PrivateX Hackers Inflicted Philippines Vice President Website

By STAFF Writer
January 02, 2011

Website of Philippines Vice President Jejomar Binay was inflicted by hackers on Sunday, said a spokesman Joey Salgado today. The site was down for more than fifteen hours, but no serious damage has been reported. At least five other websites have been hacked by the hackers who have also warned of hacking more government sites.

Website of Office of Vice President was also hit by hackers last year to show the vulnerability of it. The site contains information on OVP's programs, projects and services.

At about 4 p.m. (local time) yesterday the OVP website was hacked by PrivateX group. The website is hosted by Advanced Science and Technology Institute (Asti).

Facebook page of PrivateX group made fun of the Department of Health in their latest post. It also mentioned names of other websites to be hacked by them soon that includes websites of Optical Media Board, Senate Eletoral Tribunal and Philippine National Radiation Institute.

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Samoa Celebrates New Year A Day Ahead, No Friday This Week

By SAMOAN Citizen Journalist
December 31, 2011

SAMOA NEW YEAR - Today is New Year in Samoa. The Pacific island nation lost Friday off this week's calendar in a historic leap across the dateline. For years its trading partners New Zealand and Australia were a day ahead. Now the nation is in line with midnight switch from December 29 (Thursday) to December 31 (Saturday).

Samoans celebrated the New Year at Thursday midnight in the streets with songs, prayers and ringing of bells. People crowded to be photographed near the town clock in the capital Apia on the stroke of midnight. People clapped, cheered and car horns blared as the bells chimed midnight to mark this historic event.

Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said this alignment with trade partners New Zealand and Australia could only benefit Samoa to have five days a week trade with the regional powerhouses.

The date line dance was implemented in this tiny South Pacific island nation 119 years ago in 1892 when the U.S. traders persuaded local Samoans of aligning the time with nearby U.S.-controlled American Samoa.

Samoa, along with neighboring Tokelau lie near to the date line crossing through the Pacific Ocean.

In 2009 Tuilaepa introduced changes enacting a law that meant cars switched to left-hand side of the road driving bringing the nation in line with New Zealand and Australia.

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Cambodia, Thailand To Form Power Plant Working Group

By STAFF Writer
December 30, 2011

Cambodia and Thailand is paving way in forming a working group for the Stung Num hydropower plant and coal-fired power plant on Koh Kong after the two nations agreed on electricity sharing.

Thailand's Minister of Foreign Affairs Surapong Tovichakchaikul and Minister of Energy Pichai were officially visiting on Thursday Cambodian Prime Minister when the issue was raised by the Cambodian leader.

Pichai said due to political problems between Cambodia and Thailand the matter has been put on hold. He added further that Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) was assigned for discussing the matter in detail with Cambodia as it will be purchasing the power according to the existing agreement.

EGAT International, the subsidiary of EGAT was assigned for further study of the projects.

Pichai said that the two nations agreed that Stung Num power plant to be in Thailand but the reservoir and dam should be in Cambodia.

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Malaysia Introduces Free Education Policy In 2012 Budget

By STAFF Writer
December 29, 2011

MALAYSIA FREE EDUCATION POLICY - Year One students to enroll in schools next year in Malaysia without having to pay the school fees. This arrangement is made for the first time in the country. About 5.3 million primary and secondary students will be benefiting across the country through this free education policy recently announced. The students will also enjoy RM100 more as assistant in preparing themselves for the coming school session.

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak made the announcement of free education for the first time when 2012 Budget was tabled last October in the Dewan Rakyat. The policy was lauded by all in the nation.

PM said that the Malaysian children to have access to affordable and quality education irrespective of socio-economic backgrounds of each.

Before this policy, the school fees for primary and secondary students were RM 24.50 and RM33.50 respectively. The fees included co-curriculum activities, Malaysian Schools Sports Council fees, internal test papers and insurance premium.

RM50.2 billion is allocated by 2012 Budget for the education sector along with RM1.9 billion additional for development expenditure.

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Islamists Bombed Nigerian Churches On Christmas killing Dozens

By STAFF Writer
December 26, 2011

NIGERIA BOMBING - At least five coordinated bombing struck three Churches and a state security building across Nigeria during the Christmas services Sunday killing about two dozen people. A packed Catholic church outside capital Abuja was the worst affected where sixteen people were killed.

Boko Haram, the militant sect in the country, claimed responsibility of the bombings. He wants imposing of Islamic law across Nigeria.

The first explosion took place at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Madalla filled for the Christmas service. It is about 25 miles northwest of capital Abuja.

According to the National Emergency Management Agency the total number of people killed in Sunday’s bombings was 16, but witness say the number could be in dozens.

Second bomb exploded hours after the first near the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Church in Jos, which is the border of Muslim north and Christian south.

Two more bombs were reported to have exploded in the city of Damaturu, and one at a church in Gadaka.

About half the population of Nigeria is Muslim and 40 percent is Christian.

In last week's several gun battles more than sixty people were killed and at least 100 were killed in the month of November in wave of such attacks.

Last year on Christmas Eve Boko Haram carried out series bombings.

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Indian Rail & Union Budget Session Could Delay Due To Assembly Polls

By STAFF Writer
December 25, 2011

INDIAN UNION BUDGET - Assembly polls of five states in India may delay the scheduled Union and Rail Budget of 2012-13 by few days.

Five Indian states would go to polls on January 28, 2012 and will run till March 3, and the vote counting would be on March 4. This may force the Indian government to delay the Railway Budget presentation as well as that of Union Budget of year 2012-13 till March 9.

Usually the two budget presentations take place by February-end, after the Budget Session in the Indian Parliament or either the third week or last of week of February.

SY Quairashi, Chief Election Commissioner, said when asked about the possibility of budget being postponed that many factors are taken into account by the Commission while fixing the poll dates. He added that in 1976-77 due to election the budget presentation was delayed.

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R.I.P.; North Korea Leader Kim Jong-il Dies Aged 69 [Video]

By STAFF Writer
December 21, 2011

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Eva Ekvall: Former Miss Venezuela Dies of Breast Cancer at Age 28

By STAFF Writer
December 20, 2011

MISS VENEZUELA NEWS- Battling against breast cancer, former Miss Venezuela Eva Ekvall died Saturday (December 17) in a Houston, Texas hospital. She was 28.

At the age of 17 in year 2000 Eva Ekvall was crowned Miss Venezuela. In 2001 she was third runner-up in the Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico.

Eva Ekvall was a model, TV anchor and actress. She authored "Fuera de Foco" ("Out of Focus") book about her cancer struggles. The cover of the book had her make-up pic with shaved head.

The late beauty queen was born to an American father of Swedish and Hungarian descent and a Jamaican mother. She said in an interview in 2007 that she feel more Venezuelan than anybody.

She was married and leaves behind her husband John Fabio Bermudez, a radio producer, and a two-year-old daughter Miranda.

Her family said on Sunday in a statement her body would be cremated on Monday in Houston and a service will be held in Venezuela after her remains are returned.

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