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<title>Most Popular Business, Sport, Internet News / atanas1054 / All</title>
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<pubDate>Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:27:46 +0300</pubDate>
<language>en</language>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[| Football | FA Cup | Davey celebrates 'fairytale' win]]></title>
<link>http://www.trbr.net/Sports/_Football__FA_Cup__Davey_celebrates_fairytale_win/</link>
<comments>http://www.trbr.net/Sports/_Football__FA_Cup__Davey_celebrates_fairytale_win/</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:27:46 +0300</pubDate>
<dc:creator>atanas1054</dc:creator>
<category>Sports</category>
<guid>http://www.trbr.net/Sports/_Football__FA_Cup__Davey_celebrates_fairytale_win/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Barnsley manager Simon Davey was jubilant after Brian Howard's last-gasp winner gave his side a famous FA Cup fifth-round victory over Liverpool.Davey said: &quot;It's a fairytale, it's what dreams are made of - he has scored the winner in a Cup tie at the Kop end.&quot;Credit to the players, they've been fantastic from the first minute and now they have got their reward.&quot;Our goalkeeper Luke Steele has come to Anfield for his debut and pulled off some world-class saves.&quot;Interview: Barnsley boss Simon DaveyInterview: Barnsley striker Brian HowardInterview: On-loan Barnsley goalkeeper Luke SteeleThe Tykes trailed to Dirk Kuyt's first-half goal but some superb Steele stops kept them in it before Stephen Foster's equaliser.Steele, who was signed on an emergency loan deal from West Brom on Thursday, continued to thwart Liverpool before Howard struck to sink the Reds in the dying seconds.606: DEBATEAre you watching Liverpool?, are you watching Yorkshire?, are you watching England?, are you watching THE WORLD?nardiello'sonionbagThe former Manchester United keeper, who has only played two games for the Baggies this season, said: &quot;It's a magnificent feeling - it just hasn't sunk in properly yet.&quot;I was so happy to be out there and it's great I've got my chance.&quot;When we were 1-0 down it's not like we were down and out but even when we equalised we were under so much pressure.&quot;But the lads defended brilliantly and the amounts of blocks and clearances off the line was amazing.&quot;You could see the number of chances we had and the number of saves the keeper made and that was the only differenceLiverpool manager Rafa BenitezLiverpool manager Rafa Benitez, who must pick his side up for their Champions League last-16 tie against Inter Milan on Tuesday, was left to rue his side's inability to beat Steele.&quot;It was a very strange game,&quot; Benitez said.&quot;We had a lot of chances and their keeper was the man-of-the-match. Then we conceded in the last minute so it's very difficult to explain.&quot;I'm really disappointed but I can't fault the work-rate and performance of my players. We dominated in the first and second half but we couldn't kill the game off.&quot;You could see the number of chances we had and the number of saves the keeper made and that was the only difference.&quot;It's frustrating but we must keep our heads up and start thinking about Inter. We start getting ready for that game on Sunday in training and we must focus on that.&quot;<br/><br/>1 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[| South Asia | 'Deadliest' attack in Afghanistan]]></title>
<link>http://www.trbr.net/World_Business/_South_Asia__Deadliest_attack_in_Afghanistan/</link>
<comments>http://www.trbr.net/World_Business/_South_Asia__Deadliest_attack_in_Afghanistan/</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:26:19 +0300</pubDate>
<dc:creator>atanas1054</dc:creator>
<category>World &amp; Business</category>
<guid>http://www.trbr.net/World_Business/_South_Asia__Deadliest_attack_in_Afghanistan/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[At least 80 people have been killed in a suicide bombing outside the Afghan city of Kandahar - in what appears to be the deadliest attack since 2001.The massive blast hit a crowd of people watching a dog-fighting contest.&quot;This suicide attack was the work of the Taleban,&quot; said Governor Assadullah Khalid, adding the death toll may rise.Southern Afghanistan is a Taleban stronghold and last week the Kandahar governor himself was the target of an attempt on his life.The Taleban have not claimed responsibility for the blast, but it bears all their hallmarks, says the BBC's Jon Brain in the Afghan capital.Among those killed was Abdul Hakim, a local police chief fiercely opposed to the Taleban who is thought to have been the target of the attack.Body partsExcitement was mounting among the 500-strong, male-only crowd when the huge blast struck.I counted over 40 people on the ground deadAbdul Karim,Dog-fight spectatorDog-fighting competitions, which were banned under the Taleban regime, are a popular pastime in Afghanistan.&quot;Fighting had just started between two dogs,&quot; said one spectator, Abdul Karim.&quot;Suddenly I heard a huge explosion next to a police vehicle. Then I saw lots of people dead and wounded.&quot;I counted over 40 people on the ground dead,&quot; Mr Karim, 53, told the AFP news agency.Twisted car and bicycle parts littered the ground as shawls and shoes lay scattered among the bodies of the dead and wounded.Injured spectators staggered through the carnage searching for relatives.Scores of wounded were packed into civilian cars and rushed to hospitals in the city centre, some 15km (nine miles) away.Taleban influenceAside from Abdul Hakim, several other policemen were reported to be among the victims of Sunday's blast.MAJOR TALEBAN ATTACKS29 Dec 2007: 16 policemen killed in Kandahar6 Nov 2007: At least 70 die in attack on sugar factory in Baghlan province29 Sep 2007: At least 30 soldiers killed in bus attack in Kabul16 Jan 2006: At least 24 people killed in two attacks in KandaharDeadliest Afghan attacksIn pictures: Afghan blastThe Taleban claim to have influence across most of the country and have extended their area of control from their traditional heartland in the south.They have a significant presence around Kandahar from where they carry out suicide attacks and roadside bomb blasts.The militants are even able to operate freely in Wardak province, neighbouring the capital Kabul.Last year, violence in Afghanistan reached its highest levels since the Taleban were forced from power in 2001, analysts say.<br/><br/>2 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[BBC SPORT | Football | FA Cup | Sheff Utd 0-0 Middlesbrough]]></title>
<link>http://www.trbr.net/Sports/BBC_SPORT__Football__FA_Cup__Sheff_Utd_0-0_Middlesbrough/</link>
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<pubDate>Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:25:12 +0300</pubDate>
<dc:creator>atanas1054</dc:creator>
<category>Sports</category>
<guid>http://www.trbr.net/Sports/BBC_SPORT__Football__FA_Cup__Sheff_Utd_0-0_Middlesbrough/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Blades striker James Beattie hit the post in first-half stoppage time from a free-kick, but the home side failed to turn their dominance into goals.Boro came back into it in the second period and Mido's overhead kick was brilliantly saved by Paddy Kenny.Emmanuel Pogatetz could have won it late on for the visitors but his header was cleared off the line.Interview: Sheffield United boss Kevin BlackwellInterview: Middlesbrough boss Gareth SouthgateNew Blades boss Kevin Blackwell, who replaced Bryan Robson last week, received a standing ovation from the Bramall Lane crowd before kick-off as the home side went in search of a hat-trick of Premier League scalps in this year's competition.Middlesbrough were aiming to reach a third successive FA Cup quarter-final and started with Mido, who has been out for the last three weeks, alongside Jeremie Aliadiere in attack with record signing Afonso Alves on the bench.606: DEBATEYour thoughts on the goalless draw at Bramall LaneIt was a typical cup tie right from kick-off with both sides fully committed and the game played at a frenetic pace.The visitors struggled to settle and Matt Kilgallon's smartly struck shot was well saved by Mark Schwarzer.Billy Sharp failed to connect with Derek Geary's cross and Jonathan Stead sent his downward header just wide as the home side continued to press, while at the other end efforts from Stewart Downing and Aliadiere were easily saved by Kenny.As the half drew to a close, David Wheater was lucky to escape with just a booking after dragging back Sharp when the striker raced through and in stoppage time Beattie struck the post from a well-rehearsed set-play.Beattie and Michael Tonge pretended to run into each as they shaped to hit the free-kick, but the former Southampton and Everton striker saw his curling shot crash against the post.The visitors came to life in the second period, but only after Stead had tested Schwarzer from outside the box.Mido was denied by Kenny when he tipped the Egyptian's acrobatic overhead kick over the bar and from the resulting corner Wheater's powerful header was turned over by the Blades goalkeeperDowning then flashed a brilliantly struck volley wide from Mido's pinpoint pass and Fabio Rochemback also went close with an effort from outside the box as Boro took control.Just like their hosts in the first period, the visitors failed to take their chances and Blades substitute Chris Armstrong flashed the ball over the bar after another well-worked free-kick.United had appeals for a penalty turned down late on as George Boateng struck the ball against his own arm, but referee Chris Foy waved away the protests.And with two minutes remaining Pogatetz could have snatched it for Boro but his header was cleared off the line.<br/><br/>1 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[BBC NEWS | Europe | Kosovo MPs proclaim independence]]></title>
<link>http://www.trbr.net/World_Business/BBC_NEWS__Europe__Kosovo_MPs_proclaim_independence/</link>
<comments>http://www.trbr.net/World_Business/BBC_NEWS__Europe__Kosovo_MPs_proclaim_independence/</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:23:30 +0300</pubDate>
<dc:creator>atanas1054</dc:creator>
<category>World &amp; Business</category>
<guid>http://www.trbr.net/World_Business/BBC_NEWS__Europe__Kosovo_MPs_proclaim_independence/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The declaration, read by Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, said Kosovo would be a democratic country that respected the rights of all ethnic communities.The US and a number of EU countries are expected to recognise Kosovo on Monday.Serbia's PM denounced the US for helping create a &quot;false state&quot;. Serbia's ally, Russia, called for an urgent UN Security Council meeting.It is scheduled for Sunday evening.See a map of Kosovo's ethnic breakdownTens of thousands of people had thronged the streets of Kosovo's capital, Pristina, since the morning.We have waited for this day for a very long time... from today, we are proud, independent and free&quot;Hashim ThaciKosovo Prime MinisterVoters' voicesWhen news came of the declaration in parliament, the centre of the city erupted with fireworks, firecrackers and celebratory gunfire.Hundreds of ethnic Albanians staged noisy celebrations in the Macedonian capital, Skopje, and in Brussels, outside the headquarters of Nato and the European Union.Hand grenadesThe first sign of trouble in Kosovo came in the ethnic Serbian area of the flashpoint town of Mitrovica, where two hand grenades were thrown at international community buildings.One exploded at a UN court building while the other failed to go off outside offices expected to house the new EU mission.KOSOVO PROFILEPopulation about two millionMajority ethnic Albanian; 10% SerbUnder UN control since Nato drove out Serb forces in 19992,000-strong EU staff to take over from UN after independenceNato to stay to provide securityIn pictures: CelebrationsEast-West split over KosovoIn quotes: World reactionIn Belgrade, the US embassy was pelted with stones as up to 2,000 demonstrators clashed with hundreds of riot police. &quot;Kosovo is the heart of Serbia,&quot; the protesters shouted.Several Serbian ministers travelled to Kosovo to show their support for the ethnic Serbian minority.Kosovo's 10 Serbian MPs boycotted the assembly session in protest at the declaration.Serbia's Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica blamed the US which he said was &quot;ready to violate the international order for its own military interests&quot;.&quot;Today, this policy of force thinks that it has triumphed by establishing a false state,&quot; Mr Kostunica said.Search for equalityThe declaration was approved with a show of hands. No-one opposed it.HAVE YOUR SAY    Unfortunately today Kosovo and Serbia are to become two dispensable chess-pieces of EU/NATO and RussiaMat, Ljubljana, SloveniaSend us your comments&quot;We have waited for this day for a very long time,&quot; Mr Thaci told parliament before reading the text, paying tribute to those who had died on the road to independence.From today, he said, Kosovo was &quot;proud, independent and free&quot;.&quot;The independence of Kosovo marks the end of the dissolution of the former Yugoslavia,&quot; the prime minister said.He said Kosovo would be built in accordance with the UN plan drawn up by former Finnish President, Martti Ahtisaari.The international military and civilian presence - also envisaged by the Ahtisaari plan - was welcome, the PM said.There should be no fear of discrimination in new Kosovo, he said, vowing to eradicate any such practices.The declaration was signed by all the MPs present.Ode to JoyKosovo's top leaders are due to go to a sports hall later where the Kosovo Philharmonic Orchestra is expected to play Beethoven's Ode to Joy.They are also due to sign their names on giant iron letters spelling out the word &quot;newborn&quot; which was to be displayed in Pristina.Albanian musicians in Pristina on 17 February 2008Legal furore over recognitionAnalysis: Anxious BalkansFull text: Kosovo declarationSome ethnic Albanians, who make up the majority of Kosovo's population, earlier laid flowers on the graves of family members killed by Serbian security forces during years of conflict and division.The BBC's Nick Thorpe in Mitrovica says local and UN police, as well as the Nato troops, are maintaining a high profile to reassure all the citizens of Kosovo that they have nothing to fear.LimitationsThe declaration approved by Kosovo's parliament contains limitations on Kosovan independence as outlined in Mr Ahtisaari's plan.Kosovo, or part of it, cannot join any other country. It will be supervised by an international presence. Its armed forces will be limited and it will make strong provisions for Serb minority protection.Recognition by a number of EU states, including the UK and other major countries, will come on Monday after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, says the BBC's Paul Reynolds.The US is also expected to announce its recognition on Monday.Three EU states - Cyprus, Romania and Slovakia - have told other EU governments that they will not recognise Kosovo, says our correspondent.Russia's foreign ministry has indicated that Western recognition of an independent Kosovo could have implications for the Georgian breakaway provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.The UN has administered Kosovo since a Nato bombing campaign in 1999 drove out Serb forces.<br/><br/>1 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Exploiting QuickTime flaws in 'Second Life' | Defense in Depth - computer security, hacking, crime, viruses -]]></title>
<link>http://www.trbr.net/Technology/Exploiting_QuickTime_flaws_in_Second_Life__Defense_in_Depth_-_computer_security_hacking_crime_viruses_-/</link>
<comments>http://www.trbr.net/Technology/Exploiting_QuickTime_flaws_in_Second_Life__Defense_in_Depth_-_computer_security_hacking_crime_viruses_-/</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:21:28 +0300</pubDate>
<dc:creator>atanas1054</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.trbr.net/Technology/Exploiting_QuickTime_flaws_in_Second_Life__Defense_in_Depth_-_computer_security_hacking_crime_viruses_-/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[WASHINGTON--Researchers Charlie Miller of Independent Security Evaluators, and Dino Dai Zovi, turned their attention to Second Life during a Saturday morning presentation at ShmooCon, an East Coast computer hacking conference. The researchers didn't exploit a flaw within Linden Labs' Second Life, but within QuickTime. They showed how an attacker could make money stealing from innocent Second Life victims.Miller and Zovi are both experienced with flaws within Apple products. Miller published the first Apple iPhone flaw shortly after its release. At last year's CanSecWest security conference, Zovi exploited a QuickTime flaw to win a &quot;PWN to Own&quot; hack-a-Mac contest. While Second Life does not install QuickTime, it invites users to install the player if they want to see multimedia files within Second Life.What Miller and Zovi realized is that while direct communication between an attacker and a victim within Second Life passes through the servers at Linden Labs, multimedia objects are actually stored somewhere else. Hence, an object with a multimedia link could inject malicious code. In this case, researchers exploited a recent flaw within RTSP tunneling.For their demonstration, they created &quot;the most evil pink box you will ever see.&quot; They could have linked their malicious code to attributes of an avatar's hair, clothes, or anything else. They also could have buried the pink box underground or otherwise hidden it, but both researchers admitted they weren't very good players within Second Life.Within Second Life they used a property that they own to demonstrate the exploit. Linden Labs sent a representative at the conference and a robot to the virtual demonstration site. The robot held a sign saying Hello to ShmooCon attendees watching the live demo.In the demo, the researchers were able to show that their avatar became infected when it came too near the pink box. The code they used raided the avatar's Linden dollars and emptied the bank account. On the Internet, an attacker can get one dollar for every 275 Linden dollars stolen, so there is a financial incentive to these attacks and other future attacks. The attack demonstrated today works only on the property they own, and for the safety of others they put up signs perimeter that clearly stated a demo of an exploit was in progress.To protect yourself while in Second Life, the researchers suggested either turning off multimedia altogether, or setting the multimedia preference within Second Life not to play streaming video when available, but to ask the user first.<br/><br/>2 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Exclusive: video games meet the China Olympics - Feb. 15, 2008]]></title>
<link>http://www.trbr.net/Gaming/Exclusive_video_games_meet_the_China_Olympics_-_Feb-_15_2008/</link>
<comments>http://www.trbr.net/Gaming/Exclusive_video_games_meet_the_China_Olympics_-_Feb-_15_2008/</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:19:24 +0300</pubDate>
<dc:creator>atanas1054</dc:creator>
<category>Gaming</category>
<guid>http://www.trbr.net/Gaming/Exclusive_video_games_meet_the_China_Olympics_-_Feb-_15_2008/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[NEW YORK (Fortune) -- Ted Owen, CEO of Santa Monica-based GGL Global Gaming (GGL), has told Fortune he has signed a deal to make video gaming an official welcome event of this summer's Beijing Olympics. A Chinese official confirms it.Chinese organizers are allowing GGL to use a logo that includes the official Olympic rings for branding and promoting a big gaming tournament that coincides with the first four days of next summer's Olympics, to be called The Digital Games. The Games will not be in Beijing but in Shanghai, where Olympic soccer events will be held. As part of the events, GGL will employ a kind of World Cup format in the months leading up to the Olympics, with national playoffs leading to global competition in Shanghai.GGL is a five-year-old Santa Monica-based startup that provides a variety of online services for gaming afficionados, but also organizes a growing array of live gaming events. The Digital Games will be the biggest yet.While the Digital Games won't be a true Olympic event nor will they command anywhere near so much gravity, video gaming recently was declared an official sport by the Chinese government, alongside more physically demanding sports like soccer, pole-vaulting and water polo.The Digital Games will be a promotion for gaming and pure entertainment, in addition to some real competition. Players will include sports and music celebrities like Snoop Dogg as well as both professional and amateur gamers competing in a variety of tournaments. Owen is even trying to recruit Olympic athletes to participate.But for GGL, and apparently for China, video gaming is serious business. &quot;This event will be heavily covered by the media,&quot; says Fong Hong, who is honorary general secretary of the China Internet Gaming Organizing Committee, editor of a large-circulation national technology newspaper called Netizen and an employee of the Chinese Ministry of Information Industries. If he says so, it is likely to be so.Says a very optimistic Owen: &quot;We believe the crowds we'll get will be far larger than for the Olympic games themselves.&quot; The venues, still to be chosen, are likely to be big soccer stadiums - not unusual for gaming competitions in China and elsewhere in Asia. Video gaming is rapidly becoming one of the world's most popular spectator sports, with audiences, especially in Asia, numbering many millions both live and on TV.Owen says portentously that the Digital Games will be &quot;the ultimate elevation of gaming and the culture of gaming to the world stage. We're associating ourselves with the largest mainstream brand in the world, which is the Olympics.&quot; Fong Hong doesn't disagree. &quot;This is historic because it is the first time that video gaming becomes part of the whole Olympic celebration,&quot; he says in a telephone interview from Beijing. &quot;In the long run, we hope that video gaming becomes a formal sport throughout the world. That is the long-term vision.&quot; Mr. Fong says that the government officially counts over 50 million serious video gamers in China alone.This is a breakthrough for little GGL, which has about 100 employees. Though it is dwarfed by IGN, a big gaming and entertainment Web business owned by News Corp. (NWS, Fortune 500), Owen says GGL gets about 12 million unique visitors per month to its Web site. Owen says while IGN reviews games and hardware, GGL is &quot;ESPN meets MySpace for video games.&quot; It connects players in social networks based on what games they play; it sets them up to play together; it delivers content to them in a variety of forms, supported by advertising; and it hosts live gaming events like the one in Shanghai. Members use all the major gaming consoles as well as PC.GGL has been creative in developing online and live gaming properties. For example, it hosts the Hiphop Gaming League, with Snoop Dogg serving as &quot;commissioner.&quot; MTV and BET have broadcast the finals the last two years. GGL has also organized a professional baseball gaming league in a joint venture with Major League Baseball. The Yankees' Johnny Damon is commissioner of that one. (Last year Dogg beat Damon in an online &quot;battle of the commissioners&quot;.) This year GGL will host a virtual baseball season beginning in April, which will lead up to a virtual world series.<br/><br/>1 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Microsoft shuffle leads to many promotions | Beyond Binary - A blog by Ina Fried - CNET News.com]]></title>
<link>http://www.trbr.net/Technology/Microsoft_shuffle_leads_to_many_promotions__Beyond_Binary_-_A_blog_by_Ina_Fried_-_CNET_News-com/</link>
<comments>http://www.trbr.net/Technology/Microsoft_shuffle_leads_to_many_promotions__Beyond_Binary_-_A_blog_by_Ina_Fried_-_CNET_News-com/</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:18:19 +0300</pubDate>
<dc:creator>atanas1054</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.trbr.net/Technology/Microsoft_shuffle_leads_to_many_promotions__Beyond_Binary_-_A_blog_by_Ina_Fried_-_CNET_News-com/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Microsoft made its leadership changes official on Thursday, promoting more than a dozen executives and confirming the departure or pending departure of three top executives.As expected, Windows VP Mike Sievert, online services senior VP Steven Berkowitz, and Windows Mobile head Pieter Knook are all leaving the company. Knook is heading to a new post at Vodafone, Sievert plans to start his own company, and Berkowitz will stay at Microsoft through August, as his duties transition to other executives.Microsoft promoted several executives to fill the departures. Bill Veghte moves from VP to senior vice president and adds responsibility for the business strategy for Windows, Windows Live, MSN, and search. Satya Nadella gets a similar title bump and adds programming and engineering oversight for MSN to his search-related responsibilities. Collectively, Vegthe, Nadella and former Aquantive CEO Brian McAndrews will take over Berkowitz's duties.Filling Knook's role is Andy Lees, who becomes senior vice president of the mobile communications business. The move represents Lees' first mobile-related duties during his long tenure at Microsoft.Brad Brooks, formerly a general manager in the Windows unit, will take over as head of consumer marketing for the operating system, assuming Sievert's responsibilities.Roz Ho, former head of Microsoft's Mac unit, will become a corporate VP and lead the Danger team once Microsoft completes that acquisition. Microsoft's press release also notes that Ho will continue in her stealth role leading &quot;various consumer-focused premium mobile offerings in mobile communications.&quot;A Microsoft representative would not offer any further details, but ZDNet blogger Mary Jo Foley notes that Ho has been leading a project known as Pink and Purple aimed at bringing Zune experiences over to Windows Mobile.Steve Guggenheimer, who had been in application platform marketing, becomes a corporate VP, heading Microsoft's relationships with computer makers.Developer unit head S. Somasegar and Office executives Chris Capossela, Kurt DelBene, and Antoine Leblond each become senior VPs, but maintain largely their same responsibilities, with four other executives adding the VP title.<br/><br/>2 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Apple upgrades Aperture ambitions to 2.0 | Underexposed -]]></title>
<link>http://www.trbr.net/Technology/Apple_upgrades_Aperture_ambitions_to_2-0__Underexposed_-/</link>
<comments>http://www.trbr.net/Technology/Apple_upgrades_Aperture_ambitions_to_2-0__Underexposed_-/</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:17:04 +0300</pubDate>
<dc:creator>atanas1054</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.trbr.net/Technology/Apple_upgrades_Aperture_ambitions_to_2-0__Underexposed_-/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[That, loosely paraphrased, is what some Aperture customers had been asking after Apple went too long without updating its higher-end photo editing and cataloging software. It got to the point where some were plotting strategies on Apple forums about how to flee to Adobe Systems' rival Photoshop Lightroom software with their photo metadata intact.On Tuesday, though, Apple came back with the new Aperture 2.0, a version that addressed many common gripes, caught up with Lightroom in several important respects, and signaled that the company hasn't lost interest in the market. On the contrary, a price cut to $199 from $299--also Lightroom's current price--shows Apple wants to expand Aperture's use.Apple's Aperture is used to edit and catalog photos.(Credit: Apple)&quot;There's huge interest from the hobbyist market,&quot; said Joe Schorr, Apple's senior product manager of photo applications. &quot;It was clear this was the right price to make that more palatable to them.&quot;He said Apple's October 2007 market research showed 54 percent of iPhoto users thought of themselves not as mere snapshooters but rather as photo hobbyists, some serious enough to aspire to sell photos. Apple is trying to bring those customers into the fold while also catering to the professionals whom the company initially targeted with Aperture.Schorr bridled a bit when I asked him Wednesday about some people's fears that Apple isn't committed to Aperture. &quot;Releasing a new version is as big a commitment as you can demonstrate,&quot; he said. &quot;This is not a maintenance release. It takes quite a bit of engineering resources. Apple's commitment is unmistakable.&quot;Aperture is designed to edit the detailed and flexible but unwieldy and proprietary &quot;raw&quot; image files taken unprocessed from higher-end cameras' image sensors. Apple was first to market with software that not only handles this computing-intensive editing task but also lets photographers sort images into catalogs and add metadata such as captions, tags, and titles.However, since then, Adobe came on strong with Lightroom in 2007, outpacing Aperture's adoption among professionals in a matter of months, even after factoring out the fact Lightroom also runs on Windows. Apple has clout with creative professionals, but that's the center of Adobe's business.Whipping Aperture into shapeSchnorr knows the company hit a rough patch with Aperture 1.5, which wasn't able to support many high-profile new cameras such as Nikon's D3 and D300 and Canon's 1Ds Mark III and PowerShot G9. Apple's new raw support only arrived this week, months after Lightroom could handle those cameras' raw files.The problem: Apple's product cycle was out of sync with the camera companies. The new cameras &quot;happened to hit when we were in the thick of replacing the entire raw engine...It was a perfect storm,&quot; Schnorr said.Another big problem was performance. Processing raw-image files is a computationally onerous job, but Lightroom outperformed Aperture, and speed is essential for either to meet their potentially.With the ability to manage images, edit them in large batches, and export them as Web galleries, Aperture and Lightroom have liberated raw images from the one-by-one plodding interface of regular Photoshop and other raw-processing tools. The vision was ahead of the technology, though: a free-wheeling editing style, jumping from one photo to another, only works if you don't have to spend a lot of time waiting for the computer to laboriously construct and update images from the raw originals.Apple has done well with Aperture 2.0, based on my test of ingesting and editing a batch of my own photos on a dual-core iMac. On top of a general performance boost, it's got a new preview mode that specifically emphasizes speed by using only fast-rendering JPEGs instead of the full-on raw images. Lightroom and Aperture are geared to map a photographer's image workflow, but I generally take an extra step to review images with BreezeBrowser to cull out the duds before I import the rest into Lightroom.I also liked the single-keystroke ability to switch editing controls swiftly into metadata controls. I find that adding tags and captions is a process that's not as far removed from editing as Lightroom's separate library and develop modes would have you think.I'm not alone in noticing Aperture's kick in the pants. &quot;I feel like someone snuck a new CPU into my machine,&quot; gushed photographer Josh Anon in a Wednesday blog posting about Aperture 2.0.Plug-ins ahoyOne of the unknown factors for Lightroom and Aperture is what the future holds for third-party editing plug-ins. Photoshop has a rich supply, but the nondestructive editing requirements of Lightroom and Aperture throw a wrench into the works of an algorithm that permanently alters an image's pixels.Lightroom's future here is fuzzy, though Adobe has released a beta version of a software development kit (SDK) for plug-ins limited to actions during the photo-export phase.<br/><br/>1 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Report: PlayStation 3 could be top-selling next-gen console by 2011 | Geek Gestalt - A blog by Daniel Terdiman -]]></title>
<link>http://www.trbr.net/Gaming/Report_PlayStation_3_could_be_top-selling_next-gen_console_by_2011__Geek_Gestalt_-_A_blog_by_Daniel_Terdiman_-/</link>
<comments>http://www.trbr.net/Gaming/Report_PlayStation_3_could_be_top-selling_next-gen_console_by_2011__Geek_Gestalt_-_A_blog_by_Daniel_Terdiman_-/</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:15:14 +0300</pubDate>
<dc:creator>atanas1054</dc:creator>
<category>Gaming</category>
<guid>http://www.trbr.net/Gaming/Report_PlayStation_3_could_be_top-selling_next-gen_console_by_2011__Geek_Gestalt_-_A_blog_by_Daniel_Terdiman_-/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[For more than a year, the whole world has seen Sony's PlayStation 3 get its rear handed to it by Nintendo's Wii and Microsoft's Xbox 360.But if a three-year forecast from market research firm iSuppli is to be believed, the PS3 could out pace both the Wii and the Xbox by 2011.Since its release in November 2006, the Wii has been the most successful of the next-gen consoles, far eclipsing Microsoft's Xbox 360 and leaving the PS3 in the dust.But because the Xbox had a full year's head start on both the Wii or the PS3, it still had the overall sales lead.Now, however, that lead looks imperiled, and according to a report in Information Week, the Wii could soon become the overall sales leader among the three consoles.The article cited market research firm iSuppli as determining that by the end of 2008, the Wii will have sold a total of 30.2 million units, 17.5 percent higher than the projected 25.7 million Xboxes Microsoft will have sold.But the really interesting news in the iSuppli report is a forecast that by 2011, the PS3 could be the top console. The research firm predicted that by the end of 2011, the PS3 could have sold 38.4 million units, while the Wii might be in second place at 37.7 million.Of course, three-year forecasts have about as much chance of being right in electronics as predictions of who will win the World Series in three years.Still, for anyone to put their name to a forecast that the PS3 could emerge from its doldrums is actually quite noteworthy. And for me, it's a hint of future validation since in the fall of 2006, I wrote a story suggesting that the PS3 would be the eventual winner of the next-gen console wars.Shortly thereafter, of course, that suggestion made me look rather foolish when Sony's much-publicized problems with production and overpricing got the PS3 off to an extremely poor start. And with the surprise success of the Wii, my prediction looked even more foolish, even though Sony said from day one that it views its consoles as 10-year plays.And of course, iSuppli's forecast could be just as far off base as mine was. But the fact that it is willing to make such a prognostication here, in 2008, is gratifying. Even if it's a bit mystifying.<br/><br/>1 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Flash drives ready to jump in capacity | Nanotech: The Circuits Blog -]]></title>
<link>http://www.trbr.net/Technology/Flash_drives_ready_to_jump_in_capacity__Nanotech_The_Circuits_Blog_-/</link>
<comments>http://www.trbr.net/Technology/Flash_drives_ready_to_jump_in_capacity__Nanotech_The_Circuits_Blog_-/</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:14:14 +0300</pubDate>
<dc:creator>atanas1054</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.trbr.net/Technology/Flash_drives_ready_to_jump_in_capacity__Nanotech_The_Circuits_Blog_-/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[In the wake of a series of technical announcements from flash memory supplier SanDisk, larger-capacity solid-state drives are on the way.SanDisk 72GB solid state driveSanDisk 72GB solid state drive(Credit: SanDisk)Flash memory is gaining as a replacement for hard drives in ultra-thin, ultra-small notebooks such as the MacBook Air and Asus Eee PC. Why? Flash uses less power, generates less heat, and has faster access times than hard drives. The Air, for example, offers a 64GB flash-based SSD as an option while the Eee PC is sold standard with flash storage.There is a big catch, though. High-capacity SSDs are expensive. Prohibitively so. The flash drive in the pricier $3,098 Air is the main culprit in the gaping $1,300 price difference with the lower-cost hard-drive model ($1,799).Update: Historically, flash memory has had limited write cycles. That is, flash can eventually &quot;wear out&quot; after hundreds of thousands of write cycles--though firmware that spreads the write over different sectors can extend the write cycles. It remains to be seen if this is an issue with SSDs used in the newest notebooks such as the Air.The low power and high speed, however, make a flash drive almost irresistible for some users. A SanDisk SSD 1.8-inch drive achieves a sustained read rate of 66MB/sec and a random read rate of over 7,000 inputs/outputs per second for a 512-byte transfer, many times the speed of a hard drive--which must move an arm across a spinning platter to find data, the so-called seek time of a hard drive.SanDisk will not discuss future pricing but as larger-capacity SSDs hit the market, prices are certain to fall. And eventually these will be steep price drops. For example, an 8GB SanDisk flash card now sells for about $80 at resellers. A few years ago consumers would have paid this much (or more) for a 1GB drive. (And a 1GB card was originally priced at $500 in 2004!)SanDisk and Toshiba will start making flash memory on a new 43-nanometer manufacturing process that will result in SSDs later this year with capacities that should approach those of today's mainstream 2.5-inch hard drives, ranging between 120GB and 160GB.The two companies recently achieved 32-gigabit (Gb) density, according to Khandker N. Quader, SanDisk's senior vice president of flash memory design and product development. The 32Gb die combined with multilevel cell (MLC) technology--which uses multiple levels per cell to allow more bits to be stored--&quot;doubles the SSD capacity points,&quot; Quader said in a written response to questions.Flash based on &quot;X3&quot; technology is another new development, Quader said. &quot;This is an important milestone (and) allows us to do 3bits/cell as opposed to 2bits/cell thereby providing improved manufacturing efficiency,&quot; he said. &quot;So a combination of technology scaling (i.e., 56nm to 43nm) and the bit scaling (i.e. 2bits/cell to 3bits/cell) is extremely powerful for manufacturing efficiency and for increasing capacities of flash memories.&quot;But there are challenges. Moving to X3 can affect performance. &quot;One very important point to take into consideration is that X3 is not a simple memory to manage,&quot; Quader said. &quot;This is the first generation X3. We expect this to evolve in 2008.&quot;SanDisk has also developed a 43nm 16Gb MLC for MicroSD, according to Quader. MicroSD is a tiny flash chip used in mobile phones. The new technology will double the capacity of current 8GB MicroSD, he said.<br/><br/>1 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Secret recipe inside Intel's latest competitor |]]></title>
<link>http://www.trbr.net/Technology/Secret_recipe_inside_Intels_latest_competitor_/</link>
<comments>http://www.trbr.net/Technology/Secret_recipe_inside_Intels_latest_competitor_/</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:12:55 +0300</pubDate>
<dc:creator>atanas1054</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.trbr.net/Technology/Secret_recipe_inside_Intels_latest_competitor_/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[It works like an Intel chip, but looks like the Cell processor.That's one way of describing the energy-efficient multiple core processors being devised by secretive Montalvo Systems. The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company has come up with a design for a chip for portable computers and devices that--when finished and manufactured--will theoretically be capable of running the same software as chips from Intel or Advanced Micro Devices.Montalvo's chips, however, will fundamentally differ from the latest Core or Opteron processors from Intel and AMD in that the cores on its chip won't be symmetrical, i.e. identical to each other. Instead, Montalvo's chips will sport a mix of high-performance cores and lower-performance cores on the same piece of silicon, similar to the Cell chip devised by IBM, Toshiba, and Sony, according to sources close to the company.By merging asymmetrical cores onto the same piece of silicon, Montalvo can cut power consumption by dishing applications that don't require a lot of computing firepower onto less-powerful, more energy-efficient cores. Applications could conceivably also be shuttled to low-power cores after their need for high-performance elapses: Microsoft Outlook, for instance, requires a burst of performance during the launch phase but far less once it's running.Asymmetrical cores can also provide better performance on applications such as video if programmed for that purpose, say proponents of the architecture. The Cell processor became the first chip to successfully champion this idea. The Cell consists of a primary microprocessor core and an array of &quot;synergistic processing elements&quot; that can be programmed to perform discrete tasks like managing networking or video streaming.Cell chips have primarily been used inside Sony's PlayStation 3, but IBM has inserted Cell chips in some server blades. Toshiba plans to put the chip inside TVs and may put it inside PCs. (While the initial Cell comes with eight synergistic cores, chips can be made with fewer.) Mercury Computer Systems has also adopted Cell for some computers.Montalvo has not stated whether it has adopted an asymmetrical core to save power, boost performance on media applications, or both. In fact, the company doesn't say anything at all. The closest it has come to a public statement are shirts handed out to employees saying that the company can't say what it is up to. Montalvo declined to comment for this story.The somewhat different, asymmetrical nature of Montalvo's chip in part helps explain why investors have put more than $73 million into the Sisyphean task of taking on Intel. Montalvo wants to land its chips into all sorts of portable computers: notebooks, handheld devices such as the OQO, and ornate smartphones. Several companies, however, have tried this and failed because of the daunting nature of trying to compete against Intel. Cyrix, Transmeta, Rise--none of them ever lived up to its advance billing. Only AMD has survived, and AMD has lost more money that it has made in its 30-year plus existence.Now on News.comWeek in review: Yahoo snubs Microsoft Newsmaker: Rockets, sports cars, and solar power Crave: It's the gear you've gotta see Extra: Nanoscanning: We can see atoms nowMontalvo is funded by people who've tangled or been entangled with Intel before too. NEA-IndoUS's Vinod Dham, who sits on Montalvo's board, was one of Intel's chief chip architects during the Pentium era. He then went to NexGen, which designed an Intel-compatible chip, and then AMD when it bought NexGen.Montalvo's CEO is Matt Perry, who also served as chief executive of Transmeta, which once tried to take on Intel in notebooks but now largely concentrates on technology licensing. Peter Song, Montalvo's chief architect, earlier founded a company called MemoryLogix, which tried to build low-power Intel-compatible chips. Other current and former employees include Greg Favor (formerly of NexGen and AMD) and Mike Yamamura. (CNET Networks blogger Peter Glaskowsky is chief systems architect for Montalvo and is listed as a co-inventor on two published Montalvo patent applications, but he was not involved in any way in this story. CNET is the publisher of News.com.)<br/><br/>1 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Left on the Plane: My Palm Treo 700p : Ben Patterson :]]></title>
<link>http://www.trbr.net/Lifestyle/Left_on_the_Plane_My_Palm_Treo_700p__Ben_Patterson_/</link>
<comments>http://www.trbr.net/Lifestyle/Left_on_the_Plane_My_Palm_Treo_700p__Ben_Patterson_/</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:11:03 +0300</pubDate>
<dc:creator>atanas1054</dc:creator>
<category>Lifestyle</category>
<guid>http://www.trbr.net/Lifestyle/Left_on_the_Plane_My_Palm_Treo_700p__Ben_Patterson_/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[I'd just landed at New York's LaGuardia Airport after a long week at CESI was tired, cranky, and anxious to get home. If only I'd taken a last look at the seat-back pocket before I walked off the plane...It actually took me a few days to realize my Treo 700p was missing; my iPhone is my everyday phone, and I only use my Treo for business calls and as a wireless modem on my MacBook Pro. Looking back, I remember futzing with it before takeoff on the plane back to New York, and I probably stuck it in the seat-back pocket in front of me...and left it there.Leaving a gadget on the plane is getting to be a pretty common occurrence, especially as more and more of us juggle multiple devices while we travel. The New York Times had an interesting story about lost (and, as the story notes, rarely found) gadgets in planes, taxis, and hotel rooms, and I've even blogged about the plight of a Shiny Shiny editor who left her iPod, complete with 3,000 songs, on a plane in (you guessed it) the seat-back pocket. Unfortunately, the chances of getting my Treo back look pretty slim. I visited Continental.com and filled out a form with my flight number, seat assignment, and a description of my phone. The site says that Continental baggage agents will keep on the lookout for 30 days; if they find it, I'll get a call, but if not, I probably won't hear back.Of course, I was also worried that someone might happen upon my Treo and start burning through minutes and plowing through my e-mail accounts (luckily, I don't have much in the way of personal documents on my phone). A quick call to Sprint eased my mind; the representative turned off my Treo's voice and Internet access, and I also learned that the phone hadn't been used since I'd lost it. Phew. That said, I'll have to continue paying my Sprint bill.So, what's the moral of the story? Make sure to check that seat-back pocket (or back seat of the cab, or the drawers in your hotel room) for loose gadgets before you go on your way. If you've already walked off the plane and realize you've left a gadget behind, you'll have better luck if you're still in the security area, the Times notes; once you go past the security checkpoint, good luck getting back in. If you've definitely lost your phone, call your carrier and ask them to shut off your phone's voice and Internet service, pronto. And if you haven't lost your smartphone yet, engage the password lock (look under your security settings); that way, if you lose your phone, your private info will be (somewhat) protected.Finally, there's the question of cell phone insuranceis it worth it? Depends; a $500 Treo might be worth the $5/month insurance fee, although as this MSNBC.com story notes, there may be a deductible ($50), and in the case of a lost phone, you might be facing a long wait between filing a claim and getting a replacement (which may be used or a different model altogether).Anyone else out there lose a cell phone (or another gadget) on a plane? Tell us your story.<br/><br/>1 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Vanity plate sold for $14 million in UAE -]]></title>
<link>http://www.trbr.net/World_Business/Vanity_plate_sold_for_14_million_in_UAE_-/</link>
<comments>http://www.trbr.net/World_Business/Vanity_plate_sold_for_14_million_in_UAE_-/</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:09:06 +0300</pubDate>
<dc:creator>atanas1054</dc:creator>
<category>World &amp; Business</category>
<guid>http://www.trbr.net/World_Business/Vanity_plate_sold_for_14_million_in_UAE_-/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates - A license plate with nothing but the number &quot;1&quot; on it went for a record $14 million at a charity auction Saturday.ADVERTISEMENTSaeed Khouri, a member of a wealthy Abu Dhabi family, wouldn't say how many automobiles he owned or which of them might carry the record-breaking single-digit plate.&quot;I bought it because it's the best number,&quot; said Khouri, whose family made its fortune in real estate. &quot;I bought it because I want to be the best in the world.&quot;The oil-rich UAE began auctioning off vanity license plates last May.Ordinary automobile license plates issued to drivers here  and even most other vanity series plates  carry both Arabic and Western numerals and script, defining the issuing city and country.Khouri's plate, however, has only the Western numeral and no letters.The record sale surpassed the $6.8 million that was paid for an Emirati license plate at an earlier auction with the Western number 5 on it  also without Arabic numerals or letters.Proceeds from the auctions, which are held in a lavish hotel here, go to a rehabilitation center for victims of traffic accidents.On Saturday, 90 license plates were auctioned off in all, raising a total of $24 million. The previous five such events raised more than $50 million.<br/><br/>1 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Britain Nationalizes Northern Rock: Financial]]></title>
<link>http://www.trbr.net/World_Business/Britain_Nationalizes_Northern_Rock_Financial/</link>
<comments>http://www.trbr.net/World_Business/Britain_Nationalizes_Northern_Rock_Financial/</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:06:56 +0300</pubDate>
<dc:creator>atanas1054</dc:creator>
<category>World &amp; Business</category>
<guid>http://www.trbr.net/World_Business/Britain_Nationalizes_Northern_Rock_Financial/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[LONDON (AP) -- Treasury chief Alistair Darling said Sunday struggling bank Northern Rock PLC will be nationalized, after the government rejected two private takeover bids.Darling told a news conference that the ailing mortgage lender would be placed under temporary public ownership because both bids had failed to meet the government's criteria for protecting taxpayers.ADVERTISEMENT&quot;The new board and the company will operate at arm's length from the government, with complete commercial autonomy for their decisions,&quot; Darling said.He said Prime Minister Gordon Brown had agreed nationalization was the best solution available.&quot;Under the approach we are taking, the taxpayer will see its outstanding loans to Northern Rock repaid in full, with interest -- and that the business can be returned to the private sector as financial markets stabilize,&quot; he told the news conference.He said neither of two private proposals -- from Richard Branson's Virgin Group and an in-house bid from the bank's management team -- &quot;delivered sufficient value for money to the taxpayer.&quot;The government had said more than 25 billion pounds ($49 billion) in government loans must be paid back within three years.Darling said the two private proposals involved risks for taxpayers and very significant government subsidy. Both also involved bidders paying below the market rate while the government continued to provide guarantees and financing.Branson criticized the government's decision to nationalize the bank.&quot;We believe nationalization is not the right answer and that a commercial solution would have been the best way forward,&quot; Branson said in a statement.Northern Rock ran into trouble in September because it relied too heavily on short-term money markets instead of deposits for funding. A subsequent profit warning and appeal to the Bank of England for an emergency loan led to the first run on a British bank since 1866.The government had been in the middle of an auction process to find a private buyer for Northern Rock, with revised bids submitted this weekend by Virgin and the in-house management team.Darling had a deadline of March 17 to choose between the bids and nationalization. That is the date when he must submit a restructuring plan to the European Union for state aid approval.Before markets open on Monday, authorities were expected to announce the company's shares will be suspended, Darling said.Darling said he will announce to Parliament on Monday afternoon legislation enabling the government to acquire the bank's shares and assets. An independent valuer will determine what the government must pay for the company.Darling said the legislation was drafted to ensure a bank can only be acquired in certain tightly defined circumstances -- and that power will only last for 12 months.Corporate troubleshooter Ron Sandler has been appointed executive chairman of the newly nationalized bank, Darling said. He was due to travel to the bank's headquarters in Newcastle, northern England, on Monday to meet with the bank's employees and management.An ex-head of Lloyd's of London insurers, Sandler is regarded as close to Prime Minister Gordon Brown. He also has previously helped the Treasury on pension policies.Sandler told reporters that he expected the bank to be slimmed down to a &quot;more sustainable size,&quot; but declined to comment on possible job cuts.AP reporter D'Arcy Doran in London contributed to this report.<br/><br/>1 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Russia denounces Kosovo independence bid -]]></title>
<link>http://www.trbr.net/World_Business/Russia_denounces_Kosovo_independence_bid_-/</link>
<comments>http://www.trbr.net/World_Business/Russia_denounces_Kosovo_independence_bid_-/</comments>
<pubDate>Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:05:27 +0300</pubDate>
<dc:creator>atanas1054</dc:creator>
<category>World &amp; Business</category>
<guid>http://www.trbr.net/World_Business/Russia_denounces_Kosovo_independence_bid_-/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[MOSCOW - Russia denounced Kosovo's declaration of independence from its ally Serbia on Sunday and called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council.ADVERTISEMENTKosovo's parliament approved a declaration of independence from Serbia, backed by the U.S. and European allies but bitterly contested by Serbia and Russia.The Foreign Ministry said Russia supports Serbia's &quot;just demands to restore the country's territorial integrity&quot; and wants the Security Council to renew efforts to reach a settlement on the issue of Kosovo's status.Kosovo's independence declaration violates Serbia's sovereignty and the U.N. Charter and threatens &quot;the escalation of tension and ethnic violence in the region, a new conflict in the Balkans,&quot; the ministry said in a statement. It warned other nations against &quot;supporting separatism&quot; by recognizing Kosovo.Kosovo has formally remained a part of Serbia even though it has been administered by the U.N. and NATO since 1999, when NATO airstrikes ended former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic's crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists.Russia has stressed its opposition to any decision on Kosovo's status that is not accepted by Serbia. It has warned that recognition of Kosovo by the United States and other nations would encourage separatists in the former Soviet Union, across Europe and around the world.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov echoed the ministry statement in comments on state-run Vesti-24 television. He called Kosovo's declaration an &quot;illegitimate act&quot; and said Russia supports what he called Serbia's pledges to struggle in a constructive way to keep its borders intact.&quot;All possible international mechanisms, first of all the United Nations and its Security Council&quot; would be called upon to address the issue,&quot; Peskov said.He said Russia would closely monitor the response of other countries to the declaration.<br/><br/>1 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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