Charges will be filed in balloon saga

FORT COLLINS : Deputies searched the home of a couple caught up in Colorado's ‘balloon boy’ saga Saturday night after the sheriff said he was pursuing criminal charges in a case that at first sparked fear for the child, then relief he was okay, then suspicions of a hoax.

The boy's parents, Richard and Mayumi Heene, met with Larimer County investigators for much of Saturday afternoon amid lingering questions about whether he perpetrated a publicity stunt when his 6-year-old son Falcon vanished into the rafters of his garage while the world thought he was zooming through the sky in a flying saucer-like helium balloon.

But Sheriff Jim Alderden didn't say who would be charged or what the charges would be. His deputies later showed up at the Heene's Fort Collins home with a search warrant and at least three of them began a search. Sgt. Ian Stewart declined so say what they were after.

Investigators were seen leaving the home just after midnight carrying several boxes and a computer.

Alderden didn't call Thursday's hours-long drama a hoax, but he expressed disappointment that he couldn't level more serious charges in the incident, which sent police and the military scrambling to save young Falcon Heene as millions of worried television viewers watched.

"We were looking at Class 3 misdemeanor, which hardly seems serious enough given the circumstances," Alderden said. "We are talking to the district attorney, federal officials to see if perhaps there aren't additional federal charges that are appropriate in this circumstance."

Suspicion that the balloon saga was a hoax arose almost immediately after Falcon was found hiding in a cardboard box. Heene, a storm chaser and inventor whose family has appeared on the reality show "Wife Swap," and his wife had said one of the boy's older brothers had said Falcon was aboard the homemade balloon when it took off.

Alderden initially said there was no reason to believe the incident was a hoax. Authorities questioned the Heenes again after Falcon turned to his dad during a CNN interview Thursday night and said "you said we did this for a show" when asked why he didn't come out of his hiding place.

Falcon got sick during two separate TV interviews Friday when asked again why he hid.

After the sheriff spoke to reporters, Richard Heene and his wife walked out of his office after meeting with officials for several hours. As reporters yelled questions, all Heene said was, "I was talking to the sheriff's department just now." He then walked to his car with his wife and a friend, and they drove away.

It wasn't clear where the family was late Saturday night. By 9 p.m., an AP reporter at the family home said the couple hadn't returned after leaving the sheriff's office. Their three sons were believed to have been at home being watched by sheriff's officials earlier in the day, but their whereabouts also weren't known to reporters in the evening.

The day began with Richard Heene knocking on the windows of journalists camped outside his home and promising a "big announcement." A few hours later, he did an about-face when he told reporters that they should leave questions in a cardboard box on the front doorstep.

As Heene walked away, a reporter shouted, "Can you tell us once and for all if this is a hoax?"

"Absolutely no hoax. I want your questions in the box," Heene said, waving a cardboard container before going back into his home.

A circus-like atmosphere formed outside, including men holding signs and occasionally yelling "balloon boy." One sign read, "Put balloon boy on TV: America's Most Wanted."

Other gawkers carried aluminum-foil stovetop popcorn makers that resembled the a flying saucer-like helium balloon launched from the family's backyard Thursday, with 6-year-old Falcon Heene believed to be onboard.

The Heenes have said the balloon was supposed to be tethered to the ground when it lifted off, and no one was supposed to be aboard. A video of the launch shows the family counting down in unison, "3, 2, 1," before Richard Heene pulls a cord, setting the balloon into the air.

"Whoa!" one of the boys exclaims. Then his father says in disbelief, "Oh, my God!" He then says to someone, "You didn't put the (expletive) tether down!" and he kicks the wood frame that had held the balloon.

Falcon's brother said he saw him inside the compartment before it took off and that's why they thought he was in there when it launched. Heene said he had yelled at Falcon before the launch for getting inside.

Over the years, Richard Heene has worked as a storm chaser, a handyman and contractor, and an aspiring reality-TV star.

He and his family appeared on the ABC reality show "Wife Swap," and the show's producer said it had a show in development with the Heenes but the deal is now off. TLC also said Heene had pitched a reality show to the network months ago, but it passed on the offer.

Despite his attempts to get on TV, Heene insisted Saturday that he didn't know what kinds of questions were being asked about him because he didn't have cable.

"I'm going to place the box out front. Please write your questions down, because friends are telling me they're saying this and that. I have no idea what the news is saying," Heene said.

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Bomb blast wounds 24 in Thai south: police

YALA : A bomb attack on Monday on a crowded market in Thailand's troubled south wounded 24 people including three soldiers, local police said.

The device, hidden in a motorcycle parked in front of the market in Yala town, went off at 7:30 am as customers were shopping for food.

A bitter separatist insurgency in Thailand's southern provinces has claimed more than 3,900 lives over the past five years.

The shadowy militants target Buddhists and Muslims, with victims ranging from teachers and security forces to rubber plantation workers.

The insurgency erupted in January 2004, but tensions have simmered in the region, formerly an autonomous Malay Muslim sultanate, since it was annexed by predominantly Buddhist Thailand in 1902.

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No troop decision until Afghan election is resolved: White House

WASHINGTON : It would be irresponsible to send more troops to Afghanistan until a legitimate and credible government is in place, the White House and top Democrats said on Sunday.

White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel said the most critical issue facing US strategy is whether the Afghans can be an effective partner in destroying al Qaeda safe havens and bringing stability to the region.

"It would be reckless to make a decision on US troop levels if in fact you haven't done a thorough analysis of whether in fact there's an Afghan partner ready to fill that space that US troops would create and become a true partner in governing," Emanuel said in an interview Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union."

Emanuel stressed that the central question is "not how much troops you have but whether in fact there's an Afghan partner."

As the White House faces mounting pressure in implementing a viable strategy in the 8-year-old war, the outcome of Afghanistan's Aug. 20 presidential election remains in question because of reported ballot fraud. Afghan President Hamid Karzai declared victory, but a runoff election with his closest challenger is now a possibility.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., reiterated the need for a clear commitment from the Afghans before Obama agrees to send more US troops.

"It would be entirely irresponsible for the president of the United States to commit more troops to this country when we don't even have an election finished and know who the president is and what kind of government we're working with," Kerry told CNN.

Kerry said Obama and key White House advisers must assess what the Afghan government will be able to deliver and how they are able to assist "with respect to their army" before the president decides to send additional troops to fight.

Kerry dismissed criticism that Obama's deliberations on additional troops are a sign of indecision or weakness.

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'Noah's Ark' has 10% of world's plants

LONDON : Botanists at Britain’s Kew Gardens have collected seeds from 10% of the world’s wild plants, their first goal in a long-term project to protect all endangered species, they said on Thursday.

Seeds from a wild, pink banana are among the latest additions to the collection at Kew, London, designed to guard against dwindling diversity. The banana from China, musa itinerans, is an important staple for wild elephants and is also useful for breeding new types of the fruit, but is under threat as its jungle habitat is cleared for commercial agriculture.

It became the 24,200th species of wild plant with seeds stored in the Millennium Seed Bank, a nine-year-old conservation project run by the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and institutions in 54 countries.

With it the project reaches its target to collect, bank and conserve seeds from 10% of the world’s most under-threat wild plant species — it is already working towards a new goal of 25% of plants by 2020.

The seed partnership focuses on collecting those plants most at risk and storing them sfor future use in conservation or for research. Since 2000, more than 3.5 billion seeds have been collected and stored in air-tight containers in the temperature-controlled vaults.

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FDA Initiatives Lasik Eye Surgery Negative Effect Study

NEW YORK : The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced it will be working with the National Eye Institute and the Department of Defence on Phase 2 of a study on the potential dangers of a surgical laser procedure known as LASIK.

It will study the scope of problems linked with laser eye-correcting surgery, such as, blurred vision and dry eyes, including determining the percentage of patients who experience negative side effects after the surgery.

The project composed of three phases saw Phase 1 begin in July, with the agency designing and implementing a Web-based questionnaire that assessed patient-reported outcomes, including evaluating the quality of life issues following the surgery.

The project expected to conclude by 2012, also includes a clinical trial for tracking patients who undergo the procedure.

Dr. Jeffrey Shuren, Acting Head of FDA's Medical Device Division says: 'This study will enhance our understanding of the risks of Lasik and could lead to a reduction in patients who experience adverse effects.'

An estimated 6-million Americans have had Lasik surgery for permanent reshaping of their corneas i. e. a clear layer covering the eye, to improve their vision. With the long-term safety of the procedure unknown, there are no guarantees of 20/20 vision, hoever, ophthalmology societies report 95% of patient satisfaction with their new vision.

Even so, a small number of patients have reported permanent eye damage following the surgery, including double vision, dry eye and halos around objects at night.

After years of complaints, the FDA in 2008 agreed to look into the problems. Last summer, according to the agency it received 140-reports of Lasik-related problems between 1998 and 2006.

Advanced Medical Optics Inc., Alcon Inc., and Bausch and Lomb are some of the Lasik laser manufacturers

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Twitter makes it to university curriculum

CANBERRA : Social networking upstart Twitter has made the jump to academia’s hallowed halls, with ‘tweets’ made compulsory writing for would-be journalists at an Australian university.

“Some students’ tweets are not as in depth as you might like. But I don’t know if getting them to write an essay is any more beneficial,” Jacqui Ewart, senior lecturer at Griffith University, said on Thursday.

Twitter microblogs have become an online phenomenon with users sending “tweets” of up to 140 characters, or just a few words, to increasing numbers of “followers”.

The service rose to global prominence during unrest in the wake of Iran’s recent presidential elections with tweets used to broadcast otherwise restricted information.

The service is being used more frequently by politicians, including Australia’s bookish Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who has asked followers to recommend movie choices and this week “tweeted” about his visit to a rural bakery.

Students were using twitter as “an exercise in self-reflection”, Ewart said, citing increasing demand from employers for people to use social networking tools.

But reaction from students has been mixed, she said, raising questions over the utility of using sites like Twitter and Facebook in a formal education curriculum.

“Quite surprisingly, a lot of students didn’t know what Twitter was. There were a couple of really vocal students who were saying they couldn’t believe we were using it and thought it was a waste of time,” Ewart said.

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LONDON : Giving paracetamol to babies to prevent fever after routine vaccinations may reduce the effect of the shots themselves, Czech scientists said on Friday.

While the paracetamol, known as acetaminophen in the United States, generally does limit post-vaccination fever, it also reduces the child’s response to some of the vaccine antigens, according to a study in the Lancet journal.

Mothers in developed countries whose babies have a series of routine vaccinations at around the age three months are often told by medical staff to give paracetamol to try to cut the risk of fever or febrile convulsions.

But Roman Prymula of the Czech University of Defence said his study showed that giving so-called anti-pyretic medicines like paracetamol after vaccinations should “no longer be routinely recommended without careful weighing of the expected benefits and risks”.

The vaccinations which are generally offered to children as protection against pneumococcal disease, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, polio and rotavirus.

The effect of some of the vaccines — in particular Hib, diphtheria, tetanus and pneumococcal — is reduced if kids are given paracetamol, the expert said.

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New satellites can overcome glitch in Earth-Mars communication

LONDON : The sun can block direct communication between Earth and Mars for weeks at a time, cutting off any potential mission to the red planet. The solution - satellites on special orbits around Mars.

The European Space Agency (ESA) is working on how to ensure reliable radio communication when Mars and Earth line up at opposite sides of the sun, blocking any signal between mission controllers on Earth and astronauts on Mars.

The natural alignment, known as a conjunction, happens approximately every 780 days, and would seriously degrade and even block transmission of voice, data and video signals.

Researchers have proposed an innovative solution by placing a pair of communication relay satellites into a very special type of orbit near Mars: a so-called ‘B-orbit’ (against an ‘A-orbit’, based on natural orbital laws).

However, to counter the effects of gravity and remain in place, they would have to be equipped with cutting-edge electric ion propulsion.

Such ion thrusters, powered by solar power and using tiny amounts of xenon gas as propellant, would hold the satellites in a B-orbit in full view of both Mars and Earth.

The satellites could then relay radio signals throughout the Mars-Earth conjunction season, ensuring that astronauts at Mars were never out of sync with Earth, says an ESA release.

These findings were released this week at the 60th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), the world’s biggest space event, in Daejeon, South Korea.

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New satellites can overcome glitch in Earth-Mars communicatio

Coffee can give kids sleepless nights, breathing problems

WASHINGTON : Giving coffee to babies won't keep them awake as in case of adults, in fact the hot beverage would have a long-lasting and detrimental effect on little ones' sleep and breathing patterns in adulthood, says a new study.

Breathing problems are the leading causes of hospitalization and death in premature babies. These babies are therefore often given caffeine because of its qualities as a respiratory stimulant.

Up till now, the long-term effects of this treatment in humans have not been examined.

However, in the Journal of Physiology, Gaspard Montandon and colleagues showed that the use of caffeine in neonates can cause serious alterations in the sleeping patterns of adult rats as a result of its effect on the developing respiratory system.

Sleep abnormality is a significant indicator for ill health and reduced life span.

When the caffeine-treated rats reached adulthood, their sleeping time was reduced, the length of time they took to reach the first stage of sleep was increased, and their non-REM sleep was fragmented. Breathing at rest was higher than in rats not treated with caffeine.

In his review of the study, F1000 Faculty Member James Duffin of the University of Toronto says the results "raise concerns about the long-term consequences of neonatal caffeine administration on brain development and behaviour."

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Nasa photos show moon strike created plume

LOS ANGELES : Nasa's much-hyped mission to hurl a spacecraft into the moon turned out some worthwhile data after all, scientists said.

New images show a mile-high plume of lunar debris from the Cabeus crater shortly after the space agency's Centaur rocket struck Oct. 9.

"We were blown away by the data returned," Anthony Colaprete, the mission's chief scientist, said in a report on Friday from the Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif., which managed the launch. "The team is working hard on the analysis, and the data appear to be of very high quality."

In media coverage before the impact, many observers said they were disappointed at the lack of spectacle.

But scientists said the mission was carried out for "a scientific purpose, not to put on a fireworks display for the public," said space consultant Alan Stern, a former Nasa associate administrator for science.

By creating the debris cloud, scientists were able to use the $79-million Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite to sample and study the dust. The LCROSS itself crashed into the same crater four minutes after the Centaur's impact, right on schedule, while its companion spacecraft, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, was flying in lunar orbit 50 miles above the site to gather still more data.

But Michio Kaku, a professor at the City College of New York and host of "Sci Q Sundays" on the Science Channel, said Nasa may be jumping the gun in calling the results "a smashing success," acting in response to public criticism of the mission.

"To be a spectacular success, we had to find large quantities of underground ice," Kaku told The Associated Press Saturday. He said scientists still have more work to do to analyze the data for the presence of ice or water.

"They got beautiful pictures of the event, but that's not why we spent $79 million," Kaku said. "Ice on the moon is more valuable than gold."

The crashes created a man-made crater about one-fifth the size of a football field, Brown University geologist and LCROSS scientist Peter Schultz told The AP.

Colaprete said it was too early to say what the plume contained but that several clues, including the temperature of the flash created by the crash, will help scientists find out in coming weeks.

Finding significant amounts of water on the moon would be a major discovery, making eventual colonization easier than it would be if settlers had to transport water from Earth.

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Darwinian medicine' in focus at World Health Summit

BERLIN : A new field of medical research is looking at the emergence of modern epidemics like asthma and obesity through the prism of Charles Darwin's 150-year-old theory of evolution.

In focus at a World Health Summit, which finished Sunday in Berlin, was evolutionary or Darwinian medicine, which aims to help doctors and medical researchers recognise that humans have evolved down the ages.

The body "is not a machine, like a machine designed by engineers, it is shaped by natural selection and has flaws in different pieces," said Randolph Nesse, a pioneer in the field from the University of Michigan.

These flaws make people "extremely vulnerable," he said at the summit, the first ever, involving 700 delegates from over 60 countries.

"This rapidly growing field of medical research is deeply significant both for medicine overall and for public health care policies, especially the implementation of preventive measures, which are key to stabilising our health care systems," Nesse said.

A key area of focus in Darwinian medicine is the emergence of modern epidemics like asthma and obesity -- modern diseases resulting from changes in the environment which our bodies cannot evolve quickly enough to.

And these rapid changes in our environment can also be the result of human activity, and even caused by efforts to eradicate other diseases.

"The epidemic of asthma worldwide may be directly related to our very effective world health efforts to eliminate worms from people," Nesse suggested.

Kathleen Barnes, summarising the work of a dozen or so researchers from around the world, pointed out that improved standards of hygiene could explain why societies in the rich world have become more susceptible to asthma, to allergies and to auto-immune diseases.

Humans in less developed, poorer societies, "where parasites and microbial infections are high," have lower instances of such ailments, Barnes said in Berlin.

One reason for the obesity epidemic in the West, meanwhile, is the prevalence of high-fat, high-calorie fast food, said William Leonard from Northwestern University in the United States, reporting on another two-day workshop held in Berlin.

But viewed over the long term, it results from the failure of the human body to evolve sufficiently to cope with the disconnect between the growing abundance and richness of food and the declining expenditure of energy needed to obtain it since prehistoric times, Leonard suggested.

Dan Stein from the University of Cape Town in South Africa summarized research on anxiety and depression, and said it was important to make a difference between illness and normal defence mechanisms.

Before giving a speech in public, the body prepares itself for the experience in the same way as it would when confronted by danger, even though a public speaker is not going to be physically attacked by his audience, Stein said.

And depression felt after bereavement or a natural catastrophe is "perfectly normal". He indicated that treating systematically all victims of catastrophes or attacks with cognitive behavioral therapy may be in fact counterproductive.

Alongside scientists and doctors, the World Health Summit involved participants from the worlds of politics, industry and non-governmental organisations, with the aim of raising standards of health around the planet.

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SRK to be honoured by South Korea

MUMBAI : The South Korean embassy will on Thursday confer two special honours on Bollywood star ShahRukh Khan.

"The Korean government has decided to confer an honorary belt in taekwondo to ShahRukh and they are also giving him the title of an honorary ambassador for culture and tourism," said Shah Rukh`s spokesperson on phone from Mumbai.

The event will take place at the Taj Lands End hotel. According to his spokesperson, the talks for the honour had been underway for "a couple of days".

This will be ShahRukh`s second international honour this year after he was presented an honorary doctorate in arts and culture by Bedfordshire University in London for his contribution to culture in July.

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For the doctorate, the 43-year-old was nominated by Routes to Roots, an NGO that works across the SAARC region to bring South Asian people together, in recognition of his exceptional achievement as a film actor and producer

MJ's kids' nanny supplied him drugs: report

CALIFORNIA : The nanny of Michael Jackson’s kids used to supply the late singer with prescription drugs, according to reports.

Grace Rwaramba, 42, has been named in the death probe after police reports claimed that pills for the King of Pop were sent to a mailbox rented by her. Jackson family friend and Chicago teacher Romonica Harris, 42, made the allegation of Grace fuelling the star’s drug addiction in a testimony to the Drug Enforcement Agency and California Attorney.

"Grace supplied him with drugs and refused to allow any family members or friends to help him,” News of the World quoted Romonica's statement as saying.

“She blocked off anyone who wanted to help Michael to get healthy and productive. She is in love with him and refused to completely leave his employment. She expected Michael to marry her but he refused. "She used his children to stay connected to him and had them calling her Mommy," it was added. Romonica further said: "In my opinion Grace was the No 1 enabler in his life."

A spokeswoman for Grace has denied all claims.

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Cindy Crawford fears cancer

LONDON : Supermodel Cindy Crawford`s world famous mole has become a source of concern for her as she is afraid that it may turn cancerous.

The 43-year-old beauty gets her moles checked every year for cancer, reported.

At the start of Crawford`s career in the late 1980s it was little more than a freckle but it has grown and now protrudes above the surface of the skin.

Doctors advise that moles which change shape or colour should be monitored in case they turn into cancerous growths.

"It`s not something I really like to talk about. But I do now get this and all my moles checked out every year as a matter of course. Of course it should be an issue we all have to take seriously," said the American supermodel.

Crawford who is mother to two young daughters said that she tries to lead a vice-free lifestyle to maintain her famed good-looks.

"I exercise regularly and eat well. I don`t smoke and I drink only occasionally like tonight when I may have a glass of champagne," said the supermodel.

Crawford was in London at a launch party for Omega watches, a brand for which she has been the spokesmodel for the past 14 years.

Dressed in a little black dress and a sparkling necklace, the leggy model put guests half her age in the shade.

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Kylie's bollywood debut slammed

MUMBAI : Kylie Minogue has failed to impress movie critics who have slammed her bollywood debut in the film ‘Blue’.

The Aussie singer was reportedly paid 611,000 pounds to appear in the 14 million pound project, the most expensive bollywood film ever made. But the movie was tagged "idiotic" with critics panning the pint-sized beauty "as sexy as a fat housewife in a kaftan", according to reports. The 41- year-old star also apparently missed the mark in her dance song Chiggy Wiggy.

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Om Puri turns 59

NEW DELHI : This veteran NSD pass-out has touched upon every genre and slipped into his characetrs with effortless ease. Be it Kakkaji Kaheen, Ardh Satya, Sadgati, Mirch Masala or more recently Chachi 420, Hera Pheri and Malamaal Weekly, Om Puri's acting calibre knows no bounds.

He has turned 59 today. Om Puri began his career in 1976, an age when the “New Age Cinema” was trying to find its feet and has about 150 films to his credit.

Om Puri, a FTI alumnus, along with actors like Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapoor and few others became the face of the art film movement or the meaningful cinema genre. He received accolades for his role as a victimised tribal in ‘Aakrosh’ (a film in which he did not say a singe dialogue), leader of a cell of Sikh freedom fighters in ‘Maachis’ or the police inspector who revolts against social, cultural and political persecution in ‘Ardh Satya’.

His outstanding performance won him the Filmfare award in 1981 for ‘Aakrosh’ besides two Silver Lotus Awards for ‘Arohan’ in 1982 and ‘Ardh Satya’ in 1984.

He has rubbed shoulders with some of India’s finest directors like Shyam Benegal, Gulzar, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Govind Nihalani among others.

Comedy is another genre that he has conquered with elan in films like ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron’ (arguably India’s darkest but still funniest comedy), ‘Hera Pheri’ and ‘Chachi 420’.

In 1987, he moved to mainstream cinema and was one of the few to cross over to European cinema. His role as the intolerant father in the acclaimed comedy ‘East is East’ and the radically more enlightened Pakistani taxi driver in ‘My Son the Fanatic’ won him distinction.

While making waves in the world cinema, his films Dev, Kisna, Rang De Basanti, Don and Delhi-6 among others continue to show him as an actor par excellence. He has also worked in Hindi TV serials like Kakkaji Kaheen (1988) as a pan-chewing 'Kakkaji', which was a parody on politicians and Mr Yogi (1989) as a suave 'Sutradhaar' who enjoys pulling the protagonist's leg.

These two serials underlined Om Puri's versatility as a comedian. He was also honoured Padma Shri by the Indian government for his various contributions to parallel and commercial films in 1990. In July 2004, he was awarded an honorary Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his contribution to British cinema, making the entire film fraternity and the country proud. He also received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award this year.

He would be seen in London Dreams and Kurbaan next.

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Aussie girl sets off on round-world sail

SYDNEY : An Australian schoolgirl bidding to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world began her journey Sunday, despite urgings from officials to abandon the perilous endurance test.

Sixteen-year-old Jessica Watson set sail on her bright pink yacht from Sydney Harbour at about 9:00am, amid cheers from well-wishers and accompanied by a collection of kayakers and small boats.

"I can't believe we are finally here. Today, I am going to sail around the world," Jessica said in a statement on her website.

The teenager badly damaged her boat when she crashed into a 63,000-tonne cargo ship shortly after beginning a test run last month, prompting Queensland state officials to urge her to reconsider her quest.

But Watson, who will sleep in 20-minute naps during the eight-month non-stop sail, was determined to embark on the voyage which she said she had been dreaming about since she was about 11.

"There are people out there who I suppose have their doubts, and rightly so because it's a big, scary and possibly dangerous thing, but I am not here without confidence," she said earlier this month.

Watson plans to travel north from Sydney to the equator above New Zealand, around South America's treacherous Cape Horn and back via the Southern Atlantic and the Cape of Good Hope, completing a 23,000 nautical mile sail.

Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard wished Watson the best of luck but said that she, along with many Australians, was nervous for the teenager who set off Sunday under a dreary, grey sky.

"The seas are, obviously, a dangerous and lonely place, but I think we'd all be wishing Jessica well," Gillard told commercial television.

"Ultimately, people have to make their own decisions. But my words at this stage, given that she's determined to go, would be to wish her the best of luck and to urge her to keep safe.

"And if that means that at some point she's got to abandon the journey, then the most important thing here is a young person's life."

Watson was urged to abandon her trip after her September collision with the container ship which snapped the mast of her 10.23-metre yacht "Pink Lady" and damaged its rigging and hull.

Maritime Safety Queensland found Watson had probably dozed off before she hit the much larger vessel, did not have a fatigue management plan and that her safety guide was a page from a school book covered in childish doodles.

The authority concluded the teenager was too inexperienced to attempt the gruelling voyage, prompting Queensland Premier Anna Bligh to urge Watson to consider abandoning the trip.

"This is a very high-risk venture, frankly it's one that I would be reconsidering, but ultimately it's a decision for them," Bligh said at the time.

Tony Bullimore, the British yachtsman who survived five days in the upturned hull of his yacht after capsizing in the Southern Ocean in 1997, praised Watson as a "tremendously courageous young lady" but said it was normal to be worried.

"It's a long way round the world and you meet all sorts of conditions," he told Sky News. "It can be tough."

Watson, who has been in Sydney for almost two weeks awaiting favourable winds for her departure, spent Saturday night going over her preparations and relaxing with family and friends.

Her mother posted the first message on Watson's blog on Sunday, saying her daughter was "a little pre-occupied on her first day" but wanted to sincerely thank all her supporters.

Watson, who smiled and waved at supporters as she was escorted out of Sydney Harbour by New South Wales Maritime boats, hopes to beat the record set by fellow Australian Jesse Martin who completed the journey aged 18 in 1999.

In August, Britain's Mike Perham, 17, became the youngest person to sail round the world but rudder problems and other hitches forced him to pull into port three times.

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Fox crowned Queen of the Geeks

LOS ANGELES : Transformers beauty Megan Fox is officially the queen of science fiction after fans voted her best sci-fi actress at the Spike TV Scream 2009 festival.

The star-studded event, held on Saturday at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, pays tribute to the best in sci-fi, horror, fantasy and comic-inspired films and TV shows.

Fox received her prize for her role in summer blockbuster Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, with the film also scooping an award for its special effects and Isabel Lucas receiving a breakout performance trophy for her role as a seductive, shape-shifting robot.

Vampire movie Twilight scored four awards -- best fantasy film, breakout performance for Taylor Lautner and best fantasy actors for stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart.

Bloodsuckers proved popular at the ceremony, with hit TV show True Blood landing four trophies for best TV show, best villain, and best horror actor and actress for Stephen Moyer and Anna Paquin.

Stars including Tobey Maguire, Jessica Alba, Kate Bosworth, Harrison Ford, Justin Long and Christina Ricci were on hand to present the prizes.

Pirates of the Caribbean actor Johnny Depp presented his on-screen father, Rolling Stones rocker Keith Richards, with the Rock Immortal award.

Accepting the award, Richards commented, "I liked the living legend, that was all right, but immortal is even better."

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Suicide bomber kills 40 in attack on Iran's elite Guards

TEHRAN : A suicide bomber blew himself up at a meeting of the elite Revolutionary Guards in South-eastern Iran on Sunday, killing 40 people including top commanders and tribal leaders, the Interior Ministry said.

The attack took place in the city of Pisheen with in restive Sistan-Baluchestan province.

Iran's parliament speaker said the United States was behind the attack, while the Guards accused Western powers of carrying out the assault, the deadliest against them since a bombing in February 2007 in the same province killed 13 people.

"Based on the information as a result of today's terrorist action. So far 40 people have been killed and dozens have been wounded," the interior ministry said on its website.

Iran's state broadcaster said Sunday's blast occurred at around 8:00am in front of a local gymnasium in Pisheen.

Fars news agency said the bomber struck when Guard officers were preparing for a meeting with local leaders of communities. Some local tribal heads were among the dead, media reports said.

The official IRNA news agency said the suicide bomber "wearing an explosives vest blew himself up inside the meeting."

Fars said: "In this terrorist act, General Nur-Ali Shushtari, deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guards ground forces, General Mohammad-Zadeh, commander of the Revolutionary Guards in Sistan-Baluchestan province, the Guards' commander for the town of Iranshahr and the commander of the Amir al-Momenin unit died."

Three other commanders from the adjacent province of Kerman were also killed, according to Fars.

In a separate statement later he said the United States was implicated in the deadly attack.

"We consider the recent terrorist attack to be the result of US action. This is the sign of America's animosity against our country," Larijani said.

Iranian officials and several government bodies term Western powers, including the United States, as "world arrogance."

source:www.aaj.tv

Gen Petraeus, ISAF Commander MacCrystal arrive in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD : The US Central Command Chief General David Petraeus and ISAF commander in Afghanistan General McCrystal on Sunday arrived in Islamabad, Aaj News reported.

The US Generals would separately meet with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani on Monday.

According to the sources, they would discuss to provide weapons for monitoring the conversation of militants besides the glasses which are used to see at night.

They would also discuss provision of more gunship helicopters besides Kerry-Lugar bill.

War on terrorism and military operation against militants in South Waziristan would also be discussed in the meeting.

source:www.aaj.tv

Security concerns lead to closure of schools, colleges countrywide

ISLAMABAD : All educational institutions run by the federal government and the armed forces and some top-ranking private sector institutions will remain closed for up to a week in Islamabad, cantonments, all major cities, FATA, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir, Aaj News reported late on Sunday.

The channel said the government had decided to close schools and colleges for a week because of security concerns.

Meanwhile, the City School, Grammar schools and the Beaconhouse School System have also decided to close their institutions for three days.

The decision would not affect schools and colleges run by provincial governments and other private sector institutions.

Students living in hostels have also been sent home over security concerns.

The channel reported that a notification would be issued on Monday for the holidays.

Garrison School will also remain closed for three days.

In Balochistan, the federal government schools and colleges would also remain closed, while PAF Schools would not open in Mianwali today.

The private Roots School System also announced the closure of its institutions in the federal capital.

source:www.aaj.tv

60 militants killed in Rah-e-Nijat operation

WANA : At least 60 militants were killed and five soldiers were martyred in operation Rah-e-Nijat during last 24 hours, Aaj News reported on Sunday.

The channel quoted the ISPR as saying that the bombardment of jet aircrafts was continue in Makeen, Ladha and other areas as a result 60 militants were killed.

The ISPR has also confirmed the martyrdom of five soldiers in the operation during last 24 hours.

Earlier, a foreign news agency had claimed that 20 militants have been killed and their several hideouts devastated in the military operation against the militants.

The sources had informed the channel that more that 5000 foreigners including Uzbek, Chechen and Arab are present in Waziristan, adding that they are receiving arms and financial assistance from Afghanistan. Operation in Waziristan would be like Swat operation, the sources added.

Meanwhile, the registration of the people, migrating from Mehsud area, have been initiated.

source:www.aaj.tv

Indian firing injures villager on SWB

ISLAMABAD: An innocent villager of Pakistan was wounded when Indian security forces opened aimless firing on Pakistani checkposts here on Sialkot Working Boundary (SWB) on Friday night, Geo news reported the incident exclusively.

Pakistan has lodged protest with Indian over the incident meanwhile, Iranian border security officials apologized for rocket firing incident from Iranian border limits, sources claimed.

According to Punjab Rangers’ spokesman, Indian border security forces continued unabated firing on Pakistani checkposts all the night on SWB, which ended following the befitting retaliation from Pakistan.

A flag meeting was also held with Indian security forces to register Pakistani protest with them, sources concluded.
source: www.geo.tv

IMF takes up gold sales to expand lending

WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund's executive board on Friday was discussing selling some of the fund's gold to provide low-interest loans to poor countries and shore up its internal finances.

The move, authorized by the G-20 countries at their summit in London in April, has been long expected and discounted by commodity markets, where the price of gold has been rising amid fears of a weakening dollar and a resurgence of inflation.

The key question for the markets is whether the IMF will sell its gold in auction over a set period of time to get the best price or let central banks from member governments buy it. China, India and Russia, eager to reduce their position in dollar-denominated securities, have expressed interest in buying IMF gold.

IMF officials have said repeatedly the sale will be carried out in a way that does not disrupt the market and in coordination with European central banks, who agreed last month on amounts of gold they will sell during the next five years.

The IMF, a 186-nation Washington-based lending institution, is the third-largest official holder of gold in the world after the United States and Germany.

The IMF is planning to sell about one-eighth of its gold, the equivalent of nearly 13 million ounces, worth roughly $13 billion at current market prices.

The IMF decision comes in advance of next week's G-20 summit in Pittsburgh, Pa., and the fund's annual meeting early next month in Istanbul.

In April, the G-20 agreed on the gold sale as part of efforts to provide up to $6 billion in concessional loans to low-income countries.

The IMF is expected to use some of the proceeds to diversify its sources of income by setting up an endowment fund, as recommended by a panel of experts that studied IMF finances, including former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan.

In recent years, some countries with thriving economies managed to pay off their IMF loans ahead of time, reducing income the IMF derived from loan interest and putting a strain on its finances. The IMF is expected to be running a deficit of $400 million in 2010.

The head of the IMF, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, instituted some belt-tightening measures when he took over in 2007, amid suggestions the organization was becoming increasingly irrelevant because of its shrinking loan portfolio,

As the global financial crisis hit and a severe recession and credit crisis set in, the IMF has come roaring back, providing emergency loans to a dozen countries ranging from Iceland to Pakistan.
source: www.geo.tv

Shahid Kapoor wants link up with Rani

MUMBAI: Shahid has been linked with his co-stars from Amrita Rao to Vidya Balan to Priyanka Chopra, so, he is surprised with the indifferent attitude of the rumourmongers this time. He just can't believe that he has not been linked to Rani, his co-star in Dil Bole Hadippa.

Shahid said that both he and Rani are amused with the fact that the media has not linked them in spite of their on-screen romance.

Meanwhile, he had fun working with her. He said that it was great to play her hero, considering that he acted with her in an ad years ago when she was already a big star.
source: www.geo.tv

The First Fast

Saleha Mallick was raised in Chicago by her Pakistani parents. She attends Northwestern University in Illinois and is an officer in the Interfaith Residence Hall on campus.

Every year Ramadan seems to arrive faster and faster. It brings with it a mixture of emotions: hope for the feelings of renewed faith, nervousness for the long fasts, and excitement for the month of my mom’s delicious iftar food.

As I get ready to head into another month of fasting I think back to the first fast I ever kept (or roza, as we call it in Urdu). I was 8, and my family was visiting my relatives in Pakistan over winter break. We were in Islamabad at the time, and we would come together every night, about 20 of us in all, to have iftar. My family told me we would have a party in the evening, a roza kushai, in celebration of my first fast. The most difficult part of that day for me was preparing the food. There I was, only a few hours away from the end of the fast, willingly torturing myself with the aromas of the meal that seemed eternally far.

Somehow, I got through. Opening my first official roza with my family watching is a moment I will always remember. Everyone was so proud of me and delighted to share in my milestone. We all performed Maghrib prayers together, then my aunts and uncles gave me little presents, and finally everyone partook of the special iftar.

During this occasion, we ate the same foods we eat every Ramadan:

• A date, the universal fast opener among Muslims.
• Samosas filled with ground beef, a family favorite.
• Pakoras, vegetables dipped in flour made from ground lentils.
• Fruit chat, a Pakistani twist on fruit salad.
• Chickpeas with tomatoes, potatoes and tamarind sauce.
• Gulgula, a dessert from my grandmother’s childhood in northern India.

These Pakistani foods have inherently become associated with Ramadan. My brother always wonders why we never eat these foods at other times. I respond that we could but they wouldn’t be as satisfying.

For the last three years, all or most of Ramadan has occurred while I was at school. I would just grab dinner in the dining hall at iftar time, eating whatever was on the menu. To me it isn’t Ramadan without home, and this year I will spend it there. I’m looking forward to the daily sehris with my family, the prayers together, and the iftar parties with friends. I can hardly wait for the Chaand Raat, or the night of the moon, the last night of Ramadan and the eve of the Eid-ul Fitr holiday when friends and family gather to spot the moon, apply mehndi, and finish all the last-minute preparations for the next day’s festivities. Let the anticipation begin!

The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of State or any other agency in the federal government.

Readers’ comments:

14 September 2009
01:45:44-0400
it is very nice and it was remember my childhood

10 September 2009
23:15:29-0400
ASSALAM-O-ALAKUM,
I musht say WELL WRITTEN. Keep it up.
ALLAH HAFIZ.
Sincerely,
ASMA.

10 September 2009
20:37:21-0400
asalaamualaiykum ...
it is the sisters intention whetha she wears a hijaab or not may allaah guide her ishallaah ameen .. also i would like to add that it isn’t just about food food food .. it is about worshiping our lord ALLAAH the almighty lord of this world and the hearafter,in this month the reward is massive also that we should try harder in fulfilling righteous deeeds such as giving charity etcc ... inshallaah x x x ;) sister inislam,
wasalaam

10 September 2009
11:00:46-0400
Very interesting and insightful write up. Looks like the basic emotions towards Ramadan are the same worldwide only the physical ingredients, the meals and people differ.

Ramadan kareem to all muslima from Nigeria.

10 September 2009
10:17:36-0400
THIS A WONDERFUL CULTURAL DISPLAY. IT REMINDS ME OF MY FIRST FAST SOME 34 YEARS AGO IN A VILLLAGE WHERE WE HADLY GET COOL WATER TO DRINK UNDER A HARSH WEATHER CONDITION. NOW THINGS ARE IMPROVING, ONE CAN BREAK HIS FAST AT WORK OR ON A TRAFFICK TRYING TO GET HOME. IS REALLY CHALLENGING BUT AS GOD DIRECT WE FAST IN THE MONTH OF RAMADAN ASKING GOD FOR HIS MARCIES. ALIYU ABUJA, NIGERIA

09 September 2009
13:31:27-0400
A.O.L I read your article for ramdan very intrsted I pray to GOD for your health&long life happy ramzan with best wishes.

08 September 2009
02:15:19 -0400
nice to hear from you all.

07 September 2009
17:53:48 -0400
Salam aleykoum. You speak about Ramadan whitout Hijab on your head and you think that Muslim will listen to you? Don't be shame of your Religion and put a Hijab before you give us advice, follow the Shari'a at first,thank you

Salam aleykoum

(Editor’s note: Please see our Facebook page for a discussion of diverse opinions on the veil.)

07 September 2009
06:34:29-0400
Its nice to see that the things are more or less quite similar to what we follow here in India, during Ramzan. The writer stays successful in producing a smile on readers' face. Thanks for the article.

Farhan

07 September 2009
03:25:29-0400
Nicely written.

07 September 2009
01:46:53-0400
it took me back to the day when i had first fasted.i can recall my beautiful dress (frock -shalwar and dupatta) tailored by my expert mother. i am married now but miss my parents home rather more badly during the month of ramadan.

06 September 2009
12:29:25-0400
as indian we really got a nice discription from a young american muslim for the holy monnth of ramdan ad the iftar which we wait for the whole day and the EID

04 September 2009
07:02:04-0400
That was a brilliant article. I actually learned some few things from it.

03 September 2009
01:24:26-0400
salaam this is v. good and interstesting article. i have got lot of informations. about the culture. thanx

02 September 2009
11:04:40-0400
the article is a very cool one because it spell out what MUSLIM (ISLAM) is all about and what people are saying or the notion that people have about the religion. finally, it is the term which is closely linked to the notions of what it means to be a faithfull muslim.

30 August 2009
20:57:15-0400
as a muslim lives in egypt. it is good to know other muslims habits in ramadan.

29 August 2009
20:58:25–0400
The text very cool. For it provides a social participation of the Muslim American, it indicates that affection and love and tolerance between religions.

24 August 2009
11:49:49-0400
Hi, An interesting and well written article with all the discriptions and details of Ramadan. That also hinted the begining of the festiveties of Eid at the end of Ramadan on Chaand raat (the moon night). please congratulate the young writer for producing such a cultural article.

source:www.america.gov

Atif mania - Meri Kahani is selling like hotcakes

He came, he sang and he conquered. 2004 was the arrival of Atif Aslam. 2006 was the year of Doorie and once again, it was Atif who the crowds screamed for the entire year. Come 2008 and the unprecedented superstar of music is back with a new video and an album to boot.

The marketing for Meri Kahani reminds one of the days of Doorie. The video aired with promos in tow and one day (Saturday night to be precise) the album was out. But this time, the shock value was less. In these strangely grim times, press conferences for album releases don't just happen. And even if they do, like Jal's press conference in Lahore for Boondh, they aren't noticed as the nation gears up for elections. Benazir Bhutto's assassination has put a damper on all things and it will take time for things to return to normal, but the release of Atif Aslam's Meri Kahani will help.
Atif's album release has thrown everything into a tizzy. His fans are storming shops for copies of Meri Kahani. And it is supremely interesting is to see how many of Atif's fans have reacted to this comeback. When Instep Today searched for reactions to the new video, one came across Pakstop forums and this time around, fans are not pleased with the video. Quite a few of them anyway.

Zoi A has written on Pakstop forums, "I love the song, simply awesome but unfortunately another poor video."

Nitin, another regular writer on the forum states, "It's true that the video is kind of boring and looks Indianised a lot. I mean there was no need for the girl in video no matter how pretty she is! I guess it would have been better if the video was shot with Atif looking back and kids running around and doing all that Atif is doing here."

These forums are delightful and sometimes very snide. After these two critical opinions, one also finds those who favour the new video and love the song.

Jasam1928 has stated, "At least the video suits the song. What more do you guys expect?" Obviously a diehard Atif Aslam loyalist.

Then there is Arsalan, who is disappointed from the video as well as the song. He said, "It's not that interesting. Atif has lost his touch, though the nasal vocals have not been used as much in this song."

Abid has stated that "Atif is again betrayed by Indian directors" while Jasoos is of the view that the song is strictly average while the video is poor.

But despite all this, Atif mania is clearly going strong. On Atif's homepage, the forum is filled with fans, who are extremely pleased with this comeback and can't wait to grab a copy of the new record. Once Meri Kahani is heard by the majority, the inevitable comparison between Atif and Jal will begin. And it will be a close contest, and then there are other factors.

Atif Aslam's album is the first major release of 2008 and we all know how pervasive Atif mania is, but if things go as planned, this year will give him some fierce competition. There are some exceptional albums lined up that will give him a run for his money. They include Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's Charkha, Strings' Dhoop and Ali Azmat's Klashnifolk. And then there are the long-awaited debuts of Zeb and Haniya and Kaavish as well as the new Fuzon album (with Rameez Mukhtar on vocals). For right now, fans just can't wait to get their hands on the copy of Meri Kahani.

And speaking of the album, one must mention that open the CD and the first things that falls out is a booklet of LG phones. Atif has been endorsing LG phones in print and television advertisements as well as on billboards. But the booklet with the album seems like a bit much.

Now it has become a norm for bands to be endorsed by brands. Jal has a little logo of Warid on their album cover while Atif has LG. Both Abrar and Ali Zafar endorse Telenor and hence, have been singing tunes in their advertisements. There is always a good reason behind all this. The advertisements and the brands plug money into the artist, which helps them making moolah. With the current political situation in chaos, concerts have taken a sideline. Endorsements provide finance to the artist and sometimes even back their videos by investing in them. It is a vicious cycle. But a line has to be drawn somewhere. And Atif has perhaps (inadvertently or otherwise) crossed it. Imagine opening the CD with excitement and what do you find? A booklet on LG mobiles! It somehow takes away from the excitement of a rebellious rock star's new album.

For now, grab a copy of Meri Kahani and decide for yourself! And do watch this space for more twists and turns on Atif's kahani.

Atif's "Meri Kahani" doesn't look as good as it sounds

Atif Aslam needs to loosen the purse strings and spend on his music videos. And if he doesn't feel compelled enough to do so, then he should encourage his over-eager sponsors (who have tucked little promo booklets in his album CDs) to do so. Big stars have big images to deal with and they should invest in cultivating images as big as their fans expect them to. Atif Aslam, who is undoubtedly the biggest pop sensation in Pakistan these days, needs to realize that.

His first track from his album of the same name – Meri Kahani – has hit music channels and while the song has a catchy pop-beat to it, the video is yet another disaster. Reminiscing precious moments of his growing up years, the song appears to be a cross between Jagjit Singh's "Kaghaz Ki Kashti" and Ali Haider's "Purani Jeans". The video unfortunately is a sad cross between the videos of his own "Ehsaas" and "Hum Kiss Gali". There is no creative brilliance, or even any creative mediocrity here. The video is a huge let down.

Here once again, we see the singer walking around with his guitar. There are clips of his childhood that match the lyrics and then there appears the quintessential Atif-type model: a buxom babe running around in a 'corn' field. If this were America she would be blonde and nude. But since this is Pakistan (an Indianized version of Pakistan to be exact), she has long hair and is middle aged. Yes, again! Visually, it's as if Atif's stumbled out of "Ehsaas" and straight into the video of "Hum Kiss Galli" via a couple of childhood memories. A thought provoking video this does not make!

One can't help but compare it to Jal's "Sajni", being played constantly these days. Though the lifted snippets of the beast are undesirable (as they are lifted and not originally shot), the video has a wonderfully imaginative air to it. Juggun looks lovely, the band looks well groomed and the shots are slick. There is a 'Beauty and the Beast' theme going in the song which works very well. Ditto for Hashim's "My Moment". The west may have explored digital enhancement but it is still a novelty in Pakistan. And the artiste's eagerness to invest in pushing the envelope impresses.

One wishes the same could be said of Atif Aslam.
source: www.pakvibes.com

Mumbai attacks accused to be tried in court: Malik

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Interior Affairs Rehman Malik although the information shared by the Indian authorities in connection with the Mumbai attacks, the Pakistan government has arrested 5 accused.

Addressing a news conference here, Rehman Malik said the fifth dossier has been handed over to India and that further information and statements have been sought from Indian authorities.

He said the FIA team under the supervision of Tariq Khosa has completed the investigation.

Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Mazhar Iqbal, Umer Abdul Wajid, Zarrar Shah, Shahid Jamil Riaz have been arrested and statements of 10 witnesses recorded.

The charge-sheet will be made against the accused in the next hearing, Rehman Malik said.

He said Fahim Ansar, who was arrested in July, has given a statement against Hafiz Saeed.

The Interior Minister told the reporters that the court will be provided information regarding the hideouts of the terrorists while bank accounts used in the Mumbai attacks have also been unearthed.

He said it would prove important if Indian authorities provide statements of Indian forensic experts.

“Pakistan wants lasting relations with India and the soil of Pakistan would not be allowed to be used against any country including India,” he asserted.

He said Pakistan stands firm with the international community in war against terrorism.
source: www.geo.tv

Saudi Arab, Gulf countries to celebrate Eid tomorrow

JEDDAH: Official announcements have been made after sighting of Shawwal moon in Saudi Arab, Gulf and other middle-eastern countries to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr on Sunday.

The Supreme Council of Saudi Arab in a statement said credible reports of sighting Shawwal moon have been received. Therefore, Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Sunday, it said.

Meanwhile, official announcements have been made of not sighting Shawwal moon in Jordan, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar and Palestine.
source: www.geo.tv

Throngs Welcome Pakistan's Ex-Leader

LAHORE,Pakistan, Nov. 25 -- Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif returned to Pakistan late Sunday, greeted by crowds of frenzied supporters after seven years in exile. His arrival injects a new element of complexity into the country's chaotic political scene and presents a powerful challenge to the military president who deposed him.

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Sharif had attempted to return in September but was forced to leave the country without stepping off his plane. This time, his homecoming received the reluctant acquiescence of President Pervez Musharraf.

Police sealed off the airport in Lahore, Sharif's political stronghold, early Sunday following rumors that he would be arrested or whisked away to his suburban home under guard. But hundreds of supporters surged through the police lines and barricades, chanting his name nonstop as they waited for his plane from Saudi Arabia to land.

Sharif finally emerged about 7:30 p.m. and attempted to speak, but his words were inaudible in the roar of cheers. He was then carried aloft by the crowd to a black bulletproof Mercedes-Benz. His motorcade inched through the city all evening, along streets lined with tens of thousands of supporters.

News agencies reported that Sharif called on Musharraf to lift the emergency rule he declared Nov. 3 and to restore the suspended constitution. Sharif said that the emergency conditions were "not conducive to free and fair elections" and that he had "come back to save my country."

Musharraf has scheduled parliamentary elections for Jan. 8, hoping to preside over a controlled transition to civilian rule. He has pledged to resign as army chief as soon as this week and to take office as a civilian president for the next five years. He has not said whether he will lift the emergency before the elections.

Sharif's aides said the former prime minister, a bitter adversary of Musharraf, had not decided whether to run for parliament but would consult with other opposition parties this week. They said that Sharif, his brother Shahbaz Sharif and several other relatives would submit candidacy papers by the filing deadline this week in case the groups decide not to boycott the elections.

It was equally unclear what impact Sharif's return would have on the political fortunes of Benazir Bhutto, another former prime minister and highly popular opposition leader. She could end up competing against Sharif in a repeat of their 1990s rivalry, or they could jointly boycott the polls or form a formidable election coalition.

Bhutto, who filed her candidacy papers Sunday in the port city of Karachi "under protest," told reporters she would view positively any proposal from Sharif for an election coalition. Bhutto had previously sought a power-sharing agreement with Musharraf but became increasingly critical of him in recent weeks and has been placed under house arrest twice this month.

Bhutto returned from exile last month to a similarly emotional welcome from supporters in her Pakistan People's Party. However, her Oct. 18 homecoming was marred by a suicide bombing that killed 140 people as her motorcade wound slowly through Karachi.

Aside from scattered scuffles between Sharif loyalists and police, no violence was reported here Sunday night. Police had arrested hundreds of activists from Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League party Saturday night, and provincial officials announced an emergency ban on public gatherings Sunday.

But no attempt was made to prevent crowds from lining the streets along Sharif's motorcade route. As the night deepened, Lahore turned into a street festival. Fireworks crackled, loudspeakers blared from trucks and banners covered buses.

source: www.washingtonpost.com

Adidas and Puma end 60-year feud

The German sportswear companies Puma and Adidas are to end a feud started 60 years ago by their founding brothers.

Adi and Rudolf Dassler started making sports shoes together in their mother's wash-room in the 1920s.

They fell out during World War II, probably over political differences, and founded firms on either side of a river in southern Germany.

On Monday 21 September, employees of both companies will shake hands and then play a football match.

It is a big deal in the cobblestoned Bavarian town of Herzogenaurach, where two of the world's largest sportswear companies are based.

First joint activities

When the brothers set up their separate companies in 1948 the town was also split, with residents loyal to one or other of the only major employers.

In a joint release, the two companies said they were making up to support the Peace One Day organisation, which has its annual non-violence day on Monday.

They say that the events will be the first joint activities held by the two companies since the brothers left their shared firm in 1948.

Neither group is now controlled by the descendants of its founding families, although Rudolf's grandson Frank Dassler raised some eyebrows in the town by working for both Puma and Adidas.

Since 2007, Puma has been majority-owned by PPR, the French luxury goods maker that also owns Gucci.

Adidas Group is much more widely-owned, with no individual shareholder having more than 5%.

source: news.bbc.co.uk

Efforts to win Afghan hearts and minds

Sometimes, war comes down to the sunglasses.

Lt Chuck Anderson carefully removes his, as well as the bulky helmet that also obscures his face. He extracts his own wire rimmed glasses from somewhere inside his body armour as drops of sweat trickle down his head in the blazing heat of the day.

The face of 24-year-old Chuck from America emerges, beaming a big smile at white bearded Haji Rahmatullah and a gaggle of curious Afghan children who scurry to the apple orchard to inspect the strangers in camouflage gear.

The rest of the American patrol take up positions along the stream meandering through the picturesque village of Tesha in Wardak province, just west of Kabul.

'Decisive terrain'

Lt Anderson is one of the many faces of the new military mantra in Afghanistan. And that's the point - it's face to face as s

oldiers from foreign armies try to win over the population.

From foot soldiers living closer to Afghan villages, to the general now heading the command, everyone seems to be talking about counter-insurgency.

The new approach comes eight years into a war that's costing a growing number of Afghan and foreign lives and costing public support in Afghanistan and in nations supplying the troops.

"The war is about the people. If you think of decisive terrain, it's not a hill, it's not a town, it's not a road. It's the people themselves," Nato commander Gen Stanley McChrystal explained in a recent interview in Kabul.

On the wall facing his desk in his wood panelled office, Gen McChrystal has a photograph from the latest major offensive by American and British troops in Helmand province.

He proudly points to the scene after a major battle: "There was no visible damage to the area, no civilian casualties."

Gen McChrystal vows to measure success not by the number of insurgents killed or captured, but by the numbers of Afghans that are protected.

'Early stages'

Some of the new ideas are being piloted in Wardak province. About 1,500 more US troops were sent there earlier this year amid mounting concern that districts close to Kabul were now Taliban strongholds.

"We're in the early stages of COIN," explains the commander of the 2nd Battalion, Lt Col Kimo Gallahue, using the lingo for counter-insurgency.

But he already sees success. "We have changed the conditions in which the Afghan government is operating here which is allowing more access to the population."

When Lt Anderson gets down to business with the village elder in Tesha, Haji Rahmatullah's broad smile disappears as he lists promises broken by other visitors - Tesha still has no school and no well.

Lt Anderson also frowns in disapproval. In careful observation of his ground rules, he avoids making any new promises but says he will do what he can to help provide a well.

It's the start of a new relationship, but only the start.

Earnest discussion about a village well also includes hard questions about some wanted insurgents. Counter-insurgency also has its dark side.

"Protecting the population" also has to be balanced with protecting the troops. Wardak's main roads are still littered with IEDS, the improvised explosive devices laid by the Taliban that are one of the biggest killers of foreign and Afghan forces.

When American soldiers take to the roads of Wardak, they travel in heavily armoured convoys.

Tribal history

"When we come down the ramp, we look like from men from Mars," admits Col Gallahue. But we are trying to live among the population to build their trust so they understand we are human beings too."

The officers on the front line of this strategy speak with near religious fervour about these new approaches. They pore over books on Afghan tribal history and try to learn some of the local Dari or Pashto language.

They know that for counter-insurgency to succeed, it needs an Afghan face.

A new militia is being piloted in Wardak province to fill the gap still left by the Afghan army and police.

The Afghan Public Protection Force is meant to be drawn from the community it protects. But at one check post, a sandbagged watchtower along a dirt road in Nerkh district, we find a motley unit of men from Nangarhar province to the east.

Abdul Sattar tells us local people wouldn't join. Moving his finger across his neck, he says the Taliban threatened to slit their throats.

He says security has improved, but warns if salaries don't improve, as promised, they'll all go back home.

Eight years into this war, the Taliban can also exploit dissatisfaction with government inefficiency and corruption, making it harder to "separate the people from the insurgents".

"In a family of 10 sons, one son is with the Taliban and two are unemployed. If they join this new force, that means it will be brother against brother. Who will accept this?" declares the feisty member of parliament from Wardak, Dr Roshanak Wardak.

"We need to be a learning organisation," says Colonel John Goglia, the director of the Counter-insurgency Training Centre at a military base in the west of Kabul.

He says he first worked on counter-insurgency in Iraq but jokes his first insights were gleaned growing up on the streets of Brooklyn.

At the centre, soldiers and civilians from Nato nations and its allies, including Afghanistan, attend a mock village meeting which teaches etiquette ranging from drinking tea, not asking about the women in the family, and taking off sunglasses.

Other classroom sessions involve animated exchanges about the basics of counter-insurgency. It's a steep learning curve for conventional forces more familiar with an army that used to talk about the overwhelming force of "shock and awe".

"I wish they had learned about all this before they came to Afghanistan because neither side of us would have suffered all these losses. But it's still not too late," one Afghan police officer comments after a class.

"It's common sense," says Col Goglia, "but it's extremely complex. It needs resources, strategy and understanding from the highest level to the lowest level but we've started to put all that in place over the past year."

And there's an urgency now. "We're working against history, we are working against time," explains Col Kimo Gallahue.

To make it work, they'll need more time and more troops and its still not clear they will have either.

source: news.bbc.co.uk

Iran 'does not need' nuclear arms

The Iranian president has said his country sees no need for nuclear weapons, while insisting Iran will not abandon its pursuit of nuclear energy.

In an interview with US network NBC Mahmoud Ahmadinejad did not explicitly rule out the possibility that Iran would acquire nuclear weapons.

He said simply that it was "not a part of our programmes and plans".

Meanwhile, Iranian security forces were on alert ahead of an annual rally expected to draw opposition leaders.

The opposition figures, who reject Mr Ahmadinejad's re-election in June, have called on their supporters to turn out in large numbers at the "Jerusalem Day" rally, which is being held in support of the Palestinian cause.

In his interview with NBC, the Iranian president said he did not "see any problems" with the elections.

Talks to resume

Speaking about Iran's nuclear programme, Mr Ahmadinejad said his country would not yield to pressure from the UN, the US and European states.

Western powers maintain Iran is covertly developing nuclear arms, a charge Iran denies.

They have called on Iran to suspend its programme of uranium enrichment, which Tehran says is entirely peaceful.

Mr Ahmadinejad is due to address the UN General Assembly next week, and Iran is due to hold fresh talks on its nuclear programme with world powers next month.

"If you are talking about the enrichment of uranium for peaceful purposes, this will never be closed down here in Iran," he told NBC.

Asked repeatedly whether there were any conditions under which Iran would develop a nuclear weapon, Mr Ahmadinejad each time replied that Iran had no use for such arms.

"We don't need nuclear weapons," he said.

"Without such weapons, we are very much able to defend ourselves."

Opposition 'opportunity'

Questioned about the disputed elections in June, the Iranian leader defended their legality.

Iran's election laws are built on "the strongest... foundations," the president said, and "the law prevails. I don't see any problems."

Mr Ahmadinejad claimed victory, but opposition supporters who claimed the vote was rigged staged mass protests.

Officials say at least 30 people were killed in the protests that ensued, while opposition groups put the figure at more than 70.

In the Iranian capital, Tehran, security forces were braced for Friday's march.

Among the opposition leaders expected to appear were Mir Hossein Mousavi, who emerged as Mr Ahmadinejad's main challenger.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps said it would deal "decisively" with any effort to stage an opposition protest.

Former BBC Tehran correspondent Jim Muir says opposition groups have not managed to hold a big rally for over two months and this is an opportunity, though one fraught with danger, for them to show they are still in contention.

It remains to be seen, he adds, whether security forces will take action against possible passive displays of defiance, such as the wearing of green, the colour adopted as the symbol of the reform movement led by Mr Mousavi.

source: news.bbc.co.uk

Janet Jackson to Pay Michael Jackson Tribute at the VMAs

Janet Jackson will open this year’s MTV Video Music Awards with a special tribute to her late brother Michael Jackson.

The show will be hosted by British comedian Russell Brand, like last year, and Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, Green Day, Pink, and Taylor Swift are all scheduled to perform.

But it’s Michael’s little sis’ special appearance that everyone is waiting for. Details of Janet’s tribute have not been revealed so fans will just have to wait and see if she will put on a special performance or just hold a speech like she did at the BET Awards earlier this summer.

Fans will also be able to get a first glimpse of the documentary "This is It" that is set to premiere on October 28. The film shows footage of Michael’s rehearsals for his planned concert series at the O2 Arena in London that came to an abrupt end when the star tragically passed away on June 25.

We’re sure that Janet Jackson’s tribute to her brother Michael will be a huge success. What do you think? Will Janet perform some of the King of Pop’s biggest hits or will she pay a more serene tribute? Share your thoughts.

source:www.desihits.com

Jay Sean at VMA Afterparty

Well, oh well,Jay Sean really is all over the U.S. scene right now! Just the other day the he was in L.A. to perform on Los Angeles'KTLA TV News morning show, and last night he was spotted entering the Asics sponsored afterparty at the VMAs. The pop phenomenon looked sleek in a white shirt and black jacket.

Looks like becoming a member of the Cash Money Records family has brought nothing but happiness to the U.K. cutie!

What do you think of Jay Sean at last night’s VMA afterparty? Hot or not? Drop us a line.

source:www.desihits.com

Urban Desi Artists and Their Signature Looks?

When it comes to hair, makeup and wardrobe, many of us take some time everyday to plan out what we want to wear and how we want to look. Stars are all the same; however, in their situations, being in the public eye, we tend to notice a lot of what they are wearing and what trends they seem to be following. After all who doesn't want to look like a star? We've taken a look at some hot fashion trends and have come across Urban Desi stars who seem to embody similar styles to mainstream artists. Take a look at some of the similarities we have come across.


stepped onto the scene as just that, a stranger. He is a quiet character who belts out great tunes. Beyound his music he is known for his signature hat. Mumzy has been seen donning hats in his videos as well as in his photo shoots. Many other artists choose to wear lids: but usually they're baseball style caps as opposed to the 2009 version of the classic fedora. From the different textures to the fun colors, Mumzy has made the hat part of his look. Who did he remind us of? R&B artist Ne-Yo. Ne-Yo also hides behind a number of hats, most often the updated fedora. He too experiments with color and textures. Sexy, mysterious men hiding behind their hats? We don't mind one bit!

Kazz Kumar, of the Urban Desi group Sona Family, has been noted for dressing in her own funky, colorful outfits. No other Urban Desi chick has taken such fashion risks or made such daring choices in what they wear, let alone how they style their hair.Kazz's signature pink hair is donned by fellow rosey-hued singer, Pink. They both have accented sections of their hair in the hot pink dye and have gotten noticed for it. Do you think Kazz was inspired by Pink?

The flyest Urban Desi artist on the scene this summer has been Jay Sean.His UK and India successes are now being matched with his US success and Jay Sean has definitely been dressing for success. In each of his performances, we have seen Jay Sean all suited up. He tends to stick to slacks, button up white shirts and fitted blazers. And what better way to finish off an outfit that with some stunna shades! Unfortunately this look isn't quite signature, it's just dressy. Many other stars have also rocked out in basic business attire. Jay-Z for example is seen here in a black suit, white button up shirt and of course, his shades. He just takes the outfit to another level with the black tie. Maybe Jay Sean is playing it too safe with his look.




For a guy, manicures are not a common occurrence. However, our leading ladies take the time to not only get their nails done, but they get some crazy designs done too! MIA, Sri Lankan rapper, has never conformed to the norms in fashion. She too has sported some unique outfits that, well, only she could pull off. We came across a picture of one of her manicures and each nail is a design all its own. The vibrant colors and patterns classify this as less of a manicure and more of an accessory. In the mainstream world, Katy Perry has also been seen with some crazy, cool nails. Though her purpose for this picture was to show of her latest tattoo, we noticed her amazing nails! How does someone paint so much detail onto one nail? We don't know but we definitely like it. I wonder if any other stars will look as nails as the latest fashion accessory.

Dark, sexy, and sultry: women like to stay mysterious. Timbaland has worked with some amazing talents and Amar is only one of them. Trying to make her mark on the scene, Amar has worn some pretty hot outfits. Here, she's seen in silvery makeup and a fitted black outfit. She's a certified hottie in this shot! How about Keri Hilson? She started her career as a writer and then got her spotlight with Timbaland, too. In this shoot she is quite the siren, seen in a sexy black outfit, smoky eyes, and wavy hair. We can't help to wonder if this is actually a Timbaland signature look for his ladies, or one that the girls have coincidentally decided to pull off.



So there you have it. Some of the hottest Urban Desi stars and their signature looks. Or maybe we should say "not so signature" looks...Let us know what styles you like most and if there are any other comparisons we may have missed.
source: www.desihits.com