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Friday, December 26, 2008
Can-Obama-Save-Capitalism? news latest breaking stories
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A-Year-On-to-Bhutto
News Latest Breaking Stories :--------
According to recent and most news latest breaking stories, earlier this month, as I drove past the spot where Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on Murree Road near Liaquat Garden in Rawalpindi on December 27, 2007, I thought of how much had happened since that tragic evening. She had returned, against the advice of many friends, to a violent and fractious Pakistan because she felt that her presence was key to the restoration of democracy in her homeland. I knew that road well. Decades earlier I used to turn there on to College Road, on my way to the neighboring Gordon College. Many of Gordon College student demonstrations for democracy in 1968 crashed into the police barricades at that spot, sources news latest breaking stories.
Those were Halcyon Days compared to what Pakistan is now going through. A year after her much-foretold death, Ms. Bhutto's Pakistan is wracked by political turmoil and economic uncertainty. It is relying on the world to bail it out again. Yet the answers to its problems lie inside Pakistan. Unless Pakistan settles the wars within and coalesces around its political center, it faces a bleak future and risk of foreign intervention. This is the challenge facing its fledgling civilian government. The world must help it succeed, reports simonsgirls.com updates.
By worldharvestpc.com, today, Pakistan is run by civilians. But the parliamentary system that had been hijacked by the military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, and converted into a presidential one remains unchanged. Power continues to flow not from the Prime Minister but from the President. Ms Bhutto's signed compact (Charter of Democracy) with the other leading party of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that called, among other things, for the complete restoration of the judiciary has been shredded. The coalition of her center-left Pakistan Peoples' Party with Sharif's center-right Pakistan Muslim League (N) is no more, partly as a result of the time bombs that General Musharraf planted when he brought the PPP into power under political deals that wiped clean all charges against its leadership and by removing the top layer of the judiciary in November 2007 for the second time in one year. The PPP fears that a restored judiciary under the former Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary would overturn many of those deals creating chaos. Mr. Sharif refuses to compromise on this issue. The PML (N) controls the Punjab, Pakistan's economically powerful province. The PPP has the center. This standoff threatens the political stability of the country.
President Asif Ali Zardari, who inherited the political mantle of his wife, Ms. Bhutto, has continued the Musharrafian alliance with the United States against the terrorists and militants that threaten Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas bordering Afghanistan and increasingly are operating in the hinterland. He also continued the Musharraf policy of making peace overtures to neighboring India and offered even to forego a first nuclear strike in case of a conflict between the two rivals. But, despite his attempt at producing a consensus among the political parties in parliament against terrorism, most parties on the right wing of the political spectrum have started backing away from that stance. And the recent Mumbai terror attacks that are being linked to Pakistani militant groups have brought India and Pakistan to the edge of another conflict.
The economy is still in tatters. Distracted by political wrangling soon after the February 2008 elections, the new government failed to concentrate on the rapidly deteriorating economic situation until late in the year. The spike in global fuel and food prices added to its woes. Foreign exchange reserves have plummeted from a height of $16 billion to close to $3 billion. Food prices are up nearly 50 percent. Energy and water shortages persist. A program with the International Monetary Fund, once pronounced anathema by Mr. Zardari, is now in force. And Pakistan is holding its collective breath for the countries that it calls "Friends of Pakistan" to actually come forward with vast amounts of financial aid. Absent a robust and growth-oriented economic program and an improved security situation, such aid may not be forthcoming. These countries will likely wait for the IMF program to take root. Donors are also wary of dealing with a sprawling government of some 60 cabinet members, most of whom are eminently unqualified for their respective tasks, and represent parochial interests rather than a cohesive central policy.
On the security front, 2008 may prove to be as violent as 2007, when nearly 60 suicide bombings took place inside Pakistan, most against the armed forces. Adding to the volatile mix is the re-emergence in force of the Punjabi Sunni militant groups such as the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and the Lashkar-e-Tyaba that even threaten the state that once sponsored their help for the Kashmiri Mujahideen. The army, overstretched in the region bordering Afghanistan, cannot be deployed in a major operation inside Punjab. Without army action, these groups will continue to flourish. There is no police force worth the name that could be used in controlling these elements and de-weaponizing Pakistani society. More important, there is no public debate on what sort of society Pakistanis want to create over 61 years after becoming an independent state. Nor is there any sign of such a debate taking place in the near future.
Now, with India increasing the pressure on Pakistan to act against the militants that India alleges were behind the Mumbai attacks, and garnering international support for that cause, Pakistan faces the possibility of military action on its eastern frontier. If that happens, the Pakistan army will be thrust once more into the political vortex. Then, if the political center does not hold, history may well repeat itself and the army may be "asked" by the people to take charge once again. If that happens, Ms. Bhutto will have died in vain.
Shuja Nawaz is the author of Crossed Swords: Pakistan, its Army, and the Wars Within (Oxford University Press 2008) and the forthcoming FATA: A Most Dangerous Place (CSIS, January 2009). He can be reached at www.shujanawaz.com
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Nokia-Maps-under-fire : News latest breaking stories
New Delhi, : As news latest breaking stories says, Nokia Maps came under fire for showing Kashmir as part of Pakistan. The largest mobile handset manufacturer in the world that controls around half mobile handset market in the country was attacked for showing the disputed Kashmir region as Pakistani territory, news latest breaking stories reports.Nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) activists torched a large Nokia showroom in central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, worldharvestpc.com.
In Jabalpur a large number of BJP activists gathered in the city and burnt down the mobile handset shop.
According to simonsgirls.com updates Bhartiya Janta Party activists not only torched the shop but also destroyed a large number of hoardings in prominent areas of the city and other towns in the state. The activists urged authorities to take action against Nokia for indulging in "anti-national" activities. The protesters also clarified that they would intensify their protests should the authorities not take up the matter and if a case was not registered.
Other news latest breaking stories, the Nokia showroom owner later accused the BJP activists of deliberately attacking the shop and said that he had nothing to do with the new application developed by the company "This software is developed by Nokia. This is the problem of Nokia and we are not concerned with it as we are merely shop owners, not the client of the company. But, the manner in which the mob entered and started torching the shop is bad," said Rafiq Khan, the Nokia showroom owner.
FM: Pakistan-not-to-tolerate-surgical-strike-by-India
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Top Story : One-dish-law-to-be-implemented-strictly: Shahbaz
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday said that the one-dish law would be strictly implemented in the province. He was talking to journalists after the Walima ceremony of the son of a leader of the Pakistan People’s Party, Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas, in Sialkot.
He said that millions of people in the province could not afford lavish expenditure on marriage ceremonies and had to mortgage their ancestral property for the marriage of their daughters and spend rest of their lives under heavy debts.
He said that the one-dish law would be strictly implemented in the interest of the poor so that they could be saved from heavy expenditure. Shahbaz added that austerity would be promoted in the province under the leadership of PML-N Quaid Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. He said that Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas had set a good example by abiding by this law for which he should be congratulated.
Referring to the national situation and recent tension between India and Pakistan, the chief minister expressed the hope that the Indian leadership would adopt a sensible attitude and would not indulge in any such act which could jeopardize peace in South Asia.
He said that Pakistan was a peace-loving country and wanted harmony in the region, therefore, the Indian government should also act wisely and show restraint on the issue. He said that Pakistan was taking effective measures against extremists and militants.
He hoped that Pakistan and India would not go to war but added if a war was imposed on Pakistan the nation would stand shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces and give a befitting response to the Indian aggression.
PML leader and MNA Khawaja Muhammad Asif, MPAs Chaudhry Akhlaque Ahmad, Tahir Mehmood, Rana Muhammad Iqbal Harnah, former MPA Mansha Allah Butt, former MNA Iftikhar-ul-Hassan, Zahare Shah, District President PML-N Sialkot Adrees Ahmad Bajwa, Commissioner Gujranwala Division Khalid Masood Chaudhry and RPO Gujranwala Zulfiqar Ahmad Cheema were also present on the occasion.
He said that millions of people in the province could not afford lavish expenditure on marriage ceremonies and had to mortgage their ancestral property for the marriage of their daughters and spend rest of their lives under heavy debts.
He said that the one-dish law would be strictly implemented in the interest of the poor so that they could be saved from heavy expenditure. Shahbaz added that austerity would be promoted in the province under the leadership of PML-N Quaid Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. He said that Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas had set a good example by abiding by this law for which he should be congratulated.
Referring to the national situation and recent tension between India and Pakistan, the chief minister expressed the hope that the Indian leadership would adopt a sensible attitude and would not indulge in any such act which could jeopardize peace in South Asia.
He said that Pakistan was a peace-loving country and wanted harmony in the region, therefore, the Indian government should also act wisely and show restraint on the issue. He said that Pakistan was taking effective measures against extremists and militants.
He hoped that Pakistan and India would not go to war but added if a war was imposed on Pakistan the nation would stand shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces and give a befitting response to the Indian aggression.
PML leader and MNA Khawaja Muhammad Asif, MPAs Chaudhry Akhlaque Ahmad, Tahir Mehmood, Rana Muhammad Iqbal Harnah, former MPA Mansha Allah Butt, former MNA Iftikhar-ul-Hassan, Zahare Shah, District President PML-N Sialkot Adrees Ahmad Bajwa, Commissioner Gujranwala Division Khalid Masood Chaudhry and RPO Gujranwala Zulfiqar Ahmad Cheema were also present on the occasion.
No-respite-from-load-shedding
Some areas of the city, including Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Federal B Area, Malir, Clifton, and Nazimabad, suffered hour-long spells of load-shedding after every two hours till late in the evening on Wednesday. The tripping and faults in the Karachi Electric Supply Company’s (KESC) electricity transmission and distribution systems also worsened the power supply situation to various areas.
Due to technical reasons or the non-availability of furnace oil and Sui Gas, three out of six generation units of the Bin Qasim Thermal Power Station, the largest power production facility of the KESC, were did not function at all. On Tuesday, the power production of the Bin Qasim thermal plant dropped to a record low of 220 Megawatts (MW) instead of the combined electricity generation capacity of 1160MW.
The private management of the KESC has been conserving its financial resources by not spending on the procurement of furnace oil that is the preferred fuel option for running these thermal power generation units.
Due to technical reasons or the non-availability of furnace oil and Sui Gas, three out of six generation units of the Bin Qasim Thermal Power Station, the largest power production facility of the KESC, were did not function at all. On Tuesday, the power production of the Bin Qasim thermal plant dropped to a record low of 220 Megawatts (MW) instead of the combined electricity generation capacity of 1160MW.
The private management of the KESC has been conserving its financial resources by not spending on the procurement of furnace oil that is the preferred fuel option for running these thermal power generation units.
Health News : Breast-Cancer-awareness-week-launched
The Volta Regional Director of the Department of Women, Lena Alai says breast cancer is one of the major causes of cancer related death. She said breast cancer alone caused 502,000 deaths in the year 2000. Madam Alai was speaking at Volta Regional launch of Breast Cancer week in Ho. It was organised by the Department of Women with the focus “Breast Cancer and You.”
The launch which creates awareness on
the disease is to raise funds to support its victims. Madam Alai attributed the high incidence of breast cancer in the country to lack of adequate early detection, diagnosis and treatment services nation-wide, coupled with ignorance, poverty and superstition. A Resource Person from Volta Regional Hospital, Dr. Anthony Ashinyo, noted that women between the ages of 35 and 45 are mostly affected by breast cancer. He therefore called on the people to do self examination and seek early treatment.
The launch which creates awareness on
the disease is to raise funds to support its victims. Madam Alai attributed the high incidence of breast cancer in the country to lack of adequate early detection, diagnosis and treatment services nation-wide, coupled with ignorance, poverty and superstition. A Resource Person from Volta Regional Hospital, Dr. Anthony Ashinyo, noted that women between the ages of 35 and 45 are mostly affected by breast cancer. He therefore called on the people to do self examination and seek early treatment.
Latest Headlines : Police-seizes-400-kg-explosives-in-Islamabad
ISLAMABAD: Islamabad police has seized 400 kilograms of explosives along with detonators and arrested 10 persons from a house in Karal area.Interrogation from the arrested is underway, said SP East Islamabad Saqib Sultan while addressing press conference.
He termed the recovery of such a large quantity of explosives as a sign of alarm, saying these explosives were to be used in a major act of terror.
Saqib Sultan said investigation is being conducted as to how such a big quantity of explosives was transported into the city.
Do-students-learn-less-reading-digital-text?
While new technology might lead students to read more, a researcher says that reading digital text does not offer the complete experience of handling a traditional book. The added steps of clicking and scrolling on a computer screen might cause students to retain less of what they are reading and become less involved with the text, according to Anne Mangen, an associate professor at the Center for Reading Research at the University of Stavanger in Norway, who researched new reading devices. Science Daily Magazine (12/22)
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Top Rated Engineering Universities in the World
According to our live news channel a recent survey held regarding best universities in the world and USA Massachusetts Institute of Technology - MIT got 1st position among top 10 universities in the world.Stanford University of USA was on 2nd position and University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign of USA got 3rd Position.
Other top world Universities are as follows according to thier positions :
Other top world Universities are as follows according to thier positions :
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Kayani on 20th Position as State's Powerful Personality
Latest News-USA : According to live news channel reports, last few days ago a survey was held by a US magazine for 100 powerful state personalities in the world.It became a most popular heading in all news channel headlines when recently USA Elected President Obama was announced on 1st Position and Sara palin was on 2nd position.In that survey report Pakistan Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani was on 20th position as powerful state personality.
Kashmir-as-part-of-Pakistan-Nokia-Maps-Showing
India : Irate Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists barged into a Nokia Priority outlet in Jabalpur to protest against the depiction of Kashmir as Pakistani territory in Nokia Maps, a mobile navigation software.
As soon as the word spread on the depiction of the state as a part of Pakistan, a mob of protesters turned up, destroyed property, and burnt mobile phones worth thousands of rupees. 
The shop-owner, however, says that burning a Nokia dealer's shop to protest against an issue with an application developed by Nokia was uncalled for. Nokia on its part has tendered an apology and expressed regret for the error, and has added that it was an older version of Nokia Maps that had lead to this issue. Additionally, Nokia also clarified that Nokia Maps sources all maps and imagery from Navteq Inc. who have obtained approval from authorities for developing international maps depicting the coastal and international boundaries of India.
Nokia Maps come preloaded on certain handsets and offers maps of over 200 countries across the globe.
As soon as the word spread on the depiction of the state as a part of Pakistan, a mob of protesters turned up, destroyed property, and burnt mobile phones worth thousands of rupees.
They also burnt hoardings that were placed outside the retail store. The activists urged authorities to take action against Nokia for indulging in "anti-national" activities. The protesters also clarified that they would intensify their protests should the authorities not take up the matter and if a case was not registered.
Nokia Maps come preloaded on certain handsets and offers maps of over 200 countries across the globe.
ICC-keeping-an-Eye-on-Pakistan-Security
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The International Cricket Council said Tuesday to our sports news reporters that it will continue to monitor the security situation in Pakistan before the ICC Champions Trophy in September 2009.
"Security would have to be assessed on an ongoing basis anyway as we move towards the ICC Champions Trophy in 2009. We would have done that had India toured Pakistan," ICC spokesman Sami-ul-Hasan told our sports news reporter.
India canceled its planned tour of Pakistan following deadly terrorist attacks in Mumbai linked to Pakistan extremists.
Other teams have also refused to tour Pakistan this year due to security concerns. Australia postponed its scheduled tour in March while the ICC Champions Trophy was deferred for a year after five teams — Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand and the West Indies expressed reservations about security.
At October's ICC executive board meeting, Pakistan was retained as the venue for next year's ICC Champions Trophy to be staged between Sept.24-Oct. 5. The event has been reduced to 12 days and is most likely to be staged in one city.
"In case of concerns, it was always agreed the matter could be addressed by the ICC Board as the timing of the event drew closer.The next scheduled ICC Board meeting is due to take place in Perth, Australia on Jan. 31- Feb. 1," ul-Hasan said.
"The event remains in Pakistan unless the ICC Board decides otherwise and so it is premature to speculate on that issue at this stage," he added.
The ICC said it would separately be assessing security arrangements for match officials.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Olympic-venue-to-host-'crown-jewel'-of-WTA-in-2009
The Bird's Nest has become a 50-yuan-a-ticket tourist trapreported by our sports news team. The Water Cube hosts daily concerts. Now one more Olympic venue seems destined to escape becoming a notorious white elephant of misuse in the wake of the Beijing Games.
 |
| Spectators line up to buy food during the rain-interrupted quarterfinals of the Beijing Olympics on Aug 14 at the center court of the Olympic Green Tennis Center. The venue will host the 2009 China Open in October. AFP |
According to our live news channel reports, The Beijing Olympic Green Tennis Center, which resembles either a bowl of rice, a blossoming lotus or a flying saucer depending on your vantage point, will host the China Open next year from Oct 1 to 11 to put some glitz and glamour back into the game.
"After the Olympic Games, the utilization of all stadiums and manpower has become a long-term strategy to grow Beijing as a sports center, with tennis becoming a core strategy for this city," said Sun Kanglin, director of the Beijing Sports Bureau.
The 10-court venue, which was purpose-built for the Aug 8-24 Games and features space-age air-cooling technology for spectators, was supposed to host this year's tournament but was unable to transition in time due to the proximity of the Paralympics and high costs.
Now, with memories of China's historic Olympic success at the stadium still permeating the local consciousness, the stage is set for next year's event, which comprises two tournaments: the WTA and ATP 500 Series.
The $4.5 million women's tournament is one of four crown-jewel events next year - including two in the US and one in Madrid - as the WTA streamlines its calendar but still keeps space for other top Asia-Pacific stops in Tokyo, Sydney, Doha and Dubai.
Beijing, which opened a new regional WTA office in July spearheaded by the Tour's chief operating officer, David Shoemaker, was named one of 10 cities to win the coveted ATP 500 Series, which is secondary only to the Master Series in terms of prestige.
This can only be good news for the fledgling China Open as it approaches its fifth year of business. The Beijing sports authority has announced a post-Olympic budget of 500 million yuan ($62.5 million) to host international tournaments - and the WTA event tops the list.
"The partnership between the Tour, Beijing municipal government and Beijing sports society creates a great foundation to extend to wider audiences as we work together to develop tennis in Beijing and all of China," said Sun.
Shoemaker said he hoped the China Open would spur social change among women in China.
"The fact our top players play here sends a very strong and powerful signal about the progressiveness of some of those places that I think is inspiring social change," he said.
Beijing outbid Dubai, Tokyo and Bangkok to become one of just four cities to host the elite event, which makes it mandatory for the world's top 50 female players. The top 10 players will be subject to severe penalties if they withdraw without good reason.
Meanwhile, the world's best male players must participate in four of the year's 10 ATP 500 Series including at least one after the US Open in August, which gives them a choice of either Beijing, Tokyo, Basel (Switzerland) or Valencia (Spain).
Tennis focus
Chinese tennis players have been making impressive breakthroughs in singles and doubles events in recent years, characterized by world No 23 Li Na, who became the first Chinese to reach the quarterfinals in a Grand Slam. Her compatriot Zheng Jie, ranked world No 25, made another step forward by making the Wimbledon Open semifinals early this year.
Zheng is also a two-time Grand Slam doubles winner with Yan Zi.
After winning the (women's) doubles gold medal at the 2004 Athens Games, China clinched a bronze in the same event and an historic fourth place in the women's singles tournament by Li.
"Beijing will be our primary focus in Asia," Shoemaker said. "I think it is the best time to bring the (WTA) tournament to Beijing. Women's tennis is in its prime now. The popularity has never been higher; the prize money is on the highest level. With the increasing support from our global and local sponsors, the sport can get even stronger."
China Open organizers said they are intent on building a solid and influential brand based on top quality play.
"The goal is to make it the leading and exemplary event for Beijing and a bright spot for the sustainable development of the sports industry in Beijing after the Olympics," said Sun.
This triggered a date change from September to one month later to coincide with a national holiday. Renovations are also under way to complete the makeover from Olympic venue to commercial enterprise, with exclusive zones for players and sponsors to be set up in addition to VIP rooms.
"Off the court, we are also fighting with other cities regarding how we can offer the best services to players," said Sun. "Unlike the Beijing Games, we have to offer individual rest rooms and dressing rooms.
"All such details must be taken into consideration if we want to host a traditional and prestigious tennis event."
China Daily
Pakistan-honours-Bhutto-with-coin-after-death
ISLAMABAD (AFP) — According to our political news reporters Pakistan will issue a new 10-rupee coin in honour of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto to coincide with the first anniversary of her death in a suicide attack, the central bank said Friday.
The State Bank of Pakistan will issue about 300,000 of the commemorative coins bearing Bhutto's portrait and inscribed with the phrase "Daughter of the East -- Honourable Benazir Bhutto" in Urdu, it said in a statement.
Asif Ali Zardari smiles as he stands in front of a portrait of Benazir Bhutto
Bhutto was assassinated in a suicide attack in the garrison city of Rawalpindi on December 27 after addressing an election rally, just two months after surviving a strike on her homecoming parade in Karachi.
The government has renamed Islamabad's international airport after the two-time former premier, as well as a main road and hospital in Rawalpindi.
Her husband Asif Ali Zardari took office as Pakistan's president in September, succeeding Pervez Musharraf, who stepped down after being threatened with impeachment by Pakistan's parliament for violating the constitution.
Zardari took over as co-chairman of Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP), which swept the February general elections that had been postponed in the wake of her slaying.
Pakistan has asked the United Nations to set up an independent panel to probe her killing.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Who-is-the-Best-Shah-Rukh-or-Aamir
Bollywood News : The cold war between Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan over their films Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and Ghajini took a new turn with the former proclaiming himself as the biggest brand and saying there cannot be any competition with him.
Shah Rukh, whose film Rab Ne Bana De Jodi opened with good collections last week, said his film is doing well and there is no threat to his film from Ghajini.
"There cannot be any competition with me. I'm the biggest brand in the country. I am always there to endorse for everyone, but the saddest part is that no one is there to endorse for me as there is no brand bigger than me," Shah Rukh said this Tuesday at the launch function of Filmfare magazine's latest issue.
Reacting to Shah Rukh's statement, Aamir said: "He has been speaking about himself for last 20 years so there is nothing new about it."
Aamir is aggressively campaigning for Ghajini, which will release on Dec 24, and the ushers of the multiplexes, where Shah Rukh's film is running, have adopted Aamir's Ghajini-hair style to promote the action-thriller.
"It was decided long ago and has nothing to do with Shah Rukh's film. I think, people who would come to see Shah Rukh's film won't change their mind after seeing the ushers in the theatres," Aamir told reporters at a Van Heusen's event.
Film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh feels Aamir's idea to promote the film is effective. "It's a brilliant idea to promote the film and I think it is definitely going to work in favour of the film," he said.
Commenting on Ghajini's impact on the collection of Rab Ne..., Adarsh said: "Rab Ne... is weak in content and its opening on Friday was not good. The film gradually picked up on Saturday and Sunday. But again from Monday there was a drop in the collection," said Adarsh.
Adarsh is quite positive about Aamir and his film. He said: "Aamir has become a huge brand and people like to see him more. I think as soon as Ghajini opens, it will eat into Rab Ne...'s territory. I think Ghajini will be a big hit."
On being asked who is a bigger brand - Aamir or Shah Rukh, Taran said: "It's all about how good you are on Fridays."
Shah Rukh, whose film Rab Ne Bana De Jodi opened with good collections last week, said his film is doing well and there is no threat to his film from Ghajini.
"There cannot be any competition with me. I'm the biggest brand in the country. I am always there to endorse for everyone, but the saddest part is that no one is there to endorse for me as there is no brand bigger than me," Shah Rukh said this Tuesday at the launch function of Filmfare magazine's latest issue.
Reacting to Shah Rukh's statement, Aamir said: "He has been speaking about himself for last 20 years so there is nothing new about it."
Aamir is aggressively campaigning for Ghajini, which will release on Dec 24, and the ushers of the multiplexes, where Shah Rukh's film is running, have adopted Aamir's Ghajini-hair style to promote the action-thriller.
"It was decided long ago and has nothing to do with Shah Rukh's film. I think, people who would come to see Shah Rukh's film won't change their mind after seeing the ushers in the theatres," Aamir told reporters at a Van Heusen's event.
Film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh feels Aamir's idea to promote the film is effective. "It's a brilliant idea to promote the film and I think it is definitely going to work in favour of the film," he said.
Commenting on Ghajini's impact on the collection of Rab Ne..., Adarsh said: "Rab Ne... is weak in content and its opening on Friday was not good. The film gradually picked up on Saturday and Sunday. But again from Monday there was a drop in the collection," said Adarsh.
Adarsh is quite positive about Aamir and his film. He said: "Aamir has become a huge brand and people like to see him more. I think as soon as Ghajini opens, it will eat into Rab Ne...'s territory. I think Ghajini will be a big hit."
On being asked who is a bigger brand - Aamir or Shah Rukh, Taran said: "It's all about how good you are on Fridays."
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Obama-called-Person-of-the-Year- in-Times
President-elect Barack Obama has been named the Person of the Year by Time magazine.
Time's Person of the Year is the person who most affected the news and our lives, for good or ill, and embodied what was important about the year, according to the magazine.
The runners-up were Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and film director Zhang Yimou, who designed the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony.
Those also acknowledged were the people who mattered. There were 17 people including, President George W. Bush, Sen. John McCain, Sen. Hillary Clinton and actor Robert Downey Jr. among others.
The issue is set to hit stands Friday.
Shoe-throwing-journalist-faces-court-trial
BAGHDAD, Iraq (Breaking News) -- The case against an Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at President George W. Bush has been referred to trial after the detained reporter met with an investigative judge late Tuesday, two sources told esolgsm live news reporter.
President Bush, left, ducks a shoe as Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki tries to protect him Sunday, video shown by live news channels.
Muntadhar al-Zaidi will most likely be charged with assaulting a foreign head of state under the Iraqi penal code, according to a source with the Iraqi Central Criminal Court.
Al-Zaidi, who has been hailed a hero by many Iraqis protesting his detention, met Tuesday evening with an investigative judge who referred the case to trial, the source said.
Al-Zaidi's employer, Egypt-based Al-Baghdadia TV confirmed the meeting took place at the reporter's holding cell in Baghdad's Green Zone, according to the network's spokesman Abdul Hamid al-Saeh.
It is unclear when the trial will begin.
There were country-wide protests against his detention on Tuesday, including at Diyala University in Baquba, the Anbar province city of Falluja, and in Baghdad.
Al-Zaidi threw his shoes at Bush while the American president and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki were holding a Sunday news conference after Bush's surprise visit to Baghdad. The journalist was dragged to the ground, hustled out of the room and arrested. 
Shouting as he was knocked to the floor, the reporter called his shoe-throwing -- a traditional insult in Arab culture -- a "farewell kiss" to a "dog" who launched the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Dhirgham al-Zaidi, the shoe-thrower's brother, has said the journalist hated the "material American occupation" and Iranian influence in Iraq.
He told CNN Tuesday he is worried his brother might be killed after he is released from custody.
"I am worried he will be hurt ... he is a stubborn person. Even if he comes out of detention on a wheelchair he will never leave Iraq," Dhirgham al-Zaidi said. "I am worried they will assassinate him in Iraq."
He said he did not believe his brother planned to throw the shoe, but it might have occurred to him when he was asked to cover the news conference, because his brother changed from foreign-made shoes into Iraqi-made ones beforehand.
Asked about the incident by CNN's Candy Crowley, Bush said, "I didn't have much time to reflect on anything, I was ducking and dodging."
He said the journalist was "looking for notoriety" and that authorities shouldn't "overact" in their treatment of him.
TV networks across the world continue to air the shoe-throwing scene, which has touched a nerve in the Arab world, where there has been an outpouring of support for the Al-Baghdadia reporter.
Al-Baghdadia TV -- which has been airing rolling live coverage about the incident -- is urging his release and has invited guests into its studio that support him.
Yahoo-to-Scrub-Personal-Data-After-Three-Months
Yahoo said Wednesday it will anonymize most of the data it collects about people's Web searches after three months, a move that could put further pressure on competitors Google and Microsoft to do the same due to privacy concerns, reports from our live news channel.
Yahoo, which previously kept the data for 13 months, will now retain it for the least amount of time compared to its rivals.
Google said in September that it would anonymize data after nine months, down from 18 months. Microsoft keeps data for 18 months, although it said earlier this month it would reduce the period to six months if its rivals did the same.
A European Union group has recommended that search engines discard data after six months. The recommendation has been endorsed by data protection officials from the 27 countries in the European Union. Countries could eventually choose to enforce the recommendation, which will be discussed further next year.
Privacy campaigners have expressed concerns that Web users could potentially be identified on the basis of search terms and other data. An IP (Internet protocol) address can identify a person's ISP (Internet service provider) as well as their approximate geographic location. It also has been shown that a person can be identified on the basis of search terms they've entered.
Technology companies have maintained they needed to keep the data to observe how people use their search engines in order to improve their search services, such as increasing the relevancy of results.
Yahoo said it would anonymize its "user log data," although the company did not define exactly what data it collects. Other data that will be scrubbed include page views and clicks on ads.
Yahoo said it will keep some data for up to six months for security and fraud reasons, as part of some "specific and limited exceptions," it said in a statement. It may also be required to keep some data longer to meet legal obligations, it said.
Worldwide alert on Microsoft browser
According to Breaking News from our Staff Reporter : MORE than 500 million internet users around the world are at risk from a major flaw discovered in Microsoft's Internet Explorer software that can give criminals access to personal details, including banking passwords and log-ins.
Microsoft Australia said yesterday it was "working around the clock" to fix the fault in the popular internet browser, used by about 70 per cent of net users worldwide, live news channel reports.
About 2 million people, most of them outside Australia, are believed to have fallen victim to the flaw after visiting apparently safe websites, and the problem threatens to sweep the worldwide web, Britain's Daily Mail reported yesterday.
The newspaper said that hackers in China were at the centre of the cyber attack, the most serious in the history of Microsoft's operating system.
Hackers are believed to have used the technology to steal computer game passwords, which can be sold on the black market in Asia and there are fears cyber criminals will exploit the flaw to steal passwords to gain access to internet bank accounts or send out spam emails.
Experts said that users did not have to download any files for their computers to get infected made the flaw in Explorer particularly dangerous.
In a statement released yesterday, Microsoft Australia said a vulnerability had been found to affect all versions of Internet Explorer. The statement said Microsoft teams had developed an "emergency patch", due to be released at 5am today, to protect customers from the problem.
"When the patch is released people should run, not walk, to get it installed," said Trend Micro advanced threat researcher Paul Ferguson.
"This vulnerability is being actively exploited by cyber criminals and getting worse every day."
He said Trend Micro had identified about 10,000 websites that had been infected with malicious software that can be surreptitiously slipped into visitors' unprotected Internet Explorer browsers to A security adviser to Microsoft Australia, Stuart Strathdee, said he could not comment on how many Australians had been affected, but said the impact had been minimal, with only a "small number" of users directly suffering. People who had activated their automatic security update would automatically receive the "emergency patch" as soon as it is available, he said.
Those who had configured their computers not to install updates should visit the security section of the Microsoft website: www.microsoft.com.au/security to download it, he said.
Microsoft rarely issues security fixes for its software outside of its regular monthly updates. The last occasions on which the company did were in October, and earlier last year.
Madonna-Ritchie-say-divorce-sums-Misleading
LONDON (Reuters) -Hollywood U.S. pop star Madonna and ex-husband Guy Ritchie said on Wednesday that a statement released on the singer's behalf detailing terms of their divorce was "misleading and inaccurate" reports.
 |
Liz Rosenberg, Madonna's spokeswoman in New York, said on Monday the singer had given British film director Ritchie between 50 and 60 million pounds ($76-92 million) as part of their divorce.
Both Associated Press (AP) and Reuters reported the figures, but now the couple are distancing themselves from the accuracy of the details.
"We have tried to maintain a dignified silence regarding the details of our divorce for the last few months whilst accepting the obvious media interest," said a joint statement from the pair.
"A misleading and inaccurate statement, specifically in relation to the sums of money involved, was wrongly issued to AP this week," it added.
"The financial details of the settlement will remain private, save to say that both of us are happy with our agreement. Our primary concern, like any co-parents, is the care and well being of our children." Rosenberg said on Monday that custody arrangements for the couple's children had not been finalized.
Madonna and Ritchie have an eight-year-old son, Rocco, and three-year-old son David, adopted from Malawi. The singer also has a daughter Lourdes, born in 1996, from her relationship with fitness trainer Carlos Leon.
Madonna, one of the most successful singers of all time with estimated album sales of more than 200 million, was married once before, to actor Sean Penn, in the 1980s.
Madonna and Ritchie announced their split in October, nearly eight years after their wedding at Skibo Castle in Scotland.
Ritchie is a British film director who is making Hollywood blockbuster "Sherlock Holmes" starring Robert Downey Jr. as the Victorian-era super sleuth.
The couple's combined wealth has been estimated at about $525 million, but Madonna accounts for most of it.
(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)
Tom-Cruise-Keen-to-act-for-his-kids
Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise wants to act in a film that his children can watch.
The actor wants to take a break from doing serious films.
According to latest news from our reporter Cruise admits he's keen to show off his acting talents in a movie that 13-year old Conor, 15-year-old Bella and 2-year-old little Suri, could enjoy.
"I'd like to. I don't have any right on the horizon.
I like those movies. Some are really great, and it would just be fun," he said.
The 46-year-old actor has lost weight and looked younger as he arrived at the premiere of his latest film 'Valkyrie'.
Cruise plays real-life Nazi officer Colonel Stauffenberg, the mastermind behind the last known assassination plot to kill Adolf Hitler during World War II.
The 'Mission Impossible' star is quite excited as he will be spending this Christmas with wife Katie Holmes and their 2-year-old daughter Suri in New York after he was persuaded by his wife to leave his LA home.
Foreign_movies_allowed_in_Pak_cinemas
PCBFC says under new rules a film produced by any country except India despite having Indian cast can be exhibited in Pakistan | Adds step has been taken to revive cinema industry |
| According to our showbiz news reporter. |
| LAHORE: Pakistan Central Board of Film Censors (PCBFC) on Tuesday told the Lahore High Court that to facilitate the film importers and revive the cinema industry it has changed rules through which a film produced by the countries other than India despite having Indian cast could be exhibited in Pakistan. |
23-per-cent-polling-in-Jammu-&-Kashmir-till-midday
Srinagar/Jammu (PTI): Defying separatists yet again and braving severe cold conditions, an estimated 23.37 per cent of over 11.65 lakh electorate voted in 16 constituencies in the sixth phase of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir till midday on Wednesday, which was by and large peaceful.
Barring detection of an IED at Mominabad in Janglat Mandi area and a symbolic protest by activists of Hurriyat Conference at Janglat Mandi and Khannabal in Anantnag district, the polling was progressing peacefully in six segments in Jammu region and 10 in Kashmir Valley, sources said.
Inderwal in Jammu region recorded the highest poll percentage of nearly 35 per cent, while Anantnag constituency in the Valley registered the lowest of 9.32 per cent, they said. Banihal recorded 29.5 per cent of polling, Ramban (29) Kishtwar (29.75) and Bhaderwah (26), Doda (22), Noorabad (32), Shangus (25.98), Bijbehara (25.98), Dooru (19.11), Kokernag (18.97), Devsar (18), Kulgam (18), Pahalgam (17.51) and Home Shalibug (15).
Upper reaches of Pir Panjal range experienced snowfall, while plains in the state were lashed by rain overnight resulting in a further drop in the temperature in the Valley this morning.
Electoral fortunes of 271 candidates, including two former chief ministers -- Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Ghulam Nabi Azad -- would be decidedon Wednesday.
As many as 20,000 additional security forces personnel and nearly 10,000 local policemen have been deployed at the polling booths for smooth conduct of polls, they said.
There are 1,268 polling stations in the 16 constituencies in Anantnag, Kulgam, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts.
India-Pakistan-retreat-into-security-of-distrust
By Simon Cameron-Moore and Bappa Majumdar
ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The time-out called by India in its peace process with Pakistan gives the two countries a chance to salvage the gains of the past four years from the bitter aftermath of the militant attack on Mumbai.
Analysts say there was no way a Congress-led government, with voters baying for a retaliatory strike and an election due by May, could behave in Gandhian fashion by carrying on talks after militants from Pakistan killed 179 people in Mumbai.
India is well disposed toward the nine-month-old civilian government of President Asif Ali Zardari, but distrust of the Pakistani military has become more acute than when former army chief Pervez Musharraf was running the country.
Zardari's soft words over the Kashmir dispute and his stated preference for a no first use accord on nuclear weapons have gone down well with the Indian leadership.
"They are delighted that Zardari has gone the extra mile in the last few months," said Najam Sethi, a respected Lahore-based Pakistani political analyst and newspaper editor, after a visit to New Delhi.
"Their problem is that public opinion being what it is in the wake of Mumbai, I think a decision has been taken that there should be a pause until the next government comes in."
By declaring a "pause" on Tuesday, analysts say Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee had effectively asked the Pakistani leadership to choose what matters more to them: peace or protecting jihadis who want war.
Sethi believed both sides wanted to keep the so-called composite dialogue alive as it had been close to settling several territorial disputes before Musharraf's political troubles in 2007 caused both sides to go slow.Thursday, December 11, 2008
Google tells us what we look for
What do Sarah Palin, Facebook and Euro 2008 have in common?
According to our technology news reporter, They are all on the list of the top 10 fastest-rising queries on Google during 2008.
The search engine has published its year-end Zeitgeist, the tool which reveals what internet users are searching for.
Google Zeitgeist monitors what people are searching for
The most searched term for Google users in the UK was Facebook while the BBC came second and its iPlayer service was the fastest rising query, live news channel reported.
The list also reveals what global preoccupations are and this year the US election candidates and the Beijing Olympics figure high.
The things people around the globe have in common are a strong interest in socialising and politics, according to Marissa Mayer, vice-president of search at Google.
"Social networks comprised four out of the top 10 global fastest-rising queries while the US election held everyone's interest around the globe," she wrote on Google's official blog.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
On-the-trail-of-Masood-Azhar
World News :
You could say that the father and brother of one of India's most wanted men were my phone friends.
It was February 2000 and I was working on my first book, "173 Hours in Captivity: the Hijacking of IC-814". I was trying to get all information I could on Masood Azhar, the powerful militant leader, who had been freed in Kandahar in exchange for the passengers of the seized Indian Airlines flight.
So I decided: who would be better to tell me about him than his own father, former school teacher Allah Baksh Sabir?
Friends in the Indian security establishment had provided me Azhar's interrogation report, and friends in Pakistan had given me his landline telephone number at their poultry farm-cum-home in the Kaunsar Colony in Pakistan's Bahawalpur town.
I decided not to call him from my home; my phone records could have landed me in jail if someone decided to call me a terror conspirator. So I used to walk up to a PCO near my home in Noida every second day and talk in a hushed tone from a cubicle with the soft-spoken Sabir.
He referred to his own son – India's most wanted man -- as "Maulana saab".
Azhar is part of big family – he has five brothers and six sisters. But four of Sabir's sons had been away for a long time. Azhar was in a Jammu prison, Abdul Rauf Asghar was away in Karachi, young Jehangir Akbar was at a madrasa near Bahawalpur. Ibrahim Athar – the main hijacker – was away planning his mission though the father had told everyone he was on a pilgrimage. It is unclear if Sabir knew the truth.
That left another brother, Mohammed Tahir Anwar, in charge of the poultry and dairy farm, and the ninth-grade student Mohiuddin Alamgir, helping out at home.
The long telephone ring would often go unanswered for some time, and I used to imagine: would it be the old style phone with the dial? Would it be in a big house guarded by armed men? Would the maulana himself pick up the phone one day and would I encounter the voice of the obese, stern-eyed man we had been watching on television for weeks?
I must admit, I kept my name vague and did not reveal I was calling from India.
Azhar was never home. He was busy – he had just formed the Jaish-e-Mohammed militant group.
Over the coming days, Sabir and I began making small talk.
"You know, Maulana saab just got married, a day after Eid … the child teaches in a religious school here."
"Maulana saab has just bought a house in Karachi".
"He has a mobile phone but I don't have the number."
One day I asked: "Are you OK? You don't sound so good." He said: "No, no, just a slight cold, son. How have you been?"
One day Sabir did not pick up the phone; it was a boyish voice instead. I did swift mathematics and intelligent guesswork – and realised it could be the youngest son mentioned on the interrogation report.
"Beta (son), is that Alamgir?"
"Ji!" said the boy, excited that an unknown caller knew his name as well in a famous man's house.
We soon became friends. Alamgir gave Azhar's mobile number, but muddled up one area code, and I could never speak to him.
The book was published, and weeks later I read a newspaper report about a man who featured in it, who had asked for and bought a copy at the famous Mr. Books store in Islamabad: the London School of Economic-educated Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, one of the other two top militants released with Azhar.
After-Dawood-Masood-and-Memon-Pak-denies-India-access-to-Mumbai-attack-mastermind
NEW DELHI: Pakistan has ruled out giving India access to Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhwi, who is learnt to be behind the Mumbai
terror strikes. Pak has said that only its authorities can question Lakhwi to ascertain whether he had any link to the attacks.
Pakistan defence minister Chaudhary Ahmed Mukhtar said India's "concerns" can be discussed through a joint investigation mechanism which Islamabad has proposed to be set up to probe the Mumbai attacks.
"May be we can have a joint investigation mechanism and find out who these culprits are," Mukhtar said.
He said Pak officials will question Lakhwi, who was arrested in the crackdown against terrorists, to find out whether there is any linkage to the Mumbai terror attacks.
Lakhwi's name figured during questioning of Ajmal Kasav, the only terrorist caught during the Mumbai attacks, by Indian investigators.
"We do not have to rush into things. We have to move slowly to get hold of the right kind of people who could be involved or are alleged to be involved (in Mumbai attacks).
I really do not know who they are. We are trying to find out. We will find out. There is no reason why we would not find out," he said.
Mukhtar said the perpetrators of the Mumbai attack are "scared" of improvement in relations between India and Pakistan.
"They are scared of these countries becoming trading partners and gaining confidence of each other," he said.
Mukhtar said the meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, discussed the "pros and cons" of incidents "happening around us" and ways to continue the war against terror and to help Pakistan's neighbours fight the menace.
Pakistan defence minister Chaudhary Ahmed Mukhtar said India's "concerns" can be discussed through a joint investigation mechanism which Islamabad has proposed to be set up to probe the Mumbai attacks.
"May be we can have a joint investigation mechanism and find out who these culprits are," Mukhtar said.
He said Pak officials will question Lakhwi, who was arrested in the crackdown against terrorists, to find out whether there is any linkage to the Mumbai terror attacks.
Lakhwi's name figured during questioning of Ajmal Kasav, the only terrorist caught during the Mumbai attacks, by Indian investigators.
"We do not have to rush into things. We have to move slowly to get hold of the right kind of people who could be involved or are alleged to be involved (in Mumbai attacks).
I really do not know who they are. We are trying to find out. We will find out. There is no reason why we would not find out," he said.
Mukhtar said the perpetrators of the Mumbai attack are "scared" of improvement in relations between India and Pakistan.
"They are scared of these countries becoming trading partners and gaining confidence of each other," he said.
Mukhtar said the meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, discussed the "pros and cons" of incidents "happening around us" and ways to continue the war against terror and to help Pakistan's neighbours fight the menace.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Millions-of-Muslim-perform-Waqoof-e-Arafat
ISLAMABAD, Dec 7 (APP): About 2.5 millions of Muslims from across the world on Sunday performed the most important ritual of Hajj, Waqoof-e -Arafat.
Over 2.5 million Muslims are performing Hajj this years.Of these 165,000 are Pakistanis, PTV reported.
Starting just after dawn today, in mild weather, the faithful made their way slowly on foot or by bus onto Jabl-e-Arafat, where Prophet Mohammed Sallalah-o-Alaihe -Wa Alaihe Wasallam delivered his last Khutba more than 14 centuries ago.
For the second day of the Hajj, the male pilgrims wore two pieces of unstitched cloth, serving as a shroud, while the women were entirely covered apart from face and hands.
The crowd continued to recite ‘Labaik Allahhuma Labaik’ as they converged on Jabl-e-Arafat to seek Allah Almighty’s blessings and forgiveness for their sins.
They spend the rest of their time on mount Arafat praying and beseeching God for his forgiveness, as a symbol of the wait for Judgement day.
In his Hajj sermon, grand mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdul Aziz, bin Abdullah al-sheikh called upon the Muslims to implement Taqwa in their lives as it is the essence of Islam.
He asked them to follow the teachings of Islam for success in this world and the hereafter.
He said Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Sallalahoo Alaihi Wa Alaihi Wasalam) showed the path of righteousness to the humanity and by following the very basics of Islam, we can rid the society of all evils.
He said Islam is a complete code of life, addressing all the requirements of the people. Sheikh Abdul Aziz warned that the enemies of Islam wanted to disintegrate the Ummah and gain control on the Muslim resources.
He said the evil design of such elements could be foiled only if the Muslims remain firm on the teachings of Islam.
He said Islam is a religion of peace and there is no extremism in our religion.
He said those who kill their own brethren in terrorist acts had no link to Islam. After the sermon, the Hujajj offered combined Zuhr and Asar prayers. They also visited Jabl-e-Rahmat, the mount of blessings.
After Waqoof-e Arafat, at sunset the faithful will move towards the valley of Muzdalifah where they will spend the whole night in the open sky and seek forgiveness and blessings of Allah Almighty.
On Monday the Hujjaj will return to Mina, perform Rammi or stoning of the big ‘Satan’, sacrifice animal, usually a sheep, in pursuit of the Sunnah of Hazrat Ibrahim Alaihissalam and perform other rituals.
The next day, the Hujjaj will again perform Rammi at Jamrat, stoning of the smaller Satan.
Later, they will return to Makkah to perform Tawaf-e-Ziarat. The Saudi authorities have made elaborate arrangements to facilitate the pilgrims.
The Saudi interior ministry has assembled 100,000 stewards to ensure safety during the Hajj and the health ministry has supplied 11,000 of its medical and paramedical staff along with 140 first aid points and 24 field hospitals containing a total of 4,000 beds.
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