More than 30,000 flee fighting in Sudan's Darfur: U.N.

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - More than 30,000 people have fled during two weeks of fighting in Sudan's Darfur region, the United Nations said after some of the worst clashes between government troops, rebels and rival tribes reported there for months.Conflict has raged in Darfur, a vast arid region in the west of Sudan, since 2003 when mainly non-Arab tribes took up arms against the Arab government in Khartoum,...

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Berlusconi gains in Italy polls, leads in key region

ROME (Reuters) - Silvio Berlusconi's center-right coalition is gaining ground ahead of next month's elections, which could make it harder for Italy's left to form a stable parliamentary majority, polls showed on Sunday.The center left still looked on course to get most seats after the February 24-25 vote and lead efforts to tackle recession and unemployment in the euro zone's third-largest economy.But...

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Asia stocks higher on China recovery optimism

BANGKOK (AP) — Asian stock markets rose Monday on optimism that China's economic recovery is firmly taking root.Many analysts expect China's fourth quarter and 2012 growth figures due Friday to show the world's No. 2 economy continuing to bounce back from its worst slump since the 2008 financial crisis.Sentiment improved last week after Japan announced a $224 billion stimulus package to boost its...

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Soccer-Zambia cancel friendly to rest before Nations Cup defence

Jan 11 (Reuters) - African Nations Cup holders Zambia have cancelled plans for a last friendly before the tournament starts next week in order to rest.Zambia, who have had a steady diet of warm-up games in preparation for the defence of their title, called off a friendly with Namibia in Nelspruit on Tuesday."They have cited a strenuous schedule as the reason for the cancellation," Namibia Football...

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Soccer-West Ham fill boots with Wellington signing

LONDON, Jan 11 (Reuters) - West Ham United further swelled their attacking options on Friday by signing Brazilian striker Wellington Paulista on a six-month loan deal from Cruzeiro.The mid-table Premier League side said in a statement that the 29-year-old holds a European Union passport and therefore does not require a work permit."I think I can do my best here and I am coming to England to prove...

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UPDATE 2-Soccer-Crowd favourite Sahin back at Dortmund on loan

* Sahin played in Dortmund from 2000-2011* Turkey international had spells at Real Madrid, Liverpool (Updates with more details, quotes, Schmelzer contract extension)BERLIN, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Playmaker and crowd favourite Nuri Sahin returned to Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund on a loan deal after unsuccessful spells at Real Madrid and Liverpool over the past 18 months.Dortmund said in a hastily...

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Why does Google build apps for its rival Apple's iPhone?

Why help a key competitor? Two words: Advertising and dataThere isn't any other way to say it: Apple and Google really don't like each other. Apple CEO Steve Jobs vowed to destroy the Google geniuses behind the Android operating system for allegedly stealing the basic mechanics of the iPhone. Apple and Google-partner Samsung are constantly at one another's throats over patents. And most recently...

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Samsung Smart TVs: The next frontier for data theft and hacking [video]

Smart TVs, particularly Samsung’s (005930) last few generations of flat screens, can be hacked to give attackers remote access according to a security startup called ReVuln. The company says it discovered a “zero-day exploit” that hackers could potentially use to perform malicious activities that range from stealing accounts linked through apps to using built-in webcams and microphones to spy on...

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Huge Wave of Google App Updates Hits iOS, Android

Google just brought iPhone and Android phone users a holiday gift. Google Maps has returned to the iPhone, this time in the form of its own separate app, while Google Currents -- the company's Flipboard-style online magazine app for Android -- received a substantial update as well.Besides the two big updates, about a half-dozen other apps for Android and Google TV received bug fixes and new features,...

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Is the Christmas card dead?

Author Nina Burleigh says the holiday photo is dead — and the internet killed itEvery year around the holidays, countless Americans sit down at their dining room tables to thoughtfully scribble pen-and-paper updates about how they are and what they've been doing with their lives to a select number of friends. These messages are usually written on the back of a recent family photograph (sometimes...

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