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Thursday, March 1, 2012

Microsoft unveils Windows 8 for consumer testing


Microsoft on Wednesday let consumers start trying out its upcoming touch-based Windows 8 operating system, which aims to power a new wave of computer tablets and traditional PCs designed to counter Apple s big gains in the market through its Macs and iPads. The test "beta" version of the revamped system was introduced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the planet s largest cell phone trade show, and borrows some of the look of Microsoft s Windows Phone 7 software for Windows 8. Windows 8 doesn t have the traditional "Start" menu, and applications are spread across a mosaic of tiles in a design Microsoft calls "Metro" seen as an attempt by the company as a scramble to preserve its market share. And executives said it powers up on PCs in eight seconds, much faster than the previous version. Microsoft shares dipped 13 cents to close at $31.74 Wednesday after the new operating system was introduced. The stock has been hovering around its highest levels since April 2008. Windows 8 is radically different from its predecessors, with its tiles that provide a glimpse at the activity occurring in applications connected to the Web, such as email. The system also is expected to enable users to easily back up their pictures, movies, music and other files on a Microsoft storage service called SkyDrive, which will compete against Apple s iCloud. Windows 8 could inspire more PC makers to design machines that combine the convenience of tablets with the utility of a notebook computer. These devices would be similar to the so-called "ultrabook" computers that offer a Windows-based version of Apple s lightweight MacBook Air machines. Once Windows 8 is available, the ultrabook line could be expanded to include machines equipped with a screen that swivels off the keyboard to take advantage of the system s touch controls and provide a tablet-like experience.

Iraq violence between 2004 and 2011


The Iraqi government said on Wednesday that 69,263 people had been killed in violence between 2004 and 2011 -- significantly less than figures from other sources, including one of its own ministries. "Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh announced that the number of victims... from April 5, 2004 to December 31, 2011 reached 69,263 martyrs and 239,133 wounded," the statement said. "These figures represent the total number of victims who fell as a result of terrorist attacks and violence and military operations," the statement said. The figures come from the health ministry and national security council, it added. The deadliest year was 2006, when 21,539 people were killed and 39,329 wounded, as Iraq was engulfed in bloody sectarian conflict, while in 2011, 2,777 people were killed, the statement said. Baghdad saw the highest number of people killed between 2004 and 2011 at 23,898, while Muthanna province in the south saw the lowest at 94, it said. The numbers are significantly lower than previous figures that cover a shorter time span, including figures from Iraq s own human rights ministry. The human rights ministry said in an October 2009 report that 85,694 people were killed between 2004 and 2008. And the US military s Central Command posted figures on its website in July 2010 that indicated that 76,939 Iraqis, including security forces members, had been killed from January 2004 to August 2008. Independent British website www.iraqbodycount.org says that at least 114,584 civilians were killed in violence in Iraq from the US-led invasion of 2003 through December 30, 2011.

Egyptian claims mistaken identity in al-Qaida case


The Egyptian man whose name was listed by the FBI as an alias for a senior al-Qaida figure was arrested Wednesday when he flew to Cairo from Pakistan. He denied any link to the terrorist network and said it was a case of mistaken identity, a claim backed up by two U.S. officials. Mohammed Ibrahim Makkawi was arrested on his arrival at the airport was taken for questioning, security and airport officials said. His name appears on the FBI list of most wanted terrorists as an alias for the senior al-Qaida figure known as Saif al-Adel. The wanted man is an Egyptian who has been indicted by the United States for an alleged role in the Aug. 7, 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya that killed 224 people. He also was linked to the 2002 killing of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. Two U.S. officials also said the arrested man appears to have been mistaken for the al-Qaida operative. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence information that has not been publicly released. The FBI said it was still sorting out details of the case. "We are aware that an individual has been taken into custody and every effort is being made by the U.S. government to verify the identity of the person in custody," said William Carter, a spokesman at FBI headquarters. He declined to comment further. Saif al-Adel is an al-Qaida veteran, believed to have been the head of its military committee. After the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks, he fled to Iran. He was reportedly held under house arrest there, though it is believed he continued to be active and in recent years he was reportedly allowed to make trips to Pakistan. Former militants who know both men have previously said they are two different people and the FBI incorrectly mixed them up.

UK restricts settlement visas for foreign workers


Britain's government says migrant workers will in the future need to earn at least 35,000 pounds ($56,000) to qualify for a visa permitting them to settle in the U.K. Immigration Minister Damian Green announced Wednesday the change in migration rules, aimed at cutting the number of foreign workers and their dependents granted settlement each year from 60,000 to 20,000. Currently, no limit on earnings is imposed. Britain has also imposed tougher limits on the number of non-Europeans allowed to work in the U.K. and slashed visas for overseas students. It is attempting to cut net annual immigration, which includes students and the families of visa holders, to below 100,000 by 2015. Figures published last week showed net migration was 250,000 in the year to June.