Home Theater

Live coverage: Three blasts in Mumbai

2011-07-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

Mumbai was again shaken when three blast ripped the city this evening killing eight and injuring more than 70 people.

Reports say that the three blast happened simultaneously in Opera House, Zaveri Bazaar and Dadar station. Here's a real time update on the three blast that rocked Mumbai:

8:36 pm: Opera House blast took place in Prasad Chambers, Panchratna lane which houses diamond traders

8:35 pm: Indian Mujahideen suspected for attacks: NDTV reports

8:34 pm: The blasts occured at 6.30, 6.45 and 7 pm in sequence

8:33 pm: Police control room nos: 22621855, 1983, 5020

8:30 pm: Top security and home ministry officials meet to assess situation

8:29 pm: Opera House blast took place in Panchratna lane

8:28 pm: Police have cordoned off the area. People are stranded in Dader as the police are not allowing them to leave the place. It's raining and people are struck

8:28 pm: Dadar blast took place at bus stop near Kabhuthar Khaana

8:26 pm: Home Secretary RK Singh confirms that one blast took place in a Maruti Esteem

8:25 pm: Home Secretary RK Singh says all injured have been shifted to hospital

8:22 pm: Home secretary RK Singh says 2 killed and 100 people have been injured in the blast.

8:20 pm: Domestic and International airports in Mumbai reportedly sealed. CISF screening airport parking lots

8:17 pm: Home Minister Chidambaram to brief the media at 9:00 pm on the Mumbai blasts

8:14 pm: BSF forensic experts being readied to fly to Mumbai

8:12 pm: PM speaks to Maharastra CM on blasts; asks him to keep him posted

8:10 pm: Maharashtra Home Secretary claims 60 have been injured

8:07 pm: Local trains in Mumbai are still functional

8:05 pm: Police sources say improvised explosive devices used in the blasts

8:03 pm: IED used in blast: TV reports

8:02 pm: If you or your loved ones are injured in the Mumbai blasts, please call 022 6133 6133 - MeraDoctor lines are open for all

8:01 pm: Kabhuthar Khaana area in Dadar cordoned off

8:00 pm: It seems to be a terror attack: Home ministry

7:58 pm: TV reports say that 8 people have been killed and more than 70 injured

7:55 pm: Dader blast victims taken to Kem hospital; Zaveri Bazaar blast victims taken to JJ hospital

7:54 pm: Zaveri Bazaar blast took place in a meter box of an electric pole

7:53 pm: Home Ministry puts NSG team on standby

7:52 pm: Teams of Maharashtra ATS rushed to the blast site

7:50 pm: One explosion was in a car in Dadar

7:50 pm: Cellular networks jammed across Mumbai

7:47 pm: Home Ministry confirms blasts are an act of Terrorism

7:45 pm: Security alert in Delhi after Mumbai blasts

7:43 pm: Chhagan Bhujpal refuses to give confirmation on mumber of injured

7:40 pm: Home ministry confirms blasts in Mumbai

7:35 pm: Probing a tiffin box found near the blast site: ACP

7:32 pm: 7:30 pm - Early reports indicate casualties in Zaveri Bazaar blast.

7:30 pm: Fire under control in Zaveri Bazaar, says eye witness.

7:25 pm: Eyewitnesses report hearing explosion sound near Kabuthar Khaana in Dadar. It is located next to Dadar Station.

7:20 pm: Home Ministry refuses to confirm that they are bomb blasts

7:15 pm: Three blasts reported from different parts of Mumbai - Dadar, Prasad Chambers in Opera House and Zaveri Bazaar.

Major quakes strike in Pacific off Alaska

2011-06-25T04:13:00.001-07:00

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - A major earthquake of 7.4 magnitude struck in the Pacific Oceanmore than 1,000 miles (1,600 km) west of Anchorage on Thursday, prompting a brief tsunami warning for part of the remote Aleutian Islands chain.

No damage or injuries were reported. The warning, which extended for roughly 800 miles (1,300 km) -- from Unimak Pass, northeast of Dutch Harbor, westward to Amchitka Pass, west of Adak Island -- was canceled after a little more than an hour.

A tsunami wave measuring just 6 centimetres tall was recorded at Nikolski, a tiny Aleut village on the island of Umnak, and a 10-centimeter wave was observed at Adak, said Becki Legatt, a spokeswoman for the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska.

The coast of the entire Alaska peninsula and all of the Alaska mainland were never considered to be threatened.

The quake struck shortly after 7 p.m. local time (0300 GMT) at a depth of about 25 miles (40 km). A second tremor of magnitude 7.2 hit in the same vicinity of the Aleutians a half-minute later, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Quakes of 7 to 8 magnitudes and higher are relatively common in the Aleutians but are generally of little consequence because the island chain is so remote and sparsely populated.

"This is a very seismically active area," said Randy Baldwin, a USGS geophysicist with the National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colorado.

A tsunami warning means all coastal residents in the warning area who are near the beach or in low-lying regions should move immediately to higher ground and away from harbors and inlets, including those sheltered directly from the sea.

Home Theater Speaker Shopping Advice

2011-06-11T01:16:00.001-07:00

Almost all home theater systems include the following speakers:

Front left and right speakers
Center channel speaker
Surround speakers
Subwoofer

Before you start, consider voice-matching. Voice-matching is key to effective home theater sound. If your speakers do not produce a similar tonal quality and share the same harmonic characteristics, the sound will be disjointed when it travels from speaker to speaker. With voice-matched speakers, the sound moves effortlessly around you, creating a seamless surround effect. The best way to ensure voice-matched speakers is to choose speakers from the same "family" of speakers, by the same brand. If you'd like to add center and surround speakers to an existing pair of stereo speakers, and you don't think that series is in production anymore, call Crutchfield or the manufacturer to see whether speakers from a newer series would be tonally similar.

Finally, a note on placement: where you plan to position each speaker in your room might affect the size or type of speaker you choose. You can learn about the basics in our video on speaker placement, or find more detailed guidelines in our speaker placement article.

Front left and right speakers

There's a wide range of speakers to fit
just about any room, including floor-standing
speakers (left), bookshelf speakers (center),
and satellite speakers (right).

In home theater, the front left and right speakers offer a wide soundstage that blends with the video to create a more realistic and exciting movie experience. In addition to reproducing the musical score, front speakers handle the bulk of the special effects, which move back and forth between the two speakers in sync with the images on the screen. Front speakers also broaden the soundstage by reproducing off-screen special effects. Finally, the front left and right speakers in your home theater system also act as the left and right stereo speakers for listening to music.

What to look for:

Speaker type. Floor-standing speakers, bookshelf speakers, and satellite speakers all work fine as front left and right speakers. Floor-standing tower speakershave the most impact and provide great low-frequency response, but they also take up more space. Bookshelf speakers don't reproduce as much bass, but they're more space-efficient and still sound great. Compact wall-mountable satellite speakers must be teamed with a subwoofer, but they're ideal if you want big sound from a small package. Bookshelf and satellite speakers can be placed on shelves or tables, and they can often be mounted on stands or walls.
Voice-matching. Make sure your front left and right speakers are voice-matched to the rest of your speakers, especially your center channel speaker.
Video-shielding. Tube TVs are sensitive to having speakers placed near them. Make sure your front left and right speakers are video-shielded so they won't adversely affect your TV.

Center channel speaker

The center channel speaker delivers
more than half of the soundtrack,
including almost all of the dialogue.
(Klipsch RC-62)

The center channel is the unsung hero of the home theater speaker system. When you watch a movie, the center channel delivers more than 50% of the soundtrack, including almost all of the dialogue. Since its purpose is to keep sound anchored to the on-screen action, a good center channel speaker is crucial for a well-balanced home theater system.

What to look for:

Placement. The center speaker typically sits on or just below your TV, so make sure your center channel is an appropriate size for the intended placement. If you have a wall-mounted flat-panel TV, and you won't have a stand on which to place your center channel speaker, you may want to consider a wall-mountable center channel speaker, or an in-wall speaker. It's very important that your center be located directly above or below your screen, since placing it somewhere off to the side can noticeably disrupt the surround sound experience.
Speaker size. Like the front speakers, center channel speakers are available in a variety of sizes. You should consider the other speakers in your system as well as the size of your television set when making a decision. Subwoofer/satellite systems usually use smaller center channel speakers, and these interact just fine with the smaller mains and surrounds. Tower speakers require a larger center channel model to maintain a seamless surround effect.
Voice-matching. When selecting a center channel speaker, it's vital that you settle on one that is voice-matched to your front left and right speakers. Most manufacturers offer center channel speakers that are designed to blend perfectly with their other products.
Video-shielding. Virtually every center channel speaker is shielded, but if you're planning to use a speaker that wasn't designed as a center channel in that spot, make sure it's video-shielded.

Surround speakers

Surround speakers produce
exciting, enveloping directional
effects. (Klipsch RS-52)

Although a 5.1-channel surround system, with only one pair of surround speakers, is the most common setup, most newer home theater receivers can power more than a single pair of surround speakers -- and there are surround formats to match. Today, many people buy one or two additional speakers to use as "back surrounds" in a 6.1- or 7.1-channel system.

What to look for:

Speaker type. Ideally, your surround speakers should have the same performance capability as your front left and right speakers, but that's not always realistic when you consider room size and space. Most people use either bookshelf or satellite speakers (when the system also has a subwoofer) for their surrounds. Both bookshelf and satellite speakers may require stand placement or wall mounting.
Dipole/bipole capability. Some higher-end surround speakers offer a dipole/bipole switch (sometimes referred to as a "Solid/Diffuse" switch). These speakers feature two high-frequency drivers that either fire in phase (bipole) or out of phase (dipole). Dipole/bipole speakers take advantage of reflected sound to create a wide soundfield, and they provide greater speaker placement flexibility.
Placement. Correct surround speaker placement results in a very realistic three-dimensional soundfield; incorrect surround speaker placement can leave people asking, "Are our surrounds even on?" Check ourspeaker placement guide and consider where you'll put your surrounds and whether they'll need to be stand-mounted, wall-mounted, or even in-wall or in-ceiling models.
Voice-matching. Again, for the most realistic listening experience, it helps if your surround speakers are from the same "family" or series as your main and center channel speakers, and have similar tonal characteristics.

Powered subwoofer

A subwoofer is essential for deep,
rumbling lows. (Polk Audio PSW111)

If you are assembling a home theater, plan on including a powered subwoofer. Many Dolby Digital and DTS soundtracks provide a dedicated channel of deep bass (sometimes known as low frequency effects, or LFE). This bass is what makes the entire soundtrack feel larger, fuller, and more lifelike -- it gives special effects like thunder or explosions their window-rattling punch. A subwoofer is also a wonderful way to enrich music listening -- it can round out all types of music, from classical to jazz to rock to R&B. Since most speakers can't deliver that level of bass on their own, a subwoofer is needed to ensure that your home theater system delivers crucial low-frequency impact.

What to look for:

Power. If you have a large room (or if you just crave serious bass impact) then you should look for a sub with more watts in the built-in amplifier. Plus, as a general rule, the larger the driver, the deeper the bass -- so go for a sub with a big 10" or 12" woofer cone (or a multi-woofer sub) for extra bass response.
Placement. Low-frequency sound waves are omni-directional, so you have a great deal of flexibility when it comes to subwoofer placement. If you have a spot in your room picked out, consider the dimensions of the sub's cabinet to make sure it will fit. And remember that placing your sub near a wall, or, even better, in a corner, can increase bass impact noticeably.
Video-shielding. If you are planning to place your subwoofer anywhere near a tube TV, be certain to get a video-shielded sub.

What if I can’t pay my deductible?

2011-05-29T04:30:00.000-07:00

Owners of repair shops say they’re seeing more customers un

able to pay.

Since the Great Recession began, drivers have been cutting back on their car insurance coverage to save money. That’s put a few more dollars in their pockets each month but left many unable to handle their repair bills.

Manuel Escobar, owner of Channel City Auto Body in Santa Barbara, Calif., says many drivers without collision and comprehensive coverage are astounded to find out how much they must to pay to fix their vehicles.

"The average consumer doesn't have a clue of the expense to repair collision damage until you put the estimate in front of them," says Escobar, who has been in business for more than 30 years. "A lot of them have sticker shock."

Their choices are few: They can ask the shop to cut some corners. They can borrow money from elsewhere. Or they can leave the car with the shop and hope it isn’t sold before they can come up with the cash.

When insurance is a luxury

A recent study by Quality Planning, a San Francisco-based insurance research firm, found that the number of consumers who chose not to buy collision and comprehensive insurance rose each year from 2006 through 2010. During that same time period, owners of vehicles were 10 years old or older were more likely to drop collision and comprehensive coverage.

[Let CarInsurance.com help you find affordable auto insurance now.]

Bob U' Ren, Quality Planning's senior vice president, says the study's findings were not unexpected.

Considering that collision and comprehensive insurance are optional, he says, budget-conscious consumers weigh their value against other household expenses. "Insurance is usually a pretty big chunk, and it's one of the things that gets trimmed a bit," he says.

Those who did buy collision and comprehensive coverage chose higher deductibles to lower their premiums. From 2006 to 2009, the percentage of vehicles with deductibles up to $250 fell at an annual rate of 9 percent. At the same time, deductibles between $251 and $500 increased an average of 1.6 percent a year and those between $501 and $1,000 increased an average 4.9 percent a year. With higher deductibles, policyholders will pay lower premiums, but they will pay more out of their own pockets if they are involved in an accident.

And some drivers are simply pocketing their claims checks.

U' Ren says that this practice has been going on for years. The insurer is legally obligated to provide a certain amount to the policyholder for repairs. "The insured can decide how they want to spend the money," U' Ren says. "They can put into a bank account or go shopping with it."

Where your premium dollar goes

According to the National Association Insurance Commissioners' latest figures, the average auto insurance premium was about $900 in 2008.

Most states require drivers to purchase a minimum amount of property and bodily injury liability insurance to protect passengers, the other driver and the other driver's vehicle in the event of an accident. Collision and comprehensive policies, on the other hand, are optional: Collision coverage pays for damage to the policyholder's vehicle if it is damaged in an accident, even if he is responsible, and comprehensive insurance covers theft, cracked windshields and all other damage to the vehicle, including damage caused by fire, fallen trees, vandalism, hail, windstorms, floods and more.

In a typical auto insurance policy, a little more than 50 percent of the cost is for liability coverage, says Mike Barry, a spokesman with the Insurance Information Institute. About 33 percent is for collision and 15 percent for comprehensive coverage --relatively inexpensive, Barry says, considering that it covers theft and damage from most any other incident except a collision with another vehicle.

If you can’t pay your deductible

Repair shops owed money for repairs can retain possession legally, using what’s known as a mechanic’s lien, though that’s hardly their first choice.

If the customer has to pay all the repairs or even a sizeable portion of the bill, he typically will ask about lower cost options. In those instances, Escobar will tell his customers that they may opt to repair the most damaged parts, forgo blending paint to get a perfect match, or substitute used or after-market parts for new manufacturer parts.

"They are put in a position of paying huge out-of-pocket expenses or scaling back what they have to do," Escobar says. In some cases, if the customer is unable to afford to the repairs and the vehicle can no longer be driven, he will offer to sell it to a junkyard or even to Escobar. "On occasion, I buy it back and resell it," he says.

With less insurance coverage, U' Ren says he's not surprised to hear more drivers negotiate lower prices with auto body shops and skip optional or expensive repairs. "With less money in household budgets, the last thing you want to do is throw money at your car," he says.

Even so, U' Ren says he thinks consumers will decide to cut back on their collision and comprehensive coverage. "As long as we have an economic recession and people are going through tough times, I think this trend will continue."

Drop coverage or keep it?

Higher deductibles are tempting, especially for drivers with little cash to spare. A savings of, say, $20 per month may seem worth the gamble. But if you raise your deductible, having adequate cash in savings, or on a credit line, becomes critical. Otherwise your car is at risk. (You can compare auto insurance quotes using different deductible amounts at most online insurance sites.)

Before changing deductibles, try comparison shopping for car insurance policies. Insurers calculate your rates independently; the same coverage can vary in cost by hundreds of dollars. (See “Pocket $1,102 just by shopping around.”) Younger drivers pay by far the most for insurance, and they stand to save the most.

The temptation to drop everything but liability coverage is strong if your car is a paid for. Ask yourself:

If you had to replace your car tomorrow, could you? Consult the Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds or Craigslist to get an idea of what you might have to spend. Then subtract your deductible. That’s what you’re on the hook for if you decide to go with a liability-only policy. Some experts recommend that you divide that exposure number by 10; if the collision and comprehensive premiums spelled out on your last bill total more than that, you might consider a liability-only policy.
How solid are your finances? An extra $20 a month is cheap insurance if you’re skating on the edge of financial ruin. A wrecked car means no way to get to school or work.
How risk-averse are you? If you’ve got cash in the bank but hate the idea of exposing your savings, consider raising your deductible as high as you can.
Do you rent cars frequently? Your current full coverage may extend to the vehicles you rent. Check your policy. Collision damage rental car waivers at $7.95 a day add up quickly.

Brilliant Barcelona lift European Cup again

2011-05-29T03:56:00.000-07:00

By Mitch Phillips

LONDON | Sun May 29, 2011 8:08am IST

(Reuters) - Pep Guardiola's Barcelona cemented their place in soccer's pantheon when they overwhelmed Manchester United 3-1 in the Champions League final to lift the European Cup for the fourth time on Saturday.

Goals by Pedro, the inspirational Lionel Messi and David Villa were a minimal reflection of the Spanish side's dominance over United, who they also beat in the 2009 final, as they lit up the Wembley night with their brilliance.

Wayne Rooney briefly levelled the score but United were powerless to stop Barca making it three European Cup triumphs in six years.

In an emotional presentation ceremony the giant trophy, for long the symbol of Barca's existence in the shadow of Real Madrid, was hoisted by French fullback Eric Abidal, back in action after an operation to remove a liver tumour in March.

"It's the way we played I'm most proud of," Guardiola said after his side consistently passed their way through and around a defence that had previously not conceded a single Champions League goal away from Old Trafford this season.

"The people watching could see that we not only won but we played a brilliant match," he added, before picking out Messi for special praise.

"Messi is the best player I've seen and probably the best I ever will see," he said of the Argentine man of the match.

"We have great players but he makes the difference and without him we would not have that difference in quality. He is unique. A one-off."

United manager Alex Ferguson had no complaints as his third final in four years ended with a second defeat.

"Nobody's given us a hiding like that but they deserve it because they play the right way and they enjoy their football," he said after his newly-crowned Premier League champions mustered only one shot on goal all night.

"We never really controlled Messi but many people have said that. We never closed the midfield well enough to counter them."

In fact, for the first 10 minutes amid a fantastic atmosphere, they did -- snapping into every tackle and pressing hard. However, just as in Rome two years ago, Barcelona settled into their rhythm and soon took control.

United defended desperately at times but were eventually undone after 27 minutes when Xavi delayed his pass just long enough to create space for Pedro to calmly tuck the ball beyond Edwin van der Sar, who endured a night to forget in the final game of his career.

UNITED UNDONE

United fashioned a well-made equaliser after 34 minutes when Rooney played a one-two with Ryan Giggs before sweeping the ball high into the net but if that lifted their spirits going into halftime it was not long before they were back fighting fires.

After more near misses, Barca duly went ahead in the 54th minute when United fatally stood off Messi on the edge of the box and the Argentine maestro drove the ball in for the 53rd and most important goal of his remarkable season.

It was also his 12th in 13 Champions League games this campaign, equalling Ruud van Nistelrooy's record tally for United in 2002/03.

Villa then curled a superb 18-metre shot into the top corner after 69 minutes and it was game over.

While the match was not the showdown many had hoped for, Barcelona's performance will live long in the memory of all who saw it and will further fuel the debate about where they sit in the game's all-time pecking order.

Guardiola, a midfielder for Barcelona when they won the first of their four European Cups by beating Sampdoria at the old Wembley in 1992, again refused to be drawn into comparisons, saying it was impossible to compare his side with the great teams of previous eras.

Ferguson, in charge of United for 25 years, was at least prepared to give them top billing in his period at the top.

"Great teams do go in cycles and the cycle they are in at the moment is the best in Europe," he said.

"In my time as manager I'd say they are the best team I've faced."

(Editing by Ken Ferris and Sonia Oxley; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Behold Muammar Gaddafi's ‘Libyan Rocket’

2011-05-26T09:16:00.001-07:00

Colonel Muammar Gaddafi has always been internationally recognised for his vibrant fashion sense, sleeping in Bedouin tents wherever he goes, wearing huge provocative buttons, being guarded by heavily armed women, just to name a few. An epitome of Gaddafi’s eccentricity is the car he designed for himself, which Libya claims is the safest vehicle on earth. However, don’t go into any details to back up the claim.

The Saroukh el-Jamahiriya, which means Libyan rocket, is a five-seater saloon with the nose and tail of a rocket and powered by a 230bhp V6. Launched at a conference called the Organization of African Unity and organized by Colonel Gaddafi in 2009, the Libyan Rocket comes with airbags, an electronic defense system and collapsible bumpers that supposedly help out in a crash.. Wonder what is an “electronic defense system”? Apparently, no one knows what it is or how it works.

Dukhali Al-Meghareff, chairman of the Libyan Arab Domestic Investment company which produced the prototype, touted it as revolutionary in automotive history. "The leader spent so many hours of his valuable time thinking of an effective solution. It is the safest car produced anywhere," Mr Meghareff said.

Tamilnadu SSLC (10th) Result 2011

2011-05-25T22:52:00.001-07:00

Government of Tamil Nadu
Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) Public Examination

Tamil Nadu SSLC Results 2011 expected to be declared on 27th May 2011 at 10.00 A.M.

http://tnresults.nic.in/

http://www.pallikalvi.in/

Check the following link for list of all websites where SSLC 2011 Results of Tamil Nadu Board will be made available online.

Tamil Nadu 10th Results - Online Result Servers

TN SSLC Results 2011, Tamil Nadu SSLC 2011 Results, Tamilnadu 10th Result

related:
dge.tn.gov.in - Directorate of Government Examination, T.N.
tnresults.nic.in - Tamil Nadu Board Exam Results, TN Results website

Rajinikanth Health Status : He is out of ICU, moved into private ward

2011-05-23T06:24:00.000-07:00

CHENNAI: Actor Rajinikanth, who was being treated at the intensive care unit (ICU) of Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre (SRMC), was shifted back to his private ward on Sunday.

Doctors at the hospital said he responded well to treatment. "We moved him into the ward only after making sure he was completely fit. Hope we can discharge him soon," said a senior doctor.

The 61-year-old cine idol was admitted to the hospital on Saturday after he complained of breathlessness. He was diagnosed and treated for recurrent respiratory illness and gastro intestinal disorders at a private ward, a suite on the seventh floor of the hospital. On May 18, he was shifted to the intensive care unit, where he underwent dialysis. Doctors diagnosed that he had too much fluid in his blood. They put him through haemodialysis, and also removed fluid surrounding his chest that was pressing against the lungs and causing difficulty in breathing. He was given oxygen at regular intervals, pumped with antibiotics and transfused blood.

On May 19, senior cardiologist Dr S Thanikachalam, who was heading a team of specialists treating Rajini, said he responded well to treatment. Since then Rajinikanth was on normal diet. But doctors restricted visitors to the intensive care unit as anxious fans continued to crowd the hospital. The fans were constantly assured that the actor was responding well to treatment.

On May 21, a picture of Rajinikanth, dressed in blue hospital attire with his daughter Soundarya Rajinikanth in the ICU, did the rounds on all micro blogging websites. His son-in-law Dhanush kept fans updated on Rajinikanth's health condition. The first news about Rajini being shifted to the ward came from Dhanush on Sunday. A release from the hospital said he was cheerful and was spending time with all the family members, watching IPL matches. It also said his vital parameters were stable.

He was admitted to the St Isabel's hospital in Mylapore on April 29 and was discharged the same day. Doctors said he was dehydrated and exhausted. On May 4, he was back in the same hospital. Doctors treated him for allergic bronchitis and diarrhoea.

How to create paypal account?

2011-05-22T00:54:00.000-07:00

Paypal is the most easy mode to transfare money and for payment,PayPal is an e-commerce business allowing payments and money transfers to be made through theInternet,it is the most safest mode and now most of people are using this and if you are earn online money then you must have paypal account because now most of the companys paying via paypal.

Types of Paypal Account:

Basically, there are 3 types of different accounts you can sign up with Paypal:

Personal Paypal Account - this is for individual who use the Paypal account to purchase things online. You can receive money from Paypal instant transfer. There are no fees to receive money, and you will be charged only US$ 5 per withdrawal.

Premier/Business Paypal Account – If you are doing bigger transaction like selling goods online daily. Then it is advisable to create premier/ business account to lift up your monthly receiving limit. However, you need to pay some fees for receiving Paypal fund.

How to create paypal account

1. Go to https://www.paypal.com. Always type “https” in your browser to ensure you are being redirected to a correct address and not to a fake paypal site.

2. Click the Sign Up button

3. Select Country and choose the option what you like.

4. Fill up the form and click Agree and Create Account

5. Done

Rare images of tsunami striking Fukushima Plant

2011-05-21T11:55:00.000-07:00

The Best Dressed List: it's in the Cannes!

2011-05-20T09:08:00.000-07:00

Huge apologies, fellow frock watchers. Grazia Daily shamefully admits that we've fallen behind in ourCannes catwalk surveillance (we've been busy rubbing tux-clad shoulders with Kate Moss, daahlings). But the hangover has finally worn off and we are back to bring you the Best Dressed A-listers who've paraded before the paps since Monday night. Let's not waste another minute...

And what better way to begin than with Anna Dello Russo? We wonder whether she's been taking inspiration from our very own Duchess of Cambridge with this bride-appropriate gown from Alberta Ferretti. White may be the colour of the festival, dear, but the pleats, the feathers, the tiered tulle skirt, plus a gold wheat fascinator and veil, maaay be taking the trend a step too far. HOWEVER, we wouldn't expect anything less.

Zoe Saldana joined ADR at the The Tree Of Life premiere looking like a scrumptious confection in anArmani Privé gown, mainly thanks to the red and white striped skirt cascading from a structured bustier. Tres refreshing, non? She sensibly kept the accessorises to a minimum, with little more than Nicholas Kirkwood heels and a dramatic gold cuff. YUM.

The same red carpet also delivered a delight from 'the Carey Mulligan of Cannes 2011', aka: Mia Wasikowska who wowed the crowd in a dreamy nude Valentino number (not unlike the version Emma Watson wore to the BAFTAs, in fact). Grazia Daily thinks Mia's like a young Gwyneth Paltrow crossed with a girlie-but-kooky Michelle Williams - what do you think? One thing's for sure, we feel a serious girl crush coming on...

Proving why she's 'worth it', Gwen Stefani arrived with her dashing hubby, sporting a sparkling Stella McCartney jumpsuit that's a welcome sight amongst all the chiffon, not least because it oozes 70s chic - how OTM. And if you recognise this number, that's because it's the noir version of the gold jumpsuit whichIman wore to the Met Ball not so long ago, but Gwen has seamlessly made it her own with those fluffy curls and pink pout. BON!

And then there's Angelina. Ms Jolie is known for keeping things fairly sleek and simple for such high-profile events so how fabulous to see her in swathes of voluminous layers, direct from her favourite design house, Atelier Versace. Naturallement, the standard thigh-flash is firmly in place while the rich chocolate tone keeps it suitably elegant - we can't remember the last time we saw Ange looking so grandiose, y'know?

Yes, Kirsten Dunst is here too! At yesterday's photocall for her new film Melancholia, the actress treated us to a splash of bold colour in a chiffon Chloe dress - and that's the sound of Grazia HQ rejoicing. Just like Michelle Williams in egg yolk Vera Wang or Diane Kruger in her mustard Jason Wu gown, this saffron tone works beautifully with Kirsten's blonde hair, pale skin and red lippie.

Onto the premiere and Kiki D turned to her bessies, the trusty designer twins also known as Rodarte. This mermaid floor-sweeper from the duo's A/W'11 collection is sophisticated without going overboard, while the polka dot design and that green wool halterneck serve up the right amount of quirk. Oh, how we j'adore her.

SO what do you do when the French Riviera is a-buzz with rumours that your ex (let's call him Leonardo DiCaprio) is cosying up to the leggiest 'It' girl of the moment (we'll call her Blake Lively)? You rock up to the hottest red carpet on the planet looking devestatingly hot then strut your stuff in a Roberto Cavalligown, of course! And that's exactly what Bar Refaeli did on Tuesday night for the erm, Beaver premiere (?). Don't look now, Blake.

Meanwhile, fellow model Milla Jovovich opted for retro cool rather than full-on glamour to great, understated effect. Her white and nude Prada gown is embellished with bugle beads, features a red trim and has a low slung belt. Totes amaze. And like Miss Stefani before her, Mila polished off the look with retro curls as well as a most-covetable Sergio Rossi shoulder bag.

More model behaviour arrived courtesy of Naomi Campbell in an Azzedine Alaia A/W'11 burgundy gown with a ruffled layered skirt and scalloped edges. LOVE. Need we say more?

Well, exactly. So tell us your thoughts please people, we're dying to bring in the verdict...

2G scam probe: Kanimozhi denied bail, arrested

2011-05-20T02:45:00.001-07:00

New Delhi: A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Friday denied bail pleas of DMK MP Kanimozhi and Kalaignar TV chief Sharad Kumar, named as co-conspirators in the 2G spectrum scam.

The court directed the CBI to take her and Kalaignar TV Managing Director Sharath Kumar into judicial custody. The Rajya Sabha MP will be taken to Tihar jail.

The CBI had named Kanimozhi, daughter of DMK chief M. Karunanidhi, and Sharad Kumar as co-conspirators in its April 25 supplementary charge sheet after it traced an illegal money trail of Rs.214 crore in the scam.

Kanimozhi, clad in an orange salwar-kurta, looked calm as she entered the Patiala House Court complex accompanied by her husband Aravindan.

Earlier in the day, when the special judge said the order would 'take some time and come after 1 p.m.', Kanimozhi and Kumar looked relieved.

The 2G spectrum scam relates to irregularities in the allocation of airwaves to telecom companies that caused huge losses to the exchequer.

DMK MP and former communications minister A. Raja is already in jail in connection with the case.

Present in the courtroom Friday were former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura, Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Balwa, Raja's aide R.K. Chandolia, Vinod Goenka of Swan Telecom and Sanjay Chandra of Unitech.

Two officials of ADAG, Gautam Doshi and Hari Nair, who were also named in the charge sheet, were present in the courtroom.

Cineyug Film's Karim Morani was not present as he got exemption from personal appearance due to his ill health, while Surendra Pipara of Reliance, who is in judicial custody, was not presented in the court as he is undergoing treatment for a heart problem at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

Kalaignar TV channel had earlier stated that the Rs.214 crore it got was a loan and paid back with interest.

Sex drive slow, only 3 pc people say they have sex daily: Poll

2011-05-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

According to a recent poll conducted by adult products company Adam and Eve, only three percent of the respondents said they had sex daily.

Nearly 20 percent admitted that they weren't sexually active.

Out of the 1,000 men and women surveyed, 5 percent admitted to never having had sex in their lives while, the majority of respondents (26 percent) said they have sex once or twice a week.

16 percent of the remaining participants said they had sex three to four times a week whereas, 15 percent admitted to having sex once or twice a month, reports the New York Daily News.

7 percent said they had sex every few months.

A mere 1 percent enjoyed sex more than once a day, reveals the poll. (ANI)

Dawood's brother Iqbal Kaskar shot at, escapes unhurt

2011-05-17T10:55:00.000-07:00

Click to Expand & Play

Mumbai: Iqbal Kaskar, brother of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, was today shot at in Mumbai.

Kaskar escaped unhurt but his bodyguard, Arif, was killed in the attack. His driver too was injured.

The incident took place near JJ Hospital in south Mumbai.

The Mumbai police have detained two people in connection with the incident.

"Two persons were caught by the locals while trying to flee from the spot and were handed over to the police", said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) Rajkumar Vatkar.

This is the second instance of an attempt on Kaskar's life, the first one being in 1986 where a rival gang was involved. The fresh attack is also believed to be the handiwork of a rival gang.

Kaskar is an accused in the Sara Sahara mall land-grabbing case. He, incidentally, is also Dawood's only sibling to be tried by an Indian court.

Schwarzenegger says he fathered a child with household staffer

2011-05-17T10:40:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles, May 17 (PTI) Former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has admitted to fathering a child a decade ago with a member of his household staff, causing his wife of 25 years, Maria Shriver, to leave him.

The 63-year-old action star''s confession lead to Shriver, 55, moving out of their Brenton mansion. The staff member worked for the family for 20 years and retired in January, reported Los Angeles Times.

"After leaving the governor''s office I told my wife about this event, which occurred over a decade ago," said Schwarzenegger on Monday in a statement.

"I understand and deserve the feelings of anger and disappointment among my friends and family. There are no excuses and I take full responsibility for the hurt I have caused. I have apologized to Maria, my children and my family. I am truly sorry.

"I ask that the media respect my wife and children through this extremely difficult time. While I deserve your attention and criticism, my family does not," he added.

To protect their privacy, the name of the former staff member and her child has not been revealed. In an interview prior to Schwarzenegger''s statement, the staffer had said that her then-husband was the child''s father.

She said she voluntarily left her position with the couple earlier this year after reaching a longstanding goal of working for them for two decades. "I wanted to achieve my 20 years, then I asked to retire," she said, adding she received a severance payment and "left on good terms with them."

Later Monday, the woman was informed of the Schwarzenegger''s statement but she declined to comment further.

The ''Terminator'' star took financial responsibility for the child from the beginning and continued to provide support, according to a source who declined to be identified because of the former governor''s request for privacy.

The former first couple of California announced their separation in a joint statement issued last week. There was no mention of a cause for the separation.

What's the future of Rajinikanth's Rana?

2011-05-17T10:32:00.000-07:00

Galatta – Mon, May 16, 2011 6:52 PM IST

For the third time in two months, Superstar Rajinikanth was admitted to hospital, this time to Sri Ramachandra Hospital inChennai on Saturday due to pneumonia, renal and gastro-intestinal problems. The 61 year old actor is currently being treated for recurrent respiratory infection and a stomach ailment.

Also read
Modi, Naidu call on Rajnikanth

Rajni was first taken to the hospital from the sets of his much awaited Rana when he complained of fatigue and vomiting on April 29. This was the first time in his career that he was hospitalized for a health condition on the sets. Rajni's ill health was a matter of great agony to his fans and Kollywood.

Now it would be interesting to know the fate of his much awaited film Rana, directed by K.S. Ravikumar. In this film, Rajni plays a triple role and Deepika Padukone is one of the female leads. It is said that in Rana, not a single frame can be shot without the Superstar.

So will Rana finally take off? Stay tuned we will keep you posted!

Sex, lies and the reckless choices of the powerful

2011-05-16T10:17:00.000-07:00

On Monday 16 May 2011, 7:51 AM

By Caren Bohan and Tabassum Zakaria

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sex and power are no strangers. History is littered with tales of the powerful and privileged felled by sex scandals.

But make no mistake. If IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn is found guilty as charged of attempting to rape a hotel maid in New York City, he would be in a league virtually of his own.

Few have been accused of a violent crime like Strauss-Kahn. The world financier and French presidential hopeful was charged on Sunday with criminal sexual act, unlawful imprisonment and attempted rape in New York City after a hotel maid said she was assaulted.

"Politics and power and sexual harassment certainly have a long history," said Michele Swers, associate professor of government at Georgetown University. "This being an attempted criminal rape is, I think, of an order of a different magnitude."

There is no shortage of powerful leaders who fell from grace for affairs, prostitutes and groping. Sexual indiscretions have weakened governments and buried political careers on both sides of the Atlantic, today and in ages past.

Among the most famous is the Profumo scandal in 1963 in which a British war secretary was forced to resign because he had an affair with a prostitute linked to a Russian spy.

The Strauss-Kahn case raises some of the same questions that surface in any scandal where politics and sex intersect. Did the accused abuse power to engage in high-risk behavior, and did power make him feel invincible, above the law?

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, ex-New York Governor Eliot Spitzer and 2012 presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich are just a few of the powerful who have faced that kind of scrutiny, although none had to answer to charges of violent crime.

"Power is an aphrodisiac, as is well known, and we know as well that power in one sense is often presumed to be power in another sense," said James Walston, professor of Italian politics at the American University of Rome.

"So a person who is head of the IMF might think he can get away with anything. Certainly Berlusconi appears to think that way."

Berlusconi, 74, a towering figure of Italy's center right, is facing four concurrent trials for corruption, tax fraud and, most sensationally, sex with an underage prostitute and then using his office to cover it up. The sex charge followed years of rumors of his sexual misbehavior.

Strauss-Kahn is no stranger to these questions. In 2008, he was investigated by the IMF over possible abuse of power over a brief affair with an economist at the Fund who was his subordinate. The affair was consensual and he was cleared, but he apologized publicly for "a serious error of judgment."

France, like Italy, traditionally is quite tolerant of extra-marital affairs, unlike the United States. The out-of-wedlock daughter of former President Francois Mitterand attended his funeral. This time though, French politicians and the public were shocked. The charges "struck like a thunderbolt," in the words of the leader of the Socialist Party to which Strauss-Kahn belonged.

Strauss-Kahn, 62, is due to appear in court later on Sunday and his wife, a successful French media personality, has said she has "no doubt his innocence will be re-established."

'EGOTISM, NARCISSISM'

It is rare for a politician to go to jail for a sex crime. Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav was sentenced in March to seven years in prison for rape when he was a Cabinet minister in the late 1990s. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it showed "no person is above the law."

One pattern psychologists detect in top politicians is a readiness to engage in an extreme amount of risk-taking, said Frank Farley, a psychologist at Temple University in Philadelphia, In the Strauss-Kahn case, if true, Farley said a crime would be "exceptionally risky."

"Risk-taking is one of the essential ingredients in highly successful or leading public figures and politicians," said Farley. "Strauss-Kahn (case) fits that bill."

Clinton also fits the profile. He came from modest means, faced many ups and downs in his political path to the presidency, only to risk all when he had an affair with intern Monica Lewinsky in the White House.

Adulation awarded to high-fliers can also contribute.

"You have people who are committed supporters around you and they don't want to see anything bad happen to you in terms of career, so there will always be people who are willing to then cover it up," said Swers.

John Edwards, a U.S. Democratic presidential candidate in 2004 and 2008, squandered his promising career by having an affair with a woman on his campaign, while his wife battled cancer. Elizabeth Edwards has since died.

Edwards blamed his meteoric rise in presidential politics and the fawning that came with it.

All that "fed a self-focus, an egotism, a narcissism that leads you to believe that you can do whatever you want. You're invincible. And there will be no consequences," Edwards told ABC News in 2008. He later admitted he had fathered the woman's child.

While a sense of strength and fearlessness and a near disregard of consequences can make for great, powerful leaders, the problems come when they do not acknowledge they are human, said Robert Weiss, founder and director of the Sexual Recovery Institute, which specializes in sexual addiction.

"If their narcissism or egotism isn't matched by a healthy dose of humility of what it means to be human ... and they run on their intellect and don't attend to their emotions on any level ... then they are bound for trouble," said Weiss.

(Additional reporting by James MacKenzie in Rome and Michele Gershberg in New York; Writing by Mary Milliken; Editing by Stella Dawson)

Prayer for Rajinikanth

2011-05-16T09:22:00.000-07:00

Dear Lord,

You know his sickness and the burden he carries. You also know his heart. Lord, I ask you to be with him now as you work in his life. Lord, let your will be done in his life. If there is a sin that needs to be confessed and forgiven, please help him to see his need and confess.

Lord, I pray for him just as your Word tells me to pray, for healing. I believe you hear this earnest prayer from my heart and that it is powerful because of your promise. I have faith in you, Lord, to heal him, but I also trust in the plan you have for his life.

Lord, I don't always understand your ways. I don't know why he has to suffer, but I trust you. I ask that you look with mercy and grace towards him. Nourish his spirit and soul in this time of suffering and comfort him with your presence.

Let him know you are there with him through this difficulty. Give him strength. And may you, through this difficulty, be glorified in his life.

Amen.

John Abraham, Tuticorin, Tamilnadu

Rajnikanth Health Status

2011-05-16T03:42:00.001-07:00

Rajinikanth went for a complete health check up at the Ramachandra Hospital in Chennai. Sources say that he consulted a specialist brought in from abroad and underwent a complete medical check up. Rajini has been admitted to the Ramachandra Hospital and will remain there until all the check up are done.
Later, Rajini is expected to take rest either at his farm house in Kelambakkam near Chennai or in Bangalore as the doctor has advised him complete rest before returning to work. Rajini's family wants him to rest at their farm house as they feel that his well wishers may throng their residence demanding to meet him, despite his ill health.

Demonstrating Your Home Theater System

2011-05-15T06:08:00.000-07:00

Peter Tribeman, President and CEO of Atlantic Technology and Outlaw Audio

Part I: How to impress your family and make your neighbors jealous.

After dreaming for years, you finally acquired that home theater you've always wanted. Guided by a little help from your not-so-subtle hints, Santa delivered to you a 60-inch plasma television, a Blu-ray player, a high-definition cable box (complete with a built-in digital video recorder), a speaker system, a killer sub, and a new, powerful 7.1-channel receiver. Admittedly, you bought some of them yourself, but it's the thought that counts, right?

A proper speaker setup.

Best of all, you received the blessing of your spouse to take over the basement. OK, so you had to agree to relegate the drill press and the radial saw to the garage. However, in exchange for that painful move, you are now the newly self-appointed CEO (Chief Entertainment Officer) of this veritable fortress of picture and sound.

But now, how do you challenge that new cineplex that just opened at the mall? More importantly, how do you convince your spouse that it was a great investment? And finally, how do you make your next-door neighbor (the one with the coffin-sized subwoofer that blurts out nothing but bloated, one-note bass) green with envy?

Well, in the pages to follow, I'm going to help you develop and present an incredible demo for your home theater. And, in the end, you'll have the admiration of your family and friends, not to mention a healthy new respect from your neighbor in all things home theater. Be prepared to become the local A/V guru.

The secrets revealed here were gathered by several of us who have worked in the home theater industry for the last two decades. We have learned that there are many rules to follow and, of course, some to be broken. Collectively, we have put together hundreds of home theater setups and conducted well over 2,000 demonstrations. Not only have we discovered what works, we've also found what totally misses the mark.

A good demonstration should leave the viewers smiling, laughing, crying, in awe, or just plain breathless from the full experience. For just a brief period of time, the best demos will take your audience to a different place, a place where they are not thinking about the system. They are totally immersed in what they see and hear. It's only then that a good demonstration has done its job.

We have all seen and heard otherwise good home theater demonstrations fail simply because of plain old poor setup. If it's too loud (that's right, not a misprint) or has too much bass or too much surround, the entire experience can be disappointing. The only thing your audience will be thinking is, "When will this be over?" So here, for your viewing and listening pleasure, is a crash course in home theater acoustics.

Peter Tribeman in full demo action.

The Rules of the Setup: Dead Is Better Than Live
Have you ever spoken on the phone with friends and it seems as if they're talking to you from a small gym? Chances are, they're speaking from a beautiful living room with hardwood floors, high ceilings, and large picture windows. While it looks great, it's a haven for reflected sounds. When you are visiting them in person, you find it difficult to understand a conversation in their living room unless you are only a few feet away from the person speaking. The sonic reflections from the walls, ceiling, floors, and windows mix with the voices and hamper intelligibility.

But if your friends decorated their living room with some draperies and rugs, all of a sudden, you would easily understand the conversation. The material would absorb some sound reflections, and you would be able to easily understand the conversation.

In the same way, a good home theater incorporates different sound-absorbing materials that kill some of the spurious reflections. It doesn't mean that you have to erect an anechoic chamber; too much absorption isn't optimal, either. But absorbing some of those nasty reflections will work miracles for intelligibility, especially in the center channel. Believe it or not, the key to having a really good home theater is a high degree of center-channel clarity. Just think of how many movies you've watched when you could not understand important parts of the dialogue. That alone can ruin an otherwise great movie.

How do you know if you need to damp out some of the reflections in your room? The answer is easy. Just clap your hands once and listen. If you can hear that sound gradually die away, or hear a quickly bunched set of little echoes, you have a problem. Add rugs, bookshelves (with books), small wall hangings, or tapestries until most of the reflections disappear. Find someone to stand where the center channel will be located and ask him or her to speak to you in a normal conversational voice. If you can understand every word, you are in pretty good shape.

Acoustic panels can be a lifesaver.

Getting Your Speaker Setup in the Right Shape

Left/Right Speakers: Sometimes Wide-Open Spaces Are Bad
Your front speakers should be wide enough apart to deliver a convincing soundstage for both music and movies. However, they should not be spread too far apart, or else an acoustic hole will develop in the middle when you play two-channel music. The best way to test this is to listen to vocals and music separately. The vocals should be perfectly centered between the left and right speakers. However, when listening to music, if the instruments don't create a convincing soundstage in front of you, that is a clue that you have them set too far apart. Move both speakers in until the stage melds seamlessly. If possible, and recommended by the speaker's manufacturer, you should toe in the left and right speakers a little toward the main listening position.

When it comes to sound, all really good movie theaters have something in common. You can understand the dialogue. It's the properly set-up center channel that allows you to understand the film. The center-channel speaker is the heart of your home theater universe. By some estimates, as much as 85 percent of the movie soundtrack resonates from that speaker.

You can place the center channel above or below the screen (ideally, so the tweeter is about the same height as in the left and right speakers). However, if that's not feasible, it is crucial that you tilt or aim the center-channel speaker toward the prime listening position. Little is worse than having the high frequencies fire at your ankles or over your head. It destroys the timbre and affects intelligibility. Some center-channel designs provide tilting mechanisms to properly aim the speaker. If your speaker lacks this provision, look around for one of your old VCR cassettes. With a little Scotch tape and ingenuity, they can serve as an improvised tilting platform. (Caveat: Make sure it's a videotape that you don't care about, because the magnets in the speaker could mangle what's on the tape. Also, if you have small children, large dogs, or live in earthquake country, be careful to secure the speaker properly.)

Subwoofers: Feeling the Lows
This is also known as the Goldilocks approach: not too much or too little woof. Adjusting the sub just right is a topic unto itself. That being said, here are a few things you can do to get reasonably close to just right in short order.

Audyssey MultEQ Setup System

Don't Double-Cross Yourself
All A/V receivers have subwoofer outputs that allow you to set the crossover for the woofer in the setup menu. This setting is very accurate. Once you have done that, try to avoid setting the crossover on the subwoofer itself to anything but Bypass. (The Bypass or LFE setting disables the crossover in the subwoofer so that only the receiver is filtering what goes to the sub.) If your subwoofer lacks a bypass switch or LFE input, then set the crossover control as high as it will go. We recommend this because almost all subwoofer crossover adjustments are coarse approximations, and, when you use both the filter in the receiver and on the subwoofer, the two settings battle each other, resulting in grossly uneven bass response.

The Old Subwoofer Switcharoo
In general, select a corner or a side wall and experiment with test tones and program material to ensure adequate low-frequency extension without one-note boom. Here is a tried-and-true shortcut for finding great placement for your subwoofer. Warning: Make sure that your significant other is either enthusiastic about the project or not present for this experiment. To start, place the subwoofer in your favorite chair or listening position. Now go to the wall, and while playing something with good bass, walk (or crawl) along the wall until the bass sounds really good. Lastly, swap positions with the subwoofer. Remove it from the chair, place it where you were standing, go back to the chair, and sit down. The laws of physics dictate that the woofer will now sound great from your listening position.

Getting Surrounded
When you visit a good theater, you'll notice that the surround speakers are placed on both sides of the venue. There might be a few speakers behind you, but the main surround arrays are out to your left and right. In your listening room, if at all possible, the surround speakers should also be to your left and right, preferably mounted slightly above your head (when seated). We prefer dipole speaker designs because of their diffuse soundfield and recommend this placement because it will reproduce the most convincing surround field. Many people place their surround speakers in the back of the room. Unless it is absolutely necessary, we do not recommend this placement because it could produce an acoustic hole out to your sides.

Adjusting Your System: Avoiding Messing Up All Your Hard Work
When you experience bad sound in a theater (or a home theater, for that matter), the mistakes are usually ones of excess—too much of something (or everything). An excessively loud subwoofer represents one common mistake. Everything seems punctuated with awhump—even dialogue. For some reason, theaters and/or consumers turn their subs up way too much. Why? Because they can. Another common mistake is enabling too much surround. This is a common mistake because many listeners believe that they have to hear the surround channels all the time—and at the same volume as the left, center, and right channels. Surround information should always be in the background (unless there is specific action on the screen that calls for more ambience or directional cues). You might hear rain in the jungle, traffic in the street, or wind in the desert, but nothing should distract you from the front three channels. Surrounds that are too loud will, among other things, swamp the center channel and make all of the dialogue difficult, if not impossible, to understand.

RadioShack Sound-Level Meter

Adjusting Your System

The Quick Way to Adjust Your System
Believe it or not, your ears are better adjustment tools than you ever imagined. Turn on the test tone in your receiver, and, as it circles the room, jumping from channel to channel, use the remote control to adjust the level until everything sounds about the same. Is this scientifically accurate? Absolutely not. However, it works as a reasonable estimate.

The Better Way to Adjust Your System
Buy the RadioShack analog sound-level meter. This product has been around for years, and every time RadioShack tries to replace it with their digital meter, we all kick and scream until they put it back into production. It has been discontinued at least six times in the last ten years, and they always bring it back.

Set the meter to Slow/C-Weighted and, from your seat, set all the channels until they read the same. Try pointing the business end of the meter at the ceiling and moving it back and forth slowly in front of you to obtain a spatially averaged reading. It is uncannily accurate, except in the bass. However, if you search the Internet, you will find easy-to-use charts that compensate for the bass error.

Maximizing Your Woofer Without Living in the Boom-Boom Room
We have already talked about too much woofer level. So how can you maximize low frequencies without becoming bass-centric? Here is a rule breaker. Be certain your system is otherwise configured correctly, then play your sys-

tem at normal level with a male voice (Harrison Ford's is ideal). Keep turning up the sub until you can just perceive the lower registers of his voice coming through the sub (where it does not belong). Now slowly back off the volume until his voice disappears from the sub. The sub level is now most likely at its highest usable setting, and everything in the soundtrack will be close to optimal with no perceived lower-midrange chestiness leaking from the subwoofer. While this is a handy trick with systems with a crossover frequency of roughly 100 hertz and below, it may not be as effective with HTIBs and other systems with truly tiny satellite speakers and higher crossover points.

Once you have calibrated the system, you are now ready to break the rules of your setup if you so choose. Here's an effect we enjoy, but you should experiment for yourself and see if you reach the same conclusion. If not, just reset your system to where you initially calibrated it. Our experimenting has convinced us that you can develop a great sense of acoustic space by adjusting two parameters. Turn down the calibrated center channel by as much as 2 decibels and turn up the surrounds by an equal amount. Bonus adjustment: If the center channel has a treble adjustment, or if the receiver has a dedicated tone control for the center channel only, turn it down very slightly. All of these rule-breaking adjustments tend to open up the room in a very subtle, though meaningful way. Your living room will sound a bit more expansive, yet the dialogue's intelligibility will be minimally affected.

Home Theater Speaker Shopping Advice

2011-05-15T04:26:00.000-07:00

Almost all home theater systems include the following speakers:

Front left and right speakers
Center channel speaker
Surround speakers
Subwoofer

These speakers work together to create the surround sound experience of a movie theater in your living room. While there are many brands and models that do a great job reproducing sound, you will want to be sure that the various speakers in your home theater system work well together as a cohesive unit. Check out what each speaker's job is, and some of the things to consider before buying.

Before you start, consider voice-matching. Voice-matching is key to effective home theater sound. If your speakers do not produce a similar tonal quality and share the same harmonic characteristics, the sound will be disjointed when it travels from speaker to speaker. With voice-matched speakers, the sound moves effortlessly around you, creating a seamless surround effect. The best way to ensure voice-matched speakers is to choose speakers from the same "family" of speakers, by the same brand. If you'd like to add center and surround speakers to an existing pair of stereo speakers, and you don't think that series is in production anymore, call Crutchfield or the manufacturer to see whether speakers from a newer series would be tonally similar.

Finally, a note on placement: where you plan to position each speaker in your room might affect the size or type of speaker you choose. You can learn about the basics in our video on speaker placement, or find more detailed guidelines in our speaker placement article.

Front left and right speakers

There's a wide range of speakers to fit
just about any room, including floor-standing
speakers (left), bookshelf speakers (center),
and satellite speakers (right).

Speaker type. Floor-standing speakers, bookshelf speakers, and satellite speakers all work fine as front left and right speakers. Floor-standing tower speakershave the most impact and provide great low-frequency response, but they also take up more space. Bookshelf speakers don't reproduce as much bass, but they're more space-efficient and still sound great. Compact wall-mountable satellite speakers must be teamed with a subwoofer, but they're ideal if you want big sound from a small package. Bookshelf and satellite speakers can be placed on shelves or tables, and they can often be mounted on stands or walls.
Voice-matching. Make sure your front left and right speakers are voice-matched to the rest of your speakers, especially your center channel speaker.
Video-shielding. Tube TVs are sensitive to having speakers placed near them. Make sure your front left and right speakers are video-shielded so they won't adversely affect your TV.

Center channel speaker

The center channel speaker delivers
more than half of the soundtrack,
including almost all of the dialogue.
(Klipsch RC-62)

Placement. The center speaker typically sits on or just below your TV, so make sure your center channel is an appropriate size for the intended placement. If you have a wall-mounted flat-panel TV, and you won't have a stand on which to place your center channel speaker, you may want to consider a wall-mountable center channel speaker, or an in-wall speaker. It's very important that your center be located directly above or below your screen, since placing it somewhere off to the side can noticeably disrupt the surround sound experience.
Speaker size. Like the front speakers, center channel speakers are available in a variety of sizes. You should consider the other speakers in your system as well as the size of your television set when making a decision. Subwoofer/satellite systems usually use smaller center channel speakers, and these interact just fine with the smaller mains and surrounds. Tower speakers require a larger center channel model to maintain a seamless surround effect.
Voice-matching. When selecting a center channel speaker, it's vital that you settle on one that is voice-matched to your front left and right speakers. Most manufacturers offer center channel speakers that are designed to blend perfectly with their other products.
Video-shielding. Virtually every center channel speaker is shielded, but if you're planning to use a speaker that wasn't designed as a center channel in that spot, make sure it's video-shielded.

Surround speakers

Surround speakers produce
exciting, enveloping directional
effects. (Klipsch RS-52)

Surround speakers produce atmospheric, ambient sounds -- such as rain drops, the rustling of leaves, or footsteps crunching on gravel. They also work with your other speakers to deliver spectacular directional effects, like a locomotive rushing by, or a bullet zinging past. They help put you smack dab in the center of the action.

Although a 5.1-channel surround system, with only one pair of surround speakers, is the most common setup, most newer home theater receivers can power more than a single pair of surround speakers -- and there are surround formats to match. Today, many people buy one or two additional speakers to use as "back surrounds" in a 6.1- or 7.1-channel system.

What to look for:

Speaker type. Ideally, your surround speakers should have the same performance capability as your front left and right speakers, but that's not always realistic when you consider room size and space. Most people use either bookshelf or satellite speakers (when the system also has a subwoofer) for their surrounds. Both bookshelf and satellite speakers may require stand placement or wall mounting.
Dipole/bipole capability. Some higher-end surround speakers offer a dipole/bipole switch (sometimes referred to as a "Solid/Diffuse" switch). These speakers feature two high-frequency drivers that either fire in phase (bipole) or out of phase (dipole). Dipole/bipole speakers take advantage of reflected sound to create a wide soundfield, and they provide greater speaker placement flexibility.
Placement. Correct surround speaker placement results in a very realistic three-dimensional soundfield; incorrect surround speaker placement can leave people asking, "Are our surrounds even on?" Check ourspeaker placement guide and consider where you'll put your surrounds and whether they'll need to be stand-mounted, wall-mounted, or even in-wall or in-ceiling models.
Voice-matching. Again, for the most realistic listening experience, it helps if your surround speakers are from the same "family" or series as your main and center channel speakers, and have similar tonal characteristics.

Powered subwoofer

A subwoofer is essential for deep,
rumbling lows. (Polk Audio PSW111)

Power. If you have a large room (or if you just crave serious bass impact) then you should look for a sub with more watts in the built-in amplifier. Plus, as a general rule, the larger the driver, the deeper the bass -- so go for a sub with a big 10" or 12" woofer cone (or a multi-woofer sub) for extra bass response.
Placement. Low-frequency sound waves are omni-directional, so you have a great deal of flexibility when it comes to subwoofer placement. If you have a spot in your room picked out, consider the dimensions of the sub's cabinet to make sure it will fit. And remember that placing your sub near a wall, or, even better, in a corner, can increase bass impact noticeably.
Video-shielding. If you are planning to place your subwoofer anywhere near a tube TV, be certain to get a video-shielded sub.

7.1-Channel Surround Sound Considerations

2011-05-15T03:29:00.000-07:00

Almost everyone loves surround sound, (except for an eccentric actor whom I know who actually prefers mono!) and what's not to love? Our ears are on each side of our head, canted forward, but we hear sounds from every direction with almost equal precision. For that reason multi-channel sound reproduction is intrinsically more realistic and believable. But how many surround speakers are required to present a plausible illusion of the real thing?

While Dolby Digital 5.1 (six channels total, including the subwoofer and two discrete surround channels) is the current standard for the digital audio component of digital TV and HDTV and has been the reigning surround format for more than ten years, there are increasing numbers of movies available that utilize the "extra" two back surround channels that define 7.1-channel surround sound.

For newcomers, "Dolby Digital 5.1" consists of three main front channels (Left, Center and Right), the center used to anchor movie dialog and/or vocalists; two surround channels (Left Side, Right Side) and one dedicated Low Frequency Effects (LFE) channel, more commonly known as the subwoofer channel, intended to handle deep bass effects below 100 Hz, hence the ".1" designation of 5.1.

So how is it there are now two additional channels (Left Rear, Right Rear) offered on virtually every current surround-sound receiver?

The short answer is realism: dating back to early experiments in the 1930s by Bell Lab engineers in New Jersey, the more channels of discrete separate channels of sound used to record and reproduce music and sound effects, the greater the realism of the auditory experience. All Bell Labs could manage back then was three channels at the front, but even so engineers and listeners considered three channels "essential" to convey the realism of a live broadcast of the Philadelphia Orchestra piped via three telephone lines to an auditorium a few miles away.

Leap forward 80 years, and digital recording technology makes it comparatively easy to add extra surround channels to the existing Dolby Digital 5.1-channel broadcast standard. The introduction of Blu-ray High-Definition disc technology with its huge storage capacity enables discrete channels of sound moving to 7.1 and even greater numbers. Tomlinson Holman, one of the early pioneers with George Lucas of THX sound systems in cinemas demonstrated a 10.2-channel system that I heard a number of years ago at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and he continues efforts to popularize that system. Even Dolby Lab's latest "lossy" algorithm, Dolby Digital Plus, enables up to 13 discrete channels of sound. The more popular "lossless" Dolby TruHD and dts HD Master Audio systems contained on many Blu-ray discs permit 8 channels of sound with no sonic compromises.

All About Immersion
What are the benefits of adding the two extra rear surround channels to achieve 7.1, and what circumstances would justify the upgrade? The benefits are greater surround envelopment, depth, and "immersion" in the surround effects field, both for movie effects and for musical ambience, plus much improved surround coverage for various listeners seated throughout the room.

One requirement for 7.1-channel surround is sufficient space behind your couch and listening area -- at least 5 feet or more. If your couch is jammed up against the rear wall or you have a comparatively small room of less than about 2,100 cu. ft. (length x width x height), the addition of two rear surround speakers will not likely add significant improvements in envelopment, especially if you are already using Axiom's QS8 or QS4 "multi-polar" surround speakers. However, if you have the space behind the listening area to play with, and/or your room is medium to large sized (especially so-called great rooms and family rooms), four surround speakers will deliver noticeably improved surround envelopment and coverage for all viewers in different seating locations.

While the great bulk of movie soundtracks (including all SACD and DVD-Audio music discs) are mixed in 5.1 channels, there are increasing numbers of movies (the Harry Potter movies and other movie "spectaculars") mixed in 6.1 and 7.1 channels, including a surprising number of games. But the real justification for upgrading to 7.1 is the sophistication of smart decoding algorithms from Dolby Labs, dts, and Logic7 (the latter exclusive to Harman-owned companies).

Among its many virtues, Dolby Pro Logic IIx (DPLIIx) as well as earlier versions has the ability to extract or interpolate extra surround data from a standard 5.1-channel mix or even from stereo sources, and re-direct that information to both side and rear surround channels, all of which will increase the sense of depth and precision of the surround experience. (Don't confuse this process with the "seven-channel stereo" option offered on many AV surround receivers. While pleasant, it only parcels out two-channel stereo among all the speakers in a system.)

Reasons to Believe
No matter how you look at it, there are persuasive reasons to consider upgrading to 7.1 channels with its four surround speakers. Incidentally, there is nothing fake or phony about electronically extracting surround data from existing 5.1 or even 2-channel stereo soundtracks. Just two microphones in a conventional stereo purist recording will pick up all kinds of out-of-phase information, which commonly characterizes ambient surround data, so re-directing those sounds to the sides and rear is really just placing them where they would occur in a dedicated elaborate multi-microphone recording array.

On the road to 7.1 channels, both Dolby Labs and dts previously introduced extended surround formats that use 6.1 channels (a single rear center speaker is utilized besides the left side and right side surrounds), namely Dolby Surround EX 6.1 and DTS-ES 6.1, respectively. The presence of these formats on some DVDs needn't confuse you (you may even have a 6.1-channel setup already) because both Dolby and DTS processors (and Logic7) will redistribute the surround information to a 7.1-channel setup so long as your AV receiver contains the necessary seven amplifier channels.

Type of Surround Speaker
Finally, the still-debated (except by owners of Axiom multi-polar QS8 surrounds) subject of what type of surround speaker is required for the extra Left and Right rear surround channels continues to surface, in part because of some control-room monitoring setups for SACD and DVD-Audio recordings, where conventional forward-firing surround speakers were used in the back channels. While there are still some who recommend forward-firing speakers for the back surrounds, I'd point out that the original development of dipole, bipole and multi-polar surrounds was to increase diffusion and envelopment in the surround field to simulate the presence of 8 or 10 surround speakers in a large cinema. As such, the Axiom QS8 (or QS4), with its top and bottom-firing woofers and angled dual tweeters comes as close to the ideal for both ambient sound field generation without giving up the specific directional cues sometimes found in movie soundtracks and multi-channel music recordings.

Surround Sound Systems Recommended by CEA

2011-05-15T03:24:00.000-07:00

According to research by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), a majority of U.S. households own at least one high-definition television. But HDTV is not complete without audio equipment that takes full advantage of digital surround sound.

The Consumer Electronics Association recommends the following to enhance your experience:

Sharp HT-SB300 2.1 Sound Bar Audio System with Digital Decoding
The Sharp Sound Bar features 32 watts of total output power and 2.1ch front surround system with main driver plus subwoofer in one unit. MSRP: $299.99

JVC TH-BA1 Sound Bar System
The TH-BA1, a sound bar system that features a low-profile 4.1 channel front surround sound bar and wireless subwoofer, combines sleek design and simple setup with performance that delivers convincing surround sound. MSRP: $399.95

Polk Audio Surround Bar SDA Instant Home Theater
Compact, integrated speakers perfectly matched for flat TVs. Includes an innovative wireless subwoofer and six drivers to provide a broad, accurate sound field. MSRP: $499

Triad Speakers' OnWall Mini 3.0 LCR Loudspeaker System
Integrates three Mini LCR loudspeakers into one high-performance front channel speaker solution, for on-wall use with 42-inch flat panel video display. MSRP: $1,500

Panasonic SC-BTX70
This slim bookshelf system pumps out awesome virtual 7.1 channel sound. Using only front speakers and a subwoofer, it provides a realistic surround sound. Includes a sliding door that plays Blu-ray discs and iPod music and video. MSRP: $999

Philips HTS5100
Combines the best in Blu-ray technology with surround sound. The HTS 5100B brings cinema quality sound and picture directly to the living room. Includes full HD picture quality and features Deep Color Technology, which eliminates on-screen color banding. MSRP: $549

Yamaha RX-V765 AV Receiver
Delivers HD video and audio performances along with exceptional versatility at a popular price point, enabling music and movie enthusiasts to fully enjoy their Blu-ray players, broadcast HD services and gaming consoles with comprehensive feature sets. MSRP: $649.95

IMF chief apprehended at airport, accused of sexually assaulting hotel maid

2011-05-15T02:54:00.000-07:00

Al Baker and Steven Erlanger, The New York Times, Updated: May 15, 2011 13:50 IST

Click to Expand & Play

New York: The managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, was taken off an Air France plane at Kennedy International Airport minutes before it was to depart for Paris on Saturday, in connection with the sexual attack of a maid at a Midtown Manhattan hotel, the authorities said.

Mr. Strauss-Kahn, 62, who was widely expected to become the Socialist candidate for the French presidency, was apprehended by detectives of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in the first-class section of the jetliner, and immediately turned over to detectives from the Midtown South Precinct, officials said.

The New York Police Department arrested Mr. Strauss-Kahn at 2:15 a.m. Sunday "on charges of criminal sexual act, attempted rape, and an unlawful imprisonment in connection with a sexual assault on a 32-year chambermaid in the luxury suite of a Midtown Manhattan hotel yesterday" about 1 p.m., Deputy Commissioner Paul J. Browne, the department's chief spokesman, said.

Reached by telephone, Benjamin Brafman, a lawyer, said he would be representing Mr. Strauss-Kahn with William Taylor, a lawyer in Washington.

We have not yet been able to meet with our client and we may have more to say tomorrow," said Mr. Brafman, who said he had been contacted late Saturday night. He said Mr. Strauss-Kahn was being housed at the police department's Special Victims Unit.

Early Sunday morning, Reuters reported that Mr. Brafman said in an e-mail that his client "will plead not guilty."

Mr. Strauss-Kahn, a former French finance minister, had been expected to declare his candidacy soon, after three and a half years as the leader of the fund, which is based in Washington. He was considered by many to have done a good job in a period of intense global economic strain, when the bank itself had become vital to the smooth running of the world and the European economy.

His apprehension came at about 4:40 p.m., when two detectives of the Port Authority suddenly boarded Air France Flight 23, as the plane idled at the departure gate, said John P. L. Kelly, a spokesman for the agency.

"It was 10 minutes before its scheduled departure," Mr. Kelly said. "They were just about to close the doors."

Mr. Kelly said that Mr. Strauss-Kahn was traveling alone and that he was not handcuffed during the apprehension.

"He complied with the detectives' directions," Mr. Kelly said.

The Port Authority officers were acting on information from the Police Department, whose detectives had been investigating the assault of a female employee of Sofitel New York, at 45 West 44th Street, near Times Square. Working quickly, the city detectives learned he had boarded a flight at Kennedy Airport to leave the country.

Though Mr. Strauss-Kahn received generally high marks for his stewardship of the bank, his reputation was tarnished in 2008 by an affair with a Hungarian economist who was a subordinate there. The fund decided to stand by him despite concluding that he had shown poor judgment in the affair. Mr. Strauss-Kahn issued an apology to employees at the bank and his wife, Anne Sinclair, an American-born French journalist.

In his statement then, Mr. Strauss-Kahn said, "I am grateful that the board has confirmed that there was no abuse of authority on my part, but I accept that this incident represents a serious error of judgment." The economist, Piroska Nagy, left the fund as part of a buyout of nearly 600 employees instituted by Mr. Strauss-Kahn to cut costs.

In the New York case, Mr. Browne said that it was about 1 p.m. on Saturday when the maid, a 32-year-old woman, entered Mr. Strauss-Kahn's suite -- Room 2806 -- believing it was unoccupied. Mr. Browne said that the suite, which cost $3,000 a night, had a foyer, a conference room, a living room and a bedroom, and that Mr. Strauss-Khan had checked in on Friday.

As she was in the foyer, "he came out of the bathroom, fully naked, and attempted to sexually assault her," Mr. Browne said, adding, "He grabs her, according to her account, and pulls her into the bedroom and onto the bed." He locked the door to the suite, Mr. Browne said.

"She fights him off, and he then drags her down the hallway to the bathroom, where he sexually assaults her a second time," Mr. Browne added.

At some point during the assault, the woman broke free, Mr. Browne said, and "she fled, reported it to other hotel personnel, who called 911." He added, "When the police arrived, he was not there." Mr. Browne said Mr. Strauss-Kahn appeared to have left in a hurry. In the room, investigators found his cellphone, which he had left behind, and one law enforcement official said that the investigation uncovered forensic evidence that would contain DNA.

Mr. Browne added, "We learned that he was on an Air France plane," and the plane was held at the gate, where Mr. Strauss-Kahn was taken into custody. Later Saturday night, Mr. Browne said Mr. Strauss-Kahn was in a police holding cell.

Mr. Browne said the city's Emergency Medical Service took the maid to Roosevelt Hospital for what Mr. Browne described as treatment for "minor injuries."

No matter the outcome of Saturday's episode, it will most likely throw the French political world into turmoil and the Socialist Party into an embarrassed confusion.

Mr. Strauss-Kahn, a leading member of the party, has been considered the front-runner for the next presidential election in France in May 2012. Opinion polls have shown him to be the Socialists' most popular candidate and running well ahead of the incumbent, Nicolas Sarkozy, who leads the center-right party.

France has been waiting for Mr. Strauss-Kahn to decide whether to run for his party's nomination in a series of primaries, which would mean giving up his post at the fund.

The view in France was that if Mr. Strauss-Kahn wanted to run, he would have to make his intentions clear early this summer, and most politicians and analysts have been predicting that he would not be able to resist the chance to run the country.

Mr. Strauss-Kahn contested for the nomination five years ago, losing to Ségolène Royal, who ultimately lost a second-round runoff to Mr. Sarkozy. Mr. Sarkozy then arranged for Mr. Strauss-Kahn to get the I.M.F. job, partly to remove a popular rival from France's political landscape.

Mr. Strauss-Kahn was the French minister of economy under the Socialist prime minister Lionel Jospin, from 1997 to 1999, and he has also been a professor of economics at the Paris Institute of Political Studies.

In 1995, he was elected mayor of Sarcelles, a poor suburb of Paris, and married Ms. Sinclair.

The couple are known to enjoy the finer things in life, and Mr. Strauss-Kahn has sometimes been attacked for being a "caviar leftist."

Recently Mr. Strauss-Kahn and his wife were photographed entering an expensive Porsche in Paris belonging to one of their friends. The image of a Socialist with Porsche tastes was quickly picked up by the news media, especially the newspapers that generally support Mr. Sarkozy.

Manchester United Wins Record 19th English Title

2011-05-14T10:18:00.000-07:00

Manchester United became the champions of England for a record 19th time when a Wayne Rooney penalty kick earned it a 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, and the point United needed to win Premier League Title.

It was a nervous afternoon for United after it fell behind when Brett Emerton scored for Blackburn after 20 minutes. Rooney equalized for United with a penalty kick in 73rd minute.

The penalty was awarded when Referee Phil Dowd consulted with a linesman after Blackburn keeper Paul Robinson appeared to collide with Javier Hernández.

After lively arguments from both sides, Rooney sent Robinson the wrong way from the spot, for his 15th league goal of the season.

The win sealed United’s 12th title since the Premier League began in 1992-93 and the 19th over all, surpassing the record it had shared with Liverpool for the last two seasons. United had won consecutive Premier League titles from 2006-7 through 2008-9 before Chelsea won last season.

For the first time since 1951, top division games were played on the same day as the F.A. Cup final. Although three teams threatened with relegation — Blackpool, Blackburn Rovers and Wolverhampton Wanderers — were in action, the results proved inconclusive.

Blackpool won, 4-3, against Bolton Wanderers but remained in the bottom three as Wolves won, 3-1, at Sunderland.Blackburn’s draw with United kept it one point above the drop zone, while in the other match West Bromwich Albion beat Everton, 1-0.

FIFA OFFICIALS PLANS LAWSUIT The embattled FIFA executive committee member Worawi Makudi of Thailand is planning to take legal action against the former English F.A. chairman David Triesman after being implicated in a bribery scandal.

Worawi said Triesman’s allegations, made in Britain’s parliament on Tuesday, that he had demanded television rights for a proposed friendly between England and Thailand in return for his 2018 World Cup vote had tarnished his reputation.

“The claims Triesman made are groundless and I am putting together a legal team to fight these charges,” he said Saturday. “I have a very strong case and I will present evidence to prove these allegations are not true. I don’t know why they were made.”

AFRICAN CLUBS FINED Egypt’s Al Ahly and Tunisia’s Club Africain have been fined and ordered to play games behind closed doors as a result of fan violence last weekend.

The African confederation’s disciplinary committee, meeting in Cairo, ordered Al Ahly to play its opening African Champions League group stage game in an empty stadium after a player was hit by a flare in its last cup game.

Club Africain, eliminated in the last round, will have to play its next two home matches in the continental competition without spectators as punishment for fans’ efforts to attack a referee.

Violence at matches across North Africa has increased significantly since the political unrest in the region began. Last weekend, Tunisian authorities ordered all Ligue 1 games played behind closed doors.

Games in Algeria’s top flight have also been closed to spectators, while rioting at leagues in Egypt and Morocco has led to threats the season could be prematurely halted if the violence continues.

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