MORE THAN 300 PEOPLE KILLED AS PASSENGER PLANE SHOT DOWN IN EAST UKRAINE

REUTERS/Maxim Zmeyev

An armed pro-Russian separatist stands on part of the wreckage of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane after it crashed near the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region, July 17, 2014.

A Boeing 777 Malaysia Airlines passenger plane from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed in eastern Ukraine about 10:00 EDT.

"Malaysia Airlines has lost contact of MH17 from Amsterdam," the Malaysia Airlines tweeted. "The last known position was over Ukrainian airspace."

There were reportedly 295 people on board (280 passengers and 15 crew) when it crashed in Torez, about 25 miles from the Russian border in the region of Donetsk. There were 23 Americans on the flight. There were no survivors. Ukraine's Interior Ministry says that more than 300 people died in the incident.

"Locals say everything exploded in the air, fell in pieces, both bodies and plane itself," Journalist Noah Sneider tweeted from the area. "[People] thought they were being bombed."

An adviser to the Ukraine Interior Minister says pro-Russia separatists shot down the passenger plane with a Russian-made BUK ground-to-air missile system, and Ukraine's security services (SBU) have leaked alleged conversations between rebels who are discussing the downed plane. 

U.S. intelligence has confirmed that a surface-to-air missile was fired at the flight. 

The rebels have shot down multiple aircraft in the past month but deny involvement in the Malaysia Airlines incident. Crucially, the separatists in the area reportedly commandeered a set of the BUK system as of last month.

Local residents in Donetsk told Business Insider that they saw a Buk missile system in the area. And Radio 24 (Pадио 24), a Ukrainian radio station, posted this tweet which shows a Buk missile system in Snezhnoye, Ukraine:

The translation of the Ukrainian text reads: "Buk" terrorists were in Snezhnoye today.

Furthermore, The Interpreter reports the Ukrainian journalist Roman Bochkala and an AP journalist have seen separatists with the BUK system.

The region of Donetsk is a stronghold of pro-Russian rebels who are fighting the Ukrainian army. The separatists deny responsibility (via The Interpreter), but they did claim to shoot down a "Ukrainian transport plane" in the same area earlier today.

And Igor Strelkov, the pro-Russian separatist leader who is linked to Russian intelligence, claimed that rebels had shot down the "transport plane" in Torez — the same town that the Malaysia Airlines plane went down.

"In the region of Torez AN-26 plane has been shot," he wrote on Russia's version of Facebook. "We have warned them – not to fly 'in our sky.'"

On July 8, the State Aviation Administration of Ukraine closed the airspace to civilian aircraft after a military transport plane, which was flying at an altitude of over 20,000 feet, was shot down by rebels.

The Interpreter reports that the Ukrainian military has been claiming that separatists have advanced missiles for a week after the transport plane went down.

President Barack Obama is “aware” of reports of the plane crash, a White House official told Business Insider, and he has spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Geopolitical expert Ian Bremmer tells Business Insider that the crisis in Ukraine will now escalate considerably.

Also earlier today, Ukraine claimed that a Russian jet shot down a Ukraine SU-25 fighter plane. For months, Ukrainian and U.S. officials have warned against civilian aircrafts flying over Ukrainian territory, especially near eastern Ukraine and the annexed peninsula of Crimea.

Following are images from the scene — warning: GRAPHIC.

REUTERS/Maxim Zmeyev

Here's a video reportedly showing the initial moments of the crash:

Alcohol and Energy Drinks A Dangerous Combo, Study Says

Researchers have published a study that shows college students combining caffeinated drinks with booze don’t realize how intoxicated they really are.

In a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, researchers at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan have concluded that mixing alcohol and energy drinks poses a serious public health risk, especially among college students. "We found that college students tended to drink more heavily, become more intoxicated, and have more negative drinking consequences on days they used both energy drinks and alcohol, compared to days they only used alcohol," said Megan Patrick, a research assistant professor and co-author of the study.

According to the study, students who either drank alcohol and energy drinks on the same day or who combined the two at the same time wound up spending more time drinking – thus consuming more alcohol – than they would have without the caffeinated drinks. The result of spending more hours drinking raised users' blood alcohol levels to higher peaks. But because of the stimulant effects of the energy drinks, the users reported that they felt less drunk than they actually were. "This can have serious potential health impacts, for example if people don't realize how intoxicated they actually are and decide to drive home," Patrick said.

But a similar study conducted by the Department of Community Health at the Boston University School of Public Health found that it wasn’t necessarily the combination of alcohol and caffeine that posed a risk, but the profile of the drinkers themselves that led to negative consequences. "It appears that the consumption of caffeinated alcoholic beverages has a direct effect on increasing risk by masking intoxication and making it easier for youth to consume more alcohol,” said Dr. Michael Siegel, one of the authors of the Boston University’s study. “It also appears that consumption of alcohol with caffeine may itself be a marker for youth who engage in riskier behavior.”

JOE RAEDLE/GETTY IMAGESCaffeinated energy drinks are a popular mixer in alcoholic beverages for many college students, but combining the two leads to riskier behavior, researchers caution in a new study.

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Shawn Dwyer

Android Kit Kat 4.4: How Is Your Appetite ?

Android Kit Kat 4.4 
Following Androids OS naming system all versions of their mobile OS appear to be named after sweet foods and the latest 4.4 Kit Kat truly does offer us something sweet to rave about. It’s been out for around a year now and like its snack name sake this is silky smooth morsel will leave you salivating for more.

While at first glance there may not appear to be a huge visual difference in this latest’s rendition those familiar with the previous Android versions will notice a number of subtle changes such as the black background from the notification bar has been removed and the status icons for Battery, Data and Wi-Fi are white, but aesthetics aside the new Kit Kat OS is more than just a cosmetic update, here are some of my favorite features.

Much faster than 4.3
It’s certainly faster and that’s because rather than making the system requirements greater which is usually what happens when OS versions are upgrade they have steamlined the OS and improved the way it handles the phones memory resources and processor speed so as the system requirements have gone actually gone down meaning that you get more performance for less, fantastic. As a knock on effect on to this developers can use this better system resourcefulness to create much higher performing apps.

Improved Dialer features
The Dialer, which is after all what a phone is about, has been updated so now your most frequently contacted numbers will appear higher in the contacts list than those people who you rarely call, which is a nice little default setting making the system more functional.

Another nifty upgrade is the ability to search for places through the contacts window. So if you want to do your dry cleaning then type in dry cleaners and it will bring up the nearest dry cleaners. Great for when you’re in a new city.

Immersive mode
There is full screen app mode called “immersive mode”. This can be used to remove all of those distracting on screen icons and tool bars which works well with apps such as e-book readers allowing them to utilize the full screen without showing tool bars so it improves the experience and makes using these apps even more enjoyable. You can easily recall the interface by doing a swipe down from the top of the screen.

“OK Google” 
Perhaps one of the major changes and Android’s answer to Apple’s Siri is Google Now. You can access it by saying the magic words “OK Google”, when on the home screen. You will then be prompted to give more commands which can be anything from a web search to setting a reminder.

Remotely wipe your phone if you lose it
Many of us have been there. It’s painful and upsetting, not only will you lose your contacts, pictures and personal data which could be disastrous if they fall into the wrong hands, but your highest score on candy crush will be gone as well and you will have to start again.

Well you can’t get that back but Google has helped you stop this data from falling into the wrong hands as you can now wipe your phone remotely. Remember you will need to enable these settings before losing the phone.

By going to the Google Settings application and selecting the Android manager you can turn on the “Remotely Locate This Device” option and “Allow Remote Lock and Factory Reset” this will allow you to change the lock screen password and wipe the entire device in the event you lose your phone. Just make sure is actually lost first and hasn’t fallen down the back of the sofa.

Sources :-

http://www.engadget.com/products/google/android/4-4/

http://www.kitkat.com/android/#/userexperience

http://www.knowyourmobile.com/android/android-44-kitkat/21550/android-44-kitkat-review-good-bad-whats-still-missing

Say Hi to the First Roll-Up TV Screen

LG has revealed a working roll-up TV that is also transparent when not in use. The Ultra HD screen uses a special film instead of plastic as backing to allow screen to be rolled into a tight tube for transport.

The big screen you can ROLL UP: LG shows off the ultimate in portable TVs - and transparent screen even seems to disappear when not in use

• LG have developed working 18inch version - and says 60 inch version will go on sale in 2017
• Uses special film instead of plastic as backing to allow screen to be rolled into a tube
• Finished screen with be Ultra HD resolution 16 times better than conventional HDTV
• Firm also showed is also transparent when not in use

By MARK PRIGG

It is the ultimate in portable TVs - a giant screen you can simply roll up and take away with you.

LG today showed off a working 18inch version - and says a 60 inch screen could go on sale in 2017.

The Ultra HD screen uses a special film instead of plastic as backing to allow screen to be rolled into a tight tube for transport.

The panel can be rolled up to a radius of 3cm without affecting the function of the display.  

This proves that LG Display can bring rollable TVs of more than 50 inches to the market in the future, the firm said.

'LG Display pioneered the OLED TV market and is now leading the next-generation applied OLED technology,' said In-Byung Kang, Senior Vice President and Head of the R&D Center at LG Display.

'We are confident that by 2017, we will successfully develop an Ultra HD flexible and transparent OLED panel of more than 60 inches, which will have transmittance of more than 40 percent and a curvature radius of 100R, thereby leading the future display market.'

The panel can be rolled up to a radius of 3cm without affecting the function of the display.

LG Display used high molecular substance-based polyimide film as the backplane of the flexible panel instead of conventional plastic to achieve the maximum curvature radius.

The polyimide film also helped reduce the thickness of the panel to significantly improve its flexibility.

As for the transparent OLED panel, it boasts 30 percent transmittance, which was achieved by adopting the company’s transparent pixel design technology. 

LG Display has successfully lowered the haze of the panel which is generated by using circuit devices and film components to a level of 2 percent.  

With this breakthrough development, the company has been able to improve greatly the technology level of the transparent display. 

Samsung has already shown off a prototype flexing screen. However, the new mesh technology will allow screens that can be completely folded or rolled into a tight tube without damaging them.

Considering that the transmittance of existing transparent LCD panels is around 10 percent, this new panel offers significantly improved transmittance.

The University of Houston researchers have developed an entirely new stretchable and transparent electrical conductor, bringing the potential for a fully foldable cell phone or a flat-screen television that can be folded and carried under your arm closer to reality.

The gold nanomesh electrodes produced by Ren and his research associates Chuanfei Guo and Tianyi Sun at UH, along with two colleagues at Harvard University, provide good electrical conductivity as well as transparency and flexibility, the researchers said in a paper in Nature Communications.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2688061/The-big-screen-ROLL-UP-LG-shows-ultimate-portable-TVs.html#ixzz37YcH08Kt 

Economists are really worried about China's massive property sector

The Rise of China


By Sophia Yan  @sophia_yan

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

A dramatic building boom helped China to develop the world's second largest economy. But now, economists say, a runaway real estate sector poses the greatest risk to growth.

Eight out of 10 economists say the property market poses the biggest threat to the economy, according to a new survey conducted by CNNMoney.

That's a shift from the previous three quarters, whenmost economists identified credit growth as the primary hazard.

"The major concern is oversupply -- property construction has been growing at an unsustainable rate, with the pace of urbanization having peaked," said Qinwei Wang of Capital Economics. "With developers' inventories of unsold property still increasing, real estate looks set to remain a drag on the economy."

It's easy to see why economists are concerned. JPMorgan estimates the sector and related services make up about 20% of GDP, and property investment alone accounted for more than 15% of economic growth last year.

Already, ailing developers in the country's smaller cities are offering big discounts to unload property. Even major cities have seen falling prices and waning real estate investment demand.

Economists worry that a housing shock could ripple out to the broader economy, especially the banking sector -- which provides financing to many developers. In addition, real estate is closely tied to the manufacturing and services sectors.

A sluggish property market could also hurt Beijing's ability to hit its official GDP growth target of 7.5% for 2014.

Some analysts argue the point of no return has passed.

Nomura economists, long among the most bearish of bank analysts, said in May that China's property bubble has already burst, and the country's economy could slow dramatically unless Beijing steps in with new stimulus measures.

"It is no longer a question of 'if' but rather 'how severe' the property market correction will be," the bank's analysts said in a report.

Related: China real estate firm at risk of bankruptcy

To combat a sluggish property sector, economists surveyed by CNNMoney expect the central government to continue to prod local jurisdictions to relax restrictions on multiple home purchases. Those rules were previously put in place in an attempt to arrest rising property prices.

Analysts say China will also have to rely heavily on other areas, such as exports, to support growth if the property market continues to flounder. 

Ugly Reality Intrudes On World Cup’s Glow

WORLD CUP

RIO DE JANEIRO — When Mario Götze scored the goal that won Germany the World Cup on Sunday, it was the 171st goal of the tournament, equaling the highest total in World Cup history. This was fitting: The 64 games in Brazil were by turns exciting and enthralling, captivating and compelling. Many longtime observers called it the best World Cup in memory. On the whole, it is hard to disagree. This was amazing theater.

Yet the most frustrating thing about international soccer is that even after a final like Sunday’s — even after five weeks of drama and magic and grace and beauty — it is impossible to linger in the afterglow. Reality always intrudes.

So it was Monday, when Sepp Blatter, the president of FIFA, soccer’s governing body, met the news media for a rare news conference. Blatter, 78, is the head of an organization that just put on an event adored around the world, one that concluded with a match seen by an estimated one billion people. He is also the head of an organization that is accused of being rife with corruption and bribery; has been rocked by persistent claims of match fixing and other skulduggery; and, with this tournament as just the latest example, seems to be woefully uninterested in acknowledging its culpability when it comes to player safety, particularly players who have sustained head injuries.

After a largely successful World Cup, Sepp Blatter, FIFA's president, must face criticism regarding player safety, match-fixing allegations and possible corruption in the bidding process for future Cups. CreditPilar Olivares/Reuters

Blatter, understandably, tried to weave a positive message during his question-and-answer session, but he also, understandably, found himself on the defensive. A man who has a history of making insensitive comments (particularly with regard to gender), Blatter also fell back on a sadly familiar demeaning tone when a female reporter questioned him about allegations that World Cup tickets had been resold by an insider at prices above face value.

“Listen, lady,” he said, “when you speak about corruption, then you have to present evidence.”

As it turns out, that may not be a problem. Michael Garcia, a lawyer who was appointed to lead an investigation into the process through which FIFA’s executive committee awarded the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar, is expected to issue his report on suspected improprieties to FIFA later this month. Widespread reports have arisen regarding the bidding process, and speculation, particularly with regard to Qatar, has only mushroomed with each new account.

Some have called for Qatar to be stripped of the 2022 tournament. But even if the emirate retains the World Cup, which seems likely, there remains much consternation over the practicality of holding a soccer tournament in a country where summer temperatures top out at well over 100 degrees. Simply moving the tournament to the winter is problematic, too, because that would have a significant impact on scheduling for domestic leagues over several seasons, and for the television networks like Fox that paid hundreds of millions of dollars to broadcast a summer event.

Blatter has been circumspect about Qatar, and another FIFA committee is expected to issue a report on the ramifications of a schedule change next year.

More immediately, the organization must deal with fallout from continued issues with match fixing. A report in The New York Times before the World Cup highlighted a series of games that were fixed shortly before the South Africa World Cup in 2010, and the problem has been shown to reach all levels of the game in countries around the world, perhaps even this World Cup.

Then there is the issue of player safety. On Sunday, Christoph Kramer of Germany toppled to the ground after colliding with an Argentine opponent and was dazed as a result of a head injury. He was treated on the field, came off to the sideline for a few moments (as required by the rules) and then, within minutes, returned to action. In doing so, he became at least the third player in this tournament to sustain a serious blow to the head and continue playing with only a cursory examination.

Kramer was replaced before halftime, but that he played on for at least 10 minutes while obviously disoriented only highlights the absurdity of soccer’s rules on treating head injuries. FIFA has generally put the onus for handling these situations on team doctors, but that is skirting responsibility; it is past time that FIFA confronts the reality of head injuries and uses neutral doctors (who have the power to keep a player from playing) on the sideline during games, and to revise substitution rules so that coaches, limited to three subs a game, are not inclined to risk a player’s health because it might cost them a precious opportunity to make a change later on.

These are just a few of the significant issues that FIFA must deal with as the spotlight from its marquee event fades away. There are others, too, such as the scourge of player-agent commissions and third-party ownership, as well as the larger philosophical issue about where future World Cups should be played.

Brazil, obviously, required significant construction and infrastructure improvements to host the tournament that came at a huge cost to Brazilians. Russia, which will host in 2018, faces similar investments, and Qatar, clearly, is a work in progress. Given the hardships that go with hosting such an event, is it appropriate for FIFA to continue taking the World Cup to nations that do not have the built-in infrastructure to host it?

Blatter danced around a question on that subject, too, and circled back to the quality of this event. Brazil deserves praise, to be sure, as the tournament itself ran relatively smoothly, particularly since the action on the field was so compelling.

But Sunil Gulati, the president of the United States Soccer Federation and a member of FIFA’s executive committee, was more direct when asked this month about the possibility that the success of the games in this World Cup might obscure the larger issues facing FIFA.

Gulati did not hesitate, noting that the games were, indeed, fantastic, but that fantastic games cannot — and should not — be mistaken for a panacea.

“That shouldn’t disguise any of the other issues the organization faces, either internally or externally,” he said. “Those are still there.”