McAfee updates Mobile Security to 2.0, keeps you protected on the go (video)

If you tend to exercise a bit more caution when using your mobile machine, we imagine you'll welcome McAfee's Mobile Security 2.0 with open arms. The Intel-owned security connoisseur has just introduced its refreshed apps, designed to protect Android handsets and slates, along with BlackBerry and Symbian smartphones. All users can take advantage of features such as Complete Anti-virus, Anti-spyware, Anti-phishing Protection, Call and SMS Filtering, while Android owners can also try out App Protection, which is said to interpret "how apps are accessing and possibly transmitting personal data," in order to keep your privacy under control. If you've been a paranoid -- or smart -- user since the first release, then the update will come at no cost, while those of you looking to jump aboard the secured ship for the first time will need to fork over the $29.99 subscription fee. You'll find all the details you need in the press release just past the break.

Continue reading McAfee updates Mobile Security to 2.0, keeps you protected on the go (video)

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U.S. consumers fizzle out even as incomes rise (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? U.S. consumer spending was flat in December as households put the largest rise in income in nine months into their savings, potentially signaling slower consumption early in 2012.

It was the weakest reading on spending since June, the Commerce Department said on Monday, and it followed two tepid gains in October and November.

Still, economists were cautiously optimistic that rising wages as labor markets improve will keep demand supported.

"I do believe there is some underlying trend that gives us some reason to feel a little bit better about what lies ahead regarding spending, and the main reason is the labor market," said Anthony Karydakis, chief economist at Commerzbank in New York.

U.S. economic growth quickened in the fourth quarter and hiring picked up, but activity is expected to soften early this year. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said last week that the central bank was considering a further easing of monetary policy to support growth.

Economists had expected consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity to nudge up 0.1 percent, the same as in October and November.

Spending adjusted for inflation dipped 0.1 percent last month after edging up 0.1 percent in November.

U.S. financial markets ignored the report, with investors focused on the spat between Greece and Germany over budget measures for Athens. Stocks on Wall Street fell, while Treasury debt prices rallied. The dollar rose against the euro.

INCOME RELIEF

The government said on Friday that consumer spending grew at a 2 percent annual pace in the fourth quarter, a pick-up from the third quarter's 1.8 percent rate, which helped lift gross domestic product by 2.8 percent.

While an expected recession in the euro zone is expected to start weighing more heavily on U.S. activity this quarter, the economy has some underlying momentum and is not expected to contract.

Data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas showed a strong rebound in factory activity in the Texas this month, with new orders the highest in six months. Employers hired more new workers and extended hours for their existing workforce.

That is good news for wages, whose sluggish growth prompted households to tap savings and credit cards to fund purchases last year. Savings last year were the smallest since 2007.

An increase in wages last month helped lift incomes 0.5 percent, the largest gain since a matching increase in March.

"If the December wage and salary gains can be sustained, households will have the ability to spend more," said Joel Naroff, chief economist at Naroff Economic Advisors in Holland, Pennsylvania.

The gains in income reflect a pick up in hiring. Nonfarm payrolls rose 200,000 in December. A report on Friday is expected to show a slight pull back in January, with employers adding 150,000 jobs, according to a Reuters survey.

Small businesses added 50,000 jobs this month after a 60,000 gain in December, according to payrolls processing firm Intuit.

WATCH THE SAVING RATE

Taking inflation into account, after-tax income rose 0.3 percent last month after being flat in November. With disposable income outstripping spending, the saving rate rose to a four-month high at 4 percent.

"We should be watching closely the behavior of the saving rate in the coming months for signs that consumers may be adopting a more defensive posture," said Commerzbank's Karydakis.

The spending report showed inflation pressures generally contained, with a price index for personal spending nudging up 0.1 percent after being flat the prior month.

In the 12 months through December, the PCE price index was up 2.4 percent - the smallest gain since April 2011.

A core inflation measure, which strips out food and energy costs, rose 0.2 percent last month after gaining 0.1 percent in November. Over the past 12 months, it was up 1.8 percent - the largest rise since March 2010 and just a touch below the Fed's 2 percent inflation target.

(Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Tim Ahmann and Neil Stempleman)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120130/bs_nm/us_usa_economy

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Police use tear gas on Occupy Oakland protesters (AP)

OAKLAND, Calif. ? Oakland police used tear gas and "flash" grenades Saturday to break up hundreds of Occupy protesters after some demonstrators started throwing rocks and flares at officers and tearing down fencing.

Three officers were hurt and 19 people were arrested, the Oakland Police Department said. No details on the officers' injuries were released.

The protest continued into Saturday evening; a large police contingent monitored the situation, but there were no additional clashes.

Police said the group started assembling at a downtown plaza Saturday morning, with demonstrators threatening to take over the vacant Henry Kaiser Convention Center. The group then marched through the streets, disrupting traffic.

The crowd grew as the day wore on, with afternoon estimates ranging from about 1,000 to 2,000 people.

The protesters walked to the vacant convention center, where some started tearing down perimeter fencing and "destroying construction equipment" shortly before 3 p.m., police said.

Police said they issued a dispersal order and used smoke and tear gas after some protesters pelted them with bottles, rocks, burning flares and other objects.

Most of the arrests were made when protesters ignored orders to leave and assaulted officers, police said. By 4 p.m., the bulk of the crowd had left the convention center and headed back downtown.

The demonstration comes after Occupy protesters said earlier this week that they planned to move into a vacant building and turn it into a social center and political hub. They also threatened to try to shut down the port, occupy the airport and take over City Hall.

In a statement Friday, Oakland City Administrator Deanna Santana said the city would not be "bullied by threats of violence or illegal activity."

Interim police Chief Howard Jordan also warned that officers would arrest those carrying out illegal actions.

Oakland officials said Friday that since the Occupy Oakland encampment was first established in late October, police have arrested about 300 people.

The national Occupy Wall Street movement, which denounces corporate excess and economic inequality, began in New York City in the fall but has been largely dormant lately.

Oakland, New York and Los Angeles were among the cities with the largest and most vocal Occupy protests early on. The demonstrations ebbed after those cities used force to move out hundreds of demonstrators who had set up tent cities.

In Oakland, the police department received heavy criticism for using force to break up earlier protests. Among the critics was Mayor Jean Quan, who said she wasn't briefed on the department's plans. Earlier this month, a court-appointed monitor submitted a report to a federal judge that included "serious concerns" about the department's handling of the Occupy protests.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_re_us/us_occupy_oakland

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Tiger Woods shoots 66 to share lead in Abu Dhabi (AP)

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates ? Tiger Woods shot a 6-under 66 Saturday to grab a share of the lead at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, the latest sign that the 14-time major winner is returning to form after ending a two-year victory drought.

There wasn't a lot of fist pumping from Woods, who traded drama for consistency in racking up six birdies in a bogey-free round.

It was a memorable performance by the American, mostly for his ability to hit the fairways, tame the par 5s and sink clutch putts ? including a six-footer for birdie on the final hole.

"It just seemed like I didn't do a lot of things right but I didn't do a lot of things wrong today, it was just very consistent," Woods said. "You know, made a couple putts here and there ... I stayed away from trouble and tried to keep the ball towards the fat side of some of these pins and I think I did a pretty good job."

Woods moved to 11 under for the tournament and is tied with newcomer Robert Rock, who birdied his final two holes to earn the 117th-ranked Englishman a first-ever pairing with Woods for Sunday's finale.

Rory McIlroy (68), Peter Hanson (64), Francesco Molinari (66) and Paul Lawrie (68) were two shots back, with George Coetzee (65), James Kingston (67), overnight leader Thorbjorn Olesen (71) and Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (69) all a shot further back.

Woods is attempting to follow his season-ending victory at the Chevron World Challenge with another win here. He was two shots off the pace after the second round but started climbing the leaderboard Saturday with an opening birdie, followed by another on No. 7.

He stepped up his game on the back nine and grabbed a share of the lead after he narrowly missed an eagle putt on the 10th and settled for birdie. He briefly took the outright lead with a birdie on 14.

The crowd of several hundred cheered every birdie, with some yelling "Tiger's back."

Woods refused to talk about his victory chances, acknowledging too many players remain within striking distance.

"There's a ton of guys with a chance to win," Woods said. "You know, we have not separated ourselves from the field. The field is very bunched. I need to go out there and put together a solid round of golf, and I can't go out there and shoot even par and expect to win. I've got to go out there and go get it."

Rock, who got his first European Tour win last year in Italy in a playoff with Sergio Garcia, admitted he was star-struck at the prospect of teeing off alongside Woods, calling him "the best guy I've ever seen play golf."

The 34-year-old journeyman is relishing the chance to go head-to-head with one of golf's all-time greats.

"There's quite a lot of people out there (today) obviously following Tiger in the group in front of us. Hopefully we've got the same amount of people watching tomorrow, and we'll see how I cope with it," Rock said. "I just want to experience it. How many chances I'll get to do that, it's not clear."

Rock was one of several players who challenged Woods for the lead after overnight leader Olesen fell back.

Lawrie, the 1999 British Open champion, showed some of the form he displayed at the Dubai World Championship in December, where he finished second. He made birdie on 10 and 11 to tie Woods for the lead, fell back with bogeys on 14 and 17 and then recovered to birdie the 18th.

Molinari and Hanson also bounced back from opening round 74s to move into contention. Molinari had five birdies on his back nine, while the 47th-ranked Swede had eight birdies in his round ? including three on the last five holes ? in a bogey-free round to finish with the lowest score of the day.

"It was one of those days where you have the best job in the world," Hanson said. "Struck it nice, made four easy birdies on the par 5s and then a few more, and it felt pretty easy somehow."

U.S. Open champion McIlroy also is still in the mix, a day after he had two double bogeys, including on the 9th when he was penalized for brushing away sand in front of his ball. He only had one bogey to go with five birdies Saturday, but the 22-year-old Northern Irishman was forced to scramble several times to save par, including on the 18th when an errant drive went into nearby rocks and almost into a pond.

"I definitely felt today was a lot better than yesterday," McIlroy said. "I felt like I hit the ball a lot better. I feel that I made a couple of loose swings off the tee and obviously one on the last, and a couple others, but it's getting there. So hopefully I can just keep that going tomorrow and maybe get off to a fast start and put pressure on the guys in front of me."

Top-ranked Luke Donald (73) is 11 shots behind Woods, with No. 2-ranked Lee Westwood (68) seven off the lead.

___

Follow Michael Casey on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mcasey1

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_sp_go_su/glf_abu_dhabi_championship

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A's remain open to signing Ramirez

updated 5:09 p.m. ET Jan. 29, 2012

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland Athletics are open to signing slugger Manny Ramirez but the team is not actively pursuing the free agent.

That was the message Sunday from assistant general manager David Forst, who talked during A's Fanfest held at the Oakland Arena, next door to the Coliseum. A's owner Lew Wolff had suggested the move last week.

"We're open to it," Forst said. "We do have other things going on and we do expect other additions between now and opening day. We have never been in a situation where we had too many good players."

Ramirez applied for reinstatement to Major League Baseball last month. He was suspended for 100 games last year but the ban was trimmed to 50 because he sat out nearly all of last season. The suspension would start with the first game he is eligible to play after signing with a club.

"I think it would be fun," Wolff said. "This should be viewed on the basis of talent. Once he's served the penalty he should be free to do what he wants. I don't know what kind of shape he's in, though I hear he's in great shape."

Ramirez, who will be 40 on May 30, ranks 14th on the career list with 555 home runs. He was 1 for 17 (.059) in five games last season for Tampa Bay, which had signed him to a one-year deal worth $2.02 million. He retired from baseball rather than serve his longer suspension.

"I never actually met him," A's outfielder Josh Reddick said. "But to have a veteran hitter like Manny? That experience can only help us. We're a young team and I would look forward to a guy like that, a guy we can learn from."

Reddick was in the Red Sox organization when Ramirez was traded from Boston to the Los Angeles Dodgers in July 2008. He made his major league debut with the Red Sox exactly one year later.

Reddick said Ramirez left "an interesting" legacy behind.

NOTES: Wolff also expressed some impatience with Major League Baseball's study committee about the A's planned move to a new stadium site in San Jose. "We should be in it now instead of waiting for it," he said. "It's hard to be patient when it has hurt us everywhere. The only site available to us based on our analysis is the downtown site in San Jose." ... Wolff joked that his grandson no longer speaks to him because of the trade that sent Gio Gonzalez, his favorite player, to the Washington Nationals. ... Forst also denied reports that signing Jonny Gomes doomed OF prospects Michael Taylor and Chris Carter to the minors. "That is not true," he said. "There is a fifth outfield spot and the DH spot. They have an opportunity to be on the 25-man roster." ... A's manager Bob Melvin said he sees Gomes, Reddick, Seth Smith and Coco Crisp as part of a rotation for the outfield and included Collin Cowgill as a possible candidate for the fifth spot. ... The Fanfest drew over 7,000 people.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46182487/ns/sports-baseball/

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Oil ends little changed, below $100 a barrel (AP)

Oil prices moved in a narrow range Friday, as Iran prepared to consider a ban on crude sales to European Union countries. Here's how energy contracts traded.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange:

Benchmark crude fell 14 cents to finish at $99.56 per barrel.

Gasoline rose 8 cents to end at $2.9268 a gallon.

Heating oil rose 2 cents to finish at $3.0704 a gallon.

Natural gas rose 7 cents to end at $2.6780 per 1,000 cubic feet.

On the ICE Futures exchange in London:

Brent crude rose 67 cents to finish the day at $111.46 per barrel.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/energy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_bi_ge/oil_prices_glance

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Barge Carrying Atlas Rockets Crashes Into Bridge (SPACE.com)

A barge ferrying two Atlas 5 rockets to their Florida launch site crashed into a Kentucky bridge late Thursday (Jan. 26), but the rockets appear to be undamaged, officials say.

The 312-foot (95-meter) cargo ship Delta Mariner smashed into a bridge over the Tennessee River in southwest Kentucky at 9:15 p.m. EST Thursday (0215 GMT Friday), causing a portion of the span to collapse. Though several cars were crossing the bridge at the time, the accident caused no injuries.

The Delta Mariner was carrying two Atlas 5 rockets from the United Launch Alliance (ULA) factory in Decatur, Ala., to Cape Canaveral, Fla., said Sam Sacco, spokesman for Foss Marine, the company that owns and operates the boat.

"There's no damage to the cargo," Sacco told SPACE.com. "Based on what we know right now, there's no real damage to the vessel itself, either."

ULA officials confirmed that the launch vehicles appear to have survived intact. [The World's Tallest Rockets]

"Initial inspections have shown that the flight hardware being transported was not damaged," officials said in a statement today. "The Coast Guard is conducting an investigation."

Sacco said he wasn't sure when the two rockets are due to lift off from Cape Canaveral. In its statement, ULA referenced an "upcoming" launch, without providing specifics.

According to the ULA's launch schedule, an Atlas 5 rocket is scheduled to blast off from the Cape on Feb. 16, carrying a tactical satellite for the United States Navy. Another one is slated to lift off on April 27 with a new military communications satellite on board.

The Delta Mariner, which was commissioned in 2002, transports flight hardware from ULA's Decatur factory to Cape Canaveral and another launch site, California's Vandenberg Air Force Base. It's capable of carrying up to three common booster cores, which are each as long as a 737 jet's fuselage.

The ship can ply both rivers and the open ocean, and it can navigate waterways as shallow as 9 feet (3 m), according to ULA officials. The trip to Cape Canaveral covers about 2,100 miles (3,380 kilometers) and takes eight to 10 days.

Sacco said the cause of the accident ? which apparently did not result in any fuel spills or other obvious environmental problems ? remains a mystery for now.

"The company's been doing it for over 10 years. Exactly why this happened, I can't tell you," he said. "The Coast Guard will lead an investigation into the cause, and that will be the definitive explanation as to what happened."

The Atlas 5 rocket is an expendable booster that first launched in 2002. Since then, it has logged about two dozen liftoffs, with 100 percent mission success, according to ULA officials. NASA's Curiosity Mars rover blasted off atop an Atlas 5 this past November.

You can follow SPACE.com senior writer Mike Wall on Twitter: @michaeldwall. Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/space/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/space/20120127/sc_space/bargecarryingatlasrocketscrashesintobridge

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Original Religion Of The People's Of Africa

Respected Member

Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 153

? Re: Original Religion Of The People's Of Africa

I know that parts of East and North Africa such us Abyssinia , Egypt and Libya had a very huge portion of Judaism followers. Infact I read somewhere that the Ethiopian Abysinians followed Judaism for 1000 years before the birth of Christ. It was introduced to them by their Queen of Sheba who ,according to the bible visted king Solomon . I am not sure about the remote areas of africa..As they had little contact with the outside world, they mostly were pagans..

Source: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1906207&goto=newpost

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Can a home computer teach you to fly a real plane? (AP)

Can flight simulator training on a home computer teach you enough to fly a real plane?

Sort of.

Authorities say two teenagers in Utah planned to bomb their school, steal a plane and flee the country. They'd never flown a plane, but police said they'd spent hundreds of hours with a flight simulation program.

Flight simulation software gives hobbyists a highly accurate idea of the layout of airplane cockpits and controls. Many enthusiasts attach control sticks and rudder pedals to their computers and spend hours flying to and from the programs' simulations of actual airports, complete with portrayals of real runways and airport buildings.

The rub is that real aircraft are different from planes on the computer screen. A hobbyist used to smooth flying in the rec room can easily be thrown by the vibration, noise and wind effects in an actual light plane ? not to mention the higher stakes of real flying.

It wouldn't be impossible for a hobbyist to get a light aircraft off the ground on the first try, fly it some distance and land it. But the flight could be a rough affair and the landing hair-raising, even in good weather.

"It can be done, but it's a bit of a long shot," said Nels Anderson of Framingham, Mass., founder of Flightsim.com, a website for simulation enthusiasts.

Anderson also noted that "things vary from one plane to another." The instruments and startup procedures you learn in a simulator might not match those in a plane you suddenly find yourself in.

To many enthusiasts, however, the difference in handling between a real plane and a simulation is of little importance. They are more interested in the simulators' detailed renderings of engine, navigation and autopilot systems, particularly in simulations of large jets. Some hobbyists have created entire "virtual airlines," with pilots flying the routes of actual passenger jets.

The most common flight simulation programs for home computers are Microsoft Flight Simulator and X-Plane, produced by Laminar Research of Columbia, S.C. Prices vary from about $50 to $80. A small industry of programmers has created "add-on" software for these programs to simulate specific planes and systems.

___

Thomas Kent flies Boeing 737 jets, often successfully, in Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_re_us/us_school_bomb_plot_flight_simulator

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Former Guatemala dictator faces war crimes charges (Reuters)

GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) ? Former Guatemalan dictator Efrain Rios Montt will face trial on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity as the Central American nation seeks to close files on a brutal 36-year civil war.

A judge found sufficient evidence that linked Rios Montt, who ruled during a particularly bloody period in 1982 and 1983, to the killing of more than 1,700 indigenous people in one counterinsurgency effort.

"I believe that there is enough evidence in these charges," said Judge Carol Flores, who agreed with prosecutors that Rios Montt, as head of the government, should answer for brutality under his rule.

Prosecutors allege that Rios Montt, who ruled as commander-in-chief for 17 months, turned a blind eye as soldiers used rape, torture and arson to rid Guatemala of leftist insurgents.

Lawyers also charge that Rios Montt conceived a counterinsurgency plan that killed at least 1,771 unarmed members of the Ixil tribe that he said were aiding guerillas and drove another 29,000 more into forced exodus.

Defense attorneys claim that Rios Montt, 85, did not control battlefield operations during the 1960-1996 internal conflict that left nearly a quarter of a million dead or missing and therefore cannot be held responsible.

"Each commander is responsible for making decisions in his own post," attorney Danilo Rodriguez said.

Ixil women clad in bright red indigenous dresses attended the hearing that ended in Rios Montt being ordered to house arrest until a preliminary hearing in March.

The right-wing party Rios Montt founded has lost relevance and the former general was turned out of Congress in a September general election, loosing the immunity from prosecution granted to public officials.

(Reporting By Michael McDonald; editing by Christopher Wilson and Eric Beech)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/latam/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120127/wl_nm/us_guatemala

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Scientists Create Star Matter In California [Science]

You're looking at the heart of the most powerful X-Ray laser machine ever created by humans, billions of times stronger than anything before it. It's the Linac Coherent Light Source and it has made something that nobody has made before in this planet: the kind of matter that you can only find in the heart of stars and giant planets. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/vB_xQJ5C0EU/scientists-create-matter-as-hot-as-the-sun-in-california

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Report: Demi Moore Hospitalized for Nitrous Oxide Inhalation

More information is leaking out regarding the hospitalization of Demi Moore last night.

According to TMZ sources, a friend of the actress' called 911 because Moore fell into a semi-conscious state due to nitrous oxide inhalation. She was, oddly enough, apparently taking part in what's known as "whip-its," the name teenagers have given to this cheap, easy process of getting high.

Where is Moore at the moment? Under doctor's care at a Los Angeles hospital, and Radar Online claims to know why.

That site reports that while the star may have been taken away in an ambulance due to the abuse of a substance, the real issue at hand here applies to her dramatic weight loss (depicted in the photos above).

"Demi is in getting treated for anorexia, as well as other issues that caused her seizure," an insider says. "She has not taken care of her health at all lately and has lost a ton of weight."

Regardless of whatever else is going on with Moore, that much is undeniable. We'll continue to wish the actress a full recovery and will keep readers apprised of her progress along the way.

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/report-demi-moore-hosptialized-for-nitrious-oxide-inhalation/

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Romney's $20 Million IRA: A Lousy Investment? (Time.com)

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/time_rss/rss_time_us/httpmoneylandtimecom20120120romneysirabigandpossiblymisdirectedixzz1k0kuv4ptxidrssnationyahoo/44264921/SIG=12gps2csk/*http%3A//moneyland.time.com/2012/01/20/romneys-ira-big-and-possibly-misdirected/#ixzz1k0KuV4pt?xid=rss-nation-yahoo

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What's all the buzz about Oprah and Salman Rushdie going to India?

The Jaipur Literary Festival has become Asia's biggest literary festival, and the fact that some of the biggest names in the book world attend highlights India's growing appetite for good reads.

Oprah's here - but Salman Rushdie is not.?

Skip to next paragraph

The fifth annual Jaipur Literature Festival has for a few years now attracted more and more major literary and cultural figures from across the world, including, this year, talk show host and reading evangelist Oprah Winfrey.?

For five days, the festival, which started Friday, is taking over Jaipur, a city in central India. The festival has gotten so big that no sooner had the dates been announced ? last year ? then did nearby hotels get slammed with bookings. The rate at which the festival is growing in popularity highlights how much the book industry in India has grown.

The Jaipur Literature Festival had relatively humble beginnings: Its main purpose was to put literature, both in English and local languages, on the radar for Indians.

It seems to have worked.

Now, the festival is widely recognized as a destination for thinkers and writers.?Publishers come to scout for talent and writers come looking for book deals. And hundreds of thousands of eyes are on it and watching the books that are discussed there.??

It?s recently been described as ?the Oscars? of the literary world.

?Of the many literary festivals in India, Jaipur is the big one. It?s the one to go and be seen at,? novelist Samit Basu told the Wall Street Journal.

To say it gets crowded is an understatement. In 2008 there were 7,000 attendees; last year an estimated 60,000 people came to see and be seen and even more are expected to attend this year.

India?s English-language publishing is relatively small but growing industry ? a study by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry last fall pegged the market at $1.4 billion and reported it was growing about 10 percent each year.

Among the local writers, an invitation to appear is an indication of having made it: Look out for Jeet Thayil, Anuradha Roy, and Gurcharan Das.

Oprah arrived in Mumbai earlier last week and spent time with the?first family of Bollywood?? actors?Aishwarya Rai,?Abhishek Bachchan, and their baby girl???before heading north.

Addressing the festival today, she said three things have struck her about India so far: "Its chaos,?the underlying calmness and love, and the fact that everyone seems to know where they are going.? She also dabbled in US politics, predicting the President Obama would win reelection in November.

US journalist Katherine Boo's book on life in the slums of Mumbai, ?Behind The Beautiful Forevers,? is one of the most anticipated books, and sOprahe?s slated to be on hand.

Other notable authors appearing include Ben Okri,?David Remnick, Jamaica Kincaid, Fatima Bhutto, Lionel Shriver, Amy Chua, and Teju Cole.

But Salman Rushdie, author of The Satanic Verses which earned him a fatwa in 1989, has announced he will not attend, saying intelligence services have told him that underworld dons in Mumbai have hired assassins to "eliminate" him. He may yet appear via video link instead, which is continuing to kick up controversy in India.

"While I have some doubts about the accuracy of this intelligence, it would be irresponsible of me to come to the Festival in such circumstances; irresponsible to my family, to the festival audience, and to my fellow writers," said Rushdie in a statement.?

It's unfortunate for festival-goers, many of whom were keen to see Rushdie live in the flesh in his homeland,?but something tells me there will be plenty to keep them occupied.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/E1y3e-ASKo0/What-s-all-the-buzz-about-Oprah-and-Salman-Rushdie-going-to-India

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Apple again loses Dutch bid for Samsung tablet ban (Reuters)

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) ? Apple again lost a bid on Tuesday to have Samsung tablet computers banned in the Netherlands in a Dutch appeals case over infringing copyrights of its iPad tablet computer.

Apple, which has been locked in legal battles with Samsung in almost a dozen countries involving smartphones and tablets, had appealed a Dutch ruling, which said last year Galaxy Tab 10.1 models were not a copy of Apple's iPad.

A Dutch appeals court dismissed Apple's appeal, confirming the Dutch lower court's ruling.

Apple and Samsung have been suing one another as the two technology giants jostle for the top spot in the booming smartphone and tablet markets.

(Reporting by Gilbert Kreijger; Editing by Hans-Juergen Peters)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/applecomputer/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120124/tc_nm/us_apple_samsung

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Jay Leno's Mitt Romney joke incenses India's Sikhs (AP)

NEW DELHI ? India's Sikh community isn't finding Jay Leno so funny.

Members of the religious group said they were outraged when the "Tonight Show" host showed a photo of a glittering gold building and claimed it was Republican Mitt Romney's summer home.

It was meant to be a joke about the Republican presidential candidate's wealth. But the building in the photograph is the Golden Temple, the holiest site in the Sikh religion.

Dalbeg Singh, a top Sikh leader, said Tuesday that community leaders would seek an apology from Leno.

India's foreign minister says the government would take the issue up with U.S. authorities.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tv/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120124/ap_en_tv/as_india_leno

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Dominant Serena into 4th round at Australian Open

Serena Williams of the United States plays a shot against Hungary's Greta Arn on her way to winning their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. (AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)

Serena Williams of the United States plays a shot against Hungary's Greta Arn on her way to winning their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. (AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)

Serena Williams of the United States plays a shot against Hungary's Greta Arn on her way to winning their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. (AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)

Serena Williams of the United States, runs to plays a shot against Hungary's Greta Arn on her way to winning their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. (AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)

Serena Williams of the United States, left, shakes hands with Hungary's Greta Arn after winning their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. (AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)

Serena Williams of the US reacts after winning a point against Hungary's Greta Arn during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. (AP Photo/John Donegan)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) ? Just before she walked on court, Greta Arn said she was looking forward to the "privilege" of playing her first match against Serena Williams.

Some privilege.

The 13-time Grand Slam champion overpowered Arn 6-1, 6-1 in 59 minutes Saturday for her 17th straight win at the Australian Open.

The mismatch was so great that the crowd was muted, rousing themselves only when Arn won her two games and when Williams completed her third-round victory.

Arn double-faulted twice to end the match. As the players shook hands at the net, Williams looked briefly taken back and smiled.

"I told her it was an honor to play against you," the 32-year-old Arn said. "And she told me, 'Oh, you are so sweet.' I'm a big fan of hers. She's the real No. 1."

Williams, who racked up her 501st career match win, is hoping to become the second woman over age 30 to win the Australian title in the Open era.

"It makes me feel really good," she said of her Hungarian opponent's remarks. "I'm really proud of the work that I've been doing for so many years, all the hard work."

Vania King's loss to Ana Ivanovic left Williams as the only American player left in either singles draw. John Isner lost Friday, the last American man to exit.

Coming off an injury-ravaged 18 months, Williams is seeded 12th in Melbourne. She hasn't held the top ranking since 2010, the year she won the last of her Grand Slam titles.

On Saturday, she spoke expansively about her off-court activities: She's taking courses in kinesiology and management and preparing for an appearance in a "pretty big" TV show.

Arn says "everybody knows" if Williams hits top form she will win the Australian Open, where she hasn't lost since 2008. She won back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010 and was unable to defend her title last year while she recovered from two foot surgeries.

Because of her ranking, Williams can't take the No. 1 spot with a win at Melbourne. However, No. 2 Petra Kvitova, No. 3 Victoria Azarenka and No. 4 Maria Sharapova could walk away with the top ranking if they win the tournament.

Azarenka was an early winner on Sunday, beating Iveta Benesova 6-2, 6-2 to become the first player to reach the quarterfinals.

Next up for Williams is unseeded Russian Ekaterina Makarova. After that, things are likely to get a lot tougher. Sharapova is a potential quarterfinal opponent, and Wimbledon champion Kvitova may await in the semifinals.

"I'm nowhere near where I want to be," said Williams, who came into the tournament nursing a sprained left ankle. "I'm just trying to play through it. A little rusty, just trying to play through my rust."

Sharapova and Kvitova joined Williams in advancing to the fourth round on Saturday. Between the three of them, they lost six games.

Kvitova was leading 6-0, 1-0 when Russian opponent Maria Kirilenko retired. Sharapova, who won her first two matches 6-0, 6-1, was tested for the first time and still came out with a 6-1, 6-2 win over U.S. Open semifinalist Angelique Kerber.

Like Williams, Sharapova came into the tournament short of matches. The three-time Grand Slam champion hurt her left ankle late last season and didn't play a tuneup event before the Australian Open.

"Whether it's a Grand Slam or anywhere else in the world, if you're committed to playing that tournament you have to be ready from the first match," Sharapova said.

It was a day of lopsided scorelines on Rod Laver Arena.

No. 1-ranked Novak Djokovic routed Nicolas Mahut 6-0, 6-1, 6-1 in 1 hour, 14 minutes to give the Frenchman a lousy 30th birthday present.

Mahut, who lost the longest Grand Slam match in history at 11 hours, 5 minutes at Wimbledon in 2010, was hampered by a left leg injury, but said he played because the previous matches on Rod Laver Arena were over so quickly.

"I wish him happy birthday and hopefully tonight he can enjoy it," Djokovic said.

The defending champion has won 24 straight sets at the Australian Open, and has lost 10 games in his first three matches this time.

"I always played well in Australia. This is the only Grand Slam I won twice," he said. "The conditions are great. They're very suitable to my style of the game, day and night. I'm really looking forward to next week."

Djokovic likely gets an evening slot for his fourth-round match against Lleyton Hewitt. The 30-year-old Australian downed promising Canadian Milos Raonic 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 in Saturday's final match of the day before a raucous home crowd.

Playing in his 16th straight Australian Open, Hewitt needed three match points in the final game to close out the win and become the first wild card entry to reach the fourth round in Melbourne since Mats Wilander in 1994.

"It's just a game," Hewitt said. "But it's a bloody big game."

No. 2-ranked Rafael Nadal and No. 3 Roger Federer are back on court in a Sunday schedule that features a repeat of the 2011 women's final between Kim Clijsters and Li Na. Federer is up against Australian teenager Bernard Tomic. Nadal faces fellow Spaniard Felicano Lopez.

No. 4-ranked Andy Murray, beaten in the last two Australian finals, brushed aside Michael Llodra 6-4, 6-2, 6-0 Saturday to leave France with two players in the draw, having started the day with six.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was the other Frenchman to advance. The 2008 finalist beat Frederico Gil of Portugal 6-2, 6-2, 6-2.

He will play Kei Nishikori, the first Japanese man to reach the fourth round in Melbourne in the Open era. Mikhail Kukushkin, who beat an ailing Gael Monfils in five sets, will be the first man from Kazakhstan to play a round of 16 match at a Grand Slam when he faces Murray.

Williams is frequently the only American left in a tournament, and it doesn't bother her.

"I really don't think when I go out there that I'm the last American," she said. "I just think I'm trying to come in here and win this match, play this girl. That's all I really think about."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-21-TEN-Australian-Open/id-7d8bb05712454befb73eae90033b7516

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Blues singer Etta James dies at 73 (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) ? Three-time Grammy winner singer Etta James, a pioneer of 1950s rhythm-and-blues and rock music known for her show-stopping hit "At Last," died on Friday from complications of leukemia, age 73.

James died at a hospital in Riverside, California, east of Los Angeles, said her manager and friend of some 30 years, Lupe De Leon. She would have turned 74 on Wednesday.

"She passed away this morning. She was with her husband and her sons," said De Leon.

James was diagnosed with leukemia two years ago and had been in failing health for a number of years. Her live-in doctor said in December she was terminally ill with leukemia. James also suffered from diabetes, kidney problems and dementia and was hospitalized late in 2011 because she was struggling to breathe.

The R&B singer saw numerous ups-and-downs in her career and personal life. She struggled with obesity and heroin addiction, ran a hot-check scheme and had troubled relationships with men, including some gangsters. Her weight ballooned, and in 2003 she underwent gastric bypass surgery and lost more than 200 pounds.

Yet in the music industry, among fellow R&B artists and rock icons, James' own reputation grew into legend. With songs like "The Wallflower" and "Good Rockin' Daddy," the three-time Grammy winner was a key figure in the early days of rock 'n' roll, and her signature song, the 1961 ballad "At Last," proved her mastery of the blues.

She sang with a mixture of power and pain that led veteran musical producer Jerry Wexler to call her "the greatest of all modern blues singers ... the undisputed Earth Mother."

James was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 but throughout her long career she diversified into mainstream blues, soul and R&B.

"Etta James is simply one of the best singers I've ever heard," singer-guitarist Bonnie Raitt wrote in Rolling Stone magazine. "... Etta is earthy and gritty, ribald and out-there in a way that few performers have the guts to be."

James' last album, "The Dreamer," was released in 2011. She spent the latter part of her life at home in California.

GOSPEL TO GREATNESS

She was born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles on January 25, 1938, to an unmarried teenager who told her that her father was legendary pool shark Rudolph Wanderone, better known as Minnesota Fats. James told CNN she introduced herself to Wanderone in 1987 but was unable to confirm he was her father.

James sang gospel in the church choir and stood out even as a 5-year-old. By 1954, she recorded "Roll With Me Henry" with two other girls in a trio called The Peaches.

The group was discovered by bandleader Johnny Otis, and their song, renamed "The Wallflower," topped R&B charts in 1955. The Peaches eventually split up, but James continued recording and later that year "Good Rockin' Daddy" hit the charts.

Otis died on Tuesday in the Los Angeles area, age 90.

In the 1960s, James signed with Chicago's legendary Chess Records label and sang songs like "At Last" and "Trust in Me" that were backed by orchestras. But she never strayed too far from her gospel roots, as evidenced by 1962's "Something's Got a Hold of Me."

Over the decades, James' hit the R&B charts with 30 singles, and placed nine of those songs in pop music's top 40. She has often been cited as influencing singers including Raitt, Janis Joplin and Tina Turner.

James won her first Grammy in 1995 for her album, "Mystery Lady: The Songs of Billie Holiday." She also won Grammys in 2003 and 2005, as well as a lifetime achievement award in 2003 from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, which gives out the Grammys.

She is survived by her husband, Artis Mills, two sons Donto and Sametto who played in James' backing band, and four grandchildren.

(Reporting By Bill Trott and Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Jill Serjeant and Bob Tourtellotte)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/cancer/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120120/en_nm/us_ettajames

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Multistate personhood push kindles abortion debate (AP)

NEW YORK ? In poll after poll, Americans say the economy is the paramount issue facing the nation, with hot-button social issues trailing far behind. Nonetheless, abortion will likely be in the election-year spotlight in a slew of states facing possible votes on sweeping abortion bans.

In at least 12 states ? including crucial national battlegrounds such as Ohio and Virginia ? anti-abortion activists are seeking to place "personhood" measures on the ballot this year. The measures vary in some details, but in general they define human life as beginning with fertilization and are intended to ban virtually all abortions, even in cases of rape and incest.

Supporters and opponents of personhood will be seeking to galvanize their camps this weekend during a flurry of rallies, vigils and fundraising events marking Sunday's 39th anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark Roe v. Wade ruling. Personhood measures, if approved, would directly challenge that ruling, which established a woman's right to an abortion.

Thus far, the personhood movement is 0 for 3, losing referendums in Colorado in 2008 and 2010 and in Mississippi last November. But instead of retreating, the movement is trying again in Colorado and expanding to every other region except the Northeast on the premise that it can influence public opinion even if the measures fail.

"These are defeats only if we quit," said Keith Mason, president of Personhood USA. "If we continue on, they are building blocks for success."

Mason likened his movement to the campaign to legalize same-sex marriage, noting that gay-rights activists had persevered and made headway despite losing referendums in all 30 states where voters have weighed in on the issue.

For now, it's unclear how many of the personhood proposals will actually go before voters later this year. Authorities have given the green light to gather signatures for proposed ballot measures in Colorado, Ohio, Montana and California, while legislators in Kansas, Virginia, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Alabama and Georgia have been working on bills that could lead to personhood referendums.

In Nevada and Arkansas, personhood campaigns also are in place, but have been slowed by disputes over the wording of proposed ballot measures. In Florida, anti-abortion activists are gearing up to seek a referendum in 2014.

In Colorado, the new personhood measure is considered likely to qualify for the ballot again this year because of the state's relatively low threshold for petition signatures. It's frustrating to the state's abortion-rights activists, who spent heavily to defeat the 2008 and 2010 measures by better than 2-to-1 margins.

"It's very clear that one of the goals of the personhood movement is to waste our resources," said Vicki Cowart, president of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains. "Every dollar we're spending on getting people out to vote is a dollar not spent for birth control or sex education or breast exams."

Criticism of the personhood movement also has come from some anti-abortion groups which worry the strategy could backfire if federal courts became involved and upheld Roe v. Wade.

In Nevada, a coalition of anti-abortion groups spoke out Jan. 12 against the state's personhood initiative, saying it will hinder their cause in the long run.

"Initiatives like these provide political and financial windfalls to abortion advocates and their candidates," said the coalition, which included Eagle Forum and Nevada Right to Life.

Some national anti-abortion groups have made clear that their preferred strategy is to push state by state for incremental legislative restrictions ? such as requiring women to undergo sonograms before an abortion, restricting insurance coverage of the procedure, and imposing tough regulations on abortion clinics.

According to a tally by the abortion-rights group NARAL Pro-Choice America, 69 bills aimed at restricting access to abortion were enacted last year in 26 states ? the second-highest total in 16 years of tracking such data.

Charmaine Yoest of Americans United for Life, one of the anti-abortion groups active in state legislatures, said she expected many more victories this year. But she declined to endorse ? or criticize ? the campaign for personhood measures.

"Different pro-life groups have different strategies," she said.

In Ohio, the personhood proposal shares the political stage with the so-called heartbeat bill, which would outlaw abortions at the first detectable fetal heartbeat, sometimes as early as six weeks into pregnancy. The bill, stricter than any existing state abortion limit, passed the Ohio House last June and is pending in the Senate.

A Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday suggested that Ohio voters were evenly split, with 45 percent supporting the measure and 46 percent opposing it. Senate President Tom Niehaus has suspended hearings on the legislation and says debate will resume after the state's March 6 primary.

If the bill is enacted, supporters hope to provoke a legal challenge of Roe v. Wade, which upheld a woman's right to an abortion until the fetus is viable outside the womb, usually at 22 to 24 weeks.

Dr. Christopher Estes, an obstetrician-gynecologist and abortion provider in Miami, described the influx of restrictive laws in Florida and elsewhere as dismaying.

"All these things don't do anything to decrease women's need for abortion," he said. "It just hurts their care ? particularly for the most vulnerable women."

Estes, who teaches at the University of Miami's medical school, said pressure from anti-abortion activists is unlikely to ease.

"They are equally ignorant and determined ? it's a bad combination," he said. "They're on a very misguided moral crusade and I don't see it going away."

In the presidential campaign, abortion has been mostly a secondary issue thus far, though that could change in the fall.

While President Barack Obama supports abortion rights, the remaining Republican candidates depict themselves as staunchly anti-abortion. Three of them ? Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul ? have signed the Personhood USA pledge, which says abortions "are always wrong and should be prohibited."

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has not signed the pledge, nor did he join his rivals in an anti-abortion forum Wednesday night in South Carolina sponsored by Personhood USA. However, Romney, who once supported legalized abortion, now condemns it and says a future Supreme Court should overturn Roe v. Wade.

For most voters, abortion is not a front-burner issue. In a Gallup Poll earlier this month, 66 percent of respondents said the most important issue facing America related to the economy, while 1 percent cited abortion.

Even among voters in Iowa's Republican caucus ? a relatively conservative bloc ? only 13 percent said abortion was the key issue in choosing a candidate.

___

Online:

Personhood USA: http://www.personhoodusa.com/

NARAL Pro-Choice America: http://www.naral.org/

Americans United for Life: http://aul.org/

Planned Parenthood: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120120/ap_on_re_us/us_abortion_politics

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Djokovic routs birthday boy Mahut 6-0, 6-1, 6-1

Serbia's Novak Djokovic serves to France's Nicholas Mahut during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. (AP Photo/John Donegan)

Serbia's Novak Djokovic serves to France's Nicholas Mahut during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. (AP Photo/John Donegan)

Serbia's Novak Djokovic hits a forehand return to France's Nicholas Mahut during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. (AP Photo/John Donegan)

Serbia's Novak Djokovic hits a forehand return to France's Nicholas Mahut during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. (AP Photo/John Donegan)

Russia's Maria Sharapova makes a backhand return to Germany's Angelique Kerber during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. (AP Photo/John Donegan)

Russia's Maria Sharapova serves to Germany's Angelique Kerber during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. (AP Photo/John Donegan)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) ? Novak Djokovic gave Nicolas Mahut one lousy birthday present.

The top-seeded Djokovic routed the Frenchman 6-0, 6-1, 6-1 on Saturday to advance to the fourth round of the Australian Open. He needed only 1 hour, 14 minutes to dismiss the newly 30-years-old Mahut, who lost the longest match in Grand Slam history over 11 hours, 5 minutes against John Isner at Wimbledon in 2010.

"I wish him happy birthday and hopefully tonight he can enjoy it," Djokovic said.

The defending champion is aiming to become the fifth man in the Open era to win three consecutive major titles. He will play the winner of a later match between Milos Raonic and Lleyton Hewitt in the fourth round.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, whom Djokovic beat at Melbourne Park for his first Grand Slam title in 2008, also hardly broke sweat in beating Frederico Gil of Portugal 6-2, 6-2, 6-2.

On the women's side, two Wimbledon winners ? Petra Kvitova and Maria Sharapova ? advanced, but two top 10 players went out.

Seventh-seeded Vera Zvonareva was beaten 7-6 (7), 6-1 by fellow Russian Ekaterina Makerova. No. 9 Marion Bartoli lost 6-3, 6-3 to Zheng Jie of China, a former Australian Open semifinalist.

Sharapova was tested for the first time and still came out with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Germany's Angelique Kerber.

The 2008 champion won her first two matches 6-0, 6-1 and has lost five games in reaching the fourth round, but though the scoreline on Saturday made it look easy enough, Sharapova was given a full workout in a 56-minute second set, with many games going to deuce.

After clinching the victory with a forehand winner, Sharapova showed her relief by clenching her fist and screeching "come on!"

"She certainly stepped up in the second set," Sharapova said. "She reached the semifinals at the U.S. Open last year so she's been on the big stage before and I knew she could produce some really good tennis."

She next plays No. 14 Sabine Lisicki, who beat two-time major winner Svetlana Kuznetsova 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Sharapova and Kvitova both have a chance of claiming the No. 1 ranking at the end of the tournament. They could play each other in the semifinals, although Kvitova insisted she hasn't looked that far ahead.

"I don't know who lost and who win," the Wimbledon champion said. "No, really, for me doesn't care."

Kvitova reached the Round of 16 when Maria Kirilenko retired with a left thigh injury while trailing 6-0, 1-0 after 38 minutes of their third-round match.

Kvitova next faces Ana Ivanovic, who beat unseeded American Vania King 6-3, 6-4 to reach the fourth round for the first time since she reached the final here in 2008.

That was the same year the 24-year-old Serb won the French Open for her only Grand Slam title, and also claimed the top ranking.

"I still believe I can do well," Ivanovic said. "I'm just enjoying competing again. It's going to be tough (against Kvitova), but I love challenges."

King's loss left Serena Williams as the only American player left in the singles draws after John Isner's loss on Friday ended any hope of a men's champion from the United States.

Five-time champion Williams, hoping to win her 17th straight match at Melbourne Park, was up against Greta Arn of Hungary in a later match Saturday.

Djokovic was ruthless against Mahut, whose movement was hampered by a left leg injury. When the Frenchman won his first game early in the second set, he stretched his arms out to welcome a huge cheer from the crowd as he walked back to the service line.

Djokovic hardly made a mistake as he won 11 of the next 12 games and finished with eight unforced errors. He has won 24 straight sets at the Australian Open, and has lost 10 games in his first three matches this time.

"I always played well in Australia. This is the only Grand Slam I won twice," he said. "The reason that I skipped the opening week of the season was because I wanted to get ready for Melbourne.

"The conditions are great. They're very suitable to my style of the game, day and night. I'm really looking forward to next week."

Like Djokovic, No. 4-ranked Andy Murray was also up against French opposition later Saturday in the shape of Michael Llodra.

In all, six Frenchmen reached the third round. Tsonga wasted hardly any time becoming the first of them to move into the Round of 16. The 2008 finalist took six of his seven break-point opportunities and saved all five against him.

"I had to take it seriously and this is what I did. I'm just really happy to go through," said Tsonga, who will face fellow Frenchman Julien Benneteau or Kei Nishikori of Japan next.

Richard Gasquet, the fourth highest-ranked Frenchman at No. 18, knocked out ninth-seeded Janko Tipsarevic 6-3, 6-3, 6-1. He will play fifth-seeded David Ferrer, who lost the first four games against Juan Ignacio Chela before recovering to win 7-5, 6-2, 6-1.

On the other half the draw, No. 2 Rafael Nadal had a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 win over Lukas Lacko on Friday and Roger Federer had a 7-6 (6), 7-5, 6-3 win over 6-foot-10 Croatian Ivo Karlovic. Federer will play Australian teenager Bernard Tomic on Sunday.

An early rematch of last year's women's final is already in place, with defending champion Kim Clijsters and Li Na both winning Friday night to set up a meeting in the fourth round.

Clijsters advanced with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Daniela Hantuchova. Li didn't even finish four games before Anabel Medina Garrigues quit with a badly sprained right ankle.

The winner of the Clijsters-Li match will likely face a quarterfinal against top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki, who has not dropped a set in advancing to the fourth round as she continues her quest for a first Grand Slam title. She beat Monica Niculescu of Romania 6-2, 6-2, while third-seeded Victoria Azarenka defeated Mona Barthel 6-2, 6-4.

Wozniacki will next play former No. 1 Jelena Jankovic, who beat Christina McHale of the U.S. 6-2, 6-0.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-21-TEN-Australian-Open/id-f9fd8b6a7b8b4d15a4df149fde9b6346

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APNewsBreak: Afghan asylum bids hit 10-year high

Chart shows number of Afghan asylum seekers since

Chart shows number of Afghan asylum seekers since

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? More Afghans fled the country and sought asylum abroad in 2011 than in any other year since the start of the decade-long war, suggesting that many are looking for their own exit strategy as international troops prepare to withdraw.

From January to November, more than 30,000 Afghans applied for political asylum worldwide, a 25 percent increase over the same period the previous year and more than triple the level of just four years ago, according to U.N. statistics obtained by The Associated Press ahead of their scheduled publication later this year.

Many Afghans are turning to a thriving and increasingly sophisticated human smuggling industry to get themselves ? or in most cases, their sons ? out of the country. They pay anywhere from a few hundred dollars to cross into Iran or Pakistan to more $25,000 for fake papers and flights to places like London or Stockholm.

Thousands of refugees also return each year, but their numbers have been dwindling as the asylum applications rise. Both trends highlight worries among Afghans about what may happen after 2014, when American and other NATO troops turn security over to the Afghan army and police.

The true numbers of people leaving is likely even higher ? since those who are successfully smuggled abroad often melt into an underground economy. Still, the jump in a rough indicator like asylum seekers suggests the total numbers are also on the rise.

Smuggling people out of Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan is a $1 billion-per-year criminal enterprise, the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime estimates. Those who pay to leave often face a risky journey and detention abroad because many developed countries now see many Afghans who flee as illegal economic migrants, not political refugees.

Still, the business finds an eager clientele in Afghans such as Ahmad, an unemployed 20-year-old in Kabul. He has agreed to pay a smuggler $400 to take him over the Iranian border, where he hopes to find work and save up to move on to Europe in a few years. He has no money, but his smuggler is giving him credit ? he'll have a month to pay up once he's in Iran.

"I don't think anything will improve in three or five years, so it's better to leave now," said Ahmad, who expects to leave for Iran within a few weeks. He asked to be identified only by his first name for fear of being arrested.

Ahmad's family fled to Iran during the Taliban's late 1990s rule and returned full of hope after the regime fell. But now, he sees no future in his homeland.

"If foreign troops leave, the situation will only get worse, not better," he said.

That's a view shared by many. Tajma Kurt, who manages an International Organization for Migration program helping Afghans who have returned home, says she's noticed a marked change in ordinary Afghans' outlook since roughly 2007, when the Taliban insurgency began to gain strength and violent attacks increased.

"Before, they were looking for a job, discussing buying a house or whatever," Kurt said. "Now, they are all thinking of leaving because the situation has deteriorated dramatically and they don't see that it's going to get much better."

Devastated by decades of war, Afghanistan is already the world's biggest source of refugees, with more than 3 million of its total population of 30 million still outside the country, most in Iran and Pakistan, according to the office of the U.N. High Commissioner of Refugees and the Afghan government.

After the 2001 U.S.-led military intervention that toppled the Taliban, some 5.7 million Afghan refugees returned. The vast majority of those came back in the first five years. The numbers have since dwindled, with about 60,000 refugees returning last year, about half the number as the previous year.

As the pace of returns slowed, the number of Afghans seeking asylum abroad rebounded. In 2011, 30,407 sought asylum through November, the latest available figures.

Driving both trends is not only economic ambition but deep uncertainties about the country's future, says Abdul Samad Hami, deputy minister of Afghanistan's Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation.

"Who knows what happens when foreign troops leave Afghanistan? Is it going to get better or worse? Who knows what happens with the foreign aid to Afghanistan ? going down or increasing?" he said.

Some Afghans fear that once most foreign troops leave, the Taliban will take over more territory and civil war could erupt along ethnic lines, as it did in the 1990s. Others worry the Afghan economy will collapse if foreign aid dries up.

The real number of Afghans leaving is unknown, but undoubtedly higher than the asylum figures. The country's foreign ministry recently said 50,000 Afghans illegally entered Greece in the past two years alone, many of them now stranded without passports or money to move farther into Europe. Most of those arranged their journey with smugglers.

For their money, many endure a perilous journey.

Esmat Adine nearly drowned after the overcrowded boat he was on sank off Indonesia late last year, killing at least 200 fellow asylum-seekers headed for Australia. He says he left his wife and infant son at home in Afghanistan and paid $5,000 to travel to Australia after the Taliban threatened to kill him for working with American aid workers. He flew from Kabul to Dubai, then boarded a plane to Jakarta, Indonesia. From there, he was taken to eastern Java and was packed onto the doomed boat.

When the vessel capsized, Adine managed to survive by swimming to a nearby island.

"I swam and swam until I reached the shore," Adine, 24, told The Associated Press in an Indonesian detention center, where he is awaiting a ruling on his legal status. "I thought of how my wife and children are counting on me, of how I must earn a good life in Australia, free from intimidation."

He says he still hopes to be able to enter Australia and send for his family.

Australia has vowed to crack down on asylum-seekers but has been forced to relax a policy of mandatory detention because its detention camps are dangerously overcrowded.

Hami, the Afghan refugee official, says the country has come a long way and if the transition goes smoothly, fewer people will want to leave. But he conceded that depends on whether the government can provide security and jobs.

"If the situation gets worse, people will go out. If the situation gets better, people will return."

___

Associated Press reporters Massieh Neshat in Kabul and Ali Kotarumalos in Indonesia contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-21-AS-Afghanistan-More-Fleeing/id-20c2fe129c704a6c8f0ce90a09ca3774

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