Telegraph-Online

VIDEO: Homes damaged on New Jersey coast

2012-10-30T16:31:00.001-07:00

The New Jersey National Guard looks for displaced residents along the coastline of Seaside Heights in Sandy's aftermath.

Trail camera snaps cougar in central Illinois

2012-10-30T16:21:00.003-07:00

— A trail camera set up to keep track of the movements of deer instead captured a clear image of a cougar roaming central Illinois.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources confirmed Monday that the photo snapped in Morgan County is indeed a cougar. The picture clearly shows the big cat walking past a camera set up along a trail through a wooded area.

The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports that it's only the fourth confirmed sighting of a cougar since the cats were driven from Illinois in the 1870s.

Mark Cobb of Sherman hunts on property north of Jacksonville and captured the cougar on his motion-sensitive camera.

Biologist Bob Bluett of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources says it's impossible to say if the cougar is still around.

VIDEO: Dog faking own death becomes internet hit

2012-10-30T14:19:00.002-07:00

Excitable puppy Rosie tries repeatedly to engage her playmate in some rough-and-tumble until her friend responds with a nip to the neck.

With a dive that would have made Tom Daley proud, the young dog dramatically falls to the ground and plays dead with Oscar-worthy conviction.

The video of Rosie's performance has become a viral hit, being watched by hundreds of thousands of people.

The dog's acting is so convincing, some viewers have suggested that it may be an instance of canine narcolepsy, a rare but generally harmless condition which causes the animal to faint in response to high adrenaline.

In pictures: damage and chaos in New York

2012-10-30T14:13:00.002-07:00

Sport: Serbian FA bans players and staff following incidents at the under-21 international against England in Krusevac

2012-10-25T09:02:00.007-07:00

The Serbian Football Association has confirmed Nikola Ninkovic and Ognjen Mudrinski have been suspended from playing in all national teams for a year, following incidents at the Under-21 international against England in Krusevac on October 16.

England won the Euro 2013 qualifier1-0 after scoring with the last kick of the game. Fighting then broke out between players and officials as soon as the final whistle blew.

"Having reviewed the television footage of the incidents, the FSS disciplinary committee decided to ban Ninkovic and Mudrinski from playing for Serbia at any level for a period of one year," the Serbian FA (FSS) said on Thursday.

"Also, staff members Srdjan Maksimovic and Andreja Milutinovic have been banned from their coaching duties at any level for Serbia for two years. All four have violated the FSS ethics and fair-play code."

England Under-21 left back Danny Rose described how he endured 90 minutes of racist provocation and physical assault – including being pelted with stones – before he was sent off for kicking the ball into the stands during the violent aftermath of England Under-21s' 1-0 win over Serbia on Tuesday.

The FSS have denied the racism charges, which will be decided upon by Uefa when the European governing body's disciplinary committee convenes on Nov 22.

Serbia may face tough sanctions if television footage proves home fans made monkey chants at Rose.

"Over a year ago we gave Croatia and Serbia a serious yellow card, now we will see what the disciplinary committee will decide," Uefa President Michel Platini told reporters at a Euro 2016 meeting in Paris on Tuesday

World: Malala Yousafzai's father described joy at 'miraculous' recovery before flying to her bedside

2012-10-25T08:59:00.002-07:00

The father of wounded teenage activist Malala Yousafzai has spoken for the first time of his joy at his daughter's "miraculous" recovery shortly before he and his wife boarded a plane to be at her bedside.

Ziauddin Yousafzai and his wife began their journey from Pakistan to Birmingham on Thursday, 10 days after 15-year-old Malala was flown to the city's Queen Elizabeth Hospital for surgery and rehabilitation.

Mr Yousafzai said he was grateful for the world's tributes and prayers but now he just wanted to concentrate on helping his daughter recover.

"I have seen doomsday and survived, you might say. Malala has been honoured by the nation by the world, by people of all classes of all creeds of all colours. I am grateful for that," he told The Daily Telegraph by telephone from a secure, secret location hours before beginning his journey.

"But I am a father. I respect all those feelings but the only priority now is the life of my daughter and her total rehabilitation.

"I don't need any awards... I need my daughter."

The story of Malala has captured the world's attention since she was shot three weeks ago. Her courage in standing up to Pakistan's Islamic extremists has offered a rare beacon of hope in a country blighted by sectarian killings.

A gunman flagged down her school bus in the town of Mingora, Swat, and asked for her by name before shooting the teenage in the head. Two school friends were also wounded.

The Pakistan Taliban, which controlled Swat until 2009, claimed responsibility.

Her family were threatened repeatedly by extremists for promoting "Western" and "secular" values.

Surgeons in Pakistan fought for days to save her life, removing a bullet from her neck.

Mr Yousafzai said he was grateful for all their efforts.

"The way they saved my daughter was miraculous," he said.

He added that he had stayed in daily contact with medical staff in Birmingham but was desperate to be at his daughter's bedside

"She is all right. She is improving day by day, insh'Allah," he said.

The problem, he said, was that his wife's Pakistani documents were not up to date so they had to wait for the government to issue new ones.

He also said that the Pakistan Taliban would not silence his family's campaign to ensure that more girls were able to go to school.

About Google: Trekking the Grand Canyon for Google Maps

2012-10-25T08:56:00.002-07:00

In our ongoing effort to create the perfect map—one that’s as comprehensive, accurate and easy to use as possible—we’ve gone well beyond just the streets. Through the Street View feature on Google Maps, you’ve been able to explore panoramic views of amazing places around the world ranging from the Swiss Alps to the Amazon to Antarctica, and a variety of urban cities, university campuses, ancient ruins and ski resorts as well.

Today, demonstrating the rocky and rugged paths we’ll travel to make Google Maps even more complete, we’re collecting imagery from a place no car, trike or snowmobile has ever been before. On its first official outing, the Street View team is using the Trekker—a wearable backpack with a camera system on top—to traverse the Grand Canyon and capture 360-degree images of one of the most breathtaking natural landscapes on the planet.

Operations Manager Steve Silverman (left) and Product Manager Ryan Falor (right) hiking the Bright Angel Trail on the South Rim with Trekkers

The narrow ridges and steep, exposed trails of the Grand Canyon provide the perfect terrain for our newest camera system. The Trekker—which its operator controls via an Android phone and automatically gathers photos as he walks—enables the collection of high-quality imagery from places that are only accessible on foot.

Falor controlling the the Trekker with his Android device

This week, photos are being gathered from portions of the South Rim at Grand Canyon National Park, including the ridge, the famous Bright Angel Trail, South Kaibab Trail and more. These panoramic views will soon be live on Google Maps, giving everyone from real-life visitors to armchair travelers the opportunity to marvel at this beautiful, majestic site from the comfort of their computers or mobile devices.

The team hiking the Bright Angel Trail

So get ready for the virtual adventure that awaits! And in the meantime, we’ll keep on trekken’ and working hard to bring you panoramic imagery of more visually stunning places we have yet to explore and share on Google Maps.

Ryan Falor, Product Manager, Google Street View..

About Google: Google’s data centers: an inside look

2012-10-22T10:53:00.000-07:00

Very few people have stepped inside Google’s data centers, and for good reason: our first priority is the privacy and security of your data, and we go to great lengths to protect it, keeping our sites under close guard. While we’ve shared many of ourdesigns and best practices, and we’ve been publishing our efficiency data since 2008, only a small set of employees have access to the server floor itself.

Today, for the first time, you can see inside our data centers and pay them a virtual visit. On Where the Internet lives, our new site featuring beautiful photographs byConnie Zhou, you’ll get a never-before-seen look at the technology, the people and the places that keep Google running.

In addition, you can now explore our Lenoir, NC data center at your own pace in Street View. Walk in the front door, head up the stairs, turn right at the ping-pong table and head down the hall to the data center floor. Or take a stroll around the exterior of the facility to see our energy-efficient cooling infrastructure. You can also watch a video tour to learn more about what you're viewing in Street View and see some of our equipment in action.
Finally, we invited author and WIRED reporter Steven Levy to talk to the architects of our infrastructure and get an unprecedented look at its inner workings. His new story is an exploration of the history and evolution of our infrastructure, with a first-time-ever report from the floor of a Google data center.

Fourteen years ago, back when Google was a student research project, Larry and Sergey powered their new search engine using a few cheap, off-the-shelf servers stacked in creative ways. We’ve grown a bit since then, and we hope you enjoy this glimpse at what we’ve built. In the coming days we’ll share a series of posts on theGoogle Green Blog that explore some of the photographs in more detail, so stay tuned for more!

Posted by Urs Hölzle, Senior Vice President, Technical Infrastructure

About Google: The new Chromebook, for everyone

2012-10-22T10:47:00.001-07:00

As a kid growing up in India, I was fascinated with computers and the endless possibilities they presented. I had to wait until college to finally get my hands on one in the computer lab and since then began dreaming of a world where everyone could have access to one. We’re not quite there yet, but every day we get a bit closer.

A few years ago, we set out on a journey to build a better computer that’s faster, simpler and more secure. When we introduced a few Chromebooks into the market, many of you early adopters joined us on this journey. For folks living entirely in thecloud, the Chromebook is now a primary computer.

Many people use the Chromebook today as the perfect additional computer for their home. For families, it’s easy to use and share: for kids doing homework on the couch, parents catching up on emails at the kitchen counter and grandparents staying connected on video chat. There’s no need to worry about security updates and maintenance is easy; all you need to do is charge the battery. It just works.

This gets to the heart of the Chromebook vision. In order to have one, two or more computers around the house, they need to be easy to use and much more affordable. So together with Samsung, we designed a new laptop—the new Samsung ChromeBook for $249—the computer for everyone.
The new Chromebook is a great computer at any price, but it’s an incredible computer at $249. It’s one of the lightest laptops on the market. You can easily carry it around all day—it’s 2.5 pounds, a mere 0.8 inches thick, with more than 6 hours of battery life for the typical user. And with 100 GB of free storage on Google Drive*, you can get to all of your stuff anytime, anywhere.

Even with its compact design, it’s packed with performance—it boots up in less than 10 seconds and resumes instantly. High-resolution videos (in 1080p) are beautiful to watch and when using the touchpad, you’ll notice smooth scrolling due to a hardware-accelerated user interface. And as you‘d expect from a Chromebook, it’s easy to share with others. Everyone—mom, dad, grandparents, tech lovers, tech haters—can have separate accounts where all of their stuff is kept safe. Finally, if you’re an active Google user of products like Gmail, Drive, Search, Maps, YouTube, Play or Google+ Hangouts, everything just works seamlessly.

Starting today, the new Samsung Chromebook is available for pre-order online from Amazon, Best Buy, PC World and other retailers. Next week it will be available for sale from these same online retailers as well as the Google Play store. You can also buy them at over 500 Best Buy stores across the U.S and over 30 PC World and Currys stores in the U.K.

So if you ever felt it was too complicated and too expensive to have an additional computer (or two), we hope you (and the entire family) will give the new Chromebook a try.

About Google: Google Maps Gets 25 Million New Building Footprints

2012-10-22T10:40:00.000-07:00

Google has made Maps even more detailed with the addition of millions of building footprints in several major metropolitan areas across the U.S.

The Web giant last week added 25 million new building footprints to the desktop and mobile versions of Google Maps. The expansion covers Houston, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

"As we go about our daily travels, we often rely on buildings to orient ourselves, locate landmarks and navigate from place to place," Google engineering manager Bobby Parikh, wrote in a blog post. "So ... we're expanding the coverage of building footprints that are already available in Google Maps."

Google encouraged users to check out the new building footprints and make sure they are accurate. Using the community mapping tool Google Map Maker, budding cartographers can assign local businesses to an existing building, or draw a new footprint for a structure that hasn't already been added.

Google created the new building footprints by taking aerial imagery and using computer vision techniques to render the building shapes, complete with height detail.

"This process enables us to provide more building footprints and a more comprehensive and detailed map than ever before," Parikh wrote.

Google has been busy beefing up its mapping product as Apple scrambles to catch up and improve its own flawed mapping solution in iOS 6. Google recently added 250,000 miles of roads to Street View as well as panoramic underwater imagery.

The company also recently ventured to the remote Canadian Arctic in an effort to build the most comprehensive map of the region to date.

Mom kills her children, herself at Florida home

2012-10-21T08:01:00.004-07:00

A Florida mother shot her four children early Tuesday morning before turning the gun on herself at her home in Port St. John, police said.

A neighbor heard shots at 4:50 a.m. and then responded to a knock at the door to find three of the children, police said.

The three children went to the neighbor's house to say their mother had shot them, Brevard County Sheriff's Office Lt. Tod Goodyear said, according to CNN affiliate WKMG.

The mother, Tonya Thomas, 33, then called them back home, Brevard County Sheriff's Office Lt. Tod Goodyear told reporters.

The mother then shot them again, killing them, Goodyear said, according to WKMG.

"I'm a father and I've got kids. I cannot comprehend a person doing that to their child -- calling them back to the slaughter," Goodyear said, according to WKMG.

Responding deputies arrived at the house and heard shots.

They discovered Thomas' eldest daughter, Pebbles Johnson, 17, wounded in the front yard. They drove a patrol car onto the lawn in an attempt to rescue her. Johnson was rushed to a hospital but died from her wounds, Goodyear said.

The other children -- Joel Johnson, 12, Jazlin Johnson, 13, and Jaxs Johnson,15 -- were all dead, as was Thomas.

No suicide note was found in the home, but Goodyear said a witness told police he received a text from Thomas about 3 a.m. that said she wanted to be cremated with the children.

"Unfortunately he did not see that text or read it on his phone until he woke up this morning ... well after the incident occurred," Goodyear said.

The children's father does not live with the family and Goodyear said he was distraught.

Goodyear said police do not have a motive.

He said authorities have received previous calls from Thomas' home pertaining to domestic violence.

Goodyear said he was having a hard time trying to understand how a mother could commit such a grisly act. He said she remained very calm when she called the children back to their house.

"I cannot comprehend as a parent doing this to their children ... calling them back in and shooting them," he said.

He said authorities have not yet determined the owner of the gun but they believe Thomas was the killer.

"Everything points to it being her."

Police: Mother kills 2 children, then gets on a bus

2012-10-21T08:01:00.001-07:00

-- A New Orleans mother shot her 3-year-old son, drowned her 4-year-old daughter and took a bus to a hospital, complaining of stomach pains and a headache, police said.

The children's bodies were found in the bathtub of her home Wednesday evening, the New Orleans Police said in a statement.

The mother, identified as Chelsea Thornton, 23, admitted to officers that she killed the young children, police said.

After the killings, she said she boarded a bus to a nearby hospital.

Thornton faces first degree murder charges.

A relative of the children's father was outside the apartment Wednesday as detectives worked inside.

There is "no reason for this. I just wish that we could have helped her and helped them," Nicole Hammons.

Hammons said the father of the children had an off -and-on relationship with Thornton.

"He tried to help her and help their kids, and other family members also tried to help her. You can only go so far," she said.

Mother of 'Baby Gabriel' found guilty of imprisonment, custodial interference

2012-10-21T08:00:00.002-07:00

The mother of the infant known as "Baby Gabriel" – an 8-month-old Arizona boy who disappeared in 2009 after authorities say she took him in a custody dispute– was found guilty Thursday of unlawful imprisonment and custodial interference.

Elizabeth Johnson of Arizona had told authorities she gave her son, Gabriel Johnson, to an unknown couple she met up with in Texas, at the direction of an acquaintance who authorities say initially wanted to adopt the child.

Gabriel Johnson was last spotted alive at a Texas motel in late 2009. It's not clear what happened to him.

A jury will now decide whether there were aggravating circumstances before a judge decides on a sentence.

Elizabeth Johnson fled with Gabriel to Texas in late 2009 in defiance of a ruling giving the boy's father joint custody, authorities said. On December 27, 2009, she sent the boy's father a series of spiteful text messages saying she killed the boy.

Arrested in Florida on December 30, 2009, she later recanted those statements and told police that she'd given the boy to a unknown couple in San Antonio, at the direction of Tammi Smith, an Arizona woman she'd met earlier in 2009.

Investigators alleged that Smith indeed helped Elizabeth Johnson wrangle custody of Gabriel away from his father, with the initial intent of adopting the boy herself. Smith admitted at her own trial earlier this year that she helped care for Gabriel for nine days before Johnson allegedly gave the baby to the unknown couple.

Smith was tried and found guilty this year of forgery and conspiracy to interfere with Gabriel's custody – a conviction relating not to the boy's disappearance but to her efforts to conspire with Johnson to deny the father's rights to see his son.

Afghan woman beheads daughter-in-law for refusing prostitution, police say

2012-10-21T07:59:00.001-07:00

A young woman had her head chopped off for refusing to prostitute herself - and one of the killers was her mother-in-law, police say.

The other was the mother-in-law's cousin. And both admit it, according to Afghan police.

To most people, the slaying of 20-year-old Mah Gul is unimaginable.

But it's just "one more incident that highlights the violent atmosphere that women and girls face in Afghanistan and the region," Suzanne Nossel, executive director of Amnesty International USA, said Thursday.

The killing happened Sunday in Herat province, in southwest Afghanistan along the Iranian border.

Gul's husband is a baker. When he left home for work, his mother and her cousin tried to force the young wife into prostitution, said Noorthan Mikvad, spokesman for Herat police.

When she wouldn't do it, they beheaded her, he said.

In a statement, Nossel said women and girls in the region "are raped, killed, forced into marriage in childhood, prevented from obtaining an education and denied their sexual and reproductive rights. Until basic human rights are guaranteed ... these horrible abuses will continue to be committed."

The U.S State Department some "Afghan women and girls are subjected to forced prostitution, forced marriages – including through forced marriages in which husbands force their wives into prostitution, and where they are given by their families to settle debts or disputes."

Some families even knowingly sell their children into forced prostitution, the State Department said, "including for bacha baazi – where wealthy men use groups of young boys for social and sexual entertainment."

Herat police say their investigation found that Gul's husband and father-in-law were not involved in her killing.

CNN has extensively reported on the abuse of girls and women in Afghanistan, a nation where under Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001, women were banned from classrooms, politics or employment. Women who wanted to leave home had to be escorted by a male relative and were forced to wear burqas. Those who disobeyed were publicly beaten. In some parts of Afghanistan in the late 1990s, locals were encouraged to blacken the windows on their homes so women inside could not be seen.

The Afghan government, including a woman running for the presidency ofe the country , has tried to make it relatively easier for young women to go school. In 2004, girls were formally guaranteed a right to an education under the Afghan constitution.

Yet major problems persist and girls are in extraordinary danger in part of the country.The are terrorized walking to school . In 2009 in Peshawar, Pakistan, near Afghanistan, the Taliban issued an official edict mandating that no more girls should be able to go to school. That was after the Taliban had regained their stake in the control in the region after the 2001 invasion.

Girls and women's families sometimes abuse and kill them. In July, the Taliban executed a woman in public,justifying the killing by saying she had commitedd adultery.

In 2011, people around the world were appalled to learn about a then-13-year-old named Sahar Gul who had been married off to a member of the Afghan Army. Sahar said her husband raped her, and enraged that she didn't immediately conceive, her in-laws locked her in a basement for months. They tortured Sahar with hot pokers and ripped out her nails. Ultimately, she said, they wanted to force her into prostitution as punishment for failing her obligation as a woman.

Her face made famous on Time's cover, young Aesha had her nose and ears hacked off for running away from her husband's house. Aesha was brought to the United States. Her life continues to be hugely challenging as she's forever emotionally scared by the abuse she suffered.

Motorsport: Pedrosa makes it third straight win to cut title gap on Lorenzo

2012-10-21T07:57:00.002-07:00

(CNN) -- Spain's Dani Pedrosa kept up the pressure on championship leader Jorge Lorenzo with victory in a rain-hit Malaysian MotoGP Sunday.

Pedrosa passed pole sitter Lorenzo midway through the 20-lap race at Sepang which had to be shortened to 13 laps because of the appalling conditions.

It was the third straight success for Honda's Pedrosa, but each time Yamaha's Lorenzo has occupied second place to limit the damage.

He leads by 23 points overall with two rounds remaining in Australia and Valencia.

Pedrosa crossed the line nearly four seconds ahead of Lorenzo as officials displayed the red flag to bring it to a premature halt.

Several riders had already come unstuck in the heavy rain.

It was his sixth victory of the season.

Pedrosa's teammate, the reigning world champion Casey Stoner of Australia, finished third, returning to the podium as he recovers from a ankle injury sustained in a crash in the U.S. round at Indianapolis.

Ducati pair American Nicky Hayden and nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi finished fourth and fifth.

Alex De Angelis won the Moto2 race, while German KTM rider Sandro Cortese clinched the Moto3 title after taking the checkered flag in that class.

The proceedings marked a year since the tragic death of MotoGP star Marco Simoncielli in a freak accident at Sepang.

A plaque has been unveiled in the Italian's honor by Turn 11 of the circuit.

World: Violence erupts after Lebanese intelligence chief's funeral

2012-10-21T07:55:00.003-07:00

Beirut -- Anti-government rage erupted in central Beirut Sunday as an angry mob pushed toward the Lebanese prime minister's office and clashed with security forces after a funeral for the nation's intelligence chief.

Protesters hurled sticks, stones and flags. Tear gas was fired and gunshots were heard. A number of injuries were reported in addition to cases of fainting, Lebanon's National News Agency reported.

Sunday's anti-government protests came after a series of political speeches given to the crowd gathered in Beirut's central square for the funeral for Brig. Gen Wissam al-Hassan.

"This government is responsible for the assassination of martyr Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan and his companion martyrs, therefore, this government must leave," former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora told the crowd.

A mob surged from the central square toward the prime minister's office, growing in number and in intensity. Dozens rushed toward police lines.

Later, in a television interview, Siniora said using violence to attempt to enter the government building was unacceptable.

Prime Minister Najib Mikati, a billionaire supported by Syrian ally Hezbollah, announced Saturday that he planned to stay in power, despite having offered his resignation to appease those who claimed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was behind Friday's car bombing that killed al-Hassan.

"To hold me personally responsible for the assassination is unfair," he told reporters Saturday. "I have always respected and admired al-Hassan, who has done great things for Lebanon."

Critics have said Mikati and other Lebanese officials are too close to the Syrian regime.

Some politicians had called for a day of rage Sunday, two days after the most high-profile assassination in Lebanon in more than seven years. Others, including speakers at the funeral, had urged crowds to remain peaceful.

Al-Hassan and two others died in Friday's car bombing.

Some Lebanese political leaders have called for a day of protests as accusations over who's responsible homed in on the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad.

The attack -- in broad daylight, at one of the capital's busiest intersections -- left a crater more than a meter deep.

Syria condemned the blasts very quickly after they happened on Friday.

Al-Hassan was despised by the pro-Assad Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, pro-Syrian Lebanese parties and the Syrian government.

He was aligned with the March 14 movement, the anti-Syrian regime coalition that emerged after Hariri's assassination in 2005. That movement was key in forcing the withdrawal of Syrian troops, which had long occupied neighboring Lebanon and pulled out months after Hariri was killed.

Al-Hassan's killing brought a sense of deja vu to Lebanese, recalling the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, which triggered the end of Syria's occupation of Lebanon, and the turmoil that followed.

Al-Hassan spearheaded investigations of Hariri's death and a series of killings that targeted major anti-Syrian political figures.

He had worked closely with the U.N. Special Tribunal for Lebanon investigating the Hariri assassination. He had survived two assassination attempts, including one that killed an official getting evidence in Hariri's killing.

TECH: UK court sides with Samsung in Apple suit

2012-10-21T07:52:00.004-07:00

BRITAIN'S Court of Appeal has backed a judgment that Samsung's Galaxy tablet computer is "not as cool" as Apple's iPad - and therefore doesn't infringe Apple's rights.

The panel's upholding of the findings of by a lower court endorses the UK judgment that made headlines around the world when it was handed down in July. Judge Colin Birss had then gushed over Apple's design, while knocking back the company's case against its rival.

"The extreme simplicity of the Apple design is striking," Birss wrote at the time, enthusing over its "undecorated flat surfaces", its "very thin rim" and "crisp edge".

"It is an understated, smooth and simple product," Birss wrote, saying that Samsung's products "are not as cool."

On Thursday, the Court of Appeal agreed unanimously with Birss, with Judge Robin Jacob ordering Apple to publicise the court rulings to make sure consumers knew that Samsung wasn't a copycat.

"The acknowledgement must come from the horse's mouth," Jacob said. "Nothing short of that will be sure to do the job completely."

Kim Walker, a partner with English law firm Thomas Eggar, said that the ruling was an endorsement of Samsung's originality - if not its design.

"It appears that you don't have to be cool to be original when it comes to intellectual property rights," she wrote in an email. "You just have to be different!"

The British case is just one of several in Apple and Samsung's international copyright battle.

Earlier this month, the Court of Appeals in Washington overturned a judge's order blocking Samsung from selling its Galaxy Nexus smart phone pending a patent lawsuit by Apple. A jury in September agreed with Apple and ordered Samsung to pay $US1 billion ($A968 million). Samsung has moved to set the judgment aside.

In September, a German court dismissed Apple's claim that Samsung and Google's Motorola Mobility infringed patents used in touch-screen devices.

Apple applied for an injunction in the Netherlands last year regarding all three Samsung Galaxy models, the 10.1, the 8.9 and the 7.7. The court refused, Apple lost on appeal is now petitioning the Supreme Court.

Samsung went to court in Spain last year seeking a declaration of non-infringement. Apple is challenging Spain's jurisdiction, and the case has not resulted in any ruling so far.

Photo of the day

2012-10-20T06:13:00.000-07:00

Felix Baumgartner waves to his ground crew after landing safely following his record-breaking freefall from the stratosphere. Picture: Red Bull

World: Van driver arrested after Karina Menzies killed and 13 injured in five hit and runs in Cardiff

2012-10-20T06:08:00.002-07:00

Karina Menzies died and 11 other people were injured when they were mown down during a 30-minute spate of hit and runs. Picture: Facebook Source: Supplied

A WOMAN was killed and 13 people injured when hit by a motorist allegedly randomly targeting pedestrians at five locations within a 30-minute period.

Karina Menzies, 32, is believed to have been hit with her three children, who survived the carnage in Cardiff, Wales Online reported

"Rest in piece Karina Menzies. Sleep tight beautiful angel and may the scum responsible for this senseless, evil murder be brought to justice. Cant imagine what her family are feeling," Facebook user Katy Johanna Benson wrote.

Four adults and seven children are being treated at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, Wales, where a thirteenth went to hospital of their own accord.

The motorist, a 31-year-old driver of a white transit van, was arrested on suspicion of murder in Cardiff.

Ramesh Patel, who runs a store close to the site where Ms Menzies was killed, said customers had described how the van driver appeared to target pedestrians.

"Customers have said a white van purposely drove at people," Mr Patel said.

Police thanked all the members of the public who alerted them to a man in a white van randomly targeting pedestrians, including children, in the suburbs of Ely and Canton.

The van driver is believed to have hit a pedestrian before trying to flee the incident, and left a trail of chaos over the next 30 minutes, Mail Online reported.

Among those knocked down were Annie Lewis, 22, her partner Adam and two-year-old daughter Amelia-May, who was being pushed in a pram.

Amelia-May suffered facial injuries, which left her covered in blood. Student Annie, who suffered a broken leg, was taken to hospital in one of the fleet of at least seven ambulances at one of the scenes.

World: Six Afghan police poisoned, shot dead

2012-10-20T06:06:00.001-07:00

Source: AFP

SIX Afghan policemen have been shot dead after being poisoned by colleagues in southern Afghanistan.

The shooting, which is the latest in a series by Afghan security personnel targeting their local and foreign colleagues, occurred in the Gereshk district of volatile Helmand province on Thursday.

"A cook and a policeman first food-poisoned their colleagues in their post, and after they fell unconscious they were shot dead," provincial spokesman Ahmad Zeerak said.

He said the policeman involved in the shooting had been arrested but the cook was still at large.

Farid Ahmad Farhang, a provincial police spokesman, confirmed the incident.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, according to purported spokesman Yousif Ahmadi, who said eight policemen were killed and their weapons seized.

VIP: Just Married! Congrats to Justin and Jessica!

2012-10-20T05:48:00.004-07:00

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel are married! The couple tied the knot today in Italy. They first got together five years ago, and they've shared plenty of sweet moments during their on-and-off relationship ever since. From sports games and overseas trips, workouts, and red-carpet appearances, Justin and Jessica like to stay active and under the radar.

Take a look at their love through the years — and congrats to the happy couple!

Video:Rescue baby elephant from a well

2012-10-19T09:13:00.002-07:00

ATE TEAM Rescue another baby elephant from a well : We rescued this young eight months old calf early this week. Luckily the report came in early in the morning and we were able to get there quick before the mother was forced to leave by herders arriving to water their cattle. It was a happy ending as we were able to reunite the calf with her mother, Zombe.

Video: Speed Drinking Gone Wrong

2012-10-19T08:41:00.000-07:00

Rob and Kristen Kiss During a Romantic Poolside Day!

2012-10-19T07:49:00.002-07:00

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart kissed while hanging out at her new house in LA yesterday. The couple showed PDA while embracing each other and sharing a few laughs on a patio. Kristen later emerged in her swimwear for a dip. It's the latest romantic rendezvous for the reunited duo, who were first spotted back together in public at Ye Olde Rustic Inn in Los Feliz over the weekend. Rob and Kristen cuddled outside the bar and chatted with friends before leaving together for the night.
They have yet to make an official appearance together since rekindling their relationship in the wake of Kristen's Summer cheating scandal, but they'll be back in the spotlight soon since press for Breaking Dawn Part 2 kicks off next week. Rob and Kristen are expected to travel overseas for multiple stops and will both be on the red carpet at the big LA premiere on Nov. 12. Kristen was solo, though, to participate in a live online chat for Balenciaga this afternoon.

VIDEO : Unbelievable Beckham what did !

2012-10-19T06:11:00.002-07:00