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Sunday 18 March 2012

War of the Wars Starts: Pakistan take on India in Bangladesh



Wasif Chudhary


Pakistan is batting first here against India. This is the match to whom the fans and lovers of cricket are searching for, for the last many months.
I want to mention here that in the last match which the two great rival played against each other was the semifinal of world-cup 2011 which India won. But the things are not so simple. According to many critics of cricket, that match was fixed. However the ICC has refused to investigate that issue.
India who lost the game against Bangladesh seems under pressure. And Pakistan is looking to crush them...
Lets see what happens

Friday 16 March 2012

Century of Centuries By Sachin, Great Player of Cricket

Wasif Chudhary






In a match of Asia Cup between Bangladesh and India, the Master Blaster finally made his 100th century. He is a great player of cricket. He has a style, he has a technique and he has a great career.
Congrats Mr.Sachin

Thursday 15 March 2012

Houston Teen Killed at 'Project X' Inspired Party

Wasif Chudhary




A spring break rave in a Houston mansion that was meant to emulate a movie turned deadly early Wednesday morning after several attendees fired guns, killing one person as police tried to break up the party.
The unidentified male victim suffered multiple gunshot wounds and died at Ben Taub General Hospital, Houston police told ABCNews.com.
The party, which attracted between 500 and 1,000 guests, was meant to copy the party thrown in "Project X".
The 2012 movie follows three high school students who throw the ultimate "anything goes" party that spirals out of control. While a damaged home and a bad hangover may be the only consequences partygoers faced in the movie, a string of copycat parties have caused over $100,000 in real damage, handfuls of arrests and the Houston fatality.
Daniel Menjivara, a 22-year-old college student, said "Project X" and the fact it was spring break were the reasons he and many others attended the Houston house party. Menjivara said he was "the exception" at the party and was surprised to find the crowd was mostly composed of teenagers.
"The house got pretty full. You could barely move around," he said.
Trash cans full of spiked punch were set out for partygoers. Wet foam blanketed the floor. Women who wore bathing suits were granted free entry to the party, according to the flyer.
News of the party spread quickly on Facebook and Twitter, attracting a large turnout to the home, which is surrounded by a field. It's not clear if it is occupied during the day. The nearest neighbor is down the street.
Around midnight, police responded to a noise disturbance at the home and shut down the party.
"Kids took to the streets, but the parking lot was overpacked so you couldn't get out," Menjivar said. "It was just people in the actual street. They got into arguments and started shooting each other."
Willie Armstrong, who was at the party, told ABC affiliate KTRK he witnessed the shooting.
"[The gunman] was just walking, and he pulled out a gun and started shooting, like for no reason," Armstrong said. "He shot the boy in the back of the head and fell on the ground. He started shooting at the crowds, but then he ran through the field."
Officers pursued the gunman on foot but were unable to catch him.
"At this time, it has not been determined if the male pursued by officers is the suspect in this case, as it appears several people discharged weapons at the scene," the Houston Police Department said in a statement.
The copycat party wasn't the first in Houston.
Thirteen teenagers were arrested after trashing a new 4,000-square-foot home last Thursday. Nearly every window was smashed. Sheet-rock had been torn out and was left all over the floor of the half-million dollar house.
Police caught up with the teens the next day when they were throwing another party in the new home development.
"I asked some of the kids why, and they said 'Project X.' And I said, 'O.K., what's 'Project X'?'" Mark Stephens, a private investigator working for the home builder told ABC affiliate WFAA. "When you look at the movie, and you look at what happened here, the parallels are uncanny. It was a copycat. They did everything that I saw in the movie."
In Miramar, Fla., Christopher Dade, 18, allegedly caused $19,000 worth of damage to a foreclosed home before he even had the chance to throw his "Project X" inspired party.
The teen posted a four-minute video on YouTube of the house, which he had prepped for the party, complete with "Project X" spraypainted on the walls and "break me" written on a window. Despite arresting Dade on charges of burglary and vandalism, nearly 2,000 people showed up for the all-nighter and were turned away by police.
"We've never had anything of this magnitude," Miramar detective Yesenia Diaz told Channel 10 News of the party.

Wednesday 14 March 2012

6.4 earthquake hits near Papua New Guinea

Wasif Chudhary




GOLDEN, Colorado — A strong earthquake has struck about 110 miles (177 kilometers) east of Kandrian in the Asian island nation of Papua New Guinea. There are no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the magnitude-6.4 quake struck Thursday morning local time about 372 miles (599 kilometers) northeast of the capital, Port Moresby. The quake struck at a depth of 29 miles (47 kilometers).
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not immediately issue a tsunami alert.

The region lies on the “Ring of Fire” — an arc of earthquake and volcanic zones that stretches around the Pacific Rim. About 90 percent of the world’s quakes occur in the region.

Civilian killings hurt Afghan war support for 40 percent of Americans

Wasif Chudhary
http://adf.ly/6GRhK


Forty percent of Americans said the shooting spree by a U.S. soldier stationed in Afghanistan which resulted in the deaths of 16 villagers had weakened their support for the war, a poll showed on Wednesday.

Sixty-one percent of Americans surveyed in the March 12-13 online poll by Reuters/Ipsos said the remaining U.S. troops should be brought home immediately, down slightly from the 66 percent who expressed that opinion in a similar poll from early March. Seventeen percent disagreed.

The Obama administration is seeking to contain the fallout from the shocking shooting on Sunday, in which a U.S. staff sergeant walked off his base in southern Afghanistan and shot the 16 civilians, mostly women and children, in a nearby village.

Coming on the heels of violent outcry in Afghanistan triggered by U.S. soldiers' burning of copies of the Koran on a NATO military base, the shooting underscores the challenges the United States and its NATO allies face in the country, where after over 10 years of war the Taliban remains a potent enemy.

Despite ongoing violence, Western nations have begun their gradual exit from this long and costly conflict, and most foreign combat troops are due to withdraw by the end of 2014.

In the poll, 20 percent of those surveyed said the shooting did not make them less supportive of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan. Democrats' support was slightly more likely to have been affected by the weekend incident than that of Republicans, the poll found.

The poll included 1,061 Americans interviewed online, had a credibility interval of plus/minus 3.5 percentage points.

The shooting comes at a delicate moment for President Barack Obama, who is seeking to showcase his foreign policy credentials - including the killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden last spring - ahead of presidential elections in November he hopes will give him a second term.

U.S. officials have been hoping to conclude a bilateral deal to authorize a modest U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan beyond 2014, which would focus on counter-terrorism and assisting an inexperienced Afghan military.

But the prospects for a swift conclusion to those negotiations appear to have dimmed as Afghans voice their anger over the death of the villagers in southern Kandahar province and demand the United States punish the rogue soldier.

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is likely to discuss the fate of the soldier, whose name has not been released, when he meets with Afghan President Hamid Karzai during a visit he is making to Afghanistan this week.

(Editing by Jackie Frank)

Vehicle explodes on Afghan runway; Panetta safe

Wasif Chudhary


WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon says an Afghan drove an apparently stolen vehicle onto the ramp area of a British airfield in southern Afghanistan and into a ditch, where it exploded in flames, about the same time U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's aircraft was landing.
A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Capt. John Kirby, said no one in Panetta's party was injured.
Kirby said the vehicle, a pickup truck, drove at high speed onto the ramp where Panetta's plane was intended to stop. He said there was no immediate indication that the Afghan was attempting to attack Panetta's party, but the circumstances were still being pieced together.
Initial reports said no explosive devices were found in the vehicle or in a search of the driver.
Kirby said the driver was being treated for burn injuries.

Tuesday 13 March 2012

The New Cable-TV Guy: Intel

Wasif Chudhary


ntel Corp. is developing an Internet-based television service that it hopes to sell to U.S. consumers, a strategic shift by the chip maker as it sets its sights on the crowded pay-TV business.

Intel has for several months been pitching media companies on a plan to create a "virtual cable operator" that would offer U.S. TV channels nationwide over the Internet in a bundle similar to subscriptions sold by cable- and satellite-TV operators, according to people familiar with the effort. Intel wouldn't provide Internet access, which subscribers would obtain separately.

The TV offering would use Intel technology, and in at ...

Gujrat: 4 policemen killed

Wasif Chudhary




At least four policemen are being killed in Gujrat GT Road Check Post. The Police tried to stop two motorbikes , in reply they opened fire. In result four police men were killed and one injured. The police has started searching the killers.

Sunday 11 March 2012

16 Innocent Afghan Citizens are Killed in Afghanistan, Is this not Terrorism?

Wasif Chudhary





When some terrorists attack the Americans and the American,s are not sure about them that who are they, then Americans assume himself that these are muslims,s and Alqaida Network. In the light of that attack American,s killed thousands of Muslims around the globe. They kill Innocent children, young boys and girls, old citizens, then that is not terrorism.
Today once again the American soldier killed 16 Innocent Afghan citizens. This is a trade mark of American brutality.

Asia Cup Cricket Tournament Starts

Wasif Chudhary




Pakistan India Bangladesh and Srilanka are ready to play against each other in Asia Cup. The Tournament has been started right now.

Officials: Latest Israeli airstrike in Gaza bring death toll to 17

Wasif Chudhary


Gaza City (CNN) -- The latest Israeli airstrike in Gaza killed a 12-year-old boy Sunday, bringing the death toll to 17 from two days of bombing, Palestinian medical sources said. The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the latest bombing, which also left four others wounded, according to the Palestinian sources. The military, on its website, said the airstrikes that started Friday are a response to more than 130 rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel. Israel, on Sunday, closed schools in the southern part of the country as precaution. On Saturday, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called on international leaders to bring a stop to the attacks. However, Hamas' armed wing threatened Israel over the attacks. Israel "will pay the price" for its actions in Gaza, said Abu Obaida, spokesman for the Izzedine al Qassam Brigade of Hamas, the Islamist movement that controls the Palestinian territory of Gaza. European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton urged both sides to "avoid further escalation" and "re-establish calm." "I very much deplore the loss of civilian life," she said in a Saturday statement.

Saturday 10 March 2012

Pope addresses U.S. bishops on sexuality

Wasif Chudhary

VATICAN CITY, March 10 (UPI) -- Pope Benedict XVI urged a group of U.S. bishops visiting the Vatican to hold to Roman Catholic teaching on sexuality.

The pope met Friday with the bishops of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, Catholic News Service reported. The bishops, headed by Archbishop John C. Nienstedt of St. Paul and Minneapolis, were at the Vatican for "ad limina" visits, when they report on the state of their dioceses.

Benedict urged the bishops to continue to make a stand against the push for same-sex marriage.

"The church's conscientious effort to resist this pressure calls for a reasoned defense of marriage as a natural institution," he said.

The pope indirectly addressed the battle between church leaders and the Obama administration over insurance coverage for contraception. He said he was aware of "threats to freedom of conscience, religion and worship."

Benedict urged the bishops to move past the scandal over clerical sexual abuse.

"It is my hope that the church in the United States, however chastened by the events of the past decade, will persevere in its historic mission of educating the young and thus contribute to the consolidation of that sound family life, which is the surest guarantee of intergenerational solidarity and the health of society as a whole," he said.

Pope condemns gay marriage again, as it becomes legal in more places

Wasif Chudhary


VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI on Friday condemned gay marriage in a speech to bishops from the United States after Maryland last week became the eighth US state to legalize same-sex unions.

"Sexual differences cannot be dismissed as irrelevant to the definition of marriage," the pope said, warning against "the powerful political and cultural currents seeking to alter the legal definition of marriage".

"Marriage and the family are institutions that must be promoted and defended from every possible misrepresentation of their true nature."

He also said bishops could not overlook "the serious pastoral problem presented by the widespread practice of cohabitation".

"The contemporary crisis of marriage and the family... has led to grave societal problems bearing an immense human and economic cost," he added.

Benedict XVI has frequently warned against liberal family values in veiled references to homosexual marriage and adoptions by gay couples, and the Catholic Church often condemns countries that recognize gay rights.

The pope's fears that the traditional family is at risk are likely to be the focal point of the World Meeting of Families 2012 in Italy in June.

From Europe to the United States and Mexico, gay rights groups pushing for marriage and child adoption reforms are winning growing support, marking a change in public opinion which worries the Vatican.

The issue has sparked heated exchanges between Church leaders and politicians.

Earlier this month, Britain's Cardinal Keith O'Brien told Prime Minister David Cameron that same-sex unions were "madness" and a "grotesque subversion of a universally accepted human right".

In the Philippines, despite the general social tolerance of gays, legislation lags. Even bills on other social issues that citizens elsewhere take for granted, such as access to contraceptives and divorce, are languishing in Congress.

Homes of young idols

Wasif Chudhary




Did you hear? The celebrity real estate world recently buzzed with the rumor that Justin Bieber had bought himself a $10.8 million home for his 18th birthday — and it was the same bachelor pad Ashton Kutcher has been renting, no less. It was almost too dreamy for a single item of gossip.

As anyone who attended high school knows, gossip isn’t always true, and TMZ soon reported that while Bieber had in fact toured that home, and two others, Kutcher may be the one who buys that house.
Miley Cyrus
Location: Studio City, Calif.
Price: $3.9 million
Beds / Baths: 5 / 7
Square Footage: 5,173


Last year Cyrus bought this mid-century modern house.
House: Realtor.com | Cyrus: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
Miley Cyrus, 19, was born during the heyday of her father, country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, but has come into her own fame, performing as her Disney alter-ego Hannah Montana and as herself.

Last year, Cyrus plunked down the very grown-up sum of $3.9 million for a mid-century modern Studio City house, according to NBC New York. The private, gated and walled property features a double-sided fireplace and sliding glass doors leading out to the deck and patio.


Taylor Swift
Location: Beverly Hills, Calif.
Price: $3.975 million
Beds / Baths: 4 / 4
At 22, country pop singer/musician Taylor Swift has already been quite active in real estate. According to The Real Estalker blog, she bought a penthouse duplex in Nashville’s The Adelicia in 2009. Last year she bought a house in Nashville for her family, and just months later it went back on the market.

Swift picked this one up in spring 2011 for $3.975 million, according to Realtor.com. Built in 1941, this feminine and gracious traditional home manages to reflect its current owner. An unidentified source told the New York Post that Swift bought this house so she wouldn’t have to stay in hotels when she was in L.A.

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart
Location: Bel Air, Calif.
Price: $5.995 million
Beds / Baths: 5 / 5
Square Footage: 4,044


The "Twilight" couple bought this house for just under $6 million.
House: Realtor.com | Couple: Jason Merritt / Getty Images
This modern house could be the ultimate fan headquarters for a die-hard Twihard. For a few months, it was rented by "Twilight" stars and real-life couple Robert Pattinson, 25, and Kristen Stewart, 21, and it went on the market around the premiere of “Twilight: Breaking Dawn” for just under $6 million, according to the listing on Realtor.com.

With its Southern California location, its fabulous views of Canyon Reservoir, its abundance of natural light and its pool and patio, it’s easier to picture buff, shirtless teen werewolves living here than pale, sparkling vampires. Whatever their reasons for choosing it, the famously private couple continue to remain mum.

Chris Colfer
Location: Los Angeles
Price: $860,000
Beds / Baths: 2 / 4
Square Footage: 2,462


Colfer of "Glee" bought this relatively modest house for $860,000.
House: Realtor.com | Colfer: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
In this collection, Chris Colfer’s Laurel Canyon house is the most like a non-celebrity’s first home. Built in 1963 with updates like a ‘90s-esque kitchen and what appear to be wood laminate floors, the house is quite modest for a star of a smash-hit TV series.

However, Colfer is just 21, so for that age group he’s doing quite well. And maybe the “Glee” star is too busy filming his show in nearby Paramount Studios to care about domestic aesthetics.

5 seriously injured when car slams into Chicago bus stop - @chicagotribune

Wasif Chudhary




5 seriously injured when car slams into Chicago bus stop - @chicagotribune

Multiple blasts reported at bus station in Nairobi, Kenya

Wasif Chudhary




Multiple blasts reported at bus station in Nairobi, Kenya

Actress Sean Young won't face charges in Oscars altercation

Wasif Chudhary





Actress Sean Young, who was arrested at an Academy Awards party, will not face charges, according to the L.A. city attorney's office.

Young was involved in a "physical altercation" and taken into custody by the person she was fighting with, police said. A security guard at the Governors Ball made the arrest.

John Franklin, a spokesman for the city attorney, cited insufficient evidence in the decision not to charge Young.

Young has demanded an apology and on Facebook said she suffered a bruised arm during the altercation with security.


"I just want everyone to know that I was sober, extremely well-behaved when a very stupid security guard went postal on me," Young wrote.

She was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor battery and released on $20,000 bail.


Young was among 10 people arrested during and after Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony, officials said.

Most of the arrests, which included misdemeanors and felonies, were for fraudulent, lapsed or nonexistent credentials, LAPD Cmdr. Andrew Smith said.

Friday 9 March 2012

Amazing video captures moment sunbathers rescue 30 beached dolphins in Brazil Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2112618/Brazil-beached-dolphins-Amazing-video-captures-moment-sunbathers-rescue-30-beached-dolphins.html#ixzz1oeEijXGl

Wasif Chudhary








Dragging them desperately by their tails, this is the dramatic moment beachgoers leapt into the sea to save around 30 dolphins from certain death.
The rescuers had been sunning themselves on the Rio de Janeiro coastline in Brazil when the dolphins appeared out of nowhere and suddenly beached en masse.
Initially stunned, the sunbathers soon realise the impending danger and race into the surf as the mammals let out piercing squeals of distress.

Terrorism:: Israel kills 2 more Palestinian in Gaza, raising day's death toll to 4 - @Reuters

Wasif Chudhary




Israel kills 2 more Palestinian in Gaza, raising day's death toll to 4 - @Reuters

Italian foreign minister demands details 'within hours' from Britain on hostage deaths in Nigeria -

Wasif Chudhary




Italian foreign minister demands details 'within hours' from Britain on hostage deaths in Nigeria -

Rahul Dravid say Good Bye to International Cricket

Wasif Chudhary






A legend cricketer of the world, Rahul Dravid says good bye to international cricket today. Rahul Dravid is a name of wall of cricket. He captained the team India in many one day and test matches.
He is a stylish and durable cricketer. The services of Rahul Dravid to international cricket and the Indian cricket could not be measured.

Thursday 8 March 2012

Cameron on failed rescue attempt of Nigeria hostages Chris McManus and Franco Lamolinara: 'I am very sorry that this ended so tragically'

Wasif Chudhary




Cameron on failed rescue attempt of Nigeria hostages Chris McManus and Franco Lamolinara: 'I am very sorry that this ended so tragically'

Cameron on Nigeria hostages: 'Early indications are clear that both men were murdered by their captors, before they could be rescued'

Wasif Chudhary




Cameron on Nigeria hostages: 'Early indications are clear that both men were murdered by their captors, before they could be rescued

Terrorism: Israeli soldiers kill Palestinian teenager in West Bank

Wasif Chudhary






Israeli forces have shot dead a Palestinian and wounded another in a village near the southern West Bank city of al-Khalil (Hebron).

Mozambique ex-rebel Renamo camp raided by police

Wasif Chudhary




A camp of about 300 armed Renamo opposition supporters in the city of Nampula in northern Mozambique has been raided, police have said.

The former rebels - who fought a bloody 16-year civil war - had been living for weeks in makeshift shelters outside party their party headquarters.

They say they were waiting for the go-ahead by their leader, Afonso Dhlakama, to stage anti-government protests.

Police say two officers were wounded and 20 arrested in the operation.

Nampula police spokesperson Inacio Dina has urged residents to stay indoors as police chase those who fled.

It is not clear what prompted the raid early on Thursday morning.

The BBC's Jose Tembe in the capital, Maputo, says the atmosphere in the city has been tense since December when the men arrived in town.


Veteran Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama has stood for president four times
Tension escalated last month when the armed Renamo men abducted a 65-year-old man, he says.

The ruling Frelimo party fought the civil war with Renamo, which was backed by the white minority government in South Africa.

Our correspondent says Mr Dhlakama, Mozambique's main opposition leader, has been warning of protests since he lost the 2009 elections to President Armando Guebuza.

No protests have taken place so far.

Official electoral results gave Mr Guebuza more than 75% of the vote, compared to 16.5% for Mr Dhlakama - the fourth time he had lost since the end of civil war in 1992.

UPDATE 1-Ivorian PM Soro, government resign

Wasif Chudhary





ABIDJAN, March 8 (Reuters) - Ivory Coast's prime minister Guillaume Soro and his cabinet resigned on Thursday, paving the way for the formation of a broader coalition government after parliamentary elections late last year.

"My election as member of parliament does not allow me to continue in the executive. After some reflection, I have decided to hand in my resignation and that of my government," Soro, surrounded by his ministers, told President Alassane Ouattara in Abidjan.

Soro's departure was expected and will allow Ouattara to keep his campaign promise of appointing a prime minister from the PDCI party of Henri Konan Bedie, which backed him in the second round of the 2010 presidential election.

Ouattara's election victory was disputed by Laurent Gbagbo, his rival who had been president since 2000 and was unwilling to surrender power.

The power struggle triggered a bloody four-month conflict which ended in April of last year with Gbagbo's capture. Soro's Forces Nouvelles rebel group and former president Bedie backed Ouattara in the standoff.

Gbagbo is currently in jail awaiting trial at the International Criminal Court in The Hague where he faces war crimes charges.

Soro, 39, has held the position of prime minister for five years, initially under a unity government that was headed by Gbagbo.

He is expected to take the helm of the national assembly - the second most powerful position in the country after the president - following his election as a member of parliament in December. (Reporting by Loucoumane Coulibaly; Writing by Bate Felix and David Lewis; Editing by Andrew Osborn)

Italy says British, Italian hostages killed by captors in Nigeria after failed attempt to free them by British, Nigerian forces

Wasif Chudhary




Italy says British, Italian hostages killed by captors in Nigeria after failed attempt to free them by British, Nigerian forces

Morgan Stanley Broker Put on Leave Amid NY Madam Probe Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/industries/2012/03/08/morgan-stanley-puts-broker-on-leave-amid-investigation-into-ny-prostitution/#ixzz1oYCQhPMe

Wasif Chudhary





Morgan Stanley (MS: 18.25, +0.37, +2.07%) has placed on administrative leave a broker whom law enforcement authorities say may have ties to a Manhattan woman at the center of an alleged prostitution ring, the FOX Business Network has learned.
The broker, David Walker, spoke with officials at Morgan Stanley yesterday and characterized his relationship with alleged “Upper East Side madam” Anna Gristina as “social” and said the two were “friends,” according to people with direct knowledge of the matter. The FOX Business Network first reported Walker's identity Wednesday.
Gristina was arrested and charged by the Manhattan district attorney’s office with running a high-end prostitution ring from her apartment on the Upper East side of Manhattan. Law enforcement officials are investigating Walker’s ties to Grsitina including whether he was working with her to create an online dating service that was part of the alleged prostitution ring.
Attorneys for Gristina have said the online dating service was legal and Walker yesterday told Morgan Stanley officials that he had no business ties to Gristina, these people say.
But Morgan Stanley legal officials decided to put Walker on administrative leave until the Manhattan district attorney’s office concludes its investigation.
A Morgan Stanley spokesman declined to comment; Walker did not return telephone calls for comment.
Walker has been a broker since 1988, working at a variety of top Wall Street firms, and joined Morgan Stanley after its purchase of the Smith Barney brokerage firm from Citigroup in 2009. His brokerage record shows only one customer complaint during that time, which the company denied.
Walker worked out of the firm's midtown Manhattan office, and person who knows Walker described his production as “above average.”
This person also said that Gristina did not have a brokerage account with Walker.

Wednesday 7 March 2012

Toyota recalls over 681,000 vehicles in U.S. market

Wasif Chudhary




(Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) said on Wednesday it is recalling more than 681,000 cars and trucks in the U.S. market to address potential problems.

The Japanese automaker said it will recall about 495,000 Tacoma pickup trucks from model years 2005 to 2009 to replace a part in the steering wheel. It is also recalling about 70,500 Camry mid-sized cars and 116,000 Venza crossover vehicles from model years 2009 to 2011 to replace a stop lamp switch.

Toyota said it is not aware of any accidents or injuries in either case.

For the Tacoma, Toyota will replace the steering wheel spiral cable assembly because friction may occur over time involving that part, which may result in the driver's side airbag being deactivated and not deploying in an accident.

For the Camry and Venza, silicon grease during assembly may lead to increased electrical resistance that can cause the vehicle not to start or the shift lever not to move from the "park" position, Toyota said.

Both fixes will take about 30 minutes, the company said. Owners of the affected Tacomas will be notified in early April, while the others will be alerted as soon as Toyota has the necessary replacement parts.

Huge Solar Flare's Magnetic Storm May Disrupt Satellites, Power Grids

Wasif Chudhary





A massive solar flare that erupted from the sun late Tuesday (March 6) is unleashing one of the most powerful solar storms in more than five years, a solar tempest that may potentially interfere with satellites in orbit and power grids when it reaches Earth.

"Space weather has gotten very interesting over the last 24 hours," Joseph Kunches, a space weather scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), told reporters today (March 7). "This was quite the Super Tuesday — you bet."

Several NASA spacecraft caught videos of the solar flare as it hurled a wave of solar plasma and charged particles, called a coronal mass ejection (CME), into space. The CME is not expected to hit Earth directly, but the cloud of charged particles could deliver a glancing blow to the planet.

Early predictions estimate that the CME will reach Earth tomorrow (March 8) at 7 a.m. EST (1200 GMT), with the effects likely lasting for 24 hours, and possibly lingering into Friday, Kunches said.

New iPad unveiled! Details on Apple’s new tablet

Wasif Chudhary




The new iPad is here. Apple unveiled a new version of its hit tablet on Wednesday, adding more power, an optional 4G internet connection, and a supersharp HD display, but keeping the overall look and feel of the previous model.
Apple CEO Tim Cook and other company execs showed the device at a media event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, Calif.
High-Resolution Retina Display
As expected, the new iPad features a screen with roughly twice the resolution of the iPad 2. The Retina display, as Apple calls it, first debuted in the iPhone 4 and quickly drew raves for its crisp, detailed images. The iPad's 2048x1536 display makes it the first Apple tablet able to show movies in full HD.
More Powerful Processor
The new device also has an A5X processor with quad-core graphics.
Speedy 4G Internet Connection
Apple is offering a 4G connection through both AT&T and Verizon on its new iPad. It's the first Apple device to feature the fast wireless radio.
Battery Life
The new device can run for 10 hours, said Apple Vice President Phil Schiller. It will last nine hours when on 4G.
Pricing
The new iPad is available in several models. A basic 16GB model costs $499. 32GB is $599 and 64GB is $699. Models with 4G connections cost $629, $729 and $829, respectively.
The demonstration is still underway, but so check back shortly for more key features of the new iPad. (Check Apple's stock price here.)
Apple TV Upgrade Also Unveiled
Apple also showed off a new version of its Apple TV device, which lets users stream audio and video from iTunes. The new device has an improved interface and supports 1080p resolution for full HD video. The price remained the same at $99.
Tablet Competition Heating up
The iPad dominates the hot tablet market, but it's facing increased competition. A report by Forrester Research estimated the iPad had 73 percent of the tablet market as of last September. But that was before Amazon's hot-selling $199 Kindle Fire debuted. The market research firm iSuppli estimates Amazon shipped 3.9 million Kindle Fires in the fourth quarter of 2011, compared with 15.4 million iPads shipped by Apple.
There are other challengers, too. Microsoft is preparing a touchscreen-friendly new version of Windows that will further blur the lines between a tablet and traditional computer. And Samsung, Asus, Toshiba, and others continue to improve tablets running the Android operating system, though none of the devices has caught fire the way the iPad has.
With a gorgeous new display and other improvements, the new iPad may be enough to keep Apple's hot streak alive.

Hamas denies it will attack Israel in any war with Iran

Wasif Chudhary




Leaders of the Palestinian Islamist movement, Hamas, say they will not help Iran militarily in any conflict between Israel and the Islamic Republic.

There is speculation in Israel that if it attacked Iran's nuclear facilities, it could face rocket fire from Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Both are long-time allies of Iran.

But Mahmoud Zahhar, a senior leader of Hamas in Gaza, denied the group would get involved and told the BBC: "We are not part of any political axis."

"If Israel attacks us we will respond. If they don't, we will not get involved in any other regional conflict," he added.

Mr Zahhar questioned Hamas's ability to offer support from the Palestinian territory to the south of Israel, even if it wanted to.

"Don't exaggerate our power. We are still suffering from the occupation, the siege and two wars in recent years," he said.

Israel tightened its blockade of Gaza in 2007 after Hamas seized control of the territory from forces loyal to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah movement.

Ideological differences
Another senior Hamas official in Gaza, who did not want to be named, also insisted that Hamas would stay out of any conflict between Israel and Iran.

"What could we realistically do anyway? If we were to attack Israel, the response would be much stronger," he said.

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I don't like the Iranians and the way they try to use their influence in the Arab world”

Unnamed Hamas official
Hamas has long relied on Iran for funding. It is estimated that tens of millions of dollars are transferred to Gaza every year.

However, the same Hamas official suggested they were not strongly aligned in their beliefs.

"Iran has been very generous with its money, but ideologically we have little in common," he said.

Although both Hamas and Iran are hostile towards Israel, which regards the Palestinian group as a terrorist organisation, Hamas supporters are Sunni Muslims while Iran has Shia Muslim majority.

This makes it much closer to Hezbollah, a Shia Islamist movement which operates in southern Lebanon.

"I don't like the Iranians and the way they try to use their influence in the Arab world," commented the Hamas official to whom I spoke.

Syria backlash
In recent months, the uprising in Syria has created tensions between Hamas and the Iranian leadership.


Hamas and its political leader, Khaled Meshaal, were based in Syria until recently
While Iran continues to back the Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, last month for the first time, Hamas publicly criticised the government in Damascus.

Speaking in Cairo, Hamas's Prime Minister in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, also commended "the brave Syrian people that are moving toward democracy and reform".

Hamas has pulled all its leadership out of Damascus, including the head of its political bureau, Khaled Meshaal.

The movement is looking for a new base.

Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and Turkey are all possibilities.

Signs of spring
"Hamas's relationship with Iran has always been one of necessity not choice," says Nasser Abdul Karim, a political economist at Birzeit University in the West Bank.

He believes the Arab Spring and the recent tremendous upheaval in the Middle East have led Hamas to rethink.

It has close links to the Muslim Brotherhood, which has become a powerful political force in post-revolutionary Egypt, controlling almost half of the seats in parliament.

Mr Abdul Karim suggests that Hamas will now look to consolidate its relationships with Egypt, Turkey and Qatar.

Qatar, one of the richest countries in the Arab world, could be a main source of revenue.

The Gulf nation has recently been pushing for a reconciliation deal between Hamas and its long-time rival faction, Fatah, which dominates the Palestinian Authority and is in power in the West Bank.

Although the figures have not been confirmed, Mr Abdul Karim claims Qatar offered up to $2bn (£1.27bn) in aid to Hamas and the PA in order to try and push the deal through.

Elizabeth Berkley

Wasif Chudhary




The "Showgirls" star is expecting her first child with husband Greg Lauren, an artist and clothing designer. The 39-year-old "Saved by the Bell" alum tweeted to her fans , "In life there are moments you cherish forever and this is one of them," adding, "Greg and I are so excited to be expecting our 1st child this summer."

Enrique Iglesias Reveals Why He Won’t Marry His Girlfriend Of 11 Years

Wasif Chudhary




They may one of the rare long-lasting and relatively low drama celebrity couples, but singer Enrique Iglesias and his girlfriend, tennis player Anna Kournikova, won't be exchanging rings any time soon, if ever.
In a recent interview with Parade, the 36-year-old Latin singer explained why he called Kournikova his "wife" at a concert in Russia last year, yet hasn't popped the big question. He told the magazine, "It was just meant to be sweet in the moment. I honestly didn't mean to confuse people. I thought it'd be easier for the audience to understand than if I said "my girl."
[Related: 17 5-Minute Marriage Makeovers]
But why not make an honest woman out of Kournikova after dating for 11 years? Iglesias admitted, "I've never really thought marriage would make a difference. Maybe it's because I come from divorced parents, but I don't think you love someone more because of a piece of paper. And nowadays, it's not taboo to have kids and not be married. What makes a difference is that you're a good parent, period."
In that case, could children be coming sooner than marriage for the superstar pair? The couple first met when Iglesias hand-picked Kournikova, then 20, to play his love interest in his incredibly steamy 2001 music video for "Escape". Since then, there have been multiple rumors of secret marriage and separation, but despite whatever really happened, the couple is still together today.

5 Things You Didn't Know About Chocolate

Wasif Chudhary






If you're like most women, you're totally smitten with chocolate. People have been obsessing over this comfort food for thousands of years (the Mayans considered cocao a cure-all and the Aztecs used it as money). And all that obsessing has yielded some pretty surprising studies--and findings. Here, five things you need to know about your favorite indulgence.

1. It Can Boost Your Workout
Skip the expensive sports drinks and protein shakes. Research shows chocolate milk is just as effective a recovery aid.

A study published in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism compared the effects of a recovery drink and chocolate milk on endurance athletes' ability to recover after a series of bike sprints followed by an endurance ride the next day. They found that chocolate milk was just as effective at relieving muscle soreness after the sprints, and preparing the athletes to perform in the endurance test the next day. Better yet, everyone preferred the taste of chocolate milk.

5 Fitness Foods for a Better Workout

2. Your Period Doesn't Make You Crave It
Half of American women experience chocolate cravings. Of those of who do, about half crave it right around "that" time of the month.

And while it's nice to have your menstrual cycle to blame when you find yourself noshing on half a package of chocolate chip cookies, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that menstrual hormones aren't the culprit. They compared the cravings of pre- and post-menopausal women and didn't find any change. They did, however, find a higher prevalence of cravings among women who suffer from PMS.

Why? Annmarie Kostyk, a chocolate expert who studied at the Professional School of Chocolate Arts, Ecole Chocolat, in Canada, says this has a lot to do with the psychology behind comfort foods. "Chocolate is sociologically considered a comfort food, and people crave comfort foods when they feel terrible," she says.

Healthy-But-Still-Yummy Comfort Food Makeovers

3. It Won't Wake You Up
It's a common misconception that chocolate is packed with caffeine, says Kostyk. In reality, the amount of caffeine in chocolate is miniscule compared to what's in your other daily pick-me-ups.

An ounce of dark chocolate contains about 20 milligrams of caffeine, while an ounce of milk chocolate contains about 5 milligrams--the same as an 8-ounce cup of decaf coffee. In comparison, a cup of coffee contains about 100 milligrams and a cup of tea contains about 50 milligrams of caffeine.

Natural Fixes for Low Energy

4. It Contains Flavonoids
Flavowhats? Flavonoids are a type of phytochemical, or plant chemical, that are found naturally in chocolate. Due to their unique chemical structures, flavonoids can exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cell-protective effects, says Giana Angelo, Ph.D., a research associate who specializes in micronutrient research at the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. Consuming foods rich in flavonoids has also been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease.

To reap the benefits, stick to dark chocolate. The average commercial dark chocolate contains about 60 percent cocao and has been found to contain 536 milligrams of flavonoids per 1.4-ounce serving. Research has shown that as few as 80 milligrams of flavonoids a day can lower blood pressure.

7 More Ways to Protect Your Ticker

5. It's Not All Bad for Your Teeth
How could a food that's long been touted as a cavity-causer actually have teeth-protecting properties? It turns out that theobromine, an organic molecule that occurs naturally in cocoa, can help strengthen tooth enamel, according to research from Tulane University.

ECP slaps disqualification on Waheeda

Wasif Chudhary



SLAMABAD: Announcing a landmark verdict on Wednesday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified Pakistan People's Party's candidate Waheeda Shah for two years and declared her election on PS-53 Tando Muhammad Khan null and void.

The ECP had earlier reserved the judgment in the much talked-about case till Wednesday.

Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Hamid Ali Mirza chaired the proceedings while Election Commission Members Justice (retd) Riaz Kayani (Punjab), Justice (retd) Fazlur Rehman, Shahzad Akbar Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Roshan Ali Essani were also part of the event.

Waheeda Shah had slapped a Presiding Officer Habiba Memon and Assistant Presiding Officer Shagufta Memon in a polling station of PS-53 Tando Muhammad Khan during by elections of last month in the presence of a DSP.

The video footage of the incident that was repeatedly played by news channels shocked the entire nation.

The issue was taken up by the ECP which announced its historic verdict today that is being hailed by all segments of the society including politicians, the civil society and human rights activists.

The Chief Justice of Pakistan also took suo motto notice of it and Waheeda Shah apologized for the shameful treatment she meted out to the officers of ECP. The case is still underway and it is yet to be seen what action the Supreme Court takes against her.

On Tuesday, Waheeda Shah did not turn up at the Election Commission Secretariat in spite of a summon served on her by the ECP. Her lawyer said his client's reaction was the result of a misunderstanding.

Ifran Shah, the DSP in whose presence Waheeda Shah slapped the polling officers in Tando Muhammad Khan was also suspended by the IG Sindh on Tuesday.

He was taken to task for taking no action and standing as a silent spectator as the incident unfolded in front of him.

Tuesday 6 March 2012

Italy summons Indian ambassador over marines' arrest

Wasif Chudhary


ROME (Reuters) - The Italian Foreign Ministry summoned the Indian ambassador Tuesday to protest over the jailing in India of two Italian marines suspected of shooting two fishermen they believed to be pirates.

The summoning of Ambassador Shri Debabrata Saha further escalated a dispute between the two countries over the incident last month. Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi said the jailing of the men was "unacceptable."

The two marines were assigned to protect the Italian merchant vessel Enrica Lexie, which was sailing off the Indian coast when they opened fire to avert what they thought was a pirate attack.

The marines, Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, handed themselves in to authorities in the southern coastal town of Kochi after the incident and were held in a police-guarded guest house before being transferred to a prison Monday.

Italy, which sent an envoy to negotiate their release, insists that India has no jurisdiction over the matter because it occurred in international waters.

It argues that, since the marines were aboard an Italian vessel, any investigation or trial should be conducted by Italy according to international law governing the high seas.

In New Delhi, the Indian foreign ministry re-stated its position that jurisdiction was theirs.

"Our views are very clear on this. The law of the land is taking its course," said spokesman Syed Akbaruddin.

Rome began assigning military teams to protect its merchant vessels in the Indian Ocean last year after a series of attacks by Somali pirates on Italian ships.

Pirates operating in small fishing vessels and fast motorboats have hijacked dozens of ships in the region in recent years, extracting millions of dollars in ransom.

Financier Stanford convicted in $7 billion fraud

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HOUSTON (AP) -- Texas tycoon R. Allen Stanford, whose financial empire once spanned the Americas, was convicted Tuesday on all but one of the 14 counts he faced for allegedly bilking investors out of more than $7 billion in massive Ponzi scheme he operated for 20 years.

Jurors reached their verdicts against Stanford during their fourth day of deliberation, finding him guilty on all charges except a single count of wire fraud.

Stanford, who was once considered one of the wealthiest people in the U.S., looked down when the verdict was read. His mother and daughters, who were in the federal courtroom in Houston, hugged one another, and one of the daughters started crying.

"We are disappointed in the outcome. We expect to appeal," Ali Fazel, one of Stanford's attorneys, said after the hearing. He said the judge's gag order on attorneys from both sides prevented him from commenting further, and prosecutors declined to comment after the hearing.

Prosecutors called Stanford a con artist who lined his pockets with investors' money to fund a string of failed businesses, pay for a lavish lifestyle that included yachts and private jets, and bribe regulators to help him hide his scheme. Stanford's attorneys told jurors the financier was a visionary entrepreneur who made money for investors and conducted legitimate business deals.

Stanford, 61, who's been jailed since his indictment in 2009, will remain incarcerated until he is sentenced.

He faces up to 20 years for the most serious charges against him, but the once high-flying businessman could spend longer than that behind bars if U.S. District Judge David Hittner orders the sentences to be served consecutively instead of concurrently.

With Stanford's conviction, a shorter, civil trial will be held with the same jury on prosecutors' efforts to seize funds from more than 30 bank accounts held by the financier or his companies around the world, including in Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Canada. The civil trial could take as little as a day.

Stanford was once considered one of the wealthiest people in the U.S. with an estimated net worth of more than $2 billion. But he had court-appointed attorneys after his assets were seized.

During the more than six-week trial, prosecutors methodically presented evidence, including testimony from ex-employees as well as emails and financial statements, they said showed Stanford orchestrated a 20-year scheme that bilked billions from investors through the sale of certificates of deposit, or CDs, from his bank on the Caribbean island nation of Antigua.

They said Stanford, whose financial empire was headquartered in Houston, lied to depositors from more than 100 countries by telling them their funds were being safely invested in stocks, bonds and other securities instead of being funneled into his businesses and personal accounts.

The prosecution's star witness - James M. Davis, the former chief financial officer for Stanford's various companies - told jurors he and Stanford worked together to falsify bank records, annual reports and other documents in order to conceal the fraud.

Stanford had wanted to testify and jurors were told he would do so, but his attorneys apparently convinced him not to take the witness stand.

Stanford's attorneys told jurors the financier was trying to consolidate his businesses to pay back investors when authorities seized his companies. Stanford's attorneys highlighted his work to build up Antigua's economy as well as his philanthropic efforts on the island. Stanford, the largest private employer on the island nation, was widely known as "Sir Allen" after being knighted by Antigua's government.

The financier's attorneys accused Davis of being behind the fraud and of lying so he could get a reduced sentence. Davis pleaded guilty to three fraud and conspiracy charges in 2009 as part of a deal he made with prosecutors.

Three other indicted former executives of Stanford's companies are to be tried in September. A former Antiguan financial regulator accused of accepting bribes from Stanford was also indicted and he awaits extradition to the U.S.

The financier's trial was delayed after he was declared incompetent in January 2011 due to an anti-anxiety drug addiction he developed in jail and he underwent treatment. He was also evaluated for any long-term effects from being injured in a September 2009 jail fight. Stanford was declared fit for trial in December.

Stanford and the former executives are also fighting a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit filed in Dallas that makes similar allegations.

Jerry Sandusky hearing date set to determine how much information prosecutors must share

Wasif Chudhary



Jerry Sandusky says he cannot answer questions as he leaves the Centre County courthouse following a hearing on several issues, including two requests: one, from the prosecution, for an out-of-county jury; the other, from the defense, for loosened bail conditions for Sandusky. JOE HERMITT, The Patriot-News
Last week, Sandusky's attorney Joe Amendola asked Cleland to force prosecutors to turn over more information they uncovered during their investigation, including times, locations and days of the weeks of the assaults prosecutors allege Sandusky committed. Amendola also wants "the identity of the individuals who were present at the location or in close proximity ... when the alleged illegal activity occurred ... ."

The state Attorney General's office responded Monday in a filing say they aren't required to turn over psychological evaluations regarding purported victims, or juvenile arrest records for someone who isn't a "charged victim" in the case.

Cleland hopes to resolve the issues in time to maintain the scheduled May 14 trial date.

Monday 5 March 2012

Romney hoping for a ‘reset’ among voters, after a long and heated primary

Wasif Chudhary




CANTON, Ohio—Mitt Romney is spending his final day before Super Tuesday traveling through eastern Ohio, a region that has been especially hard hit by job losses and housing foreclosures.
Romney aides have long argued that this kind of political landscape favors their candidate in a general election matchup against President Barack Obama. But that was before Romney got caught up in a tougher than expected Republican primary that has left all the candidates bruised and battered. And the race isn't over yet.
In recent weeks, as negative ads have dominated the airwaves, Romney's unfavorable numbers have been slowly picking up. A new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll finds that just 28 percent of likely general election voters view him favorably, while 39 percent view him unfavorably. That's a 3 point hike since January. Among independent voters, who are likely to determine the outcome of November's election, Romney's numbers are even more dismal, as just 22 percent view the former Massachusetts governor favorably.
According to the NBC/WSJ poll, at this stage in the game, Romney's image is worse than past Republican nominees, including John McCain, whose favorable rating was at 47 percent in March 2008. George W. Bush had a 43 percent approval in 2000 and Bob Dole was at 35 percent favorable in March 1996.
At the same time, Romney, who once held a slight lead over Obama in the polls, has seen this advantage slip away. According to the NBC/WSJ poll, Obama now leads Romney by 6 points, 50 percent to 44 percent.
Still, one of Romney's chief arguments on the campaign stump is that he's the strongest candidate to face Obama in November. At every stop, he talks up his private sector experience and his position as a Washington outsider.
"I look at this campaign right now, and I see a lot of folks talking about lots of things," Romney said at an appearance at a guardrail factory in Canton, Ohio. "What we need to talk about to beat President Obama is jobs. Other people in this race have debated about the economy, they've read about the economy, they've talked about it in subcommittee meetings but I've actually been in it. … And that's what we need to defeat Obama."
Privately, Romney aides fret about the impact of a protracted primary campaign that is showing no signs of wrapping up thanks to opponents who have proved they can subsist on tiny bank accounts and ad campaigns funded by super PACs.
"It's not helpful," a senior Romney aide acknowledged last week. "But what can we do beyond fight from state to state?"
With an eye on November, the Romney campaign has sought in recent days to soften the candidate's image. Over the last week, Romney has scrapped his usual routine of delivering a basic stump speech to take questions from voters—a move that has allowed him to appear more loose on the stump and has given him an opportunity to talk at length about his family and life experiences in moments that might otherwise come off as staged and phony.
And while Romney has been forced to shift his focus toward his opponents in his remarks to voters, he's also kept the focus on Obama as much as possible—frequently making references to promises the president made in speeches four years ago and talking about the president's "failed policies." Aides hope the dueling message will boost Romney's chances against Obama if he emerges as the nominee.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Eric Fehrnstrom, a senior Romney adviser, dismissed concerns the primary process could prove to be too damaging for his boss.
"When this primary is over and people have had their heads knocked in by one another, that's just the nature of a hard fought campaign," he said. "We hit the reset button and the campaign begins anew with a different opponent. We'll be able to draw sharp contrasts with the president, and the president alone, not worrying about our competition. It will be a different race at that point, and the numbers will begin again."

Gas pipeline from Egypt to Jordan and Israel blown up near Arish in Northern Sinai, witnesses say - @Reuters

Wasif Chudhary


Gas pipeline from Egypt to Jordan and Israel blown up near Arish in Northern Sinai, witnesses say - @Reuters

Police move in on protesters refusing to leave Pushkinskaya Square in Moscow after opposition rally following Putin's win

Wasif Chudhary


Police move in on protesters refusing to leave Pushkinskaya Square in Moscow after opposition rally following Putin's win

Sunday 4 March 2012

Lincoln Tomb awaits renovation after water damage

Wasif Chudhary


The Lincoln Tomb is in need of repair.

Illinois Historic Preservation Agency spokesman Dave Blanchette says the tomb will undergo $700,000 in structural repairs to fix water damage and other interior damage.

Lincoln's tomb is in Springfield's Oak Ridge Cemetery. It is the final resting place of the 16th president, his wife Mary, and three of their four sons. The tomb was dedicated in 1874.

The water damage is most visible on the ceiling of the entrance foyer.

Blanchette tells The State Journal-Register there have been problems with the roof since the tomb was dedicated.

State officials have released the $700,000 and an Indiana architectural firm is working on the project.

Renovations also will include refinishing the tomb's decorative plaster and moldings, marble wall panels and brass plaques.

Putin wins 59.3% in Russian presidential election, exit poll says

Wasif Chudhary



Putin wins 59.3% in Russian presidential election, exit poll says.

Ammo dump explodes in Congo, killing 100

Wasif Chudhary




(CNN) -- A series of explosions at an ammunition depot in Brazzaville, the capital of Africa's Republic of Congo, killed 100 people and wounded hundreds more, Congolese and U.S. officials said Sunday.
The explosions occurred shortly after 8 a.m. Sunday (2 a.m. ET) when a fire at the depot set off a cache of tank shells, said Betu Bangana, director of protocol for President Denis Sassou-Nguesso. In an appearance on the state television network Tele-Congo, Communications Minister Bienvenu Okiemy put the death toll at 100 by Sunday evening.
The blasts destroyed numerous homes in the neighborhoods surrounding the installation, Bangana said. James Jeffers, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Brazzaville, said American diplomats had seen hundreds of injured being treated in local hospitals.
The cause of the fire was not confirmed Sunday, but authorities are treating it as accidental, Bangana said.
The force of the explosions broke windows up to 5 km (3 miles) away in Kinshasa, the capital of the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo. The DRC's military responded by putting tanks and troops on the streets and the banks of the Congo River, which separates the two cities, until it became clear that no attack on the capital was under way.

Saturday 3 March 2012

If that,s humanity then I am not human

Wasif Chudhary
A person who is working and serving a businessman for more than eighteen ("18")years was working happily yesterday in his factory, he has no thoughts about the cruelty of night, he was devoted in the morning, he was enjoying his work in the afternoon but when night came his owner asked him that he dismiss him from the job because the company have no need of its services now.
Ohhhhh Alas........... what I had done wrong in my life. From where I will bring for my children. They even didn't give me a time to arrange some other source for me and my little children.
He went to his house after giving 12 hours continues service. His feelings were dead. His eyes were full of water. When he reached home in the darkness of the night he didn't tell to his children and wife. He even didn't eat his meal. He was just silent with the decision of his luck.
He didn't wake in the morning.
He was dead....

Please think for others if you are human