President pays last respects to late Mandela

President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is currently in South Africa paid his last respects to the remains of former South African President late Nelson Mandela at the Union Buildings in Pretoria last afternoon. External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris is also in the picture. Photo courtesy: Government of South Africa

President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is currently in South Africa paid his last respects to the remains of the former South African President late Nelson Mandela at the Union Buildings in Pretoria last afternoon, states a press release from the Presidential Spokesman and International Media Unit.

The release added: The Union Buildings are the official seat of the South African government.

It is where Mr. Mandela was sworn in as the country's first black President in 1994. President Rajapaksa also attended the State Memorial Service for the late President at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg yesterday.

Why Is Bluetooth Called Bluetooth ?

When two devices need to talk to each other, they
need to have a handshake on various parameters
before the conversation starts. The first agreement
is on the medium – will they use wires, or talk over
some wireless signal? Bluetooth is one such wireless signal (protocol)
over which two (or more) devices communicate
over.

Strange name though isn’t it – are the bluetooth
waves invisible but blue and shaped like teeth?
Wrong! There is absolutely no relation between the name
and the meaning.

The Bluetooth protocol was created by Ericsson
(pre-Sony Ericsson) which is a major Swedish
telecommunication company. They named it after
the Danish viking king, Harald Blåtand. As legend goes, Blåtandhad
the blessed ability to bring people negotiate with each other, and
cometo talking terms. So skilled was he, that he was able to unite Denmark
and Norway together! The literal translation of Blåtand means blue-tooth, hence
the name Bluetooth for the protocol. It does precisely what Blåtand did – lets
two wireless device to communicate with each
other!

The Bluetooth symbol has HaraldBlåtand’sinitials inscribed into it (in Runic).
The two lines stickingout of the back of the B
actually represent a Runic H – thats
H for Harald .The B for Bluetooth also stands for

HOW TO SOLVE LOW MEMORY ISSUE WITH TECNO N3 AND P3

This tutorial is divided in to two parts:
1. Partitioning your sd card with clockworkmod and;
2. Linking your apps with link2sd.

Before you can carry out steps in this tutorial your Tecno n3 or p3 has to be rooted!
Requirement are:

1. A pc or laptop and a compactible or your original usb cable to backup your data.
2. Your rooted Tecno N3 & Tecno P3.
3. Clockworkmod recovery.
4. A PC or laptop.
5. Your brain and this tutorial.

For rooting Tecno N3 click here here & Tecno P3 click here.

How to install Clockworkmod recovery click here.

Note:Before carrying out the procedures below you have to back up all your data or files especially the folder ".android_secure" on your memory card to your pc as you will definately loss them all during partitioning.

Procedures
1. Switch or turn your phone off.
2. Hold volume on  button and switch or power on your phone without letting go of the volume on betton untill (10-15 secs) recovery mode loads up.
3. Clockworkmod recovery will load up in 4 portions of the screen with pink and green text (Don't get confused and move to the next step).
4. Now enable back button by pressing Vol up, vol down, vol up button quickly and if this does not work just press random vol up and down button till it is enabled but this will make you use your initiative for the next step.
5. Now press the vol down button (5 times) till it gets to "install zip from sd card" on the 3rd & 4th portion of the screen and press the power button to select.
6. Scroll down using the vol down button once to get to "apply /sdcard/update.zip" and press the power button to select.
7. Scroll down by pressing the vol down button (7 times) till it gets to "Yes - Install /sdcard/update" 3rd & 4th portion of the screen and press the power button to select.
9. Clockworkmod recovery will appear in a single screen with a black background and text in blue.
10. Scroll down with the vol down button to advance and select with the power button.
11. Scroll down with the vol down button to "Partition SD Card" and select with the power button.
12. Scroll down and select "1024M" as your Ext Size i.e "EXT4=1024MB" for "APPS2SD" and select "256M" as swap Size but you can reduce the size of the second partition "EXT4" to "512MB" if your memory card is less than "8GB", you don't intend to install too many apps or you want to save storage space for movies, hands or others.
13. Wait till partition is done.
14. Connect your phone to your pc or laptop and restore your data.

LINKING YOUR APPS WITH LINK2SD

1. Download and install Link2SD.
2. Launch or open Link2SD and grant Link2SD Superuser access.
3. Select "ext" as the file system of the second permission.
4. Link2SD will prompt you to reboot your phone.
5. Reboot your phone.
6. launch or open Link2SD and tap on the filter icon i.e funnel icon and select "user".
7. Tap on the first or left soft panel and select "multi-select".
8. Select all the apps you want to link excluding superuser, Link2SD, system apps and any other app you don't want to link.
9. select "Action", "Create link" and then on the next screen select Link "application file", "Link dalvik-cache file", and "link library files". You can also tap on details to verify apps you linking.
10. Select "OK".
11. Link2SD will move all the apps you selected to the second partition of your SD card and craete a link connecting your internal memory to the second partition.
12. Tap "OK" when done.
13. Tap on the first or left soft panel, select settings and select Auto link, Auto link notifications, Relink lib & dex files at boot, Fast Scroll and then then select the three boxes in Auto link settings.
14. You can check your phone partition and memory card details by Taping on the first or left soft panel and select "Storage Info"  to verify changes.
Congratulations your applications are now linked to your partitioned space.

NOTE:Anytime you get low memory message usually after a reboot just launch or open Link2SD, filter linked apps, multi-select and relink apps or you can just reboot your phone.

Warning: DO not link any system app, Link2SD, Superuser and maybe your launcher app if it is is not the system's default that is used as default.

This tutorial was written originally by I based on my own first hand experience but inspired by the work of others. I commend the effort of those who ported ClockworkMOD Recovery to Tecno N3 & P3 and just like matter knowledge can be transformed into different forms.
I welcome suggestions and observations and will be pleased to get your feedback.
Thanks.

HOW TO USE MTN BIS TO BROWSE ON ANY ANDROID PHONE

The method posted below is not new. As a matter of fact it was the primary method used before blackberry's access point "blackberry.net" started connecting directly on mtn  months ago.

Remember your phone must be rooted but if not "UDP" is your only a relable option. You have to subscribe or have a running "MTN BIS" subscription.

To subscribe for MTN BIS"  you will need to have a minimum account balance of N1500. Text "BCM" or "BIS" to "21600" cost N1000 or N1500 respectively without quotes.

Create a new access point settings using "Blackberry.net" as your apn and every other thing should be the same as your default MTN access point settings or you can change the default apn i.e "web.gprs.mtnnigeria.net" to "blackberry.net" without quotes as a precaution.

To use mtn bis on your android phone you will have to carry out the procedures below to get DroidVPN running.

Procedures

1. Download and install tune.ko installer, DroidVPN and Superuser.

2. Download and install busybox (optional).

3. Register or create an account @ http://driodvpn.com/

4. Goto your Mail box and retrieve your DroidVPN's password.

5. Launch or open DroidVPN.

6. Tap on the first or left soft panel and select Account login details.

7. Input your DroidVPN's username and password and select "save my login details".

8. Tap on the first or left soft panel, select settings, click on "Connection protocol" and select "ICMP" or you can choose "UDP" and input "500' as preferred port without quotes.

9. Scroll down and tap BusyBox Path and select "/system/xbin".

10. Go back or tap the third or right soft panel.

11. Tap on the connection or power icon or button on the screen.

12. Start surfing once DroidVPN connects successfully.


NOTE: Using this method has it's limitations. Examples of such include limited bandwidth of 100MB daily, May not connect after disconnection, will not connect if the network is down. Well all this limitations will be lifted if you purchase a license and become a paid user. Always ensure that your connectioin profile with blackberry.net apn is selected.

Using iOS 7 to Optimize iPhone Security

Using iOS 7 to optimize iPhone security
The latest iOS upgrade has brought with it new and unique ways to secure the iPhone. TechRepublic reported that although much of operating system has remained the same, updates to its design and improvements to workplace integration makes it a worthwhile change. Additionally, Apple's passcode features have improved with a new alphanumeric password option.
Managing an iPhone with iOS 7
The bring your own device (BYOD) model for workplace integration has taken off, with more businesses allowing their employees to utilize smartphones, tablets and laptops, in place of their company-provided tools. As if in response to this trend, Apple released iOS 7 with features that enhance the functionality of the iPhone in an office setting.

According to TechRepublic, features such as AirDrop make sharing photos and documents fast and simple by connecting employees to one another, enabling a collaborative workplace environment for those who are utilizing this technology. Additionally, the source reported that Apple has also improved its overall app security by enabling a data protection function automatically, preserving any information transferred across these third-party app providers.

Another new resource that speaks to the iPhone's updated security is the single sign-on (SSO) capability that will allow end-users to set a password once across applications that contain sensitive information. This option is especially useful for businesses that hope to safeguard the data employees might be accessing through the cloud because it can prevent code sharing.
The first step is securing the phone itself
None of the above options are innately secure, however. According to Tom's Guide, it's essential that end-users with a mind for safety make optimal use of their iPhone's built-in security feature - the passcode.

The source reported that it's one of the easiest ways to prevent accidentally or intentional breaches of data. Additionally, the upgrades to the iOS 7 platform have provided end-users with new options for creating and maintaining security. Traditionally, the lock screen was protected by a 4-digit passcode. Now, after Apple's latest upgrade, it is possible to set alphanumeric protection, utilizing ten or more upper- and lower-case characters and numbers.

Tom's Guide noted that the 4-digit PIN code has 10,000 combinations, which is difficult to hack but not impossible. With the newest option, it is much more challenging for individuals to break through this defense. In addition to this new safety measure, the iOS 7 upgrade enables users to program how often the device will ask for authentication. Rather than the traditional method, which asked for authentication every time the screen was opened, the iPhone can be set so that it will lock on a timed interval instead.
Does it really matter?
According to Security Watch, mobile devices have become a major part of the lives of users everywhere. The source referenced a study by Sprint that reported how frequently smartphones are accessed on a daily basis, and the one unifying factor is the risk associated with information exposure.

Because of the ability to access the Internet on the go, data security has become a constant concern that responsible individuals are having to overcome. Additionally, without utilizing passcodes and other features meant to preserve the integrity of stored information, issues with privacy are growing.

In order to preserve what Security Watch calls "our most personal computers," it's important that smartphones are protected with verification features that are built into their operating systems. Additionally, it is possible to reinforce these safety precautions with password management software, which can provide an extra layer of defense against unwanted access.

Spider Silk: The Super Material of the Future

Today's scientists and researchers are more advanced than they have ever been before thanks to the use of highly effective traditional research methods combined with the speed and efficiency afforded by modern day technology. Case in point, one recent discovery in the material science realm, spider silk, has given scientists, medical professionals, the military, and business thinkers alike a reason for excitement because it has proven to be one of the most revolutionary materials science has seen in a long time. Spider silk, which many are calling the "new super material of the future", is over five times stronger than steel, ten times stronger than kevlar, and yet more elastic than a rubber band. It's potential uses span from the automobile, medical, military and construction industry. You can find out more about this amazing new material in this infographic, "Spider Silk: The Super Material of the Future", including what ways you might see this material show up next.

Mandela the secret weapon in 1995 World Cup Rugby final

WELLINGTON, Dec 7, 2013: For South Africans, winning the 1995 Rugby World Cup final marked the emergence of the “Rainbow Nation” - for New Zealanders, it was the day Nelson Mandela single-handedly outpsyched the mighty All Blacks.

The Jonah Lomu-inspired New Zealanders were red-hot favourites going into the decider, breezing through the group stages and humiliating England in the semi-finals.

In contrast, the Springboks scraped through on the back of an unconvincing 19-15 semi-final win over France, raising fears they would be blown away in the final at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park.

Then Mandela, in one of the most audacious political gambles of his career, appeared before the mostly white crowd of 62,000 wearing a Springbok jersey to shake the players’ hands before kick-off.The-then All Blacks coach Laurie Mains said the entire stadium was electrified at the sight of South Africa’s first black president sporting a garment that was indelibly associated with the apartheid regime.“We had no idea it was going to happen,” Mains told AFP, just months before Mandela died aged 95 after a long illness.“When Nelson Mandela appeared from under the grandstand with a Springbok jersey on, the crowd literally erupted.

“It was the most awesome experience I’ve had at a rugby stadium. Clearly it was a huge boost, not just to the crowd but to the Springbok team.” Lomu, who was named player of the tournament, said it was intimidating to meet Mandela decked out in his opponents’ colours.“It felt like the pressure was all on us because they had Nelson Mandela on their side,” he recalled ahead of the 2007 World Cup.

“They had all their country finally united after years of fighting ... that one day they all came together.” At the time, Mandela had been president for barely a year and many whites still regarded him as a terrorist over his support for armed struggle against apartheid.

He also risked alienating black supporters, for whom rugby union, and the Springbok jersey in particular, had long been a hated symbol of white supremacy. But on June 24, 1995, the gamble paid off and the chant of “Nelson, Nelson” reverberated around the stands while millions more watched television screens transfixed.

It was around that moment - immortalised in the 2009 movie “Invictus”, starring Morgan Freeman as Mandela - that Mains began to believe his team was not taking part in just a simple rugby game.

“It was very much more than that,” he said.“It was incredibly intense. The All Blacks may well have felt like they were taking on the whole world.

“The atmosphere in that ground could not possibly be repeated, ever, because you’d never again get such a great moment in history and such a great man creating that moment.” To their credit, the All Blacks maintained their composure to keep the scores level after 80 minutes but succumbed to a Joel Stransky drop-goal deep into extra-time.Mandela then took to the field again, this time to present the William Webb Ellis trophy to Springbok skipper Francois Pienaar.

The defeat spelled the end of Mains’ international coaching career, but he says he still feels proud to have been on the sidelines as history was being made.“Put the rugby aside, put the result aside for the moment - I feel deeply honoured and humbled that I was part of such a great occasion in world sport,” he said.

Nor does he bear any ill will to Mandela, the Springboks’ secret weapon on the day, whom he subsequently met when he returned to Johannesburg to coach Super rugby in 2000-2001.“The balance and compassion that that man showed after what he had been through is an example for all leaders in the world,” he said.

“My everlasting impression of Nelson Mandela is that if we could have a few more of him, then the world would be a much better place to live in.”
Mandela gave new meaning to Sports

During the many years I spent in Southern Africa, in Zambia in particular, Sports was a leveller at all levels. The then President of Zambia, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, for whom I had the privilege of serving, would reschedule a cabinet meeting to be able to watch a golf tournament or a soccer game of his choice. Many heads of State in Africa would give Soccer pride of place in their priorities. But Nelson Mandela took this affinity to an entirely new level.

The passing of Nelson Mandela brings to mind ‘Invictus’, the 2009 film produced by Clint Eastwood, where the epic story of Nelson Mandela and the Rugby World Cup is enacted. This was a watershed film of a true story. Here Mandela, having been imprisoned for 27 years for his fight against apartheid, is released. On becoming President of South Africa, he turns to the Rugby World Cup event that his new administration hosted and uses the game and its message to reject revenge, forgives his oppressors and finds hope of national unity in an unlikely place - the rugby field!

Morgan Freeman, who was an Oscar nominee for portraying Mandela, and Matt Damon (nominee for best supporting actor) bring to life the ethos of the Mandela message that inspired the underdog South African Team to win the World Cup in the wake of protests by the black community that Rugby was a white man’s preserve.

Through the intervention of Mandela, the universal language of sports was translated elegantly to bring new meaning to the fighting spirit of rugby.

Sri Lanka finished in fourth place of the Nations Cup netball championship as they went down fighting against formidable Papua New Guinea 60-48 in their match played at Toa Sports Hall, Singapore on Saturday.

Sri Lanka’s best player, Gayani Dissanayake is about to shoot a goal with two Papua New Guinean players making a vain attempt to foil her in the third place play off the Nations Cup tournament in Singapore yesterday which Papua New Guinea won 60-48. Pic: Prince Gunasekara

The unranked Uganda stunned the netball world thrashing hosts nation Sinagpore by 52 goals to 29 in the final worked off on Saturday at the same venue. Uganda, had already beaten Singapore in the round-robin stage and hosts suffered two consecutive defeats against the unranked African nation.

Sri Lanka’s best performance in the Nations Cup tournament, is the fourth place in the previous championship and had to be satisfied with the same result in the eighth edition of the six-nation tournament this year.

Sri Lanka fielded an inexperienced squad with several new players and it was visible that in the round robin stage, in the previous match, Lankans were storming towards the end of the second quarters, but showed a pathetic display in the third and fourth quarters, handing over the game to Uganda 75-38 on Friday.

At the end of the first quarter, Sri Lanka were leading 14-13. Papua New Guinea, giving a spirited fight back led the way towards 16-12 lead at the end of the second quarter. In the decisive fourth quarter, Papua New Guinea stormed to victory ending the quarter 20-9. Papua New Guinea won the match 60-48 winning the third place of the one-week tournament.

Sri Lanka’s unstoppable goal shooter Tharjini Sivalingam scored 42 goals in 47 attempts while Semini Alwis recorded six goals in nine attempts. Due to Lankans’ failure in passing the ball, Papua New Geniua succeeded 62 times in 79 attempts. It was interesting that Lankan goal shooter Tharjini Sivalingam, goal attacker Semini Alwis, centre Thilini Wattegedara, wing attacker Marisha Fernando, goal defender Gayani Dissanayake, goal keeper Thisala Algama and wing defender Naujali Rajapakse were competing without any replacements throughout the game.

After, winning the fourth place of the championship, Sri Lanka coach Somitha Alwis said that she was happy with Lankans’ performance. As the team comprised inexperienced players, who had a short period of training at home before the tournament.

“We played a brilliant game of netball. I am happy on inexperienced players’ performances and it was visible that the lack of experience and lack of training deprived us going further. We hope to give a much better display in next year’s championship,” Alwis said.

Economy navigates market turbulence

IMF sources last week said that Sri Lanka’s economic outlook and Budget 2014 are positive.

The economy continues to move forward, and has navigated recent market turbulence well.

Overall GDP growth has been solid, said permanent representative of the IMF in Sri Lanka, Koshi Mathai at a media briefing in Colombo.

He said that the consistency in policies, tax proposals, deficit reduction focus and the overall budget is positive.The media briefing was held after the conclusion of IMF Executive Board Ex-Post Assessment of Exceptional Access under the 2009 Stand-By Arrangement and First Post-Program Monitoring Discussion with Sri Lankan officials. According to the IMF assessment, Sri Lanka’s economy continues to move forward, and has navigated recent market turbulence well.

Overall GDP growth has been solid, but recent indicators underline some areas of concern. Trade activity has been slow to pick up, tax revenue and public spending (including capital expenditure) are relatively low, and private sector credit growth has been declining.

It projects real GDP growth of 6.5 percent for 2013, somewhat below the authorities’ forecast of 7 to 7.5 percent. Headline inflation fell to 6.2 percent in September 2013, from 9.2 percent at end-2012. Base effects have been an important factor, but pressures appears to be easing, consistent with more moderate economic growth and lower food prices.

The assessment projects end-2013 inflation at 7 percent. Risks to the inflation outlook stem mainly from potential upward shocks to world commodity prices and lagged effects of monetary easing.

The external position improved during 2013. Imports and exports slowed in the first half of 2013, reducing trade deficit. Exports have since started to pick up, while tourism receipts and inward remittances remain strong. This is expected to contribute to a projected 1½ percent of GDP reduction in the current account deficit in 2013, and broadly stabilise gross reserves.

Fiscal consolidation is facing headwinds. Despite some important tax reforms introduced in 2012, and the 2013 extension of the VAT to the retail and wholesale sectors, revenue performance has been weak thus far in 2013.

To some extent, low revenue reflects the weaker imports, but the numerous tax exemptions and tax administration weaknesses remain the important causes of lower-than-expected revenue.In response to the revenue shortfall, the authorities have kept spending under tight control and are committed not to exceed 5.8 percent of GDP 2013 deficit target. In Budget 2014, they are targeting a further deficit reduction, to 5.2 percent, based on continued restraint of current spending and steps to broaden the tax base.

During 2013, monetary policy has been progressively eased. In October 2013, citing benign inflation outlook and the desire to stimulate the economy to reach higher growth in 2014, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) cut policy rates by 50 basis points.

This followed the 50-point cut in May 2013 and a reduction of reserve requirements by two percentage points at end-June. The easing of monetary policy throughout the year has been slow to feed through to bank lending, and private credit growth has continued to slow.

As of June 1, 2013, the CBSL increased the reserve maintenance period of commercial banks from one week to two weeks, to allow greater flexibility in liquidity management, and further relaxation of foreign exchange regulations with effect from June 12, 2013.

The condition of the banking system has improved, and the Financial Sector Assessment Program update last year found that significant progress has been made in strengthening banking supervision.

Vulnerabilities still exist— expressed in the recent rise in nonperforming loans. The recent shift from concessional and bilateral loans to external borrowing by banks and private entities raises the risks to external sustainability.

The Executive Directors welcomed the opportunity to review macroeconomic and policy developments as part of post-program monitoring and the ex-post evaluation of exceptional access under the 2009 Stand-By Arrangement.

The directors were encouraged by Sri Lanka’s strong growth and moderating inflation, and by the economy’s resilience in the face of recent market turbulence. However, vulnerabilities remain, stemming from high debt and declining government revenues relative to GDP.

The directors commended the authorities’ commitment to fiscal consolidation. They welcomed ongoing expenditure restraint, but cautioned against further cuts in capital expenditure to meet fiscal targets.

They underlined the importance of putting tax revenues on an upward trajectory. They emphasised the need for further improvements in tax policy and administration, including elimination or rationalisation of exemptions and holidays.

The Directors said that the flexible exchange rate regime has acted as a buffer to external shocks, and welcomed the Central Bank’s move to a less active intervention strategy. In view of the risks of further market turbulence ahead, they emphasised the need to allow time for the effects of monetary policy to feed through to private credit and money growth before considering a further easing.

The Directors noted progress in financial sector development, and efforts to strengthen supervision and regulation.

Drop in gold prices hits pawning industry

The gold jewellery pawning sector in the country has been adversely affected following the drop in gold prices in the world market triggered by the shift in demand to other assets.

The price of a gold sovereign slumped from around US$ 1,800 to around US$ 1,200 last week causing problems for banks and financial institutes which grant loans on a percentage of the value of the precious metal. Certain banks and financial institutions will incur considerable losses due to the drop in gold prices. Rating agencies and economic analysts said that the recent drop in gold prices could turn out to be risky for Sri Lanka's banking industry as the non-performing loans (NPLs) in the pawning (or gold-backed) loans sector could increase.

The Finance Company PLC, Chairman Preethi Jayawardena said that the pawing business of the company has been affected badly due to the sudden drop in gold prices. He said that they will have to auction jewellery that has been pawned, at market prices.

Analysts said that many customers who had pawned their jewellery are not keen to redeem them as they could purchase gold at a lower price and convert them into jewellery.

TFC's exposure in the pawning sector is little over Rs.1 billion. We give around 80 percent of the value of the gold at pawning, Jayawardena said.

Experts in the sector said that it is the big players such as the State banks that will be affected badly rather than those with less exposure.

Gold merchants are said to gain in the long-term following the drop in gold prices.

The price of gold will stabilise to around Rs. 41,000 a sovereign and with the festive season around the corner the demand for gold will rise, a merchant said.

There will be a slight drop in prices of the precious metal due to the reduction in import duty, gold merchants said. They said that there will not be a major drop in prices as production cost is high.

Sources at Swarnamahal Jewellers said that the price of a gold sovereign will drop by around Rs. 5,000 following the reduction in import duty. The import duty on gold was slashed last week from 10 percent to 7.5 percent to spur sales. The price of a gold sovereign is Rs. 43,500.

Experts said that the expansion in gold backed loans by banks and financial institutions when gold prices shot up has exposed the banking sector to higher risk with the sudden slump in prices. A Standard and Poor's report said that it expects default in pawning loans to increase in the next 12 months unless clear signs of gold prices stabilising emerge. It said that nevertheless, banks’ overall earnings will offer sufficient cushion against higher credit costs in the pawning segment.

According to the report, pawning loans in Sri Lanka have grown with the steady rise in gold prices due to the zero risk weight on pawning loans in the calculation of regulatory capital ratios, and the absence of restrictions on loan-to-value ratios.

A spokesman for Edirisinghe Trust Investments Ltd (ETI) said that the company's pawning business has dropped to around 85 percent due to the drop in gold prices. He said that if the cost is not covered at auctions the company will repurchase the assets and convert them to 24 carat gold and sell them through Swarnamahal Jewellers as new jewellery to cover the advance and cost.ETI's pawning base is around Rs 6 billion. Last year is was Rs. 6.5 billion. The company has reduced the loan to value ratio from around 60 percent to 50 percent due to market fluctuations. “We give discounts up to 50 percent of the value or convert it into a term loan of six months to one year for jewellery that has sentimental value,” the spokesman said.

Pan Asia Bank, Deputy General Manager - Retail Banking and SME, Irishad Ally said that there will not be a major impact on earnings from pawning due to the drop in gold prices as the bank identified the issue early and took steps to minimise the impact. He said the bank's pawning base is around Rs. 6.8 billion.

He said that customers who have pawned jewellery which has sentimental value will redeem them than the assets that has no emotional value. “We expect the price of gold to stabilise and the industry to be back on track shortly,” he said.

Gold jewellery makers said that they will not be affected, as jewellery is made on orders.

Pattakannus, Chairman and Managing Director S.A. Thiagarajah said that the drop in gold prices will affect those who hold a large inventory. He said that the impact will be felt when banks sell the current stocks and import new stocks. The price of a gold sovereign rose to Rs. 60,000 in 2012. He said that the price of a gold sovereign rose from Rs. 300 to Rs. 700 overnight in 1971. The demand for gold fluctuates according to the strength of the dollar. When the dollar is strong the demand for gold declines.

Sharp increase in cannabis users

The growing number of cannabis users, has now resorted to trafficking the drug illicitly using public transport to avoid arrest, a spokesperson for the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board said.

“This trend has been seen in recent years as the number of cannabis users has increased islandwide”, Assistant Director NDDCB Ms Badhrani Senanayake, told the Sunday Observer.

Her recently released report on the drug situation in Sri Lanka, says that compared to 2011, the number of cannabis related arrests increased by 11 percent last year, with the prevalence rate of 184 per 100,000 population in 2012.

The Western Province leads the number of cannabis arrests by a significant margin. According to statistics quoted in the report, 61 percent of the cases were from the Western Province, followed by 11 percent in the Southern Province and 6 percent in the Eastern Province. District-wise 50 percent of cases were from Colombo, followed by 7 percent from Gampaha and 6 percent from Hambantota.

Cannabis is reportedly the only plant (drug) cultivated illicitly in Sri Lanka on an estimated 500 hectares, mostly in the dry zones of the Eastern province and southern province.

Recently seized cannabis show that modern agriculture methods are being used. “A more potent variety of cannabis with more flowering tops is now becoming popular especially among young users”, the NDDCB spokesperson said, adding that the growing incidence of cannabis users in Sri Lanka was noted from 2008”. “Cannabis constitutes a major problem in Sri Lanka”, she said.

She said that heroin users were now shifting from Colombo to remote towns and rural areas. The use of opium however, was low with only three arrests since this drug is given only to ayurvedic physicians in government hospitals for medicinal use, the spokesman said.

President Rajapaksa to attend funeral

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is expected to attend South African president Nelson Mandela's funeral next week.

The President accompanied by External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris will travel to South Africa on their return from a pre-planned official trip to Kenya from December 10 to 14, official sources said.

According to foreign media reports the revered South African leader who died at the age of 95 is expected to be buried on December 15, in the hilly areas of Qunu where he grew up.

South Africa's Government announced that Nelson Mandela's funeral cortege will travel through the streets of the capital Pretoria on three consecutive days for people to pay their last respects.

The Government has planned a ten day remembrance in honour of the departed leader before the funeral on Sunday.

According to reports South Africa is readying itself to receive a flood of world leaders for the funeral and among those expected to be present are US President Barak Obama, the US first lady Michelle Obama and former first couple George W Bush and Laura Bush.

South Africa is being inundated with condolence messages from across the world since the death of the elder statesman Mandela it was announced on Thursday. He died at his home in Johannesburg after suffering from a lung infection.

‘TNA continues anti-govt propaganda’

The TNA is continuing its anti-government propaganda by taking advantage of its status as the people’s representatives, disregarding the fact that it was President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s commitment to restore democracy in the terrorism-torn province that helped hold the election, Minister of Mass Media and Information Keheliya Rambukwella told the Sunday Observer.

It is evident that the party has not changed its pro-LTTE political approach and ideologies and took every opportunity to tarnish the Government’s image both here and abroad along with the pro-LTTE diaspora groups, he said.

TNA MP S. Sritharan told Parliament recently that the LTTE's ‘Heroes’ Day’ should be commemorated. During a recent meeting at Trincomalee with a US delegation, party leader R.Sambanthan had alleged that the government is not ‘interested in reconciliation’ and Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran had threatened to violate the law if he was prevented from entering specific security areas in the North.

All these moves prove that they had not deviated from the stand of the now defunct LTTE, he said. In spite of all such threats, law and order will be strictly maintained in the country, the Minister said.

Govt spends Rs. 2.7 b on 37 million school text books

The Government has spent Rs.2.7 billion to print 37 million school text books to be distributed among students in state schools next year.

Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena said printing and distributing school text books for over 10,000 schools in all nine provinces including the North and the East by December was a complex process.

The Education Ministry has printed 37 million text books of 437 different types in Sinhala, Tamil and English. It will be distributed among 4.2 million students in state and semi-government schools and pirivenas.

The national ceremony to distribute school text books was held at the Magammana Maha Vidyalaya, Homagama under the patronage of Minister Gunawardena recently.

Senior Minister A.H.M.Fowzie, Education Deputy Minister Mohanlal Grero and senior education officials were also present.

BOI signs USD 2 billion project agreements

Project agreements to the value of US$ 2 billion were entered into with the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI) on infrastructure and mixed development at the conclusion of the recently concluded Commonwealth Business Forum (CBF).

According to the Progress Report 2013 by the Investment Promotion Ministry, the CBF, Sri Lanka’s largest ever business event since independence has served as a unique platform to promote investments into the country and led to the signing of major investment projects.

The major agreements signed include a Chinese investment for US$ 1.3 billion to develop a new commercial centre on 233 hectares of land near the Colombo Port.

When the CBF was in progress, the BOI had signed another agreement for an Australian investment to the value of US$ 450 million on a mixed development project with Property Alliance Capital to develop six acres at Sir James Peiris Mawatha in Colombo.

The agreement on the third investment project was signed between the BOI and the Hong Kong based AVIC International Engineering for a US$ 259 million mixed development project to be set up on a land at R.A. De Mel Mawatha, Colombo, the report said.

Several MoUs were also signed during the CBF which include an MoU signed between Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Limited and China Harbour Engineering Corporation (CHEC).

The project which has been estimated at US$ 640 million includes the development of two resort projects at the Mattala Mahinda Rajapaksa International Airport and the Bandaranaike International Airport.

Smart Phone

If you want a successful mobile marketing campaign, MOBILE MARKETING SOLUTIONS is the place, make sure your website is compatible with mobile devices. A website that is not compatible will be difficult for users to navigate when using their Smart phones, and can drive business away. Test your site on various mobile devices, and make adjustments as necessary.

Do not wait to integrate friendly mobile marketing ideas into your sales plan. Individuals are buying smart phones every day. They work for a busy lifestyle on the go, and make it easy to get the information consumers want. If you wait to start your mobile marketing plan, you will lose customers. Your competition will jump ahead while you watch profits fall.

Be adaptable! Make sure your mobile marketing campaign is compatible on different kinds of devices. Your campaign should look the same on a brand of smart phone device. Do not forget about tablets: perhaps you can adapt your mobile material to be displayed properly on a digital tablet. You will reach more people if your campaign covers several devices.

Be sure to make your emails user friendly for mobile phones. With the explosion of smart phone usage, it is more important than ever to be sure that mobile viewers can easily view the information on your message. Make sure that the subject line is short and that the pertinent information is front and center.

Now you are much more prepared when it comes to mobile marketing. You thought that you were ready before, well look at you, now! Hopefully, the tips that were provided, gave you some pointers that will help you get started with your mobile marketing plan so that you can begin marketing like a pro.

Proven Ways To Increase Business With Mobile Phone An Marketing

One of the greatest features of mobile marketing is that you can instantly reach your customers with up-to-date offers and information. If this appeals to you, check out the rest of the tips and tricks here in the following paragraphs.

You are going to want to take the time to develop a solid plan before you start your mobile marketing campaign. You are not going to gain anything from the campaign if you do not take the time that is needed, to properly develop a marketing plan through mobile means.

To summarize, you have a message to get to your customers and you want it delivered without hesitation. You want to grab their attention. Well, mobile marketing provides the means to do this, and hopefully you picked up on some of the best methods to do so in this article. Spend a few minutes to review these pointers and get to work on studiously applying the suggestions to your business.

For a real blast, if you’ve ever wanted to know how to create an iPhone or iPad App or Game then pay close attention. What if we told you that with no experience you now will be able to because of the complete training video provided. The Video provides you with the App Secrets that allow you to have the finished App in just 4 weeks. Not only that but you now have an App product that you can make money on.

This is an easy 3 step process of creating an APP, Sell it to the App Store and Make Money. This is not just a hobby or something to have fun with but it can turn into quite a Fabulous Money Maker for you. Are you aware that there have been over 6 Billion Apps downloaded from the App Store. To satisfy your curiosity on what it will take to give it a Go head on over to

Mobile Phone

Make sure that your website is mobile friendly. Items like your hours of operation, store locations, and directions should all be easily viewed from a mobile phone. If you sell items on your site, make sure that mobile customers can easily search for products to compare pricing. Consider including a link for directions as well.

If you have a product to sell, and you are considering mobile commerce, think carefully. Mobile commerce requires a level of security and credit card processing feature to be in place. Implementing this can be costly to your business. Quite often, it might be easier for the customer to call you on their mobile phone to purchase, instead of clicking on a link to purchase.

Offer customers a reason to give you their mobile phone numbers. Have a sign at the register offering an instant one time discount. Give mobile customers first notifications of sales and new items coming in. Customers do not want to be texted without their being a good reason for it.

A great mobile phone an marketing tip is to ask your customers to share their videos. Customers use their mobile phones to capture real events that happen in everyday life. This is a great opportunity for you to build a community and to help engage customers by having them participate in your marketing efforts by submitting their own videos.

Use your traditional site to drive a lot of traffic to your mobile platform. Urge people that visit your regular website or blog to visit you on their mobile phones when they are out and about. This will give you yet another way to stay close to your customers and potential customers.

Make sure your ad is compatible with every type of handset. To ensure you don’t lose your professional reputation, you must make sure that users of all types of mobile phone can interact with your ad campaign. If you distribute a mobile ad that does not display on certain platforms, brings up error messages or even worse crashes the user’s cell phone, you are unlikely to attract any potential buyers to your company.

Mobile Marketing: You Can’t Ignore It Any More

So, you’ve made it. You’re ready to get into mobile marketing, right? Well, now is the perfect time. You probably have a lot of inquiries on how to start and what to do, but no worries, this article has you covered. Listed below are some tips that will help you get started with your mobile marketing aspirations.

When developing content for mobile marketing, be sure that you portray a sense of urgency along with a reason for your customer to perform at least some type of action. This is important because the fear of missing out on something special is one of the best sales techniques in existence. Also, without an action for the customer to take part in, you are failing to bring in any immediate business.

Do not send SMS messages in all capital letters or add multiple exclamation points or question marks for emphasis. The SMS mobile environment is a very personal one. It’s a small amount of text that is tied directly into a location on the mobile device where the user also receives personal communication. Writing messages in all caps or with crazy punctuation can be very off-putting. The all cap message feels like internet screaming and the multiple exclamation points can feel like you are trying to hard to sell your goods or services.

Be sure to let the recipient know who you are and what you offer right up front. If they question who you are and what it is that you are offering to them, you are going to have a difficult time trying to get them to invest any of their money into what it is that you are offering.

Be loyal to your loyal customers don’t ignore them. It is easy for a marketer to get caught up in new customer acquisition to forget their loyal die hard clients. There are ways to control this one of easy ways is to go thought your client list and send out a random reward.

What does it mean to "unlock my cell phone"?

When you purchase a mobile phone, either on pay-as-you-go or a contract, the network carrier includes a SIM, a chip in your handset, containing a serial number that identifies you to the network provider. Unlocking enables you to cut all ties to your initial mobile network provider without replacing your mobile phone. The only reason to lock the SIM is to ensure you use their service for an extended period of time. If you attempt to use an alternative SIM card in a locked phone, you will receive error messages, such as "SIM Card Not Accepted". Unlocking enables you to use any SIM card on any network in your handset. Most network carrier "lock" your phone so it works only with their specific SIM card, a chip in your handset, containing a serial number that identifies you to the network provider.
Lock
What are the benefits of unlocking my phone?

    Save Money

    An unlocked mobile phone allows you to use any SIM card on any network. By opening up your handset to other networks, you can take advantage of cheaper tariffs from locally competing networks while abroad, drastically cutting down on the cost of calls and text messages.
    Increased Resale Value

    If you decide to sell your mobile phone, you will find that an unlocked handset is up to 300% more valuable than a locked one. Offering a handset that is unlocked and completely free of restrictions will be far more appealing to potential buyers as they will instantly be able to use their existing SIM card or one from their chosen carrier. Simple.
    No Risk

    Unlocking your mobile phone is a completely legal process, and there are no risks whatsoever. You no longer need to send your cell phone away for unlocking. Our instructions and software will allow you to unlock your handset just minutes after receiving your unlock code. Unlocking a phone is simply a process that frees your phone from carrier restraints placed on it by your provider.

Privacy

We here at GSMPhoneTricks.com are very seriou about our visitors’ privacy, we are always trying our best to protect our readers’ privacy data.

Well that does not mean we do not collect any information from our visitors. In fact in certain situations we could collect some data from our readers like you, such as  referring pages, links followed, IP address, ISP domains,type of browser used, color depth, OS, city and state of residence, internet provider, etc. This information is used only internally by the operators of the site to determine who is using our services, how they are finding out about us, and what activities visitors engage in during the trip to our site. But under no circumstances will  sell or distribute yourprivate information to other organization.

We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our website. In particular, Google ads use DART cookies to serve ads based on the visitors trip to our site, and the visitors can opt out of the use of DART cookies by visiting  But as the owner of the site, we do not require or collect your private information from your cookies for any other purpose.

Should you have any questions or concerns in regard to our privacy policy,please write to us at