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Renaming Al Qaeda to Tanthim al-Jihadi litahrir al-aksa wa-tawhid al-Umma?

According to newly released documents, Osama bin Laden mulled renaming Al Qaeda amid worries that the terrorist group had become a tarnished brand.

Inside his secret compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, Osama bin Laden mulled renaming Al Qaeda amid worries that the terrorist group had become a tarnished brand.?

Skip to next paragraph Whitney Eulich

Latin America Editor

Whitney Eulich is the Monitor's Latin America editor, overseeing regional coverage for CSMonitor.com and the weekly magazine. She also curates the Latin America Monitor Blog.

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That's one of the details tucked in thousands of pages of documents that were seized in last year's Navy SEAL raid.?West Point?s Center for Combating Terrorism (CTC) released a study of 17 declassified documents today, offering a window into Mr. bin Laden?s views.

The report notes that one of ?the most compelling? stories to come out of the declassified documents is bin Laden?s struggle to rein in Al Qaeda affiliates, and keep his intended message and branding on track.

?I plan to release a statement [announcing] that we are starting a new phase to correct [the mistakes] we made; in so doing, we shall reclaim, God willing, the trust of a large segment of those who lost their trust in the Jihadis,? bin Laden wrote in 2010.

The CTC report notes that though bin Laden publicly condemned the West, focusing on the repression and injustices exacted on Muslims by countries like the US, his private correspondence reveals that he was particularly pained by domestic jihadi attacks on Muslims.

His frustration may have even led bin Laden to consider rebranding his Al Qaeda movement as a whole. One letter by an unknown author suggests a list of potential names?(see English translated document?# 0000009).?Some of the proposed options are aimed at making followers of Islam feel more included in the organization.

But pithy they are not:

*?Tanthim al-Jihadi li-tawhid al-Umma wa-inkathiha, which means Jihad Organization for Unification and Rescue of the Nation,

* Tanthim al-Jihadi litahrir al-aksa wa-tawhid al-Umma, or Jihad Organization to Liberate Al-Aqsa and Unify the Nation,

* Hizb tawhid al-Umma al-Islamiya, Islamic Nation Unification Party.

Damage control was an apparent concern for the organization that has little oversight on an operational level with affiliates and those simply inspired by Al Qaeda's work. In response to a letter from Al Shabab leadership in Somalia expressing interest in identifying themselves as an Al Qaeda affiliate, bin Laden wrote, "If asked, it would be better to say there is a relationship with al-Qaida, which is simply a brotherly Islamic connection, and nothing more," according to the United Press International.

"Rather than a source of strength, [bin Laden] was burdened by what he viewed the incompetence of the 'affiliates,' including their lack of political acumen to win public support ... and their poorly planned operations which resulted in the unnecessary deaths of thousands of Muslims," reads the CTC report. Bin Laden was apparently disappointed by affiliate group ISI/AQI's arbitrary attacks on Shi?ite civilians, and warned other affiliates not to commit the same mistakes.

Bin Laden feared the frequency of civilian deaths that often occurred as ?collateral damage? in regional attacks were causing the Muslim populace to lose sympathy with the movement ??particularly when these deaths were ?exploited by the enemy,? bin Laden wrote, presumably referring to Western media and governments. He also indicated a desire to create an Al Qaeda Central, a term pulled, ironically, from Western media, to maintain greater oversight of affiliate groups.

Documents also reveal that in light of the Arab Spring ? something bin Laden viewed positively ? he wanted to focus more attention on media and outreach. In part, he hoped to rouse those who hadn?t yet rebelled against their rulers to do so, but he also acknowledged the important role media plays, as ?a [principle] element of the battle.? He expressed an interest in creating an Al Qaeda media outlet that could inform more mainstream Muslims about jihad, and perhaps spark their interest in the movement.

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Rugby League Or Rugby Union?

Popularly known as the game for tough men, rugby has made its way from the shadows of soccer. This is to the point of making the game a well-known sport in many countries. One proof is the formation of different clubs that separate rugby as a professional sport.

To implement better game administration, rugby games are split into two governing bodies the rugby league football and the rugby football union. Apparently, the rugby league is far safer than the other since the league implements strict rules in gaming. However, rugby union accepts wider TV coverage because of the action that the game brings. Rugby union is popular for violent gaming tactics.

Setting the difference between the two games is hardly difficult. Some sports enthusiasts even compare rugby league and rugby union to checkers and chess. This is because both games play in the same field but administer rules differently. Rugby league has players that do the same thing as checkers move the ball forward and reach the goal. On the other hand, the rugby union works like chess. Players have different roles to fulfill.

Rugby league club implements two positions for their players the forwards and backs which are also divided into specific positions. However, these positions often perform the same roles in order to score a goal. Players with big and bulky bodies are selected as forwards. They insist on tackling and attack. On the other hand, players who are small in height but run fast are categorized into backs. However, big players who can run fast also can be included as backs.

What makes rugby league club stand out is the simplicity of the game. There are many rugby players who prefer to be in a game where nothing seems to be very complicated when it comes to game rules. The thought that it separated from rugby union in 1895 is mere proof that the game aims to look for more advancements to speed up rugby gaming.

More amateur players work on rugby league club because it is believed to be a game of the working man. Rugby union clubs are introduced to many public schools in England, which makes it an establishment of future rugby professionals. However, here in the country, rugby league is believed to be similar with America football.

Learn about more details at www.GlendaleRugby.com.

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Samsung Galaxy S III versus Samsung Galaxy Nexus!

You didn't think we'd come all the way to London to see the Samsung Galaxy S III and not put it up against the Galaxy Nexus, did you? Physically, you can see some differences, of course. The SGSIII is a little more sleek, a little less angular. The glossy finish (especially the Pebble Blue color) is easier on the eyes, certainly less industrial feeling than the GNex, especially when you trade the textured battery cover in for a smooth surface.

The displays are fairly close in size, at 4.65 inches for the Galaxy Nexus, while the Galaxy S 3 is a full 4.8 inches diagonally. But in terms of display quality, we're going for the GSIII, which a the very least seems to have fewer issues with whites than its older cousin.

Under the hood, we're also going to pin a winner on the Galaxy S III. The Nexus is fast, to be sure, but something appears to have been put into overdrive on the SGSIII, even with Touchwiz and livewallpapers a'blazin.

We'd have no problem trading in Touchwiz for stock Ice Cream Sandwich, but maybe not all of it. The GNex camera app is spartan at best. Samsung's custom motion tweaks are a fun addition (for example: When you're looking at a friend's contact info, you can simply raise the phone to your ear to place a call), and S Voice is a competent interactive companion. (OK, OK. A Siri "competitor.")

Build quality on the SGSIII certainly is as good as on the GNex, if not better. It's a solid-feeling phone, though it does tend to feel a little more like a hunk of plastic, whereas the GNex has hints of rubber.

Our one turn-off in comparing the two phones is that for while we're not necessarily against improving on the Ice Cream Sandwich user interface, Touchwiz doesn't necessarily do so. The app drawer is decent enough and mostly stick with the ICS paradigm. But the Touchwiz widgets don't look anymore sophisticated than they did a year ago. And considering how far Android itself has come since then, it's perhaps time for something new.

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Samsung Galaxy S III focuses on photography sharing features, not cutting-edge optics

Samsung's Galaxy S III doesn't boast 41-megapixel captures or top-of-the-line optics. Instead, its camera's strengths are in its intelligent organization and social features, increasing the handset's appeal as a point-and-shoot alternative for casual photographers. Samsung's latest round of compacts and mirrorless dedicated snappers reaffirm suspicions that the company is taking a different approach to photography, focusing on connectivity and social enhancements, rather than updated sensor and low-light shooting technologies. While such decisions may prompt advanced shooters to bring their business to competitors, it highlights Samsung's strengths on a broader level, as a connectivity enabler, rather than a camera maker.

The company is clearly committed to growing its ecosystem and uniting product divisions in an effort to increase penetration throughout different categories, developing sharing tools that simplify workflows and increase appeal. Samsung's latest flagship smartphone packs standard specs, like 8-megapixel stills and 1080p video, but it offers a handful of software features that combine to make the device a compelling upgrade, especially from an imaging perspective. Join us past the break as we detail the Galaxy S III's photography enhancements, from Best Photo to Face Zoom.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S III focuses on photography sharing features, not cutting-edge optics

Samsung Galaxy S III focuses on photography sharing features, not cutting-edge optics originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 May 2012 14:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Talent Crowdsourcing Startup Talenthouse Raises $4.2M From Director Brett Ratner, Eric Schmidt?s Innovation Endeavors and Others

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Motorola Mobility loses $86 million in Q1, device shipments way down

Well, the first quarter of 2012 is officially over Motorola Mobility, and the financial news is rather sobering for the company. While revenues were up, the climb was modest, to just $3.1 billion. And that small bump in incoming cash was not enough to stave off another quarter of loses. In fact, after losing $80 million in Q4 of 2011, Moto lost $86 million in Q1 of 2012. The company continued to bleed cash in large part because shipments of mobile devices dropped off dramatically. Only 8.9 million devices were shipped in the quarter, down from 10.5 million in the last part of 2011. With 5.1 million of those being smartphones however, the phone division did manage to increase revenues by three percent. The one bright spot was the home segment which, thanks to its home gateways and broadcast goods, managed to make (that's right, not lose) $68 million, up from $53 million a year ago. For more numbers and charts check out the source link.

Continue reading Motorola Mobility loses $86 million in Q1, device shipments way down

Motorola Mobility loses $86 million in Q1, device shipments way down originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 May 2012 16:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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