Chernobyl of Woos tourists with promise of risk "Negligible" (LiveScience.com) (Yahoo!)

The site of the nuclear accident at worst in history will be a new tourist attraction, the Ukrainian Government announced Monday (December 13). The area around Chernobyl is scheduled to open next year visitors.

Where tourists are allowed to go, they can remain for how much time and what they eat will be carefully controlled, officials say, the risk of radiation are "insignificant".

"They are properly harnessed anytime," said Vadim Chumak the Ukraine radiation medicine research centre.

Scientific research on the effects of Chernobyl at the U.S. National Cancer Institute has declined comment, refer to Chumak, but a non-affiliated biologist noted that many other adventurous holiday (think a steep climb the mountain) are not safe, either.

Benefits

A nuclear reactor exploded Ukraine, Chernobyl in 1986. Explosion hit cover of 2,000 tons reactor and vomie offshore benefits radioactive 400 times more that the bomb at Hiroshima, contaminating the most 77 miles square (200 000 square kilometres) of Europe. Approximately 600,000 people were exposed to high doses of radiation. [Among the ten biggest explosions already]

Chernobyl - highly contaminated area exclusion zone covering 19 miles (30 km) around the reactor doomed to failure - will be open to visitors next year.

"Tourist visits could be strictly controlled to ensure that the risks of radiation would be negligible," Chumak, who leads the laboratory Ukraine dosimetry external exposure Research Centre said LiveScience.

After the disaster, it was uncertain how contaminated were the environment, and pressed, the authorities have declared an arbitrary distance reactor prohibited. Later, researchers have found that some areas within the exclusion zone contained only low levels of radiation. In addition, radioactive material is disintegrates in time, and some disappear shortly after the explosion.

Still, other areas of the zone of exclusion, such as radioactive waste disposal sites, the sarcophagus covering the remains of the damaged reactor and Red forest where a large part of the radioactive material in the reactor spewed out, are still hazards. Radioactive cesium, strontium and plutonium are also still around. Plutonium is in particular expected to linger. It takes thousands of years to decay.

"However, tourist visits would be strictly will so that they would not have access to the sites with relatively high radiation levels" Chumak said. "Visitors would have been safe from the point of view radiation, as they are not free to go wherever they want."

Do not eat the fruit

Anders Moller at Université de Paris-Sud in France, evolutionary biologist and ecologist said he spent one to three weeks in the exclusion zone each year for the past two decades, to assess the effects of radiation on animals, plants and people.

"Background radiation level I experience during these visits to something like that to a doctor, Cabinet x-ray amounts" said Moller. "But extreme variations in different places are"hot"how." There is more than a difference factor of 10 000 among the cleanest in the warmest areas in the exclusion zone.

The greatest danger to the life in this region, said Moller, would consume all containing radioactive material. "It could end up in your digestive tract problems and causes,", he explained.

"I do not eat the terroir". People living in the contaminated area have this luxury and live what they grow in their gardens. I've seen with my own eyes with a Geiger counter that potatoes grown locally and onions and so forth are often contaminated. »

Tourists will have any food from the region, "and-no radioactivity in the air dust or aerosol - will be present in the areas visited by tourists," Chumak said. (People working in Chernobyl should wear respirators where there is a risk of radioactive particles in the air, and they change inbound and outbound special clothing). (They are sometimes given more comprehensive protection and masks).

A limited amount of Chernobyl tourism is already be tolerated, and taking into account of further focus the new Ukrainian Government on economic development, opening of Chernobyl tourism could pay off the coast. For example, said Chumak, participating in European Cup in 2012, to be held in the Ukraine and Poland, soccer fans might be interested to make excursions aside for Chernobyl

So what is for visitors to see? Ports of call include Chernobyl city "where artificial radiation level is low in the background of natural radiation," said Chumak. (The world is normally bathed in a low level of radiation.)

There is also a special observation terrace which considers the sarcophagus. "You get the sarcophagus, most external radiation, which justifies the use of a place far enough from the sarcophagus to limit exposure to a level two to three times the natural substance,"Chumak said.""

Tourists may also go powerhouse near see and feed on the nuclear power plant cooling pond large catfish. »

You can visit the city of Pripyat "who evacuated the aftermath of the accident," Chumak added. "Radiation levels are relatively high, but because of limited time, cumulative doses remained very low." If they travel back, tourists would be given individual measure their levels of radiation dosimeters, Chumak said.

Called Moller zone of exclusion "a ghostly place." It is strange to many ways. There are all these villages were evacuated permanently, and you can see and hear much of birds and other signs of nature.

"It's a sort of reverse ecotourism," said Tim Mousseau at the University of Carolina's southern Colombia biologist. "It might be useful to raise awareness about the potential consequences of accidents related to nuclear energy, and I think that any type of awareness, it is good.

"As long as people are informed that it is not totally risk-free, I see no problem with him." When people try and climb Mount Everest, they know hundreds of people died trying to, and they still do.

However, Moller added, "I don't know that this is where I go for my honeymoon trip."

LiveScience.com chronicles the daily advances and innovations in science and technology. We take on the misconceptions that often appear around scientific discoveries and provide short explanations, provocations with some humor and style. Discover our videos science, Almanach & quizzes and top tens. Join our community discussion hot-button issues, such as stem cells, climate change and evolution. You can also sign up for free newsletters, Subscribe to RSS feeds and get cool gadgets at LiveScience Bank.

Lebanon says he discovered Israeli spy devices (Reuters) (Yahoo!)

Beirut (Reuters) - the Lebanese army said Wednesday that he had discovered sophisticated monitors two Israeli in the mountains above Beirut that could have helped Israel monitor sites and target for attack.

The equipment was discovered in information passed to the Lebanese intelligence by "sources of resistance", he said in a statement, referring to the Shiite militant group Hezbollah.

The army said that Israel had planted devices Sanin and Barouk respectively mountain districts in the North and South of the capital.

They may establish targets and included lasers capable of up to 20 km (12 miles) coordinates, independent food and equipment for transmitting images.

A military source said the equipment dismantled Wednesday could also followed a large part of the border with neighboring Syria Lebanon.

Images published on the website of the Army (www.lebarmy.gov.lb) appear to show devices partly covered by stones on the slopes of the rocky hills.

Shortly after the army announces Israeli aircraft flew south Lebanon at low altitudes said resident cities.

But the Israeli army has issued a statement saying: "it is no unusual activity (military) in the box".

There are two weeks at the Lebanon said that Israel had exploded two communications devices, that he had planted in the South of the country monitoring remotely.

(Additional by Ori Lewis in Jerusalem;) (Editing by David Stamp)

Chamber open votes to repeal the ban on gays in the military (PA) (Yahoo!)

WASHINGTON--the House voted Wednesday to repeal the policy "not requested, not explain", 17 years has forced gay men wishing to serve in the armed forces to hide their sexual identity. 250-175 Vote propels the issue to the Senate for what could be the last chance for the moment to put an end to the 1993 Act which prohibits recruiters ask on sexual orientation, while prohibiting the soldiers to recognize that they are homosexual.

This is "the only law of the country which requires dishonest people or be fired if they choose to be honest," said Rep Jared Polis, D-Colo..

Senate Democratic leaders say they are committed to putting the Bill on the floor before Congress Adjourns for the year. But they are contested by the opposition of some Republicans and a formidable program which includes finishing work on legislation to fund the Government and the ratification of a treaty with the Russia nuclear weapon.

Failure to reverse policy this year may relegate the question of the incinerator return next year when the Republicans, who are much less favourable allowing openly gay individuals to serve in the armed forces, back at home and develop resistance to the Senate.

"It is time for us to act," said Nancy Pelosi Chamber President and "close the door to a fundamental injustice in our country."

Many Republicans led by Senator John McCain of Arizona, argue that it would be an error for the military to undergo a major cultural change while the nation is fighting two wars.

Implementation of a new policy is expected to begin "when our singular focus is more on preparation of combat units or combat operations", said the REP Howard "Buck" McKeon in California, top Republican on the Commission to the armed forces.

The issue was also split the military. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and other senior military leaders support lifting restrictions on gay service, pointing to a recent study by the Pentagon showing most of the people in uniform opposed to serve with gays. But head body marine Commander General James Amos, repeating his opposition this week, saying that the lifting of the ban in time of war could cost lives. "I want to lose any marine to distraction", he said.

The White House, making a statement in support of the repeal, stressed that change would be effective only after the President, the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the chiefs of staff certify the application conforms to the cohesion of preparation, recruitment and retention and military unit.

The House of Commons in May was voted 234-194 to be repealed the law on a draft law of greater defence. Measure blocked twice in the Senate where Republicans have objected to invoice defence laded with contentious issues, including "not, ask explain."

Joe Solmonese, President of the rights of homosexuals, that the human rights campaign said vote Wednesday group means the Chamber confirmed for the second time that military leaders, most of the troops and the American public was told, "the only thing that counts on the battlefield is the ability to do the job."

"It's place in the Senate so that this law has failed and discriminatory to the dustbin of history," added Solmonese.

Home, featuring stand-alone Bill seeks to avoid the complications of combining a General Defense Bill. Senators Susan Collins, R-Maine and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn, are also promoting a stand-alone Bill to the Senate and supporters say that they have the 60 votes for passage if they can get it on the floor of the Senate.

A major obstacle was a Republican commitment to block any legislation until the Senate completes work on taxes and Government funding. The Senate on Wednesday passed the compromise on the extension of tax cuts made by the White House and Republicans.

More than 13,500 military were rejected by the 1993 Act.

Obama, while supporting the repeal, administration is appealing from a decision of a federal judge in California that the ban on gays serving openly in the military is unconstitutional. The administration says that Congress should return to politics. But the rights of homosexuals groups say that they will change their attention to the courts if Congress fails to act.

___

The Bill is H.R. 2965.

Online: http://thomas.loc.gov

"Don" keeps Susan Boyle to give the graphic top (Reuters) (Yahoo!)

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - "The Gift" has accumulated a fourth week non-consecutive No. 1 on the Susan Boyle United States pop album chart, Wednesday imprisoned rapper T.I. new versions of chart-topping streak ended steep.

Boyle sold 243,000 units of "The Gift" of the week that was completed on 12 December, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Its five-week tally stands at 1.43 million copies. His reign was interrupted by of Kanye West's new album, no. 14 has slipped into its third week.

"Speak now of Taylor Swift" held at no. 2 with 201,000 copies, taking its total to 2.3 million after seven weeks.

Christmas album "Glee" moved to a location no.3 with 193,000 copies and "Glee, music: season two: volume 4" album fell to three places no. 8 with 74 000.

"No mercy for the T.I." has begun at no. 4 with needed. This is his first studio album again miss the location no. 1 since 2004, when the "urban legend" debuted a peaked No. 10. His latest album, "Paper Trail of 2008," was her third album no. 1 in a row, bowing at the top of the tally 568,000 copies.

The second new entry on the Billboard 200 came to Daft Punk and note the duo for the upcoming Disney movie "" Tron: Legacy. "" The album is entered at no. 10 with 71,000, the week already chart position and sales of dance music act. The best previous week has come "Drugs of 2001" starting with 34,000 No. 44. "TRON: legacy" is also the first album to reach the top 10 since 2005, when score "Star Wars Episode III: the contrast of the Sith" debuted at no. 6 with 96,000. ""

Furthermore, "O Holy Night of Jackie Evancho" fell two no. 5 (149 000), "Pink Friday, Nicki Minaj" jumped two no. 6 (82,000), Josh Groban's "Illuminations" were also increased by two, no. 7 (75,000), and "Rihanna Loud" increased (71,000) No. 9.

Throughout the album sales totaled 10.21 million units, 11% from the previous week, but down 15% in week 2009 comparable sales. Year date album stand selling 291.45 million, down 13% compared to the same total at this stage last year.

Twitter financing business to 3.7 billion (Reuters) (Yahoo!) values

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Twitter raised $ 200 million in funding in a deal that values society microblogging to 3.7 billion, less than a year after that he began his first serious efforts to make money.

Investment from the Silicon Valley Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers venture capital firm and current investors, Twitter said.

The money will be used to Twitter grow the company, said in a post on his blog corporate Wednesday Twitter. Blog blog not specified and a spokesman declined to offer details.

Twitter, which was September, 175 million users is networking among new fast growing harvest Internet social services. Include Facebook and Zynga.

The company has added two new members of the Council - FlipBoard Director General Mike McCue and DoubleClick CEO David Rosenblatt.

Shifts are two months after the company four years provided the position of Chief Executive Dick Costolo, the architect of its advertising efforts, a sign that the money is a priority for the service.

Costolo told Reuters in May that Twitter provided to hundreds of advertisers for its system of advertising at the end of the year. He said previous assessment that $ 1 billion business meant that onus on Twitter to grow a business that can generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.

Twitter had raised $ 160 million in four rounds of funding earlier.

AllThingsDigital first tours $ 200 million financing technology blog. Told that Kleiner Perkins fight global DST Russian investment firm. Twitter spokesman confirmed that the figures are accurate.

Twitter, which allows users to send messages text of 140 characters or Tweets disciples, is one of the most popular social networking Web and it is difficult for the Web services such as Google Inc. and Yahoo! Inc. established.

Investors watch service closely, hoping one day public shares of the company.

(Reported by Alexei Oreskovic.) Additional reporting by Jim Finkle. (Editing by Robert MacMillan)

YouTube wants Web watch manufacturer before new networks: report (Reuters) (Yahoo!)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Google Inc., YouTube is in discussions to buy Web show manufacturer before networks new in what would first foray of the video sharing site in the production of content, the New York Times reported Wednesday.

The proposed price was not disclosed, according to the New York Times, cites two people informed discussions.

Buy next new networks would make sense for YouTube, said ThinkEquity, analyst Aaron Kessler, especially because YouTube is heurtée copyright problems with certain products professionally videos that people have added to the site.

"They basically find more content they can monetize, especially if they can produce content themselves", he said. "You don't want to go full bore to become a media company that Google is not, but if you can selectively acquire some properties, it makes sense."

Representatives of YouTube and next new networks based in New York has declined comment.

YouTube has sought to increase its share of content produced professionally as it faces competition from him like Hulu, a joint venture with supporters include media News Corp, a primer for Walt Disney Co. and NBC, controlled by General Electric companies.

Viacom Inc. continued YouTube for 1 billion dollars, accusing the video site for protected videos play online without permission. Earlier this year, a federal judge in New York has launched the pursuit.

Fred Seibert, President and co-founder of new networks before, was a Creative Director at MTV belonging to Viacom, but not when the company continued to YouTube.

Next new networks started in 2007 and is located behind the comedy show barely political Web of the comic strip network online and Frederator Channel.

During the 2008 u.s. presidential election, barely political won millions of views his comedy starring "Obama Girl," a song and dance candidate amateur videos online at the presidential then Barack Obama.

This year, next new networks scored another video online hit with his parody "Bed Intruder Song," which was the top viewed YouTube 2010 page entry.

(Reported by Alex Dobuzinskis) (Editing by Robert MacMillan)

No need to screen despite heartburn (Reuters) (Yahoo!) esophageal cancer

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Although people with chronic acid reflux are more likely to develop the throat or esophageal cancer, a new study suggests the risk is too low to justify the systematic screening for cancer.

Researchers that the conclusions should reassure people with heartburn that their chances of developing esophageal cancer are minimal.

"For young men and women, the absolute risk of esophageal cancer is very low, and probably not something they need to worry, said researcher Dr. Joel h. Rubenstein, senior faculty of medicine at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.".

And even for patients at risk relatively workplan - men aged over 60 with weekly heartburn heartburn and other symptoms - it is still too little evidence to recommend the systematic screening for cancer.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, is considered a first risk factor for cancer of the esophagus. Disorder, whose main symptom is frequent heartburn, allows the stomach acids back up into the esophagus, where it can damage the wall and a small number of cases, lead to cancerous changes.

Because of this, doctors often recommend that people with long, frequent heartburn undergo pre-cancerous changes with a range of camera-equipped enfiling esophagus, a so-called upper endoscopy.

There is, however, some guidelines advise specifically such screening.

The central problem is that while the experience of approximately 60 million Americans heartburn at least once per month and 15 million daily symptoms, only 16,600 Americans were supposed to be diagnosed with esophageal cancer this year.

Therefore even if gastroesophageal reflux sufferers are relatively more to others, the chances of a person with frequent heartburn developing esophageal cancer still risk is likely very low.

The new study, published in the American journal of Gastroenterology, showed that.

Government cancer registry information using U.S. and other public data, Rubenstein team believes that for women of any age with the gastroesophageal reflux disease, the risk of cancer of the esophagus is "extremely low". Women's 60 years with weekly heartburn, for example, it would be four cases of cancer per 100,000 women per year.

In General, risk a woman of esophageal cancer has was on a par with cancer risk human.

Men aged under 50 with gastro-esophageal reflux has also had a very low risk of esophageal cancer: among the 35 years, for example, the rate was one of the 100 000. But increased older men. Men 70 years with weekly heartburn, the annual rate of esophageal cancer would be 61 per 100,000 inhabitants.

It is still only one-third of the rate of cancer of the colon in the group age, but high enough that researchers said could justify screening. However, there is no evidence of research solids that cervical cancer esophageal border deaths from the disease.

"It's very controversial if the screening is effective," said Rubenstein. "We have evidence of good quality that it works."

The scarcity of esophageal, even among people with gastroesophageal reflux disease, cancer is obstacle key clinical trials to verify whether the screening reduces mortality from cancer, Rubenstein said. A trial would include the large number of patients showing a statistically significant effect.

Then why not undergo cancer esophageal testing just to be safe? Because like all screening tests, it carries risks, said Rubenstein.

For example, a false positive result would create anxiety useless and unnecessary testing monitoring. And endoscopic screening itself can have complications such as perforation esophageal or reactions to medications used during the intervention.

These risks are small, Rubenstein noted. But the risk of cancer is so low in young men and women, he said, that risk screening likely outweigh the potential benefits.

For older men with heartburn frequently, Rubenstein said that screening could be a reasonable option, but it is something that they would have to discuss with their doctor. "It is a personal decision," he said.

"The strength of this study, it is that clinicians sitting with a patient can now provide a best estimate of their individual risk of esophageal cancer, said Mr. Richard Sampliner, a gastroenterologist at the University of Arizona at Tucson."

Sampliner pointed out, however, that individuals vary in their anxiety about cancer - if, for example, they have known someone who died of the disease, and certain people with gastroesophageal reflux will push to "scope."

He also noted that while the esophageal cancer is rare, it is often fatal, especially when diagnosed at later stages.

Persons diagnosed when cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, 19% are alive five years later. This figure is 37% when cancer is still confined to the site original and only three per cent if it has spread to locations in the body at the time of diagnosis.

Rubenstein noted that anyone with which develops potential symptoms of cancer of the esophagus, such as loss of involuntary weight, vomiting and difficulty in swallowing, gastroesophageal reflux should not hesitate to consult their physician.

SOURCE: http://link.reuters.com/qux32r American Journal of Gastroenterology, line 7 December 2010.

Toyota still outrun crisis booster, say analysts (AFP) (Yahoo!)

TOKYO (AFP) - after a year in the worst crisis of Toyota, which saw the recall of millions of vehicles, a wave of trials and end recording, the planet big car manufacturer disorders are far more, say analysts.

Sales are sliding to the United States market more affected by reminds us that Toyota is facing a battle to regain part of trust and market consumer despite efforts to strengthen the quality control.

"Before the crisis, Toyota was by far the largest automotive company globally. "Now the gap has decreased," said Tatsuya Mizuno, an analyst in the automobile industry with Mizuno Advisory credit.

"Toyota is now lower than in the past, due to the impact of callbacks on branding, reputation and profitability".

In 2008, the Toyota put end to 77 years reigned General Motors larger constructor automotive worldwide, but the road has been rough for the Japanese giant facing the impact of the economic crisis, callbacks, and recently a strong yen.

Already leased for security and reliability of its vehicles, a reminder of U.S. vehicles at the end of 2009 four million increased nearly nine million units in February on the accelerator and brake defects blamed for having dozens of dead.

Mounted critic of his slow response and bureaucratic inflexibility, Toyota narrowed its policy reminder in November had fired nearly $ 13 million vehicles on a range of issues.

"We have made mistakes," said the spokesman for Toyota Masami Doi. "As the relaxation we focus on the client does not conscious that our products were not fully in line with customer expectations." We must do more. This is without a doubt.

The crisis has prompted investigations of the Congress of the United States as Toyota was hit by a record $ 16.4 million fine to settle claims that he had hidden accelerator pedal defects blamed for fatal accidents.

He still faces prosecution for the United States, but Toyota lawyers argue most death nearly 90 made acceleration sudden were the result of an error the driver.

The United States sales are declining, with the automaker slip from second to third place this year behind reviving giant Ford and GM of market leader.

Toyota has reported a decrease in sales of 7.3% in November and its market share may fall by 17% to slightly more than 15% by 2010, according to automotive IHS.

"Sales of Toyota in North America fell drastically as a result of recalls", said Mamoru Kato, automotive Centre of Tokai Tokyo Research analyst. "It's biggest challenge Toyota in the coming year."

The automaker has added a four additional weeks for vehicle tests, sped the decision-making process and appointed officers of regional quality control.

Analysts say that it has become more aggressive in catching potential defects in a campaign to improve its image to consumers, but warn that damage frequent reminders as a manufacturer of quality.

"We intend to continue to make every effort to restore the confidence of our customers," said Toyota Doi.

But the company should adopt a more international, analysts say.

Akio Toyoda, publicity-shy grandson of the founder of the company, was thrust into the spotlight by reminds us in the middle of the criticism that there was sufficient, proactive step possibly appearing before us legislators in Washington.

"The company is very Japanese," says Mizuno. "Most of its leaders are Japanese and decision making continues to be central in the city of Toyota," where the seat of the undertaking near Nagoya is based.

"This is one of the reasons for which decisions have been delayed during the crisis."

Despite his misadventures and the impact of a strong yen making it less competitive than rivals overseas with weak currencies, Toyota returned black with $ 3.6 billion in the first half of fiscal benefits.

But it faces now rival is competing for a slice of market page China and upcoming races with the all-electric cars, analysts say.

China, which has surpassed the United States as the largest market in the world, automatic is a priority for the motor vehicle manufacturer whose market share is expected to decrease by 6.0% in 2009 to 5.5% in 2010, said IHS.

Toyota will have to "initiate low-cost models and vehicles tailored to the needs of Chinese customers" to push the local competitive challenges, says Masatoshi Nishimoto, Japan Korea vehicle analyst IHS.

It also plans to launch 11 new models hybrid gasoline-electric at the end of 2012, unlike the competitors such as with its all-electric Nissan leaf or Mitsubishi i-MiEV.

Despite for 2012 a fully electric version Sienna sport utility vehicle Toyota with Tesla Motors, an American company that Toyota holds a participation of 50 million, the company has been cautious by embracing these cars.

Toyoda recently cited as a major obstacle the creation of a convenient recharging system while Nissan established building its own network of recharge.

"Toyota is behind a company like Nissan when it comes to electric vehicles," says Mizuno. "If these cars become dominant, Toyota will remain still pleased behind."

Sony Announces Sharp Shooter attachment for PlayStation Move (PC Magazine) (Yahoo!)

Sony has announced that it will publish a shooter for the displacement of the PlayStation attachment.

"We know that some of you, the players may be a little hesitant to end the gamepad, but we believe that PlayStation Move ahead marksman will be fairly compelling shooting games movement control", Anand Agarwal, equipment responsible for marketing products for the PlayStation, said Thursday in a blog.

The attachment will be available in February 2011 for $39.99, in conjunction with the release of "Killzone 3," one of the games that will be compatible with the device. Understanding of other games that use the sniper "4 SOCOM: US Navy SEALs," "Time Crisis: Razing Storm" and "Dead Space Extraction." Agarwal said that titles more use attachment available later.

Agarwal said that the new fixation would provide a more realistic experience in the first person shooting games.

"The shooter PlayStation Move houses the motion controller and controller of navigation, giving you total control of the view, the motion and interaction in the game,", he said. "It will be really offer control more intuitive, immersive experience ever found in a shooting game."

Features include "buttons easily accessible digital trigger adapted, shoulder adjustable stock and an easy access to the navigation controller" as "" selector mode, triggering realistic action pump and a reload button.""

Sony also said it would release a controller wireless "Jungle Green" Dualshock 3 for $54.99 in February.

Sony recently announced it has shipped 4.1 million movement since the device controllers, the company began to sell about two months ago.

Sony also offers attachment smaller fire pistol-like. For details, see full review of the Sony PlayStation PCMag move and the slide show below.

Troops from the NATO 6 killed in attack at Afghanistan (PA) (Yahoo!)

By HEIDI VOGT and MIRWAIS KHAN, Associated Press Heidi Vogt and Mirwais Khan, Associated Press - ago hours 3 mins

Kabul, Afghanistan - a suicide attacker blew a minibus packed with explosives near the doors of a military base in the South of the Afghanistan Sunday, killing six and two Afghan soldiers, NATO troops responsible for said.

Said Afghan officials that the attack took place in Zhari district of Kandahar province where United States contributed troops this summer for a thrust forces to try to prevent the Taliban bastions of the South.

Abdul Hamid, the Afghan national army and head of the province, said that the attacker driving a minibus at the entrance of the base Sunday morning as vehicles were preparing to move a patrol.

"They were leaving the compound and at the same time, the minibus attacked and hit right at the entrance of the base," Hamid said.

Qari Yousuf Ahmadi Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the attack, saying: the insurgent group was retaliation all attacks on them in the region in recent months.

Only NATO declared that service members were killed by rebel attack and declined to identify their nationality. Most of the troops from NATO in the South are American. International troops more than 670 killed so far this year, well above the 502 killed throughout 2009.

Attack on Sunday was the second incident in two weeks to kill so many members of the service. November 29, a sound activated Afghan police weapon its American trainers East, killing six of them until he was shot. The Taliban claimed that they had sent him to join the police as a sleeper agent. Prior to this, five American soldiers were killed insurgent attack on 14 November on their unity in the East of the Afghanistan.

Also Sunday, said NATO a joint force of NATO-Afghanistan killed a Taliban leader and captured a member key from another activist in the East.

Taliban leader participated in the smuggling of weapons and attacks in the Eastern province of Wardak, according to a statement. NATO he identified only by his surname, Fedahi.

NATO said two men threatened coalition that entry into compound Saturday evening where they had heard about Fedahi staying troops. They shot and killed two men, one was later identified as Fedahi, said the Declaration. Told civil steps were harmed in the operation.

Of a separate raid in the Eastern province of Khost Saturday night, troops from the NATO and the Afghanistan captured the Haqqani network leader, a Taliban faction based Pakistan linked to al-Qaeda.

Coalition troops boarded the insurgents in an enclosure in the said district of Terayzai, NATO. The prisoner, he said, led attacks bomb and ambushes against Afghan and coalition troops.

2010 - the year tablet computers came to maturity (AFP) (Yahoo!)

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - desire for a gadget that was greater than a smartphone but less than a laptop computer Tablet is a determinative tendency for 2010.

The iPad, launched in April by Apple, became indispensable device of the year and for rivals to dethrone the changing company culture of California before he can lock of how iPod became decision MP3 players on the market.

"Apple nailed it and have been successful, tablet computers" says analyst Gartner Ken Dulaney. "There are a lot of people trying to beat the but it will prove as iPod." everyone wants one. »

Work week is become more regularly with the proliferation of gadgets keep people connected to nights of patterns and offices and on weekends.

Our way of life Internet Age the decor for the beginnings of a Tablet PC is right, according to Forrester Research analyst Sarah Rotman EPPs.

"Consumers are working all the time, have less time recreation and less money to spend, but want to maximize the enjoyment they get out of life", Rotman EPPs said AFP.

"Tablets to complete that request to fill those moments between the two devices and to minimize possible non-logged time", she says.

Forrester data show that 26% of consumers who have purchased an iPads use pills work as well as for personal purposes.

First place for the use of an iPad is the living room, the bedroom is the second most common, according to Forrester.

"People are using tablets to read the Wall Street Journal or watching TV in bed", said Rotman EPPs. "It replaces, in certain circumstances, notebooks, media television and print."

Apple has been focusing on ordinary people instead of businesses, adding its cache of hip and with a real store where people could try iPads to commit to purchase equipment, according to the Rotman EPPs.

"Cracked Apple market that others have struggled with for years," said analyst Gartner Michael Gartenberg.

Research shows that the Apple Tablet owners consume more video, news and other content online that others.

Some analysts expect iPad sales will blast past the 10 million mark this month, if they have not already and competitors are hitting the market with their own tablets or announced its intention to do so.

Samsung said its Galaxy tab which is powered by Google Android software sold one million units. Microsoft considers a "priority" tablets and BlackBerry manufacturer research proposal plans next year a named manual.

Forrester predicts that by 2015, the number of u.s. consumers using computer tablet would be 75 million: more netbook users but less than the number of people using smartphones and laptops.

The tendency of the tablet will be the pressure downward on the prices of laptops, based on a study by Forrester indicates consumers think that it doesn't pay much more for a laptop instead of a tablet.

"Tablets really changed consumers think about mobile computing and industry thinking, said Forrester analyst Charles Golvin.".

Analysts said that the other electronic stories big consumers of the year (Microsoft Kinect), the game console Xbox 360 control players and continued growth in smartphones using voice commands and gestures.

Microsoft said that it has sold more than 2.5 million Kinects for devices of the Xbox 360 worldwide within 25 days after they hit the market.

Google, meanwhile, said more than 300,000 smartphones running its Android software are enabled on a daily basis as it builds momentum in the hot mobile market.

According to research firm Gartner, Finnish sold Nokia smartphones 29.5 million during the third quarter of the year for a 36.6 percent share of the market worldwide, down from 44.6% a year ago.

Powered by Android smartphones sales climbed to 20.5 million units, abandon the platform Android a 25.5%, only 3.5% market share a year ago, said the Gartner.

The Apple iPhone was on sales of 13.5 million units followed by Research In motion's Canada, manufacturer of BlackBerry, with 11.9 million units sales and Microsoft's Windows Mobile with sales of 2.2 million units.

Tennis star Hingis marries French showjumper (AFP) (Yahoo!)

Geneva (AFP) - Star retired tennis Martina Hingis married French born Thibault Hutin, in Paris, said magazine Switzerland celebrity, Schweizer Illustrierte.

According to the website of the magazine, grand slam old aged 30 years and 24 year-old driver champion held their civil marriage Friday in the presence of close family.

"Our marriage was a surprise to many, but it was long planning in advance," Hingis said the magazine, which says that it will publish exclusive photos of the event on Monday.

Pair intends to organize their wedding day next summer, said the magazine.

Hingis won five Grand Slam singles titles before retiring in 2007, when she was suspended for two years for testing positive for cocaine at Wimbledon. She refused to take the medication, but has not entered the prohibition, which ended last September.