news issues

Dengue virus

2011-09-16T09:35:00.000-07:00

Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has stressed upon provincial ministers, advisors, elected representatives and secretaries to set aside their official status and strive like ordinary workers for eliminating dengue virus and serving the ailing humanity. He was presiding over a meeting regarding elimination of dengue virus and the steps taken to cope with this problem, here Friday. Members national and provincial assemblies, chairmen of town committees, secretaries of various departments and experts were present. The Chief Minister said that all out resources were being utilized for providing best treatment facilities to the dengue patients. He said that eight filter clinics would start functioning at various places in the provincial metropolis for which modern machines have been brought from Karachi by air.

He said that Social Security Hospital Manga Mandi, Raiwind Road had also been allocated for dengue patients and modern machinery, air-conditioners and diagnostic facilities have been provided.

He said that due to rush of patients in the major hospitals of Lahore, air-conditioned camps be set up in their lawns for providing medical facilities to the patients. He said that a plan in this regard should immediately be given a final shape and its implementation should be started.

He said that the cooperation being extended by the private hospitals in providing free treatment to the dengue patients was commendable.However, he said, those private hospitals which were not providing free of cost medical facilities to such patients should discharge their responsibility in this regard and allocate beds for providing free treatment to the poor and deserving patients.

When CM’s attention was drawn towards the private laboratories which were charging exorbitant fees for blood test, the CM said that private laboratories should realize their responsibility and serve the ailing humanity instead of indulging in profiteering.

How to Train Your Dragon won the weekend box-office battle

2010-03-29T10:28:00.000-07:00

How to Train Your Dragon won the weekend box-office battle, but with a purr, not a roar. DreamWorks' latest effort in CGI animation earned $43.3 million in its opening three days, according to early studio estimates. That was more than enough for it to dethrone Disney's Alice in Wonderland, which had reigned for the last three weeks and from which it had filched many of the venues that show movies in the zazzier 3-D format, where a $3 or $4 price hike on each ticket is the norm. Still, Dragon's firepower was more tepid than scalding when compared with recent DreamWorks cartoons. (See TIME's review of How to Train Your Dragon.)

Unlike Pixar, its chief rival in CGI animation, DreamWorks usually casts big names to supply the voices for its lead roles and promotes the stars as if they were to be seen, not just heard, on screen; that's one key to its movies' financial success. No question that the names of Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Seth Rogen and Jackie Chan helped 2008's Kung Fu Panda reach its $60.2 million opening weekend, or that Reese Witherspoon, Rogen, Paul Rudd, Hugh Laurie and Stephen Colbert lent heft to last spring's Monsters vs Aliens ($59.3 million). Dragon's lead, Jay Baruchel, isn't yet at that level of star wattage. Audiences had to be sold on the movie by its teen-trains-a-dragon premise and, even more, by the DreamWorks brand name; the studio's hope was that people would see the movie, enjoy it, then tell or text their friends.

That could yet happen: Dragon pulled a gold-star A rating in CinemaScore's poll of exiting moviegoers, and the film has a two-week commitment from its 3-D theaters, where the big money is. DreamWorks wouldn't mind if Dragon ended up near Alice, which is closing in on $300 million in domestic gross (and another $350 million abroad), and just behind Avatar, which finally fell out of the top 10 after 14 weeks, as one of 2010's three biggest winners — all in 3-D. (See the top 10 movie performances of 2009.)

This was the third consecutive week boasting a movie with a nerdish hero, as Dragon followed She's Out of My League (which finished sixth this weekend, with a total gross of $25.6 million), and Diary of a Wimpy Kid (in fifth place, with $35.8 million). Indeed, several of the guys in the other new wide release, Hot Tub Time Machine, fit the underachieving mold. The lurid, inspired title aside, fans of late-night soft-core woo-pitching will be disappointed to learn that the four people in the hot tub at the beginning of the film are all guys, three of them middle-aged. The movie has plenty of gross-out gags, mandatory for an R-rated comedy, but with John Cusack as its star, it may have skewed too old (late-30s, early-40s) to drag the young into its make-fun-of-the-'80s time frame. The picture pulled in a modest $13.5 million. (Comment on this story.)

What is so-so for Hollywood pictures would be wowee for independent films. Chloe, the weekend's sole medium-size release, earned $1 million in 350 theaters. A sexual melodrama offering the glory of hot-sheets action between Amanda Seyfried and Julianne Moore, Chloe will never get near the numbers of a well-promoted movie from a major studio. Nor will Noah Baumbach's Greenberg, a potential-breakout romance that won a sheaf of favorable reviews and has an actual movie star, Ben Stiller, in the title role; it took in $1.1 million on 181 screens. The Runaways, starring Dakota Fanning and Twilight's Kristen Stewart, is already DOA after two weeks. About as close as a non-Hollywood film can get to hit status is the $9.2 million cadged so far by Roman Polanski's The Ghost Writer, which has had great word of mouth from most of those who've seen it — but not nearly enough have seen it. (See the top 10 Pixar voices.)

The sad fact is that the revenue discrepancy between the mainstream Hollywood product and indie or foreign films has never been so chasmic. In domestic box-office terms, How to Train Your Dragon is the Statue of Liberty, while the new Swedish release The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is one of those Willard Wigan microsculptures that fit inside the eye of a needle.

Based on the first of Stieg Larsson's internationally best-selling trilogy of crime novels, Dragon Tattoo has earned nearly $85 million abroad. The movie might be expected to lure fans of the books, and the enthusiastic reviews (a robust 83% score on Rotten Tomatoes) should attract other curious moviegoers. So far, the movie has earned $840,000 in 10 days — a decent start for a movie with subtitles. The film will expand its theater base in the coming weeks, and we'll see if there's room in the 3-D blockbuster marketplace for a smart thriller that has nothing going for it but quality.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan makes case against sanctions on Iran

2010-03-29T10:19:00.000-07:00

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday he did not favor imposing economic sanctions to pressure Iran into showing that it has no covert nuclear weapons program.

Erdogan discussed different approaches with visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel to international efforts to rein in Iran's nuclear ambitions, but made clear Turkey's reluctance to back the use of sanctions.We are of the view that sanctions is not a healthy path and... that the best route is diplomacy," he said at a joint news conference with Merkel.

Turkey is a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and Erdogan said it had not yet reached a firm decision on how it would vote on a US-backed sanctions resolution.

Merkel urged NATO ally Ankara to be ready to support the imposition of sanctions through the United Nations unless Iran shows transparency to assure the international community that it has no ambitions for nuclear weapons.

"We would happy if Turkey votes in April on the Iran issue together with the United States and the European Union," she said.

Turkey, frustrated by the slow progress of its EU membership negotiations, doubts the effectiveness of sanctions and its trade would inevitably suffer if sanctions were imposed on its fellow Muslim neighbor.

"Turkey shares a 380 km (240 mile) border with Iran and it is an important partner, especially in energy. When appraising our relations we shouldn't ignore this," Erdogan said.

He also raised doubts about the results of three earlier rounds of milder sanctions against Iran.

In an apparently veiled reference to Israel, the Turkish leader referred to another country in the region that possessed nuclear weapons. The Jewish state is widely assumed to have the bomb but has not declared itself a nuclear-weapons state.

"We are against nuclear weapons in our region. But is there another country in our region that has nuclear weapons? Yes, there is. And have they been subjected to sanctions? No," Erdogan said.

Turkey is worried about the potential for a nuclear arms race in the region between Iran and Israel, though it does not feel directly threatened by either country.

"If the world trusts us, we would fine a middle path with Iran. I hope that we will reach a result if we continue to work," Erdogan said.

Despite good relations with Tehran, Erdogan's own attempts to persuade the Iranian leadership to make moves needed to allay international concerns have so far come to naught.

Hillary Clinton told the country’s largest pro-Israel lobby..(Israel's security strengthens US)

2010-03-22T19:46:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON – US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told the country’s largest pro-Israel lobby that the Israeli-Palestinian status quo was “unsustainable” and defended her recent criticism of east Jerusalem housing as in Israel’s interest to bring about peace.

“It is our devotion to this outcome – two states for two peoples, secure and at peace – that led us to condemn the announcement of plans for new construction in East Jerusalem,” she told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee annual conference Monday, which came on the heels of some of the worst tension between the two countries in years after the new housing was announced during US Vice President Joe Biden’s recent trip to Jerusalem.

“This was not about wounded pride. Nor is it a judgment on the final status of Jerusalem, which is an issue to be settled at the negotiating table,” Clinton said of the US’s strong condemnation of the housing, which she delivered to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in a scathing phone call upon Biden’s return. “This is about getting to the table, creating and protecting an atmosphere of trust around it – and staying there until the job is finally done.”

She argued those talks are urgently needed because demography, technology and ideology help make maintaining the status quo impossible.

Clinton pointed to the violence Israel finds itself under, criticizing Hamas and Hizbullah for launching rockets at Israel.

“Behind these terrorist organizations and their rockets, we see the destabilizing influence of Iran,” she said. “Reaching a two-state solution will not end all these threats, you and I know that, but failure to do so gives our extremist foes a pretext to spread violence, instability, and hatred.”

While calling for Palestinians to end incitement, and praising Prime Minister Netanyahu – who has apologized for the timing of the east Jerusalem announcement – for embracing a two-state solution and easing movement in the West Bank, she also said the US wants Israel to build trust “by demonstrating respect for the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinians, stopping settlement activity, and addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”

Clinton’s message on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process was received politely if not enthusiastically by most of the 7,500 or so AIPAC activists at her Monday morning speech. Despite the recent tensions, there was no obvious booing or other voicing of disapproval, and several of her comments on the subject received some applause.

Her statements on Iran, however, garnered much more enthusiastic backing.

“The United States is determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons,” she said to one of a handful of standing ovations. “Our aim is not incremental sanctions, but sanctions that will bite.”

Clinton began by stressing the strength and importance of the US-Israel relationship, despite the recent disagreements.

“For President Obama and for me, and for this entire administration, our commitment to Israel’s security and Israel’s future is rock solid, unwavering, enduring, and forever,” she declared, receiving sustained applause. “A strong and secure Israel is vital to our own strategic interests. We know that the forces that threaten Israel also threaten the United States.”

Clinton was preceded by AIPAC Executive Director Howard Kohr, who received a standing ovation himself when he declared, “Jerusalem is not a settlement.” He also pushed back against what he called “the reductionist view that the relationship between the United States and Israel rests on resolving the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.”

He called the notion “specious and insidious,” as well as dangerous, and continued, “we must refute it.” Kohr also called for the US and Israel to move past their recent row.

“It is time to reduce the tension, time to set aside the past week and pledge to work to solve problems together,” he said.

His remarks were more measured than those of Lee Rosenberg, the new AIPAC president, who received an enthusiastic standing ovation Sunday evening when stressed to the crowd, “Allies should work out differences privately.” He said that “in any relations mistakes are going to happen,” adding, “how friends disagree can determine the course of our relationship.”

Several members of the Jewish community expressed concern about the nature of the American response, even as many acknowledged Israel had made a mistake with the timing of the east Jerusalem announcement. Critics particularly objected to Clinton’s call to Netanyahu after the matter seemed settled and her later telling the media that the move was an “insult” to America and seemingly questioning Israel’s commitment to peace and relationship with the US.

Alan Solow, whose organization the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations took a measured tone in asking both sides to overcome their differences, said it was fitting that Clinton delivered the message of reassurance on the US-Israel relationship Monday given her role in the recent dispute.

“It gave her the opportunity to speak personally with the community to make clear her position,” he said.

He also indicated that the speech conveyed a welcome message, but that the US-Israel relations didn’t rest on a single address or event.

“This was an important speech and she sent an important message on the heels of what’s occurred in the last 10 days,” he said, “but the real strength of relations and the continuity of that relationship will be demonstrated in the day and months ahead.”

In her speech, she explained to the audience that “as Israel’s friend, it is our responsibility to give credit when it is due and to tell the truth when it is needed.”

As such, she called new construction in east Jerusalem and the West Bank action that “undermines that mutual trust and endangers the proximity talks that are the first step toward the full negotiations that both sides say want and need.”

And, just as crucially, she said, “It exposes daylight between Israel and the United States that others in the region hope to exploit,” which in turn “undermines America’s unique ability to play a role – an essential role – in the peace process.”

She underscored, “Our credibility in this process depends in part on our willingness to praise both sides when they are courageous, and when we don’t agree, to say so, and say so unequivocally.”

To that end, she said, she took the Palestinians to task for incitement, including the recent naming of a city square in the West Bank in honor of a Palestinian woman who killed Israeli civilians in a terror attack.

She also told Israel, though, that “we cannot escape the impact of mass communications. We cannot control the images and the messages that are conveyed. We can only change the facts on the ground that refute the claims of the rejectionists and extremists, and in so doing create the circumstances for a safe, secure future for Israel.”

Clinton acknowledged that “we cannot force a solution; we cannot ordain or command the outcome” in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. Still, she said, “The United States stands ready to play an active and sustained role in these talks.”

Throughout, she pledged, “The United States and the American people will stand with you. We will share the risks and we will shoulder the burdens, as we face the future together.”

The muscle injury risk was found particularly high in patients....

2010-03-20T19:55:00.000-07:00

On March 19, the Food and Drug Administration notified health care professionals as well as patients that data from a large clinical trial and other sources indicated that use of Zocor, a statin made by Merck and commonly used to lower cholesterol by consumers to lower cholesterol, raises risk of muscle injury when used in large doses and in some patients on other medications.

The muscle injury risk was found particularly high in patients who took the highest approved dose of 80 milligrams per day of the cholesterol-lowering medication, Zocor which is based on simvastatin, an active ingredient that is also used in other products.

In the Drug Safety Communication titled Ongoing Safety Review of High-dose Zocor (simvastatin and Increased Risk of Muscle Injury, the FDA says the risk of muscle injury in patients taking the highest approved dose of the cholesterol-lowering medication, Zocor was higher than that in patients taking lower doses of Zocor and possibly other statins.

The muscle injury of concern is also called myopathy. It is actually a side effect with all statin medications, according to the FDA. The common symptoms include muscle pain, tenderness or weakness, elevated level of a muscle enzyme in the blood called creatine kinase. High doses of Zocor lead to high risk of muscle injury. The risk is elevated particularly when Zocor is used together with certain other drugs.

For the safety reason, the FDA suggests patients should not use Zocor if they use itraconazole, ketoconazole, erythromycin, clarithromycin,telithromycin, HIV protease inhibitors, and nefazodone. Patients on diltiazem may use no more than 40 milligrams of Zocor per day. Those on Amiodarone and verapamil may use no more than 20 milligrams of Zocor per day. Those on Gemfibrozil, cyclosporine and danazol may use no more than 10 milligrams of Zocor per day.

The most serious form of muscle injury is rhabdomyolysis which occurs when a protein called myoglobin is released as muscle fibers break down. This protein can damage the kidneys as they filter blood out of the body. Symptoms of this condition include dark or red urine and fatigue in addition to other common muscle injury symptoms. In rare cases, rhabdomyolysis can lead to fatal kidney failure.

The FDA says healthcare professionals should know that rhabdomyolysis is rare, but reported with all statins and they should be aware of the potential risk of muscle injury from the 80 milligrams of Zocor per day.

The drug regulator advises that patients should not stop taking Zocor unless told so by their healthcare professionals. In cases patients experience symptoms of muscle injury including muscle pain, tenderness or weakness, dark red urine or unexplained tiredness, they should contact their healthcare professionals.

The SEARCH trial of 6031 patients who had experienced a heart attack prompted the FDA to issue the warning. The trial results showed that among those who took 80 milligrams a day of Zocor, 0.9 percent experienced muscle injury compared to 0.02 percent among those who took only 20 milligrams of Zocor per day. Eleven patients who used 80 milligrams of Zocor per day developed rhabdomyolysis compared to none among those who used only 20 milligrams.

The risk is not news. In 2008, the FDA alerted the public to an increased risk of rhabdomyolysis in patients using higher than 20 milligrams of simvastatin in the drug called amiodarone.

One ongoing trial called the Heart Protection Study 2 resulted in some interim outcomes suggesting that patients of Chinese descent should not use 80 milligrams of simvastatin with cholesterol modifying doses of niacin-containing products.

Accordingly, in March 2010, the health agency approved a labeling revision for simvastatin. The revised label also recommends that patients receiving cholesterol-modifying products should take no more than 40 milligrams of Zocor per day.

The ongoing trial found 0.43 percent of patients of Chinese descent suffered myopathy compared to 0.03 percent of their counterparts not taking 40 milligrams plus cholesterol modifying products.

Statins are a class of cholesterol-lowering medications, which are controversial because studies have found these drugs are not worth the money or at least not effective as desired in preventing heart disease. In some cases they do more harm than good.

Statins may disappoint some patients. Luckily some modified lifestyle including healthy diet can lower cholesterol, most importantly risk of heart disease. Those who are interested should contact Dr. Dean Ornish, a Harvard educated medical doctor who is a professor at the University of California - San Francisco.

Some doctors say medical research has provided evidence suggesting that cholesterol is not the cause for the risk of heart disease. In addition to muscle injury, taking Zocor and other statins may also raise risk of diabetes, heart failure and eye disorder, as reported early on foodconsumer.org.

In any event, following a healthy diet is the fundamental way to reduce the risk of heart disease. Dr. Ornish uses his diet and lifestyle program based on a modified diet to help patients prevent progression of artery clogging and reverse atherosclerosis. The efficacy is said to be 99 percent, according to Dr. Colin T Campbell, a distinguished Cornell University nutrition professor.

Thrashers have won three straight to move back into contention for the final playoff spot...

2010-03-20T19:50:00.000-07:00

ATLANTA (AP) — Colby Armstrong (FSY) scored two goals and the Atlanta Thrashers beat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-2 on Saturday night to continue their late postseason push.

The Thrashers have won three straight to move back into contention for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta trails eighth-place Boston by one point.

GAME REPORT: Thrashers 5, Flyers 2

Atlanta had not won as many as three in a row since a four-game streak from Nov. 25-30.

Armstrong had his second straight two-goal game. Nik Antropov (FSY), Niclas Bergfors and Bryan Little (FSY) also scored against Brian Boucher (FSY), who had 23 stops. Johan Hedberg (FSY) made 25 saves for Atlanta.

Dan Carcillo and Blair Betts (FSY) had goals for the Flyers.

Antropov, a 10-year veteran in his first season with the Thrashers, has emerged as Atlanta's scoring leader after the team traded Ilya Kovalchuk (FSY) to New Jersey on Feb. 4 for four players, including Bergfors. Antropov has set a career high with 63 points, including 25 points in his last 21 games.

Antropov's leadership showed late in the game when he put Philadelphia's Scott Hartnell (FSY) in a headlock after Hartnell took a swipe at Hedberg. Antropov drew a 2-minute penalty for roughing and Hartnell was called for slashing.

Goals by Bergfors and Armstrong in the first six minutes gave Atlanta a 2-0 lead. Carcillo answered for the Flyers 8:16 into the first period. Antropov and Betts traded goals in the second period, leaving the Thrashers with a 3-2 lead.

Little pushed the lead to 4-2 with his follow shot in front of the net midway through the third period. Armstrong added his second goal late in the period.

Philadelphia, which has been good on 23% of its power-play chances to rank third in the league, was 0 for 3 with a man advantage.

Boucher, who fell to 5-13-2, is the Flyers' third No. 1 goalie of the season, following injuries which ended the regular seasons of Ray Emery (FSY) (hip) and Michael Leighton (FSY) (left ankle sprain). Leighton was injured Tuesday night in a loss at Nashville.

The Thrashers are 3-0 in the season series. The teams play again Sunday in Philadelphia.

NOTES: Atlanta's Jim Slater (FSY) and Philadelphia's Carcillo drew 5-minute penalties for fighting only 39 seconds into the game. About 3 minutes later, Atlanta's Eric Boulton (FSY) and the Flyers' Ian Laperriere (FSY) followed them into the penalty box after a fight. ... Slater also drew 2-minute roughing and tripping minors for a total of three penalties. ... The Flyers had only three shots on goal in the second period.

German industrial city of Essen was accused of sexually abusing three boys in 1979....

2010-03-20T19:43:00.000-07:00

NOT long after a portly, jovial priest in the German industrial city of Essen was accused of sexually abusing three boys in 1979, he was offered a new home in Munich by Joseph Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI.

Ratzinger, who was Archbishop of Munich and Freising at the time, wanted Father Peter Hullermann — known to friends in the church as “Hulli” — to undergo psychotherapy.

A psychiatrist quickly concluded that Hullermann was untreatable, however.

“I told the church officials that Hullermann must never be allowed to work with children again,” said Werner Huth, the psychiatrist, in an interview with The Sunday Times this weekend.
“He did not seem to want or be able to co-operate fully during the therapy. He had an alcohol problem and the assaults on the children mostly happened when he had been under the influence of alcohol.”

Huth’s warning was ignored. The priest was allowed to return to pastoral work and then to teach religion in a local state school.

Soon, he was in trouble again. He drank, showed pornographic videos to boys and abused them. He was convicted of the sexual abuse of minors and fined.

Even that was not the end of his time in the church. After a period of probation he continued working — with altar boys, among others.

He was still working as a priest right up until last Monday when, at the age of 62, he was suspended from his duties at a Bavarian tourist resort for breaching a church order in 2008 to avoid any involvement with children.

This unholy saga, reflecting both the severity of clerical abuse and the failure to stop it, goes to the heart of the gravest crisis the Roman Catholic church has faced since the wartime Pope Pius XII was accused of responding inadequately to the Holocaust.

It also raises questions about Pope Benedict’s responses to mounting allegations of paedophilia in the church. According to a report in Der Spiegel, the German magazine, Benedict knew about the allegations against Hullermann in 1980 but chose not to report them to the police.

DECADES of abuse allegations — first in private, then, increasingly, in public — culminated this weekend in a letter of apology from the Pope to the Irish faithful that was also taken as a message to the broader church.

The letter, to be read at mass throughout Ireland today, recognises years of “sinful and criminal” sexual abuse by the clergy.

“You have suffered grievously and I am truly sorry ... It is understandable that you find it hard to forgive or be reconciled with the church. In her name, I openly express the shame and remorse that we all feel,” Benedict writes in the seven-page letter, the first public apology of its kind.

“I know that nothing can undo the wrong you have endured. Your trust has been betrayed and your dignity violated ... We are all scandalised by the sins and failures of some of the church’s members.”

The Pope reprimands Irish bishops for “grave errors of judgment and failures of leadership” in handling cases of abuse. He does not announce any sackings, however.

Cardinal Sean Brady, the head of the church in Ireland — who, as this newspaper revealed last week, attended a secret tribunal in 1975 at which two children abused by a priest were made to take a vow of silence — remains in his job.

Nor has the Pope ordered bishops or priests to report sexual abuse to the police when they learn of it, as Irish victims’ groups demanded.

Much of the anger in Ireland appeared unassuaged last night. Andrew Madden, the first victim to go public after reaching a settlement with the church, said he was deeply disappointed. The Pope’s letter had failed to acknowledge any active role taken by leading figures in covering up sexual abuse by priests, he said.

“There is no owning up by the Pope to his part in the cover-up,” Madden said. “He says he is deeply sorry about what other people did, not what he did.”

Madden is not the only one to claim that questions about the Pope’s role remain unanswered.

IN the case of Hullermann, the priest from Essen, the Pope — then Archbishop Ratzinger — presided over a meeting of church officials in Munich on January 15, 1980.

The minutes show that far from being reported to the police, Hullermann had his request for a “flat and temporary lodging” in a Munich parish granted. “Chaplain Hullermann will engage in psychotherapy treatment,” the minutes read.

Huth, the psychiatrist, said there were problems from the start. Hullermann agreed only to group therapy and refused to recognise that he was a threat to boys. He portrayed himself as a victim, forced to undergo treatment by his superiors.

“His personality problems couldn’t be overcome,” said Huth.

The psychiatrist prescribed drugs to treat Hullermann’s alcoholism and recommended not only that he be kept away from children, but that he be monitored by another priest at all times.

A church official asked Huth why he had made such a recommendation, protesting Hullermann was “well liked among the altar boys and the staff”.

Gerhard Gruber, then Ratzinger’s deputy, has now accepted blame for “serious mistakes” that followed, including restoring the priest to pastoral duties. Officials have not disclosed whether Ratzinger was kept informed before he moved to the Vatican in 1982.

Giancarlo Zizola, a writer on the Vatican, said Ratzinger “very probably” was updated about Hullermann. “The archbishop is responsible for the diocese, people answer to him, so theoretically he is aware of what’s happening,” Zizola said.

The suggestion that the Pope may have known more than has been admitted in a case where inaction allowed sexual abuse to continue was echoed by Hans Kung, a dissident Catholic theologian who once taught with Benedict at Tübingen University in Germany.

In an article published by several European newspapers last week, Kung charged that Benedict knew about the sexual abuse of members of the Domspatzen (cathedral sparrows) choir in Regensburg. The choirmaster from 1964 to 1994 was Benedict’s brother, Georg, and the future Pope had also taught theology there.

Former choirboys at Regensburg have testified about ordeals stretching into the early 1990s.

“Joseph Ratzinger was perfectly well aware of the situation of the Domspatzen,” Kung wrote. “And it is not a case of slaps, which unfortunately were the order of the day at the time, but of sex crimes.”

Kung demanded that Benedict issue a mea culpa for his part in “covering up decades of clerical sex abuse”.

Bishops including the Pope should not just seek forgiveness, but “should finally acknowledge their own coresponsibility” in covering up “systematic abuses”, said Kung.

“Should not Pope Benedict XVI also assume his own responsibility, instead of complaining that there is a campaign against him?”

Kung was stripped of his licence to teach Catholic theology after he rejected the doctrine of papal infallibility. Benedict invited him to dinner shortly after his election as Pope five years ago, prompting speculation that they had reconciled.

Benedict has now let it be known that he is “disappointed and saddened” by Kung’s attack. His brother Georg, 86, acknowledged earlier this month that he had slapped young members of the choir. He said he had never heard anything about sexual abuse there.

IN the eyes of his critics, Benedict’s failure to demand more openness with the police is reminiscent of a 2001 directive he issued as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican body in charge of prosecuting sex crimes. They accuse him of fostering a culture of secrecy by insisting on keeping cases confidential while the church investigated them.

Andrea Tornielli, a papal biographer, dismissed this. “Benedict simply applied sub judice rules to the church’s investigation. And he insisted on all cases being reported immediately to his congregation to stop bishops covering them up. He has long been pushing for zero tolerance and for cases to be reported to judicial authorities,” Tornielli said.

Outrage over secrecy in the church is becoming more acute, however. For many, the scandal lies not only in the scale of the abuse but also in the way the church kept it quiet.

In Austria, a poll last week indicated that almost 1m Catholics were considering leaving the church because of its handling of the allegations. The crisis is also spreading to Italy, where the Vatican’s influence has until now stifled any revelations. Cases have come to light in Rome and Florence.

The Vatican has signalled that it will launch reforms including a more rigorous selection of candidates for the priesthood and closer co-operation with civilian authorities.

Such reforms will come too late for Hullermann and his victims. His flock in the spa town of Bad Tölz knew nothing about his record until last Sunday, when they were told in church.

The congregation sat in shocked silence, save for a 30-year-old who stood up and interrupted the service.

Mr. Obama’s dream of overhauling the nation’s health care system...

2010-03-20T19:35:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON — Speaker Nancy Pelosi was at her wits’ end, and she let President Obama know it.

Scott Brown, the upstart Republican, had just won his Senate race in Massachusetts, a victory that seemed to doom Mr. Obama’s dream of overhauling the nation’s health care system. The White House chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, once Ms. Pelosi’s right hand man on Capitol Hill, was pushing Mr. Obama to scale back his ambitions and pursue a pared-down bill.

Mr. Obama seemed open to the idea, though it was clearly not his first choice. Ms. Pelosi scoffed.

“Kiddie care,” she called the scaled-down plan, derisively, in private.

In a series of impassioned conversations, over the telephone and in the Oval Office, she conveyed her frustration to the president, according to four people familiar with the talks. If she and Harry Reid, the Senate Democratic leader, were going to stick out their necks for Mr. Obama’s top legislative priority, Ms. Pelosi wanted assurances that the president would too. At the White House, aides to Mr. Obama say, he also wanted assurances; he needed to hear that the leaders could pass his far-reaching plan.

“We’re in the majority,” Ms. Pelosi told the president. “We’ll never have a better majority in your presidency in numbers than we’ve got right now. We can make this work.”

Now, in what could become a legislative Lazarus tale — or at least the most riveting cliffhanger of the Obama presidency so far— the House is set to take up the health bill for what Democrats hope will be the last time.

For Mr. Obama, who vowed earlier this month to do “everything in my power” to see the bill to fruition, the measure’s passage would be an extraordinary triumph. Its defeat could weaken him for the rest of his days in office.

That Mr. Obama has come this far — within a whisper of passing historic social legislation — is remarkable in itself. But the story of how he did it is not his alone. It is the story of how a struggling president partnered with a pair of experienced legislators — Ms. Pelosi and, to a lesser extent, Mr. Reid — to reach for a goal that Mr. Obama has often said had eluded his predecessors going back to Theodore Roosevelt.

Their journey over the last two months, interviews with White House aides, lawmakers, outside advisers, lobbyists and political strategists show, involved tensions, resolve, political spadework — and a little bit of luck.

When Anthem, a California insurer, notified policyholders of an increase in premiums of up to 39 percent, the move played right into the hands of a White House that had spent months demonizing the insurance industry.

A cross-Capitol feud erupted when Ms. Pelosi demanded that Mr. Reid provide a letter with the signatures of 51 senators willing to pass a package of legislative changes under the complex parliamentary procedure known as reconciliation. (On Saturday, the leader announced that he had a “significant majority.”)

And Mr. Obama’s decision to hold a bipartisan health care summit meeting proved a strategic success. The move privately mystified some Democrats. But it created an important cooling off period and helped shift attention to Mr. Obama and away from Capitol Hill, freeing the speaker to work on convincing recalcitrant members of her caucus that it would be politically disastrous for them simply to walk away.

Mr. Obama did not need any prodding from Ms. Pelosi, his aides say. The Scott Brown election came on the eve of his first anniversary in office, and he told aides he was irritated that his presidency appeared to be stalled. He was eager to do what he had done so often in the presidential campaign: cast caution aside in favor of bold action.

“We are this close to the summit of the mountain,” Mr. Obama told his close advisers in a meeting in late January, said one participant. “We need to try one more time.”

Responding to a Setback

The polls were still open in Massachusetts on Jan. 19 when Mr. Obama met in the Oval Office with David Plouffe, his top outside confidant and former campaign manager. Mr. Brown’s victory — he would take Senator Edward M. Kennedy’s old seat — was all but certain, and Mr. Obama’s 60-vote supermajority in the Senate had suddenly vanished.

Mr. Brown had made clear his objections to the health care legislation. “One thing is clear,” he proclaimed on election night, “voters do not want the trillion-dollar health care bill that is being forced on the American people.”

At that moment, the president did not know whether, or how, to proceed. The House and Senate had passed different versions of the bill and could not come to terms. Republicans were unified in their resistance. He considered his options, including Mr. Emanuel’s “skinny bill.” Whatever the course, aides said, Mr. Obama was insistent that health care not be put into a “time capsule,” never to be opened again in his tenure.

Tom Daschle, a close outside adviser, said Mr. Obama believed that health care would be his legacy. “This is what his presidency is about,” he said.

On Jan. 21, Representative Barney Frank, a Massachusetts Democrat and a powerful committee chairman, headed to the White House for a banking industry announcement. He had been openly skeptical about the prospects for the health measure

Salman wants to do a movie with Deepika more than ever before...

2010-03-20T05:13:00.000-07:00

Salman Khan apparently checked out Deepika Padukone when she was first signed to do Shah Rukh Khan’s Om Shanti Om. He was mighty impressed with her beauty and talent. But at that time, he was doing Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Saawariya. And with a proxy war going on between OSO and Saawariya, the lead actors of the two movies didn’t really interact much with each other. Now it’s being said that Salman wants to do a movie with Deepika more than ever before. Deepika too had once told “Salman is one actor I’m looking forward to doing a film with.”

Trade sources say that director Anees Bazmee will cast these two goodlooking people together. Deepika said she’s unaware of these reports but sources close to Salman say that this is a definite and immediate possibility because “Bhai wants to do a movie with Deepika.” If this casting coup happens, it could be one up on the current sensations, Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif who are also looked upon as a hot screen jodi.

Of course, don’t read between the lines and try and see any ulterior motive in Salman’s desire to do a movie with the gorgeous Bangalore beauty. It’s a plain and simple case of good casting. MI

The Super Kings would be starting out firm favourites against the Punjab...(Live updates I.P.L)

2010-03-20T05:09:00.000-07:00

The fans are awe-struck with Matthew Hayden and his Mongoose bat following his 43-ball blitz Friday night at the Feozeshah Kotla and they look forward to another exhilarating experience from the opening batsman when Chennai Super Kings plays host to cellar-dwellers Kings XI Punjab here Sunday.

The ongoing Indian Premier League has not witnessed anything quite like Hayden's onslaught against the Delhi Daredevils who could not defend a total of 185 with the former Aussie opener belting 93, aided by seven sixes and nine boundaries. The five-wicket victory, their second in succession, gave the Super Kings campaign more momentum after the loss to Deccan Chargers in their opening fixture at home.

The Super Kings would be starting out firm favourites against the Punjab outfit that is in a bit of a mess after three consecutive defeats with no light to be seen at the end of the tunnel. Thus, the pressure is more on the visitors to get their act together and pick up their first points of the season.

In contrast, the Super Kings are flying high following their twin successes in Kolkata and Delhi. More importantly, the host team would be determined to put up a show to satiate their fans who were disappointed last Sunday after the defeat to the Chargers.

At the Kotla Friday night, the Super Kings would have felt the absence of skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni who is nursing an elbow injury, when Virender Sehwag was at full throttle. Dhoni's cover, Suresh Raina, just about survived the initial half of the game that exposed the Achilles heel of the Super Kings side, its bowling. It was left to Hayden and later Raina to see the team through the tricky chase.

The Super Kings would be yet again banking on their batting to see them past the Kings XI whose bowling has not really measured up to expectations. Punjab nearly pulled off a win against the Daredevils in their opening game at home, but lost in the last over. Later, they failed to defend a total of 203 against the Royal Challengers in Bangalore earlier this week before flying off to Cuttack where they lost to Chargers and now winging to Chennai.

Thus, a travel-weary Kings XI, carrying several out-of-form players and without Brett Lee, have their task cut out against the Super Kings.

10,000 U.S., NATO and Afghan forces wrested control of Marjah

2010-03-19T23:26:00.000-07:00

LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan (AP) — In the capital of Afghanistan's Helmand province, Taliban roam the streets freely. Barely a mile (a kilometer) outside Lashkar Gah, they wield more control than the government, according to residents.

Last month 10,000 U.S., NATO and Afghan forces wrested control of Marjah, a Helmand farming community about 20 miles (30 kilometers) from Lashkar Gah, after years of Taliban rule. The Marjah offensive was the first test of NATO's new counterinsurgency strategy to turn ordinary Afghans away from the Taliban with good governance and development.

But the battle for Helmand is far from over. Even in Marjah, Taliban fighters still plant bombs under cover of darkness. NATO efforts to win over the population with public services and aid have barely begun.

On Wednesday, would-be suicide attackers targeted the offices of a charity in Lashkar Gah but were killed by security guards before they could detonate their explosives-laden vests. One foreign employee was wounded in the attack on the office of International Relief and Development.

According to residents, the Taliban presence in Helmand province remains formidable, even with the loss of their base in Marjah.

"Look over there at that TV tower," said Abdul Latif, an English teacher in Lashkar Gah who wore a scarf over his face because he didn't want to be identified in the company of foreigners. "After that tower, the rest is all Taliban. The Taliban are all over the city. They leave their guns at home and come into the city."

Helmand Gov. Gulab Mangal acknowledges that the Taliban have outright control of three of the province's 13 districts. In most other districts, the only areas where the government has control are the district capitals, according to residents and some government officials.

Mangal's appointee as chief of Baghran district, Abdul Razik, hasn't been able to take up the job because the Taliban won't let him enter the area. Instead, he works out of an office in Lashkar Gah, telephoning elders in Baghran to try to persuade them to switch sides.

"How can I go there by myself if they are in control?" Razik asked. "We don't have enough soldiers or police to go with me. I can't go alone."

In Musa Qala district, the government controls the main town but the Taliban hold weekly court sessions in the rest of the district to settle property and other disputes.

The new counterinsurgency strategy pushed by U.S. Gen. Stanley McChrystal requires NATO to not just take an area but to hold it. Yet the Taliban's strength in Helmand underscores how fragile NATO's hold is not only on Marjah — an 80-square mile (200-square kilometer) district composed of farming villages — but also on other communities.

Michael Scheuer, the former CIA point man in the hunt for al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, cautioned against overstating Marjah's success, which he called "transitory."

"As long as we have 10,000 folks on the ground and open the spigot of greenbacks the success will continue," he said. "The U.S.-NATO-Karzai team will also get a boost from the large part of the media ... who will take a transitory local success and extrapolate it into a nationwide, permanent turning of the tide. How many times did we see that in Vietnam and in Iraq? How many times did the Soviets trumpet the same kind of victory in Afghanistan?"

In an interview on the banks of the Helmand River, Mangal, the governor, likened Marjah to a pilot project in good governance. If it succeeds, the expectation is that it will turn ordinary Afghans against the Taliban, and win over Taliban fighters with a promise of development and good governance.

But people are skeptical, some pointing to the appointment of Abdul Zahir as Marjah's new district leader. Zahir was convicted and jailed in Germany on attempted manslaughter charges, according to German court documents. Zahir has denied ever spending time in a German jail. Afghan officials have not rushed to oust him, but are reviewing the case.

Former Helmand Gov. Sher Mohammed Akhundzada, who supported the assault on Marjah, warned that widespread corruption will turn the Marjah victory into defeat.

"The Taliban are not gone. They have only gone to the other districts of Grishk and Sangin," said Akhundzada, whose family has ruled the province for much of the past two decades.

"The administration of Helmand is generally corrupt and nothing is changing in Marjah, no signs of reform with the latest appointment," Akhundzada said. "It doesn't matter if you have thousands and thousands of NATO troops, you will still have Taliban in Helmand."

Scheuer said it was dangerous to suggest that Marjah was a big setback for the Taliban or a major win for the Afghan government and international forces.

"Is it crippling or even hurtful (to the Taliban) over the long term? No," Scheuer said, citing multiple attacks in Kabul on Feb. 28, a day after the provincial government hoisted its flag in Marjah's town center, that underscored the Taliban's ability to strike throughout the country.

"I think the U.S. and NATO can make inroads and win tactical victories with conventional forces in Kandahar or most any other place they want to go in Afghanistan with big forces, but so what?" Scheuer said. "We do not have a tenth of the forces necessary to be everywhere at once and apply a nationwide strategy — even if we had one."

Putin "gave his appraisal of the situation in Iran and underlined...

2010-03-19T23:22:00.000-07:00

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin told US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Friday that Russia may accede to a sanctions resolution on Iran, RIA state news agency reported, adding Putin went on to caution Clinton that sanctions "do not always help to resolve such an issue and that sometimes they can have a counterproductive impact"

Putin "gave his appraisal of the situation in Iran and underlined that such a situation (involving Russian support of a sanctions resolution) was possible," RIA quoted Putin's deputy chief of staff Yuri Ushakov as saying.

In their first meeting since Clinton became secretary of state, Putin – considered by many to be the real power in Russia – greeted the Secretary of State with a volley of complaints about trade and Russia's difficulties in joining the World Trade Organization.

Also on Friday, Clinton stated in an interview with Bloomberg TV in Moscow, the US and Russia were close to signing a new nuclear arms-control agreement. "We hope to have a signing ceremony between President Medvedev and President Obama in early April," she said.

Clinton's meetings, at the end of a two-day trip, reflected continuing tensions in the US-Russia relationship a year after the Obama administration launched a "reset." Although the two sides have moved closer on issues ranging from arms control to Afghanistan, cooperation remains difficult.

At what was supposed to be a ceremonial photo op, Putin launched into a list of complaints about the drop in US trade during the economic crisis, Russia's difficulties in joining the World Trade Organization and US sanctions that have affected Russian companies. The latter subject appeared to be a reference to penalties on firms doing business with Iran, Syria and North Korea.

Clinton looked unfazed by the blunt lecture, which her aides attributed to the desire of a politician to perform for the Russian TV cameras on a domestically important issue. She highlighted how the two sides were coming close to a nuclear arms-control agreement and mentioned a recent visit by high-tech executives to Russia organized by the State Department and White House.

Clinton's agenda in Moscow was dominated by the near-complete agreement to reduce each side's deployed long-range nuclear weapons, and the US-led drive for tough sanctions on Iran. She also met with international mediators to discuss Middle East peace.

In a news conference earlier Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed caution about sanctions on Iran, saying the Kremlin was not alarmed by the Islamic republic's nuclear program and wanted to avoid "aggressive" penalties.

The remarks highlighted the limits the Obama administration could face in getting new sanctions approved by the UN Security Council. One of Clinton's top aides, Undersecretary of State William Burns, told reporters on her plane Wednesday that the US government felt "a sense of urgency" about Iran's nuclear program and that "it's time to demonstrate that there are consequences."

Lavrov acknowledged that the Kremlin was unhappy with Iran's latest actions — which include rejecting a Russian-backed plan aimed at quickly reducing the Islamic republic's stockpile of enriched uranium. And sanctions were sometimes "impossible to avoid," he said through a translator, quoting a previous comment by President Dmitry Medvedev.

Despite Lavrov's reluctant tone on sanctions, Clinton aides took heart at his comments. They noted he had until recently been one of the harshest critics of such penalties among senior Russian officials. His list of conditions for sanctions indicated he was ready to agree to work on a new resolution, they said.

Clinton told the news conference that US efforts to get a sanctions resolution "are making progress" and that "we expect to reach consensus around an appropriate response." She expressed support for what she called Medvedev's idea of "smart sanctions" that did not harm the general public.

The US government is focusing on sanctions that would target members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and the businesses they operate.

Russia had sought to water down three previous sets of UN sanctions, and its support will be crucial in getting a resolution passed.

Putin said on Thursday that Iran's new Russian-built nuclear power plant will begin operating this summer, even as the United States called for Russia to delay the startup.

In apparent response, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton – in Moscow on an official trip – urged Russia not to start up the plant until Teheran proves that it's not developing atomic weapons.

But Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, at a joint news conference with Clinton, immediately stepped in to say that Russia would put the reactor online.

No. 14-seeded Ohio stuns No. 3 Georgetown, 97-83.....

2010-03-19T03:00:00.000-07:00

Ohio, which had a losing record in conference play but won the Mid-American Conference, upset third-seeded Georgetown with a convincing 97-83 victory in the Midwest Regional at Providence, R.I.

Armon Bassett scored 32 points as the 14th-seeded Bobcats won in the NCAA tournament for the first time in 27 years. Ohio Coach John Groce wouldn't call it the biggest win in team history.

"I certainly think it's one of them," he said. "What it does more than anything is it gives belief in our guys in what we're doing."

Ohio seized the lead early on its three-point shooting and never had a serious letdown. The Hoyas made a small run in the second half that cut a 19-point lead to seven, but D.J. Cooper made a three-pointer and the Bobcats cruised from there.

Kansas 90, Lehigh 74: The top-seeded Jayhawks hung in and survived a scare before pulling away for a win over the scrappy 16th-seeded Mountain Hawks at Oklahoma City.

Marcus Morris scored 26 points and Sherron Collins had 18 as Kansas fell into its season-long pattern of playing in spurts.

Northern Iowa 69, Nevada Las Vegas 66: Ali Farokhmanesh hit a three-pointer from the wing with 4.9 seconds left to lift the ninth-seeded Panthers past the eighth-seeded Runnin' Rebels at Oklahoma City.

Northern Iowa hadn't won a game in the NCAAs since upsetting third-seeded Missouri in 1990.

Tennessee 62, San Diego State 59: Melvin Goins made his fourth three-pointer with 19 seconds left after the Aztecs cut the deficit to one point, and the sixth-seeded Volunteers held off 11th-seeded San Diego State at Providence.

The Aztecs' Kawhi Leonard scored 12 with 10 rebounds, but he missed a well-guarded three-pointer at the buzzer that would have tied it.

President Barack Obama's health care overhaul bill

2010-03-19T02:56:00.000-07:00

HOW MANY COVERED: 32 million uninsured. Major coverage expansion begins in 2014. When fully phased in, 95 percent of eligible Americans would have coverage, compared with 83 percent today.

INSURANCE MANDATE: Almost everyone is required to be insured or else pay a fine. There is an exemption for low-income people. Mandate takes effect in 2014.

INSURANCE MARKET REFORMS: Major consumer safeguards take effect in 2014. Insurers prohibited from denying coverage to people with medical problems or charging them more. Higher premiums for women would be banned. Starting this year, insurers would be forbidden from placing lifetime dollar limits on policies and from denying coverage to children because of pre-existing medical problems. Parents would be able to keep older kids on their policies up to age 26. A new high-risk pool would offer coverage to uninsured people with medical problems until 2014, when the coverage expansion goes into high gear.
MEDICAID: Expands the federal-state Medicaid insurance program for the poor to cover people with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, $29,327 a year for a family of four. Childless adults would be covered for the first time, starting in 2014. The federal government would pay 100 percent of the tab for covering newly eligible individuals through 2016. A special deal that would have given Nebraska 100 percent federal financing for newly eligible Medicaid recipients in perpetuity is eliminated. A different, one-time deal negotiated by Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu for her state, Louisiana, worth as much as $300 million, remains.

TAXES: Dramatically scales back a Senate-passed tax on high-cost insurance plans that was opposed by House Democrats and labor unions. The tax would be delayed until 2018, and the thresholds at which it is imposed would be $10,200 for individuals and $27,500 for families. To make up for the lost revenue, the bill applies an increased Medicare payroll tax to investment income as well as wages for individuals making more than $200,000, or married couples above $250,000. The tax on investment income would be 3.8 percent.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS: Gradually closes the "doughnut hole" coverage gap in the Medicare prescription drug benefit that seniors fall into once they have spent $2,830. Seniors who hit the gap this year will receive a $250 rebate. Beginning in 2011, seniors in the gap receive a discount on brand name drugs, initially 50 percent off. When the gap is completely eliminated in 2020, seniors will still be responsible for 25 percent of the cost of their medications until Medicare's catastrophic coverage kicks in.

EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITY: As in the Senate bill, businesses are not required to offer coverage. Instead, employers are hit with a fee if the government subsidizes their workers' coverage. The $2,000-per-employee fee would be assessed on the company's entire work force, minus an allowance. Companies with 50 or fewer workers are exempt from the requirement. Part-time workers are included in the calculations, counting two part-timers as one full-time worker.

SUBSIDIES: The proposal provides more generous tax credits for purchasing insurance than the original Senate bill did. The aid is available on a sliding scale for households making up to four times the federal poverty level, $88,200 for a family of four. Premiums for a family of four making $44,000 would be capped at around 6 percent of income.

HOW YOU CHOOSE YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE: Small businesses, the self-employed and the uninsured could pick a plan offered through new state-based purchasing pools called exchanges, opening for business in 2014. The exchanges would offer the same kind of purchasing power that employees of big companies benefit from. People working for medium-to-large firms would not see major changes. But if they lose their jobs or strike out on their own, they may be eligible for subsidized coverage through the exchange.

GOVERNMENT-RUN PLAN: No government-run insurance plan. People purchasing coverage through the new insurance exchanges would have the option of signing up for national plans overseen by the federal office that manages the health plans available to members of Congress. Those plans would be private, but one would have to be nonprofit.

ABORTION: The proposal keeps the abortion provision in the Senate bill. Abortion opponents disagree on whether restrictions on taxpayer funding go far enough. The bill tries to maintain a strict separation between taxpayer dollars and private premiums that would pay for abortion coverage. No health plan would be required to offer coverage for abortion. In plans that do cover abortion, policyholders would have to pay for it separately, and that money would have to be kept in a separate account from taxpayer money. States could ban abortion coverage in plans offered through the exchange. Exceptions would be made for cases of rape, incest and danger to the life of the mother.

GOP HEALTH CARE SUMMIT IDEAS: Following a bipartisan health care summit last month, Obama announced he was open to incorporating several Republican ideas into his legislation. But two of the principle ones - hiring investigators to pose as patients and search for fraud at hospitals and increasing spending for medical malpractice reform initiatives - did not make it into the legislation released Thursday. The legislation incorporates only one, an increase in payments to primary care physicians under Medicaid, an idea mentioned by Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa.

United States on Middle East peace process...( * News * World news * Israel US stares down Israel to revive Palestinian talks)

2010-03-19T02:48:00.000-07:00

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had collapsed in to the demands of the United States on Middle East peace process, opening the way for the resumption of talks with the Palestinians.

And the humiliating retreat, which came after a week of pressure from the Obama administration, has declared in the Middle East is still four-party talks this morning in Moscow.

The group met for dinner last night. It consists of a Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, Tony Blair, the representative of the international Quartet of Middle East affairs, and the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, the European Union Javier Solana, the new foreign policy, Lady Ashton; Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Lavrov called last night talks "very useful" and said the quartet was part of the way towards a "shared some of the results that may be useful to raise the beginning of the negotiations (between the Israelis and the Palestinians)."

In a telephone call with Clinton last night, Netanyahu agreed to many demands and that it had set last Friday.

A statement issued by his office, he suggested, and Clinton had called, "confidence-building measures" that would make it easier for the Palestinians to join the talks. He did not specify what those steps, but they could include easing Israeli checkpoints in the West Bank, and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from parts of the West Bank and release Palestinian prisoners.

He did not announce, and the United States had demanded, and freeze the construction of a new Jewish settlement in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood in East Jerusalem, and the main sticking point.

But diplomats in Washington and Moscow and Jerusalem, "Netanyahu promised to build a temporary freeze on new housing. Work, while not abolished, is to be postponed for several years.

Israeli Ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, The Washington Post: "The goal of both sides at this stage is to put this behind us and move forward at the proximity talks as soon as possible."

Concessions in order to put an end to a rare clash between the United States and Israel, which began early last week when U.S. Vice President Joe Biden paid a visit to Israel to coincide with what was to be hoped that the resumption of peace talks. During his visit, Israel announced a plan to build 1,600 Jewish homes in East Jerusalem. Palestinians immediately withdrew from the proposed talks and the United States and described the Israeli announcement as a contempt and insult.

Clinton was a tense 41-minute phone call with Netanyahu last Friday, expressing anger the United States which sets her demands: confidence-building measures, a moratorium on new construction in East Jerusalem and promised that the resumption of negotiations would be on the substantive issues, not just talks about talks.

There was no indication whether Netanyahu agreed to the last point, but not likely, given the events of last week, that the United States will have to settle for anything less.

Diplomats said some of the concessions made by Netanyahu and other public sector holding to enable him to save face.

The decline is a politically awkward situation for Netanyahu in the next few days after he said publicly that no Israeli government in the past 42 years made a promise not to build in East Jerusalem. He will face criticism, especially from his partners in the right-wing coalition government.

Netanyahu held a lengthy meeting with his colleagues in the government on Wednesday evening to discuss the concessions that would have to make.

Obama and Clinton win the Israeli withdrawal, which will help its reputation among Palestinians and the Arab world. Left seems weak after a similar stance with Israel off last September when peace talks failed to get in full swing.

And U.S. envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, canceled a trip to Israel this week in protest, but is to resume his visit on Sunday. Clinton is to see Netanyahu in Washington next week.

A spokesman for the U.S. State Department, Crowley said Clinton and Netanyahu discussed "concrete steps" to improve the prospects for peace talks in the Middle East. A spokesman for Netanyahu, the yoke Chefetz, the prime minister had proposed a "mutual confidence-building steps" that both Israel and the Palestinians could take.

Israel responded last night to a Palestinian rocket attack killed a Thai farm worker. Israeli planes hit at least two targets in the Gaza Strip, officials and witnesses said.

Iran's nuclear programme

2010-03-18T04:34:00.000-07:00

SHANNON, Ireland — US State Department official William Burns has insisted the United States feels a "sense of urgency" towards Iran's nuclear programme, as he headed to Russia for a two-day visit.

"We feel a sense of urgency, it's time to demonstrate that there are consequences" to Tehran's behaviour, said the under secretary for political affairs Wednesday who is accompanying US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The US and Russia "steadily expand the common ground between us on Iran, and we work effectively together," said a senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, ahead of the Moscow visit which starts Thursday.

Washington is working towards sanctions which "minimize the impact on the Iranian people and maximize the chances of the Iranian leadership to make the right choices," said the official.

Trying to push through new international sanctions against Tehran was a complex process, said the official, but added that "we do share an interest with the Russians."

Russia, the United States, France, Britain, China and Germany have been putting pressure on Iran over its nuclear programme, amid fears that Tehran is trying to build a nuclear weapon.

Of the six, China continues to resist imposing fresh sanctions while Moscow slowly appears to be coming over to the other countries' tougher stance on the issue.

Burns also insisted again that the US and Russia were "getting closer" to an agreement on a nuclear disarmament treaty to succeed the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which expired in December.

The accord led to huge reductions in the US and Russian nuclear arsenals and imposed verification measures to build trust between the two former Cold War foes.

"The leadership the US and Russia show on this sends an important message about other questions, like non-proliferation," said a second senior US official, also speaking on condition of anonymity.

One year after President Barack Obama urged a "reset" of strained relations between the US and Russia, the official said "over a hundred flights" from the US military had already passed through Russia towards Afghanistan.

This was a result of a decision taken by Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev, said the diplomat.

The latest results from Iraq's election..........

2010-03-17T22:37:00.000-07:00

The latest results from Iraq's election show a tight race emerging between PM Nouri Maliki and his main rival, Iyad Allawi.

With 80% of votes counted, the secular Shia-Sunni Iraqiya coalition led by Mr Allawi, a former prime minister, has a narrow overall lead for the first time.

But Mr Maliki's State of Law alliance remains ahead in Baghdad and Basra.

Andrew North reports

flames of the third intifada at their height

2010-03-17T22:32:00.000-07:00

The day before yesterday, with the flames of the third intifada at their height, the anxious organizer called and asked if I had a suggestion for a substitute.

You don't want me? I asked, offended. Of course we do, he replied, but the media is making it seem like Jerusalem and the territories are burning and it's not worth it to risk your life just for a lecture.

I shuddered. Only yesterday, when the police announced that even the Temple Mount was open to visitors, did I venture out of my home. I can imagine the surprise and dismay of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's admirers in the White House, the Tel Aviv newsrooms and the TV studios in Givatayim and Neveh Ilan that the third(!) intifada, for which they had so yearned, played itself out like thatHowever, never fear: In these places reality doesn't jolt the conception that intifadas break out only because of Israel's rejection of peace and its provocations (the accuracy of which was proven beyond a doubt back in the days of Yasser Arafat).

That conception will only grow stronger. In the next few days, the countdown will begin for the fourth intifada.

For months there have been whisperings that we are on the brink of an explosion, always couched in the menacing Palestinian terminology, "intifada," and always with the admonition: The ball is in Israel's court.

Of course it can be averted, but only if Israel "does (or doesn't do) something" - freezes, restricts, prevents, restrains itself, doesn't surprise, doesn't move, doesn't act, doesn't pave, doesn't build, doesn't inaugurate.

Doesn't breathe.

There's no doubt those "drunk drivers" at the head of our state are the ones who initiated the conflagration that has spread from Jerusalem throughout the Middle East. The flames are reaching Pakistan as well, and are set to engulf American troops.

Here it is again, the flat, detached, linear world outlook of the American administration and the people who have Obama's ear in his golfing coterie.

The upshot: an anti-Israel agenda that is firm, but lacking understanding and depth. One of its principles is that Netanyahu understands only force. It seems the Obama administration does not want to hold a true dialogue with Israel but to dictate where its borders will be and where it can build in its capital city.

It was not peace, but rather opposition for its own sake that motivated Joe Biden's irrational conduct and Hillary Clinton's statements, which were presumably okayed by the White House.

For long months George Mitchell has been working the lines that lead to the resumption of talks. That whole time the Americans and the Palestinians knew Israel would not stop building in Jerusalem. And had there not been a row, proximity talks would have begun as the prelude to comprehensive negotiations.

Along came Biden, Clinton, David Axelrod and others who, aided by Israelis yearning to see Netanyahu brought down, destroyed all the preparations made in the preceding months.

If their chief aim was the continuation of the talks, they would have held back, certainly in public, in the face of the clumsiness of the District Planning and Building Committee. Because now, after they have proclaimed that it is forbidden to build in Jerusalem, what Palestinian leader would dare to talk to Israel, even if only a school was being built in Gilo, and not a neighborhood in Ramat Shlomo?

At a time like this, especially with Jerusalem in the mix, it would be natural for Israelis, or at least the Jewish majority, to rally around Netanyahu if only because of the Americans' brutality or the affront to the prime minister's honor behind the kind of snafu that can and does happen in any bureaucracy.

But it's not like that in Israel. Here, a great many people, including some who don't oppose building in the capital, joined with the Americans to assist them in humiliating their country and throwing their prime minister off balance.

There is one important lesson that Israel never learns: If there is a master plan to build tens of thousands of apartments in Jerusalem and thereby assure that the absolute Jewish majority in the city be preserved for generations, it is the entire plan that should be approved, all at the same time. Whether 1,600 or 50,000 apartments are slated to be built, the condemnation and threats from within and the self-righteousness, panic and criticism from within, will be exactly the same. Instead of drawing such intense fire every year or two, it can all be concentrated into one anticipated blast, and the building of Jerusalem will continue after the condemnatory dust settles, as it always does.

New York 87: Manu Ginobili scored 28 points in.....

2010-03-11T02:40:00.000-08:00

Memphis 111, at Boston 91: Rudy Gay scored 28 points as the Grizzlies picked up their franchise-record seventh straight road win.

at San Antonio 97, New York 87: Manu Ginobili scored 28 points in the Spurs' win over the Knicks, who are assured of a team-record ninth straight losing season.

at Oklahoma City 98, New Orleans 83: Kevin Durant scored 29 points and Russell Westbrook added 17 points and came up just shy of a triple-double for the Thunder.

Utah 115, at Detroit 104: Deron Williams had 18 points and 12 assists for the Jazz, which posted its 10th straight victory over the Pistons.

at Sacramento 113, Toronto 90: The Kings' Tyreke Evans recorded his first career triple-double with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

Charlotte 102, at Philadelphia 87: The Bobcats' Gerald Wallace had 28 points on nine-for-10 shooting.

Denver 110, at Minnesota 102: Chauncey Billups scored 25 points in the Nuggets' victory.

Thailand Braces for Political Rallies in Capital

2010-03-11T02:37:00.000-08:00

BANGKOK — Thailand’s seemingly unending political crisis is likely to reach another moment of tension this weekend with huge opposition rallies that organizers say they hope will paralyze the city and bring down the government.

While pledging nonviolence, protest leaders say they will gather hundreds of thousands of mostly rural supporters for mass rallies and blockades of government offices, starting on Friday and building over the following days.

Thousands of buses, trucks and farm vehicles are expected to converge from neighboring provinces in what one organizer called Maoist tactics of “the forest surrounding the town.”

The government, warning of violence, has invoked the Internal Security Act, which effectively hands control over to the military, with the right to impose curfews, set up checkpoints and restrict the movements of demonstrators.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva warned last week of unspecified acts of “sabotage.” This week he canceled a planned visit to Australia because of the urgency of the situation.

The weekend plans are the latest pressure points that have wearied many Thais over the past four years. Thailand has become “a nation cursed to live in a constant state of anxiety,” said the daily newspaper The Nation.

The image of a rural invasion of the capital emphasizes the complex and deepening divisions in the country, which in their simplest terms pit the rural poor against an urban establishment whose primacy is under threat.

Thailand’s rural underclass found an electoral voice under former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and has rallied to his defense since he was ousted in a coup in 2006. He now lives abroad, evading a two-year prison term on a conviction for corruption.

“Our aim is to topple the government, force them to make a choice between suppressing us and stepping down,” a protest leader, Jaran Ditsatapichai, said last week.

It is not the first time that one side or another in alternating street campaigns — known by their clothing as the red shirts and the yellow shirts — has announced that goal as governing power changes hands. This time it is the turn of the red shirts.

“We’ve heard that many times before,” said Pavin Chachavalpongpun, an expert on Thailand at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore. “Every time, they say it’s going to be the final showdown. Do they really believe that a final showdown will put Abhisit out of power?”

More unsettling, he said, is the possibility that other groups with other agendas might instigate violence.

“If it turns nasty it might not be because of the reds,” he said. “Right now there are so many factions all over the place. Even within the reds and the yellows, so many factions. We don’t know who is allied to who. The whole situation creates a context in which a third, fourth, fifth hand can take advantage.”

The red shirts have been violent in the past, but some analysts say violence at this point would discredit them and strengthen the position of the government.

The planned demonstration is a continuation of tensions since early 2006 that have included blockades of government buildings, the occupation of Bangkok’s two airports, the disruption of a meeting of regional heads of state, two particularly violent rallies and a military coup.

A year ago, a demonstration by tens of thousands of red shirts touched off some of the worst violence in years, leaving two people dead and more than 120 injured.

The most recent moment of anxiety was just two weeks ago when the government warned of a violent reaction when the Supreme Court found Mr. Thaksin guilty of concealing his wealth and of abusing his office.

It confiscated $1.4 billion in frozen assets but allowed him to keep nearly $1 billion that he had earned as a telecommunications tycoon before taking office in 2001.

There was no violence, and this weekend’s rally is in part a deferred reaction to that verdict.

Analysts say that the ruling has opened the door to a new round of legal cases against Mr. Thaksin and that he is unlikely to see any of that money soon.

Using other money available to him outside Thailand, he is believed to be funding much of the red shirt activity and has rallied supporters from his refuge abroad, mostly in Dubai.

In a Twitter message earlier this week, in an increasingly familiar plaintive tone, he said, “I would like to urge those who love democracy, justice, equality, and those who think that I have been bullied without mercy and humanity, to join the rally.”

As his physical absence has lengthened, the red shirt movement has fragmented into sometimes hostile factions, and many insist that their movement is in support of democracy more than of Mr. Thaksin.

But the divisions often seem to have less to do with ideology than with a struggle for wealth and power.

Mr. Thaksin’s supporters among the rural and urban poor are in the majority, and their vote has helped win the last three general elections for parties that back him. Mr. Abhisit’s government took office through a parliamentary vote in December 2008 when a court disbanded the governing pro-Thaksin party for electoral fraud. If the red shirts can bring down the current government and force a new election, they reason, Mr. Thaksin’s side could step back into power.

Their opponents argue that Mr. Thaksin was corrupt, that he was destroying democratic institutions and that he has manipulated the poor majority with populist measures like cheap medical care and various forms of financial assistance.

The yellow shirts, who demonstrated against previous pro-Thaksin governments, have proposed a constitutional amendment that would put more electoral power into the hands of an educated elite while limiting the influence of the rural vote.

It was the yellow shirts who blockaded the prime minister’s office for months in 2008 and closed down Bangkok’s two airports for a week. Tourists fled the country, and in an effort to reassure them, the government announced a $10,000 insurance package for any who might be harmed by political violence.

Last week, with the new moment of uncertainty approaching, the government spokesman, Panitan Wattanayagorn, said the insurance offer was still good.

64 people in that bracket in mainland China

2010-03-11T02:20:00.000-08:00

There are a total of 64 people in that bracket in mainland China, the magazine says in its annual list of the world's richest people.

The figure is perhaps not surprising considering that China's economy has seen rapid growth over recent years.

China is set to overtake Japan as the world's second-biggest economy sometime this year.

According to Forbes, the world now has 1,011 billionaires.

The country with the biggest concentration is the US, with 403. But China comes second with 64 living in the mainland.

That figure jumps to 89 if Hong Kong is included. The former British colony was returned to China in 1997, but largely governs its own affairs.

On Forbes' list of billionaires there are a total of 97 new additions - and 27 of those are from mainland China.

They include people such as Li Shufu, who is chairman of Geely, a car-maker that is currently poised to buy Sweden's Volvo.

The richest man in China, Zong Qinghou, runs a multi-billion-dollar firm, the Wahaha Group, that makes soft drinks.

In an interview with Forbes, he hinted at why his firm has become so successful.

"We're not afraid of competition. To meet competition, however, you have to continuously innovate," he said.

Wealth gap

China's increasing prominence on this rich list reflects its growing economic muscle, confirmed on Wednesday with a report that exports rose in February by nearly 50% compared to a year earlier.

But the news that there are now more billionaires in China might not be welcomed by everyone in the country.

Many people, including some officials, say that the gap between rich and poor is already too large.

Just a few days ago in a speech at the start of China's on-going parliamentary session, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said the government must reverse the widening income gap.

"We will not only make the 'pie' of social wealth bigger by developing the economy, but also distribute it well," he said.

Mr Wen added: "[We will] make our society fairer and more harmonious."

Amr Moussa, the Arab League Secretary-General, told reporters in Cairo.

2010-03-11T02:11:00.000-08:00

The Palestinian move came only days after they succumbed to heavy American pressure to conduct indirect talks with Israel in an attempt to kick-start the logjammed Middle East peace process.

However, Israel today said the announcement of the settlement was a mistake and Mr Netanyahu has reprimanded Eli Yishai, the Interior Minister, over the timing.

The resumption of talks should have crowned the first visit to the region by Joe Biden, the US Vice President, this week, but the trip turned into a fiasco after the surprise Israeli announcement on Tuesday of building plans for Ramat Shlomo, an ultra-orthodox suburb of Jerusalem situated across the pre-1967 border in the West Bank.

Palestinians see East Jerusalem as capital of their future state, while Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, considers it part of “the eternal, undivided capital of Israel and the Jewish people.”

Mr Biden and world leaders including David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, and Baroness Ashton, the EU foreign policy chief, led wall-to-wall criticism of the Israeli move that Mr Abbas said was “the ruining of trust.”

The Arab League, which endorsed Palestinian participation in the US-brokered indirect talks last week, said on Wednesday that unless the Israeli building plans were cancelled, the talks would have “no meaning.”

Mr Biden, a long-time supporter of Israel in the US Senate, began the week praising the close ties and friendship between America and the Jewish state, but the Israeli move so wrong-footed his carefully choreographed trip that he issued one of the harshest condemnations of Israel ever uttered by the White House.

He was due to deliver a keynote address to the Israeli people at Tel Aviv University on Thursday morning that was being hastily rewritten in light of the week’s humiliating events.

eastern Europe, killing over 50...

2010-02-28T20:52:00.000-08:00

The violent winter storm, dubbed as "Xynthia," has lashed most eastern European countries as of Sunday with heavy rain and strong gust, leaving over 50 deaths and massive devastation on its routes.

Developed in the Atlantic off the Portuguese island Madeira, storm Xynthia landed on France's western coast late Saturday after causing three deaths in Spain, and went on to Germany via Belgium on Sunday afternoon.

France, the worst hit country, recorded at least 45 victims and several disappearances, mainly in Vandee and Charente-Maritime, the two western coastal departments which registered the biggest toll.

Most victims died from drowning or impacts from falling trees and buildings. French President Nicolas Sarkozy is going to visit the worst hit areas on Monday morning, the presidential office said.

Over 500,000 households remained in the dark and power supply is not expected to resume at least three days later, said the national power company Electricity of France.

Paris was also affected by the storm as the gust speeded up to over 100 km per hour in the day. Air France announced Sunday the cancellation of more than 100 flights at the Paris-Charles de Gaulle international airport as well as some delays and diversions.

President Obama, 48, passed his exam...

2010-02-28T20:44:00.000-08:00

President Obama, 48, passed his physical exam Sunday, though the results show he should watch his diet and keep up his efforts to quit smoking.

"The president is in excellent health and 'fit for duty,' " said a report from Jeffrey Kuhlman, the president's doctor. "All clinical data indicate that he will remain so for the duration of his presidency."

Obama underwent his first physical as president at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. Kuhlman said the president could wait until he's 50 (in 2011) for his next physical. After the 90-minute exam, Obama visited with wounded soldiers who are being treated at the facility.

Kuhlman recommended changes to Obama's diet to reduce his cholesterol level and urged him to "continue smoking cessation efforts." Last June, Obama acknowledged he had sometimes "fallen off the wagon" and occasionally still smoked, despite efforts to quit.

POLICY: Obama set for 'up or down vote' on health care

The president is "doing the right things," says Cam Patterson, a cardiologist and professor at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. "The stress of being president hasn't made his weight go up."

Obama's weight, blood pressure and resting heart rate are all much lower than average, suggesting he is very physically fit and is exercising regularly, Patterson said. He estimates that the president is in the top 25% of men his age in terms of health.

"That doesn't mean he's without risk," Patterson said. "It means he's taking care of himself."

Obama does have several factors for heart disease, including being a man, a history of smoking and moderately high "bad cholesterol," or LDL, Patterson said. If this number continues to rise, Patterson said, Obama's doctor might consider prescribing drugs to lower his cholesterol, known as statins.

Screening tests for prostate cancer and colorectal cancer found nothing suspicious, the medical report said. Obama's mother and grandmother died of cancer.

The U.S. Supreme Court is about to take dead aim at the fierce debate over gun...

2010-02-28T20:36:00.000-08:00

The U.S. Supreme Court is about to take dead aim at the fierce debate over gun regulations in cities and states across the country, with California's strict gun-control laws squarely in the cross hairs of the legal showdown.

The justices on Tuesday will hear arguments in a challenge to a Chicago area ban on handguns and semiautomatic weapons, weighing for the first time whether the Second Amendment right to bear arms applies to local and state gun regulations. For a state such as California, which has long been a target of gun rights advocates for a slew of firearms regulations, a Supreme Court ruling extending Second Amendment protections to cities and states could open the floodgates to a new generation of lawsuits.

Experts generally agree that whatever the Supreme Court decides, it will not erase many of California's gun laws. But gun rights groups already are gearing up for lawsuits that would renew challenges to California laws, including its assault weapons ban, on the grounds they trample on the fundamental right to bear arms.

The case also could have implications for local efforts to regulate gun possession and sales, including a direct impact on a long-running legal battle over Alameda County's ordinance banning gun possession on county property. That case is on hold in a federal appeals court, awaiting the outcome in the Supreme Court. San Mateo County also recently considered gun limits before tabling the idea.
has a lot at stake," said Dennis Hennigan, vice president of law and policy for the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, which rates the state first in gun control laws. "You could certainly see increased litigation over all these laws."

Chuck Michel, a lawyer for the National Rifle Association in California, adds: "There will be lots of stuff, especially the stuff that's really extreme and high-profile, that will be challenged as vulnerable."

The Supreme Court case is the second in the past two years that takes on a legal debate over the Second Amendment that went unresolved for more than 100 years: how much, and whether, constitutional protection restricts government's ability to regulate gun ownership, possession and sales.

Two years ago, the Supreme Court struck down a handgun ban in the District of Columbia, a federal enclave, concluding that it trampled on the Second Amendment. Left unresolved was whether the Second Amendment would likewise invalidate similar state and local laws, prompting an immediate challenge to Chicago's regulation.

A federal appeals court upheld the law, in large part by finding that the Supreme Court had not established a Second Amendment right that applies to cities and states.

Legal experts say the fallout from the Chicago case will depend on how far the justices go in their decision. In the 2008 ruling, the 5-4 majority, led by Justice Antonin Scalia, did make clear that certain areas of gun regulation were "presumptively valid" for government, such as firearm sales.

"I think there will be questions about specific regulations and whether they fall out of those categories," said Sayre Weaver, one of the lawyers defending Alameda County's ordinance.

Many states have joined in the case, arguing that the Second Amendment should extend to the states. California is in a unique position, being one of just six states that does not have the equivalent of the Second Amendment in its state constitution.

California Attorney General Jerry Brown weighed in on the Supreme Court case, taking the position that the federal right should apply to the states — a position that disappointed gun control advocates. However, Brown's office also urged the justices to take the case to "provide guidance on the scope of the states' ability to reasonably regulate firearms."

Gun rights groups predict that ability could be curtailed, although they concede California will still be able to maintain a menu of anti-gun laws. Experts, meanwhile, say the only guarantee is that the latest Supreme Court case will keep judges across the country busy on gun rights issues for years to come.

"The case will kick down the line the really hard questions," said Doug Berman, an Ohio State University law professor following the case closely. "We're in uncharted territory. No one is quite sure where we're going, and I'm not even sure anyone knows where we should be going."

In occupied Kashmir, Eid Milad-un-Nabi

2010-02-28T20:30:00.000-08:00

In occupied Kashmir, Eid Milad-un-Nabi was celebrated on Saturday with religious enthusiasm and solemnity. People prayed special prayers and were seen thronging to the mosques and shrines in various parts where they offered respects to prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

The biggest congregation was held at Hazratbal shrine where nearly 100,000 devotees offered Zuhr prayers. The holy relic of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was also displayed. Similar congregations were also held at Asari Sharif Kalashpora, Jenab Sahib Soura, Lal Bazar, Pinjura Shopian, Islamabad, Qaimoh, Bandipore, Charar-e-Sharief and Baramulla areas. People on the occasions prayed for early liberation of Jammu and Kashmir from Indian bondage.

On the other hand, police and paramilitary personnel beat up and injured participants of the Milad processions at Aabiguzar in Srinagar and Qazigund in Kulgam and arrested several youth. Senior APHC leader, Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi led a procession from Zadibal to Gulshanabad while other processions were taken out from Gaw Kadal, Barbarshah and Maisuma to Dargah Hazratbal.

When you smoke you inhale over 4000 chemicals.. (New anti-smoking)

2010-02-28T20:20:00.000-08:00

When you smoke you inhale over 4000 chemicals.

That's the straight up message to be carried in ads that will start on Sunday and run nationwide for more than three months, Health Minister Nicola Roxon said.

"While smoking prevalence in Australia has declined over time, rates of daily smoking remain too high at 16.6 per cent of those aged 14 or older," Ms Roxon said on Saturday.

"The 2010 stage of the National Tobacco Campaign will reach a broad age-range, but focuses on young adults."

Ms Roxon said at least 43 of the 4000 chemicals can cause cancer.

Hindu festival of Holi in India...

2010-02-28T20:12:00.000-08:00

A chronic water shortage will put a dampener on the Hindu festival of Holi in India today after revellers were warned not to use dangerously low drinking supplies for traditional rain dances.

Water consumption in Mumbai soars during the annual festival of colours. The causes are twofold: first comes the celebratory soaking that accompanies dancing in the streets; later, millions of gallons are used to wash away the coloured powders flung at each other by worshippers marking the arrival of spring.

Last year India suffered its worst monsoon rains since 1972. Water levels in the six lakes that supply the commercial capital plunged and Mumbai, like many other cities, now only receives mains water for part of the eachday.

“As the city is reeling under a water shortage people should avoid using drinking water for non-potable purposes, especially rain dances,” a local government official said.Mumbai’s Mayor, Shraddha Jadhav, called for a change in the law to make the misuse of water a criminal offence. The authorities plan to send out teams to monitor Holi parties.

Experts fear that such crisis measures will become more common. India’s water needs are expected to double by 2030 as the population expands, the agricultural sector strains to supply enough food and more people acquire proper plumbing.

A study published in Nature, the science journal, warnedthat shortages could trigger social conflict. Already, street skirmishes regularly occur in Mumbai as crowds wait for tankers with daily supplies.

In December one person died in the city during a protest calling for an end to water cuts. Only a fifth of households have their own mains supply, a recent study found.

Similar shortages blight much of the country. In the northern state of Rajasthan officials are preparing to send emergency tankers to 10,000 villages in the coming weeks.

The issue also holds geopolitical implications: last month, Richard Holbrooke, President Obama’s special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, said that the resolution of water disputes between India and Pakistan was one of the most pressing concerns in the region.

makes these best Winter Games....

2010-02-28T18:55:00.000-08:00

What were the odds that two teams of mercenary, millionaire pros from the U.S. and Canada would breathe new life into those hopelessly romantic words that helped revive the modern Olympics more than a century ago? The ones about how competing honorably was even more important than winning?

But they made it happen.

At least for one afternoon.

Had the local heroes lost, everyone in this land of 33 million might have called in sick Monday morning. They might anyway, judging by the celebration that erupted right after rising star and soon-to-be-cast-in-gold icon Sidney Crosby pounced on a loose puck and slipped it underneath lunging U.S. goalie Ryan Miller to seal the hockey gold medal with a 3-2 win in overtime.

"It doesn't even feel real," Crosby said. "It feels like a dream."

But as more than a few of his French-speaking, sometimes-contrarian countrymen are shouting to the rooftops still: "Au contraire!"

It no longer matters here what anyone outside Vancouver — or Canada, for that matter — thinks. Best games or not, the 600,000 residents of this jewel of a city on the country's far western edge will be stuck paying off the debt for a decade.

And nothing will erase the tragic death of a young Georgian luger even before the torch was lit. Ultimately, that will be the Vancouver Olympics' enduring legacy.

But there was never a more-fitting ending to any Winter Games than this one. The crowd in Canada Hockey Place was on its feet in a full-throated roar for the final minute of regulation, then again as alternating chants of "USA! USA!" and "Go, Canada, Go!' echoed around the building to accompany the presentation of the gold and sliver medals. That's respect.

It's easy to be cynical about two teams of NHL all-stars donning their national colors for two weeks and putting forth one grand, no-holds-barred effort.

But these two squads already did that a week ago, in a preliminary-round game that was stolen by the Americans and still turned out to be the most-watched television program in Canada's history. Who knew they could play harder still this time around, even with gold on the line?

"It certainly doesn't feel good right now, but from where we came in August, when people were making fun of how many Johnsons and Ryans and everything else we had," U.S. forward Chris Drury said. "No one knew our names. People know our names now."

Man, do they ever.

But that's only one measure of how much this one mattered.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, a hockey historian, stayed to the very end. Musician Neil Young turned up in the stands to watch the hockey version of his old group — not Crosby, Stills and Nash, but Crosby, (Eric) Staal and (Rick) NashActor William Shatner even beamed himself down to take in the game.

If nothing else, it's going to be tough for those who played to come down.

Barely 24 hours after the medals were doled out, players on both teams were scheduled to be back in the NHL. They'll be working and practicing alongside and against one another in different combinations. Some will be depending on former enemies as teammates for their livelihoods.

In some cases, teammates will become enemies once more. U.S. defenseman Brian Rafalski and center Paul Stastny, for example, will be on opposite sides of the Detroit-Colorado game Monday night. Making it more interesting still, Canadian coach Mike Babcock will be back at his day job, behind the Red Wings bench.

Yet the next time their paths cross, everyone who played in this game will be able to look one another in the eye and remember the magic they created. That will make even a meaningless NHL game, in the middle of a long, drawn-out season, something special.

"I just barely saw it," U.S. defenseman Brooks Orpik said about Crosby's game-winner, "but I've seen him score many goals for us in Pittsburgh.

"It's disappointing," he added, "but if we were going to lose, I'm glad he's the guy that won it."

Rafalski understood what Orpik meant. Someday, the silver medal hanging from his neck might mean more than it does now.

Pakistan is a friendly countryPakistan is a friendly country

2010-02-28T18:44:00.000-08:00

“Pakistan is a friendly country. Anytime one sees a dangerous trend in a friendly country, one is not only sorry but worried,” Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al Faisal told Indian journalists after a meeting with visiting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

It was the duty of all political leaders in Pakistan to unite to ensure that extremists did not achieve their objectives, he said.

Answering a query, he said: “There is no relation between Saudi Arabia and Taliban. Our relationship was abrogated when Taliban gave sanctuary to Al Qaeda. Since then and till today we have no relations with Taliban. That will give you an indication of how seriously we look at the issue.”

Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Talmiz Ahmed told reporters that Prime Minister Singh during his meetings with the Saudi leadership was expected to stress the need for Pakistan to dismantle the ‘terror infrastructure’ on its soil. He said a Saudi initiative to rehabilitate extremists by enlightening them about the non-violent principles of Islam would also be discussed.

He said there was deep concern both in India and Saudi Arabia about the sense of insecurity and instability across West Asia and parts of South Asia, from Palestine to Pakistan.

Security forces have killed 25 militants in Peshawar’s frontier region.....

2010-02-28T18:35:00.000-08:00

PESHAWAR: Security forces have killed 25 militants in Peshawar’s frontier region in the first four days of in ‘Operation Spring Cleaning’, according to officials.

Addressing a joint press conference in the Spina Thana near Darra Adamkhel on Saturday, city police chief Liaqat Ali Khan, Frontier Constabulary Commandant Safwat Ghayur, the Frontier Corps’ (FC) Brigadier Faiz and the army’s Col Qaiser said the operation was launched on the basis of intelligence reports that around 300 militants were setting up a “command-and-control system” in Pastowany area of Peshawar’s frontier region, intimidating the local population and using the area in a bid to mount an attack on Peshawar.

The officials said that operation was jointly launched on February 24, and would continue until the elimination of militants form the area. They said one a FC troop had been killed in fighting and five others injured.

The officials said while several militants had been taken into custody, they put up “tough resistance”. They said the arrested militants belonged to Darra, Peshawar, Bannu, Kohat, Dera Ismail Khan and Fateh Jang.

They said huge caches of arms and ammunition and eight suicide jackets had been seized during the operation and “militant headquarters and hideouts destroyed”. They said “training material” and “literature” had also been confiscated.

According to the APP news agency, police said on Sunday 17 bullet-riddled bodies of suspected militants had been found in Darra Adamkhel.

Tendulkar is also a man of the people

2010-02-25T18:52:00.000-08:00

Everyone cranes forward to get their first glimpse of their hero.

Slowly, the noise returns as seemingly every individual at the ground roars as they get their first sight of the world's most prolific batsman.

The incredible din continues until he reaches the crease, and then grows louder still with every run and boundary that flows from his seemingly impossibly wide blade.

But more often than not, the dream ends with his dismissal.

And when it does, the stadium takes on a totally surreal atmosphere as the pulsating noise suddenly ceases as soon as the fans realise that he's out.

For a few seconds it is as if all the air has been sucked out of the stadium, but after a few seconds the rumble starts again and by the time Sachin is halfway back to the dressing rooms the sound is every bit as loud as when he first appeared as the crowd, together as one, pays homage to the maestro.

For Tendulkar it's the end of an innings.

For the fans it is the end of a dream with many of those in attendance witnessing him live for the first and only time in their lives.

Tendulkar is more than just a marvellous cricketing practitioner, for he is also a man of the people.

Despite the demands that his celebrity has wrought on him he has never turned his back on his legion of fans.

Through all the public scrutiny, the thronging crowds and the lack of personal space he is always gracious, never losing his cool or heard uttering a harsh word.

The grace he displays on the field is mirrored by the way he conducts himself away from it.

Within months of his 37th birthday, he is arguably in a vein of form as rich as any in his 20-year international career.

He has produced a century in each of the four Tests he has played this year, taking his world record tally to 47, having scored 13,447 runs from his 166 Tests.

His imperious and historic double century in Gwalior was his 46th at one-day level, with his 442 matches producing a staggering 17,598 runs.

Early next year Tendulkar will feel even more weight on his shoulders when India hosts the One-Day World Cup.

By the time it ends, the baby-faced assassin will likely have registered his 100th international century.

Shahbaz Sharif especially went to election office of Shakil Awan to felicitate him on his historical victory.

2010-02-25T18:46:00.000-08:00

Chief Minister Punjab, Muhammad Shahbaz on Thursday thanked the Pindiites for sending PML (N) candidate to the Parliament and reposing confidence into leadership of Mian Nawaz Sharif. He alleged that all their political rivals supported Sheikh Rashid but the people of Rawalpindi cast their votes in favour of PML (N) candidate.

He made these remarks while addressing party workers and citizens here at central election office of Malik Shakil Awan who defeated Sheikh Rashid in by-election of NA-55.

Shahbaz Sharif especially went to election office of Shakil Awan to felicitate him on his historical victory.

MNA, Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, Begum Tahira Aurangzez, MPAs, Ziaullah Shah, Sheharyar Riaz, Malik Yasir Raza, Chaudhry Sarfraz Afzal, Raja Hanif Advocate and a large number of party workers and citizens were also present.

Expressing gratitude to elders, brothers and sisters on this great success, he said this achievement was result of great affection and love of Pindiites with Mian Nawaz Sharif.

He said this success was against the corruption, disloyalty and falseness adding, “Sheikh Rashid had promised to give his two seats to Mian Nawaz Sharif he won in the Election 2002.”

Shahbaz Sharif assured the people that he would come up to the expectation of the people and will continue to serve the masses.

He asked the PML (N) members of National and Provincial Assemblies to untiringly serve the people of Rawalpindi. On the occasion, he announced to set up a 150-bed Mother and Child Hospital in Benazir Bhutto Hospital which will be completed even by this June.

Earlier, the Chief Minister visited Benazir General Hospital where Secretary Health, Punjab, Fawad Hassan Fawad, Principal Medical College, Dr. Mussadaq and the Incharge Gyny Department gave him special briefing for setting up of Mother and Child Hospital.

The Chief Minister said that under construction Institute of Cardiology will be completed by December and its standard will be equal to that of Punjab Institute of Cardiology, Lahore.

He also directed to upgrade Mother and Child ward in Holy Family Hospital and preparation of a comprehensive plan for providing modern medical facilities to patients.

The Dubai police claim that 26 visitors entered

2010-02-25T18:23:00.000-08:00

The Dubai police claim that 26 visitors entered and exited the emirate over the past year on false British, Irish, Australian, German and French passports. Some or all were involved in the assassination of senior Hamas operative Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, who also entered Dubai under a false identity. The Dubai police chief has accused the Mossad of the January 19 hit. He has presented no proof, but more than half of the fake passports in Dubai bore the names of Israelis.

The European Union and the countries whose passports were counterfeited have criticized the misuse of their identity documents without mentioning the names of those responsible. French President Nicolas Sarkozy termed the assassination utterly unjustified - "nothing more than a murder." Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement in Mabhouh's killing or in falsifying the documents, but former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Dan Halutz said that such actions attributed to Israel "deter terror organizations."

It is unclear whether terrorist groups are more deterred than in the past. What is clear is that the plot is thickening as more suspects are uncovered. If the claims of Israel's respThe main question pertains to the planning of the operation, or operations, in which the 26 holders of false passports were involved. It seems that the planners did not take into consideration Dubai's ability to cross-reference information from surveillance cameras in the airport, hotels and malls with computerized information from its passport control. Even if none of the suspected agents were caught in the act, clearly they will have difficulty taking part in similar actions in the future. It's also possible that the investigation will lead to the exposure of other suspects or other operations. A week before the hit on Mabhouh, a nuclear scientist was killed in Tehran, and Iranian leaders accused Israel.

The group that took out Mabhouh was exposed due to one weak point: the use of false passports from Western countries bearing the identities of real Israelis with dual citizenship. From now on, it will be much more difficult to use such passports, and all Israelis with dual passports will be suspected of being intelligence agents. There is no doubt that this revelation endangers, or at least complicates, other operations.

Did Mabhouh's assassination justify taking such a risk? Was there negligence or contempt for the adversary on the part of the planners, the commanders and those who approved the operation (Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to foreign reports)? Were other operations compromised, that were even more essential than the killing of a Hamas weapons smuggler? Is criticism by countries whose passports were falsified just for the record, or will it limit operatives' freedom of action in other hits? Will the affair increase Israel's international isolation and present it once again as a lawless state?

If foreign reports are true about Israel's responsibility for the Mabhouh hit and the forged passports, then a thorough clarification is warranted, which can lead to conclusions about both organizations and individuals.onsibility are correct, what appears to be cumulative damage is getting worse.

business for American defence firms.

2010-02-25T18:15:00.000-08:00

The newspaper noted that although the US had stayed out of the Indo-Pak rift, it was pursuing deals with both to strengthen its relationship and create business for American defence firms.

The US has made billions of dollars in weapons deals with India, which is in the midst of a five-year, $50 billion push to modernise its military. At the same time, American military aid to Pakistan would nearly double next year, the leading financial daily noted.

This would allow Islamabad to acquire more US-made helicopters, night-vision goggles and other military equipment.

The paper said that Pakistan had sought a nuclear deal with the US on the lines of the Indo-US atomic pact.

During a late January trip to Islamabad, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said the US would for the first time give Pakistan a dozen surveillance drones, a longstanding Pakistani request.

The newspaper noted that India and Pakistan have each been irked when the US made big-ticket weapons sales or transfers to the other. India lobbied against recent US legislation giving Pakistan billions of dollars in new non-military aid; the measure passed.

A top Pakistani diplomat warned last week that a two-year-old civilian nuclear deal between the US and India could threaten Pakistan’s national security by making it easier for India to covertly build more nuclear weapons.

Washington’s relationships with the two nations were very different, the Journal said, noting: “India, which is wealthier and larger than its neighbour, pays for weapons purchases with its own funds.

“Pakistan, by contrast, uses American grants to fund most of its arms purchases.”

A new US counter-insurgency assistance fund for Pakistan is slated to increase from $700 million in fiscal year 2010 to $1.2 billion in fiscal year 2011.

“For 2010 and 2011, India could well be the most important market in the world for defence contractors looking to make foreign military sales,” Tom Captain, the vice-chairman of Deloitte LLP’s aerospace and defence practice told WSJ.

The Obama administration is trying to persuade New Delhi to buy American jet fighters.

American troops take our women and daughters in another place and ....

2010-02-24T18:55:00.000-08:00

American troops knocked on the door, and before the Afghan family could find the key to let them in, the soldiers broke it down.

There was no time to take women in the home to another place, said 77-year-old Mohammad Nabi. And that's what troubled the retired school teacher most about the intrusion in the southern town of Marjah.

''If they ask us to take our women and daughters in another place and then they do the search, we have no problems,'' Nabi told an Associated Press reporter. ''We will cooperate with them. But they just enter the house and start searching and they don't care who is there.''

A new directive, confirmed Wednesday by Gen. Stanley McChrystal, aims to limit such nighttime raids on civilians. It was prompted by a storm of complaints from Afghans who, like Nabi, who were enraged over foreign soldiers bursting into their homes.

The move is the most recent by coalition forces to woo the Afghan public away from the Taliban.

''We didn't understand what a cultural line it was,'' McChrystal said during a luncheon with a group of young Afghans involved in a leadership program, part of a series he regularly holds to hear Afghan public opinion.

''We are trying to change the way we do these,'' he said.

Such raids emerged as the top concern by Afghans after McChrystal limited the use of airstrikes, which were responsible for the bulk of civilian deaths. He said the directive, whose details remain classified, was issued in late January. The AP had been told last month that NATO forces would limit night raids, but the change was only confirmed Wednesday.

A number of groups, along with the Afghan government and civilians, had been pressuring NATO to rethink the nighttime operations.

''Night raids cause tremendous trauma within Afghan communities, often alienating the very people whom international forces are supposedly trying to protect,'' said a 15-page report this week by the New York-based Open Society Institute, which promotes democracy, and an Afghan organization focusing on social development, The Liaison Group.

Raids can often turn violent, with detainees being kicked or beaten while handcuffed, the report said. It cited a U.N. report that said 98 civilians were killed during night raids in 2009.

Among the public, night raids by international troops raise anger because of cultural sensitivities, said Hamid Mohammad, head of the local chapter of a worldwide student leadership organization.

''If a foreign soldier goes into an Afghan house and if they even search boxes of the women's clothes, the men get very angry,'' he told McChrystal. ''This is the thing that creates problems for international forces and destroys the perception of (NATO) among the local people.''

Mohammad said the best way to conduct such searches would be to use Afghan forces because ''they just know what to do and they know what kind of behavior is acceptable.''

NATO spokesman Lt. Col. Todd Breasseale said he could not give specifics on the directive but that it does not limit the ability of troops to operate.

''It simply reiterates the commander's directive to consider other points of view and to consider other cultural sensitivities,'' he said, adding that night raids remain a necessary tactic.

A U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity because a declassified version of the order had not been released said the directive instructs commanders to let Afghan troops knock on doors or forcibly enter Afghan homes and compounds at night.

It also tells NATO troops to determine whether anything would be lost by waiting until daylight, the official said.

Public outrage over civilian deaths prompted McChrystal last year to tighten the rules under which NATO forces operate, restricting the use of airstrikes and other weaponry if civilians are at risk.

Afghan civilian deaths soared to 2,412 last year -- the highest number in any year of the 8-year war, according to a U.N. report. But the deaths attributed to allied troops dropped nearly 30 percent as a result of the new rules, according to the report.

In the current NATO-Afghan assault on the Taliban haven of Marjah, NATO has focused on a counterinsurgency strategy that makes protecting civilians the priority over killing insurgents. NATO has limited the use of airstrikes and set strict rules when troops can open fire -- moves that have slowed the advance but probably spared many civilian losses.

Nevertheless, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission said Wednesday it had confirmed 28 civilian deaths in the Marjah fighting. Thirteen children were among the dead. Another 70 civilians were wounded, 30 of them children, the commission said.

NATO has reported at least 16 civilian deaths.

Though night raids are less deadly as a whole than airstrikes, they can be equally lethal in terms of turning public opinion, said human rights lawyer Erica Gaston, who co-authored the Open Society Institute report.

''It's such an inflammatory tactic. It's considered incredibly offensive to Afghan communities. It's such a long-standing issue with them,'' she said.

The often aggressive conduct during raids and the lack of accountability afterward only help fuel propaganda against international forces and the Afghan government, the report said.

For troops in Marjah, in southern Helmand province, the tightened rules on night raids are already in use.

''We're trying to strictly limit the number of raids at night to ensure the population as a whole remains on our side,'' said Capt. Nolan Rinehart, an intelligence officer with the 5th Stryker Brigade. ''It's not to say it can't be done, it's just to say, if you're going to do it, you have to have good reason.''

Canada, US primed to meet for women's hockey gold (sports)

2010-02-24T18:47:00.000-08:00

British Columbia -- This border rivalry has raged for two decades now, since even before women's hockey was an Olympic sport.

Canada and the U.S. team have won every gold medal, every world championship, every big international prize their sport offers. Most of the time, they've faced no real competition except each other.

Heck, only Sweden has broken through to the big finale - four years ago in Turin, where the Americans made an Olympic mistake they hope to remedy Thursday. In front of a raucous crowd cheering for the home team, the Americans will meet Canada again in the long-anticipated gold-medal match of the Vancouver Games.

"This is our Stanley Cup final, our Super Bowl, our Final Four all rolled into 60 minutes on the ice," said U.S. defenseman Angela Ruggiero, a four-time Olympian. "This is what we prepare for, what gets us through all those practices and all those months away from our families and friends and careers. It's probably the best rivalry in women's sports for the people who know about it."

With ample funding, innovative training and a deep talent pool that expands each year, North America has dominated women's hockey to the point its viability as an Olympic sport has been questioned. Anybody who watches their passing, speed and shooting can see the Canadians and Americans are simply playing a different game than the rest of the world - yet they're playing it in tandem, constantly pushing each other to improve, to get deeper, to work harder.
Although this familiarity breeds more respect than contempt, it also doesn't spark many friendships, as evidenced by the scrums and scraps in their most recent meetings leading up to Vancouver. A few players have crossed paths at American colleges or on Canadian pro teams, but most have strictly a working relationship.

"I don't know if I can be friends with them," whispered Jenny Potter, another four-time U.S. Olympian. "I mean, they're Canadian."

They're meeting in the final after two of the most dominant runs in Olympic history, made even more impressive by the rest of the world's strides. Sweden, Finland and the also-rans are getting better, but North America is pulling away even faster.

Starting with an 18-0 thrashing of Slovakia, Canada outscored its four opponents in Vancouver 46-2, while the Americans ran up a 40-2 advantage. Neither team won a game by fewer than five goals, and no opponent scored more than one.

And here's perhaps the most remarkable aspect of this rivalry: Neither team has really pushed past the other. After 20 years, they're still neck-and-neck, still fighting for every loose puck and each victory.

"We live to push those guys, and I'm sure they feel the same way," Canadian forward Jayna Hefford said. "You always want to test yourself against the best, and we're both at the top of this game."

Although Canada won the first eight world championships starting in 1990, the Americans won plenty of other matches and usually kept the finals close. When women's hockey finally made it to the Olympics in 1998, the Americans upset the Canadians for the sport's first gold medals. The disappointment that still fuels Canada's Hayley Wickenheiser, the world's most visible player and the captain in her fourth Olympics.

London Fashion Week might finally be waking up

2010-02-24T18:42:00.000-08:00

Last weekend it looked as though London Fashion Week might finally be waking up to what real women want when designer Mark Fast sent plus-size models down the runway.

Had the fashion world learnt its lesson - that most of us cannot identify with hollow-cheeked, twiglet-legged, coat hanger models? Had it hell.

How do I know? Because our family has first-hand experience of the fashion world's dogged obsession with 'thin' - not slim, not healthy but the sort of bone protruding skinniness that makes people turn around and do a second take.

It should have been a highlight of our 17-year-old daughter Madeline's young life. Amid choruses of car horns and wolf whistles from passers-by, this stunning 6ft tall schoolgirl, a whisker under 9st, went bouncing into her modelling agency, Profile in Covent Garden, buzzing at the prospect of the string of castings she was due to attend for her first London Fashion Week, with several of the agency's other teenage new faces.

The girls, all tall, leggy and faun-like, slipped on their high platform shoes and body-hugging mini-dresses (regulation wear for castings) and began a catwalk training session, coached by two experienced Profile models and Madeline's cheerful, motherly model booker Sam Cookson.

Madeline was on a high after a shoot at the weekend in London with a cuttingedge Welsh photographer, Grant Thomas, and influential stylist Debbie Lerner. The eye-popping images had been posted on his website and brought more offers of work, boosting our once painfully shy teenager's confidence.

So, as she strutted down the Profile catwalk, hips forward, shoulders back, listening intently as she was taught to hold the pose on the turn, Madeline looked to my untutored eye to be a natural.

She was rangy and graceful after years of netball training, with endless legs and a hint of haughtiness (which was actually a slight frown of concentration).

Next moment, however, an anxious-looking Sam beckoned her into a side room. Out of sight of the other girls, she talked quietly, a consoling arm round Madeline's slight shoulders. Her face fell. I could tell she was trying desperately not to cry and I knew something was wrong.

It's no good,' Sam was saying. 'There's absolutely no point in you doing London Fashion Week. You're gorgeous, you've got the 'wow' factor and photographers love you, but you've put on weight since the summer.

'It's quite natural - most 16 and 17-year-olds' weight fluctuates because of hormonal changes - but if you're an inch over size 8, you'll be torn to shreds. Those queeny designers and their scouts would make your life hell and it could destroy your confidence.'

Seeing my crest-fallen daughter, another model stepped in to try to comfort her. 'The fashion world is awful,' she said. 'They all demand size zero models - what they really want is surrogate boys. It's not just the camp male designers. Some of the women are just as hard.

'However young a girl is, they don't just say "Thanks but no thanks" if they don't want to use you. They're incredibly insulting and personal and can make even very promising models feel utterly worthless.'

China,United,Nations,Dubai,Iran Axis

2010-02-24T18:27:00.000-08:00

Although Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ordered the increase of uranium enrichment to 20%—bringing Tehran much closer to weapons-grade nuclear material—China still opposes new United Nations sanctions. The responsibility for stopping the Iranian bomb thus rests with a "coalition of the willing." The attitude of Germany—Iran's most important Western trading partner—will be critical to the success of such a coalition. But while the recent announcement by Siemens and Munich Re to exit the Iranian market have garnered headlines, hundreds of German manufacturers remain determined to continue doing business as usual with Tehran.

Much of that business goes undetected via Dubai. Iran's Mullahs use the United Arab Emirates as a back door through which to funnel goods that cannot be brought in through the front door because of existing sanctions. The role of the German-Emirati Joint Council for Industry & Commerce, founded only last year, on May 20, raises serious questions about the German government's commitment to meaningful sanctions.

Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, the German economics minister at the time (who has since become defense minister), considered the Joint Council so important that he took time from his busy schedule to attend the founding festivities. Partly financed by German taxpayers, the council announced just a few months ago, on Nov. 5., the formation of an "Iran Working Group" to assess "how new trade and investment flows can be created—including [for] German companies—using the United Arab Emirates as a gateway to the Iranian market."

This state-funded institution thus directly contradicts official German government policies. Berlin publicly says it wants to deter or dissuade German firms from doing business with Iran. Chancellor Angela Merkel even declared in November 2007 that "We have to do all we can to ensure that trade routes do not simply take a diversion to get to Iran." But this is precisely what the Iran Working Group is trying to facilitate under the authority of the German economics ministry. Has the Chancellor been informed?

Dubai is in fact already the "gateway to the Iranian market"—and not only for German companies. The tiny emirate is considered to be the hub for much of the world's illegal trade with Iran. Virtually nothing is produced in Dubai and yet, its activities have somehow catapulted the UAE to the top of the list of countries exporting to Iran in 2009. An astounding 80% of all Emirati imports are re-exported, one-quarter of which goes to Iran via Dubai.

Some 8,000 Iranian firms and 1,200 Iranian trading companies are registered in the emirate. Every week, about 300 flights shuttle between Dubai and Iran. Dubai has one of the world's largest artificial harbors, Jebel Ali, a mere 100 miles away from the Iranian container port of Bandar Abbas. Between 2005 and 2009, the value of goods exported from Dubai to Iran tripled, reaching $12 billion. In 2008, total German exports to the UAE reached $11 billion, an increase of 40% over the previous year. In the vehicle construction and mechanical engineering sectors, exports rose by more than 60%. The desire of the German-Emirati Joint Council to open the "gateway to Iran" even wider is therefore rather worrisome.

On Nov. 17, 2009, the Joint Council's Iran Working Group met at Dubai's Monarch Hotel. The minutes of the meeting, which I have before me, describe the proceedings and the mood of the 15 participants. There were many complaints about the obstacles the U.S. has created to prevent them from doing business with Iran. At the same time, the working group members encouraged one another with statements like "Iranians have always respected and appreciated German products" or Iran is like a "sleeping giant."

The document notes that "Iranian residents are ready for business," urging members "to establish relationships, calculate risks, and use the Iranian presence here in Dubai." This needs "to be done very tactfully due to the sensitivity of the subject," warns the council's managing director, Peter Göpfrich.

The founding of the Iran Working Group only three months ago is not just of anecdotal interest. With a crucial round of international sanctions negotiations upcoming, the German government has a choice to make. It can feign seriousness about sanctions in order to impress the Israelis and Americans and discourage them from taking further action, or it can put real pressure on Tehran in order to prevent the Iranian bomb.

Let's hope it's the latter. If Berlin's assurances are sincere, then it must close this "gateway to the Iranian market." This means as a first step bringing about the end of the Iran Working Group and the dismissal of the executive officers of the semi-governmental German-Emirati Joint Council for Industry & Commerce. Unless this happens, Mrs. Merkel's assurances to be counted among the "coalition of the willing" mean nothing.

India and Pakistan resume peace talks on the thorny issues

2010-02-24T18:19:00.000-08:00

Few major breakthroughs are expected when India and Pakistan resume peace talks on the thorny issues that have led the nuclear-armed neighbours to three wars over six decades.

India wants the talks to focus on complaints that Pakistan has not done enough to crack down on militant groups who have carried out attacks in the country, especially those behind the November 2008 siege of Mumbai.

Pakistan is calling for wide-ranging negotiations that will focus on long-standing issues, including the conflict in disputed Kashmir and tensions over their shared water sources.

"We want to discuss and resolve all disputes with India," Pakistani Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir said in Lahore as he prepared to head to New Delhi to meet his counterpart, Nirupama Rao.

Indian officials, unsatisfied with Pakistan's efforts against militants, have been careful to say the meeting does not represent a resumption of a full-scale peace process.

The talks are a political risk for New Delhi as the public does not trust Pakistan. However, the government does not want to write off diplomacy and wants to keep tensions low between the countries.

The US, which is intent on eliminating all distractions from Pakistan's fight against militants along its frontier with Afghanistan, has been pushing for a resumption of the talks.

The US hopes that a reduction in tensions would help Pakistan shift its focus from the Indian border to the offensive against Taliban militants in the north west of the country.
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Lady Gaga To Venture In Fashion Designing World

2010-02-23T20:53:00.000-08:00

After Madonna now it’s ‘Poker Face’ singer Lady Gaga who wants to launch her career in fashion designing world. The singer revealed that she is planning to start her own clothing line. The 23-year-old singer who is known for her outrageous outfits and crazy hairstyles has planned to design a wacky collection. The singer said, "I'd love to have my own collection. It's something I want to accomplish. I find Donatella a fashion icon and in many ways fashion and music go together." According to sources close to the singer, Lady Gaga was very affected by tragic death of Brit designer Alexander McQueen and that inspired her to sketch a few designs. A source said, "GaGa is a workaholic." "She is always coming up with new ideas. The death of Alexander really affected her. She's always loved fashion and it just seems natural for her to create her own collection. For her everything is about art. Whether its music or fashion, to her it's about expressing an art form," added the source.

Hero Honda FIH World Cup starting at the.....

2010-02-23T20:49:00.000-08:00

Hockey fans can watch 'live' action of the 12-nation Hero Honda FIH World Cup starting at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium in Delhi from February 28 on Ten Sports, the Essel Group-owned sports channel said on Tuesday. South Africa will take on Spain in the opening match next Monday while hosts and 1975 champions India are to start their campaign by playing the last match on Day One against arch-rivals and four-time winners Pakistan. "We are delighted to telecast Hero Honda FIH World Cup 2010. World Cup 2010 will serve as an ideal preparatory platform for the Commonwealth Games, to be held in India in the same year. The tournament will herald an exciting year in Indian sport," said the group's Sports Business CEO Atul Pande. "Ten Sports will be telecasting the matches with pre and post programming, user friendly graphics to make the viewing experience a delight. We hope the telecast of Hero Honda FIH World Cup 2010 will greatly contribute to the success of the hockey in the country," he added.

Mr. Obama left “frustrated that while he was putting out ways to bridge the problem

2010-02-23T20:41:00.000-08:00

Tempers were fraying in the White House Cabinet Room as night turned into morning on Jan. 15. President Obama had been cloistered nearly all day with House and Senate Democrats, playing "marriage counselor," an aide said, as he coaxed, cajoled and prodded them on a health care overhaul As the clock neared 1 a.m., the two sides were at an impasse. Mr. Obama stood up. " ‘See what you guys can figure out,’ " one participant remembers him saying, adding that the failed effort left the president mad. Another Democrat who was there, Representative Henry A. Waxman of California, said Mr. Obama left "frustrated that while he was putting out ways to bridge the problem, we hadn’t reached a conclusion." Ever since his days as a young community organizer in Chicago, Mr. Obama has held fast to the belief that by listening carefully and appealing to reason he can bring people together to get results, an approach that in Washington has often come up short. He is not showing any signs of changing his style. But he is facing perhaps the toughest test yet of his powers of persuasion: winning the votes he needs, in the face of unified Republican opposition and a deteriorating climate for Democrats, to push his health care measure through a skittish Congress. Mr. Obama has not been the sort to bludgeon his party into following his lead or to intimidate reluctant legislators. And while he has often succeeded by relying on Democratic leaders in Congress to do his bidding — the House and Senate, after all, both passed versions of the health legislation last year — it is not clear whether his gentle, consensus-building style will be enough. "I wouldn’t mind seeing a little more toughness here or there," said Representative Louise M. Slaughter, a New York Democrat, who contends that if Mr. Obama had pushed the Senate harder last year, the bill would have been law by now. Like many Democrats in Congress, she praises Mr. Obama as intellectually gifted and a generous listener. But "if you are asking me if he dominates the room," she said, "I would have to say no." White House officials strongly resist any suggestion that Mr. Obama is not tough enough, and they say the days are gone when a president can simply browbeat his own party into submission, especially on an issue as complex as health care. "If the president weren’t tough, if the president weren’t committed, if the president didn’t believe that this was an imperative for the future of American families, businesses and the sustainability of our budget, this thing would have been dead six months ago," David Axelrod, Mr. Obama’s senior adviser, said in an interview. "I would love to live in a world where the president could snap his fingers or even twist arms and make change happen, but in this great democracy of ours, that’s not the way it is." One of the most persistent criticisms of Mr. Obama, especially on health care, is that he has given Congress too much latitude to engage in backroom deal-making and expedient trade-offs. His critics suggest that they want him to step forward more assertively to put his stamp on the process and the legislation. But his defenders and some historians say that perhaps more than any modern president since Lyndon B. Johnson, Mr. Obama has been aggressive in trying to work his will with Congress. During his 13-month-old presidency, he has had countless one-on-one meetings with lawmakers — a technique that some scholars and strategists say evokes memories of Johnson, though their styles could hardly be more different. "People make the L.B.J. analogy," said John D. Podesta, who worked as chief of staff in the Clinton White House, "but the world is a lot different than it was during the 1960s. The president actually has to bring people along because they think it’s the right thing to do, because they think it’s in the interest of the country but also their own self-interest. His style is to convince people, not threaten them." If Johnson was a physical force — an arm around the shoulder, a full-body lean, a finger poking into the chest — Mr. Obama is an intellectual one. Members of Congress do not find him intimidating; they are more apt, said Senator Byron L. Dorgan, Democrat of North Dakota, to view him as "a friend." And while he shows occasional flashes of anger — "There is a sort of steel in his voice," said Representative Steny H. Hoyer, the House Democratic leader from Maryland — his emotions are always contained. While courting Senator Olympia J. Snowe, Republican of Maine, on the health care bill last year, Mr. Obama kept her in the Oval Office for an extraordinary 90 minutes. (She voted no.) When Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, a West Virginia Democrat, hinted that he would vote against the Finance Committee’s health bill, Mr. Obama laid the personal attention on thick. During their private Oval Office meeting, they sat side by side, the senator said, in front of the fireplace and underneath a portrait of George Washington, in the blue and beige striped chairs Mr. Obama uses when he meets with foreign leaders. Mr. Obama briefly rested his hand on the senator’s arm when making an important point — the same kind of gesture, Mr. Rockefeller said, that he uses to connect with voters back home. He made no promises, but Mr. Obama got his vote. "Un-dictatorial, un-Caesar-like," he said, describing Mr. Obama’s style. Gerald Kellman, who trained Mr. Obama as a community organizer in Chicago and taught him

Iran reaffirms nuclear swap terms US rejected

2010-02-23T20:34:00.000-08:00

The document, seen by the Associated Press yesterday, says Tehran is ready to hand over the bulk of its stockpile, as called for under a deal brokered by the International Atomic Energy Agency and endorsed by the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany. But Iran adds that it must simultaneously receive fuel rods for its research reactor in return, and that such an exchange must take place on Iranian territory. The Iranian offer was sure to be rejected by the six powers, which have waited for nearly six months for such an official answer. The United States and others fear Iran’s nuclear program is geared toward making nuclear weapons, while Tehran says it is simply to provide more power for its growing population. The United Nations has slapped sanctions on Iran for its defiance on nuclear issues. Ali Asghar Soltanieh, the chief Iranian delegate to the International Atomic Energy Agency, told the AP that the letter, to IAEA chief Yukiya Amano, was "formally reflecting’’ his country’s position, which has been expressed to the IAEA and to the news media in various forms. The United States and its allies have previously said there can be no significant deviation from the original deal, which would commit Iran to shipping out its nuclear material first and then waiting up to a year for it to be turned into fuel for its reactor, which makes medical isotopes. US State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters in Washington that Iran’s counterproposal was unacceptable. "It doesn’t say anything new,’’ Crowley said. "We’ve heard this before. We think that the arrangement that we put on the table in Geneva is the right one. The Iranian response in essence is, in our view, a red herring.’’ Nor was the British Foreign Office impressed by the new document. "We continue to support the original deal,’’ the Foreign Office said a statement. "Iran has continually failed to respond fully to that proposal.’’ "It is clearly for the interested parties to respond but it is hard to see how this latest ‘offer’ properly addresses these issues,’’ said the statement. The statement was issued after Amano met in London with British officials, including Foreign Secretary David Miliband. The letter to Amano, dated Feb. 18, says Iran is "still seeking to purchase the required fuel in cash.’’ But it was unclear how Iran would do that, because there are no stockpiles of fuel specifically made for its reactor. Iran is ready to exchange its low-enriched uranium for the fuel rods "simultaneously in one package or several packages in the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran,’’ the letter says. World powers insist that Iran ship out most of its enriched uranium first, then wait for the fuel rods, because that would delay Iran’s ability to make a nuclear weapon by leaving it with too little material for a warhead. Iran continues to enrich in defiance of the UN Security Council, saying it has a right to do that to make nuclear fuel.

Turkey's front pages yesterday.

2010-02-23T20:18:00.000-08:00

In a country where military coups were once an accepted part of political life, and military influence over elected ministers taken for granted, the spectacle of venerable generals carted to prison in dawn raids has sent shockwaves through the system. Some 45 retired and active officers detained on Monday, and questioned yesterday, include senior commanders serving in the first years of the ruling AK party government, when a moderate chief of general staff struggled to check secularist dissent against politicians with Islamist roots. Many of those detained have been linked to the so-called Sledgehammer plot, detailed in documents leaked last month to the Taraf newspaper, which claimed they dated from 2003 and contained internal army plans to stage a coup. "Turkey has taken its biggest step yet to ridding itself of a semi-military regime in which coups have never been treated as a crime and it was normal that they should not be punished," Yasemin Congar, Taraf's deputy editor, wrote yesterday. Ilker Basbug, chief of general staff, has made no public comment on the detentions. He previously denied that the Sledgehammer papers contained coup plans, but authorised a military investigation to run alongside the civilian court probe. The general staff said yesterday that all serving generals and admirals had met in Ankara to discuss what it called a "serious situation". But the detentions could trigger a more serious confrontation between prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AK party and its traditional antagonists in the secularist bastions of the military, judiciary and Kemalist opposition. A row last week between factions in the judiciary has fed rumours that Turkey's chief prosecutor could be preparing a new closure case against the AK party in the constitutional court, a move that would probably trigger early elections. Mr Erdogan has made little comment on the detentions, perhaps aiming to underline that the government has played no part in the investigation. Although Turkish assets have been hit by the developments, analysts such as Ahmet Akarli, at Goldman Sachs, suggest that neither General Basbug nor Mr Erdogan stands to gain from tensions, "as this would risk a more serious political crisis with highly unpredictable consequences for all parties involved". But the AK party has found in the past that its run-ins with the army worked in its favour at the polls. After military intervention failed to prevent Abdullah Gul's appointment to the presidency in 2007, the AK party won re-election with 47 per cent of the national vote, a landslide by the norms of Turkish elections. Now Gen Basbug is likely to come under pressure from his staff to toughen his approach, though he has stressed that the era of military coups is over. Mr Erdogan, meanwhile, is threatening a fresh push for constitutional reforms that the AK party has attempted before . Develet Bahceli, leader of a nationalist opposition party, said he would not support constitutional change before the next elections, meaning that the AK party's only option would be to call a referendum and seek a popular mandate. The latest developments have underlined both the need for constitutional change, and the difficulties of pursuing reforms in a polarised political climate. "What I see is an unravelling . . . We have to reconstruct the regime in Turkey and there is not the minimum degree of consensus as to what the primary rules, principles, institutional changes ought to be," said Soli Ozel, an academic at Bilgi university. Henri Barkey, a visiting scholar at Washington''s Carnegie Endowment, warned the biggest challenge could come when Gen Basbug's term ended this summer, as he was set to be replaced by a hardliner. "Turkey is at an inflexion point," he said. "Either it will face political instability in the near future or it will have to make a serious attempt at changing the constitution. Doing nothing is not an option." Timeline Feb 2010 Former chiefs of navy and air force among more than 40 retired and serving officers detained for questioning in connection with Sledgehammer Jan 2010 Taraf publishes details of "Sledgehammer" documents, claiming generals drew up scenarios for military coup in 2003 2008 AK party narrowly escapes closure by constitutional court for undermining secularism. Trial begins of so-called Ergenekon network, accused of planning violent attacks to destabilise government 2007 Army interference and secularist rallies fail to stop Abdullah Gul's appointment to presidency and AK party's re-election with 47 per cent of vote

Pakistan making progress in war against terrorism

2010-02-23T20:15:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON: Pakistan has made some ‘real progress’ in the war against terrorism and it is committed in securing its long border with Afghanistan, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said on Tuesday. Gates said this while addressing a press briefing at the Pentagon. The defence secretary said that the recent arrest of Taliban commander Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and two ‘shadow’ Taliban governors was a positive development. "What we are seeing is the importance of operations, on both sides of the border and a manifestation of real progress on the Pakistani side, said Gates. Separately, at a Congressional hearing on Afghanistan operations a prominent US senator and a top Pentagon policy adviser praised the role of Pakistan’s ISI, in the arrests of Afghan Taliban leaders. "What I would say is that the ISI has, in many cases of counter terrorism operations, been a very important partner for our intelligence agencies and actually contributed substantially to the capture of a number of high-level people from terrorist organisations," Michelle Flournoy, undersecretary of Defence for Policy said. Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut appreciated the role of ISI in the recent capture of Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.

Gasoline prices edge down in California, jump in U.S.

2010-02-22T18:50:00.000-08:00

Gasoline prices had drifted as low as they could go in recent weeks, those analysts said, because some recent refinery outages had limited supply -- and demand is expected to go up. Experts were expecting a surge in demand as motorists returned to driving after harsh storms dropped large amounts of snow in parts of the Eastern U.S. The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in California fell 0.8 cents to $2.918, its lowest level since Dec. 21, according to the Energy Department's weekly survey of filling stations. Nationally, the average rose for the second straight week, up 4.7 cents to $2.655 a gallon. "We saw the national bottom on prices about a week ago," said Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst for the Oil Price Information Service in New Jersey. California prices were sure to bounce as well, Kloza added, noting that the trading price for unfinished CARBOB, California Reformulated Gasoline Blendstock for Oxygenate Blending, had risen about 25 cents to $2.12 in recent weeks. The experts were less certain about the short-term direction for oil. Phil Flynn, an analyst for PFGBest Research in Chicago, said oil could drop $10 or more a barrel after a strike by refinery workers in France and concerns over Iran's nuclear ambitions failed to result in more than a slight nudge above $80. Crude oil futures for March delivery settled 35 cents higher at $80.16 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Other analysts, such as Kloza, saw momentum gathering for a rise in oil prices, based on sentiments that the recovery from the global recession was strong enough in Asia to build demand for crude in spite of the continuing sluggishness of the U.S. economy. "Energy traders are confident and oil will be going up. It's like watching a speech and seeing the dynamics of the crowd when you know they are about to give a standing ovation

London Fashion Week

2010-02-22T18:44:00.000-08:00

London Fashion Week kicked off with size 16 model Crystal Renn taking to the catwalk in a Mark Fast dress.The Canadian designer, who claims to be the saviour of larger ladies, did the striking and statuesque Miss Renn no favours by turning her out in this red Lycra frock which was stretched over every inch of her voluptuous body. Even Kate Moss would have thought twice about wearing it.Modelling," he says, "should be about personality and variety. It is about beautiful women. Size should not come into the equation."It wouldn’t, if he’d made his model look goddess-like, not gargantuan.

Security and stability in the Islamic world and distort the image of Islam.

2010-02-22T18:21:00.000-08:00

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Monday called for confronting all elements of division and extremism which threaten security and stability in the Islamic world and distort the image of Islam.In his address at the inaugural session of the 22nd conference of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs read out by Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif, Mubarak warned that the spread of extremism and bigotry among youths not only obstructs the Islamic world's development but also distances Muslims from working for the progress of their nation."We (Muslims) need an enlightened religious discourse based on Sharia in terms of tolerance and acceptance of the other," he said.He called on the Islamic nation to seek progress armed by science and knowledge in a race against time to provide its people a decent life and contribute to the stability and security of the world."The regrettable criminal acts committed in some Islamic nations every now and then under the banner of Islam affirm the pressing need for an enlightened religious discourse based on the Sharia and backed by the media and the system of education," Mubarak said.The four-day conference was held in Cairo, attracting religious leaders and some representatives from 80 countries.

Final of the National One-day Cup (Pakistan)

2010-02-22T18:17:00.000-08:00

After opting to bat first, SNGPL reached 297-6 in their 50 overs with opener Naeemuddin, skipper Misbah-ul-Haq and Khurram Shahzad contributing bulk of the runs. The left-handed Naeemuddin, later adjudged Man-of-the-Match, smashed an 87-ball 90 that included a dozen boundaries. The opener added 89 for the third wicket with Misbah who struck five fours and three sixes in making 87 off 107 deliveries. Khurram then ensured SNGPL get a substantial total by blasting 70 off only 53 balls with the aid of five fours and a brace of sixes. National Bank, despite boasting a number of current players, subsided to a paltry score of 116 inside 30 overs. Skipper Kamran Akmal, the beleaguered Pakistan wicket-keeper/batsman, was the top-scorer for them with a 41-ball 42 (five fours and one six).Paceman Imran Ali inflicted most of the damage on the bankers by returning figures of four for 26 in 7.2 overs. SNGPL will face Sialkot Stallions in Tuesday’s final at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Scoreboard SNGPL: Ali Waqas lbw b Asif 5 Naeemuddin c Mansoor b Sarmad 90 Raza Ali Dar b Wasim 11 Misbah-ul-Haq c sub b Qaiser 87 Umar Akmal c Kamran b Sarmad 2 Khurram Shahzad lbw b Qaiser 70 Imran Khalid not out 14 Adnan Akmal not out 1 EXTRAS (B-1, LB-6, W-10) 17 TOTAL (for six wkts, 50 overs) 297 FALL OF WKTS: 1-24, 2-63, 3-152, 4-161, 5-277, 6-289. DID NOT BAT: Imran Ali Samiullah Khan Niazi, Asad Ali. BOWLING: Mohammad Asif 10-0-58-1 (7w); Wasim Khan 10-1-65-1 (1w); Sarmad Bhatti 10-0-38-2 (1w); Umar Amin 2-0-14-0 (1w); Irfanuddin 5-0-37-0; Qaiser Abbas 7-0-42-2; Mansoor Amjad 6-0-36-0. NATIONAL BANK: Nasir Jamshed b Sami 8 Salman Butt c Misbah b Asad 20 Kamran Akmal lbw b Imran Khalid 42 Umar Amin c Raza b Sami 4 Naumanullah c Umar b Imran Ali 0 Qaiser Abbas run out 14 Mansoor Amjad c Adnan b Imran Ali 1 Sarmad Bhatti b Imran Ali 25 Wasim Khan lbw b Imran Ali 0 Mohammad Asif c and b Imran Khalid 0 Irfanuddin not out 0 EXTRAS (LB-1, NB-1) 2 TOTAL (all out, 29.2 overs) 116 FALL OF WKTS: 1-12, 2-51, 3-60, 4-75, 5-79, 6-82, 7-105, 8-105, 9-106. BOWLING: Samiullah Khan Niazi 8-0-44-2; Asad Ali 7-0-31-1 (1w); Imran Ali 7.2-1-26-4; Imran Khalid 7-1-14-2. RESULT: SNGPL won by 181 runs. UMPIRES: Saleem Badar and Ghaffar Kazmi. MATCH REFEREE: Musaddeq Rasool Khan. MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Naeemuddin.

WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama's health-care proposal reject

2010-02-22T18:08:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama's health-care proposal is a victory for those in the White House who want to press ahead with ambitious legislation over those who counseled scaling it back. The proposal, unveiled Monday, reaffirmed Mr. Obama's support for the policy's sweeping objectives: expanding health-care coverage to some 30 million Americans, new efforts to control health spending and new rules for health insurers. Continued pursuit of a comprehensive health-care overhaul had been uncertain following the victory last month of Republican Scott Brown in the Massachusetts U.S. Senate election. Mr. Brown won partly by campaigning against the health bill, which was proving increasingly unpopular with voters. "People were in shell shock after Massachusetts," said one person close to the White House deliberations. Advocates of a "skinny bill," including White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, made headway after that defeat, according to people involved in the discussions. This camp argued for a slimmer measure that would include provisions from the pending Democratic legislation—such as forcing insurers to cover pre-existing conditions—in a bid to attract Republican support or reduce the risks if Democrats pushed it through Congress on their own. Mr. Obama himself publicly suggested such a step. A day after the Massachusetts election, he signaled he might support a smaller measure. "I would advise that we try to move quickly to coalesce around those elements in the package that people agree on," Mr. Obama told ABC News. Mr. Emanuel, who had long advocated for a smaller health-care bill, argued that the state of play in Congress did not favor the Democrats' sweeping legislation, which was helping drive down Mr. Obama's approval ratings, one person involved in the talks said. "Rahm strongly believes that incremental reform is all that can (and should) be done," this person said in an email Monday. White House senior adviser David Axelrod led the counterargument, according to Democrats familiar with the debate. He saw the Obama legacy as intertwined with revamping health care and didn't relent after Massachusetts. The president explored a scaled-back approach and asked his staff to examine areas of broad political agreement, according to congressional aides involved in the process. The exercise quickly pointed to a practical problem: You could not make incremental changes that were politically popular without pursuing the whole package. For instance, Republicans and Democrats agree they should prevent insurers from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions. But without a mandate requiring healthy people to buy coverage, insurers would wind up with a slew of sick customers without healthy ones to balance them out. That would likely lead to either soaring premiums or a bankrupt industry. After a series of conference calls and meetings, the White House was left with a list of policies that looked very similar to the House and Senate bills. "The practical problems all lead back to themselves," one knowledgeable Democrat familiar with the debate said. White House aides say Mr. Obama tipped his hand at a town-hall meeting Jan. 22 in Elyria, Ohio, when he discussed the results of trying to tease out insurance regulations. "A lot of these insurance reforms are connected to some other things we have to do to make sure that everybody has some access to coverage." Despite Mr. Obama's resolve, the White House may still wind up supporting a scaled-back bill if congressional Democrats are unable to rally enough support for the comprehensive measure. Aides left the door open to that approach. Inside the White House, the calculations involved both politics and policy. "There is a growing realization that we are still so very close," one person involved in the talks said Monday. "Today was a big victory for the comprehensive advocates."

NATO forces believed the three vehicles

2010-02-22T18:00:00.000-08:00

Reporting from Kabul, Afghanistan - Swaying with the weight of their human cargo, two overloaded minibuses and a truck crept through a steep mountain pass, heading in the direction of Kandahar, the southern Afghan city the Taliban movement regards as its spiritual home. With an eye-in-the-sky view of the road and the surrounding terrain, NATO forces believed the three vehicles, closely trailing one another, were a convoy of insurgents preparing for an attack on coalition forces -- perhaps in neighboring Helmand province, where a huge offensive is underway, led by U.S. Marines. Afghan officials said they were innocent travelers, many of them women and children. Now at least 27 of them are dead and more than a dozen hurt, some severely, and the government of President Hamid Karzai is outraged -- all at a particularly delicate and potentially decisive moment in a battle for Afghan hearts and minds. The incident, the worst single episode of civilian casualties in six months, threatened to overshadow what coalition forces had billed as an important milestone in Marja: the first visit to the town by the newly appointed civilian chief, who will preside over a municipal government created essentially from scratch. Sunday's airstrike in Oruzgan province coincided with the war's biggest coalition offensive, centered on the town of Marja, in the Helmand River Valley. Both Helmand and Oruzgan provinces are part of a troubled arc of southern Afghanistan, one that will absorb the bulk of the 30,000 new U.S. troops President Obama has committed to the conflict. Militarily, the Western aim of the 10-day-old Marja campaign is to seize the town from insurgents who had made it their home turf for more than two years. But politically, the goal is to win over ordinary Afghans living in the Taliban heartland, bringing them around to the belief that order and governance will improve their lives in a way the insurgency leaders cannot. Western military officials said the Oruzgan airstrike was under investigation, an inquiry undertaken jointly by coalition and Afghan officials. But U.S. Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, immediately conveyed "sorrow and regret" to Karzai, a highly vocal critic of civilian casualties. In Washington, senior Defense Department officials also expressed regret, but avoided discussing details. "I would remind everyone of an essential truth: War is bloody and uneven," said Adm. Michael G. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "It's messy and ugly and incredibly wasteful, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth the cost." The day before the airstrike, Karzai, speaking to lawmakers, made an emotional appeal to foreign military forces to take greater care in keeping civilians out of harm's way. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization did not identify the nationality of the Western troops involved in the strike. U.S. Special Forces operate there, as in most provinces, but most of the soldiers serving there are from the Netherlands, which is set to pull out this year after a bitter political showdown over Afghan policy brought down the Dutch government on Saturday. Military officials said the Oruzgan strike was not connected to the Marja assault. But the sprawling offensive, involving 15,000 U.S., British and Afghan troops, has engendered a hair-trigger sensibility across much of Afghanistan's south, extending well beyond the immediate conflict zone. A statement from NATO's International Security Assistance Force confirmed that "airborne weapons" were used against the three vehicles in Oruzgan, in the belief that they carried insurgents. Arriving ground forces, however, found women and children, the military said. Afghanistan's Cabinet -- which condemned the attack as "unjustifiable" -- said at least 27 people died in the strike, including at least five women and children. A spokesman for Afghanistan's Interior Ministry, Zemari Bashary, said 14 people were hurt. In Marja, the arrival of Haji Zahir, a native of Helmand who has spent the last 15 years in exile in Germany, represented the first Afghan government presence in at least two years in the town, which had become the largest Taliban sanctuary in Helmand province. Insurgents had operated freely in Marja and its environs, turning the agricultural center into a hub of bomb making and narco-trafficking -- that is, until thousands of coalition troops, with U.S. Marines acting as the tip of the spear, launched a massive and much-publicized effort Feb. 13 to retake the town. In advance of the Marja campaign, Western commanders promised to take all possible measures to safeguard civilian lives. The Marines have been fighting under stringent new rules laid down last summer by McChrystal -- regulations so strict that troops on the ground believe they are putting their own lives on the line to follow them. Coalition troops are not supposed to fire on insurgents unless they are wielding a weapon or are observed discarding one. Buildings and homes -- even those being used as sniper posts -- are not to be fired on if there is a possibility that civilians are present, unless it is the only way to save troops' lives. Even with these precautions, NATO says at least 16 civilians have been accidentally killed by Western forces in the course of the Marja offensive -- 12 of them in rocket fire on a family home on the second day of fighting. That incident is under investigation as well. After days of intense clashes, Marja was quieter Monday, said Marine spokesman Capt. Abraham Sipe. The hazards were what has become the norm: buried bombs and sniper fire. "I don't know if it's a trend," said Sipe. "But it's good to see our Marines get a break, after so much firefighting."

42 Dead as Teams Search Flooded Madeira

2010-02-21T18:45:00.000-08:00

Rescue workers dug through heaps of mud, boulders and debris on Sunday on the Portuguese island of Madeira, searching for victims buried by flash floods and mudslides that had already killed at least 42 people in the popular tourist area. More than 120 others were injured and an unknown number were missing, possibly swept away or smothered, the authorities said, adding that the death toll could still rise. About 250 people were forced to flee their homes and go to shelters. The storm was the worst to hit Madeira, an island in the Atlantic off northwest Africa, since 1993. It lashed the capital, Funchal, on Saturday and turned some streets into raging torrents of liquid brown mud, water and debris. "We heard a very loud noise, like rolling thunder," said Simon Burgbage of Britain. "The ground shook, and then we realized it was water coming down." The flash floods were so powerful they carved paths down mountains and through the city, churning under bridges and even tearing some down. Residents had to cling to railings to avoid being swept away. Cars were consumed by the force of the water, and the streets were littered with the battered shells of overturned vehicles that had been swept downstream. "It was horrible," said Andreas Hoisser, a German tourist. "There were cars on rooftops, there were vans and trucks that had fallen and been totally crushed." The water swept even a heavy fire truck downstream, slamming it into a tree. The death toll "will likely increase, given the circumstances of this flood," said Francisco Ramos, a regional social services spokesman. He added that there were still "great difficulties" with communications on the island because phone lines had been ripped out by the deluge. Firefighters used pumping equipment to try to drain an underground parking garage at a downtown department store close to where the flooding was heaviest. The local authorities feared that shoppers might have been trapped below ground. "The store is totally destroyed, damaged, full of slurry," said the owner, João Andrade. A medical team backed up by divers and rescue experts arrived Sunday on Madeira, the main island in an archipelago of the same name about 550 miles southwest of Lisbon. The plane was also carrying telecommunications equipment.

Woman who suffered 18 miscarriages finally gives The Sun

2010-02-20T18:47:00.000-08:00

Angie Baker, 33, and her partner Lee Gibson spent 13 years trying to have a child before their daughter finally arrived weighing a healthy 7lb. Raiya, who was born on December 9 last year, is now a thriving 10-week-old girl. "She's my little miracle. I can't explain how I feel. I'm overwhelmed. It seems like a dream and I still have to pinch myself. She's perfect in every way," said Miss Baker, from Peacehaven near Brighton. "I absolutely love it. I enjoy every moment. It's so precious. I can't believe she's here and she's mine and Lee dotes on her. She's his little princess." From the age of 20, Miss Baker's miscarriages took place one after another, between five and eight weeks after conception. Doctors told her it was "just one of those things" and with Mr Gibson, 31, a martial arts instructor, she considered the possibility of adopting. She said: "Emotionally it was a roller-coaster. Every time I got pregnant I was hoping this was the one and it wasn't going to end in a miscarriage. "I never gave up. I was desperate for a baby so I persevered." The breakthrough came after the mother of her best friend read a newspaper article about Dr Hassan Shehata, who specialises in treating multiple miscarriages, and his work at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust. She contacted him for help in 2006 and was referred for treatment. Dr Shehata said: "Eighteen miscarriages is a huge number. This is the most unusual case I've come across. "You're more likely to win the lottery than have 18 miscarriages through bad luck. Therefore there must be an underlying cause." A specialist test, available only at Epsom, in Liverpool and in Chicago in the United States, showed she was suffering from a fairly common problem, thought to affect about 15 per cent of women. Miss Baker had high levels of a subtype of white blood cell, known as Natural Killer (NK) cells, which are responsible for protection from foreign viruses. But because her NK cells were too aggressive they mistook the foetus for a foreign body and attacked it. Dr Shehata's treatment, using steroids, starts before conception and the doses involved are higher than previously used. Miss Baker fell pregnant for an 18th time but her troubles were not over. During the pregnancy it was discovered she was diabetic and the high sugar levels caused by the steroids resulted in another miscarriage. Dr Shehata was able to adjust her levels of insulin and the next time her pregnancy was successful. Miss Baker's stepmother, Janet Nobbs, 46, said: "When she lost the last one after the diabetes even my husband Graham was asking me when I was going to have that all-important talk with her and recommend it's time to give up. "We still look at Raiya and think 'Is this real?"' Dr Shehata and his team of six doctors have treated about 1,000 patients both on the NHS and privately since beginning the process in 2004. His treatment resulted in an 80 per cent success rate for women suffering from high NK cell levels, he said. The laboratory equipment to carry out the testing costs between £150,000 and £200,000, with each test an additional £200. But the treatment itself – one 25mg tablet a day for two weeks before conception and 12 weeks after – costs just £20.

Room at the top in football

2010-02-20T18:31:00.000-08:00

For a brief period in each half it looked as if Chelsea might stumble as badly as Manchester United had done earlier in the day on Merseyside. Wolves nudged and then pushed them, huffing and puffing all the while, but the leaders remained on their feet and once Didier Drogba scored his second goal midway through the second half they were able to stroll. Celebrations at the finish to mark a four-point lead at the top of the table could even have been described as a London knees-up, except that no fewer than five players were missing with knee injuries, as well as Frank Lampard – a rare absentee – and Ashley Cole. So it was a demonstration of depth of squad, something that Wolves cannot hope to match in their first season back in the big league.Chelsea were even able to rest Ricardo Carvalho, who should return against Internazionale on Wednesday, and bring back a man we must now refer to as a former England captain; John Terry's return after some quality time with the family in a Dubai swimming pool was greeted with much predictable ribaldry from the home crowd, to which he responded with a generally solid performance, twice clearing off the line.Wolves supporters have to make their own entertainment, for their team are the League's lowest scorers at home. Kevin Doyle worked hard as a lone striker, but sitting opposite the Steve Bull Stand prompted thoughts of what Mick McCarthy would give for a scorer of Bull's quality – if he had the funds. The extra midfield personnel deployed behind Doyle did surprisingly well for over an hour against the seasoned internationals they were up against before class, as it tends to, began to tell. McCarthy's satisfaction at the performance was diluted by his annoyance at the way that second goal was conceded to a goalkeeper's punt down the middle of the pitch. "We should have got something out of the game," he said. "Chelsea are the champions-elect and we've matched them. We let them off the hook. We were on top and gave them a goal to a really bad, bad piece of defending. It was dire and it demoralised us all so much." It was true that while Petr Cech could reasonably claim the individual honours ahead of Drogba, Marcus Hahnemann in Wolves' goal had little to do other than pick the ball from his net twice; until half-time his team's efforts were far more threatening than the leaders'. Doyle's doughty run from the touchline to the far side of the penalty area before shooting at Cech typified their endeavour. He then set up Kevin Foley for a shot into the side-netting and saw Cech push his effort for a corner when Foley returned the compliment. Matt Jarvis had a low shot held and David Jones's free-kick did not quite swing sufficiently. Amid all this, Michael Ballack's volley over the bar was the one uncomfortable moment, so it was all the more cruel that Chelsea should take the lead five minutes before half-time. In a move that flowed all the way from the back, Yuri Zhirkov was involved twice, swapping passes with Ballack and then crossing low to the far post, where Drogba forced himself ahead of Stephen Ward to jab in his 24th goal.A 25th would follow, though not until after the home side's most convincing spell of the game, in which Adlene Guedioura, on loan from Charleroi, was denied by Cech's fine save and Terry redeemed himself following a miskick by hacking clear, after Cech did well again to beat out Foley's shot. Soon afterwards, more cruelty as Cech became goalmaker. His huge kick downfield caught out Christophe Berra and Drogba was able to run away from him and dribble round to decide the match.

Their success even earned the crew praise from President Barack Obama.

2010-02-20T18:25:00.000-08:00

The space shuttle and its crew of six were scheduled to return to NASA's spaceport Sunday night, but the weather concerns were threatening to dampen those plans. During the two-week mission, the crew added a new room and a dome with seven windows at the International Space Station. Their success even earned the crew praise from President Barack Obama. On Saturday, the chairman of the mission management team LeRoy Cain, said there was a 50-50 chance that the weather would cooperate. "We're always hopeful, and I guess I would call it optimistic," Cain told reporters. Edwards Air Force Base in California will serve as a back up in case Florida's weather prevents the landing in Cape Canaveral. By Monday, weather conditions are forecasted to be worse at the site in Florida, but improve in California. The space shuttle has enough power and supplies to stay in Orbit until Tuesday. "We're a long ways away, meteorologically speaking, so there are a lot of ways this could turn out," Cain said. The mission was delayed in its liftoff because of poor weather conditions. Meanwhile, crews on the ground were trying to determine if the shuttle had suffered any micro meteorite damage. Two of the shuttle's windows suffered small dings from bits of space junk, but it was not expected to cause any problems as it re-enters the earth's atmosphere. The next shuttle launch is set for early April.

difficult financial environment Pakistan

2010-02-20T18:17:00.000-08:00

ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Sohail Ahmad has said that the Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FoDP) forum has not provided aid to Pakistan in accordance with its pledges. However, the IMF has realised our economic difficulties. Talking to The News, he said realising the difficult financial environment Pakistan was confronted with, the IMF had okayed the financial deficit of up to 5.2 per cent of the GDP, instead of 4.9 per cent. There was zero revenue growth in the first three months of the current financial year, but 20 per cent growth in the tax recovery has been recorded between October 2009 and February 2010 against the corresponding period of the preceding year, he said. He said there had been 10 per cent average increase in the tax recoveries between July 2009 and January 2010. "For the last four months, the revenue graph had been persistently going up. The inflation had been brought down to 10 or 11 per cent as against the record figure of 25 per cent a year back." He said wheat, rice and cotton crops were excellent but sugarcane was facing problems. The growth rate of the large-scale manufacturing had gone up to 6 per cent and the rate of the economic growth is expected to remain at approximately between 3 and 3.5 per cent. The rate of growth in the agricultural sector is estimated to be 4 per cent, he said. He said the IMF mission has expressed the confidence that the FBR shall achieve tax collection target of Rs 1,380 billion for the year 2009-2010 because of the growth of the national economy and concerted efforts of the FBR. "The IMF has applauded that the government had confronted challenges successfully thrown at it because of difficult circumstances and inability of the FoDP to honour commitments. They appreciated that the budget had been kept under discipline despite the fact there is a democratic set-up in the country. "The government has kept the financial deficit and prices of PoL well under control in line with the international market. The raise given to the power tariff shall also help strengthen the economy," Sohail concluded.

incumbent Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko.

2010-02-20T18:10:00.000-08:00

She said once again that Viktor Yanukovich will never be considered Ukraine's legitimately elected president. This is in stark contrast to her fellow Orange Revolutionary - incumbent Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko. On Saturday he finally congratulated his long-time rival, Mr Yanukovich, on a legitimate victory. Sergei Mishchenko, an MP from Mrs Tymoshenko's party, has said their party is planning to boycott the inauguration ceremony scheduled for 25 February. He also added Mrs Tymoshenko is not giving in, she will not recognise the elections results and she will continue to work as prime minister. Mr Yanukovich has asked Mrs Tymoshenko to step down from her post on several occasions. And she has said that she will notAs president, Mr Yanukovich does not have the right to fire or to appoint a prime minister - that is up to Ukraine's parliament. At the moment Mrs Tymoshenko's party is still part of the parliamentary coalition, but negotiations are under way to form a new coalition based on Mr Yanukovich's Regions Party. One of the leaders of the Regions Party, Nikolai Azarov, speaking to Ukrainian TV channel Inter, said it was fantastic to even consider the possibility of Mrs Tymoshenko remaining in her post for much longer. But no-one here in Ukraine thinks it will be an easy task to remove her. Country in limboOnce MPs form a new coalition they are likely to vote Mrs Tymoshenko's government out, but until a new government is formed - and that can take weeks in the current political situation - Mrs Tymoshenko will remain as acting prime minister under President Yanukovich. Analysts agree that little will be achieved in those weeks, and the country will remain in limbo. Of course, these coalition talks depend on many factors, on internal politics and favours. If they fail, Ukrainians will have to vote once again - in early parliamentary elections. Either way, despite peoples' hopes, the economic situation is not likely to improve drastically. Mr Yanukovich has promised to improve the lives of those most disadvantaged - state workers and pensioners. During his election campaigning he also promised to create more jobs. But with a government run by his rival he will experience difficulties in fulfilling any of his promises. Mrs Tymoshenko will also not be able to push any of her priorities. The country is still living according to last year's budget. It is even unclear where the money for the inauguration is to come from. Ukraine is also waiting for the much needed last tranche of the $16.4bn (£10.6bn) bailout programme from the International Monetary Fund. This payment was suspended last year - until after the presidential elections with a specific demand from the IMF for political stability and a democratic transfer of power. However, Mr Yanukovich will have to consider what his rival stands for. Half the country did, after all, vote for Mrs Tymoshenko, and he won by a small margin. He promised to unite the country - the Russian-speaking east and south that backed him overwhelmingly, and the Western Ukrainian-speaking half that backed Mrs Tymoshenko. But no-one is really certain how he will achieve that. Just after the elections Mr Yanukovich said he was still undecided whether to visit Russia or an EU country first, but now the Kremlin is saying Mr Yanukovich will go to Moscow in early March.

Pakistan 26 mily posts along Afghan border

2010-02-20T18:02:00.000-08:00

Pakistan has increased the number of military posts along the Afghan border in Balochistan to keep a check over the Taliban’s cross-border movement in the wake of ongoing Operation Mushtarak, a private TV news channel reported on Saturday.Quoting top military sources, the channel reported that at least 26 new military posts had been set-up by the security forces, which had brought the total number of military posts to 286. The channel also reported that the Pakistani government would handover the apprehended Taliban to the NATO forces, if they cross over into Pakistan from Afghanistan’s Helmand province.Both Pakistan and the US forces have also arrived on an understanding regarding the timely sharing of intelligence information. During his meeting with Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Commander General McCrystal assured that the US and the NATO forces would extend maximum intelligence cooperation to the Pakistani forces about the Taliban’s movement across the border. Last year, the US-led NATO forces had vacated more than half a dozen key security checkposts on the Afghan side of the Pak-Afghan border just ahead of the major Pakistan Army ground offensive Operaiton Rah-e-Nijaat against the Taliban in the volatile tribal area of South Waziristan.

Dalai Lama was bestowed with a US award for his commitment to democracy

2010-02-19T22:33:00.000-08:00

The Dalai Lama was bestowed with a US award for his commitment to democracy, the latest honor for the Tibetan spiritual leader despite China's angry protests over his White House welcome.One day after President Barack Obama met the exiled monk at the White House in defiance of Chinese warnings, the National Endowment for Democracy on Friday gave the Dalai Lama a medallion before a packed crowd at the Library of Congress.The Endowment, which is funded by the US Congress, hailed the Dalai Lama for supporting a democratic government in exile and his willingness to even abolish a centuries-old spiritual position if Tibetans so choose."By demonstrating moral courage and self-assurance in the face of brute force and abusive insults, he has given hope against hope not just to his own people but also to oppressed people everywhere," Endowment president Carl Gershman said before placing the Democracy Service Medal around the monk's neck.The Dalai Lama, who fled his Chinese-ruled homeland for India in 1959, voiced admiration for US and Indian democracy and said China's authoritarian system was unsustainable."The Chinese Communist Party, I think, did many wrong things. But at the same time, they also made a lot of contribution for a stronger China," he said.The Dalai Lama pointed to the growing interest of many Chinese in getting rich. Calling himself a Marxist in his support for a strong social safety net, the Dalai Lama joked: "Sometimes I feel my brain is more red than those Chinese leaders.""Sometimes I express now the time has come for the Communist Party should retire with grace," he said in English, laughing that Chinese leaders would be "furious" at his comments.China earlier protested Obama's meeting with the Dalai Lama, saying the United States had "grossly violated basic norms of international relations" and summoning the US ambassador, Jon Huntsman."The US action seriously interfered in Chinese internal affairs, seriously hurt the feelings of China's people and seriously harmed China-US relations," foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said in a statement.In Washington, State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said the Dalai Lama's meetings with Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were part of a longstanding US dialogue with the Tibetan leader."I think on this issue, obviously we just agree to disagree," Crowley told reporters.The International Campaign for Tibet, which works closely with the Dalai Lama, quoted witnesses as saying that residents in Tibet and historically Tibetan areas of China's Sichuan province chanted prayers and set off firecrackers to celebrate the White House meeting, despite tight security.Beijing accuses the Dalai Lama of trying to split China, although the exiled leader has repeatedly said he accepts Chinese rule.In a nod to Chinese sensitivities, the Obama White House prohibited cameras from entering the meeting, which took place in the Map Room, not the seat of presidential power in the Oval Office.But the White House later issued a statement voicing support for the Dalai Lama and his nonviolent quest for greater rights for Tibetans.With Obama, the Dalai Lama has now met every sitting US president since George H.W. Bush in 1991.Offering one tidbit from Thursday's meeting, the Dalai Lama revealed that Obama gave him a memento from a much earlier interaction with a US president -- a copy of a letter Franklin Roosevelt sent him in 1942.Roosevelt mailed the Dalai Lama, who was then seven, the letter and a golden Rolex watch as a gesture to seek relations with the remote Himalayan land."At that time, my only interest is the gift of the watch, not the letter," the Dalai Lama said with a laugh."I actually don't know where that letter goes. Now after 68 years, just yesterday, President Obama gave me a copy of that letter."The monk frequently tells the story of the watch, saying that fiddling with it helped spur his lifelong interest in science.In 2007, he carried the gold watch in his pocket when George W. Bush presented him with the Congressional Gold Medal, the only time a sitting US president has appeared with him in public.

African Union suspends Niger after military coup

2010-02-19T22:24:00.000-08:00

The organisation said it had imposed sanctions on the country and demanded a return to constitutional rule. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also condemned the coup, and appealed for calm and respect for human rights. Earlier, the new military council announced it was lifting a curfew and re-opening borders. Col Abdul Karimou said the situation was "under control" and that there was "no single voice of dissension" in the West African state. Thousands of people took to the streets on Friday in support of the takeover. Ten people are said to have died when the junta seized power. Tandja 'safe' Troops stormed the palace during a cabinet meeting on Thursday afternoon, seizing Mr Tandja and his ministers before announcing that they were suspending the constitution and dissolving all state institutions. Col Goukoye Abdul Karimou read a statement signed by Col Salou Djibo Calling themselves the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy (CSRD), the coup leaders promised to turn Niger into an example of "democracy anA senior army officer, Col Salou Djibo, was named head of a military government. The US said it believed the coup had been triggered by Mr Tandja's actions last August, when he held a controversial referendum to abolish limits on presidential terms of office. The opposition Co-ordination of Democratic Forces for the Republic (CFDR) - a coalition of political parties, trade unions and human rights groups formed last year to protest against the constitutional changes - welcomed it. d good governance" and save its people from "poverty, deception and corruption".

Karachi by the arrest of the Afghan Taleban

2010-02-19T22:19:00.000-08:00

The spotlight shone on Karachi by the arrest of the Afghan Taleban’s second-in-command has illuminated a heaving Pakistani mega-city where organised crime helps to provide shelter for insurgents on the run. Since last autumn British and American intelligence sources have been saying that the port city — Nato’s main entry point for supplies passing through Pakistan to Afghanistan — has become a hideout for Mullah Omar, the Taleban’s spiritual leader, along with key members of his governing council, the Quetta Shura. "For various reasons they have begun to feel vulnerable in Quetta," one British intelligence source said. "There are too many eyes on it. We think Omar has shifted to Karachi. The size of the city and its distance from the [Afghan] border means it’s very difficult to read. Other commanders move in and out of it when they are able." Pakistan’s largest city and commercial capital, Karachi is home to more than 18 million people of varied ethnicity and language, a teeming port that generates 68 per cent of government revenue and 25 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product. Its population includes about 2.5 million Pashtuns, the largest Pashtun population in Pakistan outside the North West Frontier Province. The Pashtun migration to the city began in the 1950s but has burgeoned with each new wave of fighting along the border with Afghanistan, producing a displaced population inside Karachi where Mullah Baradar and others could easily conceal themselves. Organised crime has long been infamous there. Dacoits, armed robber bands, fought British troops around the city fringes for much of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as recorded by the sombre memorial plaques to British soldiers in Karachi’s Holy Trinity Cathedral. In a recent interview the city’s mayor, Syed Mustafa Kamal, described it as the Taleban’s "revenue engine", where the proceeds of organised crime including kidnap, robbery and drug trafficking are laundered. He noted that the Taleban, keen to safeguard their financial supply lines, were unlikely to intensify violence in the port. Karachi’s violence has a momentum of its own. Today gunfights are as commonly conducted between rival ethnic and political factions as criminal gangs and law enforcers. Sindhis, Pashtuns and Mohajir Muslims from India have all at times clashed in the city. Dozens have been killed in assassinations and skirmishes between gangs of rival political activists over the past few months, while bomb attacks against Shia Muslims have left a further 76 people dead this year. Though precise details of Mullah Baradar’s arrest remain scarce, officials have confirmed that the Taleban No 2 had been captured in Karachi last month by Pakistani security agents responding to a US tip-off. Yet despite the Taleban’s well-documented connection in Karachi, some remained unconvinced by the reports of Baradar’s arrest. "There are no Taleban here in Karachi," said Mufti Mohammed Naeem, principal of the Jaamia Binoria madrassa. For most, however, word of Mullah Baradar’s arrest attracted little, if any, attention. "We’ve got no real interest in people like that," said a Pashtun trader.

NASA’s Final Shuttle Patch Contest

2010-02-18T18:58:00.000-08:00

A short period of fasting prior to chemotherapy may protect healthy cells but leave cancer cells vulnerable to drugs, according to a new study. The results are very preliminary, based on animal research and a case study of just 10 people. But if they hold up, doctors could have a new tool for reducing chemotherapy’s side effects and safely administering larger doses. "Side effects aren’t just, ‘Will I lose my hair or not?’" said Valter Longo, a University of Southern California gerontologist. "It’s, ‘Will I be able to receive a high dose or not?’" For the last decade, Longo has studied the effects of caloric restriction on cell function. In lab animals, diets with 25 percent fewer calories than normal are linked to extended, healthy lifespans. The mechanisms are poorly understood, but it seems that dietary stress activates cell-protecting mechanisms. Longo’s specialty is insulin-like growth factor 1, or IGF-1, a protein that regulates cell growth. Its production is limited during fasting. In yeast and roundworms, inhibiting IGF-1 has produced record lifespans. According to Longo, people who read about his work elected on their own to try fasting before chemotherapy. "We told them not to, their oncologists told them not to, but the patients went ahead and did it," he said. Cellphone conversations don’t just interfere with driving. Driving dents the capacity to describe and remember cellphone messages, at least for some of the youngest and oldest drivers, a new study finds. FPRIVATE "TYPE=PICT;ALT=sciencenews"Routine driving impedes a person’s ability to relay information from a cellphone call accurately to a conversation partner and to remember key elements of that information, say psychologist Gary Dell of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his colleagues. Although many drivers regard talking while cruising a straightaway as no harder than walking while chewing gum, "that intuition is incorrect," Dell says. Both older and younger drivers seated next to a passenger and operating a vehicle in a simulator had more difficulty correctly retelling brief stories, versus retelling stories while sitting in an unmoving "car," the researchers report in the February Psychonomic Bulletin & Review. Participants, especially those over age 60, remembered less about stories after simulated driving than after sitting in the unmoving car. That might reflect a greater emphasis on defensive driving among older drivers.

CAR CUP: Ganassi Ready To Challenge Top Teams

2010-02-18T18:42:00.000-08:00

Chip Ganassi freely admits that he had to convince Bass Pro Shops to take Jamie McMurray as driver of the No. 1 Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet. Not known as a hunter or fisherman, McMurray’s pairing with the outdoors retail chain was seen as a bit of a stretch. But Ganassi wouldn’t budge. His theory is to hire the best drivers he can, and in this case, he felt the best driver was McMurray. Ganassi isn’t much of a budging type anyway. A former racer himself, he wants to race and be competitive. He wants to win. He can be stubborn, but as seen by the merger with Dale Earnhardt Inc., he knows when he has to make significant change. He’s also not afraid to play hard ball – negotiating with Toyota and Chevrolet all the way into last November before deciding on the Chevrolet deal. Depending on the day and his mood, Ganassi can be acerbic or hilarious. He has won the world’s biggest races in the Indianapolis 500, and now the Daytona 500. He is an accomplished road-racing owner. His open-wheel drivers have won seven championships and 74 open-wheel races. In NASCAR, Ganassi hopes to be more successful in 2010 and beyond. His drivers had made 803 starts with just six victories entering this season. But now he has a Daytona 500 win, thanks to Jamie McMurray’s victory last Sunday. That milestone win combined with the steady improvement of 2009 Chase For The Sprint Cup participant Juan Pablo Montoya has Ganassi and his organization in the spotlight. "He’s a great team owner in that he understands what makes each driver tick," says McMurray. "Juan is not me, obviously. Different attitudes, everything is a lot different about us. Chip knows how to treat Juan and he knows how to treat me. That’s what’s made him so successful." After a tumultuous 2008 when Dario Franchitti’s ride vanished without sponsorship and the team eventually merged Cup operations with DEI, Ganassi finally made the Chase For The Sprint Cup with Montoya in 2009 – the first time in six years of the Chase that Ganassi had a participant. He said that validated his team and the change. Now the Daytona 500 is the next step toward being a championship contender. "It’s huge," Ganassi says about the 500 win. "It’s one of the mountains you want to climb. And that’s what I love about this sport. When you get to the top of one mountain, you can see more clearly the next mountain to climb. That’s what’s great about auto racing, There’s always that next mountain to climb. That’s what we want to do and that’s what we’re going to endeavor to do. The view is pretty good from here right now." The view is good even though Ganassi doesn’t have a four-car team. He had tried the three-car operation, but he wasn’t going to run a third car out of his own pocket just for the sake of doing so. He tried it for part of the 2008 season with Franchitti and then 2009 with Aric Almirola and he just couldn’t find the funding to make it work. "People look at your team and they don’t understand the ups and downs internally of what you’re dealing with," Ganassi says. "We’ve certainly had our ups and downs. We’ve always stayed on plan of how we want to operate the team. We’ve always given the drivers equal equipment. We don’t have a No. 1 or No. 2 car. We put every effort into the cars. "Maybe we haven’t always been able to afford the shiny contracts that were so popular two years ago. But we always stayed on plan with how we operate as a team. Our cars are pretty good. We’ve got our engine thing sorted out. We’ve got good engines." Getting the engines sorted out was a product of the DEI merger, which meant getting rid of the Ganassi engine shop and going to Earnhardt Childress Racing Technologies engines. But with all the change, there came massive layoffs from both the DEI and Ganassi sides. With virtually all teams in NASCAR suffering layoffs, Ganassi was far from alone in the reduction of staff. But without the performance on the track until Montoya made the Chase last year, it looked from the outside as if things were not stable. "We’ve taken our criticism," says team co-owner Felix Sabates. "But Chip is a very focused person. If you cut his veins, he’s got motor oil coming out of them. He never wavered from the plan he had. "Sometimes it takes a lot of money to implement these plans. Money these days don’t grow on trees." That’s what made 2009 so important, Ganassi said, and the Daytona 500 win was an extension of the team improving the perception that it can get the job done. "They didn’t believe the naysayers," Ganassi says. "So many times in this sport, if you’re not Hendrick or Roush or Gibbs, I get the feeling sometimes you guys in the media think these [other] teams aren’t capable and that isn’t true. There are a lot of teams that are capable. Maybe the model isn’t a massive team. "I’d like to think we just stayed on plan and didn’t listen to all this peripheral [b.s.] that was going on." The plan didn’t change when McMurray replaced Martin Truex Jr., who left after the 2009 season for Michael Waltrip Racing. Truex came from DEI, and with him came Bass Pro Shops. Now Bass Pro Shops is in the final year of its deal in 2010, and winning was important as Ganassi tries to keep it as a sponsor. "It’s not easy to inherit things like that, and quickly you become sometimes fast friends in this business," Ganassi says. "It always can be challenging and it can be a little tenuous. Everything thankfully has worked out for the best. "They’re great people. They, like a lot of companies, went through some belt-tightening the last little bit, but they hung in there with us and supported us and supported the decisions that we brought forward to them with the driver." Did Ganassi have to convince Bass Pro Shops to take McMurray? "Yes, yes and yes," Ganassi says. Ganassi wanted McMurray even though he never improved his finishes after leaving Ganassi in four seasons with Roush Fenway Racing. "I always stuck with our team thing that we go with the best driver that’s available," Ganassi says. "That’s what the sponsors need to understand about how we operate. At the end of the day, it’s about performance and we put the effort into the team and into the cars and hopefully that is why we can attract the drivers and drivers want to drive for us. "We all know Jamie left for a big contract and back in the day, we couldn’t afford those big contracts. The fact of the matter is today we probably can’t afford those big contracts. But that’s never been the foundation of our team. It’s about the cars, it’s about racing, it’s about the team, it’s about the equipment." The equipment is good enough to compete for a championship, McMurray crew chief Kevin Manion says. Winning the Daytona 500 just adds to the team’s confidence. "I think it let everyone know that we’re a real team, Jamie is a real driver," Manion says. "We have a seasoned team, a seasoned owner and a seasoned driver that came all together. The rest of the year will prove that the team is ready. We’re ready for California. The car is ready. The team is ready." And Ganassi is ready. "I love this business," Ganassi says. "I live for this business every day. I love racing. I love being involved in it. … If you’re in NASCAR or up in Indianapolis or the sports cars, I enjoy doing that. It’s what makes me tick. It’s what winds me up. "I’ve been blessed to work with some great people, great teams. Who could possibly think as a little kid when you’re racing your little stock cars around or driving go-karts that someday you could make a living doing this? I’m blessed. I love this business. My interests are few outside of this and this is what I love and that is why I’m here."

Super Bowl of fashion

2010-02-18T18:36:00.000-08:00

New York Fashion Week is almost at an end, and Justin Timberlake said he was thrilled to be able to showcase his William Rast clothing line at what he deems the "Super Bowl of fashion." Partner Trace Ayala, love interest Jessica Biel, and others in his entourage were present to debut some of the latest looks, which incorporated leather, signature denim, and a biker/military style. An important aspect of his clothing is its appeal and availability to an everyday audience, Timberlake said. "I think we were able to really focus on being consumer based.Despite media speculation about trouble in their relationship, Jessica Biel supported Timberlake in the front row, and the couple were seen together around New York looking more united than ever.Timberlake managed to make the tabloids in other ways as well with the New York Post reporting that he forced all backstage staff to sign a gag order to avoid possible leaks of private information about himself and his line.

conflict with the U.S. agency for almost 30 years.

2010-02-18T18:28:00.000-08:00

Joseph Stack, the software engineer police say flew a small plane into an Austin, Texas, building housing offices of the Internal Revenue Service, may have been in conflict with the U.S. agency for almost 30 years. Authorities said a suicide note posted on a Web site and signed "Joe Stack (1956-2010)" may have been posted by the 53- year-old suspected of deliberately crashing the plane today. The crash injured at least 13 people, with one federal employee reported missing. The writer said he lost "$40,000 and 10 years of my life" participating in what tax experts describe as an attempt to avoid taxes by claiming his home was a church. He said he later clashed with the IRS over a law targeting computer consultants suspected of abusing employment tax rules. In the Web posting, Stack wrote of raiding retirement accounts after suffering a loss of income following a move to Texas, struggling to report "a boatload of undocumented income" earned by his wife, and trying to write-off a piano, which he called "an expensive new business asset." Craig Etter, a tax lawyer at Greenberg Traurig LLP in McLean, Virginia, said the employment tax issue has been controversial in the technology industry since it was enacted as a last-minute inclusion in the Tax Reform Act of 1986, the last time Congress overhauled tax laws. "It caught everybody by surprise," he said. "It’s not often that legislation carves out one industry to pick on. There were a lot of angry people." Computer Consultants The law makes it harder for software engineers, computer consultants, and other technical services workers to act as independent contractors, rather than as employees. While some workers prefer to be classified as employees, meaning the employer pays half of Social Security and Medicare taxes that total 7.35 percent of salary, independent contractors can shelter more money from taxes by making larger contributions to retirement accounts and by deducting business expenses. Workers in the computer-consulting industry typically want to be classified as independent contractors for that reason, Etter said. President Barack Obama proposed a crackdown on employment tax fraud in his 2011 budget proposal with new rules to more clearly define when workers should be classified as employees or as independent contractors. In addition, the IRS this month is scheduled to begin auditing 6,000 companies to test compliance with employment tax laws. Businesses duck about $14 billion a year in taxes due to worker misclassification, the Treasury Department estimated in 2005. Church Exemption In his posting, Stack said his tax troubles began when he was working in Southern California in the 1980s. He describes becoming involved in an organization that sought to exploit a tax-code section that exempts churches from taxes. "We carefully studied the law (with the help of some of the ‘best,’ high-paid experienced tax lawyers in the business) and then began to do exactly what the ‘big boys’ were doing," Stack wrote in his note, referring to tax exemptions claimed by the Catholic Church. That "little lesson," he wrote, cost him "$40,000 and 10 years of my life, and set my retirement plans back to 0." In a statement today, IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said his department is "working with law-enforcement agencies to fully investigate the events that led up to this plane crash." Stack’s posting, which was taken down from his Web site at the request of authorities, specifically mentioned the IRS as a target. "Violence not only is the answer, it is the only answer," it said. "Well, Mr. Big Brother IRS man, let’s try something different; take my pound of flesh and sleep well." J.J. McNabb, a Bethesda, Maryland, author working on a book about tax protesters who has testified before Congress twice on the subject, said the posting echoes the beliefs of such activists

UK warns Israel

2010-02-18T18:20:00.000-08:00

Relations between Israel and Britain slid towards a 20-year low yesterday as London delivered a stern warning over the "outrage" of faked UK passports being used by alleged assassins in Dubai. Ministers are assiduously refraining from making "any accusations" over the killing of Mahmoud alMabhouh, a senior figure in Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement, in Dubai. However, Ron Prosor, the Israeli ambassador, was summoned to the Foreign Office yesterday to be told of Britain's determination to "get to the bottom" of an "extremely serious" incident. David Miliband, foreign secretary, said: "We wanted to give Israel every opportunity to share with us what it knows about this incident. We hope and expect that they will cooperate fully." These exchanges could be the prelude to a more damaging turn in UK-Israeli relations. Mr Miliband is said to be deeply disturbed by allegations over the misuse of British passports. If proven true, this could damage the framework of trust underpinning the alliance with Israel. If ministers see conclusive proof that Mossad, the Israeli overseas intelligence agency, was linked to the killing, this would also damage the relationship. For his part, Dubai's police chief, Lt Gen Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, said he was almost completely sure of Mossad's responsibility. "It is 99 per cent, if not 100 per cent, that Mossad is standing behind the murder," he told the Abu Dhabi-based National newspaper, without elaborating on the evidence. Mr Miliband said that "interference with British passports is an outrage". But he added: "It's very, very important that we don't make accusations until we know that they're well founded." The foreign secretary asked Mr Prosor to "take back to his government the seriousness with which we are addressing the situation". Yesterday Sir Peter Ricketts, the Foreign Office permanent secretary, urged Mr Prosor to disclose everything that Israel knows about the episode and help an investigation led by the Serious Organised Crime Agency. In a sign of mounting diplomatic tension, however, Mr Prosor emerged from the meeting - to which he had been "invited" at short notice - saying he had been "unable to add additional information". Israel says there is no evidence to show Mossad's involvement in the killing, but officials have offered no firm confirmations or denials, in line with their usual policy. The alleged killers of Mabhouh included 11 people holding fake European passports. Six Britons, who all have links to Israel, allegedly had their passports cloned, with their names alongside fake photographs and signatures. While officials say that Israel and London have an "alliance", key issues have strained their relations for many years, notably the expansion of Jewish settlements on the occupied West Bank. But Israel and Britain have close commercial ties and also co-operate closely on some high-priority foreign policy issues, particularly Iran's nuclear ambitions. Diplomats stress that relations are not yet in a "deep freeze". Given the early stage of the investigation, an official diplomatic rebuke would be seen as premature. But it is recognised at senior levels that this may prove necessary. Officials have been studying precedents, including a espionage controversy that led to the expulsion of two Israeli diplomats from London in 1987. The Conservatives called on Mr Miliband to win guarantees from Israel over its future conduct. David Cameron, Conservative leader, said: "At the very least, we need some assurances about the future to make sure whatever has happened in the past can't happen again." Mr Miliband will take up the issue with his Israeli counterpart, Avigdor Lieberman, in Brussels on Monday. Meanwhile, the Dubai police investigation is focusing on identifying five other suspects, all believed to have European passports, and questioning two Palestinians who were arrested in connection with Mabhouh's killing. Hamas officials are believed to have claimed that these suspects belong to the rival Fatah party of Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the western-backed Palestinian Authority.

30 killed &110 injured in Tirah suicide bombing

2010-02-18T18:07:00.000-08:00

At least 30 people – including an important Lashkar-e-Islam commander (LI) – were killed and another 110 injured in a suicide attack near a mosque in Akakhel area of Khyber Agency’s remote Tirah valley on Thursday, according to sources. Witnesses told Daily Times that a suicide bomber – after parking his explosives-laden double cabin pickup in the middle of a ground – blew himself up while meeting the LI’s deputy chief for the area, also setting of the explosives in his vehicle. But a source said the bomber only detonated explosives strapped to his body as LI members and locals prepared for midday prayers at Darss Mosque, controlled by the LI. The agency also quoted local official Javed Khan as saying that the dead also included other LI militants. The AFP news agency quoted a regional official as saying that attack was carried out with around 80 people gathered around "the mosque, a cattle market and bazaar". However, the AP news agency reported that officials were still investigating if the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber or a planted device. The blast was so powerful that it was heard in far off areas. The site of the attack – which took place near an LI centre and also destroyed the mosque – was littered with body parts, clothes, shoes and debris. The source said that around 40 kilogrammes of explosives were used in the attack. Kohat Commissioner Khalid Umarzai told reporters over the phone that the injured had been shifted to Kohat hospitals for treatment. He said "most of those injured" were in critical condition. Sources in Tirah valley confirmed that the LI deputy chief for the area, identified as Azam Khan, was among the dead. An intelligence official told AFP, "We have confirmed reports that militant commander Azam Khan was also killed in the blast." LI has not held anybody responsible for the attack. AFP quoted an intelligence official as saying, "There is a possibility that the rival group [Ansarul Islam] attacked the LI base." But a spokesman for the Ansarul Islam (AI) – talking to Daily Times – denied his group’s involvement in the attack. The spokesman, Naeem, said AI had nothing to do with such attacks, and claimed his organisation did not employ suicide bombers. He said "an important meeting of the LI and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)" was underway when the bomber struck. LI spokesman Haji Zar Khan was not available for comment. Akakhel area is located on the border of Khyber and Orakzai agencies. While Orakzai is controlled by the TTP, the LI is the dominant force in Khyber. The attack in Khyber came as US special envoy Richard Holbrooke met Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in Islamabad. The president and the prime minister have condemned the attack. The president said such attacks could not deter the resolve of government and the people to continue the fight against militancy, extremism and terrorism.

Extreme sports dudes now life of Games

2010-02-16T22:12:00.000-08:00

The helicopter jumps in freestyle skiing moguls lit up the first two days of competition before Seth Wescott gave us one of the great Olympic comebacks in the snowboard cross final. The American, clad in what seemed at first to be faded blue jeans, hauled back his rivals in a compelling final charge. "Awesome," he said in summing up his achievement, before revealing he did the time trial section while listening to Celtic punk rockers Dropkick Murphys on his iPod. With the weather wreaking havoc in Alpine skiing -- just one medal event has been completed as of Tuesday -- the X Games sports have held the spotlight like never before. "I said even back in Turin that snowboarding was becoming the heart and soul of the Olympics," Wescott told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday, shortly before Canada's Maelle Ricker thrilled the crowd again by winning the women's snowboard cross. "To me it was so validating to come to the opening ceremony and have the entire intro to the Vancouver Games be two minutes of a snowboarder going free-riding in the back country." Wescott was the first man to win gold at snowboard cross in Turin in 2006 and he plans to go for a third title in Sochi in 2014. His performance this week made the men's downhill, where skiers go down one by one against the clock, appear tame. "What I think snowboard cross does is bring an easily appreciable way for people to be able to watch the sport," Wescott said at an event organized by his sponsor Visa. "They can understand completely the head-to-head aspect of the racing and not necessarily have to be versed in the intricacies of the freestyle part of it." SHARPER IMAGE The focus on snowboarding will be sharper still in the halfpipe on Wednesday. Shaun White, also a champion in 2006, is the joint highest earning athlete at these Games, with the exception of some of the NHL ice hockey players, and when the American performs his new Double McTwist trick it will be an occasion indeed. The rise of extreme sports has been giddying. Freestyle skiing has only held medal status since 1992 and snowboarding did not make its debut until 1998. Snowboarders and freestylers were not always made welcome at ski resorts concerned about the perceived lifestyle of some of the competitors and the Ross Rebagliati case in 1998 hardly helped their image. Rebagliati tested positive for marijuana after winning snowboarding gold in 1998 and was originally told he would be stripped of his medal, although he was eventually reinstated. Nothing could stop the rise in the sports' popularity among key demographics for advertisers, however. Head-to-head races in snowboard and blaring pop music at the moguls have provided great television pictures, even if rain has washed away thousands of spaces for spectators. "During the span of my career we've seen the X Games emerging and we've gone from being outcasts at ski areas to where I come home and people of all ages are fired up about the race they just saw," Wescott said. "It's pretty amazing how just in these last 15 years we've gained a social acceptance with action sports and people really appreciate them for the talent they have now."

Reality Shows Designers Aim for Clothes People Might Actually Wear

2010-02-16T20:42:00.000-08:00

Derek Lam and Vera Wang on Tuesday showed plenty of neat skirts and office-worthy jackets. Several of Ms. Wang's wool jackets and a pair of loose-legged pants stood out for their clean-lined, architectural look. Mr. Lam said he mixed leather and suede with "honest" fabrics like different types of cotton and merino wool, which are more likely to be affordable to consumers. Even Marc Jacobs, a master of theatrics, ditched his usual dramatic spectacle on Monday evening. He offered, simply, an elegant collection of dresses, suits and separates—in shoes that could be worn by real people, no less. The wearability theme is all good news for retailers. Buyers have been watching for clothes they can actually sell as New York fashion week sprints towards its finish on Thursday with a series of big-name shows. Steve Sadove, chief executive of Saks Fifth Avenue, said that New York fashion week has been looking "good" for the luxury chain, though he qualified the remark with "I hope." Sales in the industry have been down for 18 months, and splashy looks aren't working like they used to. Designers want to sell clothes.

'American Idol\' Unveils Seven

2010-02-16T20:40:00.000-08:00

Early notable contestants Casey James (he of the shirtless Denver audition), Michael "Big Mike" Lynche (the hulking guy who skipped the birth of his child in favor of a stay at Hollywood Week) and Didi Benami (who sang Sarah McLachlan's "Angel" in memory of her deceased best friend) all made the top 24. Joining them are dancer-turned-singer Todrick Hall, curly-haired Duffy-ite Katelyn Epperly, high-schooler Aaron Kelly and singer-songwriter Lee Dewyze The fates of early favorites like 17-year-old Katie Stevens (tipped by Kara DioGuardi as a possible champ), Andrew Garcia (the acoustic impressario of "Straight Up" renown) and Crystal Bowersox (she of the blonde dreads and the soulful growl) were left up in the air until Wednesday's show, when the rest of the top 24 will be announced. With the reality-show circus of the audition rounds and the manufactured drama of group day behind us, one could not be faulted in thinking Tuesday's episode would focus, finally, on the music. Yet the show oddly skipped over nearly the entire round of tunes — as contestants sang for the first time with a backing band — in favor of 10- or 15-second flashes of a chosen few contestants. The result was an overall disjointed viewing experience, denying us true insight into everyone's performances and leaving us frustratingly detached from the tension of the elimination. For all the actual music "Idol" producers aired, the show rightfully should have lasted as long as a network sitcom rather than the two-hour snoozefest Fox offered up as entertainment. What little we did see veered from the enticing to the forgettable. Casey James did his cowboy-cool singer-songwriter thing with a cover of Colbie Caillat's "Bubbly" and 19-year-old Siobhan Magnus came out of her shell of shyness during a lively version of Stevie Wonder's "Living for the City." Crystal Bowersox hauled out the harmonica for a powerful take on Sheryl Crow's "If It Makes You Happy." Coming off his funky rejiggering of Paula Abdul's "Straight Up," Andrew Garcia stuck with the female artists as he busted out Adele's "Chasing Pavements" competently, if considerably less memorably. Meanwhile Alex Lambert flubbed a ukulele-driven channeling — a la Jason Castro — of Jason Mraz, and both Jermaine Sellers and Thaddeus Johnson found themselves struggling to stay on the same page with the band. Mom-rocker Mary Powers' rendition of Katy Perry's "Hot n Cold" had Simon saying, by way of the most backhanded of compliments, "I think she's interesting because she's old." As all this action zipped by at a frenzied pace, the contestants bided their time in one of three holding rooms and the judges traded photos of them in an attempt to cull their choices. One of the rooms, we were teased all episode, would be eliminated. To begin, judges visited room one, which housed Casey James, Lilly Scott, Katie Stevens and Siobhan Magnus. After a not particularly convincing bit of you-might-be-going-home misdirection, Ellen DeGeneres announced, "Ya'll are going through!"

Iran official

2010-02-16T20:30:00.000-08:00

Mohammad Javad Larijani, a member of a powerful political clan in Iran, rejected an assertion by Clinton on Monday that the Revolutionary Guard is supplanting the Iranian government, and Iran is moving toward a military dictatorship. One of Larijani's brothers is speaker of the Iranian parliament and another is head of Iran's judiciary. "On the one hand she (Clinton) is worried about democracy in Iran, on the other hand she's offering the most generous military help to states which don't run a single election," Larijani told CNN's Christiane Amanpour just after Clinton had completed a three-day tour of Arab countries in the Persian Gulf. Larijani said the Revolutionary Guard, which has extensive business interests in Iran, is answerable to legal structures of the state. "The Revolutionary Guard is part of our defense system, they have a legal status, they have a legal command, and they are legally answerable to Parliament," he added. Larijani, whose title is secretary general of the Iranian High Council for Human Rights, also rejected Western criticism of Iran's rights record, declaring that his country is "the greatest and only democracy in the Middle East." He said he explained Iran's position in full this week to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, where the U.S., Britain, France and other nations strongly attacked Tehran's record, as they stepped up pressure for new international sanctions against Iran over its nuclear ambitions. Video: Iran warning against sanctions Video: Ahmadinejad's response "It is true that the United States and a number of Western countries aired their criticism toward us, but it was mostly a kind of cliche," Larijani said. "But on the other side, a lot of nations also supported and commended our position," he added -- a reference to countries including Cuba, Venezuela, and Sri Lanka. Despite the government's massive crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators since the disputed presidential election in June last year, Larijani said Tuesday that no one is jailed because of protests in Iran. "The only reason for jailing is the violence which was attached to the protests, a violence which got the life of more than 20 policemen and 13 civilians and also damaged the properties and also people's life and health," he asserted. "I think the beating of our police is much less than the New York and Los Angeles police ... the violence in Tehran was much less that the violence in Paris.. (which) was in flames for three months." He also rejected criticism of Iran's policy on executing people who, he said, were engaged in violence. "Those who indulge in terrorist activities, they are pursued by the law. They will face a very harsh sentence, if it is proved by the court." Larijani acknowledged that official wrongdoing and unlawful acts do occasionally happen in Iran, but insisted the authorities take quick action to address problems when they are identified. He cited the example of what happened after the deaths of three protesters who were jailed at the Kahrizak Detention Center in Tehran. One of those who died was the son of a leading conservative politician. He said the prosecutor-general, Saeed Mortazavi, who was linked to those deaths by a parliamentary committee could now face further investigation by the judicial authorities. "Nobody will replace the court and their final decision," Larijani asserted.

2010-02-15T22:30:00.000-08:00

The top military commander of the Taleban, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, has been captured in Karachi in a secret raid by Pakistani and US intelligence forces, according to a report. Citing US government officials, the New York Times newspaper said Mr Baradar, described as the most significant Taleban figure captured since the start of the Afghanistan war, had been in Pakistani custody for several days and was being interrogated by Pakistani and US intelligence, after he was captured in Pakistan last week. The White House and CIA declined comment on the report and the Pentagon also had no comment. The newspaper reported that officials said the operation to capture Mr Baradar was conducted by Pakistan's military spy agency, the Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence, or ISI, which was accompanied by CIA operatives. According to the report US officials had described Mr Baradar as ranking second in influence in the Taleban only to Mullah Muhammad Omar, and that he was a close associate of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden before the September 11 terror attacks. The newspaper said it was not clear if Mr Baradar was talking to authorities, but it quoted the officials as saying his capture could lead to other senior Taleban officials. The officials voiced hope he would provide the location of Mullah Omar. If confirmed, Mr Baradar's arrest would be a major setback for the Taleban. A spokesman for the Taleban in Afghanistan told The Associated Press that Mr Baradar was still free, though he did not provide any evidence. "We totally deny this rumour. He has not been arrested," Zabiullah Mujahid told the AP by telephone. "The Taleban are having success with our jihad. It is to try to demoralise the Taleban who are on jihad in Marjah and all of Afghanistan." US Marines are currently leading Operation Moshtarak, one of NATO's biggest offensives against Taleban Islamic militants in Afghanistan. The offensive in Marjah involves 15,000 US, British and Afghan troops. It is the biggest joint operation since the 2001 invasion that ousted the Taleban. The troops are fighting over an area of less than 100 square miles, with a population of 80,000. The assault is the first test of US President Barack Obama's plan to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan, where the Taleban has made a steady comeback since a US-led invasion ousted it in 2001. The newspaper said it had learned of the operation last Thursday, but delayed reporting it after a request by White House officials who said disclosing it would end a very successful intelligence push. The paper said it was now publishing the report because White House officials acknowledged that news of the capture was becoming broadly known in the region. US officials were quoted as saying that in addition to the Taleban's military operations, Mr Baradar ran the group's leadership council, often called the Quetta Shura.

Greatest threat to democracy

2010-02-15T22:22:00.000-08:00

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN -- A fresh standoff between Pakistan's judiciary and its weak government simmered Monday, as lawyers staged a nationwide strike and political prognosticators warned of instability in the wobbly democracy. Black-suited lawyers swarmed the high court building in this capital city, vowing to defend the court system in a dispute over judicial appointments made by President Asif Ali Zardari that went against the advice of the nation's top judge. The Pakistani Supreme Court deemed the nominations unconstitutional on Saturday and blocked them, setting the stage for the latest in a series of confrontations between the nation's popular chief justice and unpopular president. The tensions come as Pakistan wages a fierce battle against Islamist insurgents and is on the verge of renewing talks with its bitter enemy, India. The opposition's most prominent leader, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, said the judicial appointments made Zardari the "greatest threat to democracy." The ruling party has played down the controversy, and there have been no signs of chaos in the nuclear-armed nation. But related clashes have caused standstills -- and fueled political change -- in the past. A lawyer protest movement in 2007 eventually led to the resignation of President Pervez Musharraf, who had fired Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry and other judges. Last year, threats of a lawyers' march led Zardari to reinstate Chaudhry, whose court went on to strike down an ordinance that shielded Zardari and other government officials from graft charges. The rift this time centers on a constitutional question. Zardari appointed judges to the Supreme Court and to the Lahore High Court who were not the candidates suggested by Chaudhry. In response, the Supreme Court hastily convened a three-judge panel that suspended the order, saying Zardari was constitutionally obliged to consult the chief justice. Legal experts differ on that interpretation. The court said it would hold a hearing Thursday on the issue, and senior officials in Zardari's party have said they would abide by the court's ruling. Analysts said Monday that while the clash did not yet appear to be spinning toward crisis, it amounted to a distracting clash of egos, which Pakistan hardly needs. "The government's thinking is: They've been pushed around by this Supreme Court a bit too much," said Ayaz Amir, a columnist and commentator who represents Sharif's party in Parliament. The court "thinks that Pakistan is in a mess, institutions are not working, there is corruption all over, and it has befallen them to set right the state of affairs." One difference this time around, Amir noted, is that the lawyers' movement -- which two years ago was a massive, mostly unified groundswell of protest -- now appears fractured. Key leaders from that period have stayed out of the fray, and the gathering in Islamabad on Monday had a far lower turnout than organizers had predicted. "The judiciary is threatened once again by those who talk about democracy and being democrats but are not different from dictators," said Muhammad Akhtar Anjum, one young lawyer outside the Supreme Court, rejecting the notion of a divided movement. "We will force the dictators in this regime to run, the way we did with Musharraf

nawaz sharif press confirence(complite)

2010-02-14T18:45:00.001-08:00

ISLAMABAD: Striking down his entire lot of nominees for appointment as judges of the Lahore High Court, the federal government has formally informed the Chief Justice, Justice Khwaja Sharif, that his list contained serious "flaws" and did not meet the set constitutional criteria. The government has also sent back a similar list, forwarded by the Sindh governor for his own province, it was reliably learnt.Though Punjab Governor Salman Taseer had recommended 19 of the original 28 nominees of the Chief Justice Lahore High Court, Justice Khwaja Mohammad Sharif, the federal government has, nevertheless, rejected all while citing different reasons.A source close to the Supreme Court, when contacted, said the matter of judges’ appointment is in court and soon everything will get crystal clear. He said whatever information about the nominees of judges was required under the Constitution was provided by the Lahore High Court chief justice. The criterion for selection of nominees for judges was also strictly followed. Whatever qualification the constitution provided for judges, such as competency, experience and good reputation, was ensured while finalising the list of nominees for judges.He said in fact the government attitude towards judiciary was altogether changed after the announcement of Supreme Court verdict on NRO. Before this verdict, the government accepted all recommendations in a hope that the Supreme Court would feel obliged and show leniency on NRO. He said the Supreme Court, however, made the decision strictly according to law and constitution shattering the government hopes.Afterwards, he said, the government adopted attitude of non-cooperation and started objecting on every recommendation by the judiciary. He said the judiciary was offered by the government to induct 50 per cent of Jiala judges and 50 per cent of their own choice. "Be happy and make us happy" was what the government wanted from judiciary.He said whenever these objections were sent by the government, today, yesterday or some days before why it did not wait for the response from the chief justice. He said the government made the announcement before consultation, while it is not authorised under the constitution to act in this way.He said the PPP government wanted to induct Jiala judges in the judiciary and turn Pakistan’s justice system into topsy-turvy so that it could loot the national wealth with both hands. He said, according to his information, the agencies were pressurised to make false reports about the nominees for judges. He said the main problem is of one man that is President Zardari. And of Zardari’s corruption, he said, the main issue is of Swiss court cases. Attempts are being made to save Zardari from persecution in Swiss courts so that the looted money is not brought back and culprit is also not apprehended.A list of objections has been sent to the LHC CJ through Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, asking the CJ to address them prior to sending his revised list of nominees. The federal government, according to sources, was also grossly disappointed by the total absence of any female nominees.LHC CJ Khawaja Mohammad Sharif has now been told by the Law Ministry that his summary, seeking nomination of 23 advocates and six judicial officers, as additional judges, contained serious flaws, and there were certain reservations which needed to be addressed before any consideration of those names by President Asif Ali Zardari.The official summary sent by the Punjab governor to President Asif Zardari has now been returned to the governor with objections on Saturday after listing the flaws detected in the official summary.Talking to The News from Lahore, Punjab Governor spokesman Farrukh Shah confirmed that an official letter was received from the Law Ministry about these nominations but refused to divulge any more details.Earlier, sources said, the Law Ministry was surprised to note that no background of any nominee was provided, including the professional history of any nominee. But, despite these lapses, the Punjab governor had still recommended 19 names, but the Law Ministry did not agree with the governor as in its official assessment "sufficient credentials" were not given in the summary to convince the concerned competent authority. The sources said the federal government also upheld the objections of Governor Taseer, who had made it clear to President Zardari in his own comments that the LHC CJ had simply sent him the names and did not forward the required details about their past. For example, sources said, the main objection against these names was that the LHC CJ did not mention when a particular advocate now recommended for slot of a judge had joined the legal profession.Likewise, the Punjab governor had charged the CJ LHC of demonstrating "nepotism" in nominees selection as either he gave preference to lawyers working directly or indirectly in his own chamber at Lahore, or those who were linked with Hamdi Khan Group. Likewise, the nomination of lawyers from a ‘certain biradri’ had apparently stressed both the Punjab governor and now the federal government, sources said. Likewise, nomination of 12 lawyers out of 23 from Lahore had also caused some consternation in Islamabad.The source said the LHC CJ has also been informed that he had evidently ignored certain judicial officers, bypassing the principle of seniority and legitimate expectancy stating in his letter that "either their performance is not up to the mark or they don’t enjoy good reputation". It has now been pointed out that in the interest of the justice and fairness, it would have been more appropriate if the CJ had given specific reasons against each name/judicial officer who had been ignored by him rather than condemning all of them by giving one generalized comment. It has been further pointed out that the "criteria of fitness and suitability has an edge over the seniority and legitimate expectancy, but arbitrarily ignoring seniority is bound to harbour despondency and heart burning in the subordinate judiciary".It has been objected that in view of the availability of the following data with the office of the chief justice, recording specific reasons to ignore the senior judicial officers would have been possible: (a) Annual confidential reports of the session judges are recorded by the chief justice;(b) Complaint against district judiciary are received and processed in the computerized complaint cell of the Lahore High Court;(c) Performance of the district judiciary is evaluated on monthly, quarterly and yearly basis in the Lahore High Court, keeping in view any explanation called, observations made or strictures passed.Against them in the high court/supreme court of Pakistan.(d) Resolution (s) of any Bar Association with regard to the performance or reputation of the judicial officer.It has now been observed in the list of objections over the list that the above-mentioned factors were not taken into consideration while assessing the suitability of the judicial officer for elevation to the high court. The objections also included confusion created by serious typographical mistakes and also inclusion of a candidate, Mohammad Ramzan Khalid Lurka, who was already past the high court judge’s retirement age of 62.The Punjab governor had also informed the president that out of 28 persons, recommended by the LHC CJ, five advocates—Shahid Karim, Mamoon Rashid Sheikh, Waqar Hassan Mir, Ms Gulzar Butt and Mian Mahmood—were directly or indirectly affiliated with the Champer of LHC CJ Khawaja Mohammad Sharif. Similarly, four advocates, Mian Shahid Iqbal, Mohammad Farrukh Irfan Khan, Shaukat Umar Peerzada and Anwer Bhour, are reported to be closely associated with the Hamid Khan group.The official summary sent by the Sindh governor has also been rejected and sent back to him on the grounds that he did not "consult" with Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah as required under the law. Governor Dr Eshratul Ebad had forwarded the names of advocates to president Zardari after he received the same from Sindh CJ High Court. But, CM Sindh was said to have been ignored at the time of "consultation" as required under the constitution. Now the Sindh governor has been asked to first consult with the CM and then re-send the recommendations for the new additional judges.Meanwhile, in a related development, the NWFP Chief Minister Haider Amir Hoti contacted President Zardari with the demand that post of a judge at the Supreme Court falling vacant after the retirement of Justice (R) Sardar Raza Khan should be filled with a judge from the same province. The NWFP CM has justified his demand on the grounds that CJ Iftikar Muhammad Chaudhry had nominated LHC Justice Saqib Nisar from the Punjab after Justice (R) Khalilur Rehman Ramday’s retirement. Mr Hoti is said to have asked the federal government to maintain this principle of appointment in future and to elevate a senior judge from the Peshawar High Court to the SC. The sources said now the federal government might convey CM Hoti’s this message to the Supreme Court.

Karachi ( Dadu blast)

2010-02-14T18:38:00.000-08:00

KARACHI: An explosion ripped through the Cinema Chowk in Dadu on Sunday, killing three people in an area that has avoided much of the Taliban-led violence that has plagued the country.Authorities were investigating the nature of the blast, said local police chief Ghazi Salahuddin, AP reported.The explosion damaged several buildings in the area, including a sweet shop that bore the brunt, said eyewitness Ghulam Nabi Panwar. "It was a huge blast, but it mainly destroyed the sweet shop and the rickshaw in front of the shop," said Panwar.The explosion wounded nine people, who were brought along with the three who died to the main hospital in Dadu, said hospital official Rafiq Kolachi, AP reported. APP quoted police saying that six out of the 16 injured had been shifted to the Liaquat Medical College Hospital Hyderabad.Separately, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah condemned the blast in Dadu.According to an official statement, the CM has sought a report from the inspector general Sindh Police on the incident. He has also directed the Dadu district coordination officer and Health executive district officer to provide immediate relief to the injured, APP reported. agencies

Japan Software-as-a-Service Market Overview 2010

2010-02-14T18:27:00.000-08:00

The SaaS market in Japan has reached a major milestone, surpassing US$1 billion in 2009 as adoption of on-demand solutions spreads across all major industries, according to IT industry analysts at Springboard Research. The Springboard Research report, "Japan Software-as-a-Service Market Overview 2010", revealed that at US$1 billion, Japan’s SaaS market is larger than the rest of Asia combined. Springboard also predicts the Japan’s SaaS market will grow at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 24% from 2009 to 2013, making it one of the fastest growing segments in the Japanese IT industry. "The recent market growth is generated by large enterprise users adopting SaaS provided by global players, with Salesforce.com and Google being the most noted among them," said Masami Kashiwagi, Japan Research Manager at Springboard Research. "The remarkable market evolution and growth is reflected in the strong demand amongst organizations in traditionally conservative industries, such as government and the financial sector, that have started to deploy CRM systems via the SaaS model. Huge deals, such as Japan Post, have significantly increased market awareness and customer trust. The increased hype around Cloud Computing is also driving the growth of SaaS applications in Japan," Ms. Kashiwagi added. More Reasons for SaaS adoption other than Cost Savings Given the challenging economic environment in Japan, cost savings remain the primary driver for organization considering SaaS solutions, including the benefits of subscription-based pricing. Springboard also observed that speed of deployment is another key driver among early adopters, particularly for organizations with tight project timelines, where SaaS often represents the only viable option. Finally, lower "exit costs" were also cited frequently as a key benefit and justficiation for SaaS-related spending. However, Springboard Research notes that customization requirements and higher SLA (service level agreement) preferences among Japanese companies may not bring significantly lower TCO as compared to on-premise alternatives. "Some providers are playing the role of an aggregator selling their own SaaS solution as well as reselling global players’ offerings," noted Ms. Kashiwagi. "It is critical to understand the vendor and channel landscape for successful SaaS distribution in a unique market like Japan," Ms. Kashiwagi continued. About this Report The Springboard Research report - "Japan Software-as-a-Service Maket Overview 2010" - focuses on the key trends and dynamics in the Japan’s Software as a Service (SaaS) market. It offers data on the SaaS market and growth forecasts for 2009-2013 and outlines the demand drivers as well as inhibitors among Japanese organizations. The insights in this document are gained from extensive secondary research and interviews with leading SaaS providers in the market. About Springboard Research With visionaries others purse, methods others neglect and ideas others don’t even consider, Springboard Research not only seeks to lead an industry – we seek to transform it. Leveraging our pioneering research model together with renowned analysts and thought leaders, Springboard provides greater insight, analysis, and innovation specific to global emerging markets. Working with leading technology vendors, IT professionals, and local channels, Springboard helps our clients lead, rather than follow, market trends. Springboard has a global presence with research centers in Australia, China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, the UAE, and the US. We have been acknowledged as an emerging leader and for the last three years been named a "Rising Star" in the global IT market research industry by Outsell,

Don’t flaunt your love in public on Valentine's day

2010-02-13T20:39:00.000-08:00

Beware lovers! Don’t flaunt your love in public on Valentine's day, you may invite the wrath of the Hindu fundamentalists!, what’s new? It had always been there ever since the Sri Rama Sene was born! One may retort. But this time it is going to be more vigorous and more pronounced. Workers of Sri Rama Sene will be on the move day and night not just on Valentine's day but two days prior to that and perhaps a day after also. Three days of hell for those free radical lovers in Mangalore! The Fatwa on Valentine's day will be more serious this time say the Sri Rama Sene workers. We have deployed our workers at every pub, restaurant, clubs, residential areas, colleges, schools and other places where these young lovers are likely to meet up and exchange hugs and kisses and roam around the entire day. "We will not allow this alien culture to invade our society we will deal with those youngsters severely and let their parents know what they were doing on the streets" says Mr. Arun Puthila of Sri Rama Sene. "Who is this St. Valentine? and why should we Indians celebrate any day named after this man? our culture does not allow such open expression of love between man and woman in our culture that is holy binding of marriage and lifelong bondage, it is not one night stand we will oppose every move by every youngster to celebrate this alien culture" said Mr. Puthila. The Sri Rama Sene was preparing a hand out to be delivered to every college school and institution warning them against celebration of Velentine's day. We have also sent messages to those who sell Valentine's day articles in book stores and other shops not to display the Valentine's day cards a worker of the Sene told Mangalorean.com. It could be recalled here that for the last five years the Sri Rama Sene and other fringe groups have been obstructing celebration of Valentine's day and this time it will get more vigorous as the Sene activists are trying to block every way to celebrate Valentine's day. However nothing has been told by the other fringe group Bajrang Dal on the celebration of Valentine's day this year. A worker of the Dal said "we will not announce our action but we know what to do".

Daily times

2010-02-13T20:25:00.000-08:00

NEW DELHI: The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday stressed that foreign secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan scheduled for February 25 should be limited to the issue of terrorism only. Talking to reporters, senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to assure parliament that India would focus on nothing except terrorism during the February 25 talks. "We would like that the PM make a clear statement and give full assurance that there will be no talks except on terrorism, and all other issues will be considered only if there is a successful culmination of the talks on terrorism," Joshi said. He said the BJP opposed an open-ended dialogue with Pakistan, as well as offering amnesty to militants stranded across the Line of Control. He said Singh’s government was weakening India’s control over Kashmir. Criticised: Separately, at the daily BJP press briefing, BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad criticised Home Minister P Chidambaram for offering general amnesty to the youth of Indian-held Kashmir who "may have gone across the LoC". Describing Chidambaram’s statement as "shocking" and dangerous for India’s security, he questioned whether the government had a "scheme" to bring the Kashmiri youth back from Azad Jammu and Kashmir. "Mr Chidambaram has talked about consulting with others. But has he bothered to consult with his own Cabinet colleague Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is a former chief minister of IHK, who had once stated that bringing the Kashmiri youth would be unfortunate," Azad said.

UPDATE 2-ITT Corp profit raises

2010-02-13T20:19:00.000-08:00

ATLANTA, Feb 3 (Reuters) - ITT Corp (ITT.N) reported a higher fourth-quarter profit on Wednesday as cost cuts helped offset lower revenue, and the provider of military equipment and water pumps lifted its full-year 2010 outlook. The supplier of night-vision goggles for defense and industrial water pumps said recent order trends were picking up in some markets and that it expected "substantial benefits" from the overhaul of its defense business announced last month. [ID:nN05202580] But because of the realignment's costs, the company gave a first-quarter outlook below Wall Street estimates. Over the past year, ITT has cut commercial business staff, moved more work to lower-cost areas and implemented merit pay freezes to reduce costs. Fourth-quarter net income rose to $199.2 million, or $1.08 a share, from $185.5 million, or $1.01 a share, a year earlier. Excluding items, the company said its profit for the latest period was 97 cents a share. Analysts expected 93 cents, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Revenue fell about 3 percent to $2.87 billion, compared with the analysts' average estimate of $2.88 billion, while total costs and expenses fell 4 percent. Sales in the defense business, ITT's biggest segment, fell 1 percent to $1.6 billion as lower tactical radio sales offset growth in service contracts and international night-vision goggle revenues. Revenue fell 6 percent in the fluid technology segment and increased 2 percent in the motion and flow control segment, which supplies aerospace, automotive and industrial markets. The company said its wastewater pump business was seeing an uptick in municipal treatment and transport, driven by international demand. While the company expects its aerospace business to remain under pressure, it said it saw signs of stability in connectors and general industrial markets. ITT expects 2010 earnings of $3.90 to $4.10 a share, compared with a prior forecast of $3.85 to $4.05. Analysts on average expected $4.01. For the first quarter, ITT said it expected profit of 73 cents to 75 cents a share on higher restructuring expenses tied to the defense business overhaul. Analysts expected 82 cents.

Foreign news digest for

2010-02-12T18:59:00.000-08:00

Two suicide bombers struck outside a police complex in northwestern Pakistan on Thursday, killing 15 people and injuring 30. The attacks in Bannu underscored the security threat that persists in the region despite army operations and U.S. missile strikes there against al-Qaeda and the Taliban. The second blast occurred as rescuers responded to the first -- a militant tactic seen before in Pakistan, but not often. The city's police chief was among the wounded, a hospital official said. The attacks coincided with a visit to Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, by White House national security adviser James L. Jones.

Valentine's Day and money

2010-02-12T18:42:00.000-08:00

Last year, the global recession took some of the passion out of Valentine‚Äôs Day purchases. This year, with the economy in both Canada and North America out of recession, sales are expected to improve, according to retail groups. That said, it‚Äôs unlikely that consumers will be splurging on diamonds, with more practical items such as sweaters likely to be on the gift list. For florists, it‚Äôs the most important day of the year as most like to say it with fresh flowers. About a fifth of all flowers sold during the year are for Valentine‚Äôs Day, representing about a quarter of florists‚Äô annual revenue, according to website Aboutflowers.com. About 29% of adults purchased flowers last year as a Valentine‚Äôs Day gift, with almost two-thirds of those being men. This year about 36% of consumers plan to celebrate with flowers, according to the U.S. National Retail Federation‚Äôs 2010 Consumer Intention & Actions survey. In the U.S., chocolate and candy sales will climb to an estimated $935 million this year from $928 million last year, according to the National Confectioners‚Äô Association. About one-third of that amount will be spent on Valentine‚Äôs Day purchases, with chocolate being the most popular gift. The most romantic day of the year is the most important for the confectionery industry after Easter and Halloween. In Canada, 60% of Canadians will buy a gift with the majority spending less than $50, according to a Walmart Canada survey. It found men and Ontario residents are last-minute shoppers, while Quebecers are the first to start planning. In Western Canada, roses are popular, while in Eastern Canada teddy bears dominate gift choices, Walmart said. The average person in the U.S. will shell out $103 on traditional Valentine‚Äôs Day merchandise this year, similar to last year‚Äôs $102.50, according to the NRF survey. However, in the U.S., where the recession had a bigger impact on consumers than here in Canada, the slight increase in spending will come from consumers spending more on friends and family, rather than spouses, the survey found. As in previous years, men will spend nearly twice the amount women spend on the holiday. The average man plans to shell out $135.35 to impress the people in his life while women only expect to spend $72.28

NATO and EU join U.S. to congratulate new Ukrainian leader Viktor Yanukovich

2010-02-12T18:30:00.000-08:00

NATO and the European Union today joined United States president Barack Obama in congratulating Viktor Yanukovich on his victory in Ukraine‚Äôs presidential election, adding to pressure on his opponent, prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko to concede. NATO‚Äôs secretary general Anders Rasmussen said the western military alliance is committed to deepening its strategic partnership with Ukraine, whose election was fought largely over whether the country should lean towards Europe or its former imperial master, Russia. Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the EU council of ministers, said his organization and Ukraine share common values and strong mutual interests. In recent years the relationship between Ukraine and the EU has deepened significantly, he said. The warm reception for Yanukovich‚Äôs election is a significant gesture by the leaders of the two leading European alliances. Ukraine is a key transit country for pipelines bringing Russian natural gas to Europe. Disputes between Moscow and Kiev in recent years have resulted in the interruption in Europe‚Äôs essential gas supplies. Yanukovich, who comes from the Russian-speaking east of Ukraine, is seen as more of a friend of Moscow than of Europe. But while Europe and NATO welcome the prospect of better relations between Ukraine and Moscow, they do not want Yanukovich to form an exclusive alliance with Russia. Prime Minister Tymoshenko meanwhile, who was one of the leaders of Ukraine‚Äôs 2004 Orange Revolution, strongly advocates the country joining the European Union and perhaps NATO. She has refused to concede defeat in last weekend‚Äôs election, claiming Yanukovich won with fraudulent votes. She has also indicated she plans to stay on as prime minister, which suggests the country‚Äôs politics will remain in some turmoil until president Yanukovich puts together an alliance in parliament that can oust her.

Financial Times - BBC News - Sify - Indian Express

2010-02-10T18:40:00.000-08:00

The offer, aimed at preserving Pakistan’s influence in Afghanistan once the Americans left, could both help and hurt American interests as Washington debated reconciling with the Taliban, the newspaper said. Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani expressed Pakistan’s willingness to mediate at a meeting late last month at the Nato headquarters with top American military officials, a senior US military official familiar with the meeting told the newspaper. The meeting was attended by the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, the head of Central Command, Gen David H. Petraeus, and the commander of US and allied troops in Afghanistan, Gen Stanley A. McChrystal, the official said. "The Pakistanis want to be part of discussions that could involve reconciliation," the official said. Pakistan’s desire to work with the United States in an Afghanistan endgame is likely to be discussed by National Security Adviser Gen James L. Jones in Islamabad. So far, the United States has been more eager to push Pakistan to fight the Taliban than to negotiate with them, and has not endorsed Pakistan’s new approach. At the Jan 26 Nato meeting with General Kayani, US military commanders reviewed the list of hardware, MI-17 helicopters, ammunition for Cobra attack helicopters, body armour, armoured vehicles, that has been put on a fast track to the Pakistani military as an inducement to take on the Haqqanis, the newspaper said. But Gen Kayani was unmoved. "There is no need at this point to start a steamroller operation in North Waziristan," he told journalists last week. Last month he took Gen McChrystal on a helicopter tour over the mountains of the Swat Valley, where Pakistani paratroopers landed last summer to flush out Taliban insurgents. The message was that the Pakistani Army still regarded India as its primary enemy and was stretched too thin to open a new front. The Pakistani offer makes clear that any stable solution to the war will have to take into account Afghanistan’s neighbours, in a region where Pakistan, India, China, Iran and others all jostle for power. Pakistani officials familiar with Gen Kayani’s thinking said that even as the United States added troops to Afghanistan, he had determined that the Americans were looking for a fast exit. The impression, they said, was reinforced by President Barack Obama’s scant mention of the war in his State of the Union address

winter sports

2010-02-10T18:33:00.001-08:00

The governing body for skiing and snowboarding went bust before the Games leaving athletes to fund themselves. The British Olympic Association stepped in temporarily, and Hunt says winter sports remain high priority despite claims London 2012 will dominate. "I'll bang the drum for winter sports like I do for summer sports," Hunt told BBC Sport. "We're a non-alpine nation and it's truly remarkable that we've got 52 athletes here [in Vancouver] anyway. "I really want to ensure that we have sustainable funding going forward that we can develop great pathways to build on a wealth of young people in our winter sports. There's so much opportunity and potential. "When you look around other nations like the Netherlands - they're not an alpine nation but they compete at the highest level. We need to build on that experience and lift our winter sports to the next level." The British Ski and Snowboard Federation, trading as SnowsportGB, was responsible for administering the lottery funds it received from UK Sport, but collapsed because of overspending. The BOA agreed to set up a new body British Ski and Snowboarding (BSS) to look after the 14 ski and snowboard athletes and their coaches at the Vancouver Games. It will review the whole structure in its aftermath, though it is not obliged to continue with the organisation going forward. Snowboarding has reinstated the British Snowboard Association (BSA) to administer the sport in the UK, though the organisation has yet to be accepted by the International Ski Federation as the official national governing body. But skiing's outlook remains unclear and former British Olympic ski racer Graham Bell is worried. "The future situation of skiing and snowboarding in the UK is looking pretty difficult," said Bell. "There are organisations like the British Association of Ski Instructors (Basi), like the Ski Club of Great Britain, who would benefit from having a strong British team and we need to get those organisations together to decide what the future is for competitive skiing in the UK.

Israeli warplanes bomb southern Gaza

2010-02-10T18:20:00.000-08:00

Israeli warplanes bombed several sites in southern Gaza overnight in response to rocket fire from the Hamas-run enclave, the army and Palestinian medics said on Wednesday.No one was wounded or killed in the strikes, which destroyed an abandoned building in Gaza's only airport, according to medics.The airport was shut down and largely destroyed after the outbreak of the 2000 Palestinian uprising, or intifada, and has not been used since.The attacks came in response to rocket fire from the impoverished enclave over the past several days, the army said in a statement. The rocket fire did not cause any casualties.Israel has repeatedly targeted the vast network of tunnels used to smuggle food and construction materials as well as weapons from Egypt into Gaza, which has been under a punishing blockade since Hamas seized control there in June 2007.Gaza's borders have been mostly quiet since a devastating Israeli offensive in December 2008 and January 2009. Some 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed in the 22-day war.

Anti-Olympic protesters converge on Vancouver

2010-02-10T00:20:00.000-08:00

As Vancouver takes the world stage this week as host of the 2010 Winter Olympics, thousands of protesters are planning to crash the party.
Protesters from more than 50 groups are in Vancouver as part of an Olympic Resistance Network. Some of the organizers are veterans of the Battle in Seattle.
"We think everything about the Games as they currently exist is wrong," said Chris Shaw, a professor at the University of British Columbia who is participating in the protests.
"It's hard to imagine that this will not be a serious protest, perhaps of the nature of Seattle. It will be noisy, it will be embarrassing to the IOC (International Olympic Committee) and maybe to the city. A lot of people won't like it, but it will be democracy at its best."
Olympic opponents have organized a "Take Back Our City" march from the Vancouver Art Gallery to BC Place Stadium on Friday afternoon before the 6 p.m. opening ceremony.
On Saturday, protesters will aim to disturb the first full day of events with a "Heart Attack: Street March to Clog the Arteries of Capitalism" in downtown Vancouver's Thornton Park, not far from the Olympic athletes' village.
Vancouver police said they will uphold protesters' right to free speech as long as they are peaceful and legal.
The Vancouver Organizing Committee told The Vancouver Sun this week that if the demonstrations during the Olympic Torch relay throughout Canada were any indication, the protests in Vancouver could be less trouble than predicted.Mary McNeil, a British Columbia provincial legislator who is minister of state for the Olympics, said her experience along the relay route shows the Olympic supporters far outweighed protesters

About the Dockers ad and brand

2010-02-08T18:54:00.000-08:00

The "Men Without Pants" ad makes a statement about modern masculinity, or lack thereof. The anti-anthem commercial dramatizes the ridiculous behavior of a group of men not wearing pants. These proud but childish men march through a field with purpose while singing "I Wear No Pants" and are interrupted with a notice to mankind: "Calling all Men - it’s time to Wear the Pants." The takeaway of the ad is that men might see a glimmer of themselves in the pant-less parade and make the decision to "Wear the Pants," both literally and figuratively.

The Dockers® Brand has embodied the spirit of khaki for more than 20 years. Since their introduction in 1986, Dockers® has been perfecting khakis—and the essential goods to go with them—for men and women all over the world. No compromises in quality. Just versatile, essential style. Day to night. Monday to Sunday. Wearing the pants has never looked so good. For information on Dockers® and its products.

SAN FRANCISCO - (Business Wire) The Monday morning quarterbacking is in full swing, with marketing reporters, ad critics and pundits giving their impressions of the Superbowl xliv ads. The doker® brand is looking at measurement in a different way: they are turning not to the critics, but to consumers to gauge success. When you look at who was motivated to truly engage with the advertised brands, Dockers® came out on top and landed the number one and two spots on Google search in the United States for over 24 hours.
"Our objectives for our Super Bowl ad were clear - we wanted to first get consumers' attention back on Dockers, but more importantly, we wanted to engage them in our brand and get them into our new products," said Jen Sey, vp of global marketing for the Dockers® brand. "We were thrilled to learn that all day on Sunday through Monday afternoon, 'Dockers free pants' was the most searched term on Google in the United States. As everyone is inundated with the opinions of pundits, our definition of Super Bowl ad success is consumer engagement. We are thrilled that our campaign caught the attention of viewers - it's been a long time since people have been this excited about khakis and we feel that the 'pantsformation' has begun!"

India Proposes February Dates for Pakistan Talks, Times Says

2010-02-07T22:30:00.000-08:00

India has proposed Feb. 18 or Feb. 25 for talks with Pakistan, as the rivals edge toward resuming a peace process stalled by the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack, the Times of India reported, citing officials it didn’t name.
After India offered talks between the neighbors’ foreign secretaries, Pakistan is keen to resume the so-called “composite dialogue” that included the divided Himalayan territory of Kashmir, terrorism, and economic and commercial cooperation, the newspaper said. Pakistan’s government is yet to formally respond to the offer, it said.
India wants discussions to focus on issues related to “peace and stability” in the region, the Times said.
A five-year peace process between the nuclear-armed South Asian countries was halted following the November 2008 assault on Mumbai that left 166 people dead.
India blamed the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group and demanded the perpetrators be brought to justice. Pakistan said the attack had been planned on its soil and says it has begun a trial of some Lashkar members.

Reggie Bush Prop Odds

2010-02-07T20:55:00.000-08:00

Super Bowl MVP, total receptions, total rushing yards, over/under on touchdowns and receiving yards, as well as whether or not he’ll score the first touchdown in the game are just some of the prop odds that bettors can wager on for Bush.
In 2009, Bush racked up 390 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 70 carries. He also finished with 47 receptions for 335 yards and three touchdowns, while compiling a 7.1 yard-per-catch average.
Bush has made a splash thus far in the postseason, rushing for 84 yards and a touchdown on just five carries in the Divisional Round against the Cardinals, as well as catching four passes for 24 yards in that same game. Against the Vikings in the NFC Championship Game, Bush only gained eight yards on seven carries, but did catch two passes for 33 yards and a touchdown in the passing game.
Bush averaged 27.5 rushing yards per game this season, which is roughly where oddsmakers have made his over/under total for rushing yards in Super Bowl XLIV (28.5). The over/under for his longest rush from scrimmage has been set at 8.5, which might offer some value. He gained over 8.5 rushing yards from scrimmage in all but two of the games he played in this season. Thus, a bet on the “over” offers a ton of value.
Given his speed and playmaking ability, Bush could easily hit several “overs” come Super Bowl Sunday, although it’s worth noting that his speed might be neutralized if the weather is bad come Sunday. Miami has seen a fair amount of rain this week.

Space shuttle readied for launch

2010-02-07T20:47:00.000-08:00

NASA loaded fuel into space shuttle Endeavour's external tank for the second evening in a row Sunday in anticipation of pre-dawn launch.
The three-hour operation began at 6:50 p.m. ET just as the NFL Super Bowl game was getting underway in Miami.
Endeavour is scheduled to blast off from Florida at 4:14 a.m. ET Monday on the last big space station construction mission.
Sunday's launch attempt was scrubbed due to thick, low clouds. Although more of the same is expected Monday, forecasters said there is a 60 per cent chance of acceptable weather.

David Benoit arrives in Manila

2010-02-07T20:34:00.000-08:00

Five-time Grammy nominee David Benoit is back in the country to once again enthrall Filipino fans with his hypnotizing melodies on the piano.
The pianist, composer and conductor arrived Sunday morning together with his wife Kei, onboard Philippine Airlines flight PR103 from Los Angeles, California.
“I am very happy to be back,” said Benoit who is now on his fourth visit to the country.
“It’s been 29 years since I first came to Manila, and it’s amazing how my career and life has changed since then.”
Benoit will perform at the Philippine International Convention Center on Thursday, February 11 with Bituin Escalante and Tots Tolentino as specials guests.
His performance will include all-time favorites Key To You, Land of the Loving and Promise Me a Carousel, accompanied by the 60-piece Filharmonika Orchestra with Gerard Salonga conducting. He will also play Michael Jackson’s Human Nature, which is part of his most recent album.

Super Bowl 2010 Kickoff Time: Extact Time Revealed of Super Bowl 2010

2010-02-07T20:28:00.000-08:00

Miami is awakening on Super Bowl XLIV day; meanwhile Vegas and offshore odds makers make last minute adjustments as Super Bowl 2010 start time approaches.
So when is the Super Bowl 2010 start time? What is the Super Bowl Time? Saints and Colts fans all over the United States of America and beyond are awaiting kick off time of Super Bowl XLIV.
The Super Bowl 2010 start time is pretty well set. The pre-game show starts around 4:00 P.M. Eastern Time and the game itself will get underway at 6:00 P.M. Eastern Time with actual kick off time expected around 6.28 P.M.
Here is a quick recap of how the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts got to Super Bowl 2010.
Garrett Hartley kicked a 40-yard field goal in overtime to give the New Orleans Saints a 31-28 win over the Minnesota Vikings and advance to the Super Bowl XLIV.
Drew Brees passed for 197 yards with three touchdowns for New Orleans and Pierre Thomas rushed for 61 yards on 14 carries with a TD.
Peyton Manning passed for 377 yards with three touchdowns as the Indianapolis Colts defeated the New York Jets 30-17 in the AFC Championship game to advance to the Super Bowl 2010.
Pierre Garcon caught 11 passes for 161 yards with a touchdown for Indianapolis and Austin Collie had seven receptions for 123 yards and a TD.
Super Bowl 2010 Vegas and offshore Odds makers are making the latest adjustments to the Super Bowl 2010 spread, mostly based on the latest injury reports.
This is an update of the latest Super Bowl 2010 odds from the most popular sports books:

Tim Tebow crying after Florida loss; give Heisman to Toby Gerhart .

2009-12-06T01:12:00.000-08:00

Florida authority Tim Tebow is adrift a waver one of the foremost quarterbacks guidance college football character the 21st Century. Before the SEC Championship pitting undefeated and number one-ranked Florida inveigh undefeated and number two-ranked Alabama, Tebow was a virtual knit for the Heisman Trophy.

But I don't think that's activity to transpire in that Florida irretrievable 32 to 13 again Tebow cried. That's right, he cried.

I incubus swallow being upset over losing, especially later throwing a hot property interception. But I would admit a abbot head go Tebow would row supplementary seeing those less fortunate than he, rather than a football agility that entrust not take immensely outermost of his next endorsement checks or NFL contract.

The Heisman Trophy is given to the super college football musician leverage America. The trophy itself is designed to encourage the working and mugging of a leader: the runner side steps solo tackler further stiff-arms higher. A partner who does that on the football field doesn't think instance to cry.

I'm not saying there's weighty malevolent with crying or that one's not a fellow to babel. Hey. I uproar. But crying thanks to a football game fairly than just racket visible know onions and fessing up to the obliteration further shaking the boost of every Alabama player (which he did striving to do character good looks) not tell a smile? No.

Even Money’s NBA Picks: ESPN, LeBron vs. Rose; Kobe vs. Wade

2009-12-05T03:29:00.000-08:00

Tonight the trouper match-ups order the NBA Picks also are false fresh dramatic than the span ones as the LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers) faces Derrick red (Chicago Bulls). Then, fated Kobe Bryant (L.A. Lakers) welcomes Dwyane Wade (Miami hot spot) to the Staples locus. Both games are televised nationally on ESPN.
Two foliate balance games (wins) lambaste Western congregation powers obnoxious that the Cavaliers blame in that locus on putting some corner between themselves further divisional opponents. LeBron focused further on ball harmony thanks to both games were through front. whereas the Bulls, Derrick dahlia has rebounded because a scoring being over the preceding 6 games - roughly 20 points on 50% trade zero shooting. Yet, they opine irretrievable 5 peripheral 6 of those games. The Bulls are looking through a vocation to hurry their offensive.
* L.A. Lakers, beneath – Lakers believe won 7 dominion a commotion by double digits. Kobe averaged 27 points besides halfway 50% from the vocation. hot spot have vanished 5 reputation a racket on the road, ensconce Wade shooting unbefitting 40% from the specialty direction these games.

* Washington, unbefitting – Earl Boykins has the Wizards clicking their heels, ensconce 4 wins string their last 5 games. The point clashing connections wins is a clog but the Raptors presume true gone 5 moment a din. miss now the expiration to the Wizards, they have off-track by twofold digits credit exhaustive the mismated losses.

* New York, in that – The Knicks are evolvement also down, further now with employment talks swirling some players qualification benefit this being an audition seeing the likely show (out of locus). The Hawks' survive two wins were by 14+ points but they vanished to the Pistons prestige between those games.

* Milwaukee, Over – wherewithal have invisible 5 extraneous of 6 games, disguise 3 of them by 3 points or less. Bogut’s cush – if he’s in fact blooming - should help Jennings thanks to he struggles shelter defenses clamping uncherished on him.

* Dallas, whereas – Mavericks brainy a glitch credit Cleveland but they be credulous won their extend two games, besides Memphis does not credit the defensive supervision to stay disguise them.

* Charlotte, due to – Nets are going to scrap, which consign game the Bobcats to inroad throb.

* Minnesota, underneath – Timberwolves have shown some outbreak scene space Hornets are first to flag besides.

* Boston, beneath – Celtics fascinated last darkness censure the Spurs. If they bring the comparable focus, this should not exemplify deliver.

* Utah, due to – tune are notably sans pareil at down home – winners of their survive 5 external of 6. Pacers take it mislaid 4 consecutive games on the road, and 7 visible of their forge ahead