Al Qaeda's No. 2 has been killed

Atiya Abdul Rahman

Al Qaeda's second-in-command, Atiya Abdul Rahman, has been killed in Pakistan, a U.S. official said Saturday.

The official would not discuss the circumstances behind his death, but did say Rahman is a key loss for al Qaeda.

"There's no question this is a major blow to al Qaeda. Atiya was at the top of al Qaeda's trusted core," the official said. "He ran daily operations for the group since Shaykh Sa'id al-Masri was killed last year, and has been (Osama bin Laden successor Ayman al-Zawahiri's) second-in-command since bin Laden's death in May."

Rahman's death will affect al Qaeda's ties to its affiliates, as well as Zawahiri's ability to gain complete control over the terrorist group, the official said.

"Atiya was the one affiliates knew and trusted, and he spoke on behalf of both (bin Laden and Zawahiri). He planned the details of al Qaeda operations and its propaganda.

"His combination of background, experience and abilities are unique in al Qaeda -- without question, they will not be easily replaced," the official said.

"Zawahiri needed Atiya's experience and connections to help manage al Qaeda. Now it will be even harder for him to consolidate control," he added.

Zawahiri took control of al Qaeda after bin Laden was killed in a clandestine U.S. raid in Pakistan in May. Rahman used to be bin Laden's operations chief.

iPhone hacker Comex says he's landed an internship ... at Apple

A 19-year-old who is probably the world's most noted iPhone hacker said Thursday he's been hired by Apple, the very company whose products he's been hacking into.

"It's been really, really fun, but it's also been a while and I've been getting bored," Nicholas Allegra, who's better known by his pseudonym Comex, posted on Twitter. "So, the week after next I will be starting an internship with Apple."

Apple did not immediately respond to a CNN request for comment on Comex's internship at the company.
Forbes writer Andy Greenberg revealed Comex's identity this month, calling him the "iPhone uber-hacker who keeps outsmarting Apple."

In the story, he noted that Comex was looking for an internship, and he suggested that Apple give him one.
"Now it has," he wrote Friday.

Comex started the website jailbreakme, which lets iPhone users jailbreak their phones simply by visiting that site. A jailbroken iPhone can run apps that are not approved by Apple for sale in its App Store.

The phones also can then be "unlocked," which makes it possible to use them on wireless networks that Apple hasn't approved. International travelers like that feature.

Other Apple hackers have praised the site as being incredibly sophisticated. Dino Dai Zovi told Forbes that Comex's work is as impressive as Stuxnet, a computer worm that apparently targeted Iran's nuclear facilities last year.

It's fairly common -- more so than you might expect, at least -- for big tech companies to hire once-nefarious hackers. These coding gurus are sometimes better versed in the security vulnerabilities of a company's products than anyone else in the industry.

And, these companies hope, the former hackers could use these skills to make their products safer.

The blog MacRumors says Apple has made similar hires in the past:

"Earlier this year MobileNotifier developer Peter Hajas was picked up as an Apple summer intern."

VentureBeat, however, says that's a new phenomenon for the world's largest tech company:

"Hiring hackers isn't new in the tech world, but it's a fairly recent development for Apple, which has usually tried to squash hackers by more traditional means."

Greenberg, at Forbes, says these hires don't always go well:

"George Hotz, one of the first iPhone hackers, was sued by Sony after reverse engineering the PlayStation 3, a move that set off a wave of user anger at the company, resulting in more than 20 retaliatory hacking attacks by the hacker collective Anonymous and others."

But he argues the Comex hire may be good for Apple:

"Apple, by taking the carrot instead of stick approach, has saved itself that massive PR headache. And by hiring someone who actually understands its products' security weaknesses, it may just be making its users safer, too."

Hurricane Irene saved its last blasts of fury for New York

Hurricane Irene saved its last blasts of fury for New York, paralyzing the city with hours of relentless rains and fears of flooding before its downgrade to a tropical storm Sunday morning.

It also left more than 110,000 people without power, including 32,378 in storm-ravaged Queens.

The weakening storm sent a scare from Wall Street in Lower Manhattan to Stillwell Ave. in Coney Island as the downpour that began Saturday raged all night, with rising water shutting down an outbound tube of the Holland Tunnel and a section of the Van Wyck Expressway.

New Yorkers were in agreement that after three days of warnings, they were expecting a bigger hit.

"I thought it was going to be much worse than this," said Anthony Ougelletta, 44, who was without power in Sheepshead Bay."This is like a rain and wind storm."

Joe Bruno, head of the city Office of Emergency Management, said the city was lucky to escape the full wrath of Irene. Nine people died as the hurricane cut its killer swath along the Eastern Seaboard, but there was just a light rain falling in Manhattan by 11:30 a.m.

"Mother Nature can be very cruel," he said.

GET LIVE UPDATES & PHOTOS OF IRENE

The Atlantic Ocean spilled over the beaches and onto the streets of the Rockaways, while Brooklyn's Red Hook section was also inundated as Con Edison reported more than 70,000 customers without power in New York City and another 40,000 in Westchester County -- many due to downed trees from gusting winds of up to 60 mph.

In a dramatic scene on Staten Island, the FDNY rescued dozens of adults and children from homes where they were trapped around 8 a.m. Sunday.

FDNY spokesman Paul Iannizzotto said 61 adults and 3 babies were trapped in homes on Saybrook St. near Croft Place. About 50 firefighters used swift water rescue boats to help carry the people to dry land nearby. Officials on scene reported no serious injuries.

Margaret Goffe, 71, woke up in Springfield Gardens to find an uprooted tree slammed into her two-family home -- and the electricity soon disappeared.

"I'm from the (Caribbean), so I'm used to hurricanes, but I couldn't believe it," she said."These things happen."

One block away, Khalid Burgos stood near his Nissan Pathfinder -- spared by random chance when a falling tree crushed a Porsche Carrera in the next parking spot.

"Inches! It missed my car by inches!" said Burgos, 40."There's power lines draped all over the place. I can't even move it."

Before Irene heads north into New England, the city could be soaked with up to a foot of rainfall. The city's mass transit remained idled by the former hurricane, with no word yet on when trains and buses would begin rolling.

The Most Important Watches in the World

William Anthony's "The Pearl Star"

Mechanical wristwatches (as opposed to battery-powered ones) offer us what sci-fi writer William Gibson called the "tamogotchi experience": the sense that we are wearing and tending to a living thing that whirrs and ticks on our wrist.

Throughout the years, these machines have kept the trains running on time and helped the Man in the Grey Flannel Suit make his two-martini lunch. Sadly, however, these gems are now frequently absent from our wrists thanks to those ubiquitous portable time-telling devices—laptops and cellphones. Watch expert John Biggs, who runs crunchgear.com and is the author of a forthcoming book about watches for Dial Press, offers an in-depth look at some of the most amazing watches from this century and beyond—including a hockey-puck-size watch that is one of the most complex mechanical devices ever made.

1. 1794 | William Anthony's "The Pearl Star"
Why it Matters: The Pearl Star is one of the first watches with expanding hands.

The Story: Attributed to William Anthony of London, this pocket watch has an oblong case with automatically extending hands. When the hands are at noon, for example, they are fully extended up to the top of the case. When they are at 9:15, they automatically shorten to fit without touching the sides of the case.

Perrin Freres "Wandering Hours"

2. 1800 | Perrin Freres "Wandering Hours"
Why it Matters: One of the first "digital" watches that used a unique system of hands to display the time.

The Story: The vision of a "digital" watch—meaning one that showed the hours in minutes using rotating numerals instead of hands—has always been an important pursuit in watchmaking. Perrin Freres of Switzerland created an amazing variation on this with the Wandering Hours in 1800. Three hands circled a central pivot and on the tip of each, four small hour numerals spin into place at the end of each hour. With the case closed, the watch looks like a fuel gauge showing minutes and hours but inside you find a riot of gears and hands.

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual

3. 1910 | The Rolex Oyster Perpetual
Why it Matters: The Rolex Oyster redefined where you could take a watch by making it waterproof.

The Story: Like most great innovations, the Rolex merges two simple technologies to create something that no one thought they needed but then became indispensible. The technology, the perpetual movement, was first conceived by Louis Perrelet in the 1750s and was perfected by Rolex. A small weight wound the watch when the wearer moved his or her arm, resulting in a watch that ran "perpetually" with no need for daily winding.

The next innovation was a crown that screwed down to protect the inside of the watch from water. They advertised the first model in 1910 by dunking the watches in aquariums in watch shops around the world. Rolex thus became synonymous with diving watches.

More here...

Miss Universe 2011 Semifinalist to be chosen through Voting

We are happy to announce that for the first time in the history of the MISS UNIVERSE Competition, the pageant is incorporating a global fan vote that may automatically advance a contestant to the semifinals. Fans residing in represented countries will be able to vote online at

www.missuniverse.com or www.NBC.com

starting on Friday, August 19, 2011 at 4pm ET through Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 6pm ET.

The winner of the voting will get a place among this year’s 15 semi finalists.

MISS UNIVERSE 2011 “FAN VOTE” FAQs

Who can vote?

Anyone located in, and a legal resident of, the home countries of the 2011 Miss Universe contestants can cast their vote(s) for the Miss Universe contestant of their choice. To vote online, you must be 16 years of age or older.

When can I vote?

Online voting via www.missuniverse.com and www.nbc.com will be open at the following times:

Friday, August 19, 2011 at 4pm ET through Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 6pm ET.

How do I vote?

Internet voting will be open Friday, August 19, 2011 at 4pm ET through Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 6pm ET. To vote, log on to www.nbc.com or www.missuniverse.com and follow the instructions to vote and enter registration details. To register you will need to provide your email address, confirm you are 16 years of age or older, and confirm your acceptance of the voting terms and conditions. After you register, rank the contestants 1-10 where prompted, 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest. If done correctly, you will get a message on your screen. The producers reserve the right to disqualify, block or remove any votes for any reason including, but not limited to, any votes from an individual who votes using any electronic, mechanical or automated means, or otherwise tampers with the vote process. Rules and procedures are subject to change at the sole discretion of the Miss Universe Organization and/or NBC without notice.

How many times can I vote?

You may vote online up to 10 times per e-mail address per day. Any additional votes you attempt to cast above these limits – or votes cast outside of the voting window — will NOT be counted as valid. The producers reserve the right to disqualify, block or remove any votes for any reason, including those votes from any individual who votes by any electronic, mechanical or automated means, or otherwise tampers with the vote process. Rules and procedures regarding the voting promotion are subject to change at the sole discretion of the Miss Universe Organization and/or NBC without notice. No changes will be made to the rules regarding how information collected in the voting promotion — your email address and computer IP address — will be retained, secured, used, or deleted.

How are the votes tabulated?

Producer will take the average of the total votes from the IP addresses originating from each country. Each country vote will then count as 1 vote, and be averaged with all of the other country votes to give the contestant a final score.

Example: 200 people from Canada vote for Miss Universe Norway and the average of those votes equals a 6, and 800 people from Norway vote for Miss Universe Norway and the average of those votes equals an 8. Canada’s country vote (6) and Norway’s country vote (8) are each counted as 1 vote and are averaged to give Miss Universe Norway a final score of 7.

How much does it cost to vote?

Voting online is free. Standard internet access charges may apply.

Why is my information collected?

Email addresses are collected to ensure compliance with the 10 votes per email address per day limit. Your computer’s IP address is collected to verify the country of a vote’s origin.

Is my information stored?

No, nothing is permanently stored. Email addresses are temporarily stored on a secure server based in the United States and will not be transferred to any other location. Email addresses will be deleted within thirty (30) days after the conclusion of the 2011 Miss Universe Pageant. IP addresses are temporarily stored on a secure server based in the United States, and are not transferred to any other location. All IP addresses are deleted 30 days after the conclusion of the 2011 Miss Universe Pageant.

How do I find out the results?

The results may be revealed to the home viewing audience during the Miss Universe live telecast on September 12, 2011 and may be posted on www.missuniverse.com after the show.

MISS UNIVERSE 2011 VOTING RULES

The following rules and procedures are subject to change at the sole discretion of NBCUniversal Media, LLC and Miss Universe L.P., LLLP.

1. Producer:

Miss Universe L.P., LLLP (the “Producer”) is a United States limited partnership, limited liability limited partnership, with its headquarters located at 1370 Avenue of the Americas, 16th Floor, New York, New York 10019, United States of America.

2. Voting Availability:

“Miss Universe” voting is open to people located in the home countries of the 2011 “Miss Universe” contestants. A list of countries is available here http://www.missuniverse.com/members/contestants Internet voting will be open to people sixteen [16] years of age or older. Void where prohibited.

Internet voting will be available on the following dates and times:

August 19, 2011 at 4 p.m. ET through Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 6 p.m. ET.

Participants will be limited to ten (10) votes per email address per day. The sole means of voting is via the internet. The Producer reserves the right to change the limit on the number of votes that may be made from each originating email address, in the Producer’s sole discretion.

3. How to Vote:

You must be sixteen [16] years of age or older to participate. Navigate to NBC.com or missuniverse.com, follow the links to vote, and enter the registration details. To register, you will need to provide your email address, confirm you are 16 years of age or older, and confirm that you accept these Rules. After you click the “vote” button, rank the contestants 1-10, 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest. Producer will then take the average of the total votes from the IP addresses originating from each country, and each country vote will count as 1.

For full information on how to vote, please refer to the FAQs section on NBC.com and missuniverse.com.

4. Cost of Voting:

There is no charge to vote. Standard internet access charges may apply.

5. Your Email Address & Computer IP Address

As part of the voting process, you will be asked to input your email address. Email addresses voluntarily submitted by you and other participants will be stored on a secure server based in the United States.. Your email address will not be transferred to any other location. No record of the email addresses submitted as part of the voting process will be retained more than thirty (30) days after the conclusion of the 2011 Miss Universe pageant. Your email address will not be linked on the server to any other identifying information about you. Your email address will be used for no purpose other than to enforce the rules regarding the number of votes that may be cast per email address in a 24 hour period.

The Producer will also collect the IP address of each computer used to cast a vote. The Producer’s purpose in collecting a computer’s IP address is to make certain the computer is located in one of the countries participating in the 2011 Miss Universe Pageant. IP addresses will be stored on a secure server based in the United States separate and apart from the voter’s email address. Your computer’s IP address will not be transferred to any other location. An individual IP address will be used for no purpose other than to verify the country of a vote’s origin. All IP addresses will be deleted entirely 30 days after the conclusion of the 2011 Miss Universe Pageant.

In accordance with these Rules, you agree to provide this limited data as part of the voting process if you choose to participate. Voting, of course, is entirely voluntary. If you choose not to provide your email address and your computer’s IP address, you unfortunately cannot vote.

The Producer will maintain the security of your email address and your computer’s IP address. The only natural person who will have access to your data is the Producer’s tech supervisor who will have administrative rights.

If you have any questions or concerns about the collection, use, retention, security or deletion of your email address or computer IP address, you may contact CommerceTel at the address listed above or via email at support@txtstation.com.

If you wish to revoke your consent to having your data stored under these very limited purposes, you may contact:

Thi VanAusdal

Technical Lead

8929 Aero Drive, Suite E

San Diego, CA 92123

support@txtstation.com

In that communication, please specify your email address, your IP address, and the date and time you cast your vote, and request that your email address and computer IP address be deleted from the server.

6. Disclaimers:

Miss Universe L.P., LLLP and NBCUniversal Media, LLC and their respective parent, subsidiary and affiliated entities and persons (collectively, the “Administrators”) are not responsible for and shall not be liable for interrupted or unavailable networks or servers; miscommunications, failed computer hardware or software or other technical failures; garbled, lost, misrouted or scrambled transmissions; any error, omission, interruption, defect or delay in any transmission or communication; traffic congestion or for any technical problem which may cause the voting to be disrupted or corrupted.

If for any reason the voting is not capable of being executed as planned, or if there is an infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud or technical failures, or if any other causes beyond the control of Administrators corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this voting, the Administrators reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to withdraw the transmission of any vote. Furthermore, the Administrators may permanently disqualify from any promotion any person they believe has intentionally violated these rules, and to terminate or suspend voting at any point and declare the vote results based on the votes up to that point, if it appears that the voting process has been so distorted by hacking or other interference that the results would not reflect actual valid votes should the voting continue. In the event of technical difficulties with the voting, Administrators reserve the right to review the votes for accuracy and to take any appropriate action, including, without limitation, voiding the votes cast during the time period in which such technical difficulties occurred. Administrators and their respective agents, officers, directors, employees, subsidiaries and affiliates assume no responsibility for any injury or damage to participants or to any other person’s computer relating to or resulting from entering or downloading materials or software in connection with this vote. Administrators are not responsible for telecommunications, network, electronic, technical or computer failures of any kind, for inaccurate transcription of voting information, errors in any promotional or marketing materials, for any human or electronic error, or for votes that are stolen, misdirected, garbled, delayed by computer transmissions, lost, or late.

These rules are subject to change at any time at the sole discretion of the Administrators. Notification regarding any such change will be posted at missuniverse.com.

Caution: Any attempt by an entrant or any other individual to deliberately damage any online service or website, tamper with the voting process, or otherwise undermine the legitimate operation of the voting is a violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, Administrators reserve the right to seek damages and/or other remedies from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law.

7. Conditions for Voting:

By voting, you are agreeing to all of the terms and conditions described hereinand to abide by these Rules. You agree not to use any unofficial, third party services to cast votes on your behalf. Administrators reserve the right to disqualify, block or remove any votes from any individual who votes by any electronic, mechanical or automated means, or otherwise tampers with the vote process, or for any other reason, as determined by Administrators in their sole discretion.

Administrators are not responsible for any damages to voters’ device(s) that may occur from use of service. Administrators reserve the right, for any reason and in their sole discretion, to modify, suspend or discontinue the voting service without prior notice.

Administrators reserve the right to modify the show’s rules, and the terms and conditions of this voting process at any time in their sole discretion.

8. Governing Law:

This promotion, including the collection of any email addresses or computer IP addresses, is governed by laws of the State of New York and of the United States of America without regard to any conflict of laws provisions. If you think that you have been harmed by unlawful use or processing of your data, you may have rights under the laws of the State of New York or the United States of America. In that case, you should consult an attorney.

I certify that (1) I have read and understand the Rules for voting; (2) I am over the age of 16 years of age; and (3) I expressly and unequivocally consent to the use of my data as outlined in these Rules. I understand that I am currently on a webpage hosted and maintained exclusively in the United States of America and I expressly consent to the collection and retention of my email address and my computer’s IP address on a server in the United States of America, as set forth in these Rules.

Miss Universe 2011 In Sao Paulo, Brazil

Apple is worth as much as all euro zone banks

Apple Logo

Technology company Apple is now worth as much as the 32 biggest euro zone banks.

That's the stark result from a steep fall in the share price of banks including Spain's Santander, France's BNP Paribas, Germany's Deutsche Bank and Italy's Unicredit, compared to a steady rise in Apple's valuation, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Earlier on Friday the DJ STOXX euro zone banks index fell 4 percent, valuing its 32 members at $340 billion. That's based on the market capitalization of their free-float shares, which for some French banks in particular is less than 100 percent.

The index has crashed by a third since the start of July, hammered by fears banks will lose billions from their holdings of euro zone government bonds and a failure of policymakers to stop a euro zone debt crisis from spreading.

The euro zone banks have lost three-quarters of their value since peaking in May 2007.

In contrast, Apple's market capitalization has soared to $340 billion on the back of the success of innovative technology products like iPods, iPhones and iPads.

Bazaars' food safety is under spotlight in Malaysia

Malaysia Food Bazaar

During this time of the year, Malaysians get to enjoy a wide array of local food and snacks, available only during the fasting month of Ramadan.

While bazaars are popular hotspots, it is also a hotbed for all kinds of food-borne diseases.

Health authorities are warning people to be extra careful.

This year, one girl has already died and hundreds of others fell sick after eating contaminated food from bazaars.

However, despite the spike in the number of food poisoning cases, popular Ramadan bazaars are still as busy as ever. Malaysians just cannot resist the temptation of good food, especially with so many great choices, with some only items available during the fasting month of Ramadan.

For example, over a hundred varieties of local snacks are on sale everyday in makeshift stalls outside the Bangsar mosque.

These traders are issued special permits during the holy fasting month of Ramadan.

They sell all kinds of local fare from desserts to snacks, including items like otak otak or spicy fish cake.

But just how safe is it to eat?

An 11-year-old girl recently died after eating food bought from a Ramadan bazaar.

It raised the question of hygiene, and whether food will spoil when kept for too long in hot, humid conditions.

Still, the incident has left many undeterred.

One person said: "They have lots of food you can choose from, kuih...which you do not see on normal days. So far, I am ok, no stomach ache. ''

Another noted: "I do not think this is just restricted to Ramadan bazaars, it is about food overall in Malaysia, even restaurants.''

Consumers hope the local health authorities will step up checks at bazaars to monitor cleanliness, as well as food handling at stalls.

But some traders are up in arms over the issue.

One of them said: "They (consumers) already have pre-existing health problems. It is not just the food. Also, people tend to overeat when breaking fast, that is how they get sick. This is the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, how can the food be not clean? The drinks, the chicken, fish, noodles, everything is clean.''

Meanwhile, locals have some tips to avoid food poisoning.

One local said: "If I see rats around, I won't go to those places and buy.''

Another advised: "Buy food that is freshly made here, grilled here, not packed and cooked elsewhere."

A third suggested: "Keep going back to stalls you are familiar with."

But without strict enforcement by authorities, the best advice may still be caveat emptor or "Let the buyer beware".

Scary Cigarette Labels Doesn't Seem to Work?

Scary Cigarette Labels

On a trip to New York this summer, I was in the newsstand/gift shop of a hotel, and a man in front of me in line was purchasing something. I heard the clerk say to him: "That will be $18.30."

He handed her his money, and she handed him a pack of cigarettes. He thanked her and left.

"A pack of cigarettes costs $18.30?" I said to the clerk.

"That's our most inexpensive price," she said. "Some of them are over $20."

"And people pay that for them?" I asked.

"All day long," she said.

New York is the extreme -- it has the highest cigarette prices in the nation, because of steep taxes on each pack. I knew that hotel gift shops routinely charge a premium for convenience, so the $18.30 price had to be on the lofty side; I walked down the street to check cigarette prices at a Duane Reade drugstore, and was told that even there they ranged from $10.88 to $13.80. A pack-a-day smoker in New York City pays well over $3,000 a year for cigarettes.

The government does not want people to smoke, because smoking, beyond any question, can lead to serious illness and death. One of the ways federal, state and local governments try to dissuade smokers is to hit packages of cigarettes with taxes intended to make potential purchasers think twice because of the elevated prices.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is quite blunt about this: "Raising the price of tobacco has proven to be one of the most effective strategies for preventing and controlling tobacco use." The CDC says there is a dollars-and-cents formula; it says that each 10% increase in the price of cigarettes is estimated to reduce consumption by nearly 4% among adults.

According to the organization Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, nationally the average per-pack state excise tax on cigarettes is $1.46 (this is in addition to a federal tax of $1.01 per pack), and the average pack of cigarettes is sold for $5.58.

Yet here is a surprising statistic: According to the CDC, there are approximately 46.6 million adult cigarette smokers in the United States. After all these years of government warnings about how sick cigarettes can make you, and all the tax increases: 46.6 million.

The CDC says that the percentage of adults who smoke has gone down dramatically: 42.4% were smokers in 1965, and 20.6% were smokers in 2009, the most recent year tabulated. But the population of the country has grown, so the raw number of smokers today is almost as large as it was in 1965, when, according to the CDC, there were 50.1 million adult smokers.

It makes you wonder whether those startling, explicit illustrated warning labels that will be printed on packs of cigarettes starting next year are, despite all good intentions, destined to fall short of full success.

You've probably read about the labels. They will cover half the surface of each pack of cigarettes sold in the U.S. Health-advocacy groups and government officials say the labels are designed to discourage cigarette consumers at the point of purchase. There are nine illustrations that will be used. They include a photograph of a diseased lung, a picture of a tracheotomy hole in a man's throat, a picture of a man with his bare chest surgically stitched up. . .they are genuinely revolting, and no one will be able to buy a pack of cigarettes without seeing the pictures. The R.J. Reynolds Co., manufacturer of Camel, Kool, Winston and Salem cigarettes, has said that the government-mandated images it will have to feature on its packages are "intended to elicit loathing, disgust and repulsion."

But if 45 years of increasingly alarming warning labels hasn't wiped out cigarette smoking, there seems to be a question about whether anything, including higher taxes, will.

How many of today's 46.6 million smokers do you suppose will see the new warning illustrations and think: "I didn't know that -- cigarettes can harm your health? Cigarettes can kill you? I had no idea." Is there anyone in the United States, smoker or nonsmoker, who isn't aware of that?

If cigarettes were a brand-new product, being introduced for the first time right now, there is no way they would be allowed on the market. But they have been around for so long that, gruesome warning labels aside, there is no chance that they will be outlawed.

Just from a political standpoint, few in the Congress, let alone the White House, would want to have to stand for re-election in some future November after having angered 46.6 million adults -- even those who fervently wish they could stop smoking -- by taking their cigarettes away. If you thought Prohibition was a mess. ...

Cigarettes, in the years before the first warning labels went on in 1966, were an impulse purchase: 35 cents, 40 cents, 50 cents a pack. But of course, cigarettes also used to be presented as a happy and carefree part of Americana; during the 1940s and 1950s, when the holiday season came around each year the cigarette companies would sell specially designed cartons, covered with pictures of wreaths and berries and of Santa Claus. Children gave them as gifts to their schoolteachers, families handed them to their milkmen and postal carriers. In retrospect, the message might as well have been: "Merry Christmas -- hope you die!" But few people thought of cigarettes as being potentially fatal in those years.

You would think, with the rising price of cigarettes, some people might just decide to listen for fire-engine sirens, follow them to the site of the blaze, then run into the burning building behind the firefighters and inhale a lungful of smoke. It would be more economical. There are 20 cigarettes in a pack; the people buying the higher priced ones in that hotel gift shop are, in essence, rolling up a dollar bill and setting it on fire each time they smoke.

And after all the decades of warnings, the CDC reports, there is this statistic:

Every day of the year approximately 2,200 adults -- who presumably have heard about the health hazards their entire lives -- begin, for the first time, to smoke cigarettes on a daily basis.

Chinese authorities find 22 fake Apple stores

A total of 22 fake Apple stores have been uncovered in one Chinese city.

Authorities in Kunming began searching out the copycats after pictures of one convincing replica were circulated on the web.

An early search found five fake stores, two of which were shut down for trading without a licence.

Now, according to Chinese trade officials, 22 have been found unlawfully using Apple's brand and logo.

The investigation into unauthorised Apple stores in Kunming was brought about when an American living in the city published a blog post describing a visit to one such shop.

Describing it as a "beautiful rip-off", BirdAbroad revealed how far the owners had gone to copy the decor and ambience of a real Apple store.

Staff also wore the same colour T-shirts as real Apple staffers, and sported lanyards of the same design.

The blog post was widely shared around the world and prompted Chinese trade officials in Kunming to take action.

The Administration for Industry and Commerce in Kunming said its investigation had unveiled a slew of stores violating Apple's registered trademarks.

The shops have been told to stop using the logos as Chinese laws prohibit copying the "look and feel" of another company without permission.

It is not clear whether the shops being reprimanded were selling products sourced from Apple distributors in the country or grey market imports.

The Kunming retail watchdog said it would step up its monitoring efforts and set up a hotline through which the public can report unauthorised Apple shops they find.

Google to buy Motorola Mobility for $12.5bn

Internet giant Google has announced a deal to buy Motorola Mobility for $12.5bn (£7.7bn).

A joint statement said the boards of both companies had unanimously approved the deal, which should be completed by the end of this year, or early in 2012.

Earlier this year, Motorola split into two separate companies.

Mobility develops and manufactures mobile phones, while Motorola Solutions covers wider technologies for corporate customers and governments.

The price of $12.5bn, or $40 per share, represents a 63% premium on the closing share price of Motorola Mobility on Friday, the joint statement said.

The deal would allow Google to "supercharge" its Android operating system, the company said.

It added that it would continue to run Mobility as a separate business.

'New opportunities'
"Motorola Mobility's total commitment to Android has created a natural fit for our two companies," said Larry Page, Google's chief executive.

Sanjay Jha, his counterpart at Mobility, said: "This transaction offers significant value for [our] stockholders and provides compelling new opportunities for our employees, customers and partners around the world."

The deal is subject to shareholder and regulatory approval.

Motorola was once one of the world's most successful mobile phone manufacturers, but has fallen behind the likes of Apple, Samsung and HTC in recent years.

Many of its handsets already use Google's Android operating system.

Meanwhile, Nokia shares jumped more than 10% on news of the deal, with renewed speculation that the Finnish mobile phone company could become a bid target itself.

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Japan economy shrank less than thought after quake

Japan's economy shrank less than expected in the April-June quarter, data showed Monday, fuelling hopes that its recovery from the March 11 quake and tsunami disasters is on track.

Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda said Asia's second-biggest economy looks likely to grow again in the July-September quarter, although he warned of the risk posed by the strong yen, which hurts Japan's exporters.

The Cabinet Office said Japan's economy shrank an annualised 1.3 per cent in the first full quarter since the nation's worst post-war disaster -- beating bleak market expectations of a 2.7 per cent contraction.

The figures highlight that Japan's economy has started to bounce back from the calamity, which killed more than 20,000 people, wiped out entire towns along the Pacific coast and sparked a nuclear emergency.

"It was negative growth, but not bad data," said Mitsumaru Kumagai, chief economist at the Daiwa Institute of Research. "Our basic expectation now is to see gradual growth on the back of reconstruction demand."

On-quarter, Japan's gross domestic product (GDP) shrank by 0.3 per cent in April-June, after a 0.9 per cent contraction in the January-March period and shrinkage of 0.6 per cent in the previous quarter.

Exports plunged by an annualised 18.1 per cent in the second quarter, when tsunami damage to factories in Japan's northeast still hobbled supply chains, especially in the crucial auto and electronics sectors.

As the scale of the disaster weighed on the nation, private consumer spending, nearly two-thirds of Japan's GDP, fell 0.1 per cent on-quarter.

However, rebuilding efforts also stimulated the economy. Government consumption rose 0.5 per cent and public investment increased 3.0 per cent due to relief and reconstruction projects for the quake-hit areas.

Corporate investment grew by 0.2 per cent, said the data, which follows recent figures showing increases in industrial production and machinery orders, a key indicator of capital spending.

Kumagai said that "despite the damage done to supply chains, consumption of durable goods, such as televisions and air-conditioners, did not fall," he said. "Exports did fall, but not as sharply as expected.

"For July-September, it is reasonable to assume a return to growth."

Finance Minister Noda also said: "There is a strong possibility the economy will return to growth in the July-September period.

"But there are factors posing downside risks to the economy, such as the yen's strength," he added at a news conference.

Recent global market turmoil sparked by the eurozone debt crisis and the uncertain US economic outlook has prompted investors to flock to the yen, which is considered a safe-haven currency.

The heavy buying has sent the yen soaring to near its post-war high of 76.25 to the dollar -- a trend that hits Japan's export sector by making its goods less competitive abroad and eroding repatriated overseas profits.

Japan's government intervened in the forex market earlier this month in a bid to tame the yen's rise, and has signalled it is ready to do so again, as businesses have threatened to move factories abroad.

HP Tablet cuts price, but can it challenge the iPad?

Get ready for another tablet to pop into your bag.

US technology giant Hewlett-Packard (HP) is set to launch in Singapore its TouchPad, and it could be just right for some consumers who want it all and at a price that's hard to resist.

This is especially since in the US, a decision has been made to cut the price of the TouchPad just a month after launching the tablet computer that has to muscle hard for a corner on the market dominated by Apple's iPad.

In the US, a price-tag of US$400 has been put on TouchPads with 16 gigabytes of memory, while models with 32 gigabytes being sold for $500, which amounts to lopping almost $100 off the original prices.

TouchPads made their US debut in early July, pipped by Apple's release in March of its second-generation iPad as welll as the BlackBerry PlayBook and news of a new version Android tablet from Samsung. Also on the market are tablets from Motorola and Huawei.

While the iPad remains a consumer favourite, there is little elbow room on the rival patch with all the other tablets touting support for Adobe's Flash format which Apple chose to do without.

What HP has in its favour is the comforting factor.

With its computing range that fits most price levels and needs,HP has enjoyed a fair market share with consumers ranging from students to business-users.

And while Apple may have been first to seize the imagination with the iPad, the team at HP have been working with touch-screen computing far longer with its range of TouchSmart desktops and touch-screen laptops.

Then in 2010, before breaking into the mobile tablet business, HP acquired Palm, the mobile-device pioneer.

HP is without doubt, couting on winning fans with its know-how.

The HP TouchPad runs the webOS operating system, developed by Palm.

Despite the mixed reviews at the TouchPad's debut, the device does come across as user-friendly.

It is very responsive to the touch and the 9.7-inch diagonal flush capacitive multi-touch display offers clear viewing.

At the Asian launch of the HP TouchPad in July, Anthony McMahon, vice president of HP webOS, Asia Pacific and Japan challenged that consumers would be seeing "only the beginning of how HP will scale with webOS across the device spectrum."

"You will discover that the HP TouchPad simply works the way you do for both personal and professional use. The platform has unmatched features and flexibility that works like nothing else," he added.

The device is deifnitely intuitive.

There's little guessing as to which way to swipe and with the WebOS allowing for multi-tasking, users will see their different applications stacked as cards.

The sleek lines to the mobile device is ironically let down by two factors that cramp its portabilty - its bulk and its connectivity which currently is only via WiFi.

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HP TouchPad Wi-Fi 32 GB 9.7-Inch Tablet Computer

Singapore Presidential hopefuls dismiss pullout to avoid 4-men fight

Singapore Presidential Candidates

Three of the four presidential hopefuls have dismissed speculation of any one of them dropping out of the Presidential Election to avoid a four-cornered fight.

They were responding to talk that only one candidate should stand against former deputy prime minister Tony Tan to prevent a dilution of votes.

Presidential hopefuls Mr Tan Kin Lian, Mr Tan Jee Say and Dr Tan Cheng Bock were speaking to reporters after collecting their Certificates of Eligibility at the Elections Department on Friday.

They also said the election should not be seen as a race between the opposition and the ruling People's Action Party (PAP).

Mr Tan Kin Lian said he plans to submit his papers on Nomination Day. However he hinted that anything can still happen from now till Nomination Day on 17 August.

He also appealed to Singaporeans to be non-partisan when they head to the polls.

He said: "Most of the people are looking at whether you're in the PAP camp or in the opposition camp. But my platform is to be above politics, because I'm appealing to all Singaporeans - regardless of which political party you're (affiliated to) - to think about the future for Singapore."

When asked about the NTUC-affiliated unions endorsing Dr Tony Tan as their preferred presidential candidate, the former NTUC Income chief would only say he has been active in the grassroots movement and the trade unions.

Also speaking to reporters was Mr Tan Jee Say. He said his views as "non-PAP" are shared by many in society and even among those within the PAP.

"Who is the best person to provide the checks and balances that will fulfil the mission and objective of an elected president? That is what the voters of Singapore should think for themselves and consider very seriously, not PAP versus opposition - that is the wrong way to go about it," said Mr Tan Jee Say.

As for Dr Tan Cheng Bock, he said he stands a good chance in the election.

The former Member of Parliament said he has no plans to back down and is confident of running a good race.

He said: "I have already fought six general elections. I know my Mandarin is not that good, but I have to say my Hokkien is not bad. So I have been campaigning in the past using English, Hokkien, a little bit of Mandarin and also some Malay and it has taken me very far."

But Dr Tan Cheng Bock said he is open to talks with the two Mr Tans.

Dr Tan Cheng Bock also said the position of the president is apolitical. He explained: "If any of us is really seen to be affiliated to any political group, then I think, how are you going to play that role of unifying people?"

Dr Tony Tan was also at the Elections Department to collect his eligibility certificate.

Some 40 supporters greeted him and his wife when they arrived at the Prinsep Link premises.

Among the supporters were members from the Sembawang Shipyard Employees' Union (SSEU), which had endorsed Dr Tony Tan as its preferred presidential candidate.

Also present were some NTUC Income employees who turned up in their private capacity as well as several members of the public.

Speaking to reporters after collecting his certificate, Dr Tony Tan said the economic uncertainties in the US and Europe are stark reminders of the major responsibilities of Singapore's Elected President.

He said: "Should the policymakers be unable to resolve these issues, this economic crisis will affect Asia and Singapore."

He added that he is confident that come election day on 27 August, Singaporeans will make an informed choice on who will be best able to execute the custodial responsibilities of the Elected Presidency.

Kate Moss wedding dress was 'rehab' for Galliano

John Galliano, the flamboyant fashion designer who fell from grace after an anti-Semitic outburst in Paris, has said making supermodel Kate Moss' wedding gown this summer was his "creative rehab."

Galliano, long a favorite of arguably the most sought-after model in the world, has been an outcast since a rant in a Paris bar led to him being sacked in February as Christian Dior's creative director and put on trial.

He also was dismissed from his eponymous label, majority owned by Dior.

In the upcoming September issue of Vogue US, Galliano says that dressing Moss reawakened his creative powers, following treatment for addiction to drink, valium and sleeping pills in the United States and Switzerland.

"She dared me to be John Galliano again," the Gibraltar-born and London-bred designer was quoted as saying in his first post-trial comments. "I couldn't pick up a pencil. It's been my creative rehab."

Moss said she commissioned her old friend to create the dress for her July wedding to rocker Jamie Hince in England because his outfits made her happy.

"I've lived in his dresses for years, and they just make me feel so comfortable," she said in Vogue's main cover story on what amounted to a fashionista's royal wedding.

The white dress combined an understated classic look with a slightly translucent skirt.

"When I put the dress on, I'm really happy. I forget everything," Moss said.

According to Vogue, Galliano's rehabilitation extended beyond the dress. He even gave Moss her final dose of encouragement before she exchanged vows.

She wanted "a few words, a story to inspire her -- she loves a bit of direction!" Galliano told the magazine.

"I told her, 'You have a secret: you are the last of the English roses -- and when he lifts your veil he's going to see your wanton past!"

At the party, Moss' father Peter thanked Galliano for the "beautiful dress" and every guest stood to applaud, Vogue's reporter said. "John's eyes well up," the blow-by-blow report noted.

Widely regarded as one of the finest fashion designers of his generation, Galliano faces a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a fine of 22,500 euros ($32,000) if convicted of making anti-Semitic insults, which are illegal in France.

Sentencing is on September 8.

Heather Locklear is finally engaged

Heather Locklear was glammed up and glowing when she stepped out recently for a charity event, and with good reason -- she's engaged.

The "Melrose Place" alum, who turns 50 in September, is set to wed her longtime boyfriend, actor Jack Wagner, 51, her rep confirms to PEOPLE.

The couple have been dating since early 2007.

Locklear, who's recently been photographed with a diamond stunner on her finger, was previously married to rockers Tommy Lee (1986 to 1993) and Richie Sambora (1994 to 2006), whom she has one child with, Ava Elizabeth, 13.

"She's in it for the long haul with Jack," a friend of the couple told PEOPLE in 2009.

Anna Hazare in his Protest Against Corruption

Anna Hazare

Anna Hazare is one of India's well-acclaimed social activists. A former soldier in the Indian army, Anna is well known and respected for upgrading the ecology and economy of the village of Ralegan Siddhi which is located in the drought prone Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra state.

AsiaDiscoveries is also against corruption not only in India, not only even in Asia, but in the whole world. One friend has invited us in supporting Anna Hazare against corruption. Feel free to read below.

Rahul Gandhi exposed by an IIT student...

THE CURIOUS CASE OF RAHUL GANDHI Rahul Gandhi: "I feel ashamed to call myself an INDIAN after seeing what has happened here in UP". PLEASE DON'T BE ASHAMED OF U.P. YET Please don't be ashamed of Uttar Pradesh yet. Congress ruled the State for the Majority of the duration Pre Independence to Post Independence.. from 1939 to 1989 ( barring the Periods of Emergency.. Thanks to your Grand Mom Indira G. and a couple of transitional Governments) 8 out of the total 14 Prime Ministers of India have been from UP, 6 out of those 8 have been from Congress... I think your party had more than half a century and half a Dozen PM's to build a State... The Reason Mulayam Singh, subsequently came to Power is because your party wasn't exactly Gandhian in their dealings in the State.. So May be If you look at in totality the present chaos in UP is the outcome of the glorious leadership displayed by Congress in UP for about 50 years! So Please don't feel ashamed as yet Dear Rahul.. For Mayawati is only using the Land Acquisition Bill which your party had itself used to LOOT the Farmers many times in the Past! WHY DIDN'T YOUR PARTY CHANGE THE BILL WHEN IT WAS IN POWER FOR SO LONG? Not that I Endorse what Mayawati is doing.. What Mayawati is doing is Unacceptable.. But the past actions of your party and your recent comments, puts a question mark on your INTENT and CONSISTENCY. YOU REALLY WANT TO FEEL ASHAMED But don't be disappointed, I would give you ample reasons to feel ashamed... You really want to feel Ashamed..? First Ask Pranav Mukherjee, Why isn't he giving the details of the account holders in the Swiss Banks. Ask your Mother, Who is impeding the Investigation against Hasan Ali? Ask her, Who got 60% Kickbacks in the 2G Scam ? Kalamdi is accused of a Few hundred Crores, Who Pocketed the Rest in the Common Wealth Games? Ask Praful Patel what he did to the Indian Airlines? Why did Air India let go of the Profitable Routes ? Why should the Tax Payer pay for the Air India losses, when you intend to eventually DIVEST IT ANYWAY!!! Also, You People can't run an Airline Properly. How can we expect you to run the Nation? Ask Manmohan Singh. Why/What kept him quiet for so long? Are Kalmadi and A Raja are Scapegoats to save Big Names like Harshad Mehta was in the 1992 Stock Market Scandal ? Who let the BHOPAL GAS TRAGEDY Accused go Scot Free? ( 20,000 People died in that Tragedy) Who ordered the State Sponsored Massacre of SIKHS in 84? Please read more about, How Indira Gandhi pushed the Nation Under Emergency in 76-77, after the HC declared her election to Lok Sabha Void! (I bet She had utmost respect for DEMOCRACY and JUDICIARY and FREE PRESS) I guess you know the answers already. So My question is, Why the Double Standards in Judging Mayawati and members of your Family and Party? I condemn Mayawati. But Is She the only one you feel Ashamed for? What about the ones close to you? For their contribution to the Nation's Misery is beyond comparison. You talk about the Land being taken away from the Farmers. How many Suicides have happened under your Parties Rule in Vidarbha ? Does that Not Ashame You ? THE 72,000 CRORE LOAN WAIVER Your Party gave those Farmers a 72,000 Crore Loan Waiver. Which didn't even reach the Farmers by the way. So, Why don't you focus on implementing the policies which your govt. has undertaken, instead of earning brownie points by trying to manufacture consent by bombarding us with pictures of having food with Poor Villagers.... You want to feel ashamed. You can feel ashamed for your Party taking CREDIT for DEBITING the Public Money (72,000 crores) from the Government Coffers and literally Wasting it... You want to feel ashamed.. Feel ashamed for that... WHY ONLY HIGHLIGHT THIS ARREST? Dear Rahul, to refresh your memory, you were arrested/detained by the FBI the BOSTON Airport in September 2001. You were carrying with you $ 1,60,000 in Cash. You couldn't explain why you were carrying so much Cash. Incidentally He was with his Columbian girlfriend Veronique Cartelli, ALLEGEDLY, the Daughter of Drug Mafia. 9 HOURS he was kept at the Airport. Later then freed on the intervention of the then Prime Minister Mr.Vajpayee.. FBI filed an equivalent of an FIR in US and released him. When FBI was asked to divulge the information, by Right/Freedom to Information Activists about the reasons Rahul was arrested ...

FBI asked for (continue reading here...)

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Mario Maurer to Visit Manila for Endorsement and Movie Shoot

Mario Maurer

The Thailand heartthrob Mario Maurer is set to visit Philippines to endorse a clothing line and also to shoot a movie under the Star Cinema.

The half-German half-Chinese Maurer became famous accross Asia for his 2007 movie “Love of Siam” and the 2010 coming-of-age romantic comedy “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.”

Watch the interview as aired on “E-Live” last Saturday below:

Jagannath Temple In Puri Of India

Puri is located barely 60 km from Bhuvaneshwar, the state capital, Puri is the home to a large number of tourist attractions. Ancient monuments, temples, beaches, museums, it offers something for everyone.

The Jagannath Temple in Puri is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath (Krishna) and located in the coastal town of Puri in the state of Orissa, India. The temple is an important pilgrimage destination for many Hindu traditions, particularly worshippers of Krishna and Vishnu. The temple is famous for its annual Rath Yatra, or chariot festival, in which the three main temple deities are hauled on huge and elaborately decorated chariots.

According to recently discovered copper plates from the Ganga dynasty, the construction of the Current Jagannath temple was initiated by the ruler of Kalinga, Anantavarman Chodaganga Dev. The Jagamohana and the Vimana portions of the temple were built during his reign (1078 – 1148 CE).The temple is now considered as one of the best tourist destinations in Puri of India.

However it was only in the year 1174 CE that the Orissan ruler Ananga Bhima Deva rebuilt the temple to give a shape in which it stands today

The name Jagannath means Lord of the Universe,it comes from the Sanskrit words Jagat (Universe) and Nath (Lord of). Every year there is a festival called Ratha Yatra , in which the three main temple deities are hauled on huge and elaborately decorated chariots.

Did you know? That the celebrated Temple of Lord Jagannath now existent at Puri was constructed by Raja Ananta Varman Chodaganga Dev in 12th century A.D.

Longest Life? It's up to your genes!

Jeanne Calment (1875 - 1997)

Israeli researchers studied a population of Ashkenazi Jews who have lived to age 95 and older and found that their eating and lifestyle habits were no better than those of the general population.

In fact, men in the long-lived group drank slightly more and exercised less than their average counterparts, said the findings in the online edition of Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

"This study suggests that centenarians may possess additional longevity genes that help to buffer them against the harmful effects of an unhealthy lifestyle," said senior author Nir Barzilai, director of the Institute for Aging Research at Yeshiva University's Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

The study involved 477 Ashkenazi Jews aged 95-122 who were living independently. A total of 75 percent were women. All were enrolled in an ongoing study that aims to uncover the secrets to longevity.

Ashkenazi Jews were chosen because they are more "genetically uniform than other populations, making it easier to spot gene differences that are present," said the study.

Overall, the elder group had similar habits in terms of height-weight ratio, smoking, exercise level and diet as similarly matched people in the general population.

Data on comparison subjects came from 3,164 people who had been born around the same time as the centenarians and were examined between 1971 and 1975 while participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Twenty-four percent of long-living men drank alcohol daily, compared to 22 percent of the general population, while 43 percent of the older group exercised regularly compared to 57 percent of regular men.

While people in both groups were just as likely to be overweight, the longer-living group was less likely to reach higher levels of obesity. But researchers cautioned that the older set's secrets are not a good fit for most.

"Although this study demonstrates that centenarians can be obese, smoke and avoid exercise, those lifestyle habits are not good choices for most of us who do not have a family history of longevity," said Barzilai.

"We should watch our weight, avoid smoking and be sure to exercise, since these activities have been shown to have great health benefits for the general population, including a longer lifespan."

Scientists a step closer to Hepatitis C vaccine

European scientists say they have successfully tested in animals a vaccine for hepatitis C, a contagious and debilitating virus that can cause liver failure and cancer.

Currently, there is no human vaccine for hepatitis C (HCV), which is spread through contaminated blood and kills some 350,000 people worldwide each year, according to the World Health Organisation.

Around 170 million people are estimated to be living with chronic disease caused by the virus.

At least 10 million of them are illegal drug users who have contracted HCV by sharing needles or other drug paraphernalia, a recent study has shown.

"Without rapid intervention to contain the spread of the disease, the death rate from hepatitis C is estimated to surpass that from AIDS in the next century," the researchers warn.

Unlike hepatitis A or B, most people infected with HCV cannot shake off the virus on their own because, when under attack by the immune system, it morphs into stronger variants.

The body is unable to produce enough "neutralising antibodies," the only kind able to handling a broad array of mutations.

But in the case of HCV, using the classic technique of making a vaccine from a weakened or inactive form of the virus -- which works well in inducing such antibodies -- is too dangerous due to potential side-effects and the risk of infection.

As an alternative strategy, a team led by French researcher David Klatzmann of the Universite Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris used so-called "virus-like particles" to create the vaccine, which was tested on mice and monkeys.

Virus-like particles provoke an immune reaction, helping the body to develop resistance, but do not contain any genetic material that would allow a "virus" to multiply.

"Once injected into the body, the virus-like particles have the capacity to trigger neutralising antibodies that could protect a person if they are exposed to the virus," the researchers said in a statement.

This technique has already been used in other vaccines, notably for the human papillomavirus, also a cancer-causing agent.

The new vaccine, developed in partnership with French start-up Epixis, worked against five different variants of HCV, offering hope that it would also beat back mutations as they occurred.

The results were published Wednesday in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

The next step will be to conduct human trials, which could start as early as next year.

It is still uncertain, however, whether the same vaccine will work as well in people, notes Rajit Ray, a researcher from Saint Louis University in Saint Louis, Missouri, in a commentary in the same journal.

HCV does not replicate in non-human primates other than chimpanzees -- which are no longer used in experiments -- so the potency of the vaccine could not be evaluated in a human-like scenario.

The WHO estimates that three to four million people are newly infected with HCV each year.

Countries with the highest rates of prevalence include Egypt (22 per cent), Pakistan (4.0 per cent) and China (3.2 per cent), according to WHO.

Contamination can occur through blood transfusions, blood products and organ transplants, and the virus can also be passed on to a child if the mother is infected.