Nokia Announces N86: 8 MegaPixel Camera Mobile

After a long wait, Nokia has finally announced their first 8 MegaPixel phone. The phone is called N86 and it will now compete with the likes of Samsung Memoir and Samsung Omnia i8910 HD. The phone comes with a wide-angle Carl Zeiss Tessar lens and can be compared to a high quality stand alone digital camera capturing brilliant and wide angle images.

It is a slider phone and resembles the N8X series. It has a 2.6 inch QVGA , OLED screen having 240 X 320 resolution and a scratch resistant hardened glass display. It is the first mobile device that comes with variable aperture which can produce good results even in low light conditions. The Camera also has auto focus along with Dual LED flash. Connectivity options include HSDPA, Wi-Fi, EDGE, Bluetooth with A2DP and USB 2.0. The phone also has GPS and A-GPS support and comes with 8GB of memory which can be extended to 16GB using microSD cards. FM radio with FM transmitter and 3.5mm AC socket is also present.

The phone will begin shipping in the second quarter of 2009 and the expected price is Rs 23,331 (EUR 375) before taxes.

47-million-year-old human link revealed

NEW YORK: Scientists in New York unveiled on Tuesday the skeleton of what they said could be the common ancestor to humans, apes and other primates.



The tiny creature, officially known as Darwinius masillae, but dubbed Ida, lived 47 million years ago and is unusually well preserved, missing only five per cent of the skeleton.



The finding was displayed at a press conference at New York’s Natural History Museum and is due to be the subject of a documentary showing on the History Channel, BBC and other broadcasters.



Organisers said that scientists led by Norway’s fossil expert, Professor Jorn Hurum, worked for two years on Ida, first discovered in 1983 by private collectors who failed to understand her importance.



The monkey-like creature was preserved through the ages in Germany’s Messel Pit, a crater rich in Eocene Epoch fossils. Although bearing a long tail, she had several human characteristics, including an opposable thumb, short arms and legs, and forward facing eyes. ‘This is the first link to all humans — truly a fossil that links world heritage,’ Hurum said in a statement.



David Attenborough, the renowned British naturalist and broadcaster, said the ‘little creature is going to show us our connection with all the rest of the mammals.’ ‘The link they would have said until now is missing..., it is no longer missing,’ he said.—AFP

US wronged Pakistan for 30 years, admits Hillary

WASHINGTON, May 19: The US secretary of state acknowledged on Tuesday that Washington had not been consistent in its dealings with Islamabad.

Talking to reporters at the Foreign Press Centre and the White House, Hillary Clinton said ‘it is fair to say that our policy towards Pakistan over the last 30 years has been incoherent. I don’t know any other word’.

About the military operation, Hillary Clinton said the United States was working with Pakistan to determine and disrupt the route for supplying weapons to the Taliban.

‘Yes, we know that the extremists are being supplied,’ she said when asked why the US was unable to determine and disrupt the Taliban supply route.

The secretary recalled that in the 1980s, the US partnered with Pakistan to help train the Mujahideen.

‘Their security service and the military were encouraged to go after the Soviets in Afghanistan’ and when they withdrew in 1989, ‘we said thank you very much’.

Mrs Clinton said while it was fair to apportion responsibility to Pakistan, but the US also shared the responsibility for what happened during and after the Afghan war.

‘What President Obama is doing is qualitatively different from anything done before. We support the elected government … it is a relationship very clear, honest to each other.’

The US, the secretary added, was assisting the new government in Islamabad to be ‘as successful as possible in delivering, we believe the future of Pakistan is extremely important for the US … the advance of extremism is a threat to our security’.

She underscored America’s ‘very strong’ support for the effort by the Pakistan army for defeating the terrorists.

Mrs Clinton said the Al Qaeda and their allies were intent upon harming not only US friends and allies in Pakistan and Afghanistan but also in the US homeland and to American citizens.

‘They have not given up on their desire to inflict damage, harm and murder on the USA … this is how we see helping our friends and allies … we have walked away in the past … now we are going to forge a partnership with the government and the people of Pakistan.’

‘We are working very closely with the intelligence service of Pakistan and others to determine where are the weapons coming from. We are working with Pakistan to disrupt the supply line.’

Pakistan presses military offensive as thousands flee

PESHAWAR: The military Saturday pressed its offensive against Taliban militants in the northwest of the country after tens of thousands more people fled the conflict zone.

‘Helicopter gunships and fighter jets shelled militant hideouts in Peochar, Shamozai and Khwaza Khela areas of Swat, which started Friday night and continued until Saturday morning,’ a military official said on condition of anonymity.

US drone attack kills 29 in North Waziristan

MIRAMSHAH: Twenty-nine people were killed when a US drone fired two missiles at a residential compound in the Mirali tehsil of North Waziristan tribal region here on Saturday.



Residents said that a remotely-piloted US aircraft which was hovering over the area fired two missiles at the house of Hikmat Roshan in the Khaisore village of Mirali at around 8am, killing 29 tribesmen present there. The house was reduced to rubble, while a religious seminary near it was also damaged.

Manmohan Singh claims Congress victory in elections

NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has declared victory in India's national elections, saying voters have given the Congress party-led coalition a 'massive mandate.'

Singh made the comments to reporters as results indicated his alliance has achieved a sweeping success in the month-long polls which will keep Singh in power for another term.

UNHCR warns of humanitarian crisis

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has warned of a humanitarian crisis if the international community does not come up with a massive and speedy assistance to the affected people of troubled areas in Pakistan.

'Since May 2 until yesterday we have registered 1.171682 million refugees who have come down from Sawat, Buner and Lower Dir after military launched operation against militants in these areas,' António Guterres said at a press conference on Saturday.

Asia Cup final: South Korea shatters Pakistan’s hopes

KUANTAN: South Korea's defense proved too strong for Pakistan's attacking firepower as they handed the greenshirts a 1-0 defeat in the final of the eight Asia Cup in Kuantan, Malaysia and as a result also qualified for the hockey World Cup in 2010.

Car bomb blast kills 11 in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: A car bomb ripped through a packed street in Peshawar and killed 11 people, including women and children, near an ice cream shop and Internet cafe Saturday, officials said.The blast exploded in the densely populated Kashkal area of Peshawar.

TNSM declares Darul Qaza set up unilateral

SWAT: Tahrik-e-Nifaz Shariat Muhammadi (TNSM) has declared the setting up of Darul Qaza unilateral.

Sources said that the TNSM ‘shoora’ headed by Maulana Sufi Muhammad in a meeting at its central office located at Aman Dara Batkhel here deliberated on the setting up of Darul Qaza, postings of Qazis in shriat courts and other important matters and declared the Darul Qaza set up unilateral.

TNSM spokesman, Amir Izzat Khan said that the announcement relating to the setting up of Darul Qaza and Qazis postings has nothing to do with the TNSM. He said that they were waiting for the second round of talks, but the government unilaterally announced the setting up of Darul Qaza. He said that the maintenance of peace was the exclusive responsibility of the government and added, “We are not satisfied with the setting up of Darul Qaza.”

Malik says IGP’s dismissal trivial row, discussed crucial issues

LONDON: Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said the dismissal matter of Inspector General Sindh police (IGP) is a meager row and we have discussed the rather important issues during meet with the MQM leadership. He said country is undergoing crisis at the moment and the worst threat is growing Talibanization in country.This Malik said during a joint press conference with Quaid Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Altaf Hussain here on Sunday.

Nepal PM removes army chief

KATMANDU: Nepal's prime minister fired the army chief Sunday, accusing him of defying government orders, while his deputy has been appointed Acting Army chief, officials said.Information Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara told reporters the prime minister announced army chief Rookmangud Katawal's removal after calling a special Cabinet meeting Sunday.

Bomb explosion kills 6 in southern Iraq

BAGHDAD: Six people were killed and seven others injured in a roadside bomb explosion targeted a police patrol in Iraq's southern city of Basra on Sunday, a local police source said.

One security man and five civilians were killed by the blast in the Hamdan neighborhood in southern Basra, the source told on condition of anonymity. The wounded were four policemen and four civilians, the source said. The police have no further details about the incident, he said. The oil-rich Basra, which located some 550 km south of the country, is the second largest city in Iraq.

11 hurt as bus plunges into drain in Karachi

KARACHI: A passenger bus plunged into drain in New Karachi area, injuring at least 11 persons on Sunday.

According to reports, 11 passengers, including three women, were injured when a mini bus fell into drain near Saba Cinema at New Karachi today.

The injured were admitted to a local hospital.

Rangers and other rescue teams, after receiving the information about the incident, reached the scene and started rescue operation. The local people also help them pull people out of drain.

Gambhir, Tendulkar salvage India in Napier test

NAPIER: Gautam Ghambir’s brilliant ton besides Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar’s superb batting stonewall New Zealand's push for victory in the second test, scoring 252 for two at the end of the fourth day at McLean Park on Sunday. The tourists, who won the first match of the three-test series in Hamilton by 10 wickets, were only 62 runs behind New Zealand's 619 for nine declared after being bowled out for 305 in their first innings

Britain, Spain amid several EU countries’ people march in G20 protests

LONDON: Tens of thousands of people in several European countries including Britain and Spain took to the streets in their capital cities ahead of Thursday G20 summit to express their anger at the human cost of the financial crisis.Demonstrators also marched in other European capitals as politicians appealed for calm during Thursday's Group of 20 gathering in London, due to be attended by world leaders including US President Barack Obama.

Japan deploys ballistic missile shield

TOKYO: Japan's costly ballistic missile shield, which has never been used in a real-world situation, could soon have its first test. As tensions mount over North Korea's plan to launch a newly developed satellite-bearing long-range missile, Japan's Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada on Friday ordered the Japan Self-Defense Force (SDF) to prepare to destroy any ballistic missile fired from North Korea if it looks like hitting the country.

Terrorism a global menace, efforts afoot for wiping it out: Nawaz

RAIWIND: Muslim League-N Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif has said that terrorism was a global issue and efforts were afoot for stamping it out.In a meeting with the Malaysian High Commissioner, Ahmad Shizan at Raiwind here, Mian Nawaz Sharif said that by getting the judiciary restored the first step towards the goal has been achieved and now striving for strengthening other organizations.

Moving ahead with PPP in Punjab hinges on N-league: President

LAHORE: President Asif Ali Zardari has said that moving ahead with the People’s Party in Punjab hinged on N-League.

PPP Punjab parliamentary party meeting presided over by the PPP Co-Chairman and President Asif Ali Zardari was held here today.

Mullah Omar not in Balochistan: Raisani

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani and Senior Minister Maulana Abdul Wasay said on Friday that no Taliban leader wanted by the US was hiding in the provincial capital.

US may boost development, military aid to Pakistan

WASHINGTON:President Barack Obama is expected to unveil his fresh strategy on Pak-Afghan region in the coming weeks.The Obama administration may triple development aid to Pakistan while also boosting military assistance to secure more help in fighting the insurgency in Afghanistan, a US official said on Friday.

US asked India to move back troops

NEW DELHI: Identical reports in leading newspapers here on Friday about an alleged US request to India, to ease the military pressure on Pakistan’s border, has been denied by the US embassy here but the loosely sourced reports raised questions in diplomatic circles about the reason for their sudden circulation.
Reports also suggest that US has assured India that it will share all India-centric intelligence coming from its sources in Pakistan and Afghanistan on a regular basis.

India buy Israeli spy satellite

NEW DELHI : India has bought a spy satellite from Israel with day-and-night viewing capability to boost surveillance capabilities, a report said.

The satellite, which can see through clouds and carry out day-and-night all-weather imaging, has been one of the long-standing demands of the Indian military, report said.

The 300 kilogram (650 pound) RISAT 2 will be launched by India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle rocket in the next few weeks, the report added.

Global markets crude price this week surged

NEW YORK: Global market crude price this week kept surging, while it was seen pegged at $51 per barrel.

During trading in the New York market, US crude April contracts closed at $51.06 per barrel, while on Thursday the news relating to Federal Reserves pumping $1150 billion into the financial system spurred crude price to soar at $52.25 per barrel, which is the highest since November 2008. However, the crude price on Friday was seen mellowed down by 55 cents.

On the other hand, London Brent North Sea May contract wrapped up at $51.22 per barrel.

PCB driver awarded family visa for Sri Lanka

ISLAMABAD: Sri Lankan team driver and Pakistan’s national hero Mehar Khalil has been given a 10-day family visa for Sri Lanka here on Thursday.

According to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), driver Mehar Khalil with presence of mind had saved the lives of the Sri Lankan players after some militants attacked the team at Liberty Chowk in Lahore.

In recognition of his bravery, the players of the Sri Lankan team invited Mehar Khalil to visit their country.

Troops in Afghanistan kill 30 militants

KABUL: Afghan and international troops have killed 30 "armed militants" in Afghanistan's volatile southern province of Helmand, the US military said in a statement received Friday.

The heavy clash on Thursday was in the Gereshk district where a prominent anti-Taliban parliamentarian was killed in a bomb planted by the insurgents the same day.

The Afghan army had led a patrol of soldiers into an area where militants were known to operate, the US military said in a statement.

"The patrol was attacked by numerous armed militants with heavy small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire," it said.

After ensuring there were no civilians present, "the combined element returned fire with small-arms and close air support, killing 30 militants," it said. There was no way to independently verify the toll.

Israeli troops admit shooting Gaza civilians

JERUSALEM: Striking testimony has emerged from Israeli soldiers involved in the recent Gaza war, in which they describe shooting unarmed civilians, sometimes under orders from their officers.

One soldier described how an Israeli sniper shot dead a Palestinian mother and her children, adding that troops believed Palestinian lives were "very, very, less important than the lives of our soldiers".

The accounts, published in two Israeli newspapers on Thursday, gave rare insight into how the soldiers acted. It reinforces Palestinian accounts of disproportionate Israeli force and contradicts the Israeli military's official version of events.

The accounts come from unnamed soldiers who were graduates of a pre-military course at Oranim Academic college, in Tivon, near Haifa. Their testimony was given in mid-February, and the transcript of the session was published this week.

A newspaper printed one infantry squad leader's description of the shooting of unarmed civilians: "There was a house with a family inside ... We put them in a room ... a few days after there was an order to release them. There was a sniper position on the roof. The platoon commander let the family go and told them to go to the right.

One mother and her two children didn't understand and went to the left, but they forgot to tell the sharpshooter on the roof they had let them go and it was OK, and he should hold his fire and he ... he did what he was supposed to, like he was following his orders.

"The sharpshooter saw a woman and children approaching him, closer than the lines he was told no one should pass. He shot them ... In any case, what happened is that in the end he killed them."

He believed the sniper did not feel regret. "I don't think he felt too bad about it, because, after all, as far as he was concerned, he did his job according to the orders given. And the atmosphere in general, from what I understood from most of my men who I talked to ... I don't know how to describe it ... the lives of Palestinians, let's say, is something very, very, less important than the lives of our soldiers. So as far as they are concerned they can justify it that way."

According to a Palestinian human rights group, more than 1,400 Palestinians were killed in the three-week war, which began in late December. Thirteen Israelis were killed in the conflict.

A second squad leader, from the same brigade, related how a commander told troops to shoot a Palestinian woman walking near a house the soldiers had taken over. He added that "to write 'death to the Arabs' on the walls, to take family pictures and spit on them" happened "just because you can".

The Israel Defence Forces had "fallen in the realm of ethics", he said. Another soldier, recalling ransacking Palestinian homes, said: "The entire contents of the house flew out the windows: refrigerator, plates, furniture."

Important persons meet Chief Justice

Important persons meet Chief Justice ISLAMABAD: People from different walk of life continued to meet Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammd Chaudhy at his residence here on Friday.

Supreme Courts judges Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk, Justice Tasadduq Hussain Jilani and Federal Law Secretary again called on Chief Justice at his residence.

Besides, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan and Senator Safdar Abbasi too visited Chief Justice’s residence and congratulated him on his restoration.

Austrian High Commissioner in Islamabad Zorica McCarthy also met with Chief Justice Chaudhry.

Oil price soars above 50 dlrs

Oil price soars above 50 dlrs NEW YORK: Oil prices jumped above 50 dollars Thursday after the Federal Reserve moved to inject another trillion dollars into the US financial system to boost the world's biggest economy.

New York's main futures contract, light sweet crude for delivery in April, ended 3.47 dollars higher from Wednesday's close to 51.61 dollars per barrel, topping 50 dollars for the first time in four months.

In early trading Thursday, the contract surged to 52.25 dollars -- the highest level since November 28, 2008.

Brent North Sea crude for May delivery rose 3.01 dollars to 50.67 in London after breaching 51 dollars.

Analysts attributed the price jump to Wednesday's announcement by the US Federal Reserve that it would pump 1.15 trillion dollars into the financial system. The move also has pulled down the US dollar against key currencies.

"You need to put this action in the context of what has happened in the last few weeks in the market. There has been a shift in market sentiment," said Constanza Jacazio of Barclays Capital.

"From a market where demand was the only driver of price action and sentiment, there seems to have been a shift in a more balanced view," he said.

Crude futures had slid Wednesday on news of a larger-than-expected increase in US energy reserves that highlighted weak American energy demand, but trimmed losses after news of the Fed plan.

"Oil prices took a rollercoaster ride yesterday (Wednesday), with bearish (US) inventory data ... firstly prompting a fall in the April (New York) contract to 47 dollars before the Fed's surprising announcement," said Dresdner Kleinwort analyst Eugen Weinberg.

The US central bank said Wednesday that it would buy up to 300 billion dollars in long-term US Treasury bonds over the next six months "to help improve conditions in private credit markets."

Iran welcomes US president’s statement

TEHRAN: A top advisor to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Friday welcomed US President Barack Obama's olive branch to Tehran but urged him to back his words with concrete action to repair past mistakes.

"We welcome the wish of the president of the United States to put away the past differences," Ali Akbar Javanfekr told foreign news agency in reaction to Obama's New Year message to Iranians in which he urged a resolution of differences and an "honest" engagement with Tehran.

"But the way to do that is not by Iran forgetting the previous hostile and aggressive attitude of the United States," Javanfekr said.

"The American administration has to recognise its past mistakes and repair them as a way to put away the differences."

Javanfekr said Obama has talked of change but had "not taken any concrete steps to repair the mistakes committed against Iran."

"He has to go further than words and take action. If Obama shows willingness to take action, the Iranian government will not show its back to him."

CJ’s restoration propels aggressive buying at KSE; Index up 313 points

KARACHI: The news of restoration of deposed chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry Monday brought back the investor confidence to Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE), pushing the 100-Index up by 313 points to 6063.

The Index crossed the psychological barrier of 6,000 points on the back of aggressive buying by the investors propelled by the government’s early morning decision of reinstating the judiciary sacked on November 3, 2007.

The announcement of Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani of restoring the deposed CJ and filing of review petition in the Supreme Court on Sharif brothers ineligibility cast away all the uncertainties that persisted in the previous months at KSE, dealers said.

The trade volume was recorded at 210.06 million shares.

Pakistan's market lost 58 percent of its value during 2008 due to economic turmoil, political uncertainty and incessant militant attacks, particularly in the troubled northwest.

Celebrations on restoration of CJ, other judges

ISLAMABAD: Lawyers, political workers, members of civil society continued to gather at the residence of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhamamd following his restoration after a period of around one and half year.

The jubilant crowd kept on dancing to celebrate the public’s victory at the resident of CJ here in Judges Enclave where people belonging to different walks of life started gathering since last night. The crowd grew even larger in the daytime.

Sweets were also distributed among the people gathered at CJ’s residence in large number.

Families of the missing people also visited the place where they raised slogans in support of the judiciary.

Led by Dr. Israr Shah, some of the workers of Pakistan People’s Party also visited the residence of CJ and remained with the celebrating crowd.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry kept meeting the visiting guests and also had photos taken with them.

He also appeared in the terrace of his residence and addressed the gathering with the help of megaphone. He thanked the crowd for their support in the struggle.

Osama says Arab leaders 'complicit' with Israel over Gaz

DUBAI: Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden accused some Arab leaders of being "complicit" with Israel during its devastating offensive in Gaza, in an audiotape broadcast by an Arab news channel on Saturday.

"It has become clear that some Arab leaders were complicit with the Crusader Zionist alliance against our people. These are the leaders that America calls moderate," said bin Laden, without however singling out any leaders.

"The countries of the Muslim world from Indonesia to Mauritania are divided into two: Some of them are crooked, while others are even more crooked," he added, in excerpts of the tape aired by the Doha-based satellite channel.

"The Holocaust of Gaza amid a long siege is an important historical event that confirms the importance of distinguishing between Muslims and hypocrites," said the Al-Qaeda leader, who carries a 25 million dollar US bounty on his head.

He called on jihadists to "liberate" Iraq from the US army and then launch attacks on Israel from Jordan.

"The road to the liberation of Gaza needs real, sincere, independent, strong and honest leaders who are on top of major events," he said.

Bin Laden suggested compiling a list of people "whose efforts serve our enemies" and said committees should be formed in Muslim countries to raise awareness among citizens. He did not elaborate.

The audio tape, whose authenticity could not be verified, was the second by bin Laden in two months in which he has focused on the Gaza offensive.

Liverpool crushes Man United in EPL

MANCHESTER: Liverpool routed Premier League leader Manchester United 4-1 on Saturday, coming from behind to revive its faltering title chase with its biggest win at Old Trafford in 73 years.

Captain Steven Gerrard gave Liverpool the lead for good just before halftime after Fernando Torres tied the score following Cristiano Ronaldo's penalty kick for United.

"It was magnificent, a great team performance," Gerrard said.

The Reds' first win at United in five years — and manager Rafa Benitez's first — was put beyond doubt in the last 15 minutes, with goals by Fabio Aurelio and Andrea Dossena as the defending champions were humiliated by their fiercest rival.

This was United's worst home defeat since a loss by the same score in 1992 against Queens Park Rangers. The club's miserable afternoon was compounded when defender Nemanja Vidic was ejected for the second time this season against Liverpool.

United is still four points ahead of Liverpool with a game in hand. Third-place Chelsea hosts Manchester City on Sunday, hoping to move within four of the leader.

Arsenal jumped into fourth place with a 4-0 victory over Blackburn, with Andrei Arshavin scoring his first goal for the club since he move from Zenit St. Petersburg.

The Russian also had a second-minute shot deflect off Blackburn defender Andre Oijer for an own-goal. When his shot in the 87th was blocked by goalkeeper Paul Robinson, Emmanuel Eboue collected the ball to add the third goal.

In other games, sixth-place Everton beat Stoke 3-1; Fulham won 3-1 at Bolton; and Hull and Newcastle tied 1-1. Next-to-last Middlesbrough scored a last minute equalizer to tie Portsmouth 1-1, and Wigan won 2-1 at Sunderland.

Long march to continue until reinstatement of CJ Iftikhar: Aitzaz

LAHORE: Supreme Court Bar former president and the mastermind of lawyers’ movement, Aitzaz Ahsan has said that the arrests would not dampen their courage.

Talking to media on the occasion of his arrest at Dubai Chowk here, Aitzaz Ahsan said that he was neither shown any arrest warrant nor he violated section 144, even then he has been arrested.

Aitzaz Ahsan said that dialogues were held three times earlier and now tangible actions were needed. He said that the government was responsible for the present situation. Aitzaz Ahsan vowed that long march would continue until the restoration of CJ Iftikhar Chaudhry. Whenever the containers were removed, sit-in would be staged, he declared.

Moderate trading seen at KSE

KARACHI: The 100 index of Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) stayed mostly in positive zone this week while moderate trading was seen.

The market started trading in positive mood following that the prevailing political turmoil, lawyers’ long march put adverse impact on market leading investors on slow and careful move however, market witnessed improvement during last two days of trading after reconciliation news between PPP and PML-N came.

The KSE-100 index was 5750 points at close while the average trade volume was 70 million shares with 26 per cent less than last week.

Experts predicted that the market would probably maintain mixed trading during next week.

NASA to attempt space shuttle launch today

WASHINGTON: The US space agency will break with protocol and try to launch the space shuttle Discovery on Sunday even though it has yet to uncover the cause of a hydrogen leak that earlier delayed its mission, officials said.

On Saturday, NASA scheduled Discovery and its crew of seven, including a Japanese astronaut, for a blast-off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the International Space Station (ISS) at 7:43 pm (2343 GMT) Sunday, with a 10-minute launch window.

"From a broad safety perspective we are fine. We feel good about it," shuttle launch director Mike Leinbach told a press conference. He said that equipment replacement work was about three hours behind schedule but would not delay the launch, and that leak checks would be performed later Saturday.

Two high-tech cinemas planned in capital

Islamabad - The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has planned to set up two high-tech cinemas in the federal capital to bring back cinema culture to life and provide entertainment facility to the residents who are deprived of it since long.

Sherry Rehman resigns

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sherry Rehman has reportedly resigned.

According to sources, Sherry resigned due to differences over the media policy of the government. The news came at a time when a high level meeting was underway at the Aiwan-e-Sadr with President Asif Ali Zardari in chair.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Interior Advisor Rehman Malik and Sherry Rehman were present in the meeting. It is pertinent to note that Sherry has been saying she will resign as Information Minister if any ban is imposed on country’s media.

Musharraf's soul has penetrated in Zardari: Ahsan Iqbal

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-N secretary information Ahsan Iqbal, while condemning the blockage of Geo News transmission in some parts of country, said on Saturday, “It is now proved to the nation that former President Pervez Musharraf’s soul has penetrated in President Zardari.

Talking to Geo News he said, “Becoming the parallel example of Musharraf’s misdeeds, this government has too blocked Geo News today.”

Ahsan said Geo News was offered a deal of gaining big amount of money in exchange of advertisements like PML-N was offered a deal to give away our demand of restoration of November 2, 2007 judiciary.

He criticized the politics of deals being rendered by PPP government and while lauding the efforts of Geo News for reinstatement of deposed judges he said, “The blockage of Geo News transmission is nothing short of a reward for Geo as it has become the symbol of truthfulness.”

Jatoi urges govt not to take steps against freedom of expression

KARACHI: National People’s Party Chief Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi has strongly condemned the blocking of Geo news transmission in the country.

Jatoi said he was watching Geo news when it went off air and the screen of his TV turned black. He said the government should abstain from taking such steps that affects freedom of expression in the country.

Salam to Geo on being punished for not telling official ‘truth’: Mushahid

KARACHI: Muslim League-Q leader Mushahid Hussain, while paying his high tributes to Geo Television Network, said that Geo has refused to tell the official ‘truth’ for which it has been punished.

Talking to Geo News, he complimented Sherry Rahman and Raza Rabbani for their moral courage, who differing with the government policies resigned. Mushahid Hussain said, “When the people are in opposition, then they think something else, but no sooner they come in the government dictatorial thinking takes them over.”

“Geo’s shutdown is an example of dictatorial obstinacy. Commenting on Federal Minister Kaira’s statement, he laughingly said, “He should speak the truth and not defend the lies.”

Govt decides to restrict Sharifs to Raiwind

LAHORE: Government has decided to restrict Sharif brothers to Raiwind in an effort to prevent them to take part in long march whereas their security has also beefed up.

High official sources of Punjab told Geo News that Sharif brothers will not allow to go outside Raiwind.

Sources said Sharif brothers will permit to go Islamabad or outside Islamabad only on the directives of federal government.

Meanwhile, CCPO Lahore Haji Habibur Rehman headed an emergency meeting of police officials deputed on Sharifs security. The meeting reviewed potential threats to Sharifs security. CCPO has directed to beef up security.

Sherry apprises PM of reasons for her resignation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party leader and Information Minister Sherry Rehman, who resigned yesterday, called on Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani today.

Sherry formally tendered her resignation to Prime Minister Gilani. According to sources, she informed Gilani of reasons which made her call it a day. Sherry also informed the prime minister of Governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer’s insulting behaviour with her.

Earlier, Sherry had indicated to resign if a crackdown was launched against the media.

Constitution petition at SHC against Pervez Musharraf

KARACHI: A constitution petition has been submitted at Sindh High Court for filing a case against former president Pervez Musharraf for alleged treason under Articile 6 of the Constitution.

Sohail Ahmed, the petitioner, has stated in the petition that the former president neither had regard for the Constitution nor for his military uniform. “Firstly he toppled a democratic government and then contested presidential election in uniform,” it said.

The petition further stated that Pervez Musharraf, in a press conference at Karachi Press Club a few days back, asked the military to take on responsibilities to tackle internal threats, inciting them for a direct violation of the Constitution.

Sohail Ahmed said the former president has committed treason in all these matters, therefore, he said, action should be taken against him under Article 6 of the Constitution.

Ahmedinejad: American empire is nearing the end of its road !!

In a splendid speech to the UN General Assembly today the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad blamed “a few bullying powers” for creating the world’s problems and said the “American empire in the world is reaching the end of its road.”.

After watching the entire speech I feel Ahmedinjad has done wonders, he presented in front of the UN General Assembly in his casual dressing of open collar shirt (missing his signature khaki jacket) spoke in a very direct tone and in all this he still found time to spread the message of Islam to all leaders of the world. His entire speech to the UN can be read here in PDF Format whilst some important sections can be viewed below which also includes his one-on-one interview with Larry King live

Karachiites to benefit from major sports projects

KARACHI: The complexion of sport in the city will change pretty soon when a number of high-profile projects initiated by the Sindh Sports Department will be completed to benefit some 15 million urbanites

Pakistans Rich List of 2008

1 - Mian Muhammad Mansha Yaha Pakistan

Ranking: 1 Worth: £1.25b ($2.5billion)Industry: Businessman

Mansha has around 40 companies on board. Mansha, who owns the Muslim Commercial Bank is also setting up a $ 17m paper mill. He is one of the richest Pakistanis around. Nishat Group was country’s 15th richest family in 1970, 6th in 1990 and Number 1 in 1997. Mansha is on the board of nearly 50 companies. He is deemed to have made investments in many bourses, currency and metal exchanges both within and outside Pakistan. He could have bought the United Bank too, but then who doesn’t have adversaries. Nishat Group comprises of textiles, cement, leasing, insurance and management companies. If Mansha was bitten by Bhutto’s nationalization stint of 1970, his friends think he was compensated by Nawaz Sharif’s denationalization programme to a very good effect. There is no stopping Mansha and he is still on the move.

Nishat group assets are $4.4Billion. He is sometimes even regarded as the richest Pakistani around by his friends claiming he does not “show it off”.

2 - Asif Ali Zardari Pakistan

Ranking: 2 Worth: £900m ($1.8billion) Industry: Politics

Asif Zardari dubbed “Mr 10%” an unknown happy-go-lucky son of a small-time businessman who struck gold by marrying one of the worlds most glamorous women Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benzair Bhutto. Taking advantage of his wife’s authority he is known to have taken kickbacks from many deals inside and outside of Pakistan. The most famous was a $4 billion deal to buy 32 Mirage jets from the French company Dassault. Documents, which include letters from Dassault executives, indicate an agreement was reached to pay a 5% “remuneration” - about $200m - to Marleton Business, a BVI company controlled by Zardari. Besides these many more kickback deals were taken with companies such as ARY Gold, Social de Surveillance (SGS), Cotecna, and ZPC Ursus, a Polish tractor company.

Zardari assets holding amount into hundreds of millions of dollars easily, Having 8 prime properties in the UK, of which once is the famous Rockwood Estate 365 acres in Surrey, worth £4.35m has now been sold and money sent back to the Govt. of Pakistan. Also 14 multi-million dollar mansions in the USA, including owning Holiday Inn hotel Houston, Texas Owned by “Mr 10%“ and Iqbal Memon and Sadar-ud-Din Hashwani.

They (Zardari and B.Bhutto) also have huge business ventures in the Middle East running into hundreds of millions if not billion mark. Mr Zardari also has huge stakes in sugar mills all over Pakistan,which include: Sakrand Sugar Mills, Nawabshah, Ansari Sugar Mills, Hyderabad, Mirza Sugar Mills, Badin, Pangrio Sugar Mills, Thatta and Bachani Sugar Mills, Sanghar.

3 - Sir Anwar Pervaiz UK

Ranking: 3 Worth: £750m ($1.5billion) Industry: Businessman

Chairman of Bestway Group. The Bestway Group started in 1976 with its first Bestway cash and carry warehouse opened in London. Today the have in total around 50 Cash and Carry’s. Including their recent takeover of rival group Batleys for around £100m. Bestway Group ventured into Pakistan’s huge the cement business in 1995 and set up cement manufacturing plant in Pakistan at a cost of $120 million.

Taking Advantage of Pakistan growing economy they also acquired a 25.5% stake in United Bank Limited in 2002. Today, the Bestway Group has interests in cash & carry wholesale, property investments, retail outlets, milling of rice, lentils and pulses, cement production and more recently into banking. The group’s total sales amounted to in excess of £ 2 billion. The group provides direct employment to thousands in the UK and Pakistan. The have many interests in Pakistan too. Sir Anwar Pervaiz and his his partners sheer hard work has bought them to outstanding international levels, which definitely makes him an ideal role model for many young Pakistanis today. He still on the move!

4 - Nawaz Sharif & Shahbaz Sharif family Saudi Arabia/Pakistan

Ranking: 4 Worth: £700m ($1.4billion) Industry: Politics/Businessman

Mr Sharif Businessman turned politician the former Prime Minister of Pakistan. He was ousted in a military coup in 1999 and was forced to forfeit $9million dollars and some of his assets including his $5m Mansion is Raiwind near Lahore. Before becoming PM he was a major share holder along with his brother and cousins of Ittefaq Group, having assets well in excess of £50m in the 90’s. However he got richer when he took commissions from foreign companies for construction in Pakistan. He build the first motorway and many new roads and took heavy kickbacks. He then also stole $100m from the Iqra funds, he started a new scheme “Ghar Apna” in which he again looted around $40m, the “Mulk swaaro” scheme involving public & govt. money collections to help pay pf Pakistan’s debts also was pocketed. Today he lives in exile in Saudi Arabia where it is known he has a new huge business empire in various sectors.

5 - Saddaruddin Hashwani Pakistan

Ranking: 5 Worth: £550m ($1.1billion) Industry: Businessman

Saddaruddin Hashwani is Chairman Hashoo Group is known for his dominance in Pakistan’s hotel industry, though Hashwanis are have huge strength in real estate business too. Hashwanis are involved in trading of cotton, grain and steel and till the nationalization of cotton export in 1974, they were widely being dubbed as the Cotton Kings of Pakistan. Today, this group has excelled in export of rice, wheat, cotton and barley. It owns textile units, besides having invested billions in mines, minerals. hotels, insurance, batteries, tobacco, residential properties, construction, engineering and information technology. In 1984, Hashwani defeated the Lakhanis in the bid for Premier Tobacco but was arrested along with his brother Akbar in 1986 for allegedly evading customs duty on cigarettes. Sadarduddin’s brother Akbar and the children of another late brother Hassan Ali Hashwani together manage around 45 companies. Akbar runs the second Hashwani Group. He is one of the most well-known magnates in Pakistan who is a regular invitee at the Diplomatic Enclave. The list of local and international bigwigs known personally to Hashwani is unending.

6 - Nasir Schon & family U.A.E/Pakistan

Ranking: 6 (tied at 6) Worth: £500m ($1billion) Industry: Businessman

Nasir Schon is a prominent business leader of Pakistan and the CEO of Schon Group. Nasir Schon is the son of Captain Ather Schon Hussain, an ex-pilot of PIA. The Schon family is one of the few striving Muhajir Urdu business families in Pakistan. Starting off in Singapore in 1982, the peek of Schon group was in 1995 when they owned National Fibres, Schon Bank, Schon Textiles and Pak-China Fertizilers. Famous for the trend-setting roundabout, Schon Circle, Nasir Schon is also known to be one of the first people to have a Rolls-Royce in Pakistan. Directors of Schon group flew to Dubai in 1997 in exile after the dismissal of ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. The directors of Schon group were known to have close contacts with the husband of former Prime Minister, Asif Zardari. Many assets of the Schon group were auctioned by the Nawaz Sharif government. Schon Group is the only group in Pakistan who has paid the government over 3 billion rupees ($65m) in order to return from exile. Living in Dubai gave Nasir Schon an opportunity to start businesses there. Currently working on an $830 million real estate project known as Dubai lagoon, Schon group is also fighting to get back the assets they once lost. Currently, the Schon group operates a pilot training center in Pakistan known as Schon Air.

7 - Abdul Razzaq Yakoub & family U.A.E

Ranking: 6 (tied at 6) Worth: £500m ($1billion) Industry: Businessman

Mr Yakoub is a prominent Pakistani expatriate businessman based in Dubai. He is the president ARY group ($1.5Billion turnover) and World Memon Organization (WMO). He is one of Pakistan’s biggest media barons controlling around 7 channels. Besides this he has a huge property holdings in Karachi, Islamabad and Dubai amounting to over $200m. He is major in the gold market also having around 20 outlets in Asia. He has also been involved in paying Asif Zardari $5m in 1990’s for allowing him to import/export gold. Which he denies and claim’s is government forgeries.

8 - Rafiq Habib & Rasheed Habib Pakistan

Ranking: 7 Worth: £450m ($900) Industry: Businessman

Legend has it that the Goddess of Wealth has been in love with the seasoned Habibs more than anybody else in Pakistan. Most pundits believe that Habibs own at least 100 companies throughout the world, but these content mega-tycoons never boast off, something which has made it uphill for most to predict about their financial standing. This industrial group was founded by Seth Habib Mitha, born in 1878 to Esmail Ali-a factory owner in Bombay. The financial strength of the Habibs can be gauged from the fact that Muhammad Ali Habib gave a cheque of Rs 80 million to Quaid-e-Azam in 1948 at a time when Pakistan government was penniless owing to delay in transfer of Pakistan’s share of Rs. 750 million by the Reserve Bank of India. They had offices in Europe in 1912. They incorporated the Habib Bank in 1941. They own the Habib Bank A.G Zurich, Bank Al-Habib, Indus Motors assembling Corolla cars and many dozens of units in sectors such as jute, paper sack, minerals, steel, tiles, synthetics sugar, glass, construction, concrete, farm autos, banking, oil, computers, music, paper, packages, leasing and capital management. Habibs today are headed by Rafiq Habib and Rashid Habib in two distinct groups. What makes them extremely influential players of all times is the fact that for dozens of top businessmen today, Habib were a myth once.

9 - Tariq Saigol & Nasim Saigol Pakistan

Ranking: 8 Worth: £425m ($850) Industry: Businessman

Hailing from Jhelum. The pioneer of the Saigol dynasty in 1890 was Amin Saigol who established a shoe shop that eventually transformed into Kohinoor Rubber Works. And then times saw them shining literally like the Kohinoor until their progress was halted by Nationalization in which they lost two-thirds of their wealth. Saigols got trifurcated in 1976 and 15 descendents of Amin Saigols four sons got a share. The name of the Saigols has been used in this part of the world as similes describing quantum of wealth. Yousaf Saigol, along with his brothers Sayeed Saigol, Bashir Saigol and Gul Saigol then nourished an excellent crop. In 1948, Saigols established the Kohinoor Textile Mills with a cost of Rs 8 million and this group happens to be the first to open an LC with the State Bank of Pakistan. They bought the United Bank in 1959 and then witnessed five of their units getting nationalized. They lived in Saudi Arabia during the Bhutto regime. Today, cousins Tariq and Nasim are holding the family’s fort together and have risen to unprecedented heights in individual capacities. NAB did haunt Nasim but Tariq spent more time either accepting or refusing prized slots everywhere. Tariq is the one of the finest business brains around.

10 - Dewan Yousaf Farooqui Pakistan

Ranking: 9 (tied at 9) Worth: £400m ($800) Industry: Businessman

Mr Farooqui. The mentor of this group has been the Sindh Minister for Local Bodies. Industries, Labour, Transport, Mines & Minerals. Dewan Mushtaq Group is one of the Pakistan’s largest industrial conglomerates in sectors like polyester acrylic fiber, manufacturing and automotives. Six of their companies are listed at the Karachi & stock Exchange and one at the Luxembourg bourse. Dewan Farooqui Motors assembles around 10,000 cars annually under technical license agreement with Hyundai and Kia Motors of Korea. The Dewan Salman Fiber is the pride of this empire as it ranks 11th in the world in total production capacity. The group owns three textile units, a motorcycle manufacturing concern and the largest sugar unit in the country. Dewans also have business interests in India. They possess dozens of millions of shares of Saudi Cement and Pak land Cement. They also have the franchise licence for BMW in Pakistan and now Rolls Royce showrooms.

Mind-reading comes a step closer

Scientists have shown for the first time that it may be possible to ‘read’ a person’s mind simply by looking at brain activity.

Using a modern scanner to measure blood flow, British researchers said on Thursday they were able to tell where volunteers were located within a computer-generated virtual reality environment.

’Surprisingly, just by looking at the brain data we could predict exactly where they were,’ Eleanor Maguire of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging at University College London told reporters.

’In other words, we could ‘read’ their spatial memories.’

The discovery opens up the possibility of developing machines to read a range of memories, although Maguire said the risk of 'intrusive' mind reading was still a long way off.

Instead, she believes the discovery, reported in the journal Cell Biology, will help research into memory disorders such as Alzheimer’s by shedding light on how the hippocampus region of the brain records memories.

Maguire and colleagues used a technology known as functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, which highlights brain regions as they become active.

By scanning the brains of people as they played a virtual reality computer game they were able to measure the activity of certain neurons in the hippocampus, a region known to be critical for navigation and memory.

The research paves the way for analysing how other thoughts are encoded across neurons.

That could eventually mean using fMRI for forensic examination of a whole host of memories and thoughts, opening up a potential ethical can of worms.

Magic, Maths and Computer Science

Pulling a rabbit out of a hat or making the Statue of Liberty vanish are impressive feats of magic. Magicians are in many ways like computer scientists: a magician must find a method to solve a problem, that problem being, say, making the rabbit appear or the Statue vanish, but without the audience realizing how it's done. A good magic trick is a combination of method and presentation, in some ways like a computer program: the computer software must have a method to solve the problem (in computer science we call this method, or series of steps, an algorithm), but, unlike magic, software must present the results to the user so they can understand them.

It's not surprising that many mathematicians and computer scientists are interested in magic tricks. Working out ways to solve problems, whether predicting a chosen card in a trick or how to reduce the amount of digital data in an MP3 music file without the listener noticing are very similar. A magician wants to be sure that the trick will always work. Computer Scientists want to be sure their programs always work. The difference is that computer scientists want to tell other people how it's done. Magicians must keep the method a secret, never revealing it to the audience.

Facebook looking to buy Twitter – FT

Social networking company Facebook recently held acquisition talks with Twitter, the micro-blogging company. The negotiations put a valuation of as much as dollar 500 million on Twitter, which has become one of Silicon Valley's most closely watched start-ups. Facebook offered to pay for the acquisition in stock. Putting a value on Twitter's shares proved controversial. If it used the dollar 15 billion valuation at which Microsoft Corp bought a stake in Facebook last year, it would have valued the Twitter purchase at dollar 500 million, though that investment was seen as a high-water mark for Web 2.0.

IBM and academia work on human brain simulation

Boffins at IBM have teamed up with five universities to use the human brain as a template to build faster, smaller computer systems that benefit decision making. Working with experts at Columbia University Medical Centre, Cornell University, Stanford University, the University of California-Merced and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, IBM Research plans to design and develop computers that simulate and emulate how the brain acts, interacts, perceives and senses things, in addition to mirroring its cognition, lower power usage and size. In doing so, it is hoped that business and consumer users alike will be able to make decisions much more quickly as well as helping them to deal with the ever-increasing glut of digital data heading their way each year.

Blackberry Javelin gets release date

Following the high profile launches of the Blackberry Bold and the Blackberry Storm, RIM continues its assault on the smartphone market with Javelin. Carphone Warehouse has said that the Blackberry Javelin will be released exclusively in its stores just in time for Christmas on 20 December 2008, with the moniker 'Curve 8900'. Carphone Warehouse could not confirm to IT PRO anything regarding pricing or the network carrier, but did say that the Javelin will have the, "sharpest screen, for the brightest, sharpest icons". At first glance the Javelin looks similar to RIM's Blackberry Bold, featuring a Qwerty keyboard and a trackball. It also has GPS with Blackberry Maps and a 3.2-megapixel camera on the rear. However, it is intended as an entry-level product and lacks 3G connectivity.

Under-ice flood speeds up glacier

Great floods beneath the Antarctic ice sheet can now be linked directly to the speed at which that ice moves towards the ocean, scientists say. Leigh Stearns and colleagues have been able to show how the giant Byrd Glacier in east Antarctica sped up just as two lakes under the ice overflowed. The flood water acts as a lubricant, easing the ice over the bedrock. The observation is described as critical because of how it informs our understanding of future sea levels. The more ice the polar regions dump in the ocean, the higher the waters will rise. The work of Dr Stearns and colleagues, reported in Nature Geoscience, indicates that Antarctica's under-ice plumbing system must now be an important consideration in ice dynamics.Fish catches being used as animal feed

An alarming new study in the Annual Review of Environment and Resources contends that fully one-third of the world's marine fish catches are ground up and fed to farm-raised fish, pigs, and poultry. The researchers involved say that this squandering of forage fish (anchovies, sardines, menhaden, and other small to medium sized fish) is rapidly worsening the already serious over fishing crisis in our oceans. The study notes that forage fish account for a staggering 37 percent (31.5 million tonnes) of all fish taken from the world's oceans each year, and 90 percent of that catch is processed into fishmeal and fish oil.

Woolly rhino's ancient migration

The 460,000 years old skull of a woolly rhino, reconstructed from 53 fragments, is the oldest example of the mighty, ice age beasts ever found in Europe. The extinct mammals reached a length of three and a half metres in adulthood and, unlike their modern relatives, were covered in shaggy hair. The research team says that the find from Germany fills a gap in our understanding of how these animals evolved. "This is the oldest woolly rhinoceros found in Europe," said Ralf-Dietrich Kahlke, Senckenberg Research Institute, Weimar, Germany. "It gives us a precise date for the first appearance of cold-climate animals spreading throughout Asia and Europe during the ice ages," he added.Gamma-ray burst was brightest ever



Astronomers from around the world have combined data from ground and space based telescopes to paint a detailed portrait of a stellar explosion that was briefly brighter than the galaxy that contained it, visible to the naked eye despite originating halfway across the universe. The gamma-ray burst, was the result of a massive star's explosion 7.5 billion years ago that sent a pencil-beam of intense light on a direct collision course for Earth. It is the only known gamma-ray burst to have had a visible component bright enough to see with the naked eye. "This was the brightest optical and infrared event that mankind has ever recorded," said Joshua Bloom, Assistant Professor, Astronomy, University of California, Berkeley.

Prevention to lung cancer

Smokers and former smokers who eat lots of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables may be less likely than other smokers to develop lung cancer. Researchers at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, N.Y. reported that news recently in Washington, D.C. at an American Association of Cancer Research meeting on cancer prevention. "The first thing to do is to quit smoking," because that is "still the best thing to do to reduce the risk" of developing lung cancer, researcher Li Tang, PhD, says. Besides quitting smoking, Tang recommends smokers and former smokers eat more cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, turnip greens, mustard greens, and collard greens - especially in their raw form. Tang cautions that "nothing is the magic bullet" guaranteed to prevent lung cancer. But there's no downside to eating more vegetables.Exercise: The brain's fountain of youth

Daily physical exercise keeps the brain young, mouse studies suggest. But don't wait too long to start. The brain-boosting effects of exercise diminish rapidly after early middle age, say researchers working in the lab of Yu-Min Kuo, PhD, of Taiwan's National Cheng Kung University Medical College. Kuo's team previously found that young brains create new brain cells and integrate them into existing brain networks. As animals get older, however, this process dramatically slows. And this slowdown in brain cell creation is linked to impaired memory and learning. Mice that started exercise in early middle age did much better than mice that didn't start exercising until later middle age. Interestingly, the brain changes seen in exercising mice weren't caused by a drop in stress hormones, as some studies predicted. Instead, the positive changes came from increased production of signalling molecules that promote brain cell growth and survival.

Root canal or dental implant?

Root canals and dental implants are equally successful, but implants may need more follow-up maintenance, a new study shows. Dental implants replace tooth roots. A root canal is a procedure designed to save an infected or decayed tooth. The study comes from researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. James Porter Hannahan, DMD, and Paul Duncan Eleazer, DDS, followed 129 dental implants and 143 root canals for three years, on average. Dental implants and root canals had similar success rates, meaning that the teeth in question were still in the mouth and hadn't rotated or needed further correction. Those success rates were 98 percent to 99 percent. "There appears to be little difference in the success of the two treatments," except that "implants required additional procedures more frequently" than teeth that got root canals, Hannahan and Eleazer told.

Govt’s act of blocking Geo to harm democracy: Elahi

LAHORE: Central leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Q Chaudhry Pervez Elahi Saturday condemning the government’s ban on Geo News, said the step would not serve the democracy but on the contrary it would prove counter-productive.

Talking to reporters here, Pervez Elahi said all the parties should be given representation according to their mandate.

Clouds of danger hovering over Federation: Raza Rabbani

ISLAMABAD: Senior Pakistan People’s Party leader Senator Raza Rabbani Saturday said dark clouds of danger are hovering over the Federation.

Talking to media immediately after arriving here at Karachi airport, he said the present crisis should be resolved through dialogue.

Army takeover unlikely in Pakistan: Mike Mullen

WASHINGTON: Attempting to dismiss fears that a military coup is imminent in Islamabad, US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen has revealed that he stopped Chief of Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani from interfering in the country’s political deadlock.

Expressing serious concerns over the political chaos in nuclear-armed Pakistan, Mullen said the US officials were keeping a close eye on opposition protests in the South Asian country.

Clarifying about the US role in this whole episode that fears causing unrest in the South Asian region, Mullen said he tried to calm Kayani quite a number of times when the Pak Army chief expressed anger over the way the country’s political establishment was behaving. “I have had upwards of 10 interactions with Kayani. He wants to do the right thing for Pakistan. But he is in a very tough spot,” Mullen said in an interview with PBS news.

There is not a “high probability right now” the political crisis will provoke Pak military to meddle, Mullen said, clearing Kayani is “committed to a civilian government” and doesn’t wish to stage a coup.

He, however, underlined that the situation (in Pakistan) “continues to deteriorate very, very slowly under a political leadership which is very challenged because of the totality of the crisis”. “Pakistan is a country with nuclear weapons,” Mullen said, adding, “It’s 165 million people and should we move to a point where somehow there is a theocratic government there with nuclear weapons, that’s something that keeps me up.”

US citizens encouraged to leave Madagascar

ANTANANARIVO: The United States is encouraging diplomats and citizens to leave Madagascar and UN-brokered talks scheduled for Thursday to mediate in the Indian Ocean island’s political crisis have been postponed.

The world’s fourth largest island has slid into crisis due to a power struggle between the president and opposition that has killed at least 135 people in unrest and left it unclear who is controlling the government and sections of the military.

US Ambassador Niels Marquardt, who said on Wednesday that Madagascar was ‘on the verge of civil war’, had offered staff voluntary evacuation, sources at the mission told Reuters.

‘He has very strongly encouraged us to leave if we feel uncomfortable,’ said one senior official, who was planning to fly out with relatives on Friday.

A warden message by the embassy said: ‘We encourage all Americans in Madagascar to monitor the situation closely and consider departing the country while commercial air is still operating normally.’

It was unclear just how many US citizens were preparing to leave, and there was no indication that other foreign nationals were following suit to quit Madagascar.

Mediators had hoped to bring President Marc Ravalomanana and opposition leader Andry Rajoelina together on Thursday for face-to-face talks to end the chaos that is hammering a $390 million-a-year tourism industry and spooking foreign investors.

But Rajoelina, who has been under UN protection since fleeing attempts to arrest him last week, refused to attend.

‘Today’s dialogue has been postponed because we have met last minute problems,’ UN mediator Drame Tiebile told Reuters, giving no more details.

Rajoelina, 34, a baby-faced former disc jockey, has tapped into a deep vein of public anger at Ravalomanana’s failure to tackle poverty. He calls the president a dictator and has tried to establish a parallel administration.

US urges Pakistan not to impede peaceful demos

WASHINGTON: The United States has urged the government of Pakistan not to impede peaceful democratic activities.

The department’s spokesman Robert Wood told a briefing that US special envoy Richard Holbrooke spoke with President Zardari and PM Gilani and conveyed this message to them.

Wood said US ambassador to Pakistan, Anne Patterson, met the opposition leader Nawaz Sharif in Lahore on Wednesday and conveyed a similar message to him.

‘The point that Ambassador Patterson, as well as Ambassador Holbrooke, made is that we want to see the situation dealt with in accordance with the rule of law in Pakistan, that violence be avoided, and that any impediments to peaceful and democratic activities not be put in place,’ said Wood.

When asked about the rounding up of lawyers and political workers, Wood said: ‘We’re still trying to formulate a good assessment, but obviously, the fact that these calls were placed means that we are concerned about the situation and we want to make sure that no violence takes place.’

Wood said that the US wanted to make sure and make clear to everyone that peaceful, democratic activity needs to take place. But he reiterated that: ‘Violence is something we don’t need.’

Disney launches new fan website

LOS ANGELES: The Walt Disney Co. launched a new website for fans of Mickey Mouse and company on Tuesday, billing it as the ‘premier online destination for Disney fans.

The site, Disney.com/D23, will include ‘breaking Disney news, exclusive feature stories, blogs, historical retrospectives, a collectibles boutique, special event information, and other content,’ Disney said in a statement.

‘D23’ refers to 1923, the year that founder Walt Disney launched the company that would go on to become an entertainment giant.

‘D23 is our way of saying ‘thank you’ and celebrating our fans, who bring the magic of Disney to life every day in every corner of the world,’ said Disney president and chief executive Bob Iger.

For a 75-dollar membership fee, subscribers receive four issues per year of an ‘exquisite collectible magazine,’ a membership card and certificate, and a “surprise collectible gift” from the Walt Disney archives collection.

D23 members also receive a discount at the D23 Expo to be held in Anaheim, California, September 10-13, Disney said.

Why did 250 dolphins suddenly wash up at Gadani beach?

KARACHI: March 6, 2009 will forever be remembered as the ‘Day of the dolphin stranding’ in Pakistan, after around 250 cetaceans were found stranded along Gadani beach.



According to a WWF press release issued on Monday, the stranding could have been due to any number of reasons, and is an event which has played itself out around the world, baffling scientists, environmentalists and policy makers, PPI reported.



Dolphins are playful, friendly and social creatures which have inhabited the sea for centuries. This social behaviour could have been a possibility of the stranding. One single dolphin coming to the shore and getting stranded would have evoked a social response ‘a call for help’ whistling (a mode of communication) enticing the schools of dolphins nearby to come to its aid, and become inadvertently stranded.



Another reason could have been due to the result of a phenomenon known as ‘red tide.’ This occurs due to the concentration of certain protozoans release toxic compounds which absorb all the oxygen in the area, disturbing the area’s biological equilibrium and disorienting dolphins, leading to beaching.



Furthermore, this would have been due to sonar activity in the area, which has grown rapidly in recent years. Cetaceans including whales, dolphins and porpoises are very sensitive to ultra-sonic waves which damage the auditory/sensory organs often disturbing them and disorienting their migratory patterns.



If sonic activity is to blame, it would leave a physical trace in the form of bleeding in the auditory organs like the snouts and mouths of beached dolphins.



However, historical records show that beachings have occurred throughout recorded history, even before major man-made sonic activity in the seas, making it even harder to explain.



But the incident at Gadani Beach must have awakened the concerned wildlife authorities and policy makers to place an effective watch and warning mechanism to keep an eye on such happenings in future.

Invention promises breakthrough in battery life

PARIS: Think of an electric car that can accelerate swiftly to cruising speed, laptop computers that can recharge in a couple of minutes rather than hours and a generation of super-miniature mobile phones.

That’s the vision sketched on Wednesday by a pair of scientists in the United States, unveiling an invention that they say could lead to a smaller, lighter and more power-packed lithium battery than anything available today.

Current batteries made of lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) are good at storing large amounts of electricity but stumble at releasing it.

They are better at dispensing the power in a steady flow than at discharging it or gaining it in a sudden burst.

As a result, electric cars perform best when travelling along the motorway at a constant speed rather than when they are accelerating, and their batteries take hours to recharge when they run down.

Until now, the finger of blame has pointed at charged lithium atoms.

These ions, along with electrons, move too sluggishly through the battery material before arriving at the terminal to deliver their charge — or so it was thought.

But a pair of materials experts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) says the problem lies not with the ions but rather at how the ions gain access to nano-scale tunnels that riddle the material and transport the electrons to their destination.

Their solution was a lithium phosphate coating that, like a system of feeder roads, nudges the ions towards the tunnels. The ions then zip instantly down the tunnel entrance and to the terminal.

A small cell phone battery can be recharged in just 10 seconds thanks to the improved ion flow, they report in the British journal Nature.

In theory, a large battery that would be used to power a plug-in hybrid electric car could be recharged in just five minutes, compared to up to six or eight hours at present. But this would only be possible if a beefed-up electricity supply were available.

Bacteria kill 800,000 children a year

JOHANNESBURG: Deadly bacteria causing pneumonia, meningitis and blood infections kill more than 800,000 children a year, with Africa most at risk, experts said Tuesday.
The pneumococcal bacteria, which causes most invasive disease across the globe, is spread through person-to-person contact, and diseases such as meningitis ravage poor African communities.

‘Over 800,000 children die of pneumococcal diseases every year. When children in Africa get pneumococcal meningitis, it disables many of them. Fifty percent of them who survive it have disabilities,’ Orin Levine, an expert from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in the United States told AFP.

Two new studies by medical experts in the field highlight the urgency of preventing the spread of pneumococcal diseases in Africa.

When pneumococcal bacteria attack the lungs, the result is pneumonia, which is the biggest killer of children under the age of five, resulting in more deaths than AIDS, measles and malaria combined, Jean-Marie Okwo-Bele of the World Health Organisation said at the release of the reports.

About 1.6 million people across the globe die annually of pneumococcal disease, half of them children under the age of five, according to the studies released Tuesday.

If the bacteria invade the brain, pneumococcal meningitis is caused, which leaves one in four children with serious disabilities, including cerebral palsy, epilepsy, brain damage, kidney disease, deafness, limb amputations and developmental delay, the experts said.

The preventable disease imposes an economic burden on African families, said Levine, a head of the Pneumococcal Awareness Council of Experts (PACE), a project of the Sabin Vaccine Institute, a US non-profit organisation.

‘In a typical rural village in Africa, when a child is disabled, it brings a lot of economic cost to the family. Consequently, the disease has a big impact on Africa,’ Levine said.

There are over 90 types of pneumococcal diseases, which are most often treated with penicillin. The most common also include bacteremia, when the bacteria attack the bloodstream, as well as sinusitis and middle ear infection.

Zardari’s foreign visits cost over Rs150m

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari since taking up the reins of office in September 2008 made nine foreign trips to eight countries which cost the next exchequer a whopping over Rs150 million.

Details of the president’s expenditures were presented before the National Assembly on Thursday by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in response to a question asked by Sumaira Yasir Rasheed.

According to a written reply submitted to the lower house of the parliament, President Zardari made his first trip to Britain and United Arab Emirates (UAE) from September 12 to 18 along with an entourage of 16 people, which cost the national treasury Rs16.5 million.

His second visit was again to the United Kingdom and the United States of America from September 21-28 in which he was accompanied by 31 people. The trip cost the national kitty Rs61.8 million.

President Zardari then flew to the UAE from October 5 to 6 with 11 more people who were part of the official trip. According to the reply, Rs6 million were spent on this two-day visit.

The same month, President Zardari made an official visit to the People’s Republic of China for three days (October 14-17) with an entourage of 31 people for which the government had to pay Rs21 million.

Next he went to Saudi Arabia from November 4 to 5 along with an official entourage of 42 people at an expanse of Rs13 million. He again went to the UK and the USA for six days from November 12 to 18 along with 31 people, a visit which cost the government Rs27.5 million. UAE, which had been his frequent destination since becoming the president, he visited the country for the third time as head of the state from November 24 to 26 with an official delegation of 28 people at the cost of Rs6 million.

He was in Turkey for two days in December with an entourage of 25 people, whose travel expenditures have been estimated at Rs3 million.

His last official trip quoted in the written reply was to Afghanistan from December 18 to 20 and then again on January 6 to 7, 2009 which turned out to be the most economical visit in terms of expenditure —Rs2 million.

In another written reply, the house was informed that 53-member official delegation of Pakistan to the 63rd session of the United Nations General Assembly session cost Rs68.26 million to the national exchequer.

It is worth mentioning here that former president Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz made frequent foreign trips during their stints and came under scathing attacks by the opposition parties for the ‘unnecessary’ expenditures.

For example, for Gen Musharraf’s one of the last trips to Belgium, France, Switzerland and the UK along with an official delegation of 44 people from January 20 to 28, 2008, the government paid a massive Rs146 million. The former military strongman also visited China from April 10 to 15, 2008, which cost the national kitty Rs22 million.

Foreign Minister says drone attacks alienating people

PRAGUE: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi complained of ‘alienation’ resulting from US drone strikes on his country on Friday, a day after a suspected US strike killed 24 people in the Kurram tribal region.

Dr A.Q. Khan in the picture

IT appears that Pakistan has not seen the last of the controversy surrounding its scientist Dr A.Q. Khan who in 2004 confessed to having run a nuclear proliferation ring that provided nuclear weapons technology to Libya, Iran and North Korea. Several US lawmakers from both sides of the party line introduced legislation in the House of Representatives on Thursday that would make American military aid to Pakistan conditional on Pakistan’s willingness to monitor Dr Khan’s activities and also make him available for US questioning. Since the government did not hand over the father of Pakistan’s nuclear bomb to American interrogators when the network had been unearthed in 2003 and the going was tough for Islamabad, one wonders what has prompted the US legislators to believe Washington can still have its way in the matter. The fact is that the shadow of those who earlier had serious reservations about allowing Dr Khan to speak to anyone outside the military’s inner ring on an issue that is no doubt highly secret and sensitive, continues to hover over Pakistan’s political landscape.

Global stocks surge, oil drops on OPEC report

NEW YORK: Global stocks strode higher on Friday, capping their best week since a record surge last November, as optimism that ailing U.S. banks are on the mend eased investor fears and snuffed the safe-haven appeal of government debt and the dollar.The price on benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury notes fell late in the session as Wall Street trimmed earlier losses, curbing bids for less risky assets going into the weekend.

India hands over replies to Pakistan

NEW DELHI: In a major development, India has handed over its reply to the 30 questions raised by Pakistan after studying the 26/11 dossier. The Indian dossier runs in 401 pages.The reply includes CDs and voice intercepts of terrorists.Speaking on the issue, Home Minister P Chidambaram said, "All of Pakistan's 30 questions related to Mumbai terror attacks have been answered. These replies have been backed with evidence like forensic reports."Chida

Qureshi says drone attacks alienating people

‘If we want a success in this fight against extremism and terrorism, we have to carry the people along:’ FM.

Nawaz vows to stage sit-in, rejects talks for political gains

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-N Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif said on Saturday that no more talks would be held for political gains and vowed to hold the long march and stage sit-in at all costs.

Talking to senior journalists at Raiwind, Nawaz said he is ready for reconciliation but who will take the guarantee of President Asif Ali Zardari since he had earlier refused to become the president but later did it.