Dollar falls in Asia over weak US data

Dollar falls in Asia over weak US data
TOKYO: The dollar fell in Asian trade Friday amid a broad selling of the greenback following weak US economic indicators, despite growing concerns over a possible Greek debt default, dealers said.

The euro rose to $1.4191 and 115.03 yen in Tokyo morning trade from $1.4141 and 114.96 yen in New York Thursday.

The dollar fell to 81.04 yen from 81.29 yen.

The US unit dipped late Thursday following an report showing US jobless claims last week headed higher after two weeks of declines.

Washington also left unrevised its estimate of first-quarter economic growth at a tepid 1.8 percent. Most analysts had expected a rise to 2.0 percent.

Daisaku Ueno, chief analyst at Gaitame.Com Research Institute, said dealers see no further deterioration in sentiment for the euro after Jean-Claude Juncker, who heads the eurozone finance ministers, suggested the IMF may withhold its payment next month on Greece's bailout.

Juncker said the fifth tranche in a 110-billion-euro loan package could be hampered by IMF rules forbidding the lender of last resort to release funds without a 12-month guarantee of solvency.

Japan on Friday reported a rise in core consumer prices for the first time in more than two years, mainly as a result of an increase in fuel prices, but the economic data were largely ignored by forex dealers.

The core consumer price index, which excludes volatile food prices, rose 0.6 percent in April from a year earlier, the first increase since December 2008. The upturn was in line with market expectations.

But the April rise is unlikely to signal an end to Japan's long-standing deflationary problems as it stems mainly from higher costs for oil products because of increased import prices and supply problems.

Japan's massive earthquake and tsunami in March damaged oil refineries and disrupted distribution of petrol, kerosene and other petroleum products.

Asian shares edge up but Tokyo hit by CPI data

Asian shares edge up but Tokyo hit by CPI data
HONG KONG: Asian shares were mostly higher Friday but Tokyo edged down after data showed consumer prices rose for the first time in
28 months in April due to higher fuel prices following the March 11 disaster.

Hong Kong opened 0.12 percent higher, Sydney gained 0.43 percent, Seoul rose 0.86 percent and Shanghai added 0.18 percent.

Tokyo's Nikkei slipped 0.24 percent by the break after the government released figures showing prices rose 0.6 percent year on year last month, the first increase since December 2008.

Dealers sold up as the data, which excludes volatile food prices, pointed to a jump in costs for oil products due to higher import prices and supply problems. Analysts said the jump does not indicate an end to the country's deflationary woes.

"The CPI uptick came mostly from higher materials costs being passed on to consumers rather than an increase in demand," and that could hurt consumer spending, Hideyuki Ishiguro, a strategist at Okasan Securities, told Dow Jones Newswires.

The Japanese market was also weighed by a slightly stronger yen.

In early Asian trade the dollar fetched 81.22 yen, down from 81.29 in New York late Thursday and well off the 82.00 a day earlier.

The euro bought 114.99 yen, down from 115.06 in New York while it edged down to $1.4135 from $1.4141 in New York.

The euro remained under pressure amid concerns that Greece could default on its debt repayments as Athens warned that it would go bankrupt without the next tranche of a multi-billion-dollar bailout.

However, the International Monetary Fund has said it will not allow the cash to be released unless Greece provides "assurances" on how the country will fund its future.

The US currency was slightly weaker after worse-than-expected figures raised concerns over the world's biggest economy.

The Labor Department announced that jobless claims headed higher after two weeks of declines, while the government also left unrevised its estimate of first-quarter economic growth at 1.8 percent.

Most analysts had expected a rise to 2.0 percent.

Despite the disappointing figures the Dow Jones Industrial Average eked out a small gain of 0.07 percent on Thursday.

On oil markets New York's main contract, light sweet crude for July delivery gained 29 cents to $100.52 a barrel and Brent North Sea crude for July was 20 cents higher at $115.25.

Gold opened in Hong Kong at $1,523.00-$1,524.00 per ounce, up from Wednesday's close of $1,525.00-$1,526.00.

KSE-100 index gains 27.40 points

KSE-100 index gains 27.40 points
KARACHI: Stocks extended gains on Friday amid hopes that the government will announce the removal of a capital gains tax in the upcoming 2011/12 budget, dealers said.

The 2011/12 (July-June) budget is due to be unveiled on June 3.

According to media reports, the government may decide to remove the capital gains tax. A 10 percent capital gains tax is imposed on stocks held for six months or less and 7.5 percent on stocks held between 6 months to a year.

Officials from the finance ministry have declined to comment.

"There is a feeling in the market that the capital gains tax will be removed, and this is helping the sentiment," said Mohammed Sohail, chief executive of brokers Topline Securities.

"This hope is likely to keep the market positive in the sessions ahead of the budget, and if indeed the tax is removed, it should result in increased activity in the market," he said.

The Karachi Stock Exchange's (KSE) benchmark 100-share index ended 0.22 percent, or 27.40 points, higher at 12,225.22 on turnover of 79.64 million shares.

In the currency market, the rupee eased 85.65/75 to the dollar from 85.57/a day earlier, amid slightly higher dollar demand from importers.

The rupee hit a record low of 86.50 on Monday and dealers said the local unit may face pressure amid increased demand for dollar for import payments and a bleak outlook.

"There are some import payments next week, so the dollar demand would rise and the rupee will see some pressure," said a dealer at a foreign bank.

There are also concerns about the growing tensions with the West, which could choke off much needed foreign aid.

The rupee has lost more than 1.25 percent of its value since then, almost the same as its total loss of 1.53 percent in 2010.

In the money market, overnight rates edges slightly lower and closed at around 13.50 percent, compared with the previous day's close of 13.90 percent.

Obama nominates new defense, CIA chiefs

Obama nominates new defense, CIA chiefs
WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama on Thursday formally nominated Leon Panetta as his new secretary of defense and David Petraeus, who commands the international force in Afghanistan, as Panetta's successor at the CIA.

Obama had first said he planned to nominate Panetta and Petraeus on April 28, just days before US commandos entered Pakistan and shot and killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.

The US Senate must confirm both men, but neither is expected to encounter any serious opposition there.

The White House hopes that Panetta, whose mission would include cutting spending at the Defense Department, would be able to move into the job on June 30, the day current Defense chief Robert Gates is set to leave.

Petraeus will continue to lead the international force in Afghanistan until his successor, General John Allen, takes over in September. Petraeus will retire from the military before moving to the CIA.

The United States began troop withdrawals from Afghanistan this year, making good on a promise by Obama to reduce US troop levels there, although it is not clear how soon or how many additional troops will leave.

A new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who is the president's top military adviser, is also expected to be nominated next month. General Martin Dempsey, the current Army chief of staff, is considered Obama's likely choice to replace Admiral Michael Mullen, according to Pentagon officials.

Missouri town says 232 missing after tornado

Missouri town says 232 missing after tornado
JOPLIN: Officials Thursday said 232 people were still missing four days after a tornado tore through a Missouri town, and had only managed to identify one of the 125 bodies found in the storm's wake.

Some of the missing from Sunday's disaster in Joplin may be among the unidentified remains being stored in a hastily constructed mass morgue.

But officials pleaded with anxious family members for patience while they undertake a lengthy identification process involving DNA testing and fingerprinting.

Some may simply have failed to contact anxious friends and family. There may also still be people trapped in the rubble who have not been officially reported missing, Spiller cautioned.

Asked why families were not being allowed into the morgue to visually identify their loved ones, she replied: "It is not 100 percent accurate, and 100 percent accurate is our goal."

In what is one of the worst tornado seasons on record after a series of twisters killed hundreds in southern US states last month, Sunday's was the deadliest single tornado to strike America in six decades.

Crews continue to search through the tangled piles of debris in hope of finding survivors, but hopes were fading after rescuers found no one in the rubble Wednesday -- dead or alive.

Anguished families have kept up a desperate hunt for their missing loved ones. But poor and patchy communications plus the complete devastation of some areas have hampered the search.

Officials said they hoped that by publishing the list of 232 names they could locate the missing and ease the frayed nerves of their families.

Libya ready for ceasefire, demands end to NATO strikes

Libya ready for ceasefire, demands end to NATO strikes
TRIPOLI: Libya said on Thursday it was ready for a ceasefire and negotiations with rebels who hold the east of the country but demanded it include an immediate halt to Nato airstrikes.

The proposal by Prime Minister Al-Baghdadi Ali Al-Mahmoudi, who said it mirrored a plan floated by the African Union, one of Tripoli's few allies, for resolving the conflict, came on the heels peace overtures to Spain and other foreign countries.

It also follows some of the heaviest attacks to date in Nato's Libyan air campaign, which Muammar Gaddafi's government says has exceeded a mandate of civilian protection based on United Nations Security Council resolutions, and now aims at killing or toppling the Libyan leader.

"Libya is serious about a ceasefire, which must be a ceasefire from all sides, especially Nato," Mahmudi told reporters in Tripoli. He dismissed, however, any prospect of Gaddafi's departure -- a key rebel demand.

White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes, speaking at the Group of Eight summit in France, said the United States did not see the new Libyan ceasefire offer as credible because it was not accompanied by action.

Libya was not complying with U.N. demands and its forces were still attacking population centers, so the United States would continue with the military campaign, he told reporters.

The prime minister scorned the rebel Transitional National Council, recognized by a handful of states as Libya's legitimate representative, as former members of the same order they aim to overthrow.

US gives Pakistan list of five 'most wanted' militants

US gives Pakistan list of five 'most wanted' militants
WASHINGTON: As US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Pakistan Friday, the United States gave Islamabad a list of terrorist leaders it wants joint operation against them, officials said.

The list includes Osama bin Laden deputy Ayman al Zawahiri, along with Siraj Haqqani of the Haqqani network, Ilyas Kashmiri, the head of the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami and suspected al-Qaida leader, and Atiya Abdel Rahman, al-Qaida operations chief, the US TV reported, citing unnamed officials from both governments.

The list was discussed during separate meetings between senior Pakistani and US officials in the past two weeks, including Friday in Islamabad with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, according to a US official, a Pakistani government official and a Pakistani intelligence official.

The United States is optimistic Pakistan would provide intelligence for prompt and joint actions against these militants.

A US news paper has reported that United States believes all these wanted militants are present in Pakistan.

Pakistan rejects US appeal to reopen liaison offices

Pakistan rejects US appeal to reopen liaison offices
ISLAMABAD: Despite a visit by Hillary Clinton to mend ties, Pakistani leaders reject appeals not to close military intelligence sharing centers and say they will review the US drone campaign. Clinton presses Pakistan to do more against militants, Los Angeles Times reported.

Pakistani officials angered by the secret US raid that killed Osama bin Laden declared they would conduct a full review of operations by US drone aircraft over the country and rebuffed an appeal by visiting US officials not to close military intelligence liaison centers, US and Pakistani officials said.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Islamabad on Friday in a bid to ease the mistrust deepened by the secret May 2 raid that killed the Al Qaeda chief.

Pakistani leaders see the raid as a blatant violation of their country's sovereignty, and Washington's decision to not inform Islamabad in advance as an example of a glaring lack of trust. For the US, Bin Laden's presence in the military city of Abbottabad, just 35 miles from the capital, renewed long held suspicions among many in the US that Pakistan’s intelligence community, or elements within it, knew that the Al Qaeda leader was there and did nothing about it.

Clinton, in a meeting with President Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, army chief Gen. Ashfaq Kayani and other leaders, emphasized that the US has seen no evidence that anyone in the upper echelons of Pakistani leadership knew of Bin Laden's presence in Abbottabad.

Officials on both sides described Friday's meeting as blunt, and acknowledged that serious disagreements remained. But they said the two sides also agreed that the relationship is mutually beneficial.

A senior US official in Washington said that Pakistani officials rebuffed a US request not to close the liaison offices in Peshawar and Quetta that have been used to share intelligence on militants with Pakistani ground forces.

Pakistan recently ordered US special operations personnel at the so-called "intelligence fusion cells" to leave the country, a setback for US efforts to form closer ties with Pakistani units fighting militants along with the border with Afghanistan. US officials remain hopeful that they can persuade Islamabad to allow the US personnel to reestablish the intelligence-sharing centers, the official said.

Pakistani officials said Zardari also said his government intended to review all aspects of operations by unmanned US drone aircraft. The campaign of drone airstrikes is deeply unpopular among Pakistanis.

8 dead, 12 injured in Bajur Agency blast

8 dead, 12 injured in Bajur Agency blast
BAJAUR: At least eight persons died and twelve injured in a blast that took place Saturday morning at the headquarter of Tehsil Salarzai according to the initial report, Geo News reported.

Security forces have surrounded the area, rescue operation started and trying to ascertain the nature of the blast. The injured have been shifted to the nearby hospital.

Someone, somewhere' provided support to Osama: Clinton

Someone, somewhere' provided support to Osama: Clinton
ISLAMABAD: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Friday that Pakistan urgently needed to take decisive steps against militancy and that relations between the two allies, tense since the killing of Osama bin Laden, had reached a turning point.

Clinton, the most senior US official to visit Pakistan since US Navy SEALS killed the al Qaeda leader this month, appeared to be trying to smooth over strains, repeating that there was no evidence that any senior Pakistani officials knew bin Laden's whereabouts.

But she also said she had asked President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani as well as Army chief General Ashfaq Kayani to do more to fight militants.

"This was an especially important visit because we have reached a turning point," Clinton told reporters, after meeting the Pakistani officials with US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen. "We look to Pakistan, to the government of Pakistan to take decisive steps in the days ahead.

"America cannot and should not solve Pakistan's problems. But in solving its problems, Pakistan should understand that anti-Americanism and conspiracy theories will not make problems disappear."

Clinton said Pakistani officials had told her "someone, somewhere" had been providing support for bin Laden in Pakistan, but reiterated there was no evidence of any sort of complicity by senior government officials.

Clinton has emphasised the need to continue working closely with Pakistan.

"This particular relationship with Pakistan is too critical and now is too critical a time to allow whatever differences we may still have with one another impede the progress we must still make together," Mullen told the news conference.

"I harbour no illusions about the difficulties ahead, nor do I leave here misinformed about the trust which still needs to be rebuilt between our two militaries.

National challenges require unity: PM

National challenges require unity: PM
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Friday said the challenges confronting the country today require greater unity among the people and leaders across the political divide.

In his opening statement while chairing the cabinet's meeting, Gilani said during testing times, it was imperative to maintain unity among the ranks and not let despondency take hold on the minds of people.

"I am sure that together we will overcome the challenges we face today," he said, adding that with this kind of determination no force could ever demoralize the countrymen in defending their homeland.

Gilani reiterated to foil the nefarious designs of terrorists and their collaborators. He paid rich tribute on behalf of the Cabinet to those who sacrificed their lives during the terrorist attack at the Mehran Naval Base.

As a nation, he said, "we are proud of the courage and valour with which the Jawans of Navy, Rangers and Police who tried to defend the strategic naval installations and properties."

The Prime Minister said that during his visit to the hospital in Karachi, he was touched to see the spirit of injured Jawans who remarked that it would have been better had they also embraced Shahadat.

He recalled that the especially convened meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet decided for coordinated efforts to prevent and pre-empt acts of terrorism. He stated that the defence and law enforcement agencies had been directed to use all necessary means to eliminate terrorists and militants.

The Prime Minister informed the Cabinet about his visit to China which he termed as very important as it coincided with the 60th Anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

He said besides talks in defence, trade and energy, the Chinese leadership reiterated its undiluted, unequivocal and principled support to Pakistan's stance and strategy in the fight against terrorism.

The Prime Minister stated that the Chinese leadership apprised him that even without Pakistan's asking, the Chinese Vice Premier and State Counselor for Foreign Affairs, who attended the recent China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Washington DC, had urged the US to respect Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity; to recognize Pakistan's sacrifices in the war against terror; and to help Pakistan in its fight against terrorism and extremism, and give it complete support.

The Prime Minister apprised the Cabinet about his affirmation to the Chinese leadership that Pakistan would never allow its territory to be used to attack any country and would continue to support international counter-terrorism cooperation.

Before the start of formal proceedings of the Cabinet meeting, Fateha for late Hakim Ali Zardari, a seasoned politician was offered. The Cabinet also offered Fateha for all those who embraced Shahadat in the recent attack on PNS Mehran, CID Station Peshawar and District Administration Offices in Hangu.

Anti-Americanism not to make Pak's problems disappear

Anti-Americanism not to make Pak's problems disappear
ISLAMABAD: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Friday said Pakistan should understand that anti-Americanism and conspiracy theories will not make problems disappear.

Talking to media in Islamabad Hillary Clinton said that her visit was especially important because relation between Pakistan and US have reached a turning point.

"Osama bin Laden is dead but al Qaeda and his syndicate of terror remain a serious threat to us both," Clinton said.

She said, "we look to the government of Pakistan to take decisive steps in the days ahead."

Clinton said Pakistani officials had told her "someone, somewhere" had been providing support for bin Laden in Pakistan, but reiterated there was no evidence of any sort of complicity by senior government officials.

"This particular relationship with Pakistan is too critical and now is too critical a time to allow whatever differences we may still have with one another impede the progress we must still make together," Mullen told the news conference.

"I harbour no illusions about the difficulties ahead, nor do I leave here misinformed about the trust which still needs to be rebuilt between our two militaries.

Top 10 Latest Crime-Fighting Technologies

Top 10 | Hi-tech GPS enabled phones, more accurate guns and faster cars – The criminals have taken their favorite cat-and-mouse game with the police on to a whole new level. Crime-fighting has become tough but law enforcement agencies are not willing to give up, not yet. From vomit-inducing flashlight to brain fingerprinting, here are the top ten hi-tech ways in which the cops are getting back at the goons.
10.  Automated license plate recognition cameras



All the car thieves out there have to now learn a magic trick as well. Once they steal the car, they have to make it disappear because taking it out for a run might land them behind bars.
Automated license plate recognition cameras are being used by patrol cars (even choppers) to track down auto-related crimes. These cameras can take pictures of the license plates from a distance. The pictures are run against a database of stolen vehicles to find possible matches.
9. Brain Fingerprinting



Remember how cops are advised to get into the mind of the criminals to handle them better? Well, they are now taking the advice literally. In brain fingerprinting, the subject is shown pictures on a computer screen. This person has to wear a headband that will measure cognitive brain responses to the stimuli he watches on the screen. An EEG (electroencephalograph) picks up distinct responses to words, sounds or images that are related to the crime.

The technology has been used to obtain guilty plea from criminals who had refuted allegations of knowledge about their crimes. Brain fingerprinting revealed that their brains responded to crime-related details shown on the computer.
8. Shoe Printing

Here is another technology that is going to make “perfect crime” something that happens only in fiction. Researchers in UK have made an automated system that compares features on shoe soles of suspects with those of the shoe prints left behind at the crime scene.  Since shoe prints are something that criminals often leave behind, a UK act gives this forensic evidence the same legal validity as DNA and fingerprints.

Shoe prints have been used in the past as evidence but it involved human analysis and interpretation. The new technology uses image processing to find out about the sole’s features like logos, circles or ridges. The results are compared with the prints taken in custody suites for a possible match.
7. Shot Spotting


The time between a gunshot and arrival of police can make a huge difference in nabbing the criminal or providing medical help. Cops in Washington, D.C. have employed an acoustics-based system called ShotSpotter to drastically minimize this response time.

The gunshot sensor system picks up sound waves of a muzzle blast. GPS receivers in the system narrow down to the exact coordinates of the spot and forward it to nearest 911 centers.
6. Plant DNA to knock off Counterfeiters

The bad news has arrived for the fakers worldwide. Scientists have discovered something that is all set to bust the fake brand party. This little something is no GPS tracking device but a simple code embedded in a plant. An elite label is now going to use plant DNA in its products to make them distinctly unique. All that the law enforcement agencies would need are scanners to tell the genuine product from the fake one.

A similar DNA marker was embedded in a bank’s cash boxes. When two men tried to tamper with the boxes in bank heist, the DNA strands in the cases helped the police to nab the culprits.
5. 3-D Technology

Law enforcement agencies have finally found their new crime buster and it comes in the “avatar” of three-dimensional technology.  It can pervade all aspects of law, right from nabbing the criminal to bringing him to justice.

It is now possible to create a 3-D image of a bullet that has been fired and then find a match from previous criminal cases of shoot-outs. A Forensic Science institute in Connecticut can deftly produce 3D images of crime scene using software called DeltaSphere-3000 3D Scene Digitizer. Police in Japan have employed the technology for facial recognition to fight crimes committed by people of foreign origin. Three-dimensional images of public places and structures are being stored to help the police foil future terrorist attempts.
4. Property Marking System

No, we are not talking about dogs here. Humans too, can now mark their property and goods to deter trespassing and forceful entries.

Many houses in the UK are using a generic property marker called SmartWater to deter thieves and burglars. This water-based solution can be sprayed or painted to mark your prized possessions with a unique chemical code. In cases of thefts, stolen items can be identified by the chemical “barcode” and returned to the actual owner.
3. Vehicle Slowdown System



Car chase movie scene just got shorter. General Motors has equipped its cars with a unique in-vehicle safety system called OnStar. Besides being GPS-enabled, the system also comes with a helpful vehicle slowdown feature. Cops can ask an OnStar operator to transmit a signal to the car being pursued. The signal restricts the vehicle’s fuel reserves and slows it down to about five miles an hour.
2. Body Odor to sniff out criminals

You read it right. It is now possible to use body odor as a biometric identifier to nab a culprit. A police canine research center in China is creating a unique database of people with criminal records. The center is collecting body odor of criminals so that they can be later used to match the smell in a crime scene with the help of their ace canines.
1. Vomit Inducing Flashlight



The US Department of Homeland Security has developed a flashlight that is guaranteed to bring a fleeing criminal down on his knees. What else would he do when he is gripped by a sudden bout of horrid puking?

The hi-tech flashlight, called the Dazzler, emits LEDs that can have psychophysical effects on a person. It can cause immediate immobility through extreme physical imbalance like disorientation and nausea. Now we know why the cops crib about how policing has become a really dirty job.

by Mankani Deepa

World's Top 10 airlines in 2010 announced

World's Top 10 airlines in 2010 announced
Asiana Airlines won the prestige Airline of the Year award at the 2010 World Airline Awards, that took place in Hamburg.

Asiana Airlines was named winner of the Airline of the Year 2010 title, ahead of Singapore Airlines (2nd) and Qatar Airways in 3rd place.

Some 40 different airlines from around the world assembled to receive their accolades, which were handed out by Mr Edward Plaisted, Chairman of Skytrax. The award winners are selected by the airline industry's most important audience, it's customers.
More than 17.9 million air travellers from over 100 different nationalities took part in the 10 month survey, between July 2009 and April 2010. The awards are respected and recognised around the world for being the only truly global, independent passenger survey of airline standards, and are known as the Passenger's Choice awards.

Commenting on the Airline of the Year 2010 award received by Asiana Airlines, Mr Plaisted said: "this is a fantastic achievement for Asiana Airlines to be named winner of this top Airline of the Year Award, and Asiana Airlines are clearly meeting and exceeding their customer's expectations. This award represents a true recognition of the front-line product and service that Asiana Airlines is delivering to it's customers, and the branding as the Passenger's Choice awards underlines the fact that Asiana Airlines are succeeding in satisfying the hardest critics - their users."

Asiana Airlines President and CEO, Mr Young-Doo Yoon, said : "We would like to express our most heartfelt appreciation to our customers who voted us for Skytrax 2010 Airline of the Year Award. Asiana Airlines is extremely honored to be recognized as the world’s top airline by our customers and to be awarded our industry’s highly esteemed accolade from Skytrax. To be the winner of the 2010 Airline of the Year Award is even more special and holds greater meaning, as it is 'The Passenger's Choice'."


The top 10 places in the 2010 Airline of the Year :

1.  Asiana Airlines
2.  Singapore Airlines
3.  Qatar Airways
4.  Cathay Pacific
5.  Air New Zealand
6.  Etihad Airways
7.  Qantas Airways
8.  Emirates
9.  Thai Airways
10. Malaysia Airlines

Sports News Index

Sports News
Pakistan level Test series against West Indies
Sri Lanka reject Pakistan tour on security
Mumbai pull off thrilling win over Kolkata

Business News

Business News
May 27/5/2011
KSE-100 index gains 27.40 points
Asian shares edge up but Tokyo hit by CPI data
Dollar falls in Asia over weak US data

May 26/5/2011
Euro firms on China scholar's investment comment
Asian shares up on Wall St rise, bargain buying
Oil up in Asian trade after rise in US equities

Mumbai pull off thrilling win over Kolkata

Mumbai pull off thrilling win over Kolkata
KOLKATA: Ambati Rayudu smashed a last-ball six as Mumbai Indians pulled off a thrilling five-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League on Sunday.

Mumbai needed 21 to win off the last over to surpass Kolkata's 175-7, but New Zealander James Franklin (45 not out off 23 balls) hit paceman Lakshmipathy Balaji for 17 off the first five balls before Rayudu finished the game.

South African Jacques Kallis top-scored with 59 and seamer Rajat Bhatia took three wickets for Kolkata.

In another match, Chris Gayle cracked an unbeaten 75 as Royal Challengers Bangalore topped the points table with an eight-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings.

The West Indies opener hit six sixes in his 50-ball knock as Bangalore surpassed Chennai's total of 128-8 with two overs to spare in their last league match of the Twenty20 tournament.

Bangalore (19 points), Chennai (18), Mumbai (18) and Kolkata (16) have qualified for the play-offs.

Gayle, who added 80 for the second wicket with Virat Kohli (31), finished the match when he hit spinner Suresh Raina for 11 runs off the last three balls of the 18th over.

Chennai skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni hit six sixes in his explosive 40-ball 70 not out but received little support from the other end, the highest stand of the innings being 42 for the fifth wicket.

Chennai made a poor start after being put in to bat as they lost four wickets for 22 runs in the opening six overs, with left-arm paceman Zaheer Khan dismissing Australian Michael Hussey and Raina in successive overs.

Hussey could make just four runs before inside-edging a Zaheer devliery on to the stumps while Raina was caught by Kohli at point.

New Zealand left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori put more pressure on Chennai when he removed Subramaniam Badrinath and West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo to eventually finish with 2-15 off four overs.

Brief scores:
Kolkata Knight Riders 175-7 in 20 overs (J. Kallis 59, Yusuf Pathan 36, M. Tiwary 35; A. Nechim 2-32, J. Franklin 2-35) lost to Mumbai Indians 178-5 in 20 overs (J. Franklin 45 not out, S. Tendulkar 38, Harbhajan Singh 30; R. Bhatia 3-22) by five wickets.

Sri Lanka reject Pakistan tour on security

Sri Lanka reject Pakistan tour on security
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka Cricket on Tuesday turned down an invitation by Pakistan to return to the troubled nation, saying security was still a problem two years after its players were attacked there.

"We are not going to send our team to Pakistan," Sri Lanka Cricket chairman D.S. de Silva said. "I have asked the secretary to inform the Pakistan Cricket Board today (Tuesday) of the decision.

"We have instead requested Pakistan to host the matches in Colombo or at a neutral venue like Dubai or Abu Dhabi," he said.

The Pakistan Cricket Board announced at the weekend that they had invited Sri Lanka to play three Tests, five one-day internationals and one Twenty20 game in a series proposed for October.

"The circumstances, with regards to security, don't allow us to play matches there. Even the ICC (International Cricket Council) has not given us security clearance," de Silva said.

Sri Lanka ex-skipper Mahela Jayawardene told the London-based Guardian newspaper on Tuesday that he still carries scars from the attack in Lahore in which militants shot at the Sri Lankan team bus in March 2009.

Eight people were killed and seven Sri Lankan players were wounded, including their assistant coach.

"I still get flashbacks," he told the Guardian. "At first, the guys were saying, 'Why would anyone let off crackers at eight in the morning?' But then someone shouted: 'No, they're shooting at us, get down.'"

Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Nishantha Ranatunga had reacted cautiously on Monday to the invitation, saying they were awaiting clearance from Sri Lankan security authorities before responding.

Pakistan have been forced to play "home" series in the United Arab Emirates, England and New Zealand.

On Monday, Afghanistan became the first foreign squad to arrive in Pakistan since the attack on the Sri Lankan players. The Afghans will take on a second-string Pakistani national team in a three-match series.

Pakistan level Test series against West Indies

Pakistan level Test series against West Indies
BASSETERRE: Pakistan beat West Indies by 196 runs on the fifth day of the second test Tuesday to draw their two test series 1-1.

Slow left-armer Abdur Rehman finished with figures of 4-65 as West Indies, resuming on 130for five and needing to bat through the day to win the series, were bowled out for 230 before lunch.

Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal did the damage with the key wickets of Brendan Nash (30), skipper Darren Sammy (41) and Ravi Rampaul (20).

It was always going to be too much for West Indies to bat through the day having already lost their top order but it was a sorry end to their innings when Kemar Roach was run out for12.

Any chance of resistance dissipated when Nash edged Ajmal to Taufeeq Umar at slip and then Baugh became the latest in a series of West Indies batsmen to fall lbw to Rehman.

Sammy was caught at midwicket off a dreadful shot off Ajmal and although Rampaul showed some defiance, it ultimately proved futile.

Once again West Indies struggled against spin, which will give great heart to their upcoming opponents India who begin their tour of the Caribbean next month.

Pakistan, who won the five-match one day international series earlier in the tour 3-2, took full advantage of poor West Indian fielding in their second innnings which saw centuries for Taufeeq Umar and skipper Misbah-ul-Haq.

Misbah was delighted with the way his team, who are still unable to play home tests due to the security situation, coped and performed on the tour.

"I am really proud of this bunch of guys and their fighting spirit. Catching was one of our failings in the first test but we turned it around here and it was the big difference between the two teams," he said.

"I am happy, I am performing well and it feels good to lead from the front. We hope we will be able to play on our home grounds soon but we are getting exposure outside and becoming a better team in the process," he said.

For West Indies, who have blooded young opening batsmen Lendl Simmons and Kraigg Brathwaite with little success in this test, the debate will restart over selection choices for the India series, with ex-skipper Chris Gayle's position still unclear.

The optimism generated by the first test victory in Guyana was short-lived and Sammy highlighted a familar problem.

"We have not been able to be consistent with the bat or ball. We have some work to do. India is going to be a tough series but we are looking forward to it," he said.

Oil up in Asian trade after rise in US equities

Oil up in Asian trade after rise in US equities
SINGAPORE: Oil rose in Asian trade Thursday, tracking gains in US equities markets, analysts said, while dealers seemed to ignore data showing a surge in stockpiles.

New York's main contract, light sweet crude for July delivery, gained 36 cents to $101.68 a barrel, while Brent North Sea crude for the same month was up 30 cents to $115.23.

"The WTI was $1.73 higher (in New York late Wednesday), settling at $101.32, which was a two-week high because the equity market was high," said Shailaja Nair, a Singapore-based Platts analyst.

US stocks posted modest gains Wednesday, snapping a three-day losing streak, despite disappointing manufacturing data from the US, the world's largest economy and number one oil consumer.

A bearish report from the Department of Energy (DoE) Wednesday that showed US crude stocks rose 600,000 barrels in the week to May 20 appeared to have a muted impact on sentiment.

The weekly DoE report also said US gasoline inventories jumped 3.8 million barrels in contrast to predictions of a drop.

Gasoline figures are being closely watched ahead of the peak-demand US driving season in the starting next week, when many Americans begin hitting the road for their summer holidays.

Some analysts think higher prices have forced consumers to cut their fuel use.

Natixis analyst Nic Brown pointed out that it was the fourth week in a row of weak US demand for oil products -- with demand off four percent from a year earlier.

"Volatility remains high and sentiment is constantly shifting," said Michael Fitzpatrick of the Kilduff Report.

Prices had been given a lift by reports Tuesday from Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley in which they raised their 2012 forecasts for Brent to around $130 a barrel.

Asian shares up on Wall St rise, bargain buying

Asian shares up on Wall St rise, bargain buying
HONG KONG: Asian markets began the day on a high Thursday as dealers picked up undervalued stocks following a recent sell-off while the first gain for the Dow in three days also provided some support.

Tokyo was 1.29 percent higher by the break, Sydney gained 1.10 percent, Hong Kong opened 0.58 percent stronger while Shanghai added 0.72 percent and Seoul jumped 1.23 percent.

"Asian markets are opening stronger, and we expect it to be a risk-on day in the region," Credit Agricole said in a note to clients, according to Dow Jones Newswires.

The rallies followed a Dow gain of 0.31 percent on Wednesday.

Resource firms were among those leading the gains as commodity prices began to rise, with oil rallying after Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley raised their 2012 forecasts for the cost of Brent to $130 a barrel.

The rises also came despite a surprising 600,000-barrel increase in US crude stockpiles in the week to May 20, confounding analyst expectations of a fall.

New York's main contract, light sweet crude for July delivery, gained 36 cents to $101.68 a barrel, while Brent North Sea crude for the same month was up 30 cents to $115.23.

Crude was also given a fillip by gains in equity markets, which indicated improving sentiment.

The gains came after big losses in recent sessions caused by worries over the European debt crisis and data from China suggesting the world's number two economy was beginning to ease.

In the eurozone the Greek debt crisis continues to unsettle after sharp exchanges between the European Central Bank, which opposes any restructuring of its obligations, and politicians hoping to find some way out of an impasse.

The downgrading of Athens' debt rating by Fitch on Friday, the downgrading of Italy's outlook by Standard & Poor's and rising concern over Spain's economy have also brought the European crisis back into focus.

However, despite the debt woes the euro rose in early trade after Wang Yong, a professor at the People's Bank of China's training institute, said Beijing should expand purchases of eurozone sovereign debt.

He also said China should increase direct investment into Europe. Such moves would help alleviate the global crisis, he added.

The comments sent the euro up to $1.4136 from $1.4083 late Wednesday in New York and to 115.86 yen from 115.40.

The dollar was worth 81.96 yen, up from 81.89 yen in New York.

Shanghai rose after a five-day sell-off caused by economic worries that were magnified by data showing a preliminary HSBC Purchasing Managers Index had slipped to a 10-month low, pointing to a slowdown in manufacturing.

In Tokyo, office equipment and camera maker Ricoh jumped 4.5 percent on a report in the Nikkei business daily that it was planning to sack 10,000 people worldwide as it tries to streamline.

Gold opened in Hong Kong at $1,525.00-$1,526.00 per ounce, up from Wednesday's close of $1,523.00-$1,524.00

Euro firms on China scholar's investment comment

Euro firms on China scholar's investment comment
TOKYO: The euro firmed during Asian trade Thursday after a Chinese scholar published a media commentary arguing that Beijing should expand purchases of euro-zone sovereign debt.

Investors flocked to the single currency after Wang Yong, a professor at the People's Bank of China's training institute, wrote in his piece that China should also increase direct investment into Europe.

For China, such moves should both help alleviate the global crisis and contributes to "counter-protectionism strategy," giving Beijing more leverage to negotiate for concessions in trade talks, Wang wrote.

The piece triggered buying of the euro, which jumped to $1.4136 and 115.86 yen from $1.4083 and 115.40 yen in New York Wednesday.

Still, traders said the Greek debt concerns should limit the euro's gains as investors remained cautious amid uncertainty about how the fiscally-strapped nation's problems could be resolved.

"While we continue to see a market- and euro-friendly outcome (on Greece) as the most likely on a multi-week view, political risks make a further euro/dollar breakdown very real," BNP Paribas analysts said in a note to clients.

The euro's gain was also magnified in part due to thin trading in Asia, traders said.

The dollar was at 81.96 yen, nearly flat from 81.89 yen in New York.

Ariz. shooting suspect mentally incompetent

Ariz. shooting suspect mentally incompetent
TUCSON: The man accused of wounding Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in a deadly rampage lowered his head to within inches of the courtroom table Wednesday. When he lifted it, he began yelling, angry and loud.

Federal marshals had to drag Jared Lee Loughner out of the packed federal courtroom. Minutes later, he was in a nearby room and, over a closed-circuit TV, could watch as U.S. District Judge Larry Burns declared him incompetent to stand trial.

Mental health experts concluded that the 22-year-old college dropout suffers from schizophrenia.

Burns ordered Loughner to a federal facility in Missouri for up to four months, where doctors will try to give him enough treatment to bring him to a point where he understands the case against him.

Loughner spent five weeks in March and April at the federal facility in Springfield, Mo., where he was examined by psychologist Christina Pietz and psychiatrist Matthew Carroll. The two were asked to determine if Loughner understands the consequences of the case.

Burns viewed 18 hours of the experts' videotaped interviews with Loughner. He said the experts' reports and videos were confidential, but he summarized their findings at the hearing.

The judge said Carroll concluded Loughner's mental health has declined in the past two or three years and his thinking on legal issues is confused. Carroll believes Loughner doesn't grasp the gravity of the charges and is instead fixated on inconsequential issues.

Pietz concluded Loughner's thoughts are random and that he suffers from delusions, the judge said. She noted Loughner gave nonsensical answers to questions and doesn't understand the role of judges or jurors.

Neither expert thought Loughner was faking his mental health problems, with one of the therapists saying Loughner doesn't want to be perceived as mentally ill. A hearing to revisit Loughner's mental competency is set for Sept. 21.

Loughner has pleaded not guilty to 49 federal charges stemming from the shooting, which wounded Giffords and 12 others and killed six people, including a 9-year-old girl and a federal judge.

Prosecutors had requested the mental exam, citing a YouTube video in which they believe a hooded Loughner wore garbage bags and burned an American flag.

The judge gave the two experts access to Loughner's health records from his pediatrician, a behavioral health hospital that treated him for extreme intoxication in May 2006 and an urgent care center where he was treated in 2004 for unknown reasons.

Prosecutor Wallace Kleindienst said that Loughner will be sent to the Missouri facility in the next few days.

Loughner will stay there for up to four months, and doctors will seek to medicate him to see if he improves, Kleindienst said. He added he didn't know if Loughner would agree to be medicated.

If Loughner is later determined to be competent enough to understand the case against him, the court proceedings will resume.

If he isn't deemed competent at the end of his treatment, Loughner's stay at the facility can be extended. There are no limits on the number of times such extensions can be granted.

Ammunition store blast kills 28 in Yemeni capital

Ammunition store blast kills 28 in Yemeni capital
SANAA: An ammunition store belonging to the powerful Al-Ahmar tribe has exploded in the Yemeni capital Sanaa killing 28 people, the defence ministry's 26sep.net news website said on Wednesday.

"Twenty-eight people were killed in an explosion at an ammunition store belonging to Hamid al-Ahmar" in Sanaa, 26sep.net said in a text message.

General Dempsey may become top US military officer

General Dempsey may become top US military officer
WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama may pick Army Chief of Staff General Martin Dempsey as the U.S. military's top officer, filling a crucial post that in recent years has served as the main point of contact with Pakistan's military, sources said on Wednesday.

Dempsey is a leading candidate for the high-profile job of chairman of the U.S. military's Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Dempsey, who commanded troops during the Iraq war and has broad support in Congress, would replace Admiral Mike Mullen in the post. Mullen is a holdover from the Bush administration who has been in the role of top U.S. military officer since 2007 and is due to step down on Oct. 1.

As Army chief of staff, Dempsey is the top officer in the largest branch of the U.S. military. He has served in the post only since last month.

The nomination of Dempsey would be the last major change expected in Obama's national security team following the president's April announcement of new picks to lead the Defense Department and the CIA.

If confirmed, Dempsey would work with Leon Panetta, now the head of the CIA and Obama's choice to replace the departing Robert Gates as defense secretary. Obama picked Army General David Petraeus, commander of the Afghanistan war effort, to replace Panetta at the spy agency.

Dempsey's selection would alter the chemistry of a team that will help set strategy in Afghanistan, the Middle East and for looming defense budget battles in Washington. He also would be involved in plans to withdraw U.S. forces entirely from Iraq by the end of this year.

Mullen has worked to improve ties with Pakistan and served as the main interlocutor with Pakistan's army chief General Ashfaq Kayani.

Dempsey and Kayani studied together in the 1980s at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and met last month when the U.S. general was in Pakistan, an aide said.

General James Cartwright, the current vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had been considered the favorite to replace Mullen but Obama informed him on Saturday he was not chosen for the job, a U.S. official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The official said one concern was that neither Mullen nor Gates had endorsed Cartwright for the job, the official said.

Some top brass have complained in the past about Cartwright's leadership style. Earlier this year, he was cleared of wrongdoing by a Pentagon investigation into accusations of having an improper relationship with a subordinate.

Thousands rally in Baghdad against US presence

Thousands rally in Baghdad against US presence World News
BAGHDAD: Thousands of followers of Moqtada al-Sadr staged a mass rally in Baghdad on Thursday against US forces, as Iraqi leaders consider asking for an extended American troop presence.

The demonstration comes with just months to go before US forces must withdraw from Iraq, but senior American officials have said they hope Iraqi leaders will ask for troops to stay, while acknowledging the unpopularity of the soldiers.

At the protest in Sadr City, named after father of the anti-US cleric, several groups of tightly-disciplined demonstrators wearing identical t-shirts emblazoned with Iraqi flags paraded in unison.

Waves of men clad in black trousers and caps bearing the words "I am Iraqi", marched in military-style formation, while others in the rally set fire to American and Israeli flags.

"We will not accept even one American soldier staying," said Adnan al-Mussawi, one of the demonstrators.

"Occupation has not benefited us at all, it is our religious duty to kick out every American soldier."

The demonstrators numbered several thousand according to an estimate, but an official in the Sadrist headquarters in the southern city of Najaf said 100,000 were attending.

The office said the cleric arrived at the rally in a convoy of vehicles with the intention of delivering a speech, but was unable to get out because a mob of supporters flocked to his car.

A journalist said a convoy of dozens of SUVs and pick-up trucks arrived at the demonstration, but could not confirm the Sadrist account in full.

Several protesters, who varied in age and in social class from the poor to heads of tribes, shouted slogans ranging from "No to the occupation!" to "The people want the occupier to leave!", referring to the widely held view of the US military as an occupying force in Iraq.

Some 45,000 American troops remain in Iraq, primarily tasked with training and equipping their Iraqi counterparts, although they must all withdraw by the end of the year under the terms of a bilateral security pact.

Earlier this month, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki called for a national dialogue to gauge whether they should stay beyond 2011, and US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said on Tuesday that he hopes Iraqi leaders will ask US troops to stay beyond the deadline.

Acknowledging that American troops remain unpopular in Iraq, eight years after the US-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein, Gates said: "All I can say is that from the standpoint of Iraq's future but also our role in the region, I hope they figure out a way to ask."

Sadr, however, last month threatened to reactivate his feared Mahdi Army militia if the US troop presence were extended.

"We say to the Americans, you should get out," said Awouda al-Fartousi, a tribal leader.

"This is a peaceful protest, but if the Americans don't leave our country, we will pick up our guns. There should be a military and cultural resistance.

DCC expresses full confidence in ability of armed forces

DCC expresses full confidence in ability of armed forces Pakistan News
ISLAMABAD: The Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC) on Wednesday decided that coordinated efforts would be made to prevent and pre-empt acts of terrorism and security, defence and law enforcement agencies would be authorised to use all means necessary to eliminate terrorists and militants.

The DCC met under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani at the Prime Minister’s House. Federal Ministers Senior Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Minister of State for Finance Hina Rabbani Khar, Chairman JCSC, services chiefs and Director General (ISI) attended the meeting.

This is the second meeting of the DCC in 15 days and was held in the backdrop of the recent terrorist attack on the PNS Mehran in Karachi. The DCC reviewed the security situation arising from the terrorist attacks as well as issues relating to regional security and stability.

The DCC expressed full confidence in the ability and capacity of the armed forces and law enforcement and intelligence agencies to meet all threats to national security. In opening remarks prior to starting deliberations, Prime Minister Gilani made it clear that “in today’s deliberations, we should also bear in mind the resolution unanimously adopted by the joint sitting of parliament.”

The chief of the naval staff and secretaries defence, interior and foreign affairs briefed the DCC on the terrorist attack on PNS Mehran, as well as on internal security and the regional situation.

After in-depth discussions, it was decided that all citizens should extend their full cooperation to security and law enforcement agencies and defence forces to eliminate the menace of terrorism. It was decided that national security was the foremost priority and all arms of the government would ensure that terrorist hideouts were destroyed using all appropriate means.

It was decided that national consensus on eliminating terrorism would be implemented through a well-coordinated and comprehensive strategy with the full support of the people and state institutions at all levels. It was decided that the DCC would continue to meet regularly to further update and closely monitor the implementation of Pakistan’s counter-terrorism strategy.

Earlier, in his opening remarks, PM Gilani said he wanted, through this forum, to send a message to the nation that Pakistan’s strategic assets were well protected and its capability to defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity and liberties of the people was very much in place.

“The incident [attack on PNS Mehran] is a serious threat to our security paradigm but with the help of our resolute nation, we will surely be successful in overcoming this unique challenge,” he said.

PM Gilani said the government was determined to take all necessary measures to protect the lives and property of citizens. “It is imperative that we take steps urgently to enhance our intelligence capabilities and improve system-wide coordination for averting attacks,” he said.

He said Pakistan was proud of the sacrifices of the martyrs of the Armed Forces and honoured them. Prime Minister Gilani said diversity and the quantum of challenges to national security demanded policy-makers leave behind conventional thinking and look for out-of-the-box solutions and carve out alternate strategies. “I strongly believe that we have the potential and resilience to face these challenges upfront and to meet the aspirations of our people,” the prime minister concluded.
   

Civil govt complained US over secret army funding: WikiLeaks

Civil govt complained US over secret army funding: WikiLeaks Pakistan News
KARACHI: In 2009, the civil government had complained to the US about being unaware of American funding provided directly to the Pakistan military, revealed by another unpublished American diplomatic cables.

The secret cable disclosed tensions between the civilian government and the army over the funds provided for counterinsurgency operations.

In a meeting held with former US Ambassador Anne Patterson in November 2009, former finance minister Shaukat Tarin appealed to the ambassador to keep him informed of funds the US directs to the Pakistani military.

Tarin promised that he would not reduce the military’s budget based on the US assistance. He also provided numbers to prove that the vast majority of Coalition Support Funds (CSF) given to Gen Pervez Musharraf’s government, money provided as reimbursements for expenses incurred to support America’s efforts against Al Qaeda and the Taliban, had not been used for counterinsurgency purposes, or even for the military.

In an earlier meeting in September, the Ambassador said the USG had purchased $370 million equipment for the military through FY09 Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund (PCCF) supplemental funds. Tarin said he was unaware of this.

According to Tarin, the finance ministry had done a detailed analysis and concluded that, of the total of $6.6 billion the US had provided to Pakistan under the Coalition Support Fund, only $250 million had actually gone to the Pakistan Army during former president Musharraf government.

While previously published cables have revealed the US concerns about possibly inflated CSF claims by the army, a new cable reveals that the US also feared the civilian government that succeeded Musharraf would continue to use the CSF for budgetary support.

The civilian government, in turn, expressed mistrust about the army’s use of CSF funds. Therefore, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) asked the US to increase oversight and ensure that the military budget should be more transparent and subject to parliamentary scrutiny.

Blast in North Waziristan

Blast in North Waziristan
MIRANSHAH: A blast has been reported in Miranshah Stadium Chowk and casualties are expected,Geo News reported.

Emergency has been declared in the hospitals.

Attackers were in contact with commander News

Attackers were in contact with commander Pakistan News
KARACHI: The PNS Mehran attackers who stormed the naval air base Sunday night were in contact with their commander via high-tech wireless system, Geo News correspondent Afzal Nadeem Dogar reported.

An inquiry committee, headed by Rear Admiral Tehsinullah Khan, is investigating the terrorist attack. It includes representatives from Pakistan Air Force, police, naval intelligence and Rangers.

After reports of some inside help, scope of the probe has been widened and all personnel of Pakistan Navy deployed at the base have been included in the investigations.

The list of visitors who visited the base during past several days has also been sought to ascertain the details regarding the people they met, when and for how long.

A high-tech walkie-talkie set has been recovered from the bushes confirming the reports that the raiders were in contact with their commander.

The militants came loaded with sophisticated weaponry including rocket launchers hand grenades, Kalashnikovs etc. Raiders fired more than 1100 bullets and seven rockets. Investigators recovered 860 spent cases of Kalashnikovs, 165 of Triple two rifle, 29 of light machine gun, 12 hand grenades, rocket launcher and one suicide vest.

Body parts for DNA testing and finger print match have been sent to Islamabad.

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Health And Fitness Index

Health And Fitness

Excess weight in elderly makes daily tasks harder | Health

 Study urges three-year gap in cervical cancer test

 

Excess weight in elderly makes daily tasks harder | Health

Excess weight in elderly makes daily tasks harder
NEW YORK: Older adults who are obese are more likely to develop problems with day-to-day activities, such as bathing, getting dressed, and going to the bathroom, a new study finds.

The more excess weight they are carrying, the more likely they are to report new disabilities, according to surveys of more than 20,000 adults 65 and older.

Interestingly, being overweight did not appear to bring a higher risk of death -- except in the very heaviest -- making this one more study to suggest that moderate weight gains don't have the same impact on older people's health as they do in the general population, said study author Dr. Christina Wee of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

As a result, Wee told Reuters Health, some experts assume that the benefits from weight loss are smaller - or perhaps non-existent - in older adults. Furthermore, losing weight could be dangerous in the elderly, for instance if it causes malnutrition or bone loss, she added. "So it was not clear that, on balance, the benefits (of weight loss) would necessarily outweigh the risks."

To further investigate how carrying excess weight specifically impacts the elderly, Wee and her team reviewed information collected from 20,975 Medicare recipients during periodic interviews over a 4-year period. More than one-third of participants were overweight, and another 18 percent were obese. All participants were followed for 14 years in order to note who died.

The study focused on people's responses to questions about their ability to complete day-to-day activities, which include eating, getting in and out of chairs, and walking. The researchers separated these basic motions from so-called "instrumental" daily activities, which consisted of using the telephone, cooking, shopping, and managing money.

Reporting in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the authors found that between 22 and 32 percent of overweight and obese women, for instance, reported they were struggling more with at least one daily activity over the course of the study period, versus 20 percent of older women who were at a healthy weight.

When it came to "instrumental daily activities," between 30 and 38 percent of overweight and obese men said those activities had become harder since the study began, while only 28 percent of men without excess weight reported the same problem.

Extra weight appeared to be less associated with developing problems in daily activities among African-Americans, although their number (8 percent of the study group) was too small to be sure about the finding.

It's not clear why excess weight may have a more obvious impact on disability than on the risk of death, Wee noted. One explanation might be the presence of a "survival effect," she said, in which obese adults who live to 65 or older may be more "resistant" to death, perhaps carrying genes that help combat the effects of obesity. "But older adults are already more prone to disability and obesity might just tip the scales even more."

Indeed, the participants with the lowest risk of dying during the study period were those considered to be overweight, not obese. This finding is not particularly surprising, Wee noted - people's weight classes were determined using body mass index, which is not as accurate a measurement of body fat in the elderly as in adults in general, she said. "In addition, since many chronic illnesses in the elderly (may) lead to unintentional weight loss, being thinner may be a sign of having a lot of illnesses."

For now, it's not clear exactly what older adults who are carrying excess body fat should do about it, she noted. Their focus may not need to be on dieting, she said, but on preserving their ability to perform daily activities. "It may be the treatment is not just to lose weight (but) to get physical or exercise therapy to strengthen muscles and improve function.

Study urges three-year gap in cervical cancer test | Health

Study urges three-year gap in cervical cancer test | Health
WASHINGTON: Healthy women over 30 who test negative for human papilloma viruses (HPV) may be able to safely extend the period between gynecological exams from every year to three years, said a US study Wednesday.

"Our results are a formal confirmation that the three-year follow-up is appropriate and safe for women who have a negative HPV and normal test result," said lead study author Hormuzd Katki.

The study followed 331,818 women who enrolled in a northern California testing program by Kaiser Permanente between 2003 and 2005, and followed them for five years.

Among women who had a normal Pap smear and tested negative for HPV, which can cause cervical cancer, the five-year cancer risk was "very low: 2.3 per 100,000 women per year," it said.

During a Pap smear, which all women should get annually, a doctor collects a sample of tissue from the woman's cervix and sends it to a lab for examination and to check for any abnormal cells.

A separate test for HPV is also done during a woman's annual gynecological appointment. It often uses the same cell sample but looks specifically for signs of the virus.

HPV is sexually transmitted and most of the time the body can clear it on its own.

However, in some cases the infection remains and can eventually lead to cervical cancer.

Women over 30 who test positive for HPV are usually retested in six months to see if the infection has cleared.

The researchers said that when comparing the two tests, the HPV test alone "identified more women at high risk for cervical cancer than Pap tests."

"These results also suggest that an HPV-negative test result alone could be enough to give a high level of security for extending the testing interval to every three years," said Katki.

More study is needed however to determine whether such recommendations should extend to the general population, the researchers noted.

"But we'll need additional evidence from routine clinical practice, and formal recommendations from guideline panels before that can be routinely recommended."

The Pap smear, invented in 1943, has reduced the number of cervical cancer cases but has not eliminated them -- some 11,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year. (AFP)

Amazing And Interesting Index

Amazing And Interesting

Spinning with dolphins! | Amazing And Interesting  

Lightning strikes a man twice | Amazing And Intere...

Spinning with dolphins! | Amazing And Interesting

Spinning with dolphins!
ROME: Diver Simone Arrigoni completed 13 circuits under dolphin power - and broke his own record - using the dynamic apnea technique, which involves holding your breath.

The attempt took place at a marine centre in the Italian town of Tovaianica, south of Rome.

As he is pushed along underwater, this diver shows how he is in perfect tune with two dolphins.

Arrigoni completed the circuits, or 'voltas' as he calls them, in one minute 53 seconds - and travelled 657 metres.

'Voltas' is a Portuguese term used by the diver to define the circles that he constructs as he is pushed along by the dolphins - in this case, Paco and Marco.

The task is made more difficult as it requires absolute synchronisation with the animals.

And the dolphins are required to surface at least twice during the test in order to breathe, while the diver remains under the surface in a fixed position.

Lightning strikes a man twice | Amazing And Interesting

Lightning strikes a man twice
LONDON: A man jogging along a quiet road survived after being struck twice by lightning in the space of a minute.

A CCTV footage caught the incident on film on April 11, showing the bewildered man fall to the ground after being struck only to be struck a second time after getting back on his feet.

The footage has become something of an Internet sensation with viewers debating over its origins and authenticity.
   

Central China drought worst in over 50 years

Central China drought worst in over 50 years
BEIJING: Central China's worst drought in more than 50 years is drying reservoirs, stalling rice planting, and threatens crippling power shortages as hydroelectric plants lie idle, state media said Wednesday.

Rainfall levels from January to April in the drainage basin of the Yangtze, China's longest and most economically important river, have been 40 percent lower than average levels of the past 50 years, the China Daily said.

The national flood and drought control authority has ordered the Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest hydroelectric project which lies on the river, to increase its discharge of water by 10 to 20 percent for the next two weeks.

The measure is aimed at sending badly needed water to the Yangtze's middle and lower reaches for drinking and irrigation.

Water-marks in more than 1,300 reservoirs in Hubei province, where the dam is located, have dropped below allowable discharge levels for irrigation, the paper quoted Yuan Junguang, Hubei's reservoir management director, as saying.

Rainfall in some areas is up to 80 percent lower than usual while the provinces of Anhui, Jiangsu, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi and Zhejiang along with Shanghai municipality are mired in their worst droughts since 1954.

"Without adequate water, we lost the spring planting season for rice," Hubei farmer Zhou Xingtao was quoted as saying.

It said many other farmers in Hubei have lost their existing crops or given up on planting summer rice, fearing the emergency water supplies will be inadequate to sustain their fields, with more hot and dry weather forecast.

China -- and the Yangtze river region in particular -- is prone to the alternating threats of crippling drought followed by devastating flooding.

Just last summer, sustained torrential rainfall across the Yangtze basin and beyond caused widespread flooding and even some concern over whether the giant Three Gorges Dam would be able to contain the deluge.

More than 3,000 people were reported killed in the flooding and related landslides.

Nearly every year, some part of China suffers its worst drought in decades, and meteorological officials have said previously the extreme weather is possibly due to climate change.

The State Grid, China's state-owned power distributor, reportedly said this week that 10 of its provincial-level power grids were suffering severe shortages due to the drought's impact on hydroelectric generation, including Shanghai and the heavily populated southwestern Chongqing region.

The company said China could face a summer electricity shortage of 30 gigawatts -- the most severe power shortfall since 2004. (AFP)