Anonymous publishes FBI call on hacking

Internet activist group Anonymous published a recording on Friday of a confidential call between FBI agents and London detectives in which the law-enforcement agents discuss action they are taking against hacking.

British police said they were investigating reports of the illegally recorded call, and the FBI said a criminal investigation was under way into the incident.

Anonymous also published an email inviting participants to the call, with dial-in details, in which an FBI agent wrote that investigations relating to Anonymous, LulzSec, Antisec and associated splinter groups would be discussed on the call. (pastebin.com/8G4jLha8)

Anonymous and fellow group LulzSec have carried out a number of high-profile hacking actions against companies and institutions across the globe including the Central Intelligence Agency, Britain's Serious Organized Crime Agency, Japan's Sony Corp and Mexican government websites.

On the 16-minute-long call, one British detective is heard discussing an alleged 15-year-old hacker who they described as "a bit of an idiot" who was doing it for attention. (here)

Kingfisher Airlines not to be bailed out by the government, says Ajit Singh; DGCA summons officials

20 FEB, 2012, 11.36AM IST, PTI 

NEW DELHI: Kingfisher's CEO and top officials were summoned today by the DGCA to explain the large-scale disruptions in the operations of the cash-strapped carrier even as government ruled out any bailout. 

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked senior officials of the airlines, including CEOSanjay Aggarwal, to appear before it tomorrow to explain the cancellations. 

More than 20 flights were cancelled today. About 80 flights of the carrier from six metro cities did not operate yesterday leaving hundreds of passengers stranded. 

The ailing carrier had till late last evening failed to file a report on the number of flights it had cancelled since Friday night to the DGCA. 

Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh made it clear that government will not bailout the airline. 

"No, government is not going to have any bailout," the Minister told reporters, adding, "Government is not going to ask banks or private industry for that matter". 

All about Apple's upcoming OS Mountain Lion

20 FEB, 2012, 05.50AM IST, KARAN BAJAJ,ET BUREAU 

Apple's next version of the OS X operating system is heavily inspired by the iPad and it will have over a hundred new features when it arrives this summer. ET sifts through the announcement to highlight the prominent ones. 

Messages 
The new Messages application replaces the existingiChat application with the added feature that you can send and receive messages (including photo and video attachments) to and from iOS devices and Mountain Lion systems. It will also sync with the iMessage app on your iOS device - you can start a conversation on the Mac and continue it on your iOS device. Messages will continue to work as a multi-IM client with built in support for GTalk, Yahoo Messenger, Jabber and AIM. 

Reminders & Notes 
Reminders now come to OS X desktop and support multiple list creation. You can set deadlines and get alert notifications as well. Notes on the other hand, lets you jot down your thoughts along with photos, videos and other attachments. You can share notes via mail or messages and even pin them to the desktop for viewing later. Both the Notes and Reminders application use iCloud and will sync content with your iPhone/iPod Touch or iPad - you can edit them on the go and they will be updated across devices. 

Google faces music over tracking Apple's Safari Web browser

19 FEB, 2012, 10.59AM IST, PTI 

HOUSTON: Google has allegedly violated users' privacy on Apple's Safari Web browser, adding to mounting criticism from consumer groups over how the internet search giant tracks people online. 

Using its DoubleClick ad network, Google has been dodging a privacy setting in Safari, the primary Web browser on the iPhone and iPad, a report by Stanford University's Security Lab and the Centre for Internet and Society claimed. 

The study named three other companies -- Vibrant Media, Media Innovation Group and PointRoll -- that also allegedly evaded privacy settings. 

"Apple's Safari Web browser is configured to block third-party cookies by default," Stanford graduate student Jonathan Mayer said in the report. "Google andVibrant Media intentionally circumvent Safari's privacy feature." 

Google, the world's biggest internet search company, has drawn regulatory scrutiny and pressure from consumer advocates for the way it handles personal information. 

Ukrainian girls may be jailed for insulting Indian flag

Kiev, Feb 18 (IANS) A group of Ukrainian topless protesters may face jail term up to four years for climbing onto the balcony of theIndian embassy in Kiev and tearing down India's national flag last month, said police Friday.

The protesters had brought down the Indian flag, smashed the doors and windows with it and threw it on the ground.

The activists were enraged by the Indian Foreign Ministry ordering thorough checks into all Ukrainians aged 15 to 40 seeking to enter the country, saying it would help weed out the numerous prostitutes in search of a job, the RIA Novosti reported Friday.

The incident resulted in two cases opened on separate charges of hooliganism and desecration of state symbols, Ukrainian police said.

Nifty gains make India the best performer in 2012

18 FEB, 2012, 01.25PM IST, RAJESH MASCARENHAS,ET BUREAU 

MUMBAI: Foreign portfolio managers and local punters are betting on a rate cut, easy money, UP elections, cut in subsidy and a gradual shift in global liquidity from commodities to equities to buy stocks. Even though corporate profit growth is at its lowest and industrial output grew just 1.8% in December 2011 against 8.1% a year ago, Nifty has emerged as the best-performing index in the world since Januray 1. 

Nifty has gained 940 points, or 20.33%, while Sensexrose more than 18% in the first 35 trading sessions of the current year to close at 5564 and 18289 on Friday. The bellwether indices were down 25% in 2011. 

Are we getting into a situation where excess liquidity is being created amid positive cues in the eurozone, or is it because short sellers are rushing to cover large positions? 

"It is a combination of factors such as strong liquidity, improved macroeconomic fundamentals and return of risk capital which has been driving the current stock market rally. The reasons why these factors are now turning out to be more realistic are declining inflation numbers, peaking interest rate, positive expectations about the budget and elections on the domestic front," says Devesh Kumar, managing director & head of equities, RBS Global Banking and Markets. 

Fund managers are latching on to news clips and sound bytes - like the FM's statement that he was losing sleep over the rising subsidy bill - to ride the momentum. A robust FII inflow of $4.9 billion in the past 45 days - the highest ever figure recorded for that period - is driving the rally. Data suggest that this is the fastest ever rally in Indian equities. 

Microsoft redesigns Windows iconic four-colour logo

18 FEB, 2012, 02.53PM IST, IANS 

SAN FRANCISCO: Microsoft Friday announced that it was redesigning the logo of Windows software, making a fundamental change to the iconic four-colour Windows logo users have been used to for 20years. 

Meshing with the Metro design of Microsoft's upcomingWindows 8, the new logo is a slightly-angled blue block with a thin white cross in the middle, making it look like a window instead of the four-colour wavy flag in the past, reported Xinhua. 

"The Windows logo is a strong and widely recognized mark but when we stepped back and analyzed it, we realized an evolution of our logo would better reflect ourMetro style design principles and we also felt there was an opportunity to reconnect with some of the powerful characteristics of previous incarnations," said Microsoft in a blog post.