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An array of new exciting web addresses for the web will be used soon giving a new look to the internet. The common domain names - .com and .edu will be the old stuff as the new flavor of a variety of web addresses like .love, .sky, .sports etc is waiting for you.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) approved measures that will allow top-level domain names to be written in scripts such as Arabic or Cyrillic.

After that any company, organization or country will soon be able to apply for a new Web address extension, called a top-level domain. Icann adopted the new rules after a meeting in Paris.

Top-level domain names (TLD) , refer to Internet name suffixes like .com, .net and .org, among others. Currently, there are more than 200 TLDs, which also include the two-character country codes used by Web sites, such as Britain’s .uk.

“This is a historic resolution,” said Peter Dengate Thrush, chairman of Icann’s board. “It’s going to make a big difference to how the Internet looks and works.”

On Thursday, Internet regulators voted to relax rules on domain names like .com or .edu, which could pave the way for companies or individuals to create new flavored addresses for the Web.

Icann officials said some technical issues for the new system must still be worked out, but it could be reviewing the first applications for new TLDs as early as next spring. Icann officials estimated that prices would start in the low six figures, so the organization can recoup its expenses for developing the new service.

Under the new system, individuals, companies or groups could apply to have any string of letters established as a domain name. It could be a vanity name, for example — .smith — or a category name like .sports or .perfume. A company could also change its domain to reflect its brand, so Apple.com could become Apple.mac, for instance.

It could also sow confusion in the minds of Web users, create a host of new ways to exploit the Web addressing system and start a wave of legal skirmishes over applications to register trademarks — .coke, for example.

The Icann board said it would seek public comment on the guidelines before its next major meeting in November.

Tags: .com, .edu, .sky, Arabic, Britain, Cyrillic, Domain, Domain Names, Icann, Love, Sports, TLD, Top Level Domain, Web Address

With the recent rise in the row over misjudged matches falling in the less deserving side, the ICC introduced a new rule wherein the players could seek for a second opinion by the third umpire if they are not satisfied of the on field umpire.

In the coming test series between India and Sri Lanka which is starting on the 23rd of July, the BCCI announced early this week that this ICC’s new experimental rule would be applied

The new rule allows the batsman or the fielding captain, to make an appeal to the TV umpire for a review of the on field umpire in the case of an unsatisfactory decision. Each team has been allowed three unsuccessful appeals per an inning. If a batsman has been given out by the on field umpire but the batsman is not satisfied with his decision, the batsman appeals to the TV umpire. In case if the reviewal is in favour of the decision of the umpire, it is calculated as unsuccessful, the team being allowed only 3 unsuccessful appeals.

The rule is applicable for all dismissal ways excepting the case when the batsman arrives late on the field. In such a case, the batsman is not applicable to make an appeal to the third umpire.

This system can be compared to a similar system used in tennis but only for simple line calls. Being accepted by the ICC in March, the rule was first to be tested in the comin England-South Africa series, but there was a problem regarding the non agreement of the respective boards.

The actions involved for the appeal are:

• The batsman has to make a T sign with his hands if he is not satisfied of the decision taken by the on field umpire. In such a case, the decision is transferred to the TV umpire.
• If TV umpire is upholding the appeal made, the umpire would cross his hands thrice, each team having three unsuccessful appeals per inning.

The new system has once been tried at the English domestic scene in friend’s provident trophy but a huge criticism had to be faced with it due to no verdict being given in the favor of the appeal made by the TV umpire

Another threat to the system is that the on field umpires could start feeling their decision making abilities being questioned.

Tags: Cricket, ICC, India, Sports, Sri Lanka, Test Matches, Test Series, Umpires

World Chess champion Viswanathan Anand once again proved his intelligence at the Morelia-Linares tournament by defeating former world champion Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria in the 14th and final round in Linares.

Anand scored 8.5 points after settling for a facile draw with Veselin Topalov who has 7.5 while putting an end to category-21 tournament. Anand finished a half point clear of Magnus Carlsen (Norway, 7.5) who drew with Teimour Radkjabov (Azerbaijan, 7) in his last game.

Alexei Shirov (spain, 5.5) drew with Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukrainian, 6.5) while Peter Leko (Hungary, 5.5) drew with Levon Aronian (Armenia, 7.5) in the final round.

In the final round Anand playing white, had little troubles against Topalov as the Indian knew that his half point cushion was going to be tough for Carlsen to jump over. In the previous edition too, Anand had won with the same score of 8.5 points but the gap was a little wider. He was a full point ahead of his nearest contenders.

It was a Sicilian Najdorf by Topalov wherein Anand, as demanded by the tournament situation, played it safe and allowed Topalov to get away with an easy equality in the middle game.

“I had a turbulent first half but I caught up by the fifth round with a score similar to last year, after that I had two draws before flying over [to Spain from Mexico]. I feel in people were tired here. I think I was the most stable person here while others were going through roller coasters,” Anand said after winning the tournament.

Anand stated that he scored a half point more at Morelia and there was intersting game there. He termed his first round win over Shirov as his best effort in the tournament. “I really like my win over Shirov, it was a great start to the tournament,” he said.

The Indian star ruled out his participation from the FIDE Grand Prix this year and will next play in the Amber Blindfold and Rapid Chess tournament.

After Anand had drawn, the responsibilty was on Carlsen’s shoulder to match the world champion and he tried quite hard against Radjabov.

The game was drawn after the teenaged sensation Magnus Carlsen from Norway played 69 moves in spite of winning one of the Radjabov’s pawns.

The moves were like this: V Anand v/s Veselin Topalov: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. Bg5 Be6 9. Bxf6 Bxf6 10. Qd3 Nc6 11. O-O-O Qb6 12. Qxd6 Be7 13. Nd5 Bxd5 14. Qxd5 O-O 15. Qd2 Qxf2 16. Bc4 Qh4 17. Qe2 Rac8 18. a3 Bf6 19. Kb1 Nd4 20. Nxd4 exd4 21. g3 Qg5 22. Rhf1 Qe3 23. Rf3 game drawn.

Tags: Anand, Chess, Sports