(TECH) Bezeq, NSN Team Up For Faster Internet

"Bezeq Israel Telecom and telecom equipment maker Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) are launching a technology to double the internet speed of traditional copper networks, the companies said.

The technology, known as bonding, will enable Bezeq to offer speeds of as much as 200 megabits per second to residential clients who, unlike businesses, generally do not have access to faster fiber optic networks.



'We are cooperating with Nokia Siemens Networks to improve our copper network,' Bezeq Vice President of Engineering Yuval Keinan told a news conference. 'We want to be ready when Google TV and Apple TV are available,' he said, referring to internet TV projects that will require much higher bandwidth.

Bezeq, Israel's largest telecoms group, declined to disclose how much it invested in this technology, which twists two more copper wires into the existing bundle. Analyst Gilad Alper of brokerage Meitav said the technology will help Bezeq compete with state-owned Israel Electric Corp, which plans to build a high-speed fiber optic network.

'The significance is clear -- the potential competition from Israel Electric's fiber optic network is pushing Bezeq to make additional investments,' Alper said. Bezeq is deploying its next generation network (NGN) offering speeds of up to 100 megabits per second. It plans to launch 200 megabits per second next year using Nokia Siemens' Very High Speed DSL technology.

It has deployed 55 percent of the NGN and expects to reach 90 percent by 2011. Bezeq, which was once a monopoly, also faces competition from cable company HOT in offering high speed Internet.

Giuseppe Donagemma, head of the west and south Europe region of Nokia Siemens, said Bezeq was the first to launch this technology. 'The entire world has an enormous bandwidth hunger,' he told a Bezeq technology conference." (source)

(NEWS) An Indian Glimpse Of Israeli Life

"VADODARA: A glimpse of Israel from the lens of an Indian eye - a four-day photo exhibition was inaugurated in the city on Thursday by consul general of Israel in Mumbai, Orna Sagiv. The proceeds of this travelling exhibition will be given to the flood victims of Leh, said Sagiv. She also visited Amul in Anand and is hoping for some collaboration in future.

Sagiv said, 'This show will travel to various cities in India. In Gujarat after Vadodara, we will be taking it to Ahmedabad and Surat. The idea of this exhibition is to expose young people in India to the life, people and nature of Israel. These photographs are clicked by an Indian photo-journalist, who was part of the delegation sent to Israel last year.'



'Each photo represents the diverse face of Israel from streets, mosques, churches, lifestyle of people to ancient architecture. We did not plan to sell the photographs but when the show was put up in Mumbai many viewers expressed their interest in buying them. We then decided that if people buy them then the money collected through the sale will be given to the flood victims in Leh,' added Sagiv.

Talking about bi-lateral trade between Israel and India, Sagiv said India is the second largest export market for Israel. 'Our exports have grown this year which is very good. As per the recent figures at the end of 2010, our bi-lateral trade with India is stated to be around five billion US Dollars. At the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Summit, I am hoping greater participation of Israeli companies,' said Sagiv.

'I visited Amul in Anand and I am very impressed with the entire set up. Agriculture is one of the areas we are looking to collaborate in Gujarat and dairy sector too. There are some Israeli companies that plan to open diary farms in India,' Sagiv said." (source)

(NEWS) Palestinian Teens Charged With Killing US Jew For Cigarettes

"JERUSALEM: Two Palestinian teenagers were charged with murder on Tuesday for killing an American Jew by smashing him on the head with a plank after he refused to give them cigarettes, Israeli police said.

'The two young Arabs from a neighbourhood in north Jerusalem, aged 14 and 15, were accused today by the Jerusalem district court of murdering an American Jew,' police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

'Two weeks ago, the two boys, who have since confessed, used a plank to hit to death this 60-year-old tourist in the centre of Jerusalem because he refused to offer them cigarettes,' he said.

Israeli public radio said the tourist had earlier agreed to buy a bottle of vodka for the Palestinian teenagers, who could not buy it themselves because they are minors." (source)

(NEWS) Israel Ambassador: Sufism Is The Only Tool To Retain Peace In The World

"AJMER: Israel Ambassador to India Mark Sofer on Monday evening offered a chadder' at the dargah of Khwaja Moinuddhin Chisthi here. He also particiapted in the roza iftaar' organized in the dargah.

'From this place, I want to give the message that sufism is the only tool which could retain peace and harmony in the world,' said the ambassador.

'At this time, when talks between Israel and Palastine are moving ahead in Washington, I want to clear our stand of cooperation and harmony.'

The visit of the ambassador is the first visit by any official of Israel to dargah in history. Talking to media persons, he said that only sufism can help to solve problems and which can help us to grow together. 'Judaism and Islam are basically sister religions and both teach us love and peace. The sufi is found in both religions and even the kabbalah system is found in Judaism,' said Sofer.



Talking on terrorism, Sofer said that people who are dying in these terrorist attacks all over the world are mostly Muslims. 'Those who are spreading terror and deaths are not Muslims.' 'Osama Bin Laden is not a Muslim but is extremist and terrorist,' added Sofer.

'India is a big country and people living here are Indians whether Muslim or Hindu or Sikh. In 26/11, Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs were killed and this cannot be an act of any Muslim...'We cannot blame any community for spreading terrorism.'

On terror threats on Chabads -- the community centre of Israel -- in India, he said that this is the concern of Indian government. He said that in 26/11 and in Pune bomb blast, Indians were killed in numbers. Sofer was welcomed by Anjuman -- an organization of khadims and he wrote in his message that he wanted and pray for peace and harmony in Pakistan, Afghanistan and in South Asia. He wrote that he wanted that the message of Sufism spread in the world. He was also delighted to come to the dargah.

Talking on India-Israel relations, he said that Israel is bringing irrigation technology to Rajasthan and there are talks over treatment of saline water in the state. 'Two companies of Israel have MoUs with Rajasthan government to improve the dairy farming. Rajasthan is mostly arid and the major problem is water. The technology can help us to improve the situation,' he said.

'The work of government of different countires is not only to deal politically but also to see that somehow the life of human beings improve by cooperation,' he said." (source)

(NEWS) Saudi Al-Qaida Leader Urges Killing Of Christians & Attacking Israel

"DUBAI: A Saudi leader of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula has urged sympathisers in the Saudi security forces to kill Christians living in the kingdom, in an audio message released on Wednesday.

The purported audiotape, posted on a website used by Islamists, also repeated an often-made call to overthrow the Saudi government and called for attacks on Israel.

'Those of you who work in guarding the tyrants of princes or ministers, or the compounds inhabited by Christians, or can reach them, should seek God's help and kill them,' said AQAP's number two, Said al-Shihri.

Shihri, a former inmate of the US military detention centre in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, claimed that AQAP has received correspondence from members of Saudi armed forces asking for 'guidance.'

He urged the Qaida followers, however, to make sure that they avoid killing Muslims by mistake during their attacks.



'Fear God with regards to Muslims' blood... even if that was a reason to postpone your attack,' he said.

Shihri also urged any followers in the armed forces to attack Israel from the northwestern tip of Saudi Arabia on the Gulf of Aqaba, across the water from the Israeli resort of Eilat.

'Carry your arms against Israel, which is only few kilometres away from you, whose lights you can see (at night) from the city of Haql,' he said.

'Whoever among you is a pilot should seek martyrdom in the skies of Palestine, and who works in the navy should aim his weapon at the Jews there,' he added.

Shihri called for forming cells within the armed and security forces to recruit sympathisers 'to make the toppling of Al-Saud easier.'

In June, Shihri urged al-Qaida supporters in Saudi Arabia to kidnap princes and Christians in order to secure the release of militants, including female 'preacher' Heila al-Qsayer, a widow of a Saudi al-Qaida militant killed six years ago by the Saudi authorities.

Al-Qaida in Saudi Arabia launched a deadly wave of attacks against Westerners and government installations in 2003, but have been dealt severe blows by the authorities, forcing them eventually to regroup in Yemen.

Saudi and Yemeni militants announced the merging of their factions in Yemen in January 2009, as intelligence reports have warned that Yemen has become a regrouping haven for al-Qaida veterans.

Authorities in Yemen have launched a fierce military campaign against AQAP, which has claimed responsibility for the botched attempt to blow up a US airliner over Detroit last Christmas.

Yemen is the ancestral homeland of the Saudi-born al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden, who has been stripped of his Saudi nationality." (source)