Facebook founder to give shares worth $45 billion

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have announced the birth of Max their first daughter.

And to celebrate he will give away 99 percent of his shares in Facebook.

The announcements were both posted on Facebook this morning.

"Priscilla and I are so happy to welcome our daughter, Max, into this world! For her birth, we wrote a letter to her about the world we hope she grows up in."

The letter, the couple wrote said they hoped their daughter's generation would advance human potential and promote equality.

"We are committed to doing our small part to help create this world for all children.

We will give 99 per cent of our Facebook shares - currently about $45 billion - during our lives to join many others in improving this world for the next generation."

Wifi Barbie doll can be hacked

Hello Barbie doll is top of many young girls' Christmas lists to Santa. This new Barbie can interact with children by holding conversations, playing games, sharing stories and even telling jokes!

The newest version of Mattel's Barbie doll is a Wi-Fi-enabled, which allows it to interact with its owner.

But now a US cyber security consultant has found that hackers could take control of the doll, use it as a surveillance device, conduct unauthorised conversations with children and even use it to hack into other devices on home Wi-Fi networks.

The doll connects to the internet via Wi-Fi and has a microphone to record children's conversations and send the information to third-parties for processing before the doll responds to the child.

The consultant that hacked the doll, Matt Jakubowski, found that when connected to Wi-Fi the doll was vulnerable.

Stolen Stew

A woman had her son were arrested after he stole her Christmas New Mexican stew!

Jonathan Ray sent his mother a text asking for some of her stew but she told him no and warned him to stay away from the special holiday dish.

The 23-year-ignored his mother's orders and broke into her home and stole the pot of stew!

Jonathan was later arrested after his mother found her gate and garage broken and her stew missing.

News around the world:

As the clock strikes twelve on December 31, there are celebrations around the world.

Different parts of the world have their exclusive customs, traditions and rituals to welcome the New Year. The Gregorian calendar is accepted and according to it, the New Year begins every 365 days on January 1.

But many countries follow different New Year Calendars as part of their tradition, and celebrate their traditional New Year accordingly.

Americans celebrate the New Year every January 1 with gala celebrations and parties and gourmet food symbolizing hope for prosperity and abundance in the New Year.

[USA]

Uncorking champagne, gorging on cakes, and feasting on black-eyed beans are considered lucky and festive. Honking vehicles, paper blowers, noisy whistles and impulsive kisses are all part of the fun and gaiety.

The most celebrated event is perhaps the “ball drop” in Times Square, New York. Since 1907, every New Year’s Eve a specially designed ball is dropped at 1159 pm EST amidst cheers of millions of spectators. The fun is enhanced by numerous parties alongside, some even hosted by celebrities.

The capital city of Washington DC adheres to more traditional celebrations.

UK

In London, a huge crowd gathers along the Thames to enjoy the fireworks from the London Eye as Big Ben strikes twelve marking the New Year. Thousands of people also assemble to party and make merry with bon-fires at Trafalgar Square and the Piccadilly Circus.

Another traditional custom is 'First Footing'. For this, a tall, handsome dark (haired) male has to be the first visitor of a household after midnight. He makes the entry from the front door. After the ritual, he has to exit from the backdoor. He is considered to bring good luck and prosperity to the household.

Japan

Japanese New Year celebrations begin on January 1 and last a fortnight. Traditional celebrations aim at the age-old concept of out with evil and in with the good vibes.

Traditional celebrations include visiting temples to pray for the departed and for a good harvest. Temple bells are rung 108 times to ward off evil. Another ritual is to start laughing as the clock is about the strike midnight. Decorative rice cakes called Mochis are made. Japanese homes hand straw ropes at the entrance to bring good luck. Paper lobsters adorn homes signifying endurance, while green plants and bamboo symbolize new life and honesty. Envelopes with money are handed over to children by elders.

France

The New Year in France is known as Jour des trennes, and le Jour de I’An, and the celebrations are referred to as ‘Reveillion’. It is one of the oldest festivals in France, and is a public holiday. It is believed that feasting will bring prosperity. Huge parties are organized, as the country welcomes the New Year with food, fun, drinks, fireworks and lights.

Denmark

People in Denmark believe that if they stand on a chair and jump from it when the clock strikes twelve to welcome the New Year, it would bring them luck.

Another tradition is to collect dishes all year around and throw them at the front door on New Year’s Eve – the more the broken plates, the more friends one shall have in the New Year.

Greece

January 1 is an auspicious day for the Greeks as it also marks St. Basil’s Day since St. Basil is considered one of the forefathers. Greek families get together to bake special bread for the New Year. They hide a coin in the dough. The coin is believed to bring good luck.

Scotland

In Scotland, the New Year is called Hogmonay. Traditional celebrations include barrels of tar to be set alight and rolled through the streets. They believe that by this the old year is burned and the new one is allowed to enter.

Spain

In Spain, when the clock strikes midnight, it is customary to quickly eat twelve grapes, one at each strike of the clock. These are supposed to bring good luck – one grape for each of the twelve months of the New Year. In cities, people gather in the main squares and observe this custom together and celebrate with cava.

Philippines

Filipino families believe that round objects symbolizing coins would bring them luck and prosperity in the New Year. They heap their tables with round fruits and eat twelve of them at twelve midnight. Some also wear polka dots. It is believed that the New Year should start with a full wallet to be prosperous all round the coming year.

Australia

Australia celebrates the New Year with parties, lighting, fireworks and feasting. The Sydney Harbour is famed for hosting such celebrations. Loud, noisy, colourful and merriment are what would describe Australian New Year celebrations.

Brazil

Apart from hosting some of the best beach-style parties, the New Year in Brazil is welcomed with some traditional rituals. The New Year in Brazil coincides with the feast of Lemenja, the African Goddess of the Sea. On New Year’s Eve, the Coa Cabana beach in Rio de Janeiro is lit with candles. Huge crowds gather in the bridge and people throw offerings into the sea.

Germany

The Germans drop molten lead into cold water to see what shape it takes and predict the future, each shape symbolizing an aspect of life – love, prosperity etc. Families get together for meals at midnight with some bits left as a good sign ensuring abundance in the coming year. - Internet