Non-Latin Web Addresses Go Live

More than half the internet users around the world don't use a Latin-based script as their native language. Now, web addresses in some other scripts will go live. Here is a BBC.com article on the subject.:

'Historic' day as first non-latin web addresses go live
Arab nations are leading a "historic" charge to make the world wide web live up to its name.

Net regulator Icann has switched on a system that allows full web addresses to contain no Latin characters.

Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are the first countries to have so-called "country codes" written in Arabic scripts. The move is the first step to allow web addresses in many scripts including Chinese, Thai and Tamil.

More than 20 countries have requested approval for international domains from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann).

It said the new domains were "available for use now" although it admitted there was still some work to do before they worked correctly for everyone. However, it said these were "mostly formalities".

Icann president Rod Beckstrom described the change as "historic".
The introduction of the first web names using so-called country code top-level domains (CCTLDs) is the culmination of several years of work by the organisation.

Previously, websites could use some non-Latin letters, but the country codes such as .eg for Egypt had to be written in Latin script.

The three new suffixes will allow web addresses to be completely written in native characters.

"All three are Arabic script domains, and will enable domain names written fully right-to-left," said Kim Davies of Icann in a blog post.

One of the first websites with a full Arabic address is the Egyptian Ministry of Communications.

Some countries, such as China and Thailand, had already introduced workarounds that allow computer users to enter web addresses in their own language.

However, these were not internationally approved and do not necessarily work on all computers.

Icann warned that the internationalised domain names (IDNs), as they are known, would also not work on all PCs immediately.

"You may see a mangled string of letters and numbers, and perhaps some percent signs or a couple of "xn--"s mixed into the address bar," said Mr Davies. "Or it may not work at all."

Previously, Icann has said that people would have to update the software on their computers to view the domains.

"Computers never come with the complete set of fonts that will allow it to show every possible IDN in the world.

"Often this is fixed by downloading additional language packs for the missing languages, or specifically finding and installing fonts that support the wanted languages."

Global access

When Icann first announced its plans for non-Latin web names it said it was the "biggest change" to the net "since it was invented 40 years ago".
"Over half the internet users around the world don't use a Latin-based script as their native language," said Mr Beckstrom at the time.

"IDNs are about making the internet more global and accessible for everyone."
Icann said it had received 21 requests for IDNs in 11 different languages, including Chinese, Russian, Tamil and Thai.

Website owners in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will now be able to apply for web addresses using the new country codes.

The first country codes:
• Egypt: مصر
• Saudi Arabia: السعودية
• United Arab Emirates: امارات
Source: Icann

see article here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/10

An English person's advice on how to be effective in business with Americans

The U.S.A. (America) offers business the world's largest commercial market. British Cathy Wellingshas some advice for those who wish to dip their toe in the economy “across thepond”.

It has been said that Britain and the USA are two countries
separated by the same language. Many assume that the Brits
and Americans are similar due to their colonial ties and 'special
relationship' but actually they are often more than just an
ocean apart. Since independence in 1776, the United States
has developed its own identity and ways of doing things.
Compared to the Brits, Americans have a more direct and open
communication style and attitudes which impact on the way
they do business.

Americans tend to be very easy to deal with due to their open
nature. They have a very strong work ethic and are not afraid
of taking risks to improve the success of their business. Success is often measured in terms of profit,so when conducting business, they will tend to prioritize tasks over relationships.

Just as former US president Calvin Coolidge once stated: "the business of America is business".

As the world's largest economy, America's influence on business culture is unmistakable and there are boundless opportunities for others to achieve their very own 'American dream'. In order to do so, one must first have an understanding of this young, diverse culture as well as knowledge of American
business etiquette.

The following tips will help ensure that you maximise your opportunities for doing business in the United States:

● Be punctual. Arriving late to appointments is considered disrespectful
● Meet deadlines. In the United States, 'time is money' and Americans place great emphasis on gettingthe best results in the quickest time
● Be polite. Politeness is highly valued in the USA and Americans will expect you to match their level of politeness
● Participate in small talk. Americans like to create a comfortable environment before conducting business by chatting for a few minutes
● Always remember to shake hands. It is customary to begin and end business meetings with a brief but firm handshake
● Remember to minimize physical contact. Americans respect other people's space and privacy and are very protective of their own 'personal bubble'
● Address colleagues with their appropriate title at first, but don't be surprised if you are invited to call someone by their first name soon after meeting
● Don't be offended if your American colleague seems frank. Americans like to get down to business and don't like to 'beat about the bush' when it comes to negotiating. They are often blunt which can be perceived as rudeness by certain cultures

Cathy Wellings is the culture and communication manager at Communicaid. She oversees the design and delivery of more than 500 programs in over 30countries every year. She has lived and worked in France and Spain as well as the UK, training professionals in culture and communication skills.

Syria Implements a Ban on Smoking

Syria Smoking Ban

The BBC reports: Syria has become the first Arab state to implement a ban on smoking in public places, such as restaurants and cafes.

The decree also outlaws smoking in educational institutions, health centres, sports halls, cinemas and theatres and on public transport.
Workers must not smoke during meetings and businesses need to provide well-ventilated areas for smokers.

The restrictions include the nargile, or hubble-bubble pipe, which is popular among locals and tourists.

The decree was signed last November by President Bashar al-Assad, a qualified medical doctor.

According to the official news agency SANA, fines for violating the ban range from 500 to 100,000 Syrian pounds (US$11 to $2,169).

The BBC's Lina Sinjab in Damascus says the ban has upset many in a country heavily addicted to nicotine.

In one of the city's traditional cafes, Cafe Rawda, on the first day of the new rules, the inside area was deserted but the outdoor terrace was busy with customers smoking shisha pipes, she reports.


Cafe owner Ismat Kosoros said he feared the ban would take a heavy toll on business.

"There are customers who have been coming here for forty years. And in hot summers, it is hard to have people sitting in courtyard, they need an air-conditioned area," he said.

But there are members of the younger generation who welcome the decision as good for public health - even if they still smoke themselves - our correspondent reports.

The Syrian government has passed several laws restricting smoking in the last two decades.

A decree in 1996 banned tobacco advertising while a 2006 law outlawed smoking on public transport and in some public places, introducing fines for offenders. Under-18s are not allowed to buy tobacco.

The World Health Organization is unable to provide details on tobacco consumption in Syria, but levels of smoking in public is high across the Arab world, especially among men.

Last year Iraq's cabinet agreed a draft law outlining similar measures, causing uproar amongst smokers.

Facts About African Beliefs From New Pew Research Center Study

Ten things we have learnt about Africa

The Pew Research Center has just released one of the biggest ever studies on attitudes to religion and morality in Africa, which has revealed a host of interesting facts.

Here are 10 things we have learnt from the study, which surveyed 25,000 people in 19 countries.

1. 75% of South Africans think polygamy is "morally wrong" - bad news for their president, as Jacob Zuma took his third wife earlier this year and is engaged to a fourth. However, the survey also revealed some possible double-standards. While only 7% of Rwandans approved of polygamy (although this did include women), a rather higher number - 17% - of men said they had more than one wife.

2. An overwhelming majority of respondents disapproved of homosexual behavior. In three countries - Zambia, Kenya and Cameroon - this was a massive 98%. Interestingly, one of the countries with the highest numbers of people - 11% - accepting homosexuals is Uganda, where an MP is trying to get legislation passed which would punish homosexual acts with life in prison and even death in some cases. The former Portuguese colonies of Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique were also relatively tolerant of homosexuality.

3. Africa is probably the world's most religious continent, with more than 80% saying they believed in God in most countries. At least half of the Christians questioned expect Jesus Christ to return to earth during their lifetimes. In Ethiopia, 74% of Christians say they have experienced or witnessed the devil or evil spirits being driven out of a person and in Ghana, 40% of Christians say they have had a direct revelation from God. About half of all Muslims expect to see the reunification of the Islamic world under a single ruler, or caliph, in their lifetimes.

4. Zimbabwe, where the Lemba people say they are the lost tribe of Israel, was not one of the countries surveyed. But 26% of Nigerian Christians said they traced their origins back to Israel or Palestine.

5. Belief in witchcraft is also common - about 40%; a similar percentage also visits traditional healers to cure sickness. Belief in witchcraft is highest in Tanzania with 93% - this is the country where witchdoctors say that magic potions are more effective if they contain body parts of people with albinism. Ethiopia had the lowest levels of belief in witchcraft - at just 17%. Belief that juju or sacred objects can prevent bad things happening was generally lower - between 20 and 30%. In Senegal, however, 75% thought such things worked - far higher than in Tanzania (49%). It may come as a surprise to learn that South Africa had the highest number of people - 52% - saying they took part in ceremonies of traditional religions, or honored or celebrated their ancestors.

6. Predictably, there was also a religious split concerning alcohol, banned by Islam. Surprisingly, however, more Muslims in Chad (23%) approved of booze, than Ethiopian Christians (5%). This comes as a huge surprise to Ethiopia experts, however, who point out that it is traditional to welcome Orthodox Christian clergy with traditional honey beer when they visit your house. Maybe "alcohol" was only taken to mean spirits by some of the respondents?

7. Attitudes to divorce showed a strong divide along religious lines in Nigeria. A massive 79% of Christians thought it was "morally wrong", while among Muslims, a narrow majority (46-41%) accepted divorce.

8. In recent years, Islamist hardliners in Somalia and Nigeria have introduced strict punishment based on Sharia law, such as amputating the hands of thieves and even stoning to death for adultery. The majority of people disapproved of such Sharia punishments. In Nigeria, they were backed by about 40% of Muslims and less than 10% of Christians. However, a majority did approve of whippings and amputations in Senegal and Mali. In nearby Guinea-Bissau, even 50% of Christians backed them. This was double the rate among Muslims in Ethiopia (25%) - maybe it feels like a more realistic prospect to them, as they share a border with Somalia and most Muslim Ethiopians are ethnic Somalis.
The blending of religions like Islam and Christianity with African religions is one way of ensuring survival of traditional religions

9. The survey also asked about material well-being in the world's poorest continent. Not so long ago, Cameroon regularly topped surveys of champagne consumption per head. However, a shocking 71% of Cameroonians surveyed said there were times in the past year when they did not have enough money to buy food. In Ethiopia, which is commonly seen as a country struggling to feed itself, the rate was far lower - at 30% - the lowest of all countries surveyed.

10. Ethiopia did, however, have the lowest numbers of people - 7% - who said they regularly used the internet. Rwanda's President Paul Kagame is striving to turn his country into Africa's answer to Silicon Valley and is being helped by the arrival of several new fiber optic cables off the east coast of Africa. He will be encouraged by the finding that 30% of his countrymen - the highest number - regularly browsed the web. Mobile phones were far more common - with 81% of respondents in Botswana owning one. Many countries reported more than 50% having phones but here, Rwanda lagged behind at just 35%.

International Pillow Fight Day

In hundreds of cities around the world, on April 3 and 4, massive pillow fights were staged.

If I lived in one of those cities, I would have participated.

Read more and see photos at:

http://www.pillowfightday.com/

Finally-- after 100 years of attempts---transformation

Who needs missiles, guns, or nuclear weapons when chilis can defeat the enemy

Indian military to weaponize world's hottest chili
By WASBIR HUSSAIN, Associated Press Writer Wasbir Hussain, Associated Press Writer
Tue Mar 23, 7:19 am ET

GAUHATI, India – The Indian military has a new weapon against terrorism: the world's hottest chili.

After conducting tests, the military has decided to use the thumb-sized "bhut jolokia," or "ghost chili," to make tear gas-like hand grenades to immobilize suspects, defense officials said Tuesday.

The bhut jolokia was accepted by Guinness World Records in 2007 as the world's spiciest chili. It is grown and eaten in India's northeast for its taste, as a cure for stomach troubles and a way to fight the crippling summer heat.

It has more than 1,000,000 Scoville units, the scientific measurement of a chili's spiciness. Classic Tabasco sauce ranges from 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville units, while jalapeno peppers measure anywhere from 2,500 to 8,000.

"The chili grenade has been found fit for use after trials in Indian defense laboratories, a fact confirmed by scientists at the Defense Research and Development Organization," Col. R. Kalia, a defense spokesman in the northeastern state of Assam, told The Associated Press.

"This is definitely going to be an effective nontoxic weapon because its pungent smell can choke terrorists and force them out of their hide-outs," R. B. Srivastava, the director of the Life Sciences Department at the New Delhi headquarters of the DRDO said.

Srivastava, who led a defense research laboratory in Assam, said trials are also on to produce bhut jolokia-based aerosol sprays to be used by women against attackers and for the police to control and disperse mobs.

link to article here:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100323/ap_on_re_as/as_india_chili_grenades