Enorme 'tableta' con doble pantalla

El prototipo de Kno se dirige al mundo académico

EL PAÍS - Barcelona - 04/06/2010

Nueva variante de tableta con doble pantalla. Kno ha presentado el prototipo en California y se orienta al mercado académico. Con dos pantallas táctiles de 14,1 pulgadas, está basado en el sistema operativo Linux. Cada pantalla está alimentada por una batería con una duración de ocho horas. Conectada a Internet permite la navegación en una de las pantallas mientras se mantiene otra tarea en la segunda. Admite Flash, a diferencia de iPad, HTML5 y el estándar abierto para libros electrónicos ePub. No se ha precisado el precio, pero rondará los mil dólares, más de 800 euros, lo que hace dudar a algunos de que los estudiantes se decidan a comprarla. Pesa 2,5 kilos, lo que también suscita reservas sobre su éxito.

La empresa asegura tener acuerdos con distintas editoriales, como Pearson o McGraw Hill Education, para la oferta de contenidos. El empleo de un lápiz permitirá hacer anotaciones sobre la misma.

Escuchas comprometen a Adriano con narcotraficantes

Efe | Río de Janeiro

Escuchas telefónicas autorizadas por la justicia brasileña comprometieron aún más al delantero Adriano con los presuntos narcotraficantes de una favela de Río de Janeiro, según informó la televisión local.

"No olvide mañana temprano ir allá a cambiar el 'negocio' (un cheque). Para dar después esa vaina, esa miseria, para los tipos allá", le pide Adriano a uno de sus primos en una de las conversaciones grabadas por la policía en diciembre pasado y que fueron divulgadas por el canal Globonews.

En la llamada, el primo acata la orden y le responde al jugador que "está bien".

En otra de las llamadas, Adriano le dice al mismo primo que en el banco sólo tenía disponibles 30.000 reales (unos 16.137 dólares), pero que el cheque había sido rellenado por el doble, 60.000 reales (unos 32.275 dólares).

Taiwanese show guarded acceptance of China pact

(Reuters) - The low turnout at a demonstration in Taiwan on Saturday against a trade pact with China pointed to broad but guarded acceptance of the deal by the Taiwanese public.

The 10,000 who attended Saturday's demonstration in the southern city of Kaohsiung, an opposition stronghold, fell far short of the 50,000 to 100,000 who rallied in previous years against overtures to Beijing by the China-friendly Taiwanese government.

Political analysts said the size of the protest, a month after a sit-in in Taipei attracted only a few hundred, was an indication that Taiwan's public accepted the deal, wanted to know more details or believed the government was deaf to protests.

The pact with China, known as the economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA), is expected to boost the island's $390 billion export-led economy.

Lesotho's people plead with South Africa to annex their troubled country

Popular campaign grows within the HIV-stricken monarchy to relinquish independence and accept rule from Pretoria

Alex Duval Smith in Maseru, Lesotho

Thousands of people in the impoverished Commonwealth kingdom of Lesotho have asked South Africa in effect to annex their state because it has been bankrupted by the HIV pandemic.

The move comes as South Africa, in a move to secure its borders ahead of the World Cup, which starts on Friday, has barred thousands of people from Lesotho from crossing its borders.

"Aids has killed us,'' said charity director Ntate Manyanye. "Lesotho is fighting for survival. We have a population of about 1.9 million but there may be as many as 400,000 Aids orphans among us. Life expectancy has fallen to 34. We are desperate".

Ten days ago, several hundred people marched through the capital Maseru and delivered a petition to parliament and the South African High Commission requesting that their country be integrated into its giant neighbour, which completely surrounds it. "We have 30,000 signatures. Lesotho is not just landlocked – it is South Africa-locked. We were a labour reserve for apartheid South Africa. There is no reason for us to exist any longer as a nation with its own currency and army,'' said Vuyani Tyhali, a trade unionist and initiator of the Lesotho People's Charter Movement.

Medvedev: World powers in agreement on Iran sanctions

By the CNN Wire Staff

(CNN) -- Calling Iran's nuclear stance "irresponsible, Russia's president said Iran's leadership needs to heed an international community now in agreement on sanctions against that country, a Russian state news agency reported.

"Nobody wants sanctions," Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told reporters on Saturday during a visit to Germany, where he met with Chancellor Angela Merkel. "But in some cases, it is necessary to agree on them".

"The situation is such that in practical terms, agreements on these sanctions exist," he said.

Medvedev, whose country in the past has balked at tough measures against Iran, said Moscow's position on the Iran nuclear issue had moved closer to that of its Western partners, Ria Novosti reported.

US rocket launch sparks Australia UFO frenzy

SYDNEY — A bright spiralling light, believed by astronomers to be a rocket launched from Cape Canaveral, was spotted in skies across Australia's east coast just before dawn Saturday, sparking a UFO frenzy.

Described by some witnesses as a "lollipop-type swirl", the cloud of light was seen over the country's three easternmost provinces -- New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory -- shortly before sunrise.

"It had a distinct bright centre, much like a bright star ... (with) trails spiralling and fattening out from it," Canberra resident James Butcher told broadcaster ABC of the spectacle, which he said lasted two or three minutes.

Other witnesses likened the spectacular phenomenon, footage of which was quick to hit the Internet, to a "huge revolving moon" with a swirl in the middle, or an illuminated cloud moving high and fast above the horizon.

Narendra Modi invokes Mahatma Gandhi

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday invoked Mahatma Gandhi and said the best way to define good governance was with Gandhiji's talisman. “Do the policies help the poorest and weakest man? If yes, that is good governance”.

He was addressing the Bharatiya Janata Party's inaugural session of the National Convention on Good Governance (Suraj Sankalp) here.

“We need action-based approach like that of Lal Bahadur Shastri or Sardar Patel. Mere talking and symbolic gestures serve no purpose. Has celebrating Children's Day improved the condition of children in this country?”

A copy of his speech was given to the media, as he did not address the convention in front of the press.

Drosselmeyer pulls upset in Belmont Stakes

By RICHARD ROSENBLATT (AP)

NEW YORK — Drosselmeyer finally got a shot in a Triple Crown race and it paid off with an upset in the $1 million Belmont Stakes.

Left out of the Kentucky Derby because he hadn't earned enough money to qualify, Drosselmeyer staged a stirring stretch run and beat Fly Down by three-quarters of a length Saturday in the final leg of the Triple Crown.

With neither Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver nor Preakness winner Lookin At Lucky in the field, the 1 1/2-mile Belmont looked to be a matchup of classic runner-ups — Ice Box from the Derby vs. First Dude from the Preakness.

First Dude took the lead from the start, but couldn't hold off Drosselmeyer in the stretch and finished third. Ice Box, the 9-5 favorite trained by Nick Zito, was never in contention and finished ninth in the 12-horse field. Fly Down, also trained by Zito, was the second choice at 5-1.

The victory not only reaffirmed Drosselmeyer's talent after failing to win in his past three starts, it also produced a few firsts for a pair of Hall of Famers.

G20 drops support for fiscal stimulus

By Chris Giles and Christian Oliver in Busan

(FT) -- Finance ministers from the world's leading economies ripped up their support for fiscal stimulus on Saturday, recognising that financial market concerns over sovereign debt had forced a much greater focus on deficit reduction.

The meeting of the Group of 20 finance ministers and central bank governors in Busan, South Korea, also dropped proposals for a global banking levy, instead giving countries leeway to do what they thought best for their domestic circumstances.

The communiqué of the meeting made it clear that the G20 no longer thought that expansionary fiscal policy was sustainable or effective in fostering an economic recovery because investors were no longer confident about some countries' public finances. "The recent events highlight the importance of sustainable public finances and the need for our countries to put in place credible, growth-friendly measures, to deliver fiscal sustainability," the communiqué stated.

Immigration law supporters rally at Ariz. Capitol

By MICHELLE PRICE (AP)

PHOENIX — Hundreds of people supporting Arizona's new law cracking down on illegal immigration gathered near the state Capitol Saturday afternoon as temperatures reached 105 degrees.

The Pennsylvania-based group Voice of the People USA organized the demonstration, which it touted as a grassroots effort. Attendees traveled from every region of the U.S., Voice of the People president Daniel Smeriglio said.

Hundreds of motorcycle riders kicked off the downtown Phoenix rally off by riding in a procession around the Capitol. Supporters waved American flags and some carried signs that read "What part of illegal don't they understand?"

The rally follows dueling events last weekend that drew thousands of opponents and supporters of the law to the area.

But this weekend's demonstration could be muted by hot weather. The National Weather Service has predicted that temperatures will reach 107 degrees on Saturday.

Langat and Andersson win Stockholm marathon

Swedish runner Isabellah Andersson claimed her third consecutive Stockholmmarathon title when she came home in 2:31:35. The men's race was dominated by the Kenyans who, led by Joseph Langat in 2:12:48, claimed four of the first five places.

Hot favourite Andersson dominated the race and rarely looked troubled and had good lead as she strode into Stockholm's Stadion on Saturday afternoon 5:45 ahead of Aberash Tesfaye from Ethiopia.

Andersson became only the second runner to claim a trio of consecutive titles joining Norwegian star Ingrid Kristiansen who completed the feat in 1980-82.

Europe's Thirst for Young African Footballers

By Christoph Biermann and Maik Grossekathöfer

The football World Cup is being held in Africa for the first time this year, but young African players have long been a sought-after commodity among Europe's top clubs. While some youngsters make it to the top, many players end up on the streets. Critics talk of a new slave trade.

The hut is 3 meters by 3 meters (10 by 10 feet) in size, the walls are made of concrete, the roof is corrugated sheet metal, and the sparse furnishings include a bed and an oil lamp. There are no windows. There is also no electricity, no toilet and no running water for the five people who live in this mosquito-infested hut in Bamako, the capital of Mali.

As the sun sets, the heat of the day gradually subsides, dogs bark and the muezzin leads the call to prayer. In front of the hut, the mother is cooking maize porridge over an open fire, while the two daughters sit in the dust, peeling mangoes. The father and the son talk about the future. Both are wearing AC Milan jerseys.

The boy, whose name is Amadou Kéita, says he could certainly imagine playing for Milan, but if he had his pick, he would go to Barcelona to play as a midfielder. His father strokes his head and smiles. An old man who works as a porter, he has pain in his knees, his back and his hip.

Amadou grabs a rubber ball and keeps it up in the air, bouncing it hundreds of times alternately off his left and right foot, then taps it up to his shoulders, onto his head, and back to his feet. The ball doesn't touch the ground once.

"I want to become a pro. I want to make money with football, so that I can give my family a better life," says Amadou. "I don't want my parents to die in this hut. That's my mission. I cannot fail". He sounds oddly serious for a 14-year-old.

El exilio birmano asegura que la Junta Militar intenta fabricar armas atómicas

EE UU, preocupado por las relaciones entre Myanmar y Corea del Norte

REUTERS - Bangkok - 05/06/2010

La Junta Militar que gobierna Myanmar (la antigua Birmania) está intentado desarrollar un programa clandestino nuclear con la intención de fabricar armas atómicas, según una investigación realizada durante los últimos cinco años por un grupo antigubernamental en el exilio, que tiene su sede en Noruega, la Voz Democrática de Birmania (DVB, en sus siglas en inglés).

El informe hecho público por esta organización concluye que Myanmar tiene aún un largo camino que andar para hacerse con la bomba nuclear, pero que ha hecho grandes avances en la adquisición de tecnología y de experiencia para trabajar en ello.

De ser cierto, Myanmar será el primer país del sureste asiático con ambiciones nucleares, lo que puede alterar considerablemente el escenario estratégico de una de las regiones con mayor crecimiento del mundo y en la que otros grandes países, como Indonesia, Filipinas y Tailandia, tienen estrechos lazos con Washington. El informe de DVB cita a un científico nuclear estadounidense que valora las pruebas aportadas por Sai Thein Win, un ingeniero militar birmano entrenado en Rusia en tecnología de misiles. Sai afirma que desertó después de trabajar en una fábrica de armas de destrucción masiva.

"Birmania está tratando de construir las piezas de su programa nuclear, especialmente un reactor nuclear para fabricar plutonio y un programa para enriquecer uranio", afirma Robert Kelley, un ex director del OIEA (Organismo Internacional para la Energía Atómica) y coautor del informe.

El cáncer de pulmón también puede dar buenas noticias

Un compuesto experimental logra respuestas optimistas en un subgrupo de pacientes

MARÍA VALERIO (Enviada especial)

CHICAGO.- No es habitual que los organizadores del mayor congreso de cáncer del mundo (el que organiza cada año la Sociedad Americana de Oncología Clínica, ASCO) seleccionen un ensayo en fase I para sus sesiones presidenciales. Si este año han hecho una excepción con un nuevo fármaco para tratar un subtipo de cáncer de pulmón es por la importancia de sus resultados. Y porque se trata de un buen ejemplo de cómo la investigación puede traducirse en beneficios para los pacientes a un ritmo cada vez más rápido.

Los más de 30.000 oncólogos que a partir de este fin de semana se reúnen en Chicago (EEUU) han podido conocer los primeros resultados de crizotinib, un fármaco diseñado para inhibir un oncogen mutado en algunos pacientes con cáncer de pulmón. Y, aunque se trata de momento de resultados preliminares (la fase I es el primer peldaño antes de que un fármaco pueda llegar a comercializarse), la organización ha coincidido en que se trata de noticias optimistas.

En 2007 la revista 'Nature' dio a conocer por primera vez la existencia de un gen, EML4-ALK, implicado en un subgrupo de pacientes con cáncer de pulmón de células no pequeñas (un 'error' que portan unas 40.000 personas en el mundo). "Tres años después, hemos podido traducir ese conocimiento de la biología del tumor en un tratamiento", se ha felicitado en rueda de prensa Mark Kris, al frente del servicio de Oncología Torácica del prestigioso Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center de Nueva York (EEUU) y moderador de la sesión.

El nuevo compuesto en cuestión se trata de un inhibidor del gen EML4-ALK, un oncogen capaz de provocar la activación de una proteína del mismo nombre (ALK) implicada en el crecimiento de las células malignas. Como ha explicado ante los periodistas el doctor Yong-Jue Bang, investigador de la Universidad de Seúl (Corea del Sur) y principal autor del ensayo, esta fase I se ha desarrollado con 82 pacientes con este tipo de tumor pulmonar y no fumadores.

Clapper, un veterano del espionaje

Efe | Washington

El nombramiento como director nacional de inteligencia es para el general retirado de la Fuerza Aérea James R. Clapper la culminación de una carrera de cuatro décadas en los servicios de espionaje de Estados Unidos.

Si sortea el escepticismo que abunda en el Senado sobre su designación, Clapper se convertirá, a los 69 años, en el cuarto director de inteligencia de EE.UU. en cinco años, con la obligación de hacer uso de toda su experiencia para lidiar con los celos y disputas de una casi una veintena de organismos dedicados a estas tareas.

"Tenemos los servicios de inteligencia más grandes y más capaces del planeta", dijo este sábado después de que el presidente estadounidense, Barack Obama, anunciara su nombramiento, y añadió: "la tarea solemne y sagrada que se encomienda al director nacional es hacer que esos servicios funcionen".

La agencia de noticias de las Fuerzas Armadas (ANFA) ha calificado a Clapper como "el padrino de las actividades humanas en inteligencia" por su énfasis en la función que cumplen los espías y otros agentes.

Este enfoque se ajusta a las campañas contra insurgentes que se libran en Afganistán, donde "Estados Unidos ganará aldea por aldea", según dijo Clapper en una conferencia en The Washington Institute.