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US hails Pak decision to return Indian copter
Judicial Commission meeting today
France reaffirms support to Afghanistan despite troops withdrawal
Thousands leave flood-surrounded Thai capital
NATO delays formal decision to end Libya mission
Flash floods kill at least 9 in Italy
Clinton presses Bahrain FM on crackdown probe
Lung cancer screening with X-rays isn't beneficial
Straight study shows Pluto's chilly twin
Euro hits seven-week dollar high after German vote
Oil slides on US energy report
Putin voices 'disgust at Gaddafi coverage
Tipsarevic advances in St. Petersburg
Sharapova loses again at WTA Championships
Del Potro, Anderson reach quarters in Vienna

US hails Pak decision to return Indian copter

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During her briefing in Washington, the State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said Pakistan s decision to return Indian helicopter that strayed into Pakistani airspace is very good. It is very very important that both countries avoid conflict or blowing such incidents into another crisis, she said. “It is a result of the increased dialogue between India and Pakistan and the fact that they have reestablished some hotlines and emergency procedures,” she said. Nuland said that India and Pakistan were able to speak directly, thereby avoiding an incident in this case. This is a very good step and the United States hope to see this kind of progress continue between Pakistan and India.

Judicial Commission meeting today

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Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry will preside over the meeting to Judicial Commission today. The meeting will consider the issue of appointment of Supreme Court, Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar High Courts judges. The meeting will also review the rate of cases being dealt in the lower courts.

France reaffirms support to Afghanistan despite troops withdrawal

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French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe reaffirmed France s continuing support for Afghanistan, despite the withdrawal of French troops after meeting Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul. The Foreign Minister of France Alain Juppe and Afghanistan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul met in Paris on Wednesday to discuss present progress in Afghanistan and to look at future reconstruction efforts.  France has already started withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, their mission there ends on October 31st, but French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said France would continue to support their allies, as Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul set out his plans for rebuilding the nation. "He brings with him a series of specific plans regarding security, military training and police training, creation of an Afghan police force, in the domain of agriculture, education, research, health, infrastructure development. In short he hopes France will continue to support Afghanistan in its reconstruction efforts even beyond 2014, especially in its economic reconstruction," Juppe said, referring to his Afghan counterpart, who was keen to thank France for her efforts so far. "France has also participated in the security of Afghanistan, I want to express the gratitude of the Afghan people and government for the sacrifice that your soldiers have made for the security of Afghanistan, but also for security and peace globally and in France," Rassoul went on.

Thousands leave flood-surrounded Thai capital

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Tens of thousands of Bangkok residents jammed bus stations and highways Wednesday to flee Thailand s flood-threatened capital as the city s governor ordered official evacuations in two swamped northern districts for the first time since the crisis began. Floodwaters bearing down on the metropolis have killed 373 people nationwide since July, causing billions of dollars in damage and shutting down Bangkok s second largest airport. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra s government had repeatedly vowed to protect the capital, which has so far mostly escaped unscathed. But official assessments have turned grim in recent days, and everywhere people are preparing for flooding that seems all but inevitable. Gov. Sukhumbhand Paribatra said residents of two of the city s 50 districts Don Muang and Bang Phlat, both already partially submerged should leave for safer city shelters. "This is the first time I am using the term  evacuation,  the first time I m really asking you to leave," Sukhumbhand said. Elsewhere in the city, thousands of people packed Bangkok s Mo Chit bus terminal, trying to leave town on their own.  Many appeared to be taking advantage of a government-declared five-day public holiday to avoid a possible watery siege.  The holiday runs Thursday through Monday in flood-affected areas, including Bangkok. Some waited for hours on the sidewalk outside Mo Chit because there was no space inside the terminal, the main departure point for buses to Thailand s north. The mass exodus included thousands of migrants from neighboring Myanmar, workers dependent on low-paying jobs so desperate to leave they are willing to brave a return to their intensely repressive nation to do so. Authorities were also forced to move hundreds of inmates from three prisons many on death row to facilities in other provinces.

NATO delays formal decision to end Libya mission

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Consultations continued Wednesday with the UN and the country s interim government over how and when to wind down the operation. Last week, the alliance announced preliminary plans to phase out its mission on Oct. 31. NATO s governing body the North Atlantic Council, or NAC was expected to formalize that decision Wednesday. Air patrols have continued in the meantime because some alliance members were concerned that a quick end to NATO s seven-month operation could lead to a resurgence in violence. On Wednesday, spokeswoman Carmen Romero said NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen was consulting with the United Nations and Libya s National Transitional Council. "The NAC will meet with partners on Friday to discuss our Libya mission and take a formal decision," she said, adding that there was an "ongoing process" in the UN Security Council. US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Tuesday during a visit to Japan that some of Libya s leaders had called for NATO to continue its mission "during this interim as they try to establish some new governance." But a NATO official, who could not be identified under standing rules, said the alliance had not received any formal request from the Libya s transitional government to prolong its air and naval patrols past the end of the month. NATO s 26,000 sorties, including 9,600 strike missions, destroyed about 5,900 military targets since they started on March 31. These included Libya s air defenses and more than 1,000 tanks, vehicles and guns, as well as Gaddafi s command and control networks. The daily airstrikes enabled the rebels  ragtag forces to advance and take Tripoli two months ago. On Sunday, Libya s interim rulers declared the country liberated, launching the oil-rich nation on what is meant to be a two-year transition to democracy.

Flash floods kill at least 9 in Italy

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Torrential rains lashed Italy from its northern Alps to the southern island of Sicily, causing flash floods that killed at least nine people and left six others missing, authorities said Wednesday. The storm that began late Tuesday spared few areas, but the northwestern coastal region of Liguria and the central region of Tuscany were the hardest hit. Six of the victims were in Borghetto Vara, a village in Liguria known for its grapes, wines and chestnuts. Roiling waters and mud tore through the village, 45 miles (75 kilometres) from Genoa and near the Cinque Terre, a popular vacation area. At least one building collapsed. Another victim died while trying to clear gutters in the northwestern coastal town of Monterosso, built around a small natural gulf. Two others were killed in Aulla in the nearby province of Massa Carrara, famed for its marble. The head of La Spezia s provincial government, Marino Fiasella said that at least six other people were missing. Flood waters swept away some roads and bridges, and several towns in Liguria remained cut off from the outside world. Authorities said major highways and the railway in Liguria would remain closed at least through Sunday.

Clinton presses Bahrain FM on crackdown probe

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US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa also discussed a planned $53 million US arms sale to Bahrain that has been put on hold pending the outcome of the investigation, spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said. "The thrust of our message to Bahrain over some months was that not only the Bahraini people but the international community and certainly the United States are waiting eagerly for the release of the results of the independent commission of inquiry," Nuland added. The panel s report was expected by October 30 but its release has been delayed to November 23. The pro-democracy protests that broke out in February amid the fervor of the Arab Spring were crushed by Bahraini security forces, backed by Saudi troops. The government says 24 people were killed, including four police officers, while the opposition puts the count at 31. Nuland said the outcome of the investigation would be "a litmus test of transparency and accountability for what happened in Bahrain and particularly how the government chooses to deal with what is reported," Nuland said. Clinton also underscored the importance of Bahrain s decision to retry in civilian courts cases that were tried by the military, she said. Nuland defended the proposed arms sale to Bahrain, a key US ally in the Gulf that hosts the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet, saying it would bolster Manama s external defenses. But "the Bahrainis know we have human rights standards attached to these sales, and actual transfer decisions are pending," she said. Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat, introduced legislation earlier this month to bar arms sales to Bahrain until it addresses "alleged human rights violations" since the protests began.

Lung cancer screening with X-rays isn't beneficial

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Routine chest X-rays do not prevent lung cancer deaths, not even in smokers or former smokers, according to a big government study challenging a once common type of screening. In the study of more than 150,000 older Americans, those who had four annual chest X-ray screenings were just as likely to die of lung cancer as participants who didn t have those tests. The results from the National Cancer Institute-funded research confirm previous, smaller X-ray studies. They follow another big study from that institute favoring a newer, more sophisticated imaging test. That found fewer lung cancer deaths among current or former heavy smokers who had special CT imaging scans versus those who had chest X-rays. CT scans provide much more detailed images than X-rays, and while no major medical group recommends any type of routine lung cancer screening, several are preparing new guidelines. Screening refers to routine tests in people without symptoms; doctors say chest X-rays are still useful to help diagnose people with lung cancer symptoms, including a persistent cough or coughing up blood. Chest X-ray screening for lung cancer was common decades ago, and some doctors continue to recommend it in smokers and former smokers. The new study results should put an end to that practice, said Robert Smith, director of cancer screening at the American Cancer Society. "No one recommends it but they do occur quite a lot," said Smith, who was not involved in the study. The study was released online in the Journal of the American Medical Association on Wednesday, when it was presented at an American College of Chest Physicians meeting in Hawaii. The doctors  group is among those preparing new lung cancer screening recommendations. The study s participants were aged 55 to 74 and were tracked for about 13 years. During that time, there were about 1,200 lung cancer deaths in participants who got X-rays and in those who got usual medical care. That s equal to about 14 deaths per 10,000 people each year. Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer; it will be diagnosed this year in about 220,000 people nationwide, and more than half that number will die from lung cancer, the cancer society estimates. Less than 1 percent of never smokers will develop lung cancer in their lifetime. By contrast, about 18 percent of current smokers will get the disease by age 75; the risk is somewhat lower but not zero for former smokers, depending on how long ago they quit, said Dr. Christine Berg, the study s senior author and chief of the National Cancer Institute s early detection research group.

Straight study shows Pluto's chilly twin

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Sky-watchers reported on Wednesday that a small planet in deep space that triggered one of the fiercest controversies in modern astronomy appears to be a colder "twin" of Pluto. The study, published in the journal Nature, is the biggest probe into the enigmatic planet known as Eris, whose discovery in 2005 raised questions about the Kuiper Belt, a zone of icy objects beyond the orbit of Neptune. Eris stunned astronomers. It was initially estimated to be as big as Pluto, which had been enshrined as the Solar System s smallest, outermost planet after discovery in 1930. The existence of Eris implied that scores, maybe even hundreds, more planets were just waiting to be spotted in the Kuiper Belt.  But were these objects -- even Pluto itself -- big enough to be considered real planets? The question was answered in 2006, when Pluto was relegated by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) to a new category of "dwarf planet," where it has been joined by Eris, the big asteroid Ceres and two other large Kuiper belt objects, Makemake and Haumea. Pluto s downsizing was unpopular with the public and is hotly contested even today by many astronomers, thus making Eris  name -- after the Greek goddess of strife and discord -- very apt. The new probe used two giant telescopes in Chile s Atacama desert, which observed Eris as it passed in front of a star in November 2010, gaining clues about its size and surface from the distorted starlight. This is a technical feat, for Eris was nearly 100 times as distant from Earth as Earth is from the Sun. It is the most distant object in the Solar System to be successfully observed this way. The tableau of Eris that emerges is of a sphere-shaped object with a diameter of 2,326 kms (1,453 miles), plus or minus 12 kms (eight miles), which is a fraction smaller than earlier measurements. In size terms, it is strangely a near-double of Pluto, whose diameter is estimated at 2,300-2,400 kms (1,437 -1,500 miles). The surface of Eris is unusually bright, which suggests that it has an icy covering that is somehow refreshed. If the surface were permanently like this, it would become darkened by cosmic rays and impacts by micro-meteorites over time. The theory is that Eris has a methane-rich atmosphere that in the depths of space freezes to the surface but occasionally revives and then freezes again. When the wee planet reaches the closest part of its elliptical orbit around the Sun -- a "mere" 30 astronomical units (AUs), or 30 times the distance between the Earth and the Sun -- its frozen surface warms just enough to become gassy and create a thin but temporary atmosphere. As it heads once more away from the Sun, the atmosphere freezes once more, clinging to the surface, according to this scenario. "In that case, Eris would currently be a dormant Pluto twin, with a bright icy surface created by a collapsed atmosphere," suggests the paper, headed by Bruno Sicardy of the Pierre et Marie Curie University and Observatory of Paris. Eris has a satellite, Dysnomia, named after the goddess  offspring and derived from the ancient Greek for lawlessness.

Euro hits seven-week dollar high after German vote

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The euro hit a seven-week dollar high Wednesday after German lawmakers gave Angela Merkel a broad mandate to boost the eurozone bailout fund but pulled back in nervous deals before the EU debt crisis summit. At 1315 GMT, the European single currency hit $1.3975, the highest level since September 8. However, soon afterwards the shared eurozone unit sank as low as $1.3865 in volatile trade. That compared with $1.3904 in New York late on Tuesday. Chancellor Merkel won the backing of 503 members of Germany s 620-strong Bundestag lower house of parliament, while 89 voted against and four abstained, during a special session in which she said the euro s weaknesses must be resolved "now or ... never." Merkel arrived later in Brussels where hopes were fading that European leaders will come up with the answers to the eurozone debt crisis at a summit crucial for the global economy. Investors remain focused on Brussels, where leaders will gather from 1600 GMT for their second summit in three days on the long-running crisis.

Oil slides on US energy report

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World oil prices fell heavily on Wednesday as dealers digested fresh signs of weakening US energy demand and awaited the outcome of an EU summit aimed at resolving the euro debt crisis. New York s main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in December, dived $1.70 to $91.47 per barrel. Brent North Sea crude for December delivery slid $1.51 to $109.41 a barrel in London late afternoon trade. The market sold off in afternoon deals after the US government s Department of Energy revealed that American crude oil inventories increased by 4.7 million barrels in the week ending October 21. The weekly report indicated weakening demand in the United States, which is the world s biggest oil-consuming nation. Expectations had been for a much smaller increase of just 400,000 barrels, according to analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires. Investors also remain focused on Brussels, where European leaders have begun their second summit in three days on the long-running crisis that has dogged global financial markets for months. Markets are demanding a watertight deal to dispel fears the crisis could threaten the euro project and spark another fierce worldwide recession -- which would slash demand for key commodities like crude oil.

Putin voices 'disgust at Gaddafi coverage

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Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Wednesday expressed his "disgust" at the global media for its graphic coverage of ousted Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi s death. The overwhelming favourite in next year s Russian presidential elections told an election campaign meeting that he found the television coverage of Kadhafi s death immoral. "Almost the entire Kadhafi family was killed. His body was shown on all the world channels. You could not watch without disgust," news agencies quoted Putin as saying. "What is that?" Putin exclaimed. "They show a bloodied man, wounded, still alive but getting beaten to death. And they splash that all over the screen." The comments were Putin s first on the death of the Libyan strongman. Disquiet has grown internationally over how Kadhafi met his end after National Transitional Coalition fighters hauled him out of a culvert where he was hiding following NATO air strikes on the convoy in which he had been trying to flee his falling hometown. Mobile phone videos show him still alive at that point. Russia had earlier condemned NATO for using its jets to attack the convoy Kadhafi had attempted to use to break through the National Transitional Council troops that surrounded his home town of Sirte on October 20.

Tipsarevic advances in St. Petersburg

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Second-seeded Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia advanced to the second round of the St. Petersburg Open with a straight-sets victory on Wednesday, while sixth-seeded Marcel Granollers of Spain was beaten. Tipsarevic defeated Olivier Rochus of Belgium 6-2, 7-5. Igor Andreev of Russia rallied to oust Granollers 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4). Later, fifth-seeded Mikhail Youzhny of Russia advanced to the quarterfinals, beating Julien Benneteau of France 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. Fresh from winning his second career title in Moscow on Sunday, Tipsarevic broke Rochus twice in the first set and served for the match at 5-2 up in the second. But Rochus, ranked 70th, broke him twice to level at 5-all. The 13-ranked Serb then broke for the third time and served for the match. He double-faulted on his first match point at 40-30 up before closing the match on his second one. After trading sets, Youzhny, who won the event in 2004 and was runner-up last season, broke twice in the decider for a 5-2 lead. But serving for the match, he faced a break point before wrapping up the victory on his second match point. After trading sets, the 117th-ranked Andreev saved a match point while serving at 5-4 down in the decider to force a tiebreaker. Serving at 5-4 up in the tiebreaker, Andreev landed a precise backhand down the line to earn two match points and then served a winner to close the match. Andreev said he was struggling with his first serve in the first set. With the victory, Andreev, a former top-20 player, ended a five-match losing streak on hard courts. Also in the first round, Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany rallied to beat Carlos Berlocq of Argentina 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-1, while Andreas Seppi of Italy eliminated Vasek Pospisil of Canada 7-5, 7-6 (4).

Sharapova loses again at WTA Championships

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The result leaves Sharapova on the brink of elimination from the season-ending tournament, but she still has a slim chance of advancing to the semifinals if she wins her final round-robin match against Victoria Azarenka. Azarenka maintained her perfect record against Sam Stosur with a 6-2, 6-2 win earlier Wednesday. Sharapova led 4-2 in the first set before Li broke back to force the tiebreaker, where the Russian let a 4-0 lead slip away. Li then took a 5-2 lead in the second and served out the match on her second attempt. Li, the French Open champion, is the first Chinese player to qualify for the season-ending event for the world s top eight players. Stosur, the U.S. Open champion, was coming off her first ever win over Sharapova on Tuesday but appeared flat as she came out for Wednesday s opening match. In her first match in the White Group, the fourth-seeded Azarenka broke four times to take her head-to-head record against Stosur to 5-0. "I didn t play aggressive enough ... I don t feel like I did anything," Stosur said. "I just kind of got pushed around the court, and eventually was made to make an error or she would hit a winner." The Australian said her performance wasn t affected by the late match against Sharapova the previous evening. "Oh, I can t blame that," she said. "Yeah, it was a quick turnaround, but I felt like I was ready to go."

Del Potro, Anderson reach quarters in Vienna

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Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina and Kevin Anderson of South Africa had straight-set wins Wednesday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Erste Bank Open. The second-seeded Del Potro defeated Philipp Petzschner of Germany 6-3, 6-4 to reach his seventh quarterfinal of the season, and the sixth-seeded Anderson beat Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus 6-2, 7-6 (5). Del Potro, who is seeking one of three remaining spots at next month s ATP finals, saved four break points in the opening set but held serve throughout against Petzschner, who won his only tour title here three years ago. "His game for me is very difficult because I am a taller player and he played too much drop shots and slices," said Del Potro, who had a bye in the first round. "So I am happy to beat him. But I need to play better if I want to win more matches." Del Potro will play either Tommy Haas of Germany or qualifier Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia for a place in the semifinals. "Tommy is a very experienced player, that would be tough a match," Del Potro said. In first-round play, Steve Darcis of Belgium rallied to upset No. 7 Nikolay Davydenko of Russia 3-6, 6-0, 7-6 (2). Davydenko, coming off a semifinal in Moscow last week, lost a 4-0 lead in the deciding set and failed to serve out the match at 5-4 and again at 6-5. "My serve was not good in the first set but I played well after settling down," Darcis said. "I am over the moon with this win as Davydenko is still a world-class player." Also, Jarkko Nieminen of Finland defeated Robin Haase of the Netherlands 7-6 (3), 6-4 to set up a second-round match against top-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

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Wednesday 26 October 2011

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