WHO raises flu threat level, warns pandemic imminent

GENEVA: The World Health Organization said on Wednesday the world is at the brink of a pandemic, raising its threat level as the swine flu virus spread and killed the first person outside of Mexico, a toddler in Texas.

"Influenza pandemics must be taken seriously precisely because of their capacity to spread rapidly to every country in the world," WHO Director General Margaret Chan told a news conference in Geneva as she raised the official alert level to phase 5, the last step before a pandemic.

"The biggest question is this: how severe will the pandemic be, especially now at the start," Chan said. But she added that the world "is better prepared for an influenza pandemic than at any time in history."

Mexico said it had suffered another 17 deaths of patients potentially linked to swine flu, bringing the total to as many as 176, and called for a suspension of all non-essential work and services.

Already in Mexico City, a metropolis of 20 million, all schools, restaurants, nightclubs and public events have been shut down to try to stop the sickness from spreading, bringing normal life to a virtual standstill.

'The horses are out'

Nearly a week after the H1N1 swine flu virus first emerged in California and Texas and was found to have caused dozens of deaths in Mexico, Spain reported the first case in Europe of swine flu in a person who had not been to Mexico, illustrating the danger of person-to-person transmission.

Both US and European officials have said they expect to see swine flu deaths.

President Barack Obama said during an evening news conference at the White House there was no need for panic and rejected the possibility of closing the border with Mexico.

"At this point, (health officials) have not recommended a border closing," he said.

"From their perspective, it would be akin to closing the barn door after the horses are out, because we already have cases here in the United States."

Obama also praised his predecessor for stockpiling anti-viral medication in anticipation of such an outbreak.

"I think the Bush administration did a good job of creating the infrastructure so that we can respond," Obama said.

"For example, we've got 50 million courses of anti-viral drugs in the event that they're needed."

Despite worries that a major flu outbreak could hit the struggling global economy, world stocks rallied on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve said the US recession appeared to be easing. Almost all cases outside Mexico have had mild symptoms, and only a handful have required hospitalization.

Mexican boy dies in Texas

Chan also urged companies who make the drugs to ramp up production. Two antiviral drugs -- Relenza, made by GlaxoSmithKline and Tamiflu, made by Roche AG and Gilead Sciences Inc. -- have been shown to work against the H1N1 strain.

Drugmakers have donated millions of doses of their drugs to the WHO. She also alerted governments to be ready to distribute stockpiles of their drugs. Vaccine makers were on standby to begin making a new vaccine if needed.

And Germany, Austria and Peru reported cases of the illness, bringing the number of affected countries to 10. Peru said its case involved a woman who had traveled to Mexico and its health minister immediately announced the suspension of all commercial flights arriving from that country.

Texas officials said a 22-month-old boy had died while on a family visit from Mexico, marking the first confirmed US swine flu death.

In the Texas border city of Brownsville, where the boy was first diagnosed, some residents said they were now reluctant to venture south to Mexico. "I am extremely concerned because you could die," said Santiago Perez, 18, a student at Pace High School.

Kathleen Sebelius, Obama's newly confirmed health secretary, spent her first day in office on a media tour as the administration sought to calm fears while urging vigilance. "We know that the cases will continue to rise," Sebelius said.

Mexico's central bank warned the outbreak could deepen the nation's recession, hurting an economy that already shrank by as much as 8 percent from the previous year in the first quarter. France said it would seek a European Union ban on flights to Mexico.

The EU, the United States and Canada have advised against non-essential travel to Mexico, and many tourists were hurrying to leave, crowding airports.

Source:TOI

50,000 civilians still trapped in Lanka war zone: UN

UNITED NATIONS: United Nations on Thursday said that the conditions were "far from satisfactory" in camps for displaced Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka
and its top priority is to get an estimated 50,000 civilians still trapped in the war zone to safety.

Addressing a press conference here, Under Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes said that food, water and other basic supplies from UN agencies and non-governmental organizations were en route to help approximately 175,000 civilians who had fled the fighting between government forces and Tamil Tigers since January.

While many had sought refuge in the Manik Farm camp for internally displaced persons and in transit centres and schools in and around Vavuniya, another 50,000 people were said to be trapped in the combat zone, he said.

"Although the conditions are very far from satisfactory in that camp and in those transit centres, I think with huge efforts we're beginning to get a grip on that and the basics will be there to allow people to at least survive," he said.

Holmes, who was recently in Sri Lanka, said that in the past four days the UN had set up 4,500 family-sized tents for internally displaced persons in northern Sri Lanka as part of efforts to ramp up humanitarian aid to thousands of civilians uprooted by intense fighting.

Source:TOI

Obama wants renewable energy partnership with India

Washington, Apr 29 (PTI) With his administration focusing on alternative sources of energy so as to reduce dependence on fossil fuel, US President Barack Obama wants to build Indo-US renewable energy partnership which would end up in benefiting not only the two countries, but also the entire world.

When Prime Minister's Special Envoy on Climate Change Shyam Saran met the US President at the White House this evening at an official reception, Obama was quick to remind him the conversation he had in this regard with Manmohan Singh in London early this month.

India and the US should seek to build renewable energy partnership, Obama told Saran during the brief exchange they had at the reception hosted by the President at White House for the participants of the 17-nation Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate.

"In the very brief exchange that I had with him, he (Obama) referred to his meeting with the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in London at the time of the G-20 Summit and said how encouraged and pleased he was with the exchange of views he had with the Prime Minister on that occasion, which included an exchange of views on issue of climate change and energy security," Saran told a group of Indian journalists.
PTI

Lankan Navy foils Sea Tiger attack; kills 34 rebels

Colombo, Apr 29 (PTI) Amid reports that LTTE supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran and his top aides may try to flee, Sri Lankan Navy in a pre-dawn attack sank six rebel boats and foiled seven attempts by Tigers to recapture Rektavaikkal fortifications which has left the Tigers vulnerable.

Lankan warships detected six Tiger boats sneaking out of the coastal patch they still hold, sinking all of them and killing 25 rebels on board, a Naval spokesman said.

The presence of boats with the Tigers indicate that they are still holding on to some of them to attempt a breakout.

"There were 25 rebels on board the six Tiger boats that were sunk this morning," the spokesman said, adding the four of the craft were laden with explosive for a possible suicide strike against Lankan boats to make a passage for the other two boats to make a getaway.

Sri Lanka has put its Naval forces on full alert and put up a 24-hour blockade of the Mullaittivu coastline still in Tiger hands.

On the ground, LTTE cadres made as many as seven suicide attacks to recapture the fortification near Rektavaikkal which were breached by Lankan troops yesterday as reports from war zone said Prabhakaran had switched over to wearing civilian dress to avoid detection and targetting by Lankan forces.
PTI

WHO raises global alert level on swine flu

MEXICO CITY: The swine flu epidemic entered a dangerous new phase on Monday as the death toll climbed in Mexico and the number of suspected cases there and in the United States nearly doubled. The World Health Organization raised its alert level but stopped short of declaring a global emergency.

The United States advised Americans against most travel to Mexico and ordered stepped up border checks in neighbouring states. The European Union health commissioner advised Europeans to avoid non-essential travel both to Mexico and parts of the United States.

The virus poses a potentially grave new threat to the US economy, which was showing tentative early signs of a recovery. A widespread outbreak could batter tourism, food and transportation industries, deepening the recession in the US and possibly worldwide.

The suspected number of deaths rose to 149 in Mexico, the epicentre of the outbreak with nearly 2,000 people believed to be infected.

The number of US cases rose to 48, the result of further testing at a New York City school, although none was fatal. Other US cases have been reported in Ohio, Kansas, Texas and California. Worldwide there were 77 cases, including six in Canada, one in Spain and two in Scotland.

The World Health Organization reported a slightly lower figure, 73. The WHO said it was still awaiting official reports from the UK about the Scottish cases, and it was reporting different numbers in the US (40) and Mexico (26) from what those governments confirmed.

While the total cases were still measured in hundreds, not thousands, Mexican Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova said the epidemic was entering an extremely dangerous phase, with the number of people infected mushrooming even as authorities desperately ramped up defences.

"We are in the most critical moment of the epidemic. The number of cases will keep rising, so we have to reinforce preventative measures," Cordova said at a news conference.

The WHO raised the alert level to Phase 4, meaning there is sustained human-to-human transmission of the virus causing outbreaks in at least one country.

Its alert system was revised after bird flu in Asia began to spread in 2004, and Monday was the first time it was raised above Phase 3.

"At this time, containment is not a feasible option," as the virus has already spread to several other countries, said WHO assistant director-general Keiji Fukuda.

Putting an alert at Phases 4 or 5 signals that the virus is becoming increasingly adept at spreading among humans. That move could lead governments
to set trade, travel and other restrictions aimed at limiting its spread.

Phase 6 is for a full-blown pandemic, characterized by outbreaks in at least two regions of the world.

It could take 4-6 months before the first batch of vaccines are available to fight the virus, WHO officials said.

Russia, Hong Kong and Taiwan said they would quarantine visitors showing symptoms of the virus amid global fears of a pandemic, an epidemic spread over a large area, either a region or worldwide.

President Barack Obama said the outbreak was reason for concern, but not yet "a cause for alarm."

Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that so far the virus in the United States seems less severe than in Mexico. Only one person has been hospitalized in the US.

"I wouldn't be overly reassured by that," Besser told reporters at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, raising the possibility of more severe cases in the United States.

"We are taking it seriously and acting aggressively," Besser said. "Until the outbreak has progressed, you really don't know what it's going to do."

US customs officials began checking people entering US territory. Millions of doses of flu-fighting medications from a federal stockpile were on their way to states, with priority given to the five already affected and to border states. Federal agencies were conferring with state and international governments.

"We want to make sure that we have equipment where it needs to be, people where they need to be and, most important, information shared at all levels," said Janet Napolitano, head of the Homeland Security Department.

"We are proceeding as if we are preparatory to a full pandemic," Napolitano said.

She said travel warnings for trips to Mexico would remain in place as long as swine flu is detected.

Mexico cancelled school at all levels nationwide until May 6, and the Mexico City government said it was considering a complete shutdown, including all public transportation, if the death toll keeps rising. Labor Secretary Javier Lozano Alarcon said employers should isolate anyone showing up for work with fever, cough, sore throat or other signs of the flu.

Even some of Mexico's most treasured national holidays were affected by the swine flu alert.

Authorities announced Monday the cancellation of the annual Cinco de Mayo parade, in which people in period costumes celebrate Mexican troops' defeat of a French army on May 5, 1862. The national labor umbrella group announced the cancellation of Mexico City's traditional May 1 parade and the National Institute of Anthropology and History said all of its 116 museums nationwide would be closed until further notice.

Amid the warnings, the Mexican government grappled with increasing criticism of its response. At least two weeks after the first swine flu case, the government has yet to say where and how the outbreak began or give details on the victims.

The health department lacked the staff to visit the homes of all those suspected to have died from the disease, Cordova said.

Cordova said 1,995 people have been hospitalized with serious cases of pneumonia since the first case of swine flu was reported April 13. The government does not yet know how many were swine flu.

He said tests show a 4-year-old boy contracted the virus before April 2 in Veracruz state, where a community has been protesting pollution from a large pig farm.

The farm is run by Granjas Carroll de Mexico, a joint venture half owned by Virginia-based Smithfield Foods, Inc. Spokeswoman Keira Ullrich said the company has found no clinical signs or symptoms of the presence of swine flu in its herd or its employees working anywhere in Mexico.

Mexico's agriculture department said on Monday that its inspectors found no sign of swine flu among pigs around the farm in Veracruz, and that no infected pigs have been found yet anywhere in Mexico.

As if the country did not have enough to deal with, Cordova's comments were briefly interrupted by a 5.6-magnitude earthquake in southern Mexico that rattled already jittery nerves and sent mask-wearing office workers into the streets of the capital.

Aside from the confirmed cases, 13 are suspected in New Zealand, and one is suspected in both France and Israel.

European Union Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou advised Europeans to avoid nonessential travel to Mexico and parts of the United States, although Besser said that including the US in the advisory seemed unwarranted at this time.

State department spokesman Robert A. Wood said Vassiliou's remarks were his "personal opinion," not an official EU position, and therefore the department had no comment.

"We don't want people to panic at this point," Wood said. The US stepped up checks of people entering the country by air, land and sea, and the state department warned US citizens to avoid nonessential travel to Mexico. It said those who live in Mexico should avoid hospitals or clinics there unless they have a medical emergency.

The best way to keep the disease from spreading, Besser said, is by taking everyday precautions such as frequent handwashing, covering up coughs and sneezes, and staying away from work or school if not feeling well. He said authorities are not recommending that people wear masks at work because evidence that it is effective "is not that strong."

Besser said about 11 million doses of flu-fighting drugs from a federal stockpile have been sent to states in case they are needed. That's roughly one quarter of the doses in the stockpile, he said.

There is no vaccine available to prevent the specific strain now being seen, he said, but some anti-flu drugs do work once someone is sick.

If a new vaccine eventually is ordered, the CDC already has taken a key preliminary step -- creating what's called seed stock of the virus that manufacturers would use.

Many of the cases outside Mexico have been relatively mild. Symptoms include a fever of more than 100, coughing, joint aches, severe headache and, in some cases, vomiting and diarrhoea.

European and US markets bounced back from early losses as pharmaceutical stocks were lifted by expectations that health authorities will increase stockpiles of anti-viral drugs. Stocks of airlines, hotels and other travel-related companies posted sharper losses.

WHO spokesman Peter Cordingley singled out air travel as an easy way the virus could spread, noting that the WHO estimates that up to 500,000 people are on planes at any time.

Governments in Asia -- with potent memories of previous flu outbreaks -- were especially cautious. Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines dusted off thermal scanners used in the 2003 SARS crisis and were checking for signs of fever among passengers from North America. South Korea, India and Indonesia also announced screening.

In Malaysia, health workers in face masks took the temperatures of passengers as they arrived on a flight from Los Angeles.

China said anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms within two weeks of arrival had to report to authorities.

China, Russia and Ukraine were among countries banning imports of pork and pork products from Mexico and three US states that have reported swine flu cases, while other countries, such as Indonesia, banned all pork imports.

The CDC says people cannot get the flu by eating pork or pork products.

Germany's leading vacation tour operators were skipping stops in Mexico City as a precaution. The Hannover-based TUI said trips through May 4 to Mexico City were being suspended, including those operated by TUI itself and through companies 1-2 Fly, Airtours, Berge & Meer, Grebeco and L'tur.

Japan's largest tour agency, JTB Corp., suspended tours to Mexico through June 30. Russian travel agencies said about a third of those planning to travel to Mexico in early May had already cancelled.

Source: TOI

WHO raises global alert level on swine flu

MEXICO CITY: The swine flu epidemic entered a dangerous new phase on Monday as the death toll climbed in Mexico and the number of suspected cases there and in the United States nearly doubled. The World Health Organization raised its alert level but stopped short of declaring a global emergency.

The United States advised Americans against most travel to Mexico and ordered stepped up border checks in neighbouring states. The European Union health commissioner advised Europeans to avoid non-essential travel both to Mexico and parts of the United States.

The virus poses a potentially grave new threat to the US economy, which was showing tentative early signs of a recovery. A widespread outbreak could batter tourism, food and transportation industries, deepening the recession in the US and possibly worldwide.

The suspected number of deaths rose to 149 in Mexico, the epicentre of the outbreak with nearly 2,000 people believed to be infected.

The number of US cases rose to 48, the result of further testing at a New York City school, although none was fatal. Other US cases have been reported in Ohio, Kansas, Texas and California. Worldwide there were 77 cases, including six in Canada, one in Spain and two in Scotland.

The World Health Organization reported a slightly lower figure, 73. The WHO said it was still awaiting official reports from the UK about the Scottish cases, and it was reporting different numbers in the US (40) and Mexico (26) from what those governments confirmed.

While the total cases were still measured in hundreds, not thousands, Mexican Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova said the epidemic was entering an extremely dangerous phase, with the number of people infected mushrooming even as authorities desperately ramped up defences.

"We are in the most critical moment of the epidemic. The number of cases will keep rising, so we have to reinforce preventative measures," Cordova said at a news conference.

The WHO raised the alert level to Phase 4, meaning there is sustained human-to-human transmission of the virus causing outbreaks in at least one country.

Its alert system was revised after bird flu in Asia began to spread in 2004, and Monday was the first time it was raised above Phase 3.

"At this time, containment is not a feasible option," as the virus has already spread to several other countries, said WHO assistant director-general Keiji Fukuda.

Putting an alert at Phases 4 or 5 signals that the virus is becoming increasingly adept at spreading among humans. That move could lead governments
to set trade, travel and other restrictions aimed at limiting its spread.

Phase 6 is for a full-blown pandemic, characterized by outbreaks in at least two regions of the world.

It could take 4-6 months before the first batch of vaccines are available to fight the virus, WHO officials said.

Russia, Hong Kong and Taiwan said they would quarantine visitors showing symptoms of the virus amid global fears of a pandemic, an epidemic spread over a large area, either a region or worldwide.

President Barack Obama said the outbreak was reason for concern, but not yet "a cause for alarm."

Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that so far the virus in the United States seems less severe than in Mexico. Only one person has been hospitalized in the US.

"I wouldn't be overly reassured by that," Besser told reporters at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, raising the possibility of more severe cases in the United States.

"We are taking it seriously and acting aggressively," Besser said. "Until the outbreak has progressed, you really don't know what it's going to do."

US customs officials began checking people entering US territory. Millions of doses of flu-fighting medications from a federal stockpile were on their way to states, with priority given to the five already affected and to border states. Federal agencies were conferring with state and international governments.

"We want to make sure that we have equipment where it needs to be, people where they need to be and, most important, information shared at all levels," said Janet Napolitano, head of the Homeland Security Department.

"We are proceeding as if we are preparatory to a full pandemic," Napolitano said.

She said travel warnings for trips to Mexico would remain in place as long as swine flu is detected.

Mexico cancelled school at all levels nationwide until May 6, and the Mexico City government said it was considering a complete shutdown, including all public transportation, if the death toll keeps rising. Labor Secretary Javier Lozano Alarcon said employers should isolate anyone showing up for work with fever, cough, sore throat or other signs of the flu.

Even some of Mexico's most treasured national holidays were affected by the swine flu alert.

Authorities announced Monday the cancellation of the annual Cinco de Mayo parade, in which people in period costumes celebrate Mexican troops' defeat of a French army on May 5, 1862. The national labor umbrella group announced the cancellation of Mexico City's traditional May 1 parade and the National Institute of Anthropology and History said all of its 116 museums nationwide would be closed until further notice.

Amid the warnings, the Mexican government grappled with increasing criticism of its response. At least two weeks after the first swine flu case, the government has yet to say where and how the outbreak began or give details on the victims.

The health department lacked the staff to visit the homes of all those suspected to have died from the disease, Cordova said.

Cordova said 1,995 people have been hospitalized with serious cases of pneumonia since the first case of swine flu was reported April 13. The government does not yet know how many were swine flu.

He said tests show a 4-year-old boy contracted the virus before April 2 in Veracruz state, where a community has been protesting pollution from a large pig farm.

The farm is run by Granjas Carroll de Mexico, a joint venture half owned by Virginia-based Smithfield Foods, Inc. Spokeswoman Keira Ullrich said the company has found no clinical signs or symptoms of the presence of swine flu in its herd or its employees working anywhere in Mexico.

Mexico's agriculture department said on Monday that its inspectors found no sign of swine flu among pigs around the farm in Veracruz, and that no infected pigs have been found yet anywhere in Mexico.

As if the country did not have enough to deal with, Cordova's comments were briefly interrupted by a 5.6-magnitude earthquake in southern Mexico that rattled already jittery nerves and sent mask-wearing office workers into the streets of the capital.

Aside from the confirmed cases, 13 are suspected in New Zealand, and one is suspected in both France and Israel.

European Union Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou advised Europeans to avoid nonessential travel to Mexico and parts of the United States, although Besser said that including the US in the advisory seemed unwarranted at this time.

State department spokesman Robert A. Wood said Vassiliou's remarks were his "personal opinion," not an official EU position, and therefore the department had no comment.

"We don't want people to panic at this point," Wood said. The US stepped up checks of people entering the country by air, land and sea, and the state department warned US citizens to avoid nonessential travel to Mexico. It said those who live in Mexico should avoid hospitals or clinics there unless they have a medical emergency.

The best way to keep the disease from spreading, Besser said, is by taking everyday precautions such as frequent handwashing, covering up coughs and sneezes, and staying away from work or school if not feeling well. He said authorities are not recommending that people wear masks at work because evidence that it is effective "is not that strong."

Besser said about 11 million doses of flu-fighting drugs from a federal stockpile have been sent to states in case they are needed. That's roughly one quarter of the doses in the stockpile, he said.

There is no vaccine available to prevent the specific strain now being seen, he said, but some anti-flu drugs do work once someone is sick.

If a new vaccine eventually is ordered, the CDC already has taken a key preliminary step -- creating what's called seed stock of the virus that manufacturers would use.

Many of the cases outside Mexico have been relatively mild. Symptoms include a fever of more than 100, coughing, joint aches, severe headache and, in some cases, vomiting and diarrhoea.

European and US markets bounced back from early losses as pharmaceutical stocks were lifted by expectations that health authorities will increase stockpiles of anti-viral drugs. Stocks of airlines, hotels and other travel-related companies posted sharper losses.

WHO spokesman Peter Cordingley singled out air travel as an easy way the virus could spread, noting that the WHO estimates that up to 500,000 people are on planes at any time.

Governments in Asia -- with potent memories of previous flu outbreaks -- were especially cautious. Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines dusted off thermal scanners used in the 2003 SARS crisis and were checking for signs of fever among passengers from North America. South Korea, India and Indonesia also announced screening.

In Malaysia, health workers in face masks took the temperatures of passengers as they arrived on a flight from Los Angeles.

China said anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms within two weeks of arrival had to report to authorities.

China, Russia and Ukraine were among countries banning imports of pork and pork products from Mexico and three US states that have reported swine flu cases, while other countries, such as Indonesia, banned all pork imports.

The CDC says people cannot get the flu by eating pork or pork products.

Germany's leading vacation tour operators were skipping stops in Mexico City as a precaution. The Hannover-based TUI said trips through May 4 to Mexico City were being suspended, including those operated by TUI itself and through companies 1-2 Fly, Airtours, Berge & Meer, Grebeco and L'tur.

Japan's largest tour agency, JTB Corp., suspended tours to Mexico through June 30. Russian travel agencies said about a third of those planning to travel to Mexico in early May had already cancelled.

Source: TOI

No ceasefire with LTTE: Lanka govt

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka on Monday said it has not declared a ceasefire with the LTTE, but has only announced that heavy caliber weapons will not used while rescuing thousands of civilians trapped in the northern war zone.

The government said as the security forces are now close to victory it will in no form leave a breather for the LTTE or its leaders by offering a truce.

"There is no ceasefire. The government will go ahead with their operation to get the civilians out of the 'No Fire Zone' who are being held hostage by the LTTE," Lakshman Hullagulle, Director-General of the Media Center for National Security said.

He said the government had instructed security forces not to use of heavy caliber guns, combat aircraft and aerial weapons which could cause civilian casualties.

Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry said the government's announcement is in line with its policy of 'Zero Civilian Casualty Policy (ZCC).

A senior official also refuted media reports that the government has announced a ceasefire.

The official described the logic behind the government's decision "as an exhibit of its grave concern to avoid any form of collateral-damage while surging into the remaining 5 sq km swathe of coast, south of Valayarmadam and Vellamullivaikkal."

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/No-ceasefire-with-LTTE-Lanka-govt/articleshow/4455522.cms

16 tourists injured in Egypt balloon crash

CAIRO: An Egyptian security official says a hot air balloon crash over the famed ancient temple city of Luxor has injured 16 tourists, mostly from Europe and North America.

The balloon struck a cell phone transmission tower today near Gourna village on the west bank of the Nile.

The injured tourists, who came from France, England, Denmark, US, Canada and South Korea, were taken to Luxor hospital for treatment, said the official.

He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the press.

Hot air ballooning, usually at sunrise over the Karnak and Luxor temples as well as the Valley of the Kings, is a popular pastime in the city.

In April 2008, seven tourists were injured in a similar crash.

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/16_tourists_injured_in_Egypt_balloon_crash/articleshow/4448439.cms

Forces missed Prabhakaran by whisker: Lanka army

PUDUKUDIYYIRIPPU: Tamil Tigers supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran and his top aides were recently missed by a whisker by the security forces, a top Sri Lankan commander said, claiming that the rebel leader had limited options either to give up or commit suicide.

"We got to know that Prabhakaran had moved through the Pudukudiryirippu-Iranmalai road on a day between March 29-31, just about two days before the army fully laid seige to that area," GoC 58 Division Brig Shavendra Silva said.

"Yes I regret we missed him by a whisker or else things could have been over faster," he said, adding Prabhakaran cannot escape through the road.

Silva said things have come to such a head that women had to hide their son in a hole dug in and covered by the kitched fire place to escape the prying LTTE men on the look out for new Tiger fighters near the 'no-fire zone'.

The senior LTTE leader Daya Master also told the army during interrogation that "only sea tiger leader Soosai, the coordinating LTTE army head Pottu Amman and Prabhakaran's son Charles Anthony are going to stay with him".

"The rest of the senior aides will try to escape as I did," Shavendra Silva quoted Daya Master, the former LTTE media coordinator, to say.

"Yes Prabhakaran lived around here not far ago and people suffered here under him," Silva told reporters who visited the war one.

According to another senior military officer, Prabhakaran is facing "reverses after reverses" in his struggle for a separate Eelam state.

Many Tiger cadres have been forced to give their lives "under duress", since Prabhakaran introduced suicide bombers, mostly young women, and targeted major government installations, including military headquarters and international airport in Sri Colombo, he said.

The media were also allowed a brief chat with the famished looking IDPS passing through the Pudukudiyirippu area.

"The LTTE does not have to tell us anything. We dare not to try to escape as they have sophisticated weapons and we had to wait for our time to come to escape," Arumugam, an IDP, said.

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Army-missed-Prabhakaran-by-whisker-Lanka/articleshow/4448315.cms

US also responsible for current situation in Pak: Hillary

WASHINGTON, Apr 24 (PTI) Even as she came out strongly against the Pakistani establishment for lagging willingness to take head on the terrorists, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Friday said that the US was also partly responsible for the present mess as it virtually abandoned Pakistan after the Soviets left Afghanistan.

"There is a very strong argument, which is: It wasn't a bad investment to end the Soviet Union, but let's be careful what we sow, because we will harvest. So we then left Pakistan. We said, okay, fine, you deal with the Stingers that we've left all over your country. You deal with the mines that are along the border. And by the way, we don't want to have anything to do with you," Clinton said testifying before a Congressional committee.

After the downfall of the Soviet Union, Clinton said the US stopped dealing with the Pakistani military and with the ISI.

"We can point fingers at the Pakistanis, which is -- you know, I did some yesterday, frankly. And it's merited, because we're wondering why they don't just get out there and deal with these people. But the problems we face now, to some extent, we have to take responsibility for having contributed to," she said.

Clinton said the US has a history of moving in and out of Pakistan. "I mean, let's remember here, the people we are fighting today we funded 20 years ago. We did it because we were locked in this struggle with the Soviet Union. They invaded Afghanistan, and we did not want to see them control Central Asia, and we went to work," she said.

"It was President (Ronald) Reagan, in partnership with the Congress, led by Democrats, who said, you know what? Sounds like a pretty good idea. Let's deal with the ISI and the Pakistani military, and let's go recruit these mujahidin. And great, let's get some to come from Saudi Arabia and other places, importing their Wahhabi brand of Islam, so that we can go beat the Soviet Union. And guess what? They retreated. They lost billions of dollars, and it led to the collapse of the Soviet Union," Clinton said.
And what is happening in Pakistan today is a result of that policy, she acknowledged, so the US should also take a part of the responsibility.

sOURCE:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

Spain allows embryo selection to screen for cancer genes

MADRID: Health authorities in Spain said on Wednesday they had authorised the genetic screening of pre-implantation embryos to ensure they do not carry genes that might cause cancer.

Spain's National Commission for Assisted Human Reproduction on Tuesday allowed the process for two specific cases for women undergoing fertility treatment.

One of them involved screening for a gene that causes breast cancer and other for thyroid cancer.

Any daughter born with the BRCA 1 gene has an 80 per cent risk of developing breast cancer and a 60 per cent chance of developing ovarian cancer -- as well as a 50 percent risk of passing on the anomaly to their own children.

"It is an historic day in the world of health," said secretary of state for health, Jose Martinez Olmos. He said the two decisions "bring hope" for the families faced with "major health problems."

He told private radio Cadena Ser that such decisions would be made on a "case by case" basis.

The procedure is still relatively rare in the world but has been used to screen embryos for breast cancer in Britain, the United States and Belgium.

In January, a mother in Britain became the first woman in the country to have a baby selected free of a gene which causes breast cancer.

Spain's Socialist government has already angered the Roman Catholic Church with proposals to liberalise the abortion law.

In October, Catholic bishops also condemned the genetic selection of an embryo in a bid to cure a child of a crippling inherited blood disorder.

Source:TOI

Germany agrees law blocking child porn sites

BERLIN: Germany's cabinet has agreed a draft law to block access to child-porn websites, Economy Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg said Wednesday.


The government signed agreements last Friday with the country's main Internet service providers (ISPs) — representing 75% of the German market — to block around 1,500 sites per day with illegal images of children.

Internet users hoping to download child porn will instead be met with a large red "stop" sign, warning of the impact of paedophilia on the victims. They will not have their personal details or IP addressed recorded.

The draft legislation is an "important signal" but not a "silver bullet" in the fight against child pornography, zu Guttenberg said.

Family affairs minister Ursula von der Leyen said that two other ISPs had signalled their intention to block access to child-porn sites, covering 94% of web surfers.

"This means that there will be no delay in putting the measures in place after the legislation is adopted and the service providers should start preparing from now onwards," she told reporters.

Other countries including Britain, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea and Sweden have already introduced similar schemes successfully, Berlin said.

Last Thursday, German police said they had smashed an international child porn ring in 92 countries.

Pornographic images of children were transmitted from more than 1,000 connections in Germany to 8,000 IP addresses in countries including Austria, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland and the United States.

The footage included "images of the most serious sexual abuse, even of toddlers," police in the southwestern state of Baden-Wuerttemberg said.

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Germany-to-block-child-porn-sites/articleshow/4435875.cms

Two key LTTE leaders surrender: Lanka army

COLOMBO: Two key Tamil Tiger officials surrendered Wednesday as Sri Lankan troops pressed a final offensive against the rebels despite an international outcry over the fate of trapped civilians.

Among the top rebels who turned themselves in was the Tigers' main mouthpiece to the outside world, their chief spokesman Velayudam Dayanidi, better known as Daya Master.

Another official, who was an aide to the late head of the Tigers' political wing, S.P. Thamilselvan, also surrendered.

The government's defence spokesman said more than 80,000 people had fled the shrinking patch of territory still controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), saying troops were "rescuing" and not harming civilians caught up in the war.

"Our operations to rescue civilians is continuing," Keheliya Rambukwella told reporters, describing the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as a spent force with just 12 square kilometres (five square miles) of land left.

"The LTTE has lost all its military capabilities. They are fighting a losing battle," he said, adding the government also "strongly believes" that Tamil Tiger leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran, 54, was still in the area.

The defence ministry gave Prabhakaran and his fighters until Tuesday to surrender, but the rebels ignored the deadline and have continued to fight.

The LTTE, who have been fighting for an independent Tamil homeland since 1972, has acknowledged losing ground. But the group has accused the government of killing 1,000 civilians in recent days.

The military insists it has aided the escape of 81,420 men, women and children this week. It said those fleeing were fired on by the rebels, who are alleged to have kept villagers to use as human shields.

The rival claims are hard to verify as independent reporters are not allowed near the conflict zone, but aid agencies have painted a grim picture.

"The situation is nothing short of catastrophic," said Pierre Kraehenbuehl, operations director for the International Committee of the Red Cross.

"What we are seeing is intense fighting in a very small area overcrowded with civilians who have fled there," he said.

He estimated there could be tens of thousands more people still inside rebel-held territory, while facilities for those who had reached relative safety were overstretched.

The United States and other nations have urged both Sri Lankan troops and Tiger rebels not to fire indiscriminately, and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has asked that UN staff be allowed to enter the area for relief operations.

"The casualties are certainly in the thousands and have been fairly consistently high running throughout the last couple of months, as the patch of (LTTE) territory has narrowed and really diminished," said Gordon Weiss, the UN spokesman in Colombo.

The apparent endgame in Sri Lanka has triggered protests around the world, with up to 30,000 Tamil demonstrators clogging the Canadian capital Ottawa to press for mediation.

Similar rallies have been held in London and Paris.

The LTTE were once considered as one of the world's most efficient guerrilla outfits, lording over a third of Sri Lanka's territory and running a de facto mini-state.

A Norwegian-brokered truce between the government and the rebels began falling apart in December 2005, and fighting since then has seen the progressive collapse of the rebel army.

Last month the UN's human rights chief said both sides in the conflict may be guilty of war crimes.

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Two-key-LTTE-leaders-surrender-Lanka-army/articleshow/4434805.cms

Lankan troops advance further, 80,000 Tamils flee war zone

Colombo, Apr 22 (PTI) Making a final push to overrun the last patch of LTTE-held territory, Sri Lankan forces today pushed deeper, capturing six kilometres of the 18 km 'No Fire Zone' as thousands of trapped Tamils civilians continued to flee the northern war zone.

Over 80,000 civilians have so far crossed over to government controlled 'safe zone' till this morning, a Defence Ministry spokesman said. UN and other aid agencies estimates are that there could be anywhere up to 200,000 people trapped in the No Fire Zone.

Satellite imagery of the embattled zone released for the first time showed that tens of thousands of Sri Lankan Tamils were squeezed into the last small strip of land controlled by the Tamil Tigers.

The imagery released by the US State Department shows about 25,000 tents packed into a coastal strip about 18 sq km, prompting US and Red Cross officials to ask Colombo for a pause to enable women and children escape the conflict zone.

At least 46 rebels were killed in fresh fighting as Sri Lankan troops moved north of Ampalawanpokkani in hunt for the LTTE supremo V Prabhakaran and his top aides with top government officials saying that they were still holed up in the area.

A top LTTE leader had said yesterday that Prabhakaran was still in the battle zone and leading his men in conflict.
PTI

Obama invites Zardari, Karzai to White House for talks

Washington, Apr 22 (PTI) Taking the US-Pak-Afghan meeting to the highest level, President Barack Obama has invited his Pakistani and Afghan counterparts Asif Ali Zardari and Hamid Karzai respectively to White House in early May to discuss the situation in the region.

As a result the second tri-lateral meeting between the three countries, which was earlier schedule to be held at the level of Foreign Minister, would now be converted into a US-Afghan-Pak summit.

The first ever summit between the three countries after Obama's inauguration as US President would be held on May six and seven, the same dates on which the second tri-lateral meetings was scheduled for, diplomatic sources told PTI.

The summit would bring face to face the three leaders together, they said.

As was the case with the first tri-lateral meeting at the Foreign Minister level, Obama would be meeting one-o-one with Karzai and Zardari; following which the three leaders would be meeting together to discuss the current situation in the region and chalk out a common strategy to defeat al Qaeda and the Taliban in the Af-Pak region.

PTI

Happiest European children in Netherlands, Britain ranks low

LONDON: The happiest children in Europe are in the Netherlands and Scandinavia but Britain is among the worst places to grow up, according to new British research published Tuesday.

A league table of young people's well-being places the Netherlands top of 29 European states, followed by Sweden and Norway, while Britain comes in at a lowly 24th.

The table, focusing on youngsters aged up to 19, was compiled by researchers at York University in northern England for the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) using data mainly from 2006.

The researchers assessed the countries using 43 separate criteria, ranging from infant mortality and obesity to factors such as poverty and housing.

Germany was eighth, France was 15th and Britain was ranked only above Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania and Malta.

The Netherlands scored high in all categories, while the Scandinavians were praised for having a low level of child deaths caused by accidents.

Scandinavian children also indulge in less "risky behaviour" -- which the researchers categorised as early sexual intercourse, smoking and drinking -- than their European counterparts.

Norway was top in the provision of housing and the "quality of neighbourhoods."

CPAG said the low ranking of Britain, despite its position among the world's leading economies, was "particularly influenced by the high number of children living in families where no parent works."

The British government said it had made progress on child wellbeing since 2006, but CPAG urged it to include child-friendly measures in Wednesday's Budget announcement as the economic downturn leads to higher unemployment.

CPAG chief executive Kate Green said: "We cannot afford a 'do nothing' Budget for children. The report shows a clear link between high levels of child wellbeing and low levels of child poverty.

"If we fail to protect families during the downturn, progress on child well-being could go into reverse."

OVERALL RANKING:
1. Netherlands
2. Sweden
3. Norway
4. Iceland
5. Finland
6. Denmark
7. Slovenia
8. Germany
9. Ireland
10. Luxembourg
11. Austria
12. Cyprus
13. Spain
14. Belgium
15. France
16. Czech Republic
17. Slovakia
18. Estonia
19. Italy
20. Poland
21. Portugal
22. Hungary
23. Greece
24. United Kingdom
25. Romania
26. Bulgaria
27. Latvia
28. Lithuania
29. Malta

AFP

Tony Blair's Facebook profile hacked

LONDON: Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's profile on a popular social networking site has been hacked by netizens who have hurled online abuses at him and his wife Cherie.

In fact, users have launched personal attacks on the former British PM and his wife by hijacking Facebook profile, set up to promote his charity The Tony Blair Faith Foundation, The Daily Telegraph reported.

The Tony Blair Faith Foundation on Facebook, which is accessed via a link from the charity's official website, is meant to promote understanding of the world's religions. But, it is instead dominated by abusive messages against Blairs.

One posted on Saturday: "Setting up a Mickey Mouse foundation will do nothing to clear your conscience. Your legacy was sealed a long time ago. You can bang your Christian drum for as long as you like."

Another poster wrote: "Tony Blair. You're a poor man's Michael Sheen. You're a parody of yourself. You wish you could be as cool MC Gordon Brown." Another wrote: "Tony Blair was about as good for Britain as the bubonic plague."

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Tony-Blairs-Facebook-profile-hacked/articleshow/4430315.cms

Thousands flee Lanka war zone, troops move in on LTTE

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan soldiers battled into the last redoubt of the Tamil Tigers on Tuesday, and an exodus of people trapped by the rebels in the coastal strip reached nearly 50,000, the military said.

The operation gathered speed after the military's noon (0630 GMT) deadline for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to surrender passed without any word from the separatists, in what appears to be the final act in Asia's longest-running war.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned the situation was "nothing short of catastrophic" and urged both sides to prevent further mass casualties among civilians, saying hundreds had been killed in the past 48 hours.

The neutral agency did not assign blame to either side. Sri Lanka's military, in what it dubbed the world's largest hostage rescue operation, moved in to keep the stream of people moving and give troops a clear shot at the LTTE and its elusive leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran.

"So far 49,054 people have come out and still people are coming in. Troops are expanding the area under their control," military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said.

The United Nations and western governments have urged the military to renew a brief truce to negotiate the civilians' exit, a plea the government has rejected on the grounds the Tigers have dismissed all entreaties to let the people out.

The state-run Daily News, quoting army commander Lt-Gen. Sarath Fonseka, said soldiers had reached the shoreline and taken control of the only medical facility in the no-fire zone, a makeshift hospital run by the ICRC in Puttumatalan.

ICRC RAISES FEARS
ICRC said it feared the operation could lead to a drastic increase in the number of casualties.

"The situation is nothing short of catastrophic. Ongoing fighting has killed or wounded hundreds of civilians who have only minimal access to medical care," Pierre Kraehenbuehl, director of ICRC operations, said in a statement.

At least 50,000 people remain inside the no-fire zone, ICRC spokesman Simon Schorno said in Geneva.

The military said the number is less than that but has no updated figure. Before the exodus, it had said around 60,000 were in the area.

The stream of people leaving started on Monday after troops breached an earthen berm blocking the main route out of a 17 square km (6.5 sq mile) no-fire zone, the last scrap of the separate state the LTTE fought to build for Sri Lankan Tamils.

The presence of tens of thousands of civilians has been the main obstacle for the Sri Lankan military, which has cornered the rebels with the aim of finishing a war that erupted in 1983 and has killed at least 70,000 so far.

With the war now nearing a conventional end, Sri Lanka will face the twin challenges of healing the divide between the Tamil minority and Sinhalese majority, and reviving a $40 billion economy suffering on multiple fronts.

The island nation is seeking a $1.9 billion International Monetary Fund loan to shore up a balance of payments crisis and boost flagging foreign exchange reserves, half of which were spent defending the rupee in the last four months of 2008.

TAMILS PROTEST
The final operation set off protests by expatriate Tamils in London and Paris, the latest in weeks of demonstrations against the military offensive by Tamils in cities across the world.

In Paris, around 180 people were arrested and four injured when the demonstration turned violent as protesters blocked an intersection and threw objects at buses and police, police said.

The LTTE insists people are staying with them by choice, and on Monday the pro-LTTE website www.TamilNet.com reported a large number of people had fled towards Tiger areas.

TamilNet also said nearly 1,000 were killed in the assault, quoting LTTE political head B Nadesan. The military denies killing civilians.

The United Nations has long said the LTTE was forcibly preventing people from leaving and forcing others to fight.

Late on Monday, Sri Lanka's military released a video shot by an unmanned drone, which it said showed several hundred people in a tight cluster along the shore being fired at by LTTE fighters.

A few seconds later, two people outside the cluster aim and fire what appears to be a rifle toward the people several times. Muzzle flashes are visible in the video, which the military said was taken near the northern border of the no-fire zone on Monday.

It was impossible to independently verify the competing accounts since the battle zone is off-limits to most outsiders.

Soruce:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

Obama proposes $100 billion US loan for IMF

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama on Monday proposed a $100 billion US loan to the International Monetary Fund to boost the IMF's resources and urged a bigger stake in the IMF for emerging powers.

In a letter to US congressional leaders, Obama said the US funding "does not represent a budgetary expenditure or any increase in the deficit since it effectively represents an exchange of assets."

The $100 billion is part of commitments made by Group of 20 countries at a London summit on April 2, which agreed to triple IMF resources to a total of $750 billion to help the IMF respond to crises in emerging market economies as a result of the global financial crisis and economic downturn.

The US funding will boost the IMF's so-called New Arrangements to Borrow, or NAB, a facility which allows member countries to provide credit to the IMF to deal with crises that may threaten the stability of the global financial system.

Obama said the NAB was "woefully inadequate" to deal with the severe economic and financial crisis.

"The deteriorating conditions threaten to worsen the recessions in these countries and could cause currencies to collapse," Obama wrote.

"Together, these factors, particularly if they become more acute, will further lower global growth and, as we saw during the Asian financial crisis, they will cause US growth, jobs, and exports to fall even more sharply," he added.

He said an enlargement of the NAB facility of up to $500 billion would allow for increased participation by emerging market economies, in particular China and India. Chinese officials have already indicated that Beijing plans to contribute $40 billion to the IMF through a bond issued to its central bank by the Fund.

Obama said countries were looking to the US to deliver on its G20 commitment, indicating that other governments could follow the US lead and contribute to the IMF.

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

Kristen Dalton crowned Miss USA 2009

LAS VEGAS: Miss North Carolina USA Kristen Dalton was crowned Miss USA 2009 on Sunday, beating out 50 other beauty queens in the live pageant televised from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

The 22-year-old aspiring motivational speaker edged out first runner-up Miss California USA Carrie Prejean and second runner-up Miss Arizona USA Alicia-Monique Blanco.

Contestants from all 50 states and the District of Columbia competed in the pageant, aired live on NBC. Contestants were judged by their performance in swimsuit and evening gown modelling contests and their responses to a question asked onstage; unlike the rival Miss America pageant, Miss USA contestants do not perform a talent.

The top 15 contestants worked the stage in white string bikinis designed by pop star Jessica Simpson's swimwear line. Rocker Kevin Rudolf performed his song "Let it Rock," followed by The Veronicas, who performed their single "Untouched" as the top 10 beauties showed off their choice of glittering evening gowns.

Dalton's title comes with a year's use of a New York apartment, a public relations team, a two-year scholarship at the New York Film Academy and an undisclosed salary.

She also will go to the Bahamas in August to compete in the Miss Universe pageant, where American beauties haven't been lucky in recent years. Both Miss USA 2008 Crystle Stewart and her predecessor, Rachel Smith, fell on stage during the evening gown competition, becoming accidental YouTube stars.

Asked about the tumble during the show on Sunday, Stewart said it was a lesson in bouncing back from defeat.

"I think it was a true test of my character," said the 27-year-old Texan, who worked to raise awareness for breast cancer as she travelled the globe promoting the beauty contest.

If there is a YouTube moment from Sunday's show, it may be Miss California's answer to a question about legalizing same-sex marriage. The tall blonde stumbled some before giving an answer that appeared to please the pageant audience.

"We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage," Prejean said. "And you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offence to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised."

Some in the audience cheered, others booed. The pageant had enjoyed a scandal-free year until earlier this month, when Miss Universe 2008 Dayana Mendoza was skewered for a blog posting from a trip to Guantanamo Bay. The entry described having "aloooot of fun" at a base that houses the notorious military prison; it was later deleted from the pageant's Web site.

The contest, which is owned by NBC and reality TV mogul Donald Trump, was hosted by "Access Hollywood" co-anchor Billy Bush and Nadine Velazquez of the NBC sitcom "My Name is Earl." This year's judges included "Saturday Night Live" cast member Kenan Thompson, "Dancing with the Stars" winner Kelly Monaco and gossip blogger Perez Hilton.

Soruce:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Kristen-Dalton-is-Miss-USA-2009/articleshow/4423489.cms

US nuclear experts pull out of North Korea

SEOUL: US monitors of North Korea's nuclear program left the communist nation after the regime ordered them out and vowed to restart its reactor inanger over UN criticism of its recent rocket launch.

The four Americans arrived yesterday in Beijing on a flight from Pyongyang but declined to speak to reporters. Their departure came a day after UN nuclear inspectors left the North. One US official remains in Pyongyang and will leave today, the State Department said.

The pullout of all international inspectors will leave the global community with no onsite means to monitor North Korea's nuclear facilities, which can yield weapons-grade plutonium if restarted.

North Korea vowed earlier this week to restart its nuclear program and quit six-nation disarmament talks because the UN Security Council criticized its April 5 rocket launch as a violation of resolutions barring it from ballistic missile-related activity

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/US_nuclear_experts_pull_out_of_North_Korea/articleshow/4416860.cms

A new rival for world's tallest man?

BEIJING: A contender for world’s tallest man underwent foot surgery at a Chinese hospital where doctors confirmed he is 10 centimetres taller than the current title-holder, state press said.

Zhao Liang, 27, was measured at 2.46 metres when he had an operation at a hospital in Tianjin city to relieve an injury suffered nearly a decade ago, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

It was when he sustained the initial injury that doctors first found out Zhao was taller than fellow countryman Bao Xishun, who is listed by the Guinness World Records as the world’s tallest man, the media report said.
But Zhao has not been independently measured by Guinness judges, so he is not officially considered to be the world’s tallest man as of now, the report said.

Zhao’s basketball career was cut short when he injured his foot 10 years ago and he remained unemployed until 2006, when he got a job with an art troupe and learned to perform magic and play the saxophone and flute, the report said.

Doctors said Zhao should be able to walk normally after a two-month recovery period from surgery. He does not suffer any health complications related to his height, it added. Zhao’s parents, who are both of normal height, do not know how their son has grown so tall, the report said.

Bao Xishun, 57, was first recognised by the Guinness Book in 2005 as the world’s tallest man, measuring in at 2.36 metres.

Soruce:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/China/A_new_rival_for_worlds_tallest_man/articleshow/4416070.cms

18 killed in China mine explosion

BEIJING: Eighteen people were killed and three injured in an explosion at a mine in central China, an official said today, in the latest deadly accident to hit the nation's coal industry.

The tragedy struck Friday afternoon at a mine in Chenzhou city in Hunan province when a detonator and explosives warehouse blew up, an employee at the city's coal industry bureau, who would only give his surname Li, said.

"Up to this morning we have confirmed there are 18 dead and three injured," he said.

Li said the victims were in dormitories next to the warehouse at the time of the explosion.

According to the official Xinhua news agency, a further two people were missing, and police have said the detonators and explosives might have been illegally bought and stored.

China's coal mines are notoriously dangerous. Official figures show that more than 3,200 workers died in collieries last year, but independent observers say the actual figure could be much higher, as many accidents are covered up.

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/18-killed-in-China-mine-explosion/articleshow/4416917.cms

China planning massive expansion of naval fleet

Beijing, Apr 16 (PTI) China today unfolded a massive naval expansion plan to give its warships longer reach capabilities, announcing that it will build new generation of seacraft including stealth submarines, supersonic cruise aircrafts and longer range missiles.

Proclaiming that sophisticated weapons were key to winning battles, the Commander-in-Chief of the Chinese navy, Admiral Wu Shengly said Beijing wanted to build futuristic weapon systems and platforms to give it capability to operate far from its shores.

"The Navy will move faster in researching and building new-generation weapons to boost the ability to fight in regional sea wars under the circumstance of information technology," the Admiral said in an interview to 'China daily'.

Wu's comments came ahead of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Navy, next week. The Admiral is a member of the Chinese powerful Central Military Commission, which is headed by President Hu Jintao.

China already has one of the most formidable navies in Asia, with its arsenal including a number of new generation nuclear submarines. Beijing has also announced recently that it plans to build an indigenous aircraft carrier.
PTI

Saudi showing muted interest in contributing funds for Pak

WASHINGTON: America's bid to raise billions of dollars for Pakistan at the donors' meet in Japan appears to have run into rough weather with their key ally Saudi Arabia showing "muted interest" in helping the cash-strapped PPP-led government which has uneasy ties with Nawaz Sharif, considered close to Riyadh.

The Obama Administration's effort to help Pakistan raise $four billion to five billion at the Friday conference in Tokyo "is coming into conflict with Saudi Arabia, which is showing only muted interest" in supporting Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, the Wall Street Journal reported.

"The big outstanding question about the conference is Saudi Arabia," a senior official involved in the aid discussions was quoted as saying, adding that "they are closely aligned with Sharif," who spent several years in exile in the kingdom.

Pakistan appears certain to get at least $4 billion from the conference, the report said. If Saudi Arabia does not contribute to that total, it could undermine Islamabad's efforts to meet its financial obligations, it added.

The paper said a pass by Saudi Arabia would also send a signal that it does not support the government led by the PPP of Zardari.

Riyadh took part in a meeting last week in Dubai to address Pakistan's finances but declined to make a formal pledge to Islamabad, it said, citing participants in the talks.
Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

North Korea to expel UN nuclear inspectors

SEOUL: North Korea has ordered UN inspectors to leave the country, apparently following through a decision to restart its nuclear weapons programme despite US criticism of "provocative threats."

The communist nation announced today it would never take part again in six-nation nuclear disarmament talks and would restore the plants at Yongbyon which produced weapons-grade plutonium.

It was responding angrily to a UN Security Council statement Monday which condemned the North's April 5 rocket launch and vowed tougher enforcement of existing missile-related sanctions.

Hours after the North's announcement, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said its inspectors had been ordered out.

North Korea "informed IAEA inspectors in the Yongbyon facility that it is immediately ceasing all cooperation with the IAEA," Marc Vidricaire, spokesman for the UN nuclear watchdog, told reporters.

"It has requested the removal of all containment and surveillance equipment, following which IAEA inspectors will no longer be provided access to the facility. The inspectors have also been asked to leave the DPRK at the earliest possible time."

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/NKorea-to-expel-UN-nuclear-inspectors/articleshow/4404512.cms

British police search for Liverpool bomb factory

London, Apr 11 (PTI) British police were searching for a "bomb factory" in Liverpool as they quizzed 11 Pakistani suspects arrested over a terrorist plot linked to al-Qaeda.

The search for the terrorist bomb factory, which may have been used to store explosives, was being concentrated on a rundown block of flats east of Liverpool city centre, the media here reported.

Police stepped up its search operation following the arrest of a dozen al-Qaeda suspects, including 11 Pakistani who were in the UK on student visas, in raids in 14 properties across northwest England on Wednesday.

The terror suspects were questioned last night amid reports that they had planned a massive bomb attack within days, possibly as soon as Easter Monday.

Some had been seen by surveillance officers filming shopping centres in Manchester, which would be packed on a Bank Holiday.

The 14 raids in Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside had to be advanced after anti-terror chief Bob Quick was photographed holding a secret document detailing the targets. Quick, 49, resigned on Thursday.

Far from studying, at least four of the suspects had been working as security guards, two at a large hardware store where the gang would have had access to potential bomb-making materials. PTI

Obama seeks USD 2 bn in aid to Pak under emergency war funds

Washington, Apr 11 (PTI) US President Barack Obama has proposed over USD two billion in civilian and military aid to Pakistan under his emergency war funding request to Congress, apart from seeking millions of dollars for fortifying American diplomatic missions in the militancy-plagued country.

The supplemental request sent to the Congress on Thursday is in tune with Obama's new Afghan-Pak policy that plans to expand the US fight against terrorism across the borders of Afghanistan into Pakistan as well.

Besides proposing USD 1.4 billion for economic assistance to Pakistan and to support additional civilian personnel, more secure infrastructure and diplomatic operations, Obama requested another USD 400 million to build the counter-insurgency capabilities of Pakistani security forces.

As the threat to the US embassy in Pakistan has scaled up, mainly due to presence of al-Qaeda and Taliban in that country, Obama also requested Congress to release millions of dollars in emergency war funds to increase security of American missions and diplomats in the Islamic nation.

Obama proposed a separate USD 52.9 million for operating and security costs for the US missions in Pakistan. In addition to this, he requested USD 806.2 million to construct new secure and safe facilities in Pakistan, including a new US embassy building in Islamabad. PTI

Only 42,000 H1B petitions received in first week

Washington, Apr 9 (PTI) For the first time in several years, the US has received only 42,000 petitions against the mandated cap of 65,000 for H-1B work visas, much sought after by highly-skilled professionals including Indians, a week after it started accepting the applications.

This is a far climb down from previous years when the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) had received several times the Congress-mandated quota and it had to resort to a lottery system to decide fate of successful applicants.

"USCIS has received approximately 42,000 H-1B petitions counting toward the Congressionally-mandated 65,000 cap. The agency continues to accept petitions subject to the general cap," USCIS said in a statement issued yesterday.

However, USCIS said it has received approximately 20,000 petitions, full quota, in the advanced degrees category. "We continue to accept advanced degree petitions since experience has shown that not all petitions received are approvable." Congress mandated that the first 20,000 of these types of petitions are exempt from any fiscal year cap on available H-1B visas.

PTI

Russia delivers first batch of nuclear fuel to India

Moscow, Apr 10 (PTI) Under a multi-million dollar long-term nuclear fuel supply deal between Moscow and New Delhi, Russia has delivered the first batch of 30 metric tonnes of uranium pellets to India.

"Thirty metric tonnes of pellets have been delivered to Hyderabad-based Nuclear Fuel Complex for the production of fuel for 'Rajasthan' NPP," Russia's 'Atomenergoprom' said in a statement.

Under the USD 700 million contract inked between Russia's TVEL Corporation and India's Department of Atomic Energy in February, this is the first batch of Uranium Dioxide pellets delivered to Nuclear Fuel Complex.

One of the largest nuclear fuel producers in the world, TVEL is a wholly owned subsidiary of 'Atomenergoprom'.

Under the deal, it would supply the uranium pellets to fuel pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWR) in India.

TVEL would also ensure life-cycle supply of fuel for the light-water VVER reactors of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu.

Russia is currently completing the assembly of first two VVER-1000 reactors with total two Megawatt capacity at Kudankulam. Under the deal inked in December 2008 during President Dmitry Medvedev's maiden India visit, Russia will build four more reactors to meet India's growing energy requirements.
PTI

Bomb explodes in southern Philippines

COTABATO (Philippines): A powerful improvised bomb exploded at dawn, startling people on their way to Good Friday religious ceremonies in the southern Philippines, police said.

No one was injured in the blast at Kalamansig although a store was slightly damaged, said Chief Inspector Celestino Daniel, the town police chief.

Military bomb experts said the device was similar to ones used by Muslim rebels.

"We are not sure who did it, we are still investigating," Daniel said.

Police and military in the town had already been on alert due to reports that Muslim extremists might launch attacks on the southern island of Mindanao during Holy Week celebrations.

The largely-Christian town had previously been attacked by Muslim separatists in August following the Supreme Court's rejection of a draft accord that would have given the rebels control over a large part of Mindanao.

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Bomb-blast-in-southern-Philippines/articleshow/4383377.cms

Over 54,000 displaced in Namibia floods: UN

UNITED NATIONS: More than 54,000 people have been displaced by heavy floods in Namibia, the United Nations said on Friday.


Nearly one-third of these people, whose villages and homes were submerged are taking shelter in relocation camps, the UN office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs said.

Damaged roads and bridges are impeding full access to almost 350,000 people, or 17% of the South African nation's population, affected by the widespread floods.

Since the beginning of 2009, torrential rains in the north-central and north-eastern regions of Namibia have swollen rivers to levels not recorded since 1963 and claimed some 100 lives.

Shelter, water and sanitation, health care and food have been identified by a UN disaster assessment and coordination mission as the main humanitarian needs.

UN agencies have requested additional staff to respond to needs arising from the flood. The USD 2.7 million flash appeal issued last month - half of which has been funded so far - will be updated based on assessments.

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/54k-displaced-in-Namibia-floods-UN/articleshow/4383357.cms

Bangladesh to form tribunal to try 1971 war crimes

DHAKA: Bangladesh government on Thursday decided to set up war crimes tribunals within two weeks to try those accused of genocide, arson and rape during the 1971 liberation struggle.

The government has decided to appoint an investigation agency and appoint prosecutors to investigate into the crimes like genocides, arsons and rapes committed by Bengali-speaking collaborators of Pakistani troops during the 1971 war, said law minister Shafique Ahmed after an inter-ministerial meeting.

"We have launched the trial process taking the decision to form the tribunals and make the appointment . . . the appointments will be done shortly," Ahmed said after the meeting at the home ministry chaired by home minister Sahara Khatun.

The development came days after the United Nations offered its support for the trial of 'crimes against humanity' as sought earlier by the new government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with UNDP country representative in Dhaka saying the UN would offer all assistance to ensure the trials met international standards.

The London-based global rights watchdog Amnesty International appreciated the UN offer and named four of its war crime experts to assist the government in carrying out the trial.

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bangladesh-to-form-tribunal-to-try-1971-war-crimes/articleshow/4381287.cms

LTTE cadres killed in Lanka; Army asks rebels to surrender

Colombo, Apr 8 (PTI) On the brink of handing total defeat to the beleaguered LTTE, Sri Lankan army today asked the remaining rebel fighters in the island's north to surrender and release the civilians trapped in the conflict zone, where at least 26 Tamil Tigers were killed in the latest fighting.

Army personnel urged the rebels through loudspeakers to allow the Tamil civilians in Pudukudiyirippu to cross over to the government-controlled region and hand themselves over to the security forces.

Forty two civilians yesterday moved to the government areas from the 'No Fire Zone' (NFZ), the 20 sq kms stretch in the north were the LTTE is now confined to, taking to over 65,000 the total number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who shifted from the rebel-held territory.

The NFZ in Pudukudiyirippu area of Mullaittivu, though demarcated by the government as a safety zone for civilians held by the Tigers, has now also become the sanctuary for the top rebels leaders, including LTTE supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran, the Defence Ministry said.

Meanwhile, troops engaged in confrontations with the LTTE cadres manning the last rebel earth bund situated near the NFZ in west of Ampalavanpkkanai.

Army snipers deployed in the Forward Areas killed 11 LTTE rebels, the military said. Soldiers are now maneuvering towards northern bank of Nanthikadal lagoon in Mullaittivu, which is still under LTTE control.
PTI

Fall of last LTTE bastion triggers civilian exodus

Colombo, Apr 6 (PTI) The capture of last LTTE bastion of Pudukudiriyirippu by Sri Lankan troops has triggered a record exodus of Tamil civilians from LTTE controlled areas, the army said today.

A record 2127 Tamil civilians yesterday sought refuge in camps in Mullaittivu, hours after the army run over the last LTTE stronghold and pushed the rebels into a narrow 'no-fire zone' packed with civilians.

About 500 families, including 429 men, 779 women and 919 children, arrived at the camp in a single day yesterday. With the arrivals, a total of 65,189 civilians had sought refuge in camps set up by government since January this year, it said.

Meanwhile, the Lankan Government has decided to provide telecommunication facilities to welfare camps and villages in Vavuniya.

Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said the facility would enable the displaced civilians to establish contacts with their relatives in the Island nation and abroad.

A special section will be set up in every camp where civilians could meet their relatives and friends living outside the camp, the minister said.

"We put in place a new system through which displaced families are identified and arrangements are in place to expedite their reunification," he said.

Over 1,108 families were reunited under this programme and officials have identified around 100 more families, Samarasinghe said.
PTI

US is not and never will be at war with Islam: Obama

Dubai, Apr 6 (PTI) Reaching out to the Muslim world, President Barack Obama today said that the US "is not and will never be at war with Islam" as he sought to rope in close ally Turkey in the critical fight against terrorism.

Addressing a packed Turkish parliament, Obama said: "Let me say this as clearly as I can." "The United States is not and never will be at war with Islam. In fact, our partnership with the Muslim world is critical ... In rolling back a fringe ideology that people of all faiths reject," Obama said during his first state visit to a Muslim nation after becoming US President in January.

Describing Turkey as a key US ally in many areas, including the fight against terrorism, he said there should be greater bond between Americans and Muslims.

Obama's visit is being closely watched by an Islamic world that harboured deep distrust of his predecessor, George W Bush.

Obama clearly sought to draw a distinction between Islam and terrorist groups like al-Qaeda saying the latter did not represent the vast majority of Muslims.

"America's relationship with the Muslim world cannot and will not be based on opposition to al-Qaeda," he said, adding that the US sought broad engagement based upon "mutual interests and mutual respect."
PTI