirely wrong, although not yet fully proven. But this at least can make a picture and tagline consistency that is always carried by Google is, 'Dont be Evil', even though plainly answered Apple CEO Steve Jobs "Bullshit".

In fact, Google has everything in cyberspace, they controlled almost all lines. The company is headquartered in Cupertino it really had miscalculated when presenting Google Buzz. But confidence can be seen from this new service.

+ Google was given the opportunity by the user and lover of Google in particular. Proven netters received a warm welcome, which led to the closing of the invitation system is limited. That may not be valid proof that Google + later this is going to successfully overthrew Facebook.

But let's look at the following facts:
1. Google has failed in service Buzz, of course they will learn from previous experiences.

2. Almost all the major Google services all successful overtaking the existing service, call it Android with application store, Gmail, YouTube to the Chrome browser that who would have thought began to close Firefox, which previously did not even think even invincible.

3. The database and information from the Google search engine the more remarkable is rampant. From these data of course, Google's free to create applications to support Google +. Remember, about this 'search engine' Facebook is still having difficulties, despite already holding Bing.

4. Integration with existing services and will come. Google still has an plan Google Music, Games, and much more.

5. Facebook users already reached saturation point.

Well, about the number of users, the author is rather pessimistic when Google + can embrace a new social networking users, because Facebook have already reached the amount of 750 million users to date. The only picture that is visible, the action 'move' from Facebook users to Google +. Moreover, the authors look at the touch of Google + a bit much like Facebook, Google could be the actions that users can not be too complicated or rigid when they occupy a 'new home'.

Google + with a number of advantages, we have strong reasons to move from Facebook is not it?

Create invitations that cannot, can write your email on comments below, we will try to send the invitation.

So, if some want to join in google plus, please comment below and provide email addresses for the same admin invite my soul.

if already join, do not forget to add Breaking News to your circle OK! :)

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Facebook News, a partnership with Skype video chat feature

Facebook News, a partnership with Skype video chat feature

Facebook News has announced a partnership with Skype for video chat to add to social networking sites.

This step can be seen as a shot at the bow of Google, which recently launched a Facebook rival, Google +, with video calling.

This is not the first time that Facebook and Skype worked together - they already have a number of instant messaging tools.

Skype is in the process of being bought by Microsoft, which is a major shareholder in Facebook.

The new video-call service was launched by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who also revealed that the site now had more than 750 million users.

However, he said that the total number of active users was no longer a useful measure of the site's success.

Instead, the amount of sharing - of photographs, videos and web links - was a better indication of how people engaged with the site, explained Mr Zuckerberg.

One to one

At launch, Facebook's video chat service will only be able to connect two users face-to-face, whereas Google's system allows group video calls, known as Hangouts.

Mr Zuckerberg said that it was likely that other "premium" Skype functions would be added in future.

He also appeared to offer a back-handed compliment to Google+, saying that its creation was a vindication of Facebook's vision for the social web.

Industry analysts welcomed the announcement.

"Advertisers love anything that keeps users on Facebook for longer and that is something Facebook has been brilliant at - keeping people engaged with the platform for increasingly longer periods of time," Susan Etlinger of the Altimeter Group told BBC News.

"It stands to reason that the longer you are on Facebook, the happier advertisers will be."

In California, Skype chief executive Tony Bates welcomed the partnership, calling it a "long-term relationship" that could benefit both companies.

At one point he had to correct Mr Zuckerberg on the subject of Skype's ownership, reminding him that the Microsoft deal was not yet complete and still had to be cleared by regulators.

The tie-in was announced a week after Google announced its own social networking service, Google+.

"The two companies built these products separately and independently over a number of months but they will be compared directly," said Ben Parr, editor-at-large of social media blog Mashable.com.

"They are going to be in more heated competition in the next year or so and you are going to hear a lot about who is going to win the social networking war - how does Google catch up, how does Facebook respond. This story isn't going away."

Tag : Facebook News

More info : BBC

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