Thursday, 19 January 2012

Breaking News

Breaking News

Pakistan crisis: Have always respected court, says Gilani in SC

Posted: 18 Jan 2012 09:57 PM PST


ISLAMABAD, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday appeared before the Supreme Court in a contempt of court case and said he had always respected the institution.


Gilani, who had been issued a contempt notice for not implementing a directive to act against President Asif Ali Zardari for corruption, said he had spent six years in prison and had never been reluctant to appear before the court that shows that he always respected the court, Geo News reported.


On Jan 16, he had been directed to appear personally before the apex court bench.


Zardari, accused of graft, had been granted amnesty under the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), which was issued in 2007 by then president Pervez Musharraf to facilitate the return of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and her husband Zardari. The NRO was struck down as void by the Supreme Court in 2009.


Prominent Pakistani lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan is representing Gilani.


It is the latest blow for the civilian administration which also faces pressure from the military over a mysterious memo seeking US help to avert an alleged coup last year.


Some question whether the government that is seen as corrupt and inept can survive and which is already widely accused of failing to deal with the basic issues of poverty, crippling power cuts, dilapidated infrastructure and a struggling economy.


The tensions could bring down Gilani, who until recently had smooth ties with all of Pakistan's power centres.


Downfall of the government could plunge the strategic US ally into a full blown-political crisis and further hamper badly-needed economic and political progress.


Pakistanis got a taste of what may come - more delays in everything from economic reforms to investment in the troubled power sector - even before the session started.


Traffic crawled to a halt after police blocked off parts of the city to impose tighter security facing homegrown Taliban militants blamed for many of the suicide bombings that have kept foreign investors away.


Hundreds of policemen were stationed outside the Supreme Court as every car was checked. Gilani's security men, in dark suits, combed the premises.


While Gilani is the one facing a contempt hearing, most observers say the court's real target is Zardari.


During the 1990s, Zardari had multiple cases of corruption and even murder lodged against him, all of which he says are false and politically motivated.


An amnesty deal that protected him from prosecution was nullified in 2009 and the court has been pushing for the government to re-open and investigate the corruption cases against Zardari.


The government refuses to do so, saying Zardari enjoys immunity as the head of state.


While Gilani is not considered to be in immediate danger and the case is expected to be drawn out, he could have to step down eventually if he were to be held in contempt of court.


Gilani won a unanimous vote of confidence in parliament when he became prime minister nearly four years ago, and has been known as a peacemaker even among the ruling Pakistan People's Party's most bitter enemies. Unlike Zardari, he was seen as having smooth ties with the military before the latest turmoil.


But his diplomatic skills may not be enough to fend off both the Supreme Court and Pakistan's generals, who have ruled the country for more than half of its 64 years history through coups, and from behind the scenes.


"The fact is that it's not just the anger of the judges against the PM, it's the anger of the army against the PM as well," said Ayesha Siddiqa, a prominent defence analyst.

‘Urban Turban’ : Sikh is mayor of historic US city

Posted: 18 Jan 2012 09:53 PM PST


WASHINGTON: A turbaned Sikh-American has been elected mayor of a historic US city most famously associated with founding father Thomas Jefferson, attesting both to the town's embrace of diversity and the efforts of the Sikh community to be a part of the American mainstream. 


Satyendra Huja, 70, was voted mayor of Charlottesville by the City Council this week, capping a three-decade long public service record in the 50,000-strong community that is home to three American presidents - Jefferson, Monroe , and Madison (from nearby Orange), and the University of Virginia (UVA), which Jefferson founded in 1819. 


Sikh activism in the US has been an inspiring story for other minorities. The community has worked strenuously after racial and ethnic profiling setbacks post-9 /11 to educate Americans about the religion and its adherents and the pay-off has been handsome and visible. 


"There are not too many communities in America where a guy with a beard and turban who doesn't look mainstream can get elected," Huja, who was once dubbed "Urban Turban" by resident businessmen , told a local newspaper after his victory. "And I think people realize that I do have some skills and qualities of use that are more important than what I look like." 


Indeed, resident activists speak highly of Huja's involvement in city and community planning for more than 30 years, including during his years as director of strategic planning for the city from 1998 to 2004. An adjunct professor in the Architecture School at the UVA, he was elected to city council in 2007 and 2011 and is its senior most and longest serving member. 


Born in Kohat in presentday Pakistan, Huja came to the US in 1966 as an undergraduate and studied at Cornell and Wesleyan before earning a master's degree in urban planning from Michigan State University. He moved to Charlottesville in 1973, when he was hired as the director of city planning. After retiring in 2004, he made his first run for council in 2007 as a Democrat, and he was reelected to another four-year term on council last year, polling more votes than any other council member. 

Everyone knows Jackie’s on remote control: Mukesh Bhatt

Posted: 18 Jan 2012 09:50 PM PST


Jacqueline Fernandez is acquiring a reputation for losing films faster than she is signing them - apparently on her boyfriend and director Sajid Khan's advice. She recently walked out of Krissh 3. 


On Monday morning, she was dropped from Vikram Bhatt's Raaz 3 and replaced by newcomer Esha Gupta (who is debuting in Jannat 2 this year). 


Jackie was signed for Raaz 3 post the release of Murder 2. She was aware that she had to wear revealing clothes in the film. Apart from donning bikinis and sexy outfits, Jackie was to be given a glamorous makeover as the Bhatts wanted to project her as the next sex symbol after Bipasha Basu (who incidentally plays Jackie's older sister in the film). 


With the shoot starting this month, Jackie even signed a contract with the Bhatts to go sexy for the part. However, an insider says, "She kept going back and forth on the outfits for several weeks. The hemlines kept getting longer and the necklines higher. Last week, Jackie communicated to the Bhatts that she wasn't willing to wear revealing outfits. Apparently, Sajid has advised her against doing the role. He told her it was time to stop doing sleazy B-grade roles if she wanted to become an A-list actress. The Bhatts had had enough of Jackie's nakhras by this time, and decided to drop her instantly. On Monday morning, they communicated the same to her." 


When we quiz her, Jackie confirms, "I'm not a part of Raaz 3 anymore. The decision was mutual and we parted amicably." 


However, producer Mukesh Bhatt rants, "I don't know what success has done to Jacqueline; she can't handle it. She'd heard the script well in advance, but for reasons best known to her, she backtracked. If she only wants to play the innocent virgin, all the best to her. Filmmakers are not going to sign Jacqueline to wear a sari! She didn't want to do certain things so we replaced her with Esha." 

NASA spaceport breaks ground for shuttle display

Posted: 18 Jan 2012 09:46 PM PST


CAPE CANAVERAL: NASA's retired space shuttle Atlantis is a step closer to completing its final journey. 


The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex broke ground yesterday for Atlantis' permanent home, a USD 100 million exhibit due to open in summer 2013. 


Schoolchildren waved red, white and blue Atlantis flags 33 flags representing each of Atlantis' space missions as state and local dignitaries joined former shuttle staff at the construction site. 


The astronaut who commanded Atlantis' final spaceflight, Christopher Ferguson, told the more than 100 guests that Atlantis will serve as "a reminder of the limitless potential" of Americans and also inspire children, some of whom will become future space travelers. 


Ferguson, who now works for Boeing on new space vehicles, made note of the effort to preserve the past while working toward the future: "I'd like you all to stay tuned as we turn to the next chapter of the journey that will never end." 


Shuttle Discovery will actually be the first to ship out to museums. 


In April, it will head to the National Air and Space Museum's display hangar outside Washington. 


Shuttle Endeavour will travel to the California Science Center in Los Angeles in the second half of the year. 


NASA's 30-year shuttle program ended last July with the voyage of Atlantis. Since then, workers have been getting them ready for display by draining hazardous fuel, disconnecting or removing some systems and replacing the main engines with replicas.

Rupee up 6th day on rising inflows

Posted: 18 Jan 2012 09:42 PM PST


MUMBAI: The rupee rose for a sixth consecutive session in early trades on Thursday, boosted by sustained foreign investor interest in debt and equity, while dollar demand from oil companies is likely to temper gains.


At 9 am, the rupee opened at 50.20 to the dollar. It closed up 0.7 per cent on Wednesday at 50.3750/3850, after hitting 50.38 -- its strongest since November 14.


Risk-on sentiment globally with Asian shares rising to a 2-month high and a firm euro after news that the International Monetary Fund was seeking to boost its resources to tackle the euro zone debt crisis aided sentiments.

Being sexy is just a state of mind: Hrithik Roshan

Posted: 18 Jan 2012 09:37 PM PST


Everyone - from Hrithik Roshan's wife Sussanne to his friends and publicist - advised him against showing his "fat" picture to the public. Then he asked me, "What do you think?" I wondered which actor in his right mind would want to share an "ugly, repulsive picture" (his words, not mine) of himself.


Actors are vain by nature; it's part of their job to look good. "You are a brave man to even consider doing this," I told him. He explained, "Everyone thinks I am genetically blessed with good looks and a good body. I want to show people the real picture. I want to share my story and tell people that they too can change their lives. Ten weeks ago, I was terribly unfit, and now I look like this (pointing to his fit and fab picture) This picture was clicked yesterday." And he did this with a slipped disc. Read on to find out how he went from fat to fab.


When did you put on all that weight?
Two-and-a-half months ago. I started out from a very dark place. I was in deep depression because I was laid up in bed thanks to my back. I was eating all kinds of junk food - all the cupcakes and brownies that people were sending me to make me feel better. I was in a very bad state emotionally. With all the education I have about health and fitness, I didn't see a way out in the short time I had to prepare for "Krrish 3". Which is why I want to share this transformation tale with the world. I want to break the myth and tell people that we are all the same. We all can get in that state of rut, we all can get unhappy, but there is a way to bounce back. Being sexy is just a state of mind. My aim when I woke up that morning and took that "fat" picture of myself was to get so healthy that I would never be in pain again. I've lived through so many injuries and so much pain, that I can count on my fingers the days when I was pain free. I decided I needed to explore this possibility of the human body in a way that has not been done. My goal was to be pain free; the aesthetics is just a by-product of me wanting to be healthy.


Who is responsible for your transformation and how did you find them?
It's thanks to a couple called Kris Genthin and Maraica Johnson. Kris is a trainer and Maraica is a nutritionist. I searched on the internet, talked to friends, trainers, doctors, physiotherapists and told everyone that I needed help. There was a bodybuilding show being organised here by Sheru, and he got in touch with my managers and told me about this couple. Everybody gave the same feedback that they would be the right people. I thought I knew a lot about fitness, but what they brought to the table was incredible. What I have achieved in these 10 weeks was done in the easiest possible way. I haven't starved myself, I haven't been killing myself working out. In fact, I am eating more food than I ever have. It hurts me to see that people who want to get into shape or be fit, starve themselves and do all the wrong things. I want the truth to be out there and I want people to identify with me and learn from my experience.


Share the details. Now!
I do cardio for half-an-hour in the morning, and a one-hour workout during the day. I have a slipped disc so I don't do heavy weights at all. I've lost ten-and-a-half kilos, and my waist has gone down from 36.5 cm to 29.5 cm, all in 10 weeks. It's quite mind-boggling, as I eat eight meals a day! Basically, we eat the wrong foods in the wrong way. There are so many myths about food intake that need to be broken. I am eating more food now than ever, so this information needs to be out there. I feel like we are living in a matrix and we are being fed all unhealthy food through advertising, but there are tastier and healthier foods available here. I've been eating more organic food. I don't miss desserts. I've never had a craving. I was smoking for two-and-a-half years and I've given that up too.


You make it sound so easy!
It's not a sacrifice! In fact, all you have to do is take a little bit of time. You know, your body gives you feedback. The magic word is initiative. We all know we need to feel a certain way, but we don't take that initiative. It's not about being fit, it's about being healthy. If you just take that first step, it can change your entire life. This entire journey has been so inspiring that I want to do something with it. I want to make it available to the common man. Whether that means investing in infrastructure, building transformation centres... I want to make something big out of this. The idea is that even through nutrition you can get healthy if you do half-an-hour of cardio. I can't remember the last time I was so inspired. I feel like I can fly and I want everyone to know that they can fly too. I want to change the health and fitness scene in the country. It's so easy to be in the best shape of your life, but we just don't have access to the right information.


Isn't eight meals a day too much? Your metabolism needs rest, no?
You need seven-and-a-half hours of rest, that's it. And you get that when you are sleeping. The body is a machine, but an organic one. It' not made of iron, it is growing and changing at the same time. If you eat every two hours, your body gets used to digesting food more quickly and burning calories, and your metabolism stays high. I wake up with a lot of energy now. Initially, I would think I'll loll in bed for five more minutes, but now I wake up feeling refreshed. It's like I am in 'ready to attack' mode, but I need to calm down now as it's become a bit too much!


Please continue!
How many people complain about being unfit and unhealthy? They suffer, they starve. They have just one grape a day! I have seen my sister struggle with her weight all her life, and she too has lost two kilos in one week thanks to this method. She is allowed to eat all day. Your body is intelligent. So when you starve yourself, it thinks there is a famine and no more food is coming, so your metabolism slows down and starts saving fat for survival. So never starve if you want to lose weight. The most important thing to do is keep eating the right food every 2-3 hours and cut off the carbs in your meal. It keeps your metabolism high. I am concerned for my kids, my friends, and everybody who is soaking up all the myths around us. People look at me and think that I was born this way, that it's easy for me because it's genetic, but I want to tell them that it's not genetic. If I can do this when I had a double slipped disc and was smoking three packets a day, then you can change too.
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Tuesday, 17 January 2012

Breaking News

Breaking News

Almodovar and Jolie make 'red carpet deal'

Posted: 17 Jan 2012 08:23 AM PST

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Wisconsin governor recall petitions to be filed

Posted: 17 Jan 2012 08:16 AM PST

(apsenews.com) - Organizers of a drive to recall Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker said they have far more signatures than they need to file on Tuesday to force the controversial Republican to defend his seat in a special election barely a year into his first term.

Recall officials expect to turn in far more than the 540,208 signatures required on Tuesday to force a special election, a milestone in their effort to recall Walker and slow an agenda that has diminished the power of public unions.

If the state Government Accountability Board, the agency charged with validating the petitions, determines enough valid signatures have been gathered, it will set a recall election for Walker and Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch.

Only two governors in U.S. history have been successfully recalled -- California's Gray Davis in 2003 and Lynn Frazier of North Dakota in 1921.

No Democrat has emerged to run against Walker, although Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, who ran for governor against Walker in 2010, and Secretary of State Doug La Follette have been mentioned as possible candidates.

Others include former congressman Dave Obey, state Senator Jon Erpenbach and former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk.

By law, organizers had only 60 days to conduct the formal petition drive, which they launched in November with thousands of volunteers fanning out across Wisconsin.

The roots of the drive stretch back nearly a year to efforts by Walker and the Republican-controlled state legislature to pass a raft of controversial measures that included strict limits on the union rights of public employees.

The anti-union measures triggered weeks of mass protests in Madison and a fierce political backlash from Democrats and union supporters.

Walker defended the measures as necessary to address a budget gap and to make Wisconsin attractive to employers.

Backing his agenda, which also included passage of voter identification and looser gun laws, six Republican senators and Walker allies faced recall last summer. Three Democratic senators who opposed the measures also faced recall.

Of those, two lost their seats to Republican challengers.

Along with the governor and lieutenant governor, as many as 17 state senators -- 11 Republicans and six Democrats -- could face recall elections this year in Wisconsin.

The contests could tip the balance of power in the state senate, where Republicans hold a slim 17-16 majority.

On Friday, organizers of a separate effort to recall Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said they had enough signatures to force the Republican to defend his seat in a special election.

Fitzgerald has filed a complaint with the GAB, claiming recall organizers took too long to collect signatures.

According to a GAB report, processing the Walker recall petitions will cost the state more than $650,000, including the purchase of software and staff time. The total cost of recall elections for the state and municipalities may be more than $9 million, according to estimates from GAB officials.
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Monday, 16 January 2012

Breaking News

Breaking News

Mystery persists over Russian spacecraft crash site

Posted: 16 Jan 2012 08:40 AM PST

This artist's impression of the reentring Phobos-Grunt probe shows the ruptured fuel tanks ablaze as it tumbles through the atmosphere.

Russian officials say they still have no firm information where a failed Mars moon probe plummeted to Earth, the day after it went down.

The unmanned Phobos-Ground probe fell Sunday after being stuck in Earth's orbit for two months.

The $170 million craft was one of the heaviest and most toxic pieces of space junk ever to crash to Earth, but space officials and experts said the risks posed by its crash were minimal because the toxic rocket fuel on board and most of the craft's structure would burn up in the atmosphere high above the ground anyway.


News agencies had cited Defense Ministry spokesman Alexei Zolotukhin as saying Sunday that fragments of the craft fell in the Pacific Ocean off Chile's coast. But Zolotukhin told The Associated Press Monday that estimate was based on calculations, and no witness reports had been received.

The deputy head of Russia's space agency, Anatoly Shilov, told state news channel Vesti that agency data assumed the craft broke up somewhere over Brazil.

A statement Monday from the space agency, Roscosmos, cited the reported Defense Ministry assessment, but gave no further information, noting "the lack of means of visual and other monitoring" in the region

.

The Phobos-Ground probe was designed to travel to one of Mars' twin moons, Phobos, land on it, collect soil samples and fly them back to Earth in 2014 in one of the most daunting interplanetary missions ever. It got stranded in Earth's orbit after its Nov. 9 launch, and efforts by Russian and European Space Agency experts to bring it back to life failed.

The probe weighed 13.5 metric tons (14.9 tons), and that included a load of 11 metric tons (12 tons) of highly toxic rocket fuel intended for the long journey to the Martian moon of Phobos and left unused as the probe got stranded in orbit around Earth.

Roscosmos had said that all of the fuel would burn up on re-entry.

Phobos-Ground was Russia's most expensive and the most ambitious space mission since Soviet times. Its mission to the crater-dented, potato-shaped Martian moon was to give scientists precious materials that could shed more light on the genesis of the solar system.Russia's space chief has acknowledged the Phobos-Ground mission was ill-prepared, but said that Roscosmos had to give it the go-ahead so as not to miss the limited Earth-to-Mars launch window.

Huntsman to withdraw from race for Republican presidential nomination

Posted: 16 Jan 2012 08:29 AM PST

Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman is expected to withdraw his bid for the Republican presidential nomination and throw his support to Mitt Romney, Fox News learned Sunday.

Huntsman is set to announce his withdrawal from the race Monday at 11:00 a.m. ET at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center in South Carolina, at which time he will endorse his former rival.

After several days of discussion with his family, friends and campaign advisers, the former Obama administration ambassador to China told aides he is ending his presidential campaign.

Governor Huntsman was encouraged in New Hampshire, but does not want to stand in the way of the best candidate to beat Barack Obama and will endorse Romney, an aide for Huntsman told Fox News.

South Carolina senior staffers for Huntsman say they are "stunned," but partially relieved because they feel the state had been neglected by a lack of resources and attention.

"(The) campaign never put serious resources ... to promote his serious conservative record that would have beaten Obama," Regional Southeast Political Director Adam Piper told Fox News.

Meanwhile, Romney's campaign staffers were taken by surprise by the announcement of Huntsman's withdrawal and planned endorsement. Romney was not expected to be at Huntsman's event on Monday morning.

Newt Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond responded that Huntsman's withdrawal would redound Gingrich.

"With Governor Huntsman dropping out, we are one step closer to a bold Reagan conservative winning the GOP nomination," Hammond said.

The former Utah governor placed third in last week's New Hampshire primary despite devoting most of his campaign resources to the state. He had already acknowledged that expectations for him in South Carolina's primary this week will be "very low."

Word of the Huntsman withdrawal came on the same day The State, South Carolina's largest newspaper, endorsed him for president.

The endorsement said there were "two sensible, experienced grownups in the race," referring to Romney and Huntsman. But it said Huntsman "is more principled, has a far more impressive resume and offers a significantly more important message."

But Huntsman's own words about Romney suggested he would not be ready to endorse. Huntsman has said Romney lacked a "core," "has been on three sides of every major issue" and hadn't made an "effective case for trust in his campaign." However, Huntsman did tell Fox News that he respected Romney and thought he is a good family man and a decent person.

Huntsman's resume suggested he could be a major contender for the GOP nomination: businessman, diplomat, governor, veteran of four presidential administrations, an expert on China and on foreign trade.

Yet Huntsman was almost invisible in a race often dominated by Romney, a fellow Mormon. One reason was timing. For months, Romney and other declared or expected-to-declare candidates drew media attention and wooed voters in early primary states. Huntsman, meanwhile, was half a world away, serving as ambassador until he resigned in late April. Nearly two more months would pass before his kickoff speech on June 22 in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty.

To distinguish his candidacy in a crowded field, Huntsman positioned himself as a tax-cutting, budget-balancing chief executive and former business executive who could rise above partisan politics. That would prove to be a hard sell to the conservatives dominating the early voting contests, especially in an election cycle marked by bitter divisions between Republicans and Democrats and a boiling antipathy for President Barack Obama.

Huntsman also tried to offer a different tenor, promising a campaign marked by civility. "I don't think you need to run down somebody's reputation in order to run for the office of president," he said.

While Huntsman was often critical of his former boss -- he joined those saying Obama had failed as a leader -- and occasionally jabbed at Romney, he spent more of his time in debates pushing his own views for improving the economy than thumping the president or his opponents.

In light of his work in the Obama administration, Republicans seemed wary of Huntsman. While he cast his appointment in August 2009 as ambassador to China as answering the call to serve his country, his critics grumbled that he had in fact been working on behalf of the opposition.

Huntsman was conservative in matters of taxes and the reach of the federal government, but he was out of step with most conservatives in his support of civil unions for gay couples. On matters of science, he poked fun at his skeptical rivals in a pre-debate tweet: "To be clear. I believe in evolution and trust scientists on global warming. Call me crazy."

In the end, Huntsman didn't seem to register, crazy or otherwise, with Republicans looking for an alternative to Romney or a winner against Obama. The former Utah governor was routinely at the bottom of national polls, barely registering at 1 or 2 percent, a reflection of the faint impression he made in the GOP debates.

His campaign put all its emphasis on the New Hampshire primary, hoping that face-to-face politicking in the first-in-the-nation primary would pay off with a strong second-place finish or a surprise victory in Romney's back yard. While other GOP candidates spent December in Iowa, the Huntsman campaign ignored its leadoff caucuses, where social conservatives were all but certain to give the Mormon from Utah short shrift.

Central to Huntsman's New Hampshire strategy was its open Republican primary, which allowed independents to vote along with declared party members. He gambled that he could attract moderate voters, Republicans and independents alike, by presenting himself as successful conservative leader who wasn't interested in engaging in a culture war.

He called his third-place showing a "ticket to ride" to South Carolina, but his distant finish behind Romney and runner-up Ron Paul was widely regarded as lackluster.

Huntsman, 51, was born in Redwood City, Calif., and raised in Utah. His father, an industrialist and at one time a Nixon administration official, founded Huntsman Chemical Corp. in 1982. Now the Huntsman Corp., it reported revenues of more than $9 billion in 2010.

The younger Huntsman drifted a bit as a young man. He attended high school in Salt Lake City but dropped out to play keyboards in a band. He later attended the University of Utah, then dropped out to serve two years as a Mormon missionary in Taiwan, where he learned to speak Mandarin.

He returned to the University of Utah in 1981 and later worked as an intern for Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and as a staff assistant to President Ronald Reagan. He left college to join the Huntsman Corp. in 1983, the same year he married Mary Kaye Cooper. He studied international politics at the University of Pennsylvania, earning a bachelor's degree in 1987.

While he served in the administrations of both George H.W. Bush -- he was ambassador to Singapore in 1992 -- and George W. Bush, Huntsman first won elective office in 2004 as Utah's governor. He was re-elected by a 3-1 margin in 2008, then resigned the following year to be America's top diplomat in China.

Huntsman and his wife have seven children, including one adopted from India and one adopted from China.

Pakistani stocks end up; rupee firms; o/n rates down

Posted: 16 Jan 2012 08:25 AM PST

KARACHI: Pakistani stocks rose on Monday, led by the fertiliser sector, but in thin volume, as political turmoil kept investors cautious, dealers said.

Pakistan's Supreme Court on Monday ordered Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani to appear before the court for failing to pursue corruption cases against the president and other officials, a sharp escalation in the government's battle for survival.

The Karachi Stock Exchange's benchmark 100-share index  ended 0.89 per cent, or 98.19 points, higher at 11,112.65  on turnover of just 26.68 million shares.

"Investors are unlikely to take any fresh positions in the market until there is clarity on the political situation," said Shuja Rizvi, a dealer at Al-Hoqani Securities.

The court threatened the premier with contempt, the latest blow for the civilian administration, which also faces pressure from the military over a mysterious memo seeking US help to avert an alleged coup last year.

While Gilani is the one facing a contempt hearing, most observers say the court's real target is President Asif Ali Zardari.

Among the most active companies, Fauji Bin Qasim ended 1.4 per cent higher at 44.19 rupees, while Fauji Fertiliser closed 1.8 per cent higher at 165.49 rupees.

The rupee firmed on Monday amid a lack of import payments, but dealers expect pressure on the local unit to continue in the short to medium term because of a bleak economic outlook.

The rupee ended at 90.16/21 to the dollar, compared to Friday's close of 90.28/32. The rupee fell to a record low of 91.28 to the dollar in intra-day trade last week.

Analysts say concerns about the country's economic stability, especially a weakening current account, are adding to pressure on the rupee.

Pakistan's current account deficit stood at $2.104 billion in July-Nov compared with $589 million in the same period a year earlier. The deficit is likely to widen further in the coming months because of debt repayments and a lack of external aid.

In the money market, overnight rates eased to end at between 10.25 per cent and 10.75 per cent from the level of 11.25 per cent on Friday because of slightly improved liquidity conditions.

Pakistan PM in contempt of court

Posted: 16 Jan 2012 08:20 AM PST

Islamabad - Pakistan's top court on Monday deemed beleaguered Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in contempt for failing to re-open corruption cases, exacerbating a crisis likely to force early elections.

The Supreme Court summoned Gilani to appear on Thursday, escalating pressure on a weakened government at a time of crippling tensions with the army which some analysts believe could cost Gilani his job.

"The Supreme Court has issued a contempt of court notice to the prime minister for not complying with its orders," Judge Nasir-ul-Mulk told the court which met to debate how to proceed on graft charges against the president.

"He has been directed to appear personally on January 19."

The Supreme Court wants the government to write to Swiss authorities demanding that they re-open corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari after a previous amnesty expired in late 2009.

Zardari and his Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leadership have refused to do so, saying the president is immune from prosecution as head of state.

"We will consult legal experts and take steps which they consider necessary under law," minister for law and parliamentary affairs Maula Bakhsh Chandio told reporters after the court order.

In the past, PPP stalwarts have accused the judiciary of over-stepping its reach and colluding with the army to bring down the administration before its five-year mandate ends in 2013.

Last year, a Swiss prosecutor said that it would be "impossible" to reopen a case against Zardari since he benefits from immunity as a head of state.

Show cause notice

Supreme Court judges have outlined six options on how to proceed on graft charges against Zardari - which include finding Gilani in contempt, disqualifying the prime minister and president, and holding early elections.

Mulk said he had been left with "no option" but issue a show cause notice to Gilani after the government ignored the court's demands.

It marks only the second time that contempt of court procedures have been initiated against a sitting prime minister in Pakistan.

In November 1997, prime minister Nawaz Sharif was also found in contempt in a case which ultimately led to the resignation of president Farooq Leghari.

Although the prime minister has little choice but appear on Thursday, analysts are divided on whether he could be convicted, pushed out to protect Zardari or show flexibility in order to avert a wider crisis.

"There is possibility now that the prime minister will be made a scapegoat and he may resign," senior lawyer Quosen Mufti told AFP.

"Another possibility is that the prime minister will appear before the court... If he gives the court a commitment on implementation the court can discharge the contempt notice. If not then he may be convicted," Mutfi added.

The prime minister is likely to seek solace in a confidence vote in the civilian leadership in the lower house of parliament on Monday.

Coup by proxy

Zardari is also under pressure over a memo soliciting American help to prevent a coup apparently feared in the aftermath of Osama bin Laden's killing in Pakistan on May 2 and to clip the power of the army.

Zardari's close aide, Husain Haqqani, has been forced to resign as ambassador to Washington and the Supreme Court on December 30 ordered a judicial inquiry into a memo following a demand from the chief spymaster.

The army has carried out three coups in Pakistan, but analysts believe it has no appetite for another direct takeover, instead preferring to force early elections behind the scenes in concert with pressure from the courts.

The commission probing "memogate" is expected to determine this month whether Islamabad endorsed the note submitted to a then top US military officer.

The attorney general said on Monday he had been unable to obtain crucial evidence - Blackberry message data sent between Haqqani and businessperson Mansoor Ijaz, who claims to have acted as a go-between on the memo.

He said Blackberry's makers refused to release such records without the customer's permission.

Ijaz, who has American nationality, has not visited Pakistan since revealing the existence of the memo in the Financial Times in October.

His lawyer, Akram Sheikh, said Ijaz feared for his life but would apply for a visa in Switzerland, indicating that he could testify by January 25.
prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gilani, has been threatened with jail for contempt of court and ordered to appear before the supreme court in person, raising the possibility that he could be disqualified from office.

In the ongoing clash between the government and the courts, the judges went on the offensive on Monday, issuing a "show cause" notice for contempt of court to Gilani. He will have to appear in court on Thursday.

There was speculation that the prime minister could resign before the hearing, with the possibility discussed at an emergency meeting of the coalition.

The case hinges on the legal immunity of President Asif Ali Zardari, which Gilani is trying to protect. The court had previously ordered the government to write to the Swiss authorities, asking them to reopen old corruption cases against Zardari for money laundering. The government insists, however, that the president has constitutional immunity from any criminal charges.

Gilani has repeatedly refused the orders to write to the Swiss government, raising the risk that he could be found in contempt of court.

The judges said the government's lack of response to the orders meant "therefore we have no choice" but to start contempt proceedings against Gilani.

Members of parliament are not permitted to have any serious convictions, so a contempt of court judgment could automatically disqualify the prime minister.

The ruling Pakistan Peoples party believes the courts, supported by the military, are trying to hound it from office. Party insiders say that they will never write the Swiss letter.

Later on Monday, the parliament, another pressure point on the beleaguered government, will vote on a no-confidence resolution.

Analysts say that in the confrontation between the courts and the government, and the military and the government, democracy itself is in danger.

In the separate "memogate" case, also heard on Monday, the star witness, Mansoor Ijaz, an American businessman behind allegations of treason against the government, failed to appear in court. His lawyer insisted he would show up next week.

Isha Sharvani, Zaheer Khan to tie the knot

Posted: 16 Jan 2012 08:05 AM PST

They first met in 2005, and ever since, this is one love story that has never ceased to fuel speculation.

Now Mumbai Mirror has learnt of an impending wedding from a close friend of the couple, "Zaheer Khan and Isha Sharvani have decided to tie the knot at the end of March. The wedding is just two-and-a-half months away."

Soon after India won the World Cup 2011 and Zaheer emerged highest wicket taker of the tournament, his proud parents were insistent on getting him married. And turned out, their wish was his command!

"Recently, their families met and finalised the wedding details. A final decision will be taken when Zaheer returns from the ongoing Australian tour. If they don't marry in March, they will do so in October. But they are keen on March," their friend revealed, adding that the reception is slated to be a grand affair, with the Indian cricket team and quite a few B-town personalities on the guest list.

In 2005, Isha was performing when the touring Australian team was leaving India, and that's when they met. It wasn't exactly love at first sight but they kept meeting at social dos, till one day, Zaheer proposed. Isha was totally smitten by the cricketer, and they got into a strong relationship for two years till they called it quits in 2007, after which they didn't stay in touch.

They got together again in 2010, trying to make things work. Zaheer even bought a new flat in Parel, where Isha moved in; they were planning to tie the knot last year itself. But things went a bit sour although they soon reconciled, deciding this time around that they needed to legalise their relationship. As their friend assures, "All their friction is a thing of the past. Every couple has their share of ups and downs and this one is no exception. Anyway, its wedding bells for them in March." Despite repeated attempts, Isha and Zaheer remained unavailable for comment.
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Sunday, 15 January 2012

Breaking News

Breaking News

Tax officers to hold lightning strike on Monday

Posted: 15 Jan 2012 07:19 AM PST

Some 20,000 staff providing advice on tax returns will hold half-hour walkouts on Monday over alleged moves towards privatisation.

The officers, who work at call centres and enquiry offices, are also planning more action on 31 January, the deadline for online self assessment returns.

The Public and Commercial Services Union said the strikes are against the government's hiring of two private firms in trials to run call handling.

HMRC denied any plan to outsource jobs.

The year-long trials are being held from February with two companies, Sitel and Teleperformance, at Lillyhall in Cumbria and Bathgate in West Lothian.

The PCS - the largest union representing civil servants - said the trials would pave the way towards privatisation in the department - a claim rejected by the tax office.

"The project is not about outsourcing or replacing HMRC jobs," a spokesman for the Revenue said. "It is ultimately about finding ways to improve the service we provide to our customers."

Staff will walk out for 30 minutes from 10:00 GMT, and again at 16:30 GMT. Those on late shifts will also leave half an hour prior to their usual 19:00 GMT finish.

"When jobs in HMRC and the civil service are being cut in their tens of thousands, it is entirely wrong to start handing contracts to private companies," said Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the PCS.

"Instead of privatising ever more of our public services, the government should be investing in its own staff to ensure they are equipped and trained to provide the essential services they are proud to deliver."

Pakistan mourns young genius Arfa Karim's demise

Posted: 15 Jan 2012 06:19 AM PST

LAHORE(apsenews.com): The funeral prayers of the youngest Microsoft Certified Professional was offered in Lahore on Sunday and her remains are now being taken to Faisalabad for the burial, DawnNews reported.

Prayers for Arfa Karim were offered at Cavalry Ground, where the Chief Minister of Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif was also present along with a large number of crowds belonging to different age groups.

Arfa will be buried in her village near Faisalabad.

Arfa went into coma on November 22, and Microsoft's founder Bill Gates took special interest in her treatment and set up an international panel of doctors for her treatment. The panel perpetually kept in contact with Pakistani physicians via teleconference.

The young girl made headlines when she was named the youngest Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP). She was also invited by Bill Gates to visit Microsoft's headquarters in the US.

The sudden demise of Arfa triggered a wave of sorrow in the country. Prime Minster Yousuf Raza Gilani, President Asif Ali Zardari, chief ministers, governors of the provinces and others paid tribute to her and offered their condolences upon her death.
In what could simply be described as an enormous loss for Pakistan, Arfa Karim, the world's youngest Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP), Saturday night, lost the battle of life after remaining admitted here at Combined Military Hospital for 26 days, Geo News reported.

Arfa Karim was only sixteen years old.

Her funeral prayers will be offered on Sunday at 10 AM in Cantt area.

Arfa Karim remained in intensive care at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) after suffering an epileptic seizure and cardiac arrest a few weeks ago. After battling for life for 26 days, one of Pakistan's brightest brains left this world for good.

Arfa's father Colonel (Retd) Amjad Karim Randhawa, while takling to Geo News, said that, she had gone nowhere; she was still alive for her cause was alive. Going forward, Col Randhawa vowed to materialize her dreams.

To a question, he said that Arfa got the best of the medical treatments available, adding he was satisfied with it.

Born in 1995, Arfa Karim got the honor of World's Youngest Microsoft Certified Professional when she was only 9 years old in 2004. Bill Gates, the Chairman of Microsoft, invited Arfa to visit the Microsoft Headquarters in the USA in the age of 10 only.

Later, in August 2005, Arfa was also honored by the Pakistan Government for the Fatima Jinnah Gold Medal in the field of Science and Technology which she received from then Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. She was also honored with Salaam Pakistan Youth Award in 2005 which has been set up by Pakistan's only Nobel laureate Dr Abdul Salam. Moreover, Arfa has won the Presidential Award for Pride of Performance.

Arfa represented her country Pakistan on a variety of international fora. She was also included as the honorable guest by IT Professionals of Dubai for two weeks stay in Dubai. During that trip, Arfa was awarded by a number of medals and awards from various tech societies and computer companies working in Dubai.

Amazingly, she was certified for flying a plane at a flying club in Dubai at the age of 10.

Arfa also participated in Microsoft keynote session in the Tech-Ed Developers Conference held in Barcelona, in 2006. The theme of the conference was "Get ahead of the game" and Arfa was in fact a great example of being ahead of the game.
Arfa was born in a Jatt Randhawa family and hailed from the village of Chak No. 4JB Ram Dewali in Faisalabad, Punjab. On returning to Pakistan, Arfa had numerous interviews with television and newspapers. In August 2005, Arfa Karim received the Fatimah Jinnah Gold Medal in the field of Science and Technology, presented by the Prime Minister of Pakistan at that time. She also received the Salaam Pakistan Youth Award again in August 2005 by the President of Pakistan. Arfa Karim is also the recipient of the President's Award for Pride of Performance, a civil award granted to people who have shown excellence in their respective fields over a long period of time. Arfa is the youngest recipient of this award.
Representation at international forums

Arfa Karim has also represented Pakistan on various international forums, she was invited by the IT Professionals of Dubai for a stay of two weeks in Dubai. A dinner reception was hosted for her there, which was attended by the diagnostics of Dubai including the Ambassador of Pakistan. During that trip, Arfa was presented with various medals and awards. She also flew a plane in a flying club in Dubai at the age of 10, and received the first flight certificate. In November 2006, Arfa Karim was invited by Microsoft to be a part of the keynote session in the Tech-Ed Developers conference held in Barcelona. She was the only Pakistani among over 5000 developers in that conference.
 Cardiac arrest

As of 2011, at the age of 16, Arfa Karim was studying at the Lahore Grammar School Paragon Campus in her second year of A Levels. She suffered from cardiac arrest after an epileptic seizure on December 22, 2011 and was admitted to Lahore's Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in critical condition.
 Offer by Bill Gates

On January 9, 2012, Bill Gates, Chairman of Microsoft, has made contact with Arfa's parents, and directed his doctors to adopt "every kind of measure" for her treatment. Gates set up a special panel of international doctors who remained in contact with the local doctors through teleconference and received details about her illness. Local doctors dismissed the option of Arfa being shifted to another hospital saying that she was on ventilator. On the other hand, relatives and family members of Arfa have lauded Bill Gates for contacting to bear her treatment expenses.
 Signs of improvement

On January 13, 2012, Arfa Karim started to improve and some parts of her brain showed signs of improvement. Arfa felt desperately ill the previous month and doctors said that she had suffered brain damage, leaving her in a coma at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Lahore.

Her father, Amjad Karim Randhawa, said Microsoft had raised the possibility of flying Arfa to the US for care.
 Death

On January 14, 2012 16-year-old Arfa Karim died  at 9:50 PM (Pakistan Standard Time) at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Lahore. Her Namaz-e-Janaza was offered in Cavalry Ground Lahore at 10 AM and later at Faisalabad on January 15, 2012. The funeral was attended by Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif.

French prime minister downplays credit downgrade

Posted: 15 Jan 2012 02:43 AM PST

Paris (apsenews.com) -- French Prime Minister Francois Fillon insisted Saturday that France is a safe bet for investors, a day after the country's credit rating was downgraded by a ratings agency amid concerns over debt and low growth.

France was among nine euro area countries to be downgraded by Standard & Poor's Friday, losing its AAA rating in the process. Austria also had its top-tier credit rating lowered by one notch to AA+.

Speaking in Paris, Fillon sought to reassure the international markets.

"France is a safe country, a country which investors can trust and have confidence in. The rating agencies are useful barometers, but they are not the ones who make France's policies," he said.

"France's rating remains one of the highest in the world."

He also cautioned against politicians making too much of the downgrade -- which had been widely anticipated after S&P put 15 members of the euro currency bloc, France among them, on review last month.

"This decision constitutes a warning that must be neither dramatized nor underestimated," Fillon said.

"Those who dramatize the situation should think twice: these are indeed the same people who refused to vote on reforms to strengthen our competitiveness and to reduce deficits, whether that be downsizing the public sector or the pension reform."

The downgrade may be seen as bad news for the government ahead of the country's presidential election in April.

President Nicolas Sarkozy of the UMP party is bidding for re-election, with Socialist Francois Hollande considered his chief rival.

"Everyone needs to remain calm and remember their responsibilities," Fillon said. "The government remembers its responsibility and is pursuing the strategy agreed on with the president."

Germany, Finland, the Netherlands and Luxembourg all maintained their AAA ratings.

But S&P cut the ratings of France, Austria, Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia by one notch. Italy, Spain, Portugal and Cyprus were cut by two notches.

S&P warned that most governments in the single currency euro area are at risk of further downgrades given the risk of a "more adverse economic and financial environment."

The agency said a deeper-than-expected recession in the eurozone would put further stress on government finances. In addition, governments remain vulnerable to further turmoil in the bond market, which could drive up their borrowing costs.

Nonetheless, S&P said it welcomed recent moves by the European Central Bank to help prevent a credit crisis in the banking system.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Saturday that Europe still has a long road ahead to restore investor confidence.

But, she said in a statement, the right steps have been taken, and measures to cut debt and remove obstacles to growth will soon lead to greater stability for euro zone nations.

U.S. stocks finished in the red Friday as investors braced for the impending downgrades.

The news came at the end of a week in which solid demand at debt auctions in Italy and Spain had calmed some nerves, however, and eased borrowing costs for those two governments.

Like a scene out of the film 'Titanic,' chaos consumed listing ship

Posted: 15 Jan 2012 02:35 AM PST

Porto Santo Stefano, Italy (apsenews.com) -- The 3,200 passengers aboard the Costa Concordia cruise liner were enjoying a night of entertainment and relaxation off Italy's Mediterranean coast.

Then, at about dinnertime, the lights went out, an ominous scraping sound moaned through the hull, and the ship tilted to one side.

The 1,500-cabin luxury vessel, which was also carrying about 1,000 crew members, had run aground on a rocky sandbar off the tiny island of Giglio.

Chaos overwhelmed passengers and crew alike when, as the ship listed and water rose as if it were a scene from "Titanic," everyone realized that only one side of the ship's lifeboats and rafts were reachable.

Amid screams, the crew appeared helpless, according to one passenger who had to make a ladder of rope to save himself and his wife.

"It was the Marx brothers watching these guys trying to figure out how to work the boat," said Benji Smith, who was on the Concordia for his honeymoon with his wife, Emily. The couple live in Boston.

"I felt like the disaster itself was manageable," Smith added, referring to the grounding and tilting of the ship, "but I felt like the crew was going to kill us."
Passengers face problems off cruise ship
Cruise ship runs aground in Italy

The worst part came when a lifeboat crew member told everyone, "Women and children first," Smith said. "All these families who were clinging to each other had to be separated," he added.

After helping passengers, some crew members jumped overboard and swam ashore.

Search continues for missing passengers

At least three lifeboats apparently malfunctioned due to technical or crew error, Smith said.

Life rafts were "twisting and turning," and the crew pulled in some rafts and put the people back on the ship, but the crew never returned for them, Smith said.

With the ship's staircases flooded, "we made ladders out of ropes to climb down from the outer fourth deck to the third deck," Smith said.

"We waited clinging to those rope ladders for 3½ hours" before being picked up by a lifeboat that returned from dropping passengers onshore, he said.

Smith said he and his wife never heard from any of the officers or captain during the incident.

The couple was eventually transported by bus to a hotel in Rome.

"I've been awake for 40 hours -- I still have never spoken to a person from Costa," he said, adding that no food, clothes, or money were provided by the cruise line.

Many passengers complained about how the cruise ship staff handled the crisis and asked why they had not yet received an obligatory safety briefing when disaster struck, only hours into their journey.

"We attended a safety presentation on the first day," but he says it didn't turn out to have any safety information, he said. "It was only a sales pitch" for shore excursions, Smith said.

Mark Plath of Little Rock, Arkansas, said 200 passengers swam about 100 yards to rocks, where they awaited further assistance.

"We were helping the staff more than they were helping us," Plath said of the ordeal.

Rosalyn Rincon, a member of the cruise ship staff who worked as a dancer, was in the middle of a magician's act when the ship ran aground. She was inside a box during a magic show when, she said, "I realized that everything stopped. The music stopped," she said.

Everything on the stage fell on top of people because the ship listed dramatically, said Rincon, 30, of Blackpool, England.

"There was no signal as to what was going on until about 30 minutes into it," Rincon told apsenews.com.
Italy cruise ship crash was 'chaos'
Thousands rescued after ship runs aground
Passengers face problems off cruise ship

Her boyfriend, an Italian engineer officer on the vessel, told her that there was a blackout and the ship crashed into something. "They told us there was a fire," she said.

Then another blackout occurred, and the ship went into darkness, she said. She put on her life vest in her cabin, she said.

About 15 minutes later, "the captain of the ship told us it was an electrical problem," Rincon said.

Rincon thought to herself: "If it was an electrical problem, why were we tilting," she said.

Several minutes later, "we were told to abandon ship," Rincon said.

Then panic set in, she said.

"This is the problem: You've got 3,000 passengers, you've got 2,000 crew members, and you got only one side of usage of lifeboats and life rafts" because the ship was resting on one side, Rincon said in a telephone interview from her Italian hotel.

Rincon realized there was going to be a shortage of lifesaving watercraft, she said.

"You were going higher and higher, and you were on a vertical position. I was holding on to the railing. All you could see was noise and creaks. It was very, very scary," Rincon said.

Rincon was able to get into a rescue boat -- after all the passengers were put on lifeboats or life rafts, she said.

"We were literally thrown into the boat," Rincon said.

Several crew members jumped overboard and swam to the mountain shore, she said. One friend was rescued by helicopter from the top of the ship, Rincon said.

Passenger Laurie Willits from Ontario, Canada, who was watching the magic show with her husband, told apsenews.com: "All of a sudden the lights flashed, and the boat tipped like it was turning, but it didn't return to level."

Emergency announcements in English and other languages were difficult to hear, Willits said.

Panic spread as people scrambled to find lifeboats in the dark as the ship quickly leaned to one side.

Lifeboats on the higher side got stuck, Willits said, leaving some people suspended in mid-air for a long time. The sounds of children crying and screaming could be heard.
Cruise ship runs aground off Italy Cruise ship runs aground off Italy

Willits and her husband managed to get into a lifeboat about an hour to 90 minutes after the alarm was raised, and were among the first to be taken to land.

At reception centers set up on shore Saturday, some passengers were still wearing pajamas, slippers or housecoats from when the alarm was first raised on the ship. Most were without their money, phones and valuables.

Sirens blared as some of the injured were taken to hospital. Helicopters lifted some people from the badly listing ship.

Rescue officials said their operation peaked between midnight and 3 a.m. Saturday, and calm seas prevented greater loss of life. Three people were confirmed dead and 20 injured.

Many people spent the night in small churches and other buildings around the island before being ferried to the mainland to make their way home.

The Italian cruise company, Costa Cruises, said it would help passengers return home. Costa is owned by parent company Carnival Corp.

An investigation into the cause of the disaster is under way, officials said.

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Divers resume search for dozens missing after Italian cruise ship runs aground

Posted: 15 Jan 2012 02:27 AM PST

Porto Santo Stefano, Italy (apsenews.com) -- Divers resumed their search Sunday morning for up to 50 people unaccounted for after a luxury Italian cruise ship ran aground off the coast of Tuscany, killing at least three people and injuring 20 others, authorities said.

There were fears the death toll could rise as rescuers searched the Costa Concordia and surrounding waters for others who may have been trapped after rocks tore a gash in the hull Friday evening, causing it to turn over on its side off the coast of the island of Giglio.

The ship's captain, Francesco Schettino, was detained later Saturday for investigation of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship while passengers were still on board, chief prosecutor Francesco Verusio told Italy's ANSA news agency.

Verusio also said first officer Ciro Ambrosio also was being detained for questioning on similar charges, according to ANSA.

Rescuers overnight reached two South Korean passengers, who had been trapped in the ship for more than 24 hours, authorities said.

"It's a miracle that we found the Korean couple alive, and we hope we'll find more people," said Capt. Cosimo Nicastro of the Italian Coast Guard.

The couple, both age 29, were found in a cabin after they heard rescuers calling out and managed to make contact, according to ANSA. Video showed the couple, reportedly on their honeymoon, being taken ashore and loaded into a waiting ambulance.

Up to 50 people were missing, though authorities are reviewing passenger lists to confirm the exact number, said Giuseppe Orsina, a spokesman with the local civil protection agency.

"These people could be still on the island of Giglio, in private houses or in hospitals," Orsina said.

Two French tourists and a crew member from Peru were killed, Port authorities in Livorno said. One of the victims was a 65-year-old woman who died of a heart attack, authorities said.

As dawn broke over the azure waters where the Concordia was partially submerged, there were more questions than answers about how the 1,500-cabin ship managed to strike rocks during its oft-traveled route, and who was responsible for the chaotic scene that followed the captain's orders to evacuate the ship.

The Concordia was 2.5 miles off route when it struck the rocky sandbar near Giglio, said Nicastro.

"There are rocks, they are on the maps," Nicastro said. "What we know is the ship went really close to these rocks. ... We don't yet know why."

The ship began taking on water Friday night, and the crew kept going because they believed the vessel could continue sailing normally, Nicastro said. Realizing there was a significant safety problem, the commander steered the Costa Concordia closer toward the port of Giglio, he said.

Authorities also were looking at why the ship didn't hail a mayday during the accident.

Local fishermen say the island coast of Giglio is known for its rocky sea floor.

Schettino, the Concordia's captain, said in an interview before his detention that "that rock was not indicated on the chart," according to ANSA. "Me and the crew, we were the last to abandon ship," he said.

But accounts from many of the 3,200 passengers painted a chaotic, dangerous scene as people scrambled to find lifeboats in the dark as the ship began to tilt, hampering access to some of the lifeboats.

"For me, the worst part of the whole ordeal" was when a lifeboat crew member told those boarding that it was "women and children first," said passenger Benji Smith of Boston.

"All these families who were clinging to each other had to be separated," Smith told CNN.

"Every crew member who walked past shouted instructions, but the instructions contradicted each other."

Some passengers fell into the chilly waters during the rescue, ANSA reported.

Others jumped in, said passenger Mark Plath of Little Rock, Arkansas.

Plath told CNN he and about 200 passengers swam about 100 yards from the ship to the rocky shoreline, where they awaited further assistance.

Many of those rescued in the early hours were taken to small churches and other buildings around the island for shelter. Some were still wearing the pajamas and slippers they had on as the ship went down.

Gianni Onorato, president of Genoa-based Costa Cruises, said the cruise line was unable to answer all the questions that authorities are now investigating.

The vessel, plying the waters from Civitavecchia to Savona, Italy, struck a submerged rock, Onorato said in a statement Saturday before the captain's arrest was announced.

"Captain Schettino, who was on the bridge at the time, immediately understood the severity of the situation and performed a maneuver intended to protect both guests and crew, and initiated security procedures to prepare for an eventual ship evacuation," he continued.

"Unfortunately, that operation was complicated by a sudden tilting of the ship that made disembarkation difficult," Onorato said.

Rosalyn Rincon, a member of the cruise ship staff, said the captain told passengers there was an "electrical problem."

Concordia was carrying about 3,200 passengers and 1,000 crew members when it ran aground.

Costa Cruises, owned by parent company Carnival Corp., said it was focusing on the final stages of the emergency operation and helping passengers and crew return home.

The Concordia, built in 2006, was on a Mediterranean cruise from Rome with stops in Savona, Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Cagliari and Palermo.

The passengers onboard included Italian, Peruvians, Brazilians, French and Britons, according to CNN affiliate reports.

An estimated 126 Americans were also onboard, according to the U.S. State Department. There were no reports of injured Americans, though the U.S. Embassy in Rome said it was unable to account for all U.S. citizens believed to be onboard the ship at the time of the accident.

Another Costa ship was involved in a deadly 2010 accident when the Europa crashed into a pier in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh during stormy weather, killing three crew members.

Iran sends rare letter to U.S. over killed scientist

Posted: 15 Jan 2012 02:21 AM PST

(apsenews.com) - Iran said on Saturday it had evidence Washington was behind the latest killing of one of its nuclear scientists, state television reported, at a time when tensions over the country's nuclear program have escalated to their highest level ever.

In the fifth attack of its kind in two years, a magnetic bomb was attached to the door of 32-year-old Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan's car during the Wednesday morning rush-hour in the capital. His driver was also killed.

U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton denied responsibility and Israeli President Shimon Peres said Israel had no role in the attack, to the best of his knowledge.

"We have reliable documents and evidence that this terrorist act was planned, guided and supported by the CIA," the Iranian foreign ministry said in a letter handed to the Swiss ambassador in Tehran, state TV reported. The Swiss embassy represents U.S. interests in a country where Washington has no diplomatic ties.

The spokesman for Iran's Joint Armed Forces Staff, Massoud Jazayeri, said: "Our enemies, especially America , Britain and the Zionist regime (Israel), have to be held responsible for their actions."

Iran in the past has accused Israel of causing a series of spectacular and sometimes bloody mishaps to its nuclear programme. Israeli officials do not comment on any involvement in those events, although some have publicly expressed satisfaction at the setbacks.

Feeling the heat from unprecedented new sanctions, Iran's clerical establishment has brandished its sword by threatening to block the main Mid-East oil shipping route, starting to enrich uranium at an underground bunker and sentencing an Iranian-American citizen to death on spying charges.

State TV said a "letter of condemnation" had also been sent to Britain, saying the killing of Iranian nuclear scientists began after the head of Britain's MI6 spy service announced intelligence operations against states seeking nuclear weapons.

The West says Iran's nuclear programme is aimed at building a bomb. Tehran says it has the right to peaceful nuclear power.

Tehran has urged the U.N. Security Council and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to condemn the latest killing.

After years of international sanctions that had little impact on Iran, U.S. President Barack Obama signed new measures on New Year's Eve that, if fully implemented, would make it impossible for most countries to pay for Iranian oil.

Washington is requiring that countries gradually reduce their purchases of Iranian oil in order to receive temporary waivers from the sanctions.

The European Union is expected to unveil similar measures next week, and announce a gradual oil embargo among its member states, who collectively buy about a fifth of Iran's exports.

The combined measures mean Iran may fail to sell all of the 2.6 million barrels a day of exports it relies on to feed its 74 million people. Even if it finds buyers, it will have to offer steep discounts, cutting into its desperately-needed revenue.

On Tuesday shipping sources told Reuters Iran was storing an increasing supply of oil at sea - as much as 8 million barrels - and was likely to store more as it struggles to sell it.

Iran denies it is having trouble: "There has been no disruption in Iran's crude exports through the Persian Gulf ... We have not stored oil in the Gulf because of sanctions as some foreign media reported," oil official Pirouz Mousavi told the semi-official Mehr news agency on Friday.

The sanctions are causing real hardship on the streets, where prices for basic imported goods are soaring, the rial currency has plummeted and Iranians have been flocking to sell rials to buy dollars to protect their savings.

The pain comes less than two months before a parliamentary election, Iran's first since a presidential vote in 2009 that was followed by eight months of street demonstrations.

Iran's authorities successfully put down that revolt by force, but since then the "Arab Spring" has shown the vulnerability of authoritarian governments in the region to protests fueled by anger over economic difficulty.

CLASH THREAT

Iran has threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz leading to the Gulf if sanctions are imposed on its oil exports, and has threatened to take unspecified action if Washington sails an aircraft carrier through the strait, an international waterway.

Military experts say Tehran can do little to fight the massive U.S.-led fleet that guards the strait, but the threats raise the chance of a miscalculation that could lead to a military clash and a global oil crisis.

The Pentagon said on Friday that small Iranian boats had approached close to U.S. vessels in the strait last week, although it said it did not believe there was "hostile intent."

The United States and Israel have not ruled out military action if diplomacy fails to resolve the nuclear dispute. Iran says it would retaliate if attacked.

The tension has caused spikes in global oil prices in recent weeks, although prices eased at the close of last week's trading on the prospect of reduced demand in economically stricken European countries. Brent crude fell 82 cents to settle at $110.44 a barrel on Friday.

The chances for an imminent easing of tension look even more remote as the nuclear deadlock continues because of Iran's refusal to halt the sensitive nuclear work.

Last week Iran began enriching uranium underground - the most controversial part of its nuclear programme - at a bunker deep below a mountain near the Shi'ite holy city of Qom.

Nuclear talks with major powers collapsed a year ago. Iran says it wants the talks to resume, but the West says there is no point unless it is willing to discuss a halt to uranium enrichment, which can be used to make material for a bomb.

Stop the killing, U.N. chief tells Syria's Assad

Posted: 15 Jan 2012 02:17 AM PST

(apsenews.com) - The U.N. chief told Bashar al-Assad on Sunday to "stop killing your people" and the Syrian leader offered an amnesty for "crimes" committed during a 10-month-old revolt against him.

Assad's violent response to the uprising has killed more than 5,000 people, by a U.N. count. The Syrian authorities say 2,000 members of the security forces have also been killed.

"Today, I say again to President Assad of Syria: stop the violence, stop killing your people. The path of repression is a dead end," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told a conference in Lebanon on democratic transitions in the Arab world.

"From the very beginning of the ... revolutions, from Tunisia through Egypt and beyond, I called on leaders to listen to their people," Ban said. "Some did, and benefited. Others did not, and today they are reaping the whirlwind."

Syrian state news agency SANA said Assad had granted an amnesty for "crimes committed in the context of the events since March 15, 2011, until January 15, 2012." It gave no details.

Anti-Assad protests began in March inspired by a wave of popular anger against autocratic rulers sweeping the Arab world.

Assad has issued several amnesties since the start of protests, but opposition groups say thousands of people remain behind bars and that many have been tortured or abused.

The Avaaz campaign group said on December 22 that at least 69,000 people had been detained since the start of the uprising, of whom 32,000 had been released.

Freeing detainees was one of the terms of an Arab peace plan, which also called for an end to bloodshed, the withdrawal troops and tanks from the streets and a political dialogue.

The movement to end more than four decades of Assad family rule began with largely peaceful demonstrations, but after months of violence by the security forces, army deserters and insurgents started to fight back, prompting fears of civil war.

ARAB INTERVENTION?

Qatar's emir, once a friend of Assad, has said Arab troops may have to step in to halt the bloodletting that has gone on unchecked despite the presence of Arab League monitors sent to find out if the Arab peace plan agreed last year is working.

Asked if he was in favor of Arab nations intervening in Syria, Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani told the U.S. broadcaster CBS: "For such a situation to stop the killing ... some troops should go to stop the killing."

The emir, whose country backed last year's NATO campaign that helped Libyan rebels topple Muammar Gaddafi, is the first Arab leader to propose Arab military intervention in Syria.

CBS said on its website that the interview would be broadcast in its "60 Minutes" program later on Sunday.

Qatar's prime minister heads the Arab League committee on Syria and has said killings have not stopped despite the presence of Arab monitors sent there last month.

The League is due to hear a report from the monitors on Thursday and decide whether their mission should continue.

In the preview of the interview on the website, the emir did not spell out how any Arab military intervention might work.

There is little appetite in the West for any Libya-style intervention in Syria, although France has talked of a need to set up zones to protect civilians there.

China and Russia have blocked any action against Syria by the U.N. Security Council. The United States, the European Union and the Arab League have announced economic sanctions, although it is not clear if the Arab measures have been implemented.

Turkey, whose foreign minister was also attending the conference where Ban spoke in Beirut, has also slapped sanctions on Syria after the violence prompted it to turn against a neighbor it had once courted assiduously.

In the latest violence, residents said security forces shot dead a 17-year-old protester in the Damascus neighborhood of Qaboun overnight. "He was hit in the chest," one resident said.

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Posted: 15 Jan 2012 02:09 AM PST

veena gali gali mai chor hai Item songs

Posted: 15 Jan 2012 12:59 AM PST

Veena Malik's first item number song Chhanno for bollywood movie. Watch out the sexy dance performance by Veena Malik. Veena Malik was sizzling on the sets of her new item song 'Channo' from the movie 'Gali Gali Chor Hai.' Veena who showed of all her curves in a shimmering Indian emsemble talked about how she turned down many item numbers but 'Channo' really caught her eye.
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