Google entering the 'smart TV' market, reports say

(CNN) Google and its partners are looking to become the latest players to beam Web content onto your television, according to media reports.

The Web search giant, along with Intel and Sony, would integrate applications like Twitter and the Picasa photo site onto TV screens, according to the New York Times and Wall Street Journal.

Both reports attributed news of the project, said to be in its early stages, to unnamed sources. Google did not return a message from CNN seeking comment.

Google would open its Android smartphone operating system to developers to use for the television project, according to the reports.

Projects based on the software could begin popping up as early as this summer, the Times reported.

The move would follow several established companies and some startups working to more fluidly combine Web content and television viewing.

Earlier this month, TiVo announced that subscribers will be able to pull Internet content, music and movies onto their televisions more easily with a new Premiere service.

The "Boxee Box," which won the title of "Last Gadget Standing" at January's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, lets users search and store Web content and either play it on television or share it on social-networking sites.

California-based company Roku has also rolled out a digital video player that integrates television, Web content and a video library.

What do you think? Would you welcome Google's entry into the TV business?

Facebook responds to massive phishing scheme

(CNN) Facebook has responded to a an apparently massive attempt to steal passwords from its users.

"There's another spoofed email going around that claims to be from Facebook and asks you to open an attachment to receive a new password," read a post on the Facebook Security page.

"This email is fake. Delete it from your inbox, and warn your friends."

Facebook will never send users a new password in an attachment, the post says.

The messages claim to be from Facebook, with a return address that looks legitimate. A message sent twice to a CNN.com staffer reads:

Hey [user's name],

Because of the measures taken to provide safety to our clients, your password has been changed. You can find your new password in attached document.

Thanks,The Facebook Team.

McAfee security warned users in a blog post Wednesday that the link is a password stealer that becomes active when the user clicks on it. Once installed, malicious software, or malware, could potentially access all username and password information used on a computer, not just on Facebook, the post said.

Reports suggest the scheme continued to spread on Friday.

McAfee and Facebook urged users to not open the attachment and immediately delete the message, if up-to-date security software programs don't catch the message first.

Twin suicide attacks kill 39 in Lahore

M Zulqernain
Lahore, Mar 12 (PTI) Terrorists today struck Pakistan's heartland of Punjab targeting the military as a pair of suicide bombers detonated their explosives seconds apart in the heavily-guarded cantonment area here, killing at least 39 people and injuring nearly 100 others.

In the second major attack in the city within a week, the bombers, who were on foot, hit vehicles of the Garrison Security Force patrolling the cantonment near a mosque in the busy R A Bazar area at 12.48 pm local time and the dead included 10 security personnel.

The area where the attacks occurred is full of residential and commercial complexes and also houses several security agency facilities. Within minutes of the explosions, it was swarmed with security personnel who stopped even media, including TV crew, from approaching the site of the blasts.

"Two suicide attackers struck the army vehicles which were on patrol.

China tells Google to obey laws or face consequences

K J M Varma
Beijing, Mar 12 (PTI) Hardening its stance, China today said that world's leading search engine Google must obey its rules or "face the consequences" giving no indication whether it was ready to reach a compromise in the dispute over hacking.

It said the US internet company was welcome to stay and expand its business in China but at the same time it will have to face the consequence if it insists on doing things that violates China's laws and regulations.

"It is irresponsible and unfriendly if Google insists in doing something that goes against China's laws and regulations, and it will have to bear the consequence for doing so," said Li Yizhong, Chinese Minister of Industry and Information technology.

"Whether to withdraw from China or continue to stay is up to them," Yizhong told a press conference called to give details of China's talks with the company.

Guj riots: After Modi, Nalin Bhatt summoned by SIT

Ahmedabad, Mar 12 (PTI) After Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the state's former BJP General Secretary Nalin Bhatt has also been summoned for questioning by the Supreme Court-appointed SIT in connection with the 2002 riots.

"I have been asked to appear before SIT tomorrow as I was the general secretary of BJP during the 2002 riots," Bhatt told PTI today.

A day after the Special Investigating Team(SIT) said it has summoned Modi to appear before it on March 21 for questioning in the communal violence at Gulburg society, opposition Congress and the ruling BJP also traded charges.

The Congress stepped up its demand for 60-year-old Modi's resignation saying he should do so on "moral grounds" following SIT summons.

"Modi has no right to be the chief minister once the SIT has summoned him. He should resign on moral grounds," Congress state in-charge P Sudhakar Reddy said.

Fresh communal clashes erupts out India's northern town

Fresh communal clashes erupted out in Bareilly town of India's northern Uttar Pradesh state on Friday (March 12).

Reportedly the rioters set three shops and severaln trucks on fire.

The city has been put under curfew for since March 02 after clashes between two communities broke during a religious procession.

However, the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court has given a clean to a senior Muslim cleric and directed police to close all investigations against him. The cleric was arrested by Police for envoking communal violence on Monday.

Indian Finance Minister rules out rollback of fuel price hike

Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday (March 12) ruled out rollback of petrol and diesel price hike saying the nation's fiscal condition did not permit him to do so.

"I would have loved to respond to the request of the Opposition (for a rollback in auto fuel price hike, particularly diesel) but my financial condition does not permit me to do so," Mukherjee said while replying a debate in Lok Sabha, the lower house of Indian Parliament.

"Kindly excuse me (from doing so)," he added.

India raised retail motor fuel prices by up to 7.75 percent last week, the first hike since July last, a move that will add to already high headline inflation.

The budget announced by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday (February 26) restored a 5 percent import tax on crude oil, which was removed in 2008 when global prices were at record highs, as part of a broader effort to raise revenue and cut fiscal deficit.

Pakistan announces 15 players squad for the Twenty 20 World Cup

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced 15 players squad for the Twenty 20 World Cup on Friday (March 12).

The squad included Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal and Umar Akmal-the three players who are serving a six-month probation for disciplinary problems.

However, the board did not announce a captain and vice-captain tournament.

The players in the squad include Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal, Salman Butt, Saeed Ajmal, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Umer Gul, Khalid latif, Fawad Alam, Mohammad Hafiz, Hamad Azam, Mohammad Aamir, Mohammad Asif and Yasir Arafat while the reserve players include Shahzeb Hassan, Mohammad Samee, Raza Hassan, Naveed Yaseen and Sarfaraz Ahmed.

"Hurt Locker" wins 6 Oscars, best film

(Reuters) Iraq war movie "The Hurt Locker," took the Oscars by storm on Sunday winning six of the major film honours, including best movie and director for Kathryn Bigelow who became the first woman to win that honour.

The drama about a squad of bomb defusing specialists and the emotional toll war takes on them also secured writer Mark Boal the Academy Award for best original screenplay, and claimed honours for film editing, sound editing and mixing.

"Hurt Locker" and Bigelow won Oscars over stiff competition from her ex-husband James Cameron, whose sci-fi adventure "Avatar" is the top-grossing movie ever with $2.5 billion at box offices and was seen as a favourite for best movie.

"This really is, there's no other way to describe it, it's the moment of a lifetime," Bigelow said.
"Avatar" earned 3 Oscars, but in technical categories -- visual effects, cinematography and art direction.

Veteran Jeff Bridges claimed best actor playing a drunken country singer in drama "Crazy Heart." The son of Hollywood star Lloyd Bridges, held his trophy high over his head, looking to the heavens and thanking his deceased parents.

"Mom and Dad, yeah," he shouted. "Thank you Mom and Dad for turning me on to such a groovy profession."

Sandra Bullock was named best actress for "The Blind Side" in a first for the actress once dubbed "America's Sweetheart" because she won so many early fans in her romantic comedies.

But for "The Blind Side," she took the part of a real-life, strong-willed mother who helps take a homeless youth off the street and makes him into a football success.

"Did I really earn this, or did I just wear you all down?" she joked on Oscar's stage.

Dark drama "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" earned two Oscars including supporting actress for Mo'Nique and adapted screenplay for writer Geoffrey Fletcher, who became the first African American to claim that honour.

Christoph Waltz won best supporting actor for his turn as a menacing Nazi officer in revenge fantasy "Inglourious Basterds," which follows a band of American Jews killing their enemies behind lines during World War Two.

"Up" was named best animated movie, and Argentina's "The Secret in Their Eyes" won best foreign language film.

(Editing by Mary Milliken and Sandra Maler)