Nokia and Apple settle patent dispute

Nokia and Apple have agreed a technology licensing agreement that ends the long-running legal dispute between the two firms.

"The agreement will result in settlement of all patent litigation between the companies," Nokia said.

Nokia sued Apple for patent infringements in 2009 and extended the action in December last year.

Apple had countersued, accusing Nokia of infringing its patents.

Nokia said Apple had agreed a one-off payment, the value of which was not disclosed, and ongoing royalties to use its technologies.

Apple said the deal covered both companies' patents.

Counter claims

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“Start Quote

What this story really shows once again is how one phone, the iPhone, has proved the undoing of a company whose dominance seemed unassailable just four years ago”

End Quote

Rory Cellan-Jones Technology correspondent, BBC News

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• Read Rory's blog in full

"We are very pleased to have Apple join the growing number of Nokia licensees," said Nokia's chief executive Stephen Elop.

"This settlement demonstrates Nokia's industry-leading patent portfolio and enables us to focus on further licensing opportunities in the mobile communications market."

Apple said the two firms had agreed to "drop all of our current lawsuits and enter into a licence covering some of each other's patents, but not the majority of the innovations that make the iPhone unique".

"We're glad to put this behind us and get back to focusing on our respective businesses."

'Positive news'

Nokia's various claims against Apple included alleged patent infringements of touch interfaces, caller ID, display illumination, and 3G and wi-fi technology.

Apple had also claimed that Nokia had infringed many of its patents.

Both sides had always denied each other's claims.

"This is the first positive news from Nokia for a long time. They can both focus on their businesses now, and the dispute was settled to Nokia's advantage," said Mikael Rautanen at research group Inderes in Helsinki.

At the end of last month, Nokia said it expected sales and profit margins for the current quarter to be well below its previous forecasts.

The company has been struggling to reposition itself in the rapidly-growing smartphone sector, where it is trying to make up ground lost to competitors such as Apple's iPhone and phones using Google's Android operating system.

Antigua Mullanys murder: Couple were both shot in head

Ben and Catherine Mullany were on the last day of their Caribbean honeymoon when they were shot

A honeymoon couple murdered in Antigua both died from gunshot wounds to the head, a trial on the island has heard.

Catherine and Ben Mullany, both 31, from Pontardawe, Swansea, were attacked in the Caribbean in July 2008.

Doctor Derek James, senior forensic pathology lecturer at Cardiff University, gave evidence that both were shot in the back of their heads.

Avie Howell, 20, and Kaniel Martin, 23, deny the murders, and the murder of a local shopkeeper. The trial continues.

The couple were on the last day of their honeymoon when they were shot.

Mrs Mullany, a doctor, died at the scene while her husband, who was a physiotherapy student, was flown back to Britain for treatment but was pronounced dead a week later at Morriston Hospital in Swansea.

The court heard Dr James conducted post-mortem examinations on the couple on 5 August, 2008.

A security guard who was on duty at the Cocos Hotel and Resort has previously told the trial it is possible he may have napped on shift on the night the Mullanys were killed.

Drop in sexually transmitted diseases in England

By Michelle Roberts Health reporter, BBC News

For the first time in over a decade there has been a drop in the number of new sexually transmitted infections in England, figures show.

The Health Protection Agency says although the reduction is small - only 1% down from the 424,782 cases diagnosed in 2009 - it is significant and a step in the right direction.

It says increased screening for diseases like chlamydia has helped.

For the first time rates of this disease show no rise and remain stable.

There were 189,612 newly diagnosed cases of chlamydia last year.

At the same time, 2.2 million chlamydia tests were carried out in England among young people aged 15 to 24, an increase of 196,500 from the previous year.

Diagnoses of genital warts went down by 3% to 75,615 new diagnoses in 2010 and syphilis was down 8% to 2,624.

But other sex diseases continued to rise. Gonorrhoea went up by 3% from 15,978 diagnoses in 2009 to 16,531 in 2010. And genital herpes increased by 8% from 27,564 to 29,703.

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STI trends

• Chlamydia stabilised at 189,612 in 2010
• Genital warts down 3% to 75,615 in 2010
• Syphilis down 8% to 2,624 in 2010
• Gonorrhoea up 3% to 16,531 in 2010
• Genital herpes up 8% to 29,703 in 2010

Young people under the age of 25 remain the group experiencing the highest rates of STIs overall.

Dr Gwenda Hughes, head of the HPA's STI section, says the encouraging decreases "do not mean we can rest on our laurels".

"It is particularly encouraging to see a decline in some STIs among young people. However, these latest figures show that the impact of STI diagnoses is still unacceptably high in this group.

Condoms 'still safest'

"Studies suggest that those who become infected may be more likely to have unsafe sex or lack the skills and confidence to negotiate safer sex.

"Prevention efforts, such as greater STI screening coverage and easier access to sexual health services, should be sustained and continue to focus on groups at highest risk."

To reduce the risk of STIs, experts advise using a condom when having sex with a new partner and continuing to do so until both parties have been screened.

And sexually active under-25-year-olds should be tested for chlamydia every year, or sooner if they change their partner.

Hugh Hefner's Playmate fiancee calls off wedding

The wedding of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner to his 25-year-old girlfriend has been called off, following her change of heart, Mr Hefner announced.

Mr Hefner was to marry Crystal Harris, who was featured in the magazine as Playmate of the Month in December 2009, on Saturday.

The 85-year-old has been married twice before, in 1949 and 1989.

On her website, Ms Harris wrote that she had taken the decision "after much deep reflection and thought".

Privacy plea

"I have decided to end my engagement with Hef," she wrote.

"I have the utmost respect for Hef and wish him the best going forward. I hope the media will give each of us the privacy we deserve during this time."

On his Twitter feed, Mr Hefner wrote: "The wedding is off. Crystal has had a change of heart."

The pair were to be wed this Saturday, 18 June, with a video of the ceremony to be broadcast next month.

New Che Guevara diary published in Cuba

A previously unpublished diary by the Argentine-born revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara has been unveiled in Cuba.

His widow, Aleida March, said she had decided to publish the writings unedited.

She said she wanted readers to get to know Che Guevara just as he was.

Diary of a Combatant covers his three-year guerrilla campaign which resulted in the overthrow of then-president Gen Fulgencio Batista and brought Fidel Castro to power.

The publishers said Che Guevara, a doctor by training, had terrible handwriting and it had taken them unusually long to decipher it.

The diary covers the period from the landing on Cuban shores of the revolutionaries on board the yacht Granma on 2 December 1956 to 1 January 1959, when they ousted Gen Batista.

The diary shed light on "Che Guevara's impressions of Cuba, its culture, identity and political context", according to the publishers.

Che Guevara's other writings have done well in the past.

The diary of his guerrilla campaign in Bolivia, where he was captured and executed in 1967, sold extremely well when it was released in 1968. It has been re-printed many times.

The Motorcycle Diaries, his memoir of a road trip through Latin America when he was 23 years old, also did well commercially and was turned into a successful film.

New Che Guevara diary published in Cuba

A previously unpublished diary by the Argentine-born revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara has been unveiled in Cuba.

His widow, Aleida March, said she had decided to publish the writings unedited.

She said she wanted readers to get to know Che Guevara just as he was.

Diary of a Combatant covers his three-year guerrilla campaign which resulted in the overthrow of then-president Gen Fulgencio Batista and brought Fidel Castro to power.

The publishers said Che Guevara, a doctor by training, had terrible handwriting and it had taken them unusually long to decipher it.

The diary covers the period from the landing on Cuban shores of the revolutionaries on board the yacht Granma on 2 December 1956 to 1 January 1959, when they ousted Gen Batista.

The diary shed light on "Che Guevara's impressions of Cuba, its culture, identity and political context", according to the publishers.

Che Guevara's other writings have done well in the past.

The diary of his guerrilla campaign in Bolivia, where he was captured and executed in 1967, sold extremely well when it was released in 1968. It has been re-printed many times.

The Motorcycle Diaries, his memoir of a road trip through Latin America when he was 23 years old, also did well commercially and was turned into a successful film.

Brazil: Another Amazon anti-logging activist killed

Another land campaigner in Brazil's Amazon region has been shot dead, bringing the number of activists killed over the past month to at least five.

The body of Obede Loyla Sousa was found in dense forest surrounding his home in the northern state of Para.

The 31-year-old had argued with illegal loggers in the area, according to a church group.

His killing comes just weeks after four other activists were murdered in Para and Rondonia state.

In the wake of those murders, the Brazilian authorities promised to offer increased protection to campaigners in the Amazon region.

Police believe Mr Loyla was killed on Thursday, but news of his death was only confirmed on Tuesday.

He was a leader of landless peasants in the Pacaja region in the northern state of Para.

The Catholic Church's Pastoral Land Commission (CPT) said Mr Loyla had received death threats after a run-in with loggers, who were reportedly cutting down chestnut trees illegally.

Local residents told the CPT they had seen four people in a pick-up truck drive to the camp where Mr Loyola lived.

Forensic tests showed he was killed by a shot to his head.

Poll says Afghanistan 'most dangerous' for women

Afghanistan is the most dangerous country for women, an international poll of experts on gender issues says.

High levels of violence, poor healthcare and poverty make Afghanistan the worst place for women, the study by the Thomson-Reuters Foundation says.

The survey places the Democratic Republic of Congo and Pakistan in second and third positions.

India is rated the fourth most dangerous country due to high levels of female foeticide and sex trafficking.

Somalia ranked fifth in the survey.

'Hidden dangers'

"Ongoing conflict, Nato airstrikes and cultural practices combined make Afghanistan a very dangerous place for women," said Antonella Notari, head of Women Change Makers, a group that supports women social entrepreneurs around the world.

"In addition, women who do attempt to speak out or take on public roles that challenge ingrained gender stereotypes of what is acceptable for women to do or not, such as working as policewomen or news broadcasters, are often intimidated or killed," she added.

The poll asked 213 experts from five continents to rank countries on issues like overall perception of danger, access to healthcare, violence, cultural discrimination and human trafficking.

"This survey shows that 'hidden dangers' like a lack of education or terrible access to healthcare are as deadly, if not more so, than physical dangers like rape and murder which usually grab the headlines," Monique Villa, chief executive of Thomson-Reuters Foundation, said.

Pakistan was included in the list for having "some of the highest rates of dowry murder, so-called honour killings and early marriages".

India ranked fourth primarily due to female foeticide, infanticide and human trafficking, the report said.

A BBC correspondent in Delhi says India's inclusion among the worst five countries in the world is bound to raise eyebrows here.

The report quotes some experts as saying that "the world's largest democracy was relatively forthcoming about describing its problems, possibly casting it in a darker light than if other countries were equally transparent about trafficking".

Sudan: Barack Obama calls for ceasefire

US President Barack Obama has called for a ceasefire in Sudan, following an upsurge in fighting in the South Kordofan region.

He urged both the north and south to "live up to their responsibilities" to prevent a return to civil war.

Thousands of people have been displaced in recent days of violence, which comes only weeks before South Sudan becomes independent.

Meanwhile, the UN has accused Sudan of hampering aid efforts.

Roadblocks manned by militia are preventing aid reaching thousands of people in need, the UN's refugee agency said.

The agency said it had appealed to the Sudanese government to allow planes to land at the main airport in the affected area, in Kadugli.

'Another Darfur'

Khartoum carried out what the UN described as an "intensive bombing campaign" near the border on Tuesday.

Northern forces are accused of targeting the area's pro-southern groups, as oil-rich South Sudan prepares for independence next month.

"There is no military solution; the leaders of Sudan and South Sudan must live up to the responsibilities," Mr Obama said in a recorded audio message.

"The government of Sudan must prevent a further escalation of this crisis by ceasing its military actions immediately, including aerial bombardments, forced displacements and campaigns of intimidation," he added.

Meanwhile, the head of the worldwide Anglican church, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, said the unrest was a major threat to the stability of Sudan.

"The humanitarian challenge is already great, and the risk of another Darfur situation, with civilian populations at the mercy of government-supported terror, is a real one," the archbishop said, according to AFP news agency.

The bombing in South Kordofan follows a deal for both sides to withdraw from the nearby disputed town of Abyei.

Clashes over the past month in Abyei and South Kordofan have raised fears of renewed north-south conflict despite a 2005 peace deal which paved the way for the end of decades of war.

Some 40,000 people are estimated to have fled their homes in South Kordofan, on top of some 100,000 in Abyei, which was seized by northern forces last month.

Aid agency offices have been looted, churches have been ransacked and buildings destroyed.

Talks between Sudanese government officials and representatives of the south are continuing following Monday's deal for both sides to withdraw from Abyei.

President Omar al-Bashir and southern leader Salva Kiir agreed that Abyei, claimed by both sides, would be demilitarised, with Ethiopian troops ensuring security.

No time frame has been published.

The north-south war ended with a 2005 peace deal, under which the mainly Christian and animist south held a referendum in January on whether to secede from the largely Arabic-speaking, Muslim north.

Some 99% of voters opted for independence. President Bashir said he would accept the verdict of the south, where most of Sudan's oil fields lie.

Prestatyn man, 73, in court charged with wife's murder

A 73-year-old man will appear before magistrates later charged with murdering his wife, whose body was found at their Denbighshire home.

Keith Rumbold was arrested at their bungalow in Prestatyn on Thursday, the day Shirley Rumbold was found.

The 74-year-old is believed to have been strangled.

The family said: "Shirley had suffered from Alzheimer's for several years and the family would appreciate privacy at this sad and difficult time."

Mr Rumbold is due to appear before Prestatyn magistrates after being charged late on Saturday night.

The bungalow was cordoned off after officers were called to the property at about 1350 BST on Thursday.

An inquest has been opened by acting coroner John Gittins and a post-mortem examination was carried out by Home Office pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers.

The examination on Mrs Rumbold is understood to have revealed the provisional cause of death as asphyxiation caused by strangulation.

IMF hit by 'very major' cyber security attack

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says it has been targeted by a sophisticated cyber attack.

Officials at the fund gave few details but said the attack earlier this year had been "a very major breach" of its systems, the New York Times reports.

Cyber security officials said the hack was designed to install software to create a "digital insider presence".

The IMF, which holds sensitive economic data about many countries, said its operations were fully functional.

The cyber attack took place over several months, and happened before former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn was arrested over sexual assault charges.

"I can confirm that we are investigating an incident," said spokesman David Hawley.

"I am not in a position to elaborate further on the extent of the cyber security incident."

The New York Times said IMF staff had been told of the intrusion on Wednesday by e-mail, but that the Fund had not made a public announcement.

Continue reading the main story

Analysis

Rory Cellan-Jones Technology correspondent, BBC News

---

The IMF is saying very little, beyond confirming that an incident has taken place, but on the face of it this looks like a serious attack on computer systems holding some very sensitive data.

The fact that the FBI has been called in, and that the neighbouring World Bank has severed its computer link to the IMF, show that it is being taken seriously.

An internal memo suggests that one particular desktop has been compromised - and security experts are speculating that an individual has been targeted with an email containing malware.

That could have enabled the attacker to gain access to the IMF's systems. What is not clear is whether any data was lost.

For an organisation already in crisis as it looks for a successor to Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the cyber-attack is yet another challenge. The IMF's members will be urgently seeking assurance that their data is secure and that the fund's defences are in good order.

The e-mail warned that "suspicious file transfers" had been detected and that an investigation had shown a desktop at the Fund had been "compromised and used to access some Fund systems".

There was "no reason to believe that any personal information was sought for fraud purposes," it said.

High profile breaches

A cyber security expert told Reuters the infiltration had been a targeted attack which installed software designed to give a nation state a "digital insider presence" at the IMF.

"The code was developed and released for this purpose," said Tom Kellerman, who has worked for the Fund.

Bloomberg quoted an unnamed security expert as saying the hackers were connected to a foreign government. However, such attacks are very difficult to trace.

The World Bank said it briefly cut its network connection with the Fund out "an abundance of caution".

"The World Bank Group, like any other large organisation, is increasingly aware of potential threats to the security of our information system and we are constantly working to improve our defences," said spokesman Rich Mills.

The incident is the latest in a string of high-profile cyber security breaches.

In April, the Sony Playstation network was shut down after hackers stole the personal data of about 100 million accounts and in May, US defence firm Lockheed Martin said it had come under a significant cyber-attack.

CIA Director Leon Panetta told the US Congress earlier this week that a large-scale cyber attack which would cripple power, finance, security and governmental systems was "a real possibility in today's world".

Philippines man crowned world's shortest

A teenager from a poor family in the rural Philippines has been declared the world's shortest man as he turned 18.

Guinness World Records presented Junrey Balawing, who is 59.93cm (23.6 inches) tall, with a certificate at his birthday party.

Mr Balawing stopped growing when he was two, his father said.

He is more than 7cm shorter than the previous record holder, Khagendra Thapa Magar from Nepal, who had held the record since last October.

Relatives say he has difficulty standing and walking, but the community was protective of him.

"Officially he is the world's shortest man," declared Guinness World Records official Craig Glenday in front of cheering relatives and friends at his birthday party in the rural town of Sindangan on Mindanao island in the southern Philippines.

Well-wishers, including politicians, presented him with cash gifts which his family said would add to their meagre savings, AFP news agency reported.

"Thank you to all of you for supporting my son, the world's shortest man," Mr Balawing's father said.

Mr Balawing blew out a candle on his birthday cake and said "I'm tired".

His father said he had been a sickly child and doctors had not been able to say why he stopped growing.

His three siblings are all of normal size.

Libya rebels 'smuggling weapons through Tunisia'

Libyan rebels are smuggling weapons through Tunisia to fight Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's forces in western Libya, the BBC has learned.

One Libyan smuggler told the BBC that AK47s and grenade launchers are being taken across the border by individuals, in small but frequent consignments.

Gaddafi forces are on the Tunisian border, and shelling often spills over.

The fledgling Tunisian government is fearful of giving overt support to the rebels.

Tunisian border guards are under orders to search each car going in to Libya.

But members of the Libyan diaspora are funding the purchase of small arms to send to western Libya, said the Libyan smuggler, who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity.

He said that many Tunisians are sympathetic and help get the arms in to the rebels.

A rebel commander in western Libya said his forces kept a record of each fighter and the serial number of their weapons, so they could be collected when the war was over.

Commander Ahbeel Dody appealed for Nato countries to send more and heavier weapons through Tunisia officially.

He said a shortage in the Nafousa mountains, where towns have gained ground in frequent clashes with Col Gaddafi's forces, was prolonging the war.

Man stabbed to death for £12 on birthday in Fulham

Krzysztof Rusek had worked as a chef at the Ibis hotel in Lillie रोड

A man has been stabbed to death on his birthday in west London by robbers who made off with £12.

Chef Krzysztof Rusek was in a park in Fulham, celebrating his 30th birthday early on Tuesday with his girlfriend and some other friends, when a group of people tried to rob them.

Police said the robbers then stabbed Mr Rusek. He was taken to hospital but later died there.

His friend was stabbed in the leg but was saved from injury by his wallet.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said Mr Rusek, who lived in Willesden, north-west London, left his work at the Ibis hotel in Lillie Road with three male colleagues at around midnight and met up with his girlfriend.

The group brought some drinks and went to a quiet garden area, next to the Fulham Centre in Lillie Road, to celebrate his birthday. One of his friends then went home.

As the group of four sat in the garden four to five men entered the park area and tried to rob them and Mr Rusek was stabbed.

The spokesman said two of the robbers had the lower part of their faces covered and that just £12 in total had been taken.

Det Ch Insp Nick Scola said: "This is a tragic waste of a young life, especially as Krzysztof was out celebrating his 30th birthday at the time.

"What started out as good natured night out with his girlfriend and colleagues has ended horrifically for the sake of a small sum of money."

Mr Rusek, a Polish national, had lived in the UK for the past eight years.

A post-mortem examination was due to be carried out on Wednesday.

Blackburn's Phil Jones set for Manchester United move

Blackburn defender Phil Jones is set to join Manchester United in a deal worth up to £17m.

The England Under-21 centre-half had a medical with the Premier League champions on Wednesday, after turning down offers from Arsenal and Liverpool.

Jones only made his Premier League debut in March last year but has made a big impact in his first full season.

The 19-year-old was due to travel to Denmark with the under-21s on Wednesday for the European Championship.

Jones will not find it easy to disrupt United's first-choice centre-back pairing of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, while Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans are also competing for places at the heart of Sir Alex Ferguson's defence.

But he impressed as Blackburn ended their season with a four-game unbeaten run, which included a 1-1 draw with United and wins over Bolton and Wolves, to ensure their Premier League survival.

Jones, who was born in Preston, joined Blackburn's youth set-up in 2002, making his debut in a Carling Cup win at Nottingham Forest in September 2009. His first Premier League appearance came six months later in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Ewood Park.

United striker Wayne Rooney reacted to the news by writing on Twitter: "Phil Jones is a good young English player. One of the toughest defenders I played against last season. Can play midfield too."

DID YOU KNOW?

Continue reading the main story

• Phil Jones has been at Blackburn since the age of 11

He added: "I don't know if Phil Jones is signing for us, just saying he is a good player that's all. I haven't got a clue if he is signing or not."

The defender has made 35 appearances in total for Blackburn but has yet to score for the club.

Rovers striker Jason Roberts said losing Jones would be a big blow to the club.

"He has been fantastic for us since he has come into the team but how do you stop someone going to Man Utd?" Roberts told BBC Radio 5 live.

Continue reading the main story

Once he gets the opportunity, he will stay there because it is very rare that he is at fault for a goal

Blackburn striker Jason Roberts on Phil Jones

"It's a good amount of money and hopefully he will go on and have a lot of success in his career. He is a very intelligent centre half. He is not overly physical and yet he can hold his own.

"The biggest compliment I can pay him is that as soon as he came into the team, he played against Didier Drogba at Chelsea and I've never seen anyone play as well against him.

"I thought he was fantastic and since then he has never really let his standards drop. He is a very level-headed guy and I don't think he is going to have a problem fitting into Manchester United in terms of mentality.

"Once he gets the opportunity, he will stay there because it is very rare that he is at fault for a goal or out of position or letting the team down."

Landmark Hitler letter on Jews unveiled in New York

The letter is hand-typed and signed by हिटलर

A letter by Adolf Hitler - said to be the earliest expression of his ideas on anti-Semitism - has been shown publicly for the first time in New York.

The four-page typed letter, written in 1919, calls for the "uncompromising removal" of Jews from society.

It was acquired by the Simon Wiesenthal Centre in Los Angeles, where it is due to go on display.

The statement by the then 30-year-old soldier is regarded as a key historical document from the period.

Correspondents say it is seen as significant because it demonstrates how early the future Nazi leader was forming his views.

'Legislation'

The document suggests that Hitler already believed, more than two decades before the Holocaust, that Jews should be removed from society.

"To begin with, Judaism is definitely a racial and not a religious group," Hitler wrote in the statement, known as the Gemlich letter.

The letter marks Judaism as "a racial and not a religious group"

"The result of which is that a non-German race lives among us with its own feelings, thoughts and aspirations, while having all the same rights as we do."

In one section of the letter, Hitler writes that a government could tackle the so-called "Jewish question" by denying their rights, but said the "final aim, however, must be the uncompromising removal of the Jews altogether".

Rabbi Marvin Hier of the Simon Wiesenthal Center said that the organisation bought the letter for $150,000 (£90,000) from a private dealer last month.

He said the letter - the existence of which has long been known to scholars - was a critical document from World War II because it "ties Hitler directly to the destruction of the Jews".

"In 1919, when he was a nobody he writes a letter... we need not emotional pogroms, we need legislation, we need a national government that would be ruthless enough, to do what? Total removal of the Jews from society," he told the BBC.

When it was written, Hitler was serving in the German army, and had had a tendency to stir up troops with his anti-Semitic rhetoric.

A superior officer asked him to put his ideas on paper, according to AP news agency.

The document was displayed at New York's Museum of Tolerance, but it will go on permanent show in Los Angeles from July.

Facebook sorry over face tagging launch

Facebook has apologised for the way it rolled-out a new system that recognises users' faces.

The social network said that it should have done more to notify members about the global launch.

Its Tag Suggestions feature scans photos and automatically picks out existing friends.

Although users have the option to switch it off, some complained that they were not explicitly asked if they wanted it activated.

Facebook said that the system was intended to speed up the process of assigning a name to a picture, known as tagging.

It was introduced in the US in December 2010 but has only now been launched globally.

Graham Cluley, senior consultant with security firm Sophos, said that users' annoyance was less about the product's purpose than the manner in which it was made live.

"Once again Facebook seems to be sharing personal information by default," said Mr Cluley.

"Many people feel distinctly uncomfortable about a site like Facebook learning what they look like and using that information without their permission."

Essential tools

Mr Cluley explained that Tag Suggestions did not mean, as some have suggested, that users would be able to identify strangers from their photographs.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

If you're worried about this and wish to turn the feature off, here's how to do it”

End Quote BBC Webwise

• Facebook's face recognition technology (and how to turn it off)

"As your Facebook friends upload their albums, Facebook will try to determine if any of the pictures look like you. And if they find what they believe to be a match, they may well urge one of your Facebook friends to tag it with your name," he explained in his blog.

"The tagging is still done by your friends, not by Facebook. But rather creepily Facebook is now pushing your friends to go ahead and tag you."

Defending the technology, a Facebook spokesperson told the BBC that there had been "misconceptions" about what it does but apologised for not properly informing users.

"Tag Suggestions are only made to people when they add new photos to the site, and only friends are suggested.

"If for any reason someone doesn't want their name to be suggested, they can disable the feature in their privacy settings.

"We should have been more clear with people during the roll-out process when this became available to them," said the spokesperson.

Social everything

Privacy experts have long argued that users should have more control over who is tagging them and have called for 'privacy by default' to be rolled out in all of Facebook's settings.

The company has a chequered history when it comes to such matters. In 2009, there was an outcry about the complexity of its privacy policy - which at that point was longer than the US Constitution.

Subsequent simplifications went some way towards placating campaigners.

An investigation by the Canadian privacy commissioner Jenny Stoddard concluded that Facebook had made vast improvements but warned the company that it would be monitoring future changes.

Ms Stoddard said that there was room for improvement and recommended making default settings for photo albums more restrictive.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has made no secret of the fact that he believes life on the web should be social "by default".

Elephant rampage causes terror in Indian city

Two wild elephants have gone on a rampage in southern India, killing at least one person, officials say.

The elephants left a trail of destruction in a suburb of the city of Mysore, in the state of Karnataka.

Officials say the animals walked into the city from a nearby forest, leaving residents running for their lives.

Officials say that one elephant barged into a women's college compound and wandered the grounds, while the other wreaked havoc in a residential area.

Forest rangers and officials from Mysore Zoo later tranquilised and captured the animals.

Encroachment

A 55-year-old man who left his house in the Bamboo Bazaar area of Mysore after hearing the commotion was trampled to death, Karnataka state Higher Education Minister SA Ramdas told AFP news agency.

The elephants are thought to have come from a nearby forest

Mr Ramdas said schools and colleges in the city were closed throughout Wednesday and extra police had been deployed as a precaution.

State forest department officials said the young elephants came from forest about 35km (22 miles) from the city.

They say that two other elephants remain at large on the outskirts of Mysore.

One official blamed the rampage on human encroachment into areas traditionally inhabited by elephants.

"Unregulated expansion of farm lands and increasing movement of people and vehicles through the elephant corridor are making the wild jumbos enter into villages and towns in search of food and shelter," he told AFP.

Mr Ramdas said that the two captured elephants would be released back into the wild.

US police say no bodies found at 'mass grave' site

US police say there were no bodies found at a house in east Texas, where an anonymous caller claiming to be a psychic said there was a mass grave.

US media earlier reported there were up to 30 dismembered bodies including children buried there.

A Sheriff's Department spokesman says they found no indication of bodies anywhere on the property.

Authorities say they have a name and number and are trying to trace the caller.

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Rex Evans, Liberty County Sheriff Captain: "There is no indication that any type of homicide has occurred here"

Liberty County Sheriff's Department spokesman Rex Evans says the office took the tip seriously because the caller had details of the the interior of the house

"We are going to continue our investigation and find out how this individual had this information in the first place," he said.

Aerial shots on local TV stations showed a dozen police vehicles parked along a road in wooded country, 50 miles (80 km) east of Houston, as the authorities investigated the claim.

The FBI confirmed it had been asked to take part in the investigation.

Australia bans all live cattle exports to Indonesia

The Australian government has suspended live cattle exports to Indonesia until safeguards are adopted to end the brutal slaughter of animals.

The move follows an investigation into Indonesian abattoirs by Australia's ABC broadcaster, which showed graphic footage of animals being mistreated.

It prompted a public outcry and demands for the government to act.

Last week, Canberra suspended exports to abattoirs shown in the programme, but now it has issued a blanket ban.

Farmers' warning

The ban is the result of public revulsion and outrage at the gruesome footage from Indonesia's abattoirs that was broadcast last week in an ABC TV documentary.

It showed steers being whipped, beaten and slashed repeatedly, and suffering terrible pain before they are slaughtered.

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“Start Quote

No piece of television journalism aired in Australia in the past 12 months has had such an profound impact on the public and, more importantly, government policy”

End Quote Nick Bryant BBC News, Sydney

• Did animal cruelty report lead to an over-reaction?

Australia first announced a ban on live exports to the 12 abattoirs featured in the programme.

But the public demanded more, signing online petitions to halt the trade with Indonesia and pressing lawmakers in Canberra to bring in a complete ban.

Butchers have also reported that beef sales are down by up to 15%.

An early indication that a ban was about to come into effect came on Tuesday, when about 2,000 cattle were not allowed to board a ship in Western Australia that was about to set sail for Indonesia.

Now has come the announcement that exports will be halted until safeguards are put in place in Indonesia to safeguard the animals.

Australia exports more than 700,000 cattle each year - the vast majority to Indonesia.

However, Australian farmers have warned that a ban would destroy many rural livelihoods.

Tiger Woods to miss US Open because of injury

111th US Open

• Venue: Congressional Country Club, Maryland
• Date: 16-19 June
• Coverage: Live text commentary on BBC Sport website; coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live and Sky Sports

Woods has won the US Open three times - in 2000, 2002 and 2008

Tiger Woods has revealed he will miss next week's US Open because of injury.

The former world number one suffered a sprain to his left knee and mild strain to his left Achilles tendon during the third round of the Masters in April.

"I am extremely disappointed I won't be playing in the US Open [16-19 June]," Woods, 35, stated on his website.

"But it's time for me to listen to my doctors and focus on the future. I was hopeful I could play but, if I did, I risk further damage to my left leg."

Did you know?

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• Woods has not won since the 2009 Australian Masters - a run of 22 tournaments

Woods, who has played in every US Open since 1994, sustained the injuries when he hit his second shot from under the Eisenhower tree at the 17th at Augusta.

He consequently missed the Wells Fargo Championship and withdrew after nine holes during the first round at the Players Championship after injuring his leg again on his opening tee shot.

Tiger Woods' injury problems

Continue reading the main story

• Dec 2002 - Surgery to remove fluid around anterior cruciate ligament in left knee
• Jul 2007 - Ruptures anterior cruciate ligament in left knee
• Apr 2008 - Has athroscopic surgery on left knee to repair cartilage damage
• Jun 2008 - Has reconstructive surgery on his left knee after winning US Open and misses the rest of the season
• Dec 2008 - Ruptures Achilles' tendon in right leg
• May 2010 - A month after returning at Augusta, pulls out of the final round at the Players Championship with a neck injury
• Dec 2010 - Has a cortisone shot in his ankle following continuing pain in his Achilles
• Apr 2011 - Reveals a minor sprain of medial collateral ligaments in his left knee and minor strain of his left Achilles
• May 2011 - Withdraws after nine holes at the Players Championship, citing knee, Achilles and calf problems
• Jun 2011 - Fails to recover from multiple leg injuries and pulls out of US Open

Woods, who has been wearing a protective boot in an attempt to aid his recovery, has been dogged by injuries for three years. The American added his 14th and last major when he beat Rocco Mediate in a play-off at the 2008 US Open.

Following that epic win, Woods revealed he had a double stress fracture in his left tibia and also added that he had been playing for almost a year with a torn ligament in his left knee. He subsequently had surgery and missed the next eight months, including the Open and PGA Championship of 2008.

The Californian then had another lay-off after his serial infidelity became public knowledge in November 2009. The following year he came fourth in both the Masters and US Open and was also tied for the lead at the turn in the final round of this year's Masters before slipping backing to fourth.

Woods has been working on a revamp of his swing under new coach Sean Foley after his tutor of six years Hank Haney resigned in May 2010. But he he has dropped down to 15th in the world rankings and is without a win since claiming the Australian Masters in November 2009.

"It's been a frustrating and difficult year, but I'm committed to my long-term health," added Woods, who is hopeful of returning for the AT&T National, which starts on 30 June, as well as the Open at Royal St George's in Kent from 14-17 July.

"I want to thank the fans for their encouragement and support. I am truly grateful and will be back playing when I can."

Defending US Open champion Graeme McDowell said he was surprised by the withdrawal of Woods.

Continue reading the main story

He's not competitive right now as far as winning…He's playing worse and worse, he changed coaches, which many of us feel is the wrong move. He's really in a downward spiral. The best thing to do is step away from the game like he's doing

Jay Townsend BBC radio 5 live golf commentator

"To not have one of the greatest players that have ever lived [at the US Open] is massive," the Northern Ireland golfer told Sky Sports News.

"Golf needs Tiger Woods. He's been golf for the last 15 years. His mental health is one question, his physical health is another. We'll hope he'll be back, but no one knows."

This week Woods also announced that he will be staying with his long-term agent Mark Steinberg, who announced his departure from sports agency IMG two weeks ago.

UK and France seek UN action over Syria's crackdown

Britain and France are stepping up pressure for a UN Security Council vote condemning the Syrian government's suppression of months of unrest.

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said it was "inconceivable that the UN remains silent" in the face of worsening violence.

Britain plans to present a draft resolution later on Wednesday.

But unlike the case of Libya, the draft does not suggest military action against Damascus or sanctions.

In Syria, residents of the northern town of Jisr al-Shughour are said to be fleeing ahead of an expected military assault, after the government said 120 security forces personnel had been killed there.

In a separate development, Syria's ambassador to France has denied reports in the French media that she had resigned.

Appearing on French TV, Lamia Chakkour said a telephone interview in which she was reported to have quit was part of a campaign of misinformation against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Revised draft

On Tuesday, a British spokesman at the UN said the draft resolution to the 15-member Security Council was expected to be presented on Wednesday afternoon.

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Alain Juppe: "Bashar has lost his legitimacy to rule the country"

The spokesman added that a vote was likely to take place later this week or early next week.

Earlier, Alain Juppe said that the repression in Syria was "getting worse" and that "the massacres are on the rise".

"It is inconceivable that the United Nations remains silent on such a matter. We are working with our UK friends to have as large a majority as possible on the Security Council," the French minister added after a council meeting.

However, some council members - like Brazil, South Africa and India - are afraid that the resolution could be the first step towards a Libya-style intervention, the BBC's Barbara Plett at the UN reports.

So Britain and France have revised the text to take in their concerns, diplomats say.

The idea is to build enough support in the council to make it politically difficult for Russian and China - two heavyweights who oppose any action on Syria - to veto the resolution, our correspondent says.

However, a senior Russian diplomat reiterated Moscow's opposition to the proposed resolution.

Speaking in Brussels, Russia's envoy to the EU, Vladimir Chizhov, said: "The prospect of a UN Security Council resolution that's along the same lines as Resolution 1973 on Libya will not be supported by my country. The use of force, as Libya shows, does not provide answers."

'Road barriers'

Meanwhile, residents of Jisr al-Shughour are said to be setting up checkpoints ahead of a possible assault by the military, after the government warned it would act "with force" to combat "armed gangs" that it blames for the recent killings.

The reported attack on security forces came amid mounting tensions as dozens of protesters were killed across the country over the weekend.

The BBC's Jim Muir in neighbouring Lebanon says there are no reports of action in Jisr al-Shughour itself yet, but that troop movements and preparations have been reported.

Some activists are said to have erected barriers of rocks, tree trunks and burning tyres on the main approach road to try to block the advance of security forces.

Our correspondent says Syrian television has been paving the way for the expected counter-attack, saying there was a popular consensus that the army should go in, and bolstering that with interviews of people praising the government.

One Jisr al-Shughour resident told AP news agency that many were fleeing the area for the Turkish border about 12 miles (20 km) away.

"People were struck by fear and panic after the government statements last night, it's clear they are preparing for a major massacre," he said.

A total of 122 Syrians crossed the border into Turkey overnight, Turkey's state-run Anatolian news agency said.

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