Nokia's new netbook

Nokia's new netbook computer, the Booklet 3G, is seen at the Nokia corporate headquarters in Helsinki in this August 24, 2009 file photo. As computer makers roll out their new notebooks and netbooks ahead of the end-year holiday shopping season, razor-thin, sleek and colorful are most definitely in, as are arresting designs in an ever-expanding array of choices.

guitar

A guitar waits to be assembled at the PRS guitar factory in Stevensville, Maryland. Three decades after defying the odds and persuading Carlos Santanato try out his hand-built guitar, Paul Reed Smith's quest for perfect tone is still reeling in enthusiasts from all over the world. Despite the world economic downturn, his company has built a new multimillion dollar factory and is looking at multiplying revenues while other instrument makers report declining sales.

new robotic Product from Panasonic

This combo picture shows an employee of Japanese electronoics giant Panasonic demonstrating a new robotic product that transforms from a bed (L) into a wheelchair (R) at the annual Home Care and Rehabilitation Exhibition in Tokyo. The innovation is designed to help people with limited mobility maintain an independent lifestyle. Japan has one of the world's oldest populations and faces a constant shortage of care workers

photo

Fifty babies celebrate their first birthday with a large cake   in Ouderkerk aan den Amstel, Netherlands. The celebration is an initiative from Unicef in aid of a vaccination-campaign aimed at mothers and babies in the Third World.

500-Carat Diamond Found at South African Mine

One of the world's largest diamonds _ size of chicken egg _ unearthed at South African mine
Petra Diamonds Ltd. says a diamond the size of a chicken egg has been found at South Africa's Cullinan mine.

The diamond may be among the world's top 20 high-quality gems. It was discovered Thursday at the mine northeast of Pretoria, South Africa.

flood victims in Philippines.

A young girl offers water to family at a flood victim relief center in eastern Manila, Philippines. Flood victims from Tropical Storm Ketsana, trudged through ankle-deep sludge to crowded relief centers in the Philippines, as the death toll rose from waters that submerged the homes of more than 2 million people

Shah Rukh to introduce the Lion of Kerala

King Khan will introduce Pazhassi Raja to the North Indian audience. No, the actor will not portray the role but has dubbed the prologue gratis for the movie that will bring the Lion of Kerala alive on screen.
Almost 60 years before the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, Pazhassi Raja was the first Indian warrior to raise the flag of rebellion against the British East India Company. The Malayalam historical is one of the most lavish productions of recent times and the title role will be essayed by South superstar Mammootty.

Originally being made in Malayalam, the film will be released in three other languages -- Telegu, Hindi and Tamil. In the Malayalam version, Pazhassi Raja will be introduced by Mohanlal, in Tamil by Kamal Hassan and in Hindi, by SRK.

The film's director T Hariharan went to meet SRK at Filmcity during a shoot and requested him to do the prologue and Shah Rukh was happy to oblige as a friendly gesture and refused to take any money for it. Says producer Praveen VC, "Shah Rukh has done the prologue of the movie for the Hindi version. SRK said he's from a family of freedom fighters and was happy to be associated with a project like this."

Thousands of tots enter world of letters in Kerala

Thousands of children in Kerala today performed the 'Vidyarambham' ritual, marking their formal entry into the world of alphabets on the occasion of 'Vijayadasami' at the end of the Navaratri festival.

Children in the 3-5 age group turned up with their parents in temples and cultural centres to make their first step towards literacy.Writers, teachers, scientists and artists helped the children to scribble their first letter on rice-filled platters after invoking Saraswathi, the Goddess of art and learning.

In cultural centres like Thunchan Smarakam in Tirur in Malappuram, the home memorial of medieval poet Thunchath Ezhuthachan, revered as father of Malayalam literature, children wrote their initial letters on sand.

"This is a great and unique festival of learning. The ceremony opens up the universe of knowledge before children," said writer Alamkode Leelakrishnan.

Leading newspapers, academies and libraries also made arrangements for the ritual.

korng di muang nara festival

Thai performers are seen in traditional costumes during ' korng di muang nara festival' in Thailand's restive southern Narathiwat province on September 24. Normality of life is regularly shattered in this Muslim-majority region on the Malaysian border, due to an ongoing separatist insurgency with the toll of around 3,900 people who have died in a five-year insurgency.

Far Eastern Economic Review

A copy of the Far Eastern Economic Review is held in the streets of Hong Kong on September 22, 2009. The Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER), one of Asia's most respected English-language news magazines, will close in December, its owner Dow Jones and Co. announced on September 21.

Carlos Gonzalez Valles

Spanish Father Carlos Gonzalez Valles, 84, (2 L) receives a gift from Gujarati poet Raghuvir Chaudhary at the Gujarat Vidhyapith auditorium in Ahmedabad . Valles latest book 'Two Countries One Life, Encounter of Culture' was also released on the occasion adding to over a hundred books discussing modern mathematics, social questions, youth, family, ethics, Hinduism and Christianity religion.

Dussehra

Sonia Gandhi (L) puts tilak on the forehead of an actor dressed as Lord Rama during the Hindu festival of Dussehra in New Delhi

India's United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition government Chairman Sonia Gandhi lights a lamp during the Hindu festival of Dussehra in New Delhi . Dussehra, which is celebrated at the end of the Navratri (nine nights) festival, symbolises the victory of good over evil in Hindu mythology. On the night of Dussehra fire-cracker stuffed effigies of demon king Ravana are set ablaze across the country.

Champions Trophy: India-Australia game called off

Ground staff bring on the covers as rain stops play during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and India in Pretoria

Lata Mangeshkar turns 80

Apple passes 2 billion app downloads

Apple Inc said on Monday that downloads from its iTunes applications store have passed 2 billion and it now has more than 85,000 apps available for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

It did not say how many of the applications delivered were sold and how many were free. The apps store has inspired rival stores and helped boost iPhone sales since the summer of 2008.

Apple said it has sold more than 50 million iPhones and iPod Touch devices in 77 countries. AT&T Inc is the exclusive U.S. provider for iPhone.

On Dashami, Jammu housewife kills jihadi with axe

As the country bid farewell to goddess Durga, the demon-slayer, on Dashami and witnessed the evil king Ravana being vanquished on
Dussehra, a humble Muslim woman in a remote Jammu village slew a dreaded Lashkar terrorist single-handedly.

Exhibiting astonishing, raw courage, Rashida Begum took on the two terrorists who had barged into her home late Sunday night in Thana Mandi village in Rajouri district. The woman, in her early forties, grabbed an axe and swung it wildly, killing one of the armed terrorists and injuring the other. Seeing his partner meet a bloody end, the other terrorist fled in sheer dread.

A Rajouri-based police officer said the two terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Pakistan-based group that carried out the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, had entered Noor Ahmad's home around 9pm with the intention of holding the family hostage.

Police said the two also wanted information on some local targets that Noor and his family members refused to provide. Angered by the resistance, the two began beating them up, threatening to eliminate the family, when Noor's wife, Rashida, took them by surprise, pouncing on one of them from behind. She brought down an axe in powerful blows, killing the terrorist on the spot.

She then charged at his partner who, nonplussed, was trying to gather his wits. Rashida and the rest of the family members soon overpowered him and snatched his weapon. However, the terrorist escaped under the cover of darkness, but not before receiving sharp cuts in the face-off with the furious housewife.

Rajouri's additional superintendent of police Shabir Ahmed said investigations were on establish to identity of the duo but the slain terrorist was believed to be Osama, a Pakistan-based LeT commander, wanted in many cases of extortion and terror related activities. ``We are awaiting more details from the spot where a police team is carrying out further investigation,'' Ahmed said. Security forces are combing the area for the escaped terrorist.
source:timesofindia

Saudi Arabia's Independence

Veiled Saudi women take photos of their children during a ceremony to celebrate Saudi Arabia's Independence Day in Riyadh September 23

Indian Airlines pilots strike continues....

An Indian Airlines plane taxes towards takeoff at Mumbai airport on September 27, 2009. Twenty-six Air India flights, including seven on international routes, were cancelled as striking pilots continued their agitation against cutting productivity-linked incentives (PLI) with 400 pilots threatening to go on mass sick leave.

Flooding in the Southeast USA

Residents keep an eye on the water as they drive their truck across a flooded road from their subdivision, which was cut off due to flooding from heavy rains, in Lawrenceville, Georgia

Flooded homes are shown in Mableton, Ga.

A roller coaster at Six Flags of Georgia Amusement Park is flooded

John Barry carries Ruby across Maxwell Road in East Ridge, near Chattanooga, Tenn., to his brother's house on the dryer side of the road

The roof of an auto shop is barely visible above swollen Sweetwater Creek after heavy rains

 
Flood waters from the Sweetwater Creek stream across the closed Veterans Memorial Highway

A local couple canoes through Atlanta's famous Krog Tunnel

A submerged truck is shown in flood waters in Mableton, Ga

Blake Fowler looks at a washed-out road near his home in Winston, Ga

 

 

source:boston 

Julia Roberts in INDIA

US actress Julia Roberts arrives on set for her new film in the village of Mirzapur, some 60 km from New Delhi.. Roberts arrived in India September 18, where she is shooting scenes for her forthcoming film 'Eat, Pray, Love'.

 

Miss Venezuela

The new Miss Venezuela Marelisa Gibson (C), Miss Mundo Venezuela  Adriana Vasini and Miss Internacional Venezuela Elizabeth Mosquera (L) pose for photos during a news conference in Caracas