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THE CONTACT WEEKLY NEWSPAPER

ISSUE - 460

05 June to 11 June 2012

Luka Rocco Magnotta's extradition from Germany could take years, lawyer says OTTAWA - It could take up to two years for murder suspect Luka Rocco Magnotta to be extradited from Germany to stand trial here. More, if he decides to fight every step of the way. For those who'd like nothing more than to hear nothing more about the narcissistic Canadian who was arrested in Berlin surfing news about himself, get ready. "It's the flipside of the Karl Heinz Schreiber case," said Vancouver lawyer Gary Botting, who wrote the Canadian Extradition Law Practice.In an interview with the Star, Botting said Schreiber's 10-year battle to fight extradition from Canada to face tax evasion charges

generated "huge headlines" in Germany every time. "I think the same thing is going to happen here." The Canada-Germany Extradition Treaty was never formally ratified, but it is the guiding legal document and lays out the principles that apply, as well as a timeline of what to expect, said Botting. Under it, Canada and Germany agree to extradite individuals charged with an act that is a criminal offence in each. Germany does not extradite anyone to face the death penalty. That doesn't apply here as

Canada doesn't have the death penalty. Unlike Canada, Germany does not extradite its nationals, preferring to prosecute within Germany. Magnotta is a C a n a d i a n citizen.Canada has 45 days from Magnotta's arrest to file a formal extradition request, called a "record of the case," which triggers the judicial proceedings. Germany would then schedule an extradition hearing, possibly assigning Magnotta a lawyer if he cannot afford one. A defence lawyer may request time to become briefed, so Botting estimates it might take six

months before a hearing is held. Magnotta has 30 days after a decision of the court to appeal to the local minister of justice. He could argue he would not get a fair trial in Canada or he could argue he is not fit to stand trial, says Botting. The minister has 90 days before making a decision whether to surrender Magnotta, which can be extended for another 60 days. The suspect then has 30 days to appeal a minister's decision to surrender him to Canada to a court of appeal - a process that could take another six months "because courts are busy and lawyers have to prepare factums." Continued.... Page 3

PH: (905) 671 - 4761

Sikhs in Canada launch advocacy campaign against LaSalle Minor Soccer Association

Aneel Singh Samra

Montreal: Sikh groups have launched a campaign in Canada against a Montreal-based soccer league's decision to ban turbaned and Patkawearing Sikhs from playing soccer. United Sikhs, which is spearheading the advocacy campaign, has

also written to LaSalle Minor Soccer Association demanding withdrawal of the decision, which it says is in violation of the Canadian charter of rights. The association some weeks back had told LaSalle's Aneel Samra, 17, that he would not be Continued.... Page 4

emple Temple NRI ar or UK: $18.5 Million Hindu T arrrested ffor x Appr oved In Nor thampton Northampton Complex Appro e Comple mur dering wif urdering wife

PHAGWARA: An NRI has been arrested for allegedly poisoning his wife for “insurance money” two months back in Kapurthala district. Vijay Swan (41) was today produced before Judicial Magistrate, who remanded him in 14-day judicial custody. Sita got married to Vijay in 2001 and the couple were settled in the US. The couple came from the US to Khalyan village in Phagwara on March 18. After dinner, Sita felt uneasiness and started vomiting, SHO Shiv Kamal Singh, adding, she died before reaching the hospital. Sita’s mother Chanan Kaur alleged that Vijay had poisoned her daughter to claim insurance money of about Rs 14 crore as he was the nominee in her insurance policy, he said. On her complaint, the viscera report was sent to Forensic Science Laboratory in Kharar, he added. On Thursday, the report confirmed poisoning as the cause of death. Following which a case of murder was registered against Vijay and he was arrested, Singh said.

Hindus have welcomed the reported unanimous approval of about $18.5 million Hindu temple and high-tech community complex by Northampton (East Midlands, United Kingdom) Borough Council's planning committee on May 29. Called "Northampton Kutumbh Centre" (wider family), besides a spectacular Hindu temple, it also reportedly plans to include state-of-the-art and eco-friendly sports, recreation and leisure, education, enterprise, arts and entertainment facilities

on about 4.3 acres; providing structure for events, exhibitions, meetings, indoor and outdoor sports, clubs, crèche and nursery, housing complex for seniors, elderly daycare, library, etc.; and using solar and geo-thermal

pump technology. It reportedly plans to include a cinema to exhibit Bollywood films and will have facilities for badminton, indoor cricket, five-a-side football, etc., sports; classes in yoga, pilates, martial arts, gymnastics, reiki, dancing

and music; health workshops; vegetable gardens; etc. It will reportedly use green and organic material for roof to attract wildlife habitation. Construction will reportedly be launched next year, completing in 2014. Meanwhile, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, applauded efforts of project leaders and Northampton and surrounding community to realize this wonderful and allinclusive Hindu temple complex. Continued.... Page 4

Toronto police identify 23-year-old man arrested in Eaton Centre shooting TORONTO - Toronto police say a 23-year-old man has been arrested in the deadly weekend shooting rampage at the landmark Eaton Centre. Det. Sgt. Brian Borg says Christopher Husbands of Toronto will be charged with one count of firstdegree murder and six counts of attempted murder. Borg says Husbands - who is known to police - surrendered early this morning with

legal counsel and will appear in court this afternoon. The detective says that at the time of the shootings, Husbands was under house arrest for a previous charge, with conditions not to be outside his residence. The shooting at the shopping centre early Saturday night left one man dead, six people wounded and a pregnant woman needing hospital treatment

after she was trampled. Police said the man who died, Ahmed Hassan, 24, was believed to have gang ties, although it's not yet known if Saturday's

rampage was gangrelated. Two people remain in hospital, including a 13year-old boy from Port Hope, Ont., Continued.... Page 4


Issue # 460 (2)

THE CONTACT

05 June to 11 June 2012

Former Miss Arizona Teen USA, 18, charged with DUI After being pulled over by LA cops for doing an illegal u-turn A former beauty queen has been charged with driving under the influence after making an illegal u-turn in Hollywood on May 5. Miss Arizona Teen USA 2010 Tori Vance was pulled over by police who suspected that she may have been drinking. The 18-year-old showed signs of intoxication, and failed a roadside field sobriety test. The website reported that Vance, of Ahwatukee, Arizona, was arrested for misdemeanour DUI after she recorded a blood alcohol content of just over the legal limit of .08. She now faces two counts of DUI, carrying up to six months in jail if convicted. And she could also lose her license for a year.

Speaking out for the first time since her arrest Vance told TMZ: I’m truly sorry as my conduct was wrong and not a reflection of who I really am.’ Vance won the Miss Arizona Teen title at the age of 16, and said she will be competing for Miss California 2013, according to a ‘Tori Vance for Miss CA 2013’ Facebook page. Her arrest is the latest in a spate of ill-advised behaviour by troubled beauty queens. Last month, former Miss USA Rima Fakih was sentenced to probation and community service following her arrest in December on drunken driving charges. Fakih, who was crowned in 2010, pleaded no contest after two police tests placed her

blood alcohol content at more than twice the legal limit. In March, Miss Seattle Jean-Sun Hannah Ahn, 22, issued a public apology after she attacked the city in a Twitter rant. Ahn, who attended Arizona State University and was also a former Miss Phoenix, tweeted: Ew, I seriously am hating Seattle right now.’ Another post added: ‘Ugh can’t stand cold rainy Seattle and the annoying people.’ Then there was the case of Miss California Carrie Prejean, who was stripped of her crown in 2009 after an ongoing saga that saw her earn public ridicule for her views on gay marriage and a racy photo scandal.

Four men accused in Times Square bomb plot

A Pakistani anti-terrorism court freed on Saturday four men accused of involvement in the 2010 Times Square bomb plot, said a lawyer and family members of the men. the men were arrested in the wake of the May 2010 incident during which PakistaniAmerican Faisal Shahzad drove an SUV packed with a bomb into Times Square. The bomb produced smoke but no explosion. Lawyer Malik Imran Safdar said on Saturday that the prosecution failed to prove its case against his clients. The men were released on Saturday evening after the court in Rawalpindi, next to the capital of Islamabad, acquitted them. The father of one of the men, Humbal Akhtar, said he was ecstatic at his son’s release. ‘I have suffered a lot during these two tough years,’ said Muhammed Akhtar. ‘Finally I got justice.’ In addition to Akhtar, the court released Muhammad Shoaib Mughal, Muhammad Shahid Husain, and Faisal Abbasi. The men were picked up by Pakistani security officials in the wake of the 2010 incident, and few details of their case have emerged over the two years of their detention. They were tried by a

Pakistani anti-terrorism court, which are generally off limits to the press or other outsiders. Terrorism cases in Pakistan rarely result in convictions or prison sentences. Police often lack basic investigative skills, prosecutors lack training in terror cases and judges and witnesses are often subject to intimidation. Pakistani security officials have also been accused by human rights groups of holding suspects for months, even years without filing charges or divulging any information about their cases.Two other men arrested by Pakistan in the wake of the Times Square incident were previously released. The U.S. has long pressed Pakistan to crack down on militants within its borders, both militarily and through the courts. Meanwhile, the U.S. pushed on with its drone campaign

against the militants despite repeated Pakistani protests. An American drone fired two missiles at a motorbike in northwest Pakistan on Saturday, killing two suspected militants, Pakistani intelligence officials said. This was the fifth such strike in the country in less than two weeks.Two officials said the missiles hit targets in Dogh village near Wana, the main town in the South Waziristan tribal region, which is one of the strongholds of militant activity. Drone attacks in Pakistani tribal areas, where Afghan and other militants have found refuge, are considered a key tactic by U.S. officials in the war against al-Qaida and its Taliban supporters.But most of the Pakistani public resents the strikes, which are considered an affront to the nation’s sovereignty.

TO MARILYN, WITH LOVE : A portrait of US actress Marilyan Monroe made from 2,100 bite sized stuffed cupcakes is unveiled, in celebration of Monroe’s 86th birthday at Madame Tussauds was museum in New York.

UN chief calls for broad global talks on Syria crisis

JEDDAH: UN chief Ban Kimoon today called on for broad international talks on the rising Syrian crisis, urging Security Council members to consider Arab League demands for stronger UN action in the strifetorn country. “Our priority at this time is to help the Syrian people...I want to welcome a wider international discussion on the future course of actions,” Ban told reporters after a meeting with Organisation of Islamic Cooperation chief, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, in the Saudi port city of Jeddah. Ban said he had “taken note” of Arab League calls for more peace monitors on the ground in Syria and “setting a certain time limit” for implementing international envoy Kofi Annan’s six-point Syria peace plan. “All these are very important recommendations and I hope that these will be discussed by the Security Council members,” he said, adding that the UN and OIC will “do all what we can in close coordination...to support (Annan’s) efforts.” Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al-Thani, who heads the Arab League Syria committee said on Saturday that it was “unacceptable that massacres and bloodshed continue while (Annan’s) mission is ongoing indefinitely.” Speaking during a meeting attended by Annan in Doha, he said the Arab League “demand the UN Security Council refer (the peace plan) to Chapter VII so that the international community could assume responsibilities.”

Chapter VII outlines action the Security Council might take, including military force, in response to threats to international peace, breaches of the peace and acts of aggression. Up to 300 unarmed UN military observers have deployed in Syria since a putative ceasefire brokered by Annan went into effect in April. The plan calls for a halt to violence, daily two-hour humanitarian truce, media access to areas of fighting, the launching of a political dialogue, the right to demonstrate and the release of detainees. OIC chief Ihsanoglu, meanwhile, said that new clashes between pro- and antiSyrian regime gunmen in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli are a “dangerous development.” “Lebanon has a long history with civil war...and I hope it doesn’t slide back” into it, Ihsanoglu told reporters after his meeting with Ban. “That is why we say that the conflict and killing in Syria must stop,” he added. The violence in Tripoli has left 14 people dead and 48 wounded since Saturday, according to a security official. The talks came ahead of the second advisory meeting of the United Nations Counterterrorism Centre, established in late 2011 to support the implementation of the UN’s counter-terrorism strategies. Saudi Arabia has pledged USD 10 million over three years to support the centre.


Issue # 460 (3)

An old Swedish proverb says ‘Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow.’ Yet though most of us are comfortable enough about letting others know when we feel happy, we are often reluctant to tell anyone about why we feel sad. We don’t want to depress our friends and loved ones. Nor do we want to look as if we are seeking sympathy. Yet it is vital to be open and honest with the people who mean the most to us or to whom we would like to be closest. Be brave now and you will be emotionally rewarded! !!! Mark Twain once said, ‘If we should deal out justice only, in this world, who would escape? No, it is better to be generous - and in the end more profitable, for it gains gratitude for us, and love.’ I offer you this quote now because it seems so very relevant to the challenge you face. It is, of course, important to right a wrong and address an unacceptable situation. But it is even more important to do this lovingly and with at least some forgiveness. In a sensitive situation, you have more power than you know.

!!! ‘When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.’ Whether or not he was the first to say these words, Jimi Hendrix certainly helped them become well known. And they deserve to be widely heard because they have the potential to be so helpful to so many of us. Too often, our relationships become battles and our passions lead us closer to conflict than to comfort. Yet you can, now, know great contentment. Just give what’s in your heart now precedence over what’s in your head! !!! ‘Well-timed silence hath more eloquence than speech.’ So said the 19thcentury poet, Martin Farquhar Tupper. It’s a point worth keeping in mind now, as you look at a situation in which you don’t seem to be getting answers to pertinent questions. When people don’t reply to inquiries of any kind, it is usually because they simply do not know what to say. Don’t read too much into a silence now... but do treat it as a sign that

THE CONTACT

someone, somewhere, needs more reassurance. If you provide this, much may yet change. !!! The great Greek writer Aristotle once observed that ‘Friendship is essentially a partnership.’ The reverse is also true. Whenever two people are working together to create something, be it a business, a creative project or an arrangement for close emotional coexistence, it is their ability to appreciate each other that will determine the extent of their success. You may now fear that you are at risk of giving too much and getting little in return. But you will soon discover that more is being given back to you than you yet realise. !!! ‘Beauty of whatever kind, in its supreme development, invariably excites the sensitive soul to tears.’ So said the author, Edgar Allan Poe. You are, despite your occasional protestations to the contrary, a very sensitive soul indeed. If you’re feeling tender or vulnerable now, it is not necessarily because something is making you sad; more that you can see the true depth, value and

Luka Rocco Magnotta's extradition from Germany could take years, lawyer says Continued.... from Page 1 wanted criminals, much t h e C a n a d a - G e r m a n y

After that, says Botting, the suspect could appeal a negative ruling to the national court of G e r m a n y, the equivalent of the Supreme Court of Canada. He guessed it would be at least 18 months to 2 years "if every deadline is met" before a decision is made, more if Magnotta decides to drag it out. "Motivation is a huge factor here. He won't be motivated to come back to Canada right away n e c e s s a r i l y, " says Botting. "If he's publicityseeking, that's exactly playing into his hands. He's going to fight it every step of the way." M o r e o v e r, says Botting, extraditions are a hot topic in Europe right now, with a controversy roaring around the use of European warrants created to ease intercountry transfers of

the way Canadian provinces easily transfer suspects across provincial boundaries. Sweden and Norway almost never extradite anymore, and Germany's following suit, he said. Canada has extradited Schreiber, Holocaust denier Ernst Zundel and Walter Ebke, a resident of the Northwest Territories wanted on terrorism charges in Germany. However, Botting does not recall a recent case where Germany extradited a citizen to face justice in Canada. Justice Minister Rob Nicholson's office issued a statement Monday saying Magnotta was arrested on "an Interpol Red notice which under German law constitutes a provisional request from Canada for his extradition. Pursuant to

Treaty on extradition, Canada has to now submit a formal request for his extradition accompanied by documentation outlining the evidence supporting the request.""Officials with the International Assistance Group (IAG) are working expeditiously in conjunct ion with officials from the Attorney General of Quebec (the prosecuting authority) to prepare the materials in support of the request. Mr. Magnotta is scheduled to make a first appearance in court in Berlin tomorrow morning," said spokeswoman Julie DiMambro in an email. "Canada will continue to be advised of the progress of this matter through the German courts." (Courtesy t h e s ta r. c o m , To n d a MacCharles, Ottawa Bureau)

potential within a situation that is being taken for granted. Gently share your appreciation, and you will yet awaken a rather magical response. !!! ‘Everyone wants to be appreciated, so if you appreciate someone, don’t keep it a secret.’ So said Mary Kay Ash, whose understanding of human nature was clearly as good as her affinity for make-up. There’s something very apt about someone who worked with cosmetics saying something so deep. For nothing makes a person more attractive to others than a willingness to feel and share respect and appreciation for others. If you want to enrich your own emotional life right now, that’s all you need to remember. !!! ‘Let bravery be thy choice, but not bravado.’ So said the ancient Greek

05 June to 11 June 2012

dramatist, Menander. The distinction remains as relevant today as it did all those years ago. It is particularly apposite now, with regard to your own deepest feelings and emotions. By acting as if you cannot be hurt - or as if you have no fear or sensitivity, you will only alienate someone who would like to reach out to you. But if you allow yourself now to reach out, even at the risk of ‘rejection’ your courage will only draw you closer to someone special. !!! ‘We must combine the toughness of the serpent with the softness of the dove, a tough mind and a tender heart.’ These words come from Martin Luther King. I offer them to you now because well, I think you already know why. Often, when we fear we are vulnerable, we close up, becoming brittle and

lonely. The best balancing trick in the world is the one we perform when we keep our feelings soft and caring whilst remaining mentally alert and guarded. It may sound challenging but you can do this now - with delightful results. !!! ‘We think of ourselves as separate from the rest of the universe. This delusion that imprisons us, restricting our affection for others. Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our compassion to embrace all.’ Here, I am paraphrasing Albert Einstein, who was not just a great scientist but a profound philosopher. I offer you these words because they so neatly reflect the challenge that lies before you now. All you have to do, to feel more love and joy in your life... is to be more emotionally generous! !!!


Issue # 460 (4)

THE CONTACT

05 June to 11 June 2012

UK: $18.5 Million Hindu T emple Is this the best excuse note ever? Temple Obama gives fifth-grader presidential Comple x Appr oved In Nor thampton Complex Appro Northampton pardon for missing school Continued.... from Page 1

Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that it was important to pass on Hindu spirituality, concepts and traditions to coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society and hoped that this new temple complex would focus in this direction. He stressed that instead of running after materialism; we should focus on inner search and realization of self and work towards achieving moksh (liberation), which was the goal

of Hinduism. It is being built by Indian Hindu Welfare Organisation, a voluntary charity organization established in 1996 and focused on enriching the lives of Northampton's Hindus by meeting their social, cultural, welfare and health needs. Neelam Aggarwal is the Chairperson while Atul Karavadra is the Treasurer. Northampton, about 67 miles north-west of London, is a large market town in England on the River Nene. It has Britain's largest market square dating from 1235, its Northampton Museum and Art Gallery has a world-class

collection of historical footwear, and Diana-Princess of Wales (1961-1997) is buried at Althorp. About five percent of its population is of South Asian descent and it hosts University of Northampton. Roger Conroy and Les Marriott are Mayor and Deputy Mayor respectively of Northampton Borough Council. Each year Northampton has a public celebration of Diwali, which includes procession around town center lead by dhol drums, workshops and performances in Market Square, henna painting, sari-tying, etc.

Toronto police identify 23-year-old man arrested in Eaton Centre shooting Continued.... from Page 1

who had been enjoying an afternoon going to a movie with his mom and older sister when they got caught up in the bloody food-court mayhem. A relative of Connor Stevenson says doctors have removed a piece of the boy's skull to relieve swelling and are keeping him in an induced coma. The Eaton Centre re-opened today with a spokeswoman saying they want to resume normal business

operations as quickly as possible. Retailers say they felt reassured a suspect had turned himself in and was in custody but were not particularly concerned about coming to work. Additional coverage: The 13-year-old victim from the Eaton Centre shooting is in fair condition. In response to the large volume of media requests, Connor Stevenson's parents are releasing the following statement: "We want to extend our deepest

appreciation and gratitude for the public's concern and well wishes. EMS and the medical team at SickKids acted quickly to save Connor's life. After complicated neurosurgery, we are happy to say that he is doing well, all things considered; he is alert and talking. It will be a long healing process, but we are optimistic that he will recover. We thank you for your support and we also ask for our privacy at this time."

Barack Obama gave a fifthgrader the perfect excuse for missing a day of school on Friday – a signed note explaining the boy’s absence. Tyler Sullivan, from Rochester, Minnesota, was at the Honeywell factory in Golden Valley where his veteran father, Ryan Sullivan, introduced the President of the United States on to the stage. ‘I was sitting in the front row,’ the 11-year-old told NBC. ‘I was pretty excited.’ But Tyler had even more reason to be bowled over when he had the opportunity of meeting Obama and shaking his hand. ‘I said, “Hi President,”’ Tyler told the

network. ‘And then he started asking me questions and he was like, “Oh, you must be out of school then?”’ The President then reached for a pad of paper and a pen from the White House and proceeded to write the schoolboy an excuse note, complete with a presidential signature.‘Mr. Ackerson, Please Excuse Tyler... he was with me! Barack Obama,’ the President wrote. ‘I was like. really?’ said Tyler. ‘I kind of want to brag at school and say “look what I got!”’ Tyler has now framed the note, which he hopes will be accepted by his teacher when he returns to school on Monday.

Sikhs in Canada launch advocacy campaign against LaSalle Minor Soccer Association Continued.... from Page 1

allowed to play house league soccer in Canada if he insisted on wearing a turban. Several other Sikh players in the area were also told the same thing. We have written to the association president and asked him to lift the ban on wearing religious headgear," said Sukhwinder Singh, director

of United Sikhs, Canada.It's for the first time that a Canadian soccer league has excluded players for wearing a turban. "We have also made it clear to the president that this decision goes against the basic principles of human rights and is hence a violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights," he said.


Issue # 460 (5)

THE CONTACT

05 June to 11 June 2012

Prof. Darshan Bains ... " The Way I knew him!" By: Harry Dhaliwal We had known each other for a long time but never had a chance to interact directly till about two years ago, when I went to attend a Kalam (Pen) Foundation’s meeting with one of my friends. After attending a few meetings of the Kalam Foundation and some tête-à-têtes for various reasons (not important in the present context), we understood each other very well. Our friendship grew at a very rapid pace and matured in a very short period of time.

THE CONTACT STAFF: EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sunny Bains Hon. President : Dr. (Prof.) Darshan Singh Executive Editor: Hon. Kanwaljit Kaur Foreign Editor: Syed Asif Shahkar (Sweden) Sr. Assistant Editor: Prempal Bajwa Marketing Executive Vinny Bains 647-887-4971 Special Correspondents: Zahid Iqbal, Gujranwala (Pakistan) 011-92-345-6625925 Balkar Chatha France Financial Advisor : Sarabjit Singh Sagoo Photographer: Sandeep Brar 647 294 4948 Head Office: 2-7015 TRANMERE DRIVE, MISSISSAUGA ONTARIO CANADA L5S 1T7 For Advertisement : Call Kanwaljit 416-899-2548 Tel: 905-671-4761 TOLL FREE: 1-888-371-2548 FAX: 905-671-4766 EMAIL: AJITWEEKLY@ YAHOO.COM INFO@AJITWEEKLY.COM The Contact Weekly and people associated with it are not responsible for any claims made by the advertisers and don’t endorse any product or services advertised in the Contact Weekly. Please consult your lawyer before buying/hiring/contracting through the ads published in the newspaper. The Contact Weekly is in the business of selling space and claims made by the advertisers are not tested / confirmed by an independent source.

It is important to mention here that I had been in the eye care business for almost 24 years and remained very active in the political and public life. Dr. Darshan Singh Bains is one of the very few, if not the only one, who has never called me for an advertisement and has never asked for any money for putting the political news or views in his newspapers. Neither did he ever try to coerce money from me by threatening that if I did not patronize his publications, he would write against me – a common practice among the community newspapers. I make this statement because others have done this to me in the past, but I never gave in to that pressure in my life. Prof. Bains once said it to my face that he liked my courage to stand up for the truth. And this was the true base of our friendship. Although we started interacting directly very late in our lives, we kept observing each other. We made a tacit agreement to help each other in worthy causes such as helping the society, guiding the youth, promoting the Punjabi language and culture, etc. Now looking back at the development of my relationship with Dr. Bains, I believe there was some higher power which was forcing us to know each other faster because that power knew that one us does not have much time to go through the normal course. I don’t wish to get into the details of what we did for each other, but we were immensely proud of each other’s work. We always looked forward to meeting with each other and had good intellectual discussions on many topics - Punjab and Punjabiat in particular but otherwise in general. He loved my style and habit of dropping in whenever I was passing by his office on Derry Rd. As soon as I entered his office building and asked for him, over hearing my voice, he would start walking towards the lobby. Most of the time, I found him greeting me on my side of the desk rather than behind the desk in his chair. That always reflected his willingness to meet with me every time I went to his office. I did that quite often, and he would ask one of his staff to fetch tea... before even asking me in his own soft style, “Chah tan phir lovogay hee na?” After the tea came on the table, he would ask for the DABBA mathiayee walla and namkeen wala. We would sit together at

least for an hour, if not for hours. He was the very first journalist with whom I shared my appointment as a Canadian Citizenship Judge. He wanted to host a special function for me to honor me, but I begged him out of it. Still, the day I came back from Ottawa after my formal oath, he asked me to come to a function where he honored me with his kind words and a plaque for whatever he thought of me and my work. I can never forget the feeling he showed in that act of appreciation. Every one needs to understand here that it is the gentleness of his thoughts that is forcing me to talk about this incident and not my appointment or worldly achievements. Then on my Robing ( Induction) Ceremony, his were the only newspapers (Ajit & The Contact) that published a big article in all the editions throughout North America. From this article about 8 or 9 big newspapers picked up the story and published it all over Punjab. I would like to think here that AJIT weekly was the only paper that considered this as a role model story and thought that it would encourage others within the community to do the right thing and stand up for the right reasons. My brother and I met him on the 28th March, and he was coughing a lot. We spent quite a bit of time with him in his office that day. My brother, being an Oncologist, talked to him about his cancer checks and a whole lot of other diagnostic stuff. I remember my brother asking him if he had his cough checked up thoroughly. I also remember Dr. Bains saying, “oh, no, no… it is nothing, just regular stuff”. After coming out of his office saying, which i now know was our final, good bye my brother said to me, “He seems to be a very nice man, but he did not look well to me.” After that I got busy with my training, but someone on his behalf, or probably he himself, kept on giving me the coverage in different newspapers throughout North America. In my heart, I had a very feelable urge to meet with him since the 12th or 13th April onward. I made a few pit stops at his office and had a great chat with his staff about life and other things, but no

one ever told me about the severity of his condition. I did not have any family relations with him, so even after having the overwhelming urge, I did not want to go to his house unless someone from his office or family asked me to do so. This was just out of respect for a good friend’s privacy. But deep down, I knew after my first visit to his office when I did not see him there that something was not right. And my fear and doubt turned into an ugly reality on the morning of the 19th May, 2012 when Ajaib Singh Chatha posted about Prof. Bains’ demise on the Facebook. For many days, I did not want to speak to anyone about him because I wanted to mourn his death in my own way... the only person I spoke to was Mr Chatha and only to get information about his final rites. I wanted to remember him the way I used to see him in his office; getting off his chair to welcome me and then coming out to the door to see me off. To be very honest, I feel he is even closer to me now than he was ever in his living life because now I can think of him anytime, as he is always with me in spirit. Prior to this, he had limitations of being stuffed in his physical body. After his passing away, everytime I pass by his office, I feel a very gentle, genuine, pleasurable Wrench Grip (his trademark handshake) and pull of his memory in my heart. I lost my father almost 3.5 years ago, so I know what his family must be going through. Keeping in mind all that I have gone through, I am sure that time will do its magic and make his family members realize that he is not gone anywhere but went even deeper inside them. Their unfadable memories! This is written with just one intention: Remembering my brother, Dr. Darshan Singh Bains, whom I lovingly called ‘veer ji.’ To His Family: This Mourning will end with God’s grace, and then the real celebration of his good successful life shall begin... May God give you all you need to go through this with hope in your hearts. Amen! ####

The Legacy of Dr. Darshan Bains! I am still having hard time to believe that Dr. (Prof.) Darshan Singh Ji has been taken away from us by the invisible merciless hand of death. A good man’s passing away creates a big wound in the hearts of the loved ones, family and friends that takes a long time to heal. The whole community feels a sense of loss, as we all are feeling now. Prof. Darshan Singh was like a big brother to me. He was already a senior professor at Daroli Kalan college when I joined there as a lecturer in Biology. Time passed, and we all got busy in our families and daily lives… moved to different countries until Prof. Sahib started a newspaper (Ajit Weekly) that became the voice of Punjabis all over North America and other places. In 2008 I was invited by Kalakar Lekhak Munch (KALAM) and had the honor of meeting Bhaji (brother) Darshan Singh

and his family after so many years. It was the same big brother love and respect

given to me not only by Bhaji but also by Continued.... Page 6


Issue # 460 (6)

THE CONTACT

‘I’d have already buried my daughter if it wasn’t for Ruby’

05 June to 11 June 2012

Dilapidated home of infamous ‘mole man’

The incr edib le story of 3-y ear -old dia betic incredib edible 3-year ear-old diabetic gir ept aliv eb y her de voted dog ke alive by dev girll k For three-year-old Faith Wilson who suffers from a severe and rare form of infant diabetes, she wouldn’t be alive today if it weren’t for her dog Ruby. Ruby, a golden Labrador in East Texas who’s trained to detect by smell low blood sugar levels, has on countless times according to Faith’s mother saved her life. ‘It’s a very difficult disease to manage and I always tell people, basically it’s organ failure and you have to live your life on life support,’ Mrs Wilson said. At a cost of $10,000, diabetic alert dog’s don’t come easy, however. Faith’s mom says they

have church and community donations to thank for Ruby’s affordability. ‘I can’t imagine life without Ruby. I know if it weren’t for her I would have already buried my child,’ Mrs Wilson said, he voice breaking. ‘It’s a very researched, very scientific breeding to

produce the quality of dog we’re looking for,’ Rachel Thornton, director of service programmes at Wildrose Kennels in Mississippi, where Ruby came from, told KLTV. ‘We breed for scent ability and temperament, and it yields a dog that has done very well as a diabetic alert dog,’

she said. According to ABC, right before a diabetic may suffer a seizure or other harm due to blood sugar levels, their metabolism changes. That change releases a subtle scent recognizable to dogs trained like Ruby. It’s a smell similar to nail polish removed. When this happens, Ruby knows to look for a specific type of toy and bring it to her owner, notifying Faith’s mother that it’s time to check her daughter’s blood sugar levels. ‘I can’t even put into words what that dog has meant for our family,’ she said while cradling her sleeping daughter, tears forming in her eyes.

From Hindu temple to Hollywood hairdo How thousands of Indian women have their heads shaved to please the gods... The heat is damp and stifling, the sound that fills the air at once distinctive and surreal. Hundreds of cutthroat razors are at work, scraping rapidly, in a hall packed with girls and women, like so many sheep at a shearing. Thick, dark clumps of hair flop down into baskets at their side until, just seconds later, the former owners look round, blinking and completely bald. This is the Hindu temple of Tirumala Venkateswara on the coastal state of Andhra Pradesh where, every day, thousands of Indian women – and a few men – offer up their hair as a gift to Lord Venkateswara, the presiding deity. It is also the starting place and principal provider for an astonishing industry, one that has seduced celebrities in Europe and America, and those rich enough to follow them. The

ceremony and the sale of hair is not limited to this one holy site, but Tirumala Venkateswara attracts tens of thousands of pilgrims in a single day and is by far the dominant temple in the trade.

trade in human hair is booming. Temple hair, as it is known, has already found its way to hundreds of British salons, where it is sold in the form of real hair extensions costing up to £3,000 a time. One leading manufacturer boasts that horde of celebrities, including Mischa Barton, Eva Longoria and Frankie Sandford of The Saturdays, have used its products. To fans of extensions, the appeal of human hair is obvious: it both looks and feels better than the

synthetic additions made famous by stars such as Jordan and Britney Spears. Moreover, the quality of Indian hair, which is strong and has for the most part never been subjected to Western shampoos, is known to be unusually good. It is safe to say that the temple makes millions from the piles of thick black locks. Yet the women who once possessed the hair – many of them peasants – receive not a penny, donating their hair, instead, as a religious sacrifice. The shaving

The Legacy of Dr. Darshan Bains! Continued.... from Page 5

the whole family. I also had a chance to release Sunny’s book “Rooh di Khurak” (My Struggle To Become A Human) and was very much impressed by his philosophical, truth-seeking and rational writing at such a young age. Bhabi ji, Kanwaljit, I don’t know how I can tell you to have courage and strength to accept the cruelty of fate that struck so suddenly. Sunny and Vinny, losing your father

so abruptly must have been heart wrenching. Please accept my heartfelt condolences. Only thing we know is that death is an appointment that we cannot miss, but we never know the time of that appointment. Great men leave behind a legacy of the lives they lived that becomes a guiding light for so many others. And I know, Bhaji Darshan Singh was one of those celebrated people who lived a remarkable life as

a great father, husband, teacher, friend and a statesman. I would like to share some of the pictures having the honor of being in Dr. (Prof.) Darshan Singh’s presence when I visited Mississauga in 2008. I was humbled by the honor they gave me. My deepest sympathy to the family and Shardanjali to Prof. Darshan Singh Ji Respectfully, Amarjit K Pannu 2625 Carmelita way, Pinole, CA 94564

The house where the infamous ‘Hackney Mole Man’ constructed an elaborate labyrinth of tunnels underneath his London home is going under the hammer. Eccentric William Lyttle, a retired civil engineer, spent 40 years digging 60 footlong passages below his property. Now the house in east London’s Hackney area is expected to fetch around £750,000 when it goes up for auction next month. Planning permission to knock the house down and replace it with two town houses with basements has now been granted. Lyttle died at the age of 79 two years ago, leaving a £408,000 bill for his four decade long underground campaign. He was evicted from the house in 2006 ‘for his own safety’ after Hackney Council discovered his

exploits. They found skiploads of junk including the wrecks of four Renault 4 cars, a boat, scrap metal, old baths, fridges and dozens of TV sets stashed in the tunnels. Mr Lyttle was then put up in a hotel for three years, at a cost to the taxpayer £45,000, before being rehoused in a nearby council-owned property. Towards the end of his life the reclusive pensioner battled to keep his mole tunnels preserved, but after his death council workers filled in the tunnels with concrete for safety reasons. The building went on sale last year for around £500,000 but no deal resulted. ‘Putting the property up for auction is the best option to achieve the maximum property price’ said Sean King of estate agent Move with Us.


Issue # 460 (7)

THE CONTACT

05 June to 11 June 2012

Obama ordered cyber-attacks Pills throwing nurse on Iran's nuclear programme suspended in UK But created a super-virus that is now 'out of control' Barack Obama secretly stepped up a viral war on Iran's nuclear programme by creating a virus that has now escaped into the rest of the internet. Obama accelerated the attacks which began under the previous Bush administration and were code-named Olympic Games. One of the computer viruses, Stuxnet, accidentally became public in the summer of 2010 after getting out of Iran's Natanz nuclear plant. The error sent the damaging programme, reportedly developed by the U.S. and Israeli governments, around the world on the internet. Computer security experts began studying the government developed worm and named it Stuxnet. After the 'escape' Obama and senior White House officials urgently met to discuss if their high tech attempt to slow the progress of Iran's nuclear efforts had been fatally compromised. Not only did it pose a threat to computers outside Iran, it also undermined Obama's political attacks on other old enemies, such as China, for launching cyber-raids on the US. 'Should we shut this thing down?' he asked two years ago, according accounts given to the New York Times by members of the president's

national security team. But the U.S. decided the cyber-attacks should continue and in the following weeks, the Iranian Natanz plant was hit by a newer version of the computer worm, and then another after that. The last of that series of attacks took place a few weeks after Stuxnet was detected around the world, according the New York Times. The worm was designed to break the Iranian nuclear centrifuge equipment by issuing commands to the hardware responsible for their spin rate. Both Governments hoped to set back Iran's research programme and the U.S. also hoped to keep Israel from launching a pre-emptive military attack. The code was

Woman admits hacking lover's penis in Australia SYDNEY: A woman on Friday pleaded guilty to killing her former lover in Sydney by spiking his food with sleeping pills then stabbing him in the groin and attempting to cut off his penis. Jian Chen, 47, was originally charged with murder but the NSW Supreme Court accepted her guilty plea to the less serious offence of manslaughter.According to a statement of facts before the court, reported by Australian media, police said the man, Xian Peng, 48, returned to Australia from China in

February 2011 with his new girlfriend.Police said that days later, Jian used pills to spike the soup she gave him at her home and when he was asleep, tied his hands and feet and stabbed him a number of times in the neck and groin, before hacking at his penis."An attempt to castrate him had taken place," said the statement of facts."The victim also had lacerations to the left side of his groin and his penis had been scalped." She was remanded in custody until sentencing in August.

Brazil burns mystery panties found in Congress SAO PAULO: A pair of women's underwear that fell out of a Brazilian legislator's briefcase on the floor of Congress two weeks ago has been incinerated after no one stepped forward to claim them, O Globo newspaper reported on Thursday. A group of five legislators was rushing into the Chamber of Deputies to vote on a cybercrimes-related bill on the evening of May 15 when one of them apparently dropped the offending red and white panties, O Globo said. Security guards quickly, but discreetly, swooped in to pick up the panties and turn them over to the chamber's lost and found office. O Globo said security staff then decided to incinerate the underwear late on Wednesday - shortly after a story about the incident first appeared online, and went viral on Brazilian social media. Legislators told O Globo they were aware of the incident, but sought to play it down. "It must have been a trick they played on somebody," said Marco Maia, the ruling Workers Party's leader in the chamber.

only supposed to work within Iran's Natanz refining facility, which was protected from outside networks and hard to penetrate, according to the Ars Technica website. Computers and memory cards could be carried between the public internet and the private Natanz network offering a way in for the cyber attack. A preliminary bit of code was used to map out all the network connections within the plant and report them back to the U.S. That program, first authorized by George W. Bush, provided a digital map of Natanz and its industrial control hardware. U.S. labs then began testing different bits of the plan to sabotage Natanz using similar centrifuges that had come from Libya. When the coders found the right sets of commands to literally shake the centrifuges apart, they knew that Stuxnet could work. When Obama came to office, he continued the program which had disabled bits of the Natanz plant even while telling controllers everything was normal. But in 2010, Stuxnet escaped, probably on someone's laptop according to Ars Technica and did what it was designed not to do - spread in public.

LONDON: An Indian-origin nurse, who was so wary of germs and infection from patients that she often threw tablets into the mouths of patients from a distance, was today suspended for 12 months. Sarita Mittal, 46, lobbed pills into patients' mouths as if she was playing darts because they were "dirty," a hearing of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) was told. Mittal worked at the Poplars Nursing Home in Smethwick, Birmingham. The Council, which suspended her for 12 months in a ruling issued today, was told during the hearing that some of the patients were left spluttering on their medication and care assistants had to stop them choking. Residents at the home suffered from a range of conditions, including cancer, Parkinson's disease and motor neurone disease. The chair of the Council's panel hearing the case, Sheila Hewitt, said: "On many occasions, sometimes with vulnerable patients Ms Mittal administered medication by throwing it with her hand into

the mouths of patients, saying that she was doing so because her fear of germs from the

patients." She added: "Ms Mittal would ask residents to open their mouths, standing at a distance of two-and-a-half to three feet away from them, and when they did this, she would throw the medication into their mouths." She said the panel was satisfied that the witnesses had given reliable and truthful accounts of what they saw. Mittal now denies the allegations, but the panel noted that she did not do so during the internal disciplinary hearing in 2007. The NMC was also told that Mittal set up a makeshift bed behind reception, and sometimes slept for more than half of her ten-hour night shift. She was once caught sleeping on the job when manager Gillian Williams visited the home at 4am.

Accused mother's tattoo tribute to dead children revealed

As she and father of 17 re-appear in court for murder of six kids in arson attack Mick Philpott and wife Mairead stood side by side in the dock for the second day in a row today accused of killing their six children in an arson attack. People in the public gallery shouted 'fake tears' and 'scum' during the hearing at Nottingham Crown Court. Another man walked out half way through the hearing and said 'disgrace' with his arms out and fingers pointing towards the couple. And once again, Mairead wore a vest top which exposed the heartbreaking tattoo or intertwining roses which bears her late children's names. The judge, The Honourable Mr Justice Charles Haddon-Cave, remanded the pair into custody after a short hearing. The couple are charged with murder following the house fire which ripped through their home in Allenton, Derby, on May 11. Their children Jade, 10, and brothers John, nine, Jack, seven, Jesse, six, and Jayden, five, all died in the fire, and a sixth sibling Duwayne, 13, died of his injuries in Birmingham Children's Hospital two days later. No applications for bail were made today and a date was set for the

case to be heard again. Mr Philpott, who wore a white sports vest top, stared down at the floor in the dock while Mrs Philpott,

who wore a blue sweater and her red hair loose, appeared tearful. Yesterday, as they made their first court appearance, they were branded 'scum' and 'b******s' by a woman screaming abuse from the public gallery. Then they were led handcuffed to the cells and remanded in custody as detectives continued to piece together how and why the youngsters came to die at their home. Mairead, 31, had the names of her children tattooed on her right arm as she stood in the dock in a sleeveless white summer dress. Mick Philpott, 55, shook his head from side to side when the charges were

read. He leaned forward to blow a kiss to one of his relatives and mouthed an obscenity at detectives before leaving the court. Three weeks ago he had been hailed as a hero credited with 'valiant' attempts to save the children as fire swept through the three-bedroom council house. Back in May 2003, when the couple married in a church near Derby, with four-year-old Duwayne as a pageboy and baby Jade as a bridesmaid, family and friends gathered to join the celebration. Yesterday some of those same people were among 21 who filed solemnly into Court One at Southern Derbyshire magistrates court to see the pair face accusations of murder. Yesterday the hearing the first time the couple have been brought to court since being charged - began with the sound of footsteps and the rattle of chains as a door swung open into the dock. Mick Philpott walked in first. He wore tracksuit trousers and a sleeveless grey vest that showed off the tattoos on otherwise bare arms. A small, slight, man, he was dwarfed by the security guard to whom he was handcuffed.


Issue # 460 (8)

THE CONTACT

05 June to 11 June 2012

Online porn drove boy of 12 to rape girl, 9 He wanted to 'feel grown up' after viewing explicit images A boy of 12 who raped a nineyear-old girl after watching hardcore pornography online was spared jail yesterday as his lawyer warned of a generation of children growing up with a 'skewed view' on sex. The schoolboy, who is now 14, told police he had raped the little girl because he wanted to 'feel grown up' after watching porn online. In a disturbing case that has raised fresh concerns about the sexualisation of children, the teenager had unrestricted access to the web and was able to freely look at sexually explicit material. He then 'emulated' the graphic footage and attacked a

neighbour's daughter, the High Court in Edinburgh heard. Yesterday his lawyer warned the case was just the 'tip of the iceberg' and many other cases were going unreported. The Daily Mail has campaigned for an automatic block on online porn, calling for a consultation on the introduction of content filtering systems for internet accounts. Sean Templeton, defending the boy, said: 'There is a real risk that young people are growing up with a skewed view of what sex is and sexual activity. 'This was an emulation of an adult act witnessed by him at this young age. He was afforded unfettered

access to the internet and it has become apparent from a very young age, the age of 12, he was accessing hard-core pornography.' Mr Templeton said it was a great concern that children may be getting their sex education through internet pornography. He warned: 'This is the tip of the iceberg. Many, many cases throughout the country may not be identified, not reported, not coming to anyone's attention.' The shocking case, on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, only came to light when the young victim felt ill and told her mother she feared there was 'a baby in my tummy'. Asked if something

had happened to her, she became hysterical before revealing what the boy had done. Police discovered the girl had been sexually assaulted a number of times in a shed in the garden of her home between December 1, 2010 and January 31 2011. The boy, who lived next door, also abused the girl in his bedroom in front of a 12-year-old friend. When he was interviewed by police the boy pointed out the sites he had viewed and when asked why he had copied them, he answered 'temptation' and 'to feel grown up'. He was later placed in a secure unit hundreds of miles away. Earlier this month

the teenager stood shaking in the dock as he pleaded guilty to one charge of rape and two of sexual assault. The extraordinary case was heard in a closed courtroom with only relatives of the children and care workers present.

Would you barcode your baby? Internet trolls target Britain's fattest teenager

U.S. companies developing implants which would make surveillance easier Barcodes and microchips could be found on nearly everything these days, but could humans be next? American science fiction author Elizabeth Moon raised a few eyebrows last week when she revived the debate about whether it could be beneficial to place barcodes on babies at birth during an interview on a BBC radio program. 'I would insist on every individual having a unique ID permanently attached - a barcode if you will - an implanted chip to provide an easy, fast inexpensive way to identify individuals,' she said on a weekly show called The Forum, according to the New York Daily News. According to Moon, aged 67, the tools that are currently used for the purposes of surveillance and identification, such as video cameras and DNA testing, are too slow and expensive. Placing a barcode on each person at birth, in her opinion, would solve these problems. While the technology is already in place, civil liberties advocates have decried past efforts to make 'barcoding' a reality, claiming that it would create an Orwellian society devoid of privacy where 'Big Brother' is always watching. 'To have a record of everywhere you go and everything you do would be a frightening thing,' Jay

Stanley, senior policy analyst at the American Civil Liberties Union, told the New York Daily News. Even without the b a r c o d e s , governments have an ever-expanding array of tools at their disposal to track people. Since 2006, new U.S. passports include radio f r e q u e n c y identification tags (RFID) that store all the information in the passport, as well as a digital picture of the owner. In 2002, an implantable ID chip called VeriChip was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. When scanned, the chip could pull up a 16-digit number containing information about the user. The program was scrapped in 2010 amid concerns about privacy and safety, but other companies have since come forward, offering similar products. The biotech company MicroCHIPS has developed an implantable chip to deliver medicine to people on schedule and without injection, while the technology company BIOPTid has patented a noninvasive method of identification called the 'human barcode.' Advocates of futuristic identification methods say the barcode could help parents or caregivers keep track of children and the elderly.

Bombarding her Facebook page with cruel jokes as she lies in hospital bed Britain's fattest teenager is being tormented by sick internet trolls who say they wish she was dead as she is treated in hospital. Georgia Davis, 19, was yesterday forced to delete her Facebook page after she was targeted by cyberbullies who taunted her for weighing 63 stone. Friends say she is upset after being bombarded with sick jokes and cruel remarks since being rushed to hospital for complications brought on by obesity. Miss Davis - who spent hours on Facebook while housebound due to her size was yesterday stable in hospital as doctors tried to treat her obesity. As well as having her personal account abused the teenager also had to contend with one troll creating a new Facebook page called RIP Georgia Davis - which has since been taken down. The page said: 'You are just a big lazy girl who loves cake - you are a fat waste of space and I hope you

die soon. 'You fat blob, you are adding millions of pounds to the tax payers bill. If I had my way I would wipe that fat grin off your face by making you pay us back.' Another anonymous commenter said: 'Why don't you just stop eating so much you fat fool. 'You are just a big lazy girl who loves cake - you are a fat waste of space and I hope you die soon.' Miss Davis had to be cut free from her home in Aberdare, South Wales, in a rescue operation after she became too heavy to leave her bedroom. Around 40 people were tasked with taking down two walls and building a ramp so she could be stretchered to nearby Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil. She was yesterday described as stable in hospital as doctors put her on a strict diet to tackle her health problems - including diabetes, kidney failure, spinal and skin problems. But as she lay in bed recovering, trolls set

up the fake Facebook tribute page. It was reported to the site by her friends and has now been removed. One message on it read: '63-stone teen dies in hospital - as she hears McDonalds are banning her.' And cyberbullies also took to the networking site Twitter to post vile jokes about her weight. One said: 'Georgia Davis was asked what was her favourite instrument in school? 'She said the dinner bell.'

Free diver breaks world record by holding his breath underwater 22:22 minutes A German 'free diver' has apparently entered the Guinness World Records by holding his breath under water for more than 20 minutes. Tom Sietas, 35, competed with former record holder, Brazilian Ricardo Bahia, to set the new record by not inhaling for 22:22 minutes. The extraordinary feat is thought to have been completed in China in a pair of tanks next to one another over

the weekend. Bahia's previous record was 20:21 minutes. To help competitors with the task when they were first plunged into the water it was 5째C but as the challenge continued that rose to just shy of 40째C. Sietas has broken his own records on multiple occasions for the event, officially known as static apnea, since he first started doing it in 2000. But he has also earned several records for 'dynamic

apnea' - swimming as far as possible under water without breathing. Sietas has said in the past that he does not eat for five hours before carrying out the stunts to slow his metabolism. He then fills his lungs with as much pure oxygen as he can, but even without that he once held the record for static apnea without pure oxygen first, holding his breath for 10:12mins.


Issue # 460 (9)

05 June to 11 June 2012

THE CONTACT

Excess exercise 'hurts the heart' and cause How to lose weight dangerous long-term harm, say scientists and stay slim Extreme exercise such as marathons may permanently damage the heart and trigger rhythm abnormalities, warn researchers. They say the safe 'upper limit' for heart health is a maximum of an hour a day - after which there is little benefit to the individual. A review of research evidence by US physicians says intensive training schedules and extreme endurance competitions can cause long-term harm to people's hearts. Activities such as marathons, iron man distance triathlons, and very long distance bicycle races may cause structural changes to the heart and large arteries, leading to lasting injury. Lead author Dr James O'Keefe, of Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City, said exercise was generally beneficial for health but could tip into becoming harmful when taken to excessive lengths. He said 'Physical exercise, though not a drug, possesses many traits of a powerful pharmacologic agent. A routine of daily physical activity can be highly effective for prevention and treatment of many diseases,

including coronary heart disease, hypertension, heart failure, and obesity. However, as with any pharmacologic agent, a safe upper dose limit potentially exists, beyond which the adverse effects of physical exercise, such as musculoskeletal trauma and cardiovascular stress, may outweigh its benefits.' A review published in the medical journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings (must credit) looked at studies detailing the mechanisms, pathophysiology, and clinical manifestations of cardiovascular injury from excessive endurance exercise. Dr O'Keefe and colleagues said research suggests that extreme endurance training can cause transient structural cardiovascular changes and elevations of cardiac biomarkers, all of which

return to normal within one week. But for some individuals, over months and years of repetitive injury, this process can lead to the development of patchy scarring of certain areas of the heart, and abnormal heart rhythms. In one study, approximately 12 per cent of apparently healthy marathon runners showed evidence for patchy myocardial scarring, and the coronary heart disease event rate during a two-year follow up was significantly higher in marathon runners than in runners not doing marathons. The review said it had been known that elite-level athletes commonly develop abnormal electrocardiogram readings.However, studies now show that changes to the heart triggered by excessive exercise can lead to rhythm abnormalities.

Buy a mango and eat it all MANGOES could help you lose weight and stay slim - but only if you eat the skin you would normally throw away, a study suggests. In tests, extracts from mango skin appeared to 'inhibit the development of human fat cells'. The secret is in phytochemicals that act as natural fat busters and are found only on the outside of the fruit, according to researchers in Australia. Professor Mike Gidley, of the University of Queensland, said: 'We know mangoes have many excellent nutritional properties but more work needs to be done to understand the complex natural compounds found in these and other fruits. 'This research reminds us that we should be looking at the whole fruit when considering how to

take advantage of natural goodness.' The study could lead to the development of a supplement to fight obesity. It is the second time in a week that A u s t r a l i a n researchers have published findings which could help people lose w e i g h t . Researchers at Northwestern University's Feinberg School Of Medicine found that simply removing yourself from the couch will make you eat less junk food. Their study found that focusing on avoiding the couch rather than on losing weight will help reduce a person's 'saturated fat intake without even trying'. The project, recorded in the Archives Of Internal Medicine, looked at 204 adults who were each assigned a lifestyle 'treatment' for three weeks.

Waking you up with a bang! The cellist who became a beauty queen

Alarm clock that looks like a bomb is sure to get you out of bed In a race against time befitting of a James Bond sequence, this bomb is certain to have 007 leaping out from beneath the covers. The Defusable Alarm Clock, is aptly designed that its victim has but a few seconds to pull the correct wire before an automatic trigger causes the alarm to 'explode'. The functions of each wire changes randomly every morning so users must distinguish between the two redundant cables and the fourth which triggers a series of flashing LEDs. Designer Michael Krumpus, 41, was inspired to make the clock after seeing bombs feature in Hollywood films. He said: 'I thought it would be fun to build an alarm clock that looks just like the type of bomb that we always see in Hollywood movies. 'I certainly

don't know anything about how a real bomb might look but in the movies they always have sticks of dynamite strapped together, a red digital readout and a bunch of curly wires. 'Instead of just building an ordinary clock, I thought it should have a detonation sequence with a scary countdown just like in the movies. 'And why not make it 'defusable' so I an try to stop the countdown by cutting the correct wire?' The clock is so realistic that Michael had to put a message on his website telling security services that it is not a real bomb. It says: 'Dear Federal Agents and other Law Enforcement, this is only a clock. It is no more dangerous than any other clock. 'I don't know anything about explosives beyond what I've seen in movies.

RHODE ISLAND

STUNNER,

A 20-year-old cellist from Rhode Island won the Miss USA crown and will represent the United States in this year's Miss Universe pageant, after she made it clear that she embraced all beauty queens- transgender or otherwise- during the interview portion of the competition. Olivia Culpo topped a field of 51 beauty queens on Sunday to take the title at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. She strutted across the stage in a purple bikini and a purple evening gown with sparkly belt. In the dreaded final question round, Ms Culpo was faced with the most difficult question of the night: would it be fair for a person born a man to be named Miss Universe after becoming a woman? Ms Culpo never stumbled as she embraced the Miss Universe Organization's recent decision to admit transgender contestants. 'I do think that would be fair,' Ms

20,

CROWNED

Culpo said. 'But I could understand how people could be apprehensive to take that road.' Ms Culpo said she was short and chubby as a girl, but blossomed after a growth spurt. Miss Iowa USA Rebecca Hodge was named Miss Congeniality, and Miss Oregon USA Alaina Bergsma was named the most photogenic. They both won $1,000, but didn't make the top 16. The pageant at the Planet Hollywood casino on the Las Vegas Strip had three competitions: swimsuit, evening gowns and interview question. Midway through the contest, pop band Cobra Starship performed as the beauty queens modeled their string bikinis. The show also featured performances from Akon. The judge's panel included chef Cat Cora, TV personality Arsenio Hall, singer Joe Jonas and reality TV star Rob Kardashian. Andy Cohen and Giuliana Rancic were on

MISS USA

hand as the hosts of the evening. Ms Culpo will represent the United States at the 61st Miss Universe pageant later this year. An American has not been named Miss Universe since Brook Lee won the title in 1997. The Miss Universe Organization is co-owned by NBC and Donald Trump and is not affiliated with the Miss America pageant.

Plane cr ashes into neighborhood in Nig eria's big gest city crashes Nigeria's bigg Killing ALL 153 passengers on board A commercial airliner crashed into a densely populated neighborhood in Nigeria's largest city on Sunday, killing all 153 people on board and others on the ground in the worst air disaster in nearly two decades for the troubled nation. The cause of the Dana Air crash remained unknown Sunday night, as firefighters and police struggled to put out the flames around the wreckage of the Boeing MD83 aircraft. Authorities could not control the crowd of thousands gathered

around to see the crash site, with some crawling over the plane's broken wings and standing on a still-smoldering landing gear. Harold Demuren, the director-general of Nigeria's Civil Aviation Authority, said all on board the flight were killed in the crash. Lagos state government said in a statement that 153 people were on the flight traveling from Nigeria's central capital of Abuja to Lagos in the nation's southwest. Rescue officials feared many others were killed or injured on the ground, but no casualty figures were immediately

available. Firefighters and locals were seen carrying the corpse of a man from one building, its

walls still crumbling and flames shooting from its roof more than an hour after the crash. President Goodluck Jonathan later declared three days of

national mourning in Africa's most populous nation. President Jonathan 'prays that God Almighty will grant the families of the victims of the plane crash the courage and fortitude to bear their irreparable loss,' a statement from his office read. The aircraft appeared to have landed on its belly into the dense neighborhood that sits along the typical approach path taken by aircraft heading into Lagos' Murtala Muhammed International Airport. The plane tore through roofs, sheared a mango tree and

rammed into a woodworking studio, a printing press and at least two large apartment buildings in the neighborhood before stopping. A white, noxious cloud rose from the crash site that burned onlookers' eyes, as pieces of the plane lay scattered around the muddy ground. While local residents helped carry fire hoses to the crash site, the major challenges of life in oil-rich Nigeria quickly became apparent as there wasn't any water to put out the flames more than three hours later. Some young men carried plastic buckets of water to the fire, trying to douse small portions.


Issue # 460 (10)

Jat Sikh female in her late 30’s seeking a PR/citizen gentleman from the GTA for marriage. The lady is a visitor in Canada from the UK and is seeking a Jat Sikh male, 5'-8" to 6'-1" tall, between 28-43 yrs. of age, clean shaven, slim/athletic built and of smart appearance. Please respond with biodata and a recent picture to: destiny_2012@hotmail.ca or for more inquiries please call: 905-783-9751 ***461*** Arora Sikh parents seek a suitable match for their. Canadian citizen son, 36 yrs. old, 5'-4" tall, B.Com. Hons. degree and IT diploma holder and professionally employed, never married before. The girl should be well educated and family oriented. Caste no bar. Please call: 905-534-1141 ***460*** Jat Sikh parents seek a suitable match for their 36 yrs. old, 5'-5" tall, professionally employed daughter. The boy should be Jat Sikh, professionally employed and well versed in both cultures. Call: 647-274-5474 after 6p.m. ***460*** Jat Sikh parents seek a suitable match for their Canadian citizen daughter 1982 born, 5'-4" tall, professionally qualified from Ryerson university and employed in the GTA. The boy should be from a Jat Sikh family, same age and professionally employed in the GTA. Contact Jattsikhmatrimony29@gmail.com or call: 647-836-3989 ***460*** Jat Sikh parents seek a match for their Canadian citizen daughter, 28 yrs. old, 5'-3" tall, beautiful, fair complexion, university graduate (health) & diploma in pharmacy tech. The boy should be educated and professionally employed. The students may also be considered. Please send biodata with a recent picture to: jaskaur52@hotmail.com ***460*** Jat Sikh parents seek a suitable match for their Canadian citizen son, 28 yrs. old, 6'-2" tall, handsome, clean shaven, non drinker, degree holder from a Canadian university, born in India, raised in Canada and well versed in both cultures. The girl should be tall, beautiful and well educated. Please email a recent picture and biodata to: parmchauhan2008@yahoo.com or call: 604-851-5563 or 604-8327088 ***460*** Match for 26 yrs. old, 6 ft. tall, intelligent, handsome, Sikh Mair Rajput (goldsmith) boy, Canadian citizen, licensed pharmacist and studying medicine in the US. Small and well educated family settled in Surrey (BC). Looking for a well qualified and beautiful Canadian/US girl. Please c o n t a c t : sukhdev_32@hotmail.com or call: 604-346-6175

THE CONTACT

***460*** Mair Rajput parents seek a suitable match for their Canadian citizen daughter, 45 yrs. old, 5’6" tall, well settled in business (with two kids). The boy should be well educated, Canadian citizen or immigrant, between 42-49 yrs. of age. Please call: 905-453-2640 ***460*** Jat Sikh parents seek a suitable match for their only son, born and raised in Canada, 34 yrs. old, 6’ tall, clean shaven, educated in Canada and professionally employed. The girl should be beautiful and educated. Please call: 905-864-3096 ***460*** Jat Sikh parents seek a matrimonial alliance for their daughter, 36 yrs. old, 5’-3" tall Bachelor’s Degree & Currently studying higher Education in her field of interior/architect Design. The boy should be Canadian / US citizen or immigrant, well educated, decent, from a reputable family background, professionally employed and between 34-37 yrs. No Dovorcees or widower please. Please email recent picture and biodata to email: matrimony.as7 @gmail.com or call: 647-8853046 ***460*** Ramgarhia parents seeking a match for their Canadian born son, handsome, fit, professionally qualified, B.Engineering, Electrical Engineering, 26 yrs. old, 5’-11" tall, working in his profession since 08, belongs to an upper middle class family and living in Brampton. The girl should be well qualified, Canadian born/ raised, slim, beautiful, 5’-4" and up, well versed in both cultures. Please respond with no hesitation with bio-data and a recent picture at email: deep10singh@hotmail.com ***460*** Punjabi (Jalandhar) Based Highly Landlord Want Suitable Match for His Handsome Jatt Sikh Boy, For Settled in Abroad, (Clean Shaved), 1985 Born 5’-10” Height Graduate + Software & Hardware Diploma Holder, Need Beautiful Educated NRI Girl (boy Parents Spend Money To Settled Their Son & Daughter In Law in Abroad) Early Marriage Contact+ 9 1 9 8 7 2 6 - 3 7 4 3 4 , 0016047801046, Email-adorable613@gmail.com ***460*** Jat Sikh Canadian parents seek a suitable match for their handsome, clean shaven son, 5'9" tall, 31 yrs. old, born and raised in Canada, Canadian university graduate and professionally employed in GTA. The girl should be from a Jat Sikh family, born and raised in Canada, between 26-31 yrs. old, Canadian university graduate and professionally employed in GTA. No divorcees, only serious and professionals from GTA need to

apply. Please send full biodata to email: clintonapp@hotmail.com ***460*** Jat Sikh Gill parents seek a suitable match for their son, 23 yrs. old, 5'-10" tall, completed diploma in Automotive from Australia and presently living in India. The girl should be Canadian immigrant or citizen and family oriented. Father has well settled business in Toronto (Canada). Please email recent picture and biodata. Ph: 416550-3747 Email: mgcanada67@yahoo.com ***460*** Sikh Tonkashtri parents (SaraoJassal) seek a suitable match for their son, 26 yrs. old, 5'-11" tall, B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering, clean shaven, settled in a good job in a multinational company in Gurgaon (India). The girl should be Canadian immigrant or citizen, educated from a good family background. Sister is well settled in Canada and presently parents are on visitor visa in Canada. Please email recent picture and biodata. Email: amrinder005@yahoo.com or call: 647-693-3531 ***460*** Bahti (Chaudhry) parents seek a suitable match for their daughter, Canadian citizen, 28 yrs. old, 5'-3" tall, beautiful, fair and slim, graduated in Business Administration and Business Management and pursuing for further education in CSC licence. The boy should be well educated, between 28-30 yrs. of age, Canadian citizen / immigrant or well settled on work permit. Please contact: 647-852-3502 (After 5 pm) ***460*** Jat Sikh parents seek a professional match for their Canadian born daughter, 31 yrs. old, 5'-6" tall, professionally employed as an Accountant, has a B.Com degree and CGA. No divorcees. Please send biodata and picture to email: h8709@live.ca or call: 647-2989665 ***460*** Lobana Sikh parents seek a suitable match for their son, 32 yrs. old, 6' tall, graduate, currently on work permit in Canada and doing good job. The girl should be Canadian citizen or immigrant, educated and family oriented. Please call: 905216-0333 ***460*** Sikh Tonk Kashtriya parents seek a suitable match for their daughter, 31 yrs. old, 5'-4" tall, beautiful, family oriented, B.Sc. degree from India, Pharmacy Technician from Canada and professionally employed. The boy should be Sikh, tall, handsome, well educated and professionally settled. Caste no bar. Please email recent picture and biodata to email: bhagwantsaral@hotmail.com or

05 June to 11 June 2012

call: 905-454-1225 ***460*** Jat Sikh parents seek a suitable match for their beautiful daughter, 5'-3" tall, 33 yrs. old, born and raised in Canada, clean shaven, between 30-35 yrs. old, Canadian university graduate and professionally emplyed in the GTA. No divorcees. Only serious and professionals from the GTA need to apply. Please send full biodata to email: clintonapp@hotmail.com ***460*** Jat Sikh parents in Toronto seek a suitable match for their Canadian born daughter, 28 yrs. old, 5'-6", slim, fair complexion, Master of Science degree and professionally employed in her field. The boy must be from GTA, Jat Sikh family, Canadian born, university educated and professionally employed. Send biodata and picture to email: parents_2010@live.com or call: 905-849-9817 ***460*** Jat Sikh parents seeking a suitable match for their Canadian citizen daughter, 39 yrs. old, 5'3" tall, major in Criminology and Psychology, working with a reputed company. The boy should be well educated, well settled from Canada/ America and reputed family. Please call after 6pm at: 604-626-0444 or 604-551-7830 ***460*** Sikh parents seek a suitable match for their beautiful, slim, professionally qualified, Canadian citizen daughter, 36 yrs. old, 5'-4" tall, innocently divorced (no issue). The boy must be a Canadian citizen/ immigrant. Caste no bar. Please respond with biodata and picture to: matrimonialtwenty11 @gmail.com or call: 91-98-88823076 ***460*** Jat Sikh Saini parents invite a matrimonial alliance for their Canadian born son, 27 yrs. old, 6 ft. tall, clean shaven, very hard working, well employed in permanent job, working in Alberta. The girl should be slim, beautiful and family oriented. Please send biodata and picture to: psmk24@hotmail.com or call: 778-714-6364 ***460*** Punjabi (Jalandhar) Based Highly LandlordWant Suitable Match For His Handsome Jatt Sikh Boy, For Settled In Abroad, (Clean Shaved), 1985 Born 5’10” Height Graduate + Software & Hardware Diploma Holder, Need Beautiful Educated NRI Girl (boy Parents Spend Money to Settled Their Son & Daughter In Law In Abroad) Early Marriage Contact- +9198726-37436, 0016047801046,Email : adorable613@gmail.com ***460*** Ramgarhia Sikh parents seek a matrimonial alliance for their daughter, 23 yrs. old, 5'-4" tall, very beautiful, slim, fair

complexioned, BCA and M.Sc. IT degree holder from Punjab University, currently in India. The boy should be Canadian immigrant or citizen, well educated, family oriented and from good family background. Brother is well settled in Canada. Please respond with a recent picture and biodata to: harvir.bhuhi@live.com or call:647-381-7611 ***460*** Professionally qualified match for a Kamboj Sikh girl, 5'-5" tall, 83 born, US citizen, B.Tech. (India) and MS (USA), currently working as an engineering manager in the US (aerospace). Please respond with complete biodata and pictures to: delightfulmatch@gmail.com or call: 818-585-2379 ***460*** Jat Sikh Grewal parents seeking a suitable match for their Amritdhari son, 30 yrs. old, 5'7" tall, Diploma as a Diesel Mechanic and living in India. The girl should be a Canadian immigrant or citizen. The boy owns a rural property in India, family is well settled and well educated. Divorced (without kids) may also be considered. Please call: 416-433-3564 or email: wg2008@hotmail.com ***460*** Jat Sikh Gill family seeks a suitable match for their daughter, 29 yrs. old, 5'-6" tall, college graduate with a diploma in business administration and accounting. The boy should be between 29-34 yrs. of age, raised in Canada and well qualified. Please call: 905-8740721 ***460*** Canadian well settled, educated Ramgarhia Sikh girls, age 25 yrs. old, height 5'-3" tall, looking for a clean shaven, educated, Sikh family boy, age from 2630, height minimum 5'-8" tall, settled in Ontario, Canada. Caste no bar. Please send biodata and a recent picture to: angels2626@hotmail.com or call: 905-488-3336 ***460*** USA based Jat Sikh parents seek a suitable (Medico, Engineer or others) match for their daughter, MBBS (USMLE cleared) appearing in C Paper, 29 yrs. old, 5'-5" tall, on Multipurpose 10 yrs. visa (Green card applied), very good family background. Early marriage. Please send biodata & picture to: doc.polestar@gmail.com or call: 559-761-6741 ***460*** Jat Sikh family seeks a suitable match for their son, Canadian citizen, 37 yrs. old, 5'-7" tall, well settled, divorced (One Son living with mother.The Girl Should be Canadian Immigrant or citizen maybe Divorcet (without kids) or visitor or on student visa. Please call: 905-654-5580 ***460***


Issue # 460 (11)

05 June to 11 June 2012

THE CONTACT

Top 8 cities that high net worth individuals prefer According new-look global cities study by Knight Frank Mumbai ranks ninth when it comes to 'The Cities that are growing in importance to HNWIs the fastest.' These are results of a sentiment survey that draws on the insight of Citi Private Bank's wealth advisors around the world, as well as luxury property specialists from Knight Frank's global network. The objective of the survey was to assess the importance of key cities to high net worth individuals (HNWIs), based on everything from investment potential and economic openness to their appeal as somewhere to live or visit. The survey also includes the findings of research into the competitiveness of 120 cities, conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and commissioned by Citi Private Bank.

Beijing

Shanghai

Hong Kong

New York

The 128million-year-old grandfather of the modern squid and octopus Scientists have managed to re-create the appearance of a previously unknown fossil - a spiky creature thought to be the ultimate ancestor of the modern-day squid and octopus. The Austria National History Museum team used 3D scanning technology to unearth the fossil of 'Dissimilites intermedius' a layer at a time, and then created a video of how the creature lived and moved. The ammonite was discovered in sediment which formed at the bottom of the ocean during the Cretaceous period - on a surface which, 128 million years, later would lie at the top of the Dolomite mountains in the Alps. The scientists said that the computer tomography had allowed them to see far more than they would ever have been able to with the naked eye, with the creature was exposed a layer at a time. They also discovered the body was covered with spines each between three and 4mm long. A museum spokesman: 'The fossil is of a previously unknown creature which is a type of Ammonite.

'Computer tomography and a complicated 3D reconstruction programme were used to help reconstruct not only the appearance of the fossil found in the Dolomites a year earlier, but also to work out how it moved by the position of the impressions left by its limbs.' The video of the swimming creature seen now for the first time in 128million years is on display at the Natural History Museum together with photos of the 13cmlong creature. The spokesman added that the prehistoric Tethys Ocean, which existed between the continents of Gondwana and Laurasiam, had left behind millions of yearsworth of sediment at the bottom of the sea. Gondwana would break up to form much of the Southern Hemisphere, and

Laurasia would form much of the Northern Hemisphere. As the centuries passed and the Alps folded out of the sea, some of the former sea bottom sediment ended up on the peaks of the Dolomites. And it was here in the Puez-GeislerNatural Park, at a height of around 2600m, that a section of the former seabed was discovered with the thickest density of fossils from pre-history yet discovered. The team, led by Alexander Lukeneder from the geological/ palaeontology section, has been working on the 150metre section for three years, and discovered the fossil of the ammonite last year. Details of the final published in the specialist magazine 'Acta Palaeontologica Polonica'

London

Singapore

Sao Paulo

Dubai


Issue # 460 (12)

THE CONTACT

Close encounters of a lenticular kind The mountain-top cloud formations that look like UFOs We feel prepared to go out on a limb and say none of these images are of flying saucers. But since mankind first gazed up and saw one of these clouds float past, their uniform and tight circular shapes have caused wonder, curiosity - and even fear - in the eyes of their beholder. The clouds look so artificial that, over the course of history, they may well have prompted early thoughts about visitors from space. Instead, these are lenticular clouds smooth, tightly-bordered circular formations that form high in the atmosphere over the tops of mountains, before drifting off to prompt

curiosity in those that behold them. The clouds generally form over mountains - although in rare instances they can be caused by shear winds, and have been spotted over the UK on occasion. The clouds generally form when stable air flows over the top of a mountain. The moisture droplets are pushed up a steep slope, condensing into cloud on

their way, and forming in a spiral formation over the top. For people living near mountains, these sightings are a common occurrence. But when visitors see one - or the cloud forms away from mountains - they are a startling shape. Straight lines rarely form in nature, so to see such a tightly packed shape is a curious

event. Other than UFOwatchers, there are other people who seek these out - glider pilots. Lenticular clouds imply rising air around the bow of the cloud, and gliders can seek these spots and get a free lift to some very high altitudes. This type of gliding, known as 'wave gliding', can lead to some impressive results. Gliders Steve Fossett and Einar Enevoldson set a world record by using a lenticular cloud to get enough lift to get up 15,453 metres over Argentina. Another glider, Klaus Ohlmann, travelled 3,008 kilometres (1,869 mi) in 2003 thanks to the help of a lenticular cloud in South America.

d e l i b e r a t e l y. Home Office officials have grown so frustrated they are planning a new enforcement strategy to keep tabs on illegal immigrants granted bail. Among the measures, officials plan to make compliance visits to immigrants' last known address. Their details will also be circulated on the police national computer and there will be targeted tracing and consideration of

prosecution. The scandal is in addition to the large numbers of foreign criminals walking the streets. Earlier this month, it emerged there are 3,900 overseas convicts on bail in the community. Of these, 2,500 were released from jail more than two years ago including 817 who have been at large for five years or more, UK Border Agency statistics showed. Leaked papers

have revealed how released foreign criminals on immigration bail have committed a string of violent crimes including three murders, three kidnappings and 14 sexual offences, including rape. This month it also emerged that, of the 1,103 foreign prisoners who were released without being considered for deportation, only 399 have been deported six years on.

Thousands of illegal immigrants are being freed 'to safeguard their human rights'

Thousands of illegal immigrants have been caught by the authorities before being released 'to protect their human rights'. One in six of those granted bail later absconds - meaning they must be caught a second time at huge cost to the taxpayer. Internal Home Office figures show that last year 1,665 immigration detainees were granted bail, of whom 277 later absconded. Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migrationwatch, said: 'Trying to deport illegal immigrants inevitably takes a fair amount of time. 'The courts should take account of this fact before releasing large numbers on bail, especially as they are fairly likely to abscond.' When trying to deport an illegal immigrant, officials can either start legal proceedings or, in some cases, offer people bribes to go home. Detainees can then only continue to be held in immigration centres if there is a good chance of them being imminently deported. At the same time, others cite Article 8 of the H u m a n R i g h ts A c t which gives the right to a family and private life meaning courts are forced to let them go pending appeals. There are also often problems in locating documents to identify where immigrants are from making it impossible to send them home. In many cases, documents have been destroyed

05 June to 11 June 2012

Chinese censors erase 13 minutes from Men In Black 3 to remove 'offensive' Chinese baddies

What do Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, and an alien disguised as a Chinese restaurant worker have in common? They all feature in newly-opened Hollywood blockbuster Men in Black 3 - unless you're watching it in China, where Beijing's censors deemed the last character too offensive for the screen. Before the film could open, the Chinese government insisted on removing three scenes, totalling 13 minutes of film. The first features an extraterrestrial cunningly disguised as a Chinese waitress, while in the second a Chinese cashier girl attacks Will Smith's character Agent J with her elastic alien tongue. Perhaps the third deleted scene resonated most with the Chinese censors: It features Smith's secret agent erasing the collective memories of a group of Chinese bystanders. 'This could have been a hint on the use of internet censorship

to maintain social stability,' China's Southern Daily newspaper mused. This is not the first time that Chinese film-lovers and industry experts have been frustrated by the removal of 'offensive' film segments. Determined to micromanage the country's image, China's ruling Communist Party also cut scenes showing a Chinese pirate in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Big-budget spy thriller Mission: Impossible was 'adapted' for Chinese viewers when the censors had some of its dialogue garbled. Robert Cain, whose company Pacific Bridge Pictures specialises in Chinese productions, explained the problem: 'Unless there is a flattering image of Chinese people, you are going to run into a challenge from the State Administration of Film, Television and Radio (SARFT). 'The list of taboos is so long it is very often too difficult to make anything entertaining.

brought on behalf of Martinez's wife or his two sons. A jury in Gwinnett County State Court initially awarded Martinez to be 40 per cent liable for his own death, reducing the verdict to $3 million. Lawyers who

represented Dr Gangasani and the CardioVascular Group in Lawrenceville said they would appeal the decision. 'We're definitely going to appeal the verdict and the judgment,' said Gary Lovell Jr.

numerous women over the years, but most recently with his fiancee Jessica Marie. He has caused drama on the court with his ongoing trash talk of Miami Heat star LeBron James, whom Stevenson views as 'overrated.' But he has also run into some trouble with the law.

In 2001, he was arrested and charged with statutory rape after he admitted he had consensual sex with a 14year-old girl in Fresno, California. He was sentenced to community service in that case. Last year, he was arrested for public intoxication - just two days after he and the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA championship.

Family of man who died in threesome awarded $3million Because doctors didn't warn him against extreme physical activity The family of a man who died in a three-in-thebed sex romp have won $3million in damages against a doctor who failed to warn him about extreme physical activity. William Martinez, 31, suffered a fatal heart attack caused by the excitement and physical activity with a woman and another man. The married father-of-two died a day before he was due to have a heart stress test. A court in Georgia, heard that the women involved in the sex

romp were not his wife. Lawyers representing the estate Martinez filed a medical malpractice suit against Dr Sreenivasalu Gangasani. They claimed he had failed to warn Martinez about taking part in any physical activity after he visited him to complain about chest pains a week before the threesome. Lawyers Rod Edmond and Tricia Hoffler told a jury Martinez had called at the CardiVascular Group in Lawrenceville after

experiencing a pain his chest that shot up his arm Martinez had high blood pressure and other tests showed he was at high risk of having clogged arteries. The court heard that Dr Gangasani arranged a stress test for Martinez but did not tell him to refrain from any physical activity. The lawsuit was launched after Martinez, from Lawrenceville, Georgia, died in March 2009. According to the Atlanta Journal it is not clear if the lawsuit was

It a startling case of NBA excess, DeShawn Stevenson wants you to know that his house is a cash-only establishment. The Brooklyn Nets guard, 31, who's extremely active on Twitter and Instagram, put up a self-portrait this week in what appears to be his kitchen. But even though Stevenson is decked out in green trousers, yellow socks and a bow tie, he fails

to draw attention away from the glowing cash machine to his right. While Twitter users erupted over the photo, Stevenson didn't think it's anything to write home about, later tweeting: 'That ATM big deal huh had it for 2years.' Stevenson is one of the NBA's quirkiest players, and it shows in his

tattoos, including the one of Abraham Lincoln on his neck. He has been linked to

Brooklyn Nets player reveals that he has his own ATM in the KITCHEN


Issue # 460 (13)

THE CONTACT

'When I saw my new nose I just wept and wept' Teenage bride who had nose hacked off by angry husband undergoes corrective surgery - 32 years after brutal attack A Pakistani woman has been given a new nose more than 32 years after she was attacked by her razor-wielding husband. Allah Rakhi, 48, has spoken out after successfully undergoing an operation to replace her nose, which was sliced off when she was just 16. Forced into a brutal marriage while still a teenager, Allah eventually fled the marital home - but her husband caught her and mutilated her in a fit of rage. The issue of female mutilation was highlighted last week when the plight of Afghan teenager Aesha Mohammadzai - who also had her nose cut off - made international headlines. Allah's successful operation at a Pakistan hospital was carried out with the help of the Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF). 'When I found out I had to live the rest of my life without a nose I wanted to die,' Allah said. 'I couldn't imagine it. But now I am so happy. When I saw my new nose I just wept and wept.' Allah was just a teenager when she married farmer Gulam Abbas,

who was the same age, as part of an arranged marriage. 'I knew of Gulam for many years as we'd grown up in the same area, but I

had never spoken to him until after we were man and wife,' Allah said. She was a very simple, uneducated teenager who had only been taught to run a home and be a good wife. But married life was not what she had hoped for. 'From the moment we started to live as man and wife I could tell he had no respect for me or what we had married into,' Allah added. 'We argued almost straight away and he always forced me in bed. I also knew he was doing immoral things with other unmarried women in my area.' But when Allah went on to have her children, son Azhar Abbas, and

Codebreaking cat helps his owner solve word puzzle by putting his paw on the final answer All pet owners like to think their furry friends are smart - but college lecturer Arthur Farminer may have a better case than most. The Gloucester pensioner couldn't help but chuckle when his quick-witted cat Chas provided him with the answer to the very last clue in his crossword. The persistent puss kept plonking his paw down on the page, preventing Arthur from finishing his 'codebreaker' puzzle. It was only after repeatedly moving the ginger cat out of the way that Mr Farminer realised the word he needed was - of all things PAW. 'We love Chas to bits but he does like jumping on homework, keyboards or getting in the way at any moment you are trying to

concentrate,' said Mr Farminer, who lectures at Hartpury College in Gloucestershire.

'I was trying to work out the last couple of letters in the Weekend [Gloucester] Citizen's Codecracker and Chas kept putting his paw on top of the puzzle. 'Every time I moved it away he just put it back again and it was only then I realised he was trying to help. 'His perseverance made me realise the missing word was "paw".'

daughter Uzma Shahzadi, she wanted so desperately to make her marriage work. She refused to moan to her parents. And even though many people know of Gulam's lifestyle it's a part of their culture to put up with it and carry on. However, 32 years ago, Allah remembers her husband spending the summer day hanging around the home feeling ill. 'Even though he was moaning of a fever his brother made him go to work and plough the fields,' she remembered. 'So when he came home he wasn't in a good mood. I stupidly asked him why he bothered going to work if was so ill and he just beat me.' As soon as he left the house that evening, Allah decided she'd had enough and tried to escape to her parent's house. But as she was walking to the bus stand she saw Gulam sitting in a barber's and he spotted her. Terrified, she ran. But Gulam caught up with her and cornered her in the forest.

05 June to 11 June 2012

American becomes Chinese internet sensation After buying homeless woman French fries on street It was an extraordinary moment of kindness from one stranger to another. When American Jason Loose stumbled across a homeless Chinese woman looking for food, he decided to help her out. Rather than walking straight past her, the 23year-old intern working in Nanjing, China, bought her some French fries and gave her some water.But despite his heartwarming actions, his choice of food wasn't fully appreciated. Mr Loose, from California, spent a few minutes with the woman but, before leaving, asked her a question. According to the Los Angeles Times, he said: 'I asked what's her favorite food to eat?' he said. 'Her answer was 'not French fries.'" Despite her doubts over his food choice, Mr Loose's actions have been welcomed across China. He has revealed that he bought the woman some food because she did not have a lot of money in her collection bowl.

there. The father was reportedly visiting his sick mother in India when the incident happened. The bodies of the victims were found together in a back room of the home. But police were yet to identify the bodies or determine exactly how many were dead, detective Geoff Maher said. Police found a handwritten note on a car in

the internet across China. It has now sparked a debate in the country about the moral corruptness of Chinese society. It follows a number of incidents which led to concerns about social apathy in China, including images of a two-year-old who was run over by cars but ignored by a passerby on a busy street. According to the Xinhua News Agency, one person on China's microblogging site Sina Weibo, wrote: "It was such a heartwarming scene, but brought by a foreign young man,who offers his love, care and trust to a stranger in need.' The writer then questioned whether or not they could do what Mr Loose did.

'Psycho Stapleton' admits shooting Indian student Anuj Bidve at point blank range in Boxing Day killing A man has admitting killing Indian student Anuj Bidve who was shot dead in the street in the early hours of Boxing Day. Kiaran Stapleton, 21, pleaded not guilty to murder when he appeared before a court today but pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. Mr Bidve, 23, a post-graduate microelectronic student at Lancaster University, Mr Bidve, had travelled to Manchester with a group of friends to visit the Boxing Day sales. He was walking with his friends from his hotel in Trafford Park to the city centre when he was approached in Ordsall, Salford and shot at close range. He suffered horrendous injuries and was rushed to hospital where he was later pronounced dead. The defendant gave his name in court as 'Psycho Stapleton' when he first appeared before magistrates

in the days after the shooting. Following Mr Bidve's death, a candlelit vigil was held by

members of the local community and his parents, Subhash and Yogini, travelled from India to visit the spot where he died. During their visit, the couple said they did not hold the people of Salford to blame for the crime, only the person

3 of an Indian family believed dead in Australia house fire MELBOURNE: Three members of an Indian family died today in a suspected case of murder-suicide after a massive fire tore through their Melbourne house. Police said four people of Indian descent were known to be living in the house located in a city suburb, though at the time of the fire two boys aged five and 10 and their 37-yearold mother were believed to be

But his actions were caught on camera by a passerby and the story quickly went viral on

the driveway of the home and is investigating whether it was written by the mother. Maher said the note was found on the top of the vehicle outside the Clayton South house. Police is also investigating whether the house fire was deliberately lit, and arson and explosives chemists and crime scene detectives inspected the scene. The

father of the children is expected to arrive back tomorrow and will be met by detectives and counsellors at the airport, a report in The Age newspaper said. Maher said police was considering the angle of a possible murdersuicide. "I'm not going to confirm that at this point in time," he said, adding "I'm keeping an open mind and so will the investigators."

responsible for their son's death. A peace rally was also organised in New Delhi, India and hundreds of people took part in a march through the city to the British High Commission. Mr Bidve had been studying for a micro-electronics postgraduate qualification at Lancaster University after completing an a degree at Pune University in India. Stapleton, who was wearing a grey jogging top and bottoms, appeared at Manchester Crown Court where he denied murder. He was flanked in the glass-framed dock at Manchester Crown Court by four security guards for the duration of the 15-minute hearing. Mr Bidve's parents, Subhash a former Indian Air Force pilot, and Yogini, who runs a courier company, travelled over 4,000 miles from their home in Pune, India, to see the man accused of murdering their son. They sat to the right of the dock, out of sight of the defendant for the hearing and afterwards admitted it was 'an emotional and difficult time.' They listened intently as Stapleton of Ordsall, Salford gave his pleas and was remanded in custody ahead of the trial later this month. Following the hearing, Mr Bidve's family said in a statement: 'We have made the journey from India to the United Kingdom because it was very important to us to hear, in person, Kiaran Stapleton's plea.


Issue # 460 (14)

THE CONTACT

Obama flies favorite barber from Chicago to the White House every TWO WEEKS President Barack Obama's prim locks come at a price - and the taxpayers just might be paying for it. A shocking report from a German radio station claims that Mr Obama's Hyde Park barber Zariff gets flown from Chicago to Washington, D.C. to cut the President's hair twice a month. The MailOnline reached out to Zariff, who refused to confirm or deny the frequency with which he trims Mr Obama's tresses, ushering in the scandal some are calling 'barbergate.' 'We make sure that he looks his best at all times,' Zariff said coyly to the MailOnline. Mr Obama has been a loyal customer of the Hyde Park barber for the past 18 years. 'He pays $21 like everyone

else,' Zariff said. 'We don't care about how famous you are or who you are. Everyone gets the same price.' Zariff told German radio s t a t i o n Ta g e s s c h a u that the busy President jets him across the country every 10 to 14 days for a touch-up. 'I get there. I keep his hair well groomed,' he said to the MailOnline. 'It's not important how I get there and when.' A commercial flight between Washington, D.C., and Chicago peaks at around $300 for a round trip flight. That adds up to $7,200 a year on airfare, in addition to $504 on cuts. It is

unclear if President personally pays for the flights, or the White House does. Still, the internet has been buzzing about the exorbitant expense, with commenters on Fox News N a t i o n condemning the POTUS. 'President O b a m a obviously also does not care much about the massive carbon footprint his haircuts are leaving on our planet which, we are told, is tipping precariously,' wrote one. Zariff countered by saying that it's important for the President to look good. 'If you go to three or four different barbers, your

hair will look like you've been to three or four different barbers,' he explained. 'I'm his only barber.' The head of state has to make sure his he always looks sharp, Zariff argued. 'His hair is pretty consistent,' Zariff said. 'It's my job. As with anyone; they have to look their best at all times.' Zariff would not say how often the President visits him, but his shop gets plenty of people that want Mr Obama's 'do. 'It's on our price list,' he said. 'We have "The Obama" cut on there.' He keeps the President's barber-chair in bullet-proof glass, protected from other people's trimmings. The White House did not respond with a comment by deadline.

05 June to 11 June 2012

Woman 'breaks into house, cleans it and leaves bill for $75'

A woman has been accused of breaking into a house, washing the dishes, tidying and vacuuming before leaving a bill with her name on it for $75. When police confronted Susan Warren, 53, about the alleged early-morning break in, she told them she 'does it all the time'. Warren allegedly broke into the home in Westlake, Ohio after picking the house at random while driving down the street, she said. When the homeowners' 18-yearold daughter woke up to find the house had been cleaned, she assumed her parents had organised a maid. 'There were some coffee mugs that my husband had out,' she said. 'She had washed them all. 'She wrote a note [on a napkin] and left it on the table, saying, "$75 I was here to clean", and left her

Engineering student, 21, 'stabbed and dismembered his roommate with knife then ate his brain and heart' A 21-year-old electrical engineering student has been charged with firstdegree murder after parts of a man's dismembered body were found in his home a week after the man first went missing. Alexander Kinyua confessed to police that he also ate his roommate's heart and portions of the brain after killing him in their Joppa, Maryland town home. This is the second deeply disturbing report of cannibalism to sweep the nation within a week. In the first, 'Miami Cannibal' Rudy Eugene tore off and ate most of the face of downand-out homeless man Ronald Poppo.The Hartford County Sheriff's office said they found the body parts while searching the town home on Terrapin

Terrace in Joppa, Maryland, northeast of Baltimore, after receiving a tip from Kinyua's father. According to charging documents, Kinyua

admitted to eating Kujoe Bonsafo Agyei-Kodie's heart and part of his brain after stabbing him to death. Kinyua then directed police to Towne Baptist Church on Trimble Road, where they said they found the rest of Agyei-Kodie's remains. The 37-year-old, who had been missing for almost a week, apparently shared a home with Kinyua, though

other aspects of their relationship are not immediately clear. Kinyua's father, Antony Kinyua, alerted a detective on Tuesday night, saying that his other son Jarrod discovered what appeared to be a human head and hands in two metal tins above the washing machine. Horrified, Jarrod Kinyua brought his father down to the basement where Antony said he saw Alexander Kinyu cleaning out the containers. Appearing in court, Kinyua's defence attorney told the judge that the Kenyan-born student has strong ties to Maryland, with several family members in the area. However, Assistant State's Attorney Trenna Manners said the man has had a

India offers Pak `56cr for Saeed EXASPERATED with Pakistan's refusal to act against Hafiz Saeed, home secretary R.K. Singh offered that India would even be ready to pay `56 crore to Pakistan in case Saeed is handed over to them. Singh's remark came at the conclusion of the two-day talks in Islamabad on Friday where the muchanticipated signing of the visa agreement between both countries did not happen. Singh, however, maintained that there was enough evidence provided by India against Saeed

and that added to the proof collected against Saeed by Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). He said it was adequate to arrest and prosecute Saeed for the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. When asked if India would in that case

pocket the ` 56 crore bounty offered by the US for providing evidence leading to conviction of Saeed, Singh said that India would be more than happy to give Pakistan that amount if they handed over Saeed to India.

troubled past and committed a grisly crime. For one thing, Kinyu was kicked out of Morgan State University's ROTC program in January following a disciplinary

incident. On May 20, he was charged with firstdegree assault when he allegedly beat another Morgan State student with a baseball bat and then fled into the woods.

name and number,' Bush said. When her daughter mentioned the cleaner, Bush said she had not oragnised one, and assumed a cleaning service sent someone to the wrong house. So she was stunned when she called the number left on the note and the woman told them it had been intentional.'I think our jaws just dropped to the ground,' Bush said. 'I said, what happened, did you get the wrong house? She said, "no, I do this all the time".''I said, "what do you mean?" She said, "I just stop and clean your house".'Last month Warren was charged with criminal trespassing at a home in Beachwood, police records show.A friend living at Warren's home told WKYC the woman is always working and owns her own business. Sue Warren Cleaning can be found online. Nothing was stolen from the homes, but police expect to charge her with felony burglary in court. 'This may be a pattern of behavior for her,' Westlake Police Department captain Guy Turner told Fox 8. Warren is in Cuyahoga County Jail and has not yet posted bond as of Thursday afternoon.


Issue #460 (15)

THE CONTACT

Imran Khan gets his own app based on Angry Birds ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan, the former cricketer- turnedpolitician has received perhaps the ultimate accolade with his very own smartphone app — Angry Imran, based on Angry Birds. Angry Imran has been downloaded several thousand times since it was released for android phones and tablets three days ago. Its developers say they are stunned by the excitement it has generated. Players catapult Imran into the giant heads of Pakistan's political leaders, smashing his way through wooden planks and stone plinths, as he vies for control of key cities before marching on the capital Islamabad. “ I find it quite funny,” said Khan on Friday, whose party rallies have certainly seen him develop an angry streak as he denounces drone strikes and American aggression in Afghanistan. “ Status quo is petrified of Pakistan Tehreek- e- Insaf ( PTI) especially after our Rawalpindi tsunami.” Last

weekend, he attracted 90,000 supporters to a rally in Rawalpindi. In the computer game, he must sweep away the heads of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, Nawaz Sharif, the main opposition leader, and Altaf Hussain, who rules the city of Karachi from exile in London. Victory at each stage is greeted by the voice of Khan roaring ‘ Tabdeeli agayi hai ’ — Urdu for the change has come. The game was put together by a group of budding young developers, who call themselves CreatiXe.

05 June to 11 June 2012

IT’S WAR OF THE BUMS BETWEEN KYLIE AND PIPPA!

LONDON: Pop princess Kylie Minogue has challenged Pippa Middleton to a royal battle of the bums. The Aussie singer has vowed to have a “ bum- off” with the Duchess of Cambridge’s sister at Monday’s Diamond Jubilee concert. Pippa ( 28) threatened to upstage Kate on her wedding day last April, when her shapely rear stole headlines around the world. But Kylie, whose pert behind sent pulses racing in a tiny pair of gold hotpants in the video for Spinning Around, is not prepared to give up her crown just yet. Kylie, who celebrated her 44th birthday on Monday, revealed her cheeky plan on Alan Carr’s Chatty Man TV show. Asked whether she would have a “ bum- off” with her rear nemesis, Kylie said: “ I’m going to have to. “ I’ll definitely have to be like ‘ Oh!’, drop something and pick it up off the ground!” Kylie is set to perform at the concert, which will celebrate the Queen’s 60 years on the throne, but admitted that she is nervous about singing in front of the Royal Family.

The Aussie pop princess has vowed to reclaim her ‘ best bum’ crown from Pippa Middleton when she takes to the stage for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Concert

She added: “ I can’t tell you much about the performance, but what I can say is that I’m doing a medley. I’ve had a re-

hearsal and I had a very terrified expression! It’s really exciting, nerves aside, I can’t wait.”


THE CONTACT

Issue #460 (16)

05 June to 11 June 2012

I DIDN’T MEAN TO OFFEND INDIANS: KIM KARDASHIAN CALIFORNIA: Kim Kardashian stirred a hornet’s nest when she slammed Indian food and called it ‘disgusting’ in Sunday night’s episode of the hit reality TV show Keeping Up With The Kardashians . Kim was forced to apologise to an entire country after she offended them. The 31- year- old socialite came under fire after she criticised Indian food to her sisters Kendall and Kylie Jenner in the episode. Setting it straight Kardashian took to her official website to set the record straight, insisting she meant

no offence to people of Indian heritage. “ I said that I thought Indian food was disgusting. In no way was this intended as an insult to the Indian people or their culture. This is just my own personal taste,” she posted on her blog. “ There are definitely some Armenian foods that I personally find disgusting, but that doesn’t reflect my opinions on other Armenian people or my culture,” she clarified. The move followed heavy criticism from the Twittersphere after the show went on air. Reactions “ I think it’s good Kim

Kardashian doesn’t like Indian food because that means she won’t ever visit India and that in itself is a blessing,” tweeted @krishna_shah. “ Kim Kardashian & Kendall Jenner called Indian food ‘ so disgusting.’ Seriously? You don’t have to like it, don’t be rude. # gianteyeroll,” added @jenannelias. It’s been a tough week for the reality star, who also accused British Airways of opening her bags and stealing some of her belongings including a pair of ‘sentimental’ sunglasses given to her by her late father.

ZUCKERBERG CAUGHT SHORT OF CASH ON ITALIAN HONEYMOON della Campania, in a whitewashed alcove of Capri’s main village, a haunt of Hollywood celebrities and the super- rich. A video shot by a passer- by showed Zuckerberg looking at the cash machine quizzically and asking advice from a fellow tourist, before abandoning the attempt to withdraw money and walking away. Cash machines in Italy are frequently out of service but the Naples- based bank insisted that it was functioning normally.

Hailed an internet genius, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was left flummoxed on his honeymoon in Italy by a rather more basic piece of technology — a cash machine CAPRI: Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan are on their honeymoon, adding Life Events to their Timelines and handing out shiny American dollar coins to Italian peasant children. But they might be running low on that IPO cash, because Zuck can’t use an ATM. The 28year- old multi- billionaire was

unable to access his vast personal fortune when he tried to withdraw money from a cash point on the island of Capri. The young internet tycoon and his new wife, Priscilla Chan, went by boat from the picturesque Amalfi Coast to the island in the Bay of Naples earlier this week. From the island’s tiny port they took an open- topped taxi to have lunch at Da Giorgio, a local restaurant. They then found a nearby ATM machine, owned by Banca

DROPPED OFF BILLIONAIRE LIST Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg has dropped off Bloomberg’s list of the richest 40 billionaires in the world after his social networking firm’s disastrous launch on the US stockmarket. Earlier, Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index

had declared Zuckerberg the 29th richest person on Earth after Facebook Inc. sold 421.2 million shares valued for $ 38 each. But now, the Facebook founder has fallen off the list entirely,

The honeymoon was supposed to be a secret until the couple’s cover was blown by a Polish tourist who snapped them admiring the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican and posted the photographs on Twitter. Meanwhile, the owner of a kosher restaurant in Rome’s historic Ghetto quarter dismissed a row over Zuckerberg not leaving a tip when he and his new wife ate there during their two- day stay in the capital. Umberto Pavoncello said the

failure to leave a tip for a lunch which cost £ 26 ( Rs 2,270) was of no consequence and said he was considering renaming one of the restaurant’s signature dishes — deep- fried courgette flowers — after Zuckerberg. He wrote on the website of his restaurant, Nonna Betta ( Granny Betta) that he would like to make the Internet guru ‘an honorary nephew’ and speculated that he had failed to leave a tip because he was in a hurry.

WOMAN ENDS LIFE AFTER MONTH OF MARITAL WOES A 24- YEAR- old woman committed suicide by hanging herself from a ceiling fan at her home in Bhandup on Thursday night. Marital problems over the past month were suspected to be behind the drastic step. Subhangi Kiran Bhosle hanged herself with a dupatta when her nine- month- old baby was playing with her motherinlaw on the ground floor of the family’s two- storeyed house in Ambewadi, Bhandup ( West). Her husband and father- inlaw were not at home when Subhangi ended her life. “ On the basis of medical and circumstantial evidence, it clearly looks like a case of suicide,” Senior Police Inspector Shrirang Vyasrao Nadgauda of the Bhandup police station said. Married for two years, the couple hit a rocky patch about a month ago, said the police. “ For the past one month, relations between husband and wife had not been good, which might have given rise to frustration and depression and led to

the suicide,” Nadgauda said, adding, “ If her parents or siblings make any allegations, we will file a case against her husband and his family.” On the fateful night, Subhangi proceeded to the first floor after dinner. Around 11 pm, her motherinlaw grew worried as an hour had passed without any sound from Subhangi.

Her mother- in- law called Subhangi several times but did not get an answer. Finding the door to the room Subhangi was in locked from inside, she called the neighbours, and they called the police. The police broke open the door to find Subhangi hanging lifeless from the ceiling fan. The body was sent for postmortem.


Issue #460 (17)

THE CONTACT

05 June to 11 June 2012

This is a couple of days when other people demand a lot of you. You have to go out of your way to make sure everyone is well looked after. If you feel emotionally drained because of that, try and give yourself treats through the day. Maybe you are not being very practical with the Sun in your chart area of grand plans, but you can always sort out what is workable in a few weeks time. This is the much more exciting stage of allowing your visions to flourish.

You are in one of your get-up-and-go moods. Upbeat influences around make you feel you can accomplish more than usual. You are looking around at home seeing how to make your immediate environment feel more comfortable, relaxing and stylish. But it does seem difficult for you to throw away outworn possessions or furniture. Think Feng Shui. Clearing clutter will not only make your rooms look better, you’ll feel easier within yourself.

You will be promoting yourself in a strong way, looking for the limelight. You’ll want to be off flirting and dancing. There will be more emotional depth in relationships with loved ones, whether it’s children, adults or social companions. Though at times it may seem a little like a battlefield as confrontations litter your way ahead. You may complain about your difficult path just now but it will only last for a few more days.

You could be at risk of committing yourself to things that are a bit beyond you, or promising more than you can deliver. It could be a good time to start new projects as long as you take practical advice and move at a steady pace. You will go out of your way to avoid confrontations as a calm atmosphere makes you feel settled. Just remember to stand up for yourself at times, since you can give in too much just to keep the peace.

The Moon’s position today is a hint to cool down, calm down and get away from hassle, hustle and aggravation. You don’t want to be overwhelmed by the things of the outside world. Though in general you are blessed with tact and diplomacy at the moment, and you should notice an improvement in your social life now. Your charming manner, and way of putting others at ease will be attracting all manner of compliments and intriguing invitations.

If you are around sporting or physical activities today have a care that you don’t take risks. Not that you will be accident-prone, but you could just think you are capable of more than you are. You want tangible gestures of affection to make you feel appreciated now, either in cuddles or in presents. Venus in the signs after yours makes you emotionally rather fixed, rather possessive, even jealous at times. Try to be flexible.

your words may just spill out all over the place and other people get flooded and miss out on the sense. So once in a while you have to stand back and try to come to a few conclusions before you leap back out again. Maybe you are feeling resentful because you aren’t being given higher rewards for your labours. But at the end of the day you’ll be better pleased doing a good job for its own sake, rather than gaining glory in the world.

Mars close to Jupiter can be a potent combination. Neither planetary influence is a long-distance runner so don’t launch with wild abandon into schemes which you may run out of energy for before they can be completed. Try to curb your inclination to spend like mad. You will avoid confrontations since you just can’t be bothered. But if you compromise too much just for the sake of calm, it may make you sound insincere.

Sort out your priorities and decide what really is of value to you. You might be tempted to think that money is the only thing that matters, but there are other things which can lift your spirits when you are feeling low. You won’t be shy about voicing your feelings and desires. More than anything what you want is to be applauded, so you will be hamming it up madly at times, but so charmingly everyone will clap even harder.

You are so exuberant you feel that everything you touch will work well. Sometimes you can trust your instincts but today you need to take your wilder schemes with a pinch of salt. You need to check that what you are aiming for is realistic. Socially you may feel a bit cut off. But time on your own gives you a chance to connect to your deeper feelings or creative talents. Remember that this is only a temporary phase and will soon be over.

In a restless mood, you’ll ebb and flow like the tide so you need solid mates around to be protective and more practical. You’ll be very sensitive to the undercurrents in the emotional atmosphere which makes you more sympathetic but can also make you just confused at times. If you can push heavier chores at work to one side until the 22nd it will help. Rather inward looking now, spiritual growth will be more important to you than outer ambition.

There are lively influences around which should do wonders for your self-confidence. You could be at the point of turning some of your dreams into reality. Your freedom-loving streak is making you wary of intimacy and claustrophobic twosomes won’t fit the bill. Make sure you communicate to loved ones that your detached manner is not a rejection of them. You are just in a butterfly mood, flitting happily around, not settling anywhere for long.


Issue #460 (18)

THE CONTACT

05 June to 11 June 2012

Has the Pirate King of Scilly's ship been found? Wreck hunter hopes his discovery is craft that belonged to notorious outlaw A ship found off the coast of Cornwall could be a pirate vessel that sank more than 350 years ago. Shipwreck hunter Todd Stevens believes the 80ft craft belonged to legendary privateer John Mucknell, known as the Pirate King of Scilly. The John was originally a 44gun East India Company frigate but its swashbuckling skipper Captain John Mucknell became a privateer just before the start of the civil war in 1643. He ran aground his ship, The John, in 1645, after it was damaged in a battle with sailors sent by Charles I. Since then, its exact location has remained a mystery. He joined a fleet of smaller vessels based on the Scillies which raided ships in the Western Approaches and seized them

and their cargoes. Captain Mucknell was a staunch Royalist and his predations may have enjoyed semi official approval from Charles I, whose coffers would have been boosted by his loot. He spent two years as a pirate until he was tracked down by three Parliamentary warships in 1645 and his ship was mauled in a naval battle close to the Scillies. He then grounded it on a reef and escaped onto the islands along with most of his crew but the location of the wreck has remained a mystery which has baffled naval historians for years. Captain Mucknell himself returned to the mainland where he was taken back into the mainstream Royalist Navy, knighted, and promoted to vice admiral. He carried on fighting until the

Elaborate marriage proposal becomes online sensation

OREGON: A Portland man’s creative marriage proposal not only landed him a fiancé but shot him to viral video stardom as well. Isaac Lamb popped the question to his girlfriend Amy Frankel on Wednesday in what he billed as the first live lip dub proposal — an elaborate, choreographed dance routine that has already been viewed over 1.5 million times on YouTube. Set to the song Marry You by Bruno Mars, the stunt features roughly 60 of the couple’s friends and family members dancing and lip syncing through the streets, cul-

minating in Lamb getting down on one knee. The video kicks off with Lamb’s brother seating Frankel in the back of a car with a pair of headphones as he tells her he wants her to listen to a song. “ This song really tends to exemplify you and Isaac’s relationship — it really does to me,” he says. Lamb said he didn’t make the video imagining anyone he didn’t know would see it. “To be honest it’s a little overwhelming. I’m really, really, really touched by how positive people’s reactions have been,” Lamb said. My intention was never to make a viral video.”

end of the Civil War in 1649 when he fled to Portugal. Diver Todd Stevens is convinced that a large wreck he has located near the Scillies is the John. Artefacts recovered from the sea bed date it to the Civil War period. The wreck is 80 foot long and too large to be one of the many small traders which foundered on the Isles at the time or one of the lesser pirate ships in the ten-strong fleet.Experts are due to dive on the wreck in the next few weeks and it could receive protected status as an important underwater historical site if the identity is confirmed. Mr Stevens has found a treasure trove of artefacts, including a thin silver coin imprinted during the reign of Charles I. He said the story of The

John and its colourful captain read like the script of a Hollywood blockbuster. 'It's like a movie - John Mucknell wasn't even 50 when he died, but he lived an amazing life, any part of which would make a great film, but looked at together is almost unreal,' he said. Describing the find, Mr Stevens added: 'I followed the lines in the sand and found there was more and more. 'I was fighting the tide, but I could dig in with my hands to hold on. 'I could tell it was a very big vessel, had been armed and from the construction technique that it was pre1750. 'But I could also tell it had been run aground because the bow was pointing into the land.' Mr Stevens said: 'There was already a rag tag bunch of pirates at Scilly, but

Mucknell and his huge ship, the John, became the flagship, and all the pirates rallied under his banner. 'There were about 11 ships in all, pillaging other ships, kidnapping people and conducting raids. 'The Prince of Wales was petitioned about him and wrote to his father, the King. 'Parliament was under pressure to act and in 1645 sent in the three ships to Scilly to stop this pirate.' In the aftermath of the pitched battle, the damaged John was run aground by her captain, who then fled to Ireland. Ironically, it seemed crime did pay for Captain Mucknell, whose support for the King won him a

knighthood, a promotion to vice-admiral and the command of another ship. He then returned to Scilly and, Mr Stevens claims 'carried on where he left off' up until the execution of Charles I in 1649, when he escaped to Portugal. Alison James, maritime archaeologist with the organisation, said it could end up being Britain's newest protected shipwreck site. She said: 'It is of interest because it is a very early vessel. 'We know the John was a Royalist vessel and we know it was lost in 1645. 'This is a preliminary investigation, but it could turn out to be of huge historical significance.'

INDIAN GIRL IS THE BEE’S KNEES

WASHINGTON: Indian Americans continued to demonstrate their spelling prowess when Snigdha Nandipati, a 14- year- old girl, correctly spelled guetapens, a French word for ambush, to win the 2012 Scripps National Spelling Bee crown. She thus retained the coveted national honour for the community, that has been steadily growing in profile and influence, for the fifth straight year. “ It’s a miracle,” said Nandipati from San Diego, California, as she pipped fellow Indian- American Stuti Mishra, of Florida who stumbled over ‘ schwarmerei’, German for extravagant enthusiasm, in the last round of the final at a convention centre outside Washington on Thursday night. Nandipati, an avid reader and coin collector who aspires to become a psychiatrist or neurosurgeon, gets $ 30,000 ( Rs 16.67 lakh) in cash, a trophy, a $ 2,500 ( Rs 1.40 lakh) savings bond, a $ 5,000 ( Rs 2.77 lakh) scholarship, and reference works from the Encyclopedia Britannica and an online language course.

14- yr- old Snigdha Nandipati wins the spelling bee contest making her the fifth Indian in a row to raise the crown

Nandipati plays violin and is fluent in Telugu. She is the fifth consecutive Indian- American winner and 10th in the last 14 years. The Indian- American community’s victory run began in 1999 when Nupur Lala captured the crown. Anamika Veeramani scored a hat- trick for In-

dian- Americans by taking the crown in 2010. With Arvind Mahankali of Bayside Hills, New York, a finalist for the last two years, the three Indian American kids were the top spellers left in the last round from among the nine who made the finals on Thursday.

Forty- one spellers, meanwhile, heard the dreaded bell that signals an incorrect spelling in the semi- finals. Sensational spelling Vetiver: Fragrant extract obtained from Indian grass . Schwarmerei: Excessive, unbridled enthusiasm


THE CONTACT

Issue #460 (19)

‘BETTER AMERCIA?’ ROMNEY iPHONE APP MISSPELLS AMERICA

WASHINGTON: He’s finally been confirmed as the Republican candidate for the US Presidency, but the Grand Old Party may be doubting its choice yesterday after revelations that Mitt Romney — or at least his campaign team — can’t actually spell ‘America’. The embarrassing blunder sees the country restyled as ‘Amercia’, and features in the Romney campaign’s new ‘ With Mitt’ iPhone app. Launched the app was meant to let users take photo-

graphs and superimpose the slogan ‘a better America,’ on them. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the prospective president is taking his fair share of Internet mockery over the error. One user of micro- blogging website Twitter, joked: “Whew, I hear Mitt’s updating that misspelled Amercia on his app. He’s just going with Untied States now.” “Does Mitt Romney believe that Obama was born in Keyna?” wondered another.

“We thought this would be a fun, easy way to showcase support,” said Romney’s digital director Zac Moffatt when the app launched. Alas for Romney, online ridicule probably wasn’t the kind of fun he was aiming for. “Mistakes happen,” Romney campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul said. “I don’t think any voter cares about a typo at the end of the day,” she said, adding that an update had been sent to Apple and was awaiting final approval — and presumably one last spellcheck.

Prison to hire friends to play chess with Breivik OSLO: The Norwegian prison where mass killer Anders Behring Breivik may be locked up will hire people to socialise with him so he will not be in contact with other inmates. Knut Bjarkeid, the director of Ila prison outside Oslo, said that the 33- yearold would not have contact with other inmates because of the risk of a hostage situation developing in the jail. “ Even if he is sentenced to detention or imprisonment, he will not make contact with other prisoners indefinitely. We are now working to design a plan for him, according to the threat and the security situation,” Bjarkeid said.

“ We are planning a professional community around him, with employees and hired people. We have previously done this with other inmates who have been in an unstable situation,” he added. Bjarkeid said the “professional community” may include people to

play chess and other sports with Breivik. Breivik killed 69 people at a political youth camp on Utoeya island and another eight after bombing a government building in Oslo on July 22 last year. He confessed to the killings, but refuses to plead guilty claiming the shootings were ‘ cruel but necessary’ to stop the Norwegian Labor Party’s ‘ multicultural experiment’ and the Muslim invasion of Norway and Europe. Breivik is currently on trial at the Oslo District Court. The court’s judges are due to hand down a verdict in July.

CHILDREN ON PRINCE HARRY AND WILLIAM’S MINDS LONDON: Prince Harry has admitted for the first time he is desperate to have kids. He spoke of his desire to be a dad in an interview marking his grandmother’s Diamond Jubilee. Harry has made no secret of the fact he shares his late mothers love of young people. But this is the first time the young Royal — who recently admitted he found it hard to find love — has confessed to feeling broody. Harry said, “ I’ve longed for kids since I was very, very young. And so I’m waiting to find the right person, someone who’s willing to take on the job.” His brother William also said he Kate were “ very keen” to start a family.

05 June to 11 June 2012

Maybe, Romney should learn his spellings from Lori Anne Madison The 6- year- old is the youngest

competitor in US National Spelling Bee WASHINGTON: A 6- yearold girl became the youngest participant ever to compete in the preliminary round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Wednesday, getting off to a successful start by spelling dirigible. Lori Anne Madison (6) of Woodbridge, Virginia, is the youngest contestant to qualify for the spelling bee, according to the Scripps website. She is among 278 competitors, including three finalists from last year. However, the young participant failed to make it to the semi- finals of the competition. At her next turn in front of the microphone, she was given the word ingluvies, a term for a digestive pouch on insects and birds. It’' s a word obscure enough that spell- check doesn’t recognise it. Lori Anne's fatal mistake: She started it with an 'e.' But,

as she slumped backstage, her older competitors greeted her with high-fives and slaps on the back.


Issue #460 (20)

THE CONTACT

05 June to 11 June 2012

Islamic holy man and NORWAY KILLER ‘WANTED TO BE LIKE BECKHAM’ his wife are jailed for His friends tell court that he had fallen into depression mutilating the genitals as he was gay and that he was vain about his looks and wanted to be ‘metrosexual like Beckham’ of their four daughters

An Islamic holy man and his wife have been jailed for the genital mutilation of their four daughters. The case has shocked France and was branded by a female government minister as a ‘grave crime’ and an ‘intolerable affront to women’s dignity.’ All four of the victims, now aged between 11 and 20, were in court to hear the sentence and wept and cried out as their parents were led away from the dock. The unnamed father was sentenced to two years and his wife got 18 months for allowing a ‘doctor’ to remove parts of their vaginas. They were charged with ‘complicity in voluntary violence having led to mutilation by an older person of a minor under the age of 15 years’ , a crime punishable by a maximum of 20 years jail. The father was said to be a ‘ marabout’ - an Arabic word for an Islamic ascetic holy man alleged to be endowed with magical powers. The couple originally came from the west African state of Guinea where according to a 2007 study, 96 per cent of young girls have their genitals mutilated in the name of religion. Black African marabouts, or sorcerers as they are termed by other branches of Islam who condemn their practices, use talismans to exert their powers They are said to be able to cure illnesses and restore whole communities to wellbeing simply by waving feathers and intoning magical words. At the trial in Nevers, central France, the two youngest victims had declared themselves plaintiffs under French law but the

elder girls withdrew their complaint and sided with their parents. Nathalie BouvierLongeville, a lawyer representing the two youngest sisters told the court: ‘ By what right were the parents able to appropriate parts of their daughters’ bodies? ‘They are loving parents and not monsters. It seems inconceivable that loving parents could have done this’. The two eldest girls defended their parents action, saying that they did not understand why they were appearing in court. Sobbing in the witness box , the mother told the court that she now regretted what had happened . ‘Now I would be less passive, ‘ she said. ‘Circumcision is not good.’ The former holy man, said to have been severely handicapped by a stroke, told the judge ,’ What is the most important thing for me is the wellbeing of my family. I am sorry for what happened.’ Moroccan- born Najat Va l l a u d - B e l k a c e m , 3 5 , Minister of Women’s Rights in the new government of François Hollande, has now pledged a crackdown on the illegal practice. She vowed to track down what she called ‘ executioners’ who have performed covert surgery on an estimated 50,000 young girls in France. ‘Circumcision is a mutilating and dangerous practice with serious effects on health, fertility and physical and psychological wellbeing of the very young girls who are its victims’, the Minister wrote on her website

THE Norwegian mass killer Anders Behring Breivik’s closest friends worried that he had fallen into a deep depression or was gay and unable to accept it when he cut off all social relations and moved in with his mother, a court in Oslo heard yesterday. Two of Breivik’s close friends gave evidence overnight in a separate room to Breivik, who is on trial for murdering 77 people in terrorist attacks in Oslo and on the island of Utoya last year. One friend said he had long wondered about the 33- yearold extremist’s sexuality because he was slightly feminine and fastidious about his appearance. The friend said Breivik had a nose job, supposedly to make himself look more “ Aryan’. “ He was very vain. He was very focused on his looks. He could be a bit feminine in his way of being.

“ He explained that as being metrosexual, that was the new trend. He made reference to David Beckham at the time,” he said. Another friend said Breivik became extremely preoccupied with immigration after 2006 and it became impossible to talk to him without him bringing up politics. He became increasingly ob-

sessed with computer games and moved to his mother’s house to play the online game World of Warcraft full- time for a year. There, he developed an unusually close relationship with his mother and became reclusive, at which point his friends became worried that he was depressed about being gay. The trial is expected to last until the end of June.

JUBILATION IN THE AIR

Princess Catherine meets guests at the Buckingham Palace garden party yesterday ahead of the weekend of celebrations to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. A woman poses for a photograph in front of a floral crown that has been installed in St James's Park in central London for the occasion.

Tintin memorabilia set to break record

PARIS: The world of Tintin is nostalgic for some but if you want a piece of the memorabilia, including an original 1932 cover of the comic ‘ Tintin in America’ by Georges Remi let’s hope you have a spare few million Euros to spend. The collection received finishing touches yesterday as they went on display in a Paris auction house ahead of its sale this weekend. The auction is called The Worlds of Tintin’s Creator and what makes it special is the rare edition of the Belgium comic book hero’s adventures in addition to pictures, toys and postcards. But perhaps the most special piece is the original cover

from 1932. The Auction house already sold an original Tintin front page for a hefty $7,64,000 price tag in 2008.

So this coming weekend the auction house may set a new record for such memorabilia. The auction will take place in Paris .


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THE CONTACT

05 June to 11 June 2012

‘I put my brother’s blood Bird on a plane! on me, and played dead’ When the gunmen began to slaughter his family, 11-year-old Ali el-Sayed said he fell to the floor of his home, soaking his clothes with his brother’s blood to fool the killers into thinking he was already dead. The Syrian boy tried to stop himself from trembling, even as the gunmen, with long beards and shaved heads, killed his parents and all four of his siblings, one by one. The youngest to die was Ali's brother, 6-year-old Nader. His small body bore two bullet holes - one in his head, another in his back. Ali is one of the few survivors of a weekend massacre in Houla, a collection of poor farming villages and olive groves in Syria's central Homs province. More than 100 people were killed, many of them women and children who were shot or stabbed in their houses, the killings inviting immediate, worldwide condemnation. Ali said his mother began weeping the moment about 11 gunmen entered the family home in the middle of the night after arriving in a military armoured vehicle and a bus. The men led Ali's father and oldest brother outside. “My mother started screaming

'Why did you take them? Why did you take them?“ Ali said. Soon afterward, he said, the gunmen killed his entire family. As Ali huddled with his youngest siblings, a man in civilian clothes took Ali's mother to the bedroom and shot her five times in the head

and neck. “Then he left the bedroom. He used his flashlight to see in front of him,” Ali said. “When he saw my sister Rasha, he shot her in the head while she was in the hallway,” Ali told The Associated Press over Skype, his raspy voice steady and matter-

offact, five days after the killing spree that left him both an orphan and an only child. I was terrified, my body trembled Ali had been hiding near his brothers Nader, 6, and Aden, 8. The gunmen shot both of them, killing them instantly. He then fired at Ali but missed. “I was terrified,” Ali said, speaking from Houla, where relatives have taken him in. “My whole body was trembling. I put my brother's blood all over me and acted like I was dead.” Ali is among the few survivors of the massacre, although it was impossible to independently corroborate his story. According to the UN, which is investigating the attack, most of the victims were shot at close range, as were Ali's parents and siblings. The attackers appeared to be targeting the most vulnerable people, such as children and the elderly, to terrorise the population. Ali can describe the attack, but al-Qassem, who is from the Houla area, said that the full story may never emerge. “There are no eyewitnesses of the massacre,” he said. “The eyewitnesses are all dead.”

The stowaway songbird that crossed the Pacific on an international flight...

Passengers on a 10-hour flight from Taiwan to California were in for a surprise when they found there was a stowaway passenger in the plane – a rare songbird. They discovered the surprising fare-dodger when the tawny songbird hopped down the aisle of the plane. Officials suspect the bird’s transcontinental flight was most likely a failed animal smuggling attempt. A flight attendant had captured the bird and handed it over to customs agents who put the bird in a cage and gave it seeds and water. After screening and Xraying all passengers, crew and carry-on bags, no other birds, droppings or feathers were found. U.S. Customs and Border Protection specialists said in a statement Friday that they seized the bird upon the flight’s arrival at

Los Angeles International Airport on May 27. The bird was offered veterinary services, and released to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. While there were no arrests made, LAX officials said that the species is identical to others found at the busy Los Angeles airport. In 2009, a man from Garden Grove, California was caught trying to smuggle rare songbirds into the country by securing them to his legs. His cover was blown after officials found feathers and bird droppings on his trousers, the Los Angeles Times reported at the time. He was sentenced to four months in federal prison. Customs officials say smuggled animals can carry diseases, such as avian flu, which is potentially fatal.


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Attack of the drones 27 killed in just three days as ease strik akistan U .S .S.. incr increase strikes Pakistan es in P

U.S. drone attacks on Pakistan have entered their third consecutive day, with rockets killing 15 people in northwest Pakistan this afternoon. The strike targeted a militant hideout in the Hesokhel village of the North Waziristan tribal region, officials said. It brought the death toll from drone attacks in Pakistan in the past three days to 27. Today Pakistani protesters took to the streets, shouting anti-U.S. slogans during a demonstration in the city of Multan. They burnt both U.S. and Nato flags as they chanted and their hand-drawn signs had slogans stating 'America and Nato are war terrorists.' It was the seven American attack over the past two weeks and emphasised the importance President Barack Obama puts on the campaign, which his military chiefs consider to be a vital tool in the war against alQaeda and the Taliban. Administration officials told the New York Times that Mr Obama and top security officials regularly consult on adding militants to a drone 'kill list.' They also said that the U.S. president personally approves or vetoes each strike The attacks have been a source of deep frustration and tension between the U.S. and Pakistan. The Pakistan government says the CIA drone campaign fuels anti-American sentiment in the country, and is counterproductive because of collateral damage. U.S. officials, however, say such strikes by the remotely piloted aircraft are highly effective against mili-

tants and are an important weapon in war against militancy. They are locked in difficult negotiations to re-open overland supply routes to NATO forces in Afghanistan, with no signs of a breakthrough. Islamabad blocked the routes last November in protest at the deaths of 24 Pakistani soldiers in a 'friendly fire' incident involving NATO aircraft. The supply lines through Pakistan are considered vital to the planned withdrawal of most foreign combat troops from Afghanistan before the end of 2014. Secretly, many Pakistani military commanders are believed to support the raids, but among the Pakistani public, where the U.S. is viewed with mistrust, the drone strikes are considered an affront to their sovereignty. Pakistan has demanded an apology over the Nato raid and an end to drone strikes against militants along the Afghan border before they will reopen the supply lines. Meanwhile, Canada has defended the use of drone attacks, claiming technological advances have reduced civilian causalities.National Defense Minister Peter Gordon MacKay told an Asian security summit that the 'intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities we saw in Libya and Afghanistan prove the effectiveness' of unmanned systems. Canada's military has participated in the U.S.-led decade-long war in Afghanistan and also in NATO strikes in Libya last year.

Hosni Mubarak refuses food, medicine in prison CAIRO: Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak has declined food and medicine since being taken to a prison after a court sentenced him to life behind bars for his role in the death of protestors last year. In Cairo's Tora prison, Mubarak's mood has been bad "to the point of not even responding to those who greet him", said the el-Fagr newspaper.Ever since the trial began in August, the 84-year-old Mubarak was detained in the International Medical Center, a facility run by the military near Cairo. Mubarak and his former security chief Habib al-Adly were both convicted for the killings of around 900 protestors. They received life sentences. Once the helicopter transporting Mubarak arrived at Tora prison, the ousted leader refused to leave the aircraft. Security officials said he "suffered from a surprise health crisis" before they finally convinced him to go into the prison. Mubarak was president for almost 30 years. He stepped down in February 2011 amid mass nationwide protests.

05 June to 11 June 2012

ASSANGE 1 STEP AWAY

FROM EXTRADITION LONDON: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange yesterday lost his Supreme Court fight against extradition to Sweden to face sex crime allegations. Lawyers for Assange asked Britain’s highest court to block his removal, arguing that the European arrest warrant issued against him was ‘ invalid and unenforceable’. The Supreme Court judges, who heard the case in February, yesterday announced that they have rejected his challenge. The court dismissed his appeal by a majority of five to two. Assange, who was not present for the hearing because his lawyers said he was stuck in traffic, was given 14 days to consider the ruling before a final decision on his next step in his legal battle. His team indicated they would reopen the case at the Supreme Court. Lord Phillips, president of the court, said the point of law which had to be considered had not been simple to resolve. The Swedish authorities want Assange to answer accusations of raping one woman and sexually molesting and coercing another in Stockholm in August 2010 while on a visit to give a lecture. Assange, whose WikiLeaks website has published a mass of leaked diplomatic cables that embarrassed several governments and international businesses, says the sex was consensual and the allegations against him are po-

WikiLeaks founder has lost his latest attempt to avoid extradition to Sweden over rape, sexual assault allegations; SC grants him a stay of 14 days on the order litically motivated. In November 2011, the High Court upheld a ruling in February 2011 that the Australian computer expert should be extradited to face investigation. The High Court declared that it would not be unfair or unlawful to extradite Assange. Assange’s QC Dina Rose said his latest appeal raised the single issue of law as to

whether the Swedish public prosecutor constituted a ‘ judicial authority’ capable of issuing a valid warrant under the provisions of the 2003 Extradition Act. It was common ground that if she did not, there was no legal basis for extradition. Rose suggested it was obvious that a public prosecutor whose function it was to investigate and prosecute an individual ‘ cannot exercise judicial authority in relation to that individual’. Afterwards, Rose said an application would be made to reopen the case at the Supreme Court on the basis that the court’s majority decision was made on legal points not argued during the appeal. The representative for the two women, lawyer Claes Borgström, said that the outcome was expected, but ‘ strongly criticised’ the Surpreme Court for the amount of time the extradition order has taken.

8-yr-old saves family from devastating fire An eight-year-old girl has been hailed as a hero after she helped raised the alarm about a devastating house fire that threatened the safety of thirteen other children in her family home. Amy O’Toole alerted her mum Michelle Leech after smelling smoke coming from an upstairs bedroom in the six-bedroom semi-detached house in Swinton, Greater Manchester at around 3pm on Sunday. She then helped round up 13 other children - aged between 18 months and 17 - and four adults who were in the house at the time before leading them to safety. Grandmother Carol Leech said the girl’s quick-thinking had helped save the lives of her parents and her siblings. “The house is badly damaged but it could have been much, much worse,” she said. “She acted so quickly and did exactly the right thing by raising the alarm and making sure everyone got out. “She is quite a mature little girl but we are all so

proud of how well she did. She was an absolute star.” Despite being called a lifesaver, Amy said she is just glad her family are safe - insisting that any one of her brothers or sisters would have reacted the

same way. “I could smell the smoke and when I went into the room I could see there was some bedding on fire,” she said. “I shouted for my mum as loud as I could and then told ev-

eryone to get out of the house. I knew what to do because they told us in school. I am happy everyone is okay but I do not think I am a hero. All my brothers and sisters would have done the same for me.” Michelle and Amy’s fouryear-old brother Sean Junior were both taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation. The Manchester Evening News reports that grandmother Cath O’Toole, who lives nearby, ran into the house and battled through the flames to rescue the young boy after seeing her grandchildren pouring out into the street. The fire severely damaged the first floor and the loft of the house. A fire service spokesman said: “The fire has caused extensive damage to the house and the family are now being found temporary alternative accommodation. One possible cause of the fire is children playing in a bedroom where a quantity of bedding was set alight.”


THE CONTACT

Issue #460 (23)

‘Gonna paint the town red’

Actor Sonam Kapoor was quite a head-turner as she walked the red carpet at Cannes in a Dolce & Gabbana ensemble on the last day of the international film festival. While the designer and the ensemble had been kept under wraps until the final moment, the actor had revealed that unlike last year, this time around, she won’t be walking in an Indian attire. “As much as I love Indian wear, I’d hate to repeat my look, so no saris for me this time,” she’d said. But like last year, this time too, she was accompanied to Cannes by her sister Rhea, who’s also styled her. The actor, who’d been busy attending parties and photoshoots these past few days, hoped to paint the town red on her last day there. “Last night at Cannes.... Gonna paint the town red!!” tweeted Sonam. This wasn’t her first time at the Croisette as she had attended Cannes festival last year. “Well, I’ll feel more of a pro at the red carpet, but it’s still just as exciting. I think that nice exciting feeling is always going to be there, no matter what red carpet moment it is. But yes, walking it feels like a proud moment, as people know you as an Indian actor. I’m very proud of that,” Sonam had said. Though the actor was looking forward to meeting Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett, she did happen to meet another of her favourite actors, Audrey Tautou on the red carpet. “Just had a fan girl moment with audrey tautou! Omigod how gorg is she!” Sonam wrote on the microblogging site. Among the dinners that she attended there, was one where she was personally hosted by the head of a luxury house which was followed by a party to celebrate the world restoration premiere of Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America. Also attending the do apparently were the likes of a host of international faces including Gemma Arterton, Jennifer Connelly, Salma Hayek-Pinault, James Woods, Naomi Watts, Gerard Butler, Robert De Niro, Alec Baldwin, Chris Pine, Brett Ratner, Robert Rodriguez, and Sophie Marceau, among others.

...was actor Sonam Kapoor’s POA on her last day at Cannes

Awaara among 100 greatest films Raj Kapoor’s Awaara has been included among 20 new entries in an all-time list of greatest films Time magazine has included Raj Kapoor’s 1951 classic Awaara among 20 new entries added to its All-Time 100 list of the greatest films made since 1923, the beginning of the prestigious US periodical. Rethinking the movie masterpieces, Time critic Richard Corliss describes Raj Kapoor as “the great star-auteur of India’s postcolonial golden age of movies — Cary Grant and Cecil B. DeMille in one handsome package.” “The ’50s films he headlined and directed became huge hits not just in his newly freed homeland but also across the Arab crescent from Indonesia to

North Africa,” the magazine noted. Kapoor, who modelled his screen persona on Charlie Chaplin’s Little Tramp, was 26 when he filmed Awaara (The Tramp). The magazine calls

Awaara as “a glistening showcase for Kapoor and the great India siren Nargis (his lover onscreen and off).” “And of course it’s a musical, whose main song, Awaara hoon, by the famed Shanker-Jaikishan duo, soared to the top of the pop charts in India, the USSR and China.” The original All-Time 100 list published in 2005 included Satyajit Ray’s The Apu Trilogy, Mani Ratnam’s Nayakan and Guru Dutt’s Pyaasa. AR Rahman’s score for Mani Ratnam’s Roja (The Rose), the tale of a woman whose lover is kidnapped by terrorists, was also among 10 Best Soundtracks. Last week, the magazine ranked director Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 2002 film Devdas eighth among the 10 greatest movies of the millennium (thus far).

05 June to 11 June 2012

UP IN THE AIR

Is what actor Zareen Khan seems to be feeling of late as she gears up to take flying lessons to be a pilot Actor Zareen Khan, who recently turned 25 made a birthday resolution of sorts this year. The actor who was a part of an ensemble cast of Housefull 2 that opened to a great response has decided to now pursue her dream of learning to fly. The actor has apparently decided to be a pilot long before her film debut. Zareen made her debut with actor Salman Khan in Veer and she was recently a part of the comic caper with actors Akshay Kumar and John Abraham. A source close to the actor reveals that Zareen did not always want to be an actor. Before she entered Bollywood, her dream job was to become a pilot. But her financial conditions didn’t allow her to take flying lessons. The source says, “Zareen did not have the kind of resources required to take lessons to become a pilot. She had to put that dream on hold because she could not afford to take up lessons that were burning a hole in her pocket. Soon after that, she made up her mind to enter the glamorous world of Bollywood, where she is now one of the new faces.” After Veer, not too many good offers came her way. She was also compared to actor Katrina Kaif all the time. Zareen wanted to create her own identity and carve her own niche, something that Housefull 2 has helped her do. She is now more confident of herself and now that the film has done so well she thinks it is time for her to fulfill her long lost wish. The source reveals, “Zareen is very happy with the way her career is moving ahead. She thinks it is time for her to now pursue her dream. She is going to very soon enroll for a pilot flying course and give her exams and realise her dream of flying high.”


THE CONTACT

Issue #460 (24)

Kat’s now giving tips

TO SALLU! Actor Salman Khan is known to be the mentor and guru for several young actors whom he’s said to have taken under his wing. It’s equally wellknown that the brawny actor generously doles out work-out and fitness tips to them and this includes actor Katrina Kaif. Ever since Katrina’s signed on Dhoom 3, she’s known to be working extra hard on her hotbod, and apparently Salman’s been helping out maintain her fitness regime even on the sets of their upcoming film together Ek Tha Tiger. But according to an insider, Sallu’s so impressed with Katrina’s dedication towards fitness of late, that he’s been joking around to his friends that probably Katrina can now even give him fitness advice. “Katrina really takes her workout and fitness regime very seriously. And she’s so into her training these days and at her fittest best that Salman joked about taking fitness tips from her,” says the source. What’s more, it is Katrina who’s been keeping an eye on Salman and making sure that he doesn’t push himself too much, to avoid undue strain ever since his surgery. “Katrina is concerned about Salman and she keeps asking him to take care,” adds the source. According to a unit hand, this is what prompts Salman to joke further. “Salman has been ribbing Katrina about being the hottest fitness instructor of sorts,” reveals a source from the sets. The two are currently shooting for the Kabir Khan film in Thailand and in fact even had to skip filmmaker Karan Johar’s recent birthday bash, which was the talk of B-Town recently. Meanwhile, Katrina, who is juggling her films with the two Khans — Shah Rukh and Salman is now excited to start working with the third Khan — Aamir soon, when they begin shooting for Dhoom 3. However, there are no comparisons between the three Khans for Katrina. “I won’t compare Salman, Shah Rukh and Aamir, but all three actors are people I’ve been keen to work with,” she’d earlier said. The actor who’s just wrapped up her Yash Chopra film with SRK adds that what she’s equally excited about are the three films belonging to different genres. “I think it’s fun when you do different things on screen rather than conform to an image and I like it like that,” she’d added.

More friends than sisters! The Sen siblings, Riya and Raima are having a ball living together away from their home

Sisters and actors Riya and Raima Sen are as much friends as sisters, says Riya. “Ever since we moved out from Kolkatta, both of us have been living together in Mumbai. So today we share such a t h i c k b o n d , which I am sure we wouldn’t have if we didn’t stay together, away from

home. Though Raima is just one year elder to me, she always behaves like mom to me and keeps a tab on me. Even my parents hold her responsible if I do anything wrong,” laughs Riya. Ask Riya if the two share a similar nature and she quickly says, “We do, despite many people thinking that our natures are poles apart. However, not many know that I’m an introvert and prefer being in my own space while Raima is an outgoing person. May be that is why the roles that we choose to play on screen are so opposite to what we are in real life – I

am the shy one but in films I play more outgoing glamorous kind of characters. And Raima, who is an extrovert, portrays roles that have depth and is shown to be shy and recluse, which is so unlike her. Guess that’s why we love being actors.” Talking about their rapport with their parents, Riya says Raima is an obedient daughter and when their father told them not to buy an expensive car Raima abided while Riya splurged on a luxury car. “But the bottom line is I can’t do without Raima and I know she can’t live without me either,” smiles Riya.

05 June to 11 June 2012 Actor Arjun Rampal made his red carpet debut at Cannes with wife Mehr in tow

Arjun’s French red carpet debut Actor Arjun Rampal seemed visibly excited before leaving for his debut appearance at the Cannes Film Festival, as he spoke about wife Mehr accompanying him on his trip. The actor who was shooting for Prakash Jha’s Chakravyuh in Panchmari, in the interiors of Madhya Pradesh had juggled his schedule to make an appearance at the French Riviera. Just before he left, he spoke to After Hrs about his trip and had said, “It is a big honour for me to represent my country at Cannes. I am going to be interacting with creative minds from across the globe and bridging the gap between Bollywood and world cinema.” The actor, who left a couple of days earlier with wife Mehr, took a few days off from his shooting schedule to plan his trip. Though Arjun has been super busy juggling his work and his trip, he has kept his fans informed about the details of his trip. Just before he was leaving, he had tweeted, “Hello on route to Cannes tonight, super excited. A bit disoriented to be shuttling from Pachmari to the French Riviera. Lol”. The actor, who also missed good friend Karan Johar’s 40th

birthday bash wished his friend on Twitter. He posted, “Happiest birthday dearest @kjohar25 greetings from the French riviera, lots of love always.” Before Arjun’s debut appearance in Cannes, the actor indulged in a little bit of sightseeing and attended a couple of parties during his stay there. He also bumped into Twilight stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart and though he didn’t want to seem star struck, wife Mehr coerced him into taking their autographs for his daughters. Arjun, who walked the red carpet on the final day at the closing ceremony of Cannes was dressed in a Rohit Bal outfit, something he decided last minute. “Mehr is wearing a Tarun Tahiliani outfit and Gudda (Rohit Bal) may design something for me,” he had revealed earlier. After his debut red carpet stint, he posted, “Finished the red carpet here at Cannes Mehr absolutely stunning. I wore Rohit Bal, will post pics later. Soooooo proud of my wife, she mesmerised the paparazzi on the red carpet here in Cannes. Lucky me.”


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05 June to 11 June 2012

The month will see the actresses take centrestage at the BO with five womencentric films up for release

Forget the heroes taking on a takkar with each other at the BO which always is the high point in B-Town, this year it’s the actresses who seem to be in a mood to clash. So, while several womencentric films seem to have taken centrestage since early last year, the

year will see the heroines battle it out in one month alone, as the coming September has as many as five heroine-centric films releasing. Opening the September innings will be Bipasha Basu with Raaz 3 on the 7th, followed by Kareena Kapoor in Madhur Bhandarkar’s Heroine on

the 14th. Preity Zinta and Sridevi both have their films Ishkq In Paris and English Vinglish release on the next Friday, while Rani Mukerji’s film Aiyya follows on September 28. Though the films are not clashing on the same date, trade and industry watchers are predicting it to be en exciting time for sure. “The month belongs to the actresses. It’s almost a first in Bollywood history to have as many as five back-to-back women centric films. That all the films are hardcore commercials and topline the Alister actresses is an added,” says trade analyst Taran Adarsh. “What’s making the month more interesting is the fact that all the films are significant for the actors as well,” he adds. While English Vinglish marks the comeback of Sridevi on the silver screen, Preity’s also return-

ing to the big screen after several years with her production debut Ishkq In Paris. Meanwhile, Raaz 3 sees Bipasha teaming up with the Bhatts again after several years. Madhur and Kareena working together in Heroine had also created much buzz as the film finally went to the original choice for the lead after much delay when actor Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan fell pregnant. Rani too will be seen in a different avatar in Aiyya. According to Madhur, whose films are known for the strong portrayal of women characters as protagonists, what the audience is really looking for good content. “But yes, it will be exciting to have women power rule the roost in September. I think it marks an interesting turn and says a lot about the mood of the moment. It’s an encouraging sign for filmmakers and actresses both,” says Madhur. Bipasha too feels that it’s an amazing co-incidence, but adds that it says much about how ready the audi-

ence and the industry is to accepting women protagonists with as much warmth as was reserved for the heroes. “There have always been strong roles for the actresses, and we have done them in the past too, but the increase to this level is a tremendous boost for all,” says the Bollywood hottie. Trade analyst Bharti Pradhan says that while it’s creating a buzz in the industry, it’s equally thrilling for the audience to see the heroines take centrestage completely. “So far we would talk about heroes taking takkar, now let’s make way for the ladies,” she adds.

EXCITED ABOUT THE FIRST BABY! Actor Riteish Deshmukh — who’s been working non-stop for quite some time — barely got a few days off even for his own marriage to actor Genelia D’Souza, which was soon followed by another wedding in the family. But while the couple has not been able to take time off for their honeymoon, thanks to their professional commitments, the two have been known to squeeze in some quality time with each other in between the shoot schedules of their films. In fact, Genelia had recently even accompanied the actor to his sets on Kya Supercool Hain Hum in Goa.

Admitting that it’s been a really busy year, Riteish says that it’s also been a really happy one both personally as well as professionally, right from his hit Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya with Genelia to the recent Housefull 2. “Luckily, several offers coming my way now dabble in different genres,” says the actor who’s keen to do more than just comedies. The actor meanwhile is also looking forward to his first baby as a producer. “Yes, it will be my first baby of sorts!” he laughs. “We should start rolling our first Marathi film some time post August and I’m excited to be on the other side of the camera too,”

says the actor. But as far as donning the hat of the director is concerned, the actor says he’s not exactly looking forward to that anytime soon. “I have a clear vision of the kind of films I want to produce. So, I can’t wait to embark on this journey now,” elaborates Riteish, revealing that the focus will not be on comedies alone. “I know that comedies have really worked for me, but as a producer I want to focus more on meaningful content, but while keeping the commercial dynamics in mind. The balance will be there,” he quips.


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OCTOBER WEDDING FOR SAIF-KAREENA Sharmila Tagore confirms the date, says it will be a quiet affair

IN THE first official confirmation from the family, Saif Ali Khan’s mother, Sharmila Tagore has confirmed her son’s marriage to actor Kareena Kapoor on October 16. “ Yes, that’s the date we have decided upon. There will be a reception, too, but not a very big one.” The wedding ceremony, said close sources, will be a quiet affair, too. Sources close to Tagore said that Kapoor, like her would be mother- in- law, will continue acting in films. “ Sharmila’s best innings as an actress started after marriage. Saif was a baby on the sets of one of her best films,

Aradhana. Kareena will follow in her footsteps. After marriage, she will do two films a year. Right after she completes Madhur Bhandarkar’s Heroine, she’ll begin shooting for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Ram Leela,” said the source. In fact, Kapoor has assured a very worried Bhansali that she will not take a break for her wedding. The wedding, which will be held at the Pataudis’ ancestral home, will only be attended by immediate family members of the couple. Says the source, “ Mansoor

Ali Khan Pataudi died only recently, so the family wanted a low- key wedding. Kareena and her family agreed, too. However, there may be a large reception bash after the wedding, considering both Saif and Kareena have many friends in the film industry.” The venue for the wedding reception is still undecided. It may be held in Mumbai on the wedding day itself. Says the source, “ The honeymoon, however, will have to wait. Kareena has no intentions of letting her films suffer after marriage.”

05 June to 11 June 2012


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Porn actor 'who mailed body parts' to Canadian government filmed himself beheading victim... Before posting horrific footage online titled 1 Lunatic 1 Pickaxe' A low-budget porn actor suspected of sending dismembered body party to offices across Canada allegedly filmed himself hacking his victim's body up with an ice-pick and then posted the sickening video online. Luka Rocco Magnotta, 29, is the subject of a massive manhunt after a man's maggot-ridden torso was found in a locked suitcase by his Montreal apartment block. The sickening 'snuff video' footage, called '1 Lunatic 1 Ice Pick' and uploaded last week, shows a naked male tied to a bed frame being attacked with both an ice pick and a kitchen knife. The Best Gore website says the film, which is unclear where or when it was filmed, then shows the victim being stabbed and having his throat slashed to the soundtrack of True Faith by New Order. He is later decapitated, dismembered and sexually assaulted. It is believed he was already dead when the camera started rolling. The man in the video, whose face is never

revealed, then goes on to play with the corpse's body parts in a 'sexual manner'. Police believe a festering foot from the body was then mailed to Canadian Conservative Party's HQ, and a hand was found at a postal warehouse, both in Ottawa, Ontario. Officers believe he could also be behind a sickening video posted online where kittens are tortured and killed. The animalcruelty video, filmed two years ago, shows a man looking like Magnotta placing two kittens inside an airtight bag and using a vacuum cleaner to suck out the air. In

Parents who named their children Adolf Hitler and Aryan Nation will not get them back, judge rules

A self-proclaimed Nazi dad and his wife cannot have back their four children, three of whom have Nazi-inspired names, a court has ruled. Adolf Hitler Campbell, six, and his younger sisters Joycelynn Aryan Nation, five, and Honszlynn Hinler, four, were taken into custody in January 2009. State officials also took another son, Hons Campbell, from his parents Heath and Deborah Campbell just hours after he was born in November. A New Jersey Supreme Court judge has now ruled that the four children will not be returned to their parents, who have since separated. The Nazi-inspired names came to light after a store refused to decorate a birthday cake reading 'Happy birthday Adolf Hitler' in December 2008.In 2010, a New Jersey appeals court ruled there was sufficient evidence of abuse or neglect due to prior domestic violence to seize the children. Authorities insisted putting the children into care had nothing to do with their names. But Heath

Campbell said the court's decision was not down to their quality of life, and was based purely on the names they chose for the children. 'These kids weren't abused,' he told the New Jersey Star Ledger. 'Our kids weren't taken because of abuse. I'm honest about who I am and what I am.' He added: 'If I have to give up my Nazism, then so be it. I'll do it.' The children are 'more my heart and soul and everything than anything'. Campbell, who has a swastika tattoo on his neck, last saw the children a year ago. He is now separated from his wife, who moved out of the state. Attorneys for the parents declined to comment, but said the family plans to appeal. Kristine Brown, from the state Division of Youth and Family Services, said she could not comment on the case due to confidentiality laws. But she said 'every call or investigation that DYFS initiates at the end of the day is to determine if the child is at risk or in the midst of child abuse and neglect'.

distressing scenes, too graphic to be posted on MailOnline, the cleaner is then switched on and the air is slowly sucked out of the bag. The mewing kittens can be seen wriggling around and clawing to escape as the polythene tightens around them.After switching off the cleaner, the sick teen opens the bag and proudly holds up the body of one of the kittens for his camera, before displaying them on his bed. Yesterday, police in masks combed through the blood-soaked Montreal studio apartment where the torso was discovered.

05 June to 11 June 2012

What's making that racket? Woman discovers small bird with TWO heads and THREE beaks making a commotion in her backyard For most of us, having a small bird making a racket in the garden is nothing new. But when April Britt heard a commotion in her backyard, she decided to investigate. And what she found left her completely taken aback. Perched on a branch was a baby female Cardinal with two heads and three beaks. Speaking to ABC40, Mrs Britt, from Northampton, Massachusetts, said: 'My husband says "Oh my God. Look at this poor thing! That's an oddity if I ever saw one.' The avid bird watcher and animal lover said she has lived in her home for 26 years and has never seen a bird like it before. After taking some photographs and leaving the bird to its own devices, she returned a few hours later and discovered that the bird was lying on the ground. She placed the tiny bird high in the a tree because she was concerned about a neighborhood cat finding it.But the following morning the deformed bird had

disappeared. Mrs Britt said she is now worried that the bird won't survive because of its deformity. She has now asked a neighbor to keep a look-out for the bird in the hope that she can find out if it is still alive. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said the chances of the bird surviving are 'very slim'. After viewing these pictures, Valerie Osborne, from the charity, said: 'It is very, very rare to find a bird like this. I have seen only one other similar case to this in the past 30 years. 'I would say its chances of survival are very slim. It is difficult to see how it could feed. 'It has obviously been fed by its parents but if it weakens then they would probably abandon it and I think it would then have no chance of being able to feed itself.' It is not known what caused the deformity on the bird but a possible explanation is that the mother had a diet deficiency or underwent trauma while pregnant.

Young man's battle to find a cure for condition that has left him with a giant head, feet and hands A young man, who has been plagued with a rare condition which left him with a giant head, feet and hands, is desperately searching for a cure so he can finally find love. Sain Mumtaz, 22, has been seriously disfigured by Proteus syndrome which has caused certain parts of his body to continue growing. He has been accepted by locals in his neighbourhood on the outskirts of Lahore, in Pakistan, but the disease has left him with ongoing medical problems and he finds it difficult to get around. It is thought that Sain suffered from a unique variation of Proteus syndrome - which also affected 'Elephant Man' Joseph Merrick - because of the symmetrical deformity on his face and skull. Heartbreakingly Sian once believed his terrible affliction was a curse bestowed on him by a

vengeful God, leaving him listless and depressed. But supportive friends and family have kept his spirits high and he is now determined to embrace life. Kindly locals refer to him as their 'giant friend' and are determined to discover a cure for Sian who in turn hopes he will meet the woman of his dreams. He said: 'I've been this way since I was

born. My face, arms and legs all differ in size and people assume I'm not like other normal human beings. 'But I'm mentally fit and understand everything, I live like my life like everyone else despite all my family including my mother, father, brothers and sisters all being born without the condition. 'People used to run away from me.

India's Ashis Roy, 80, runs half marathon in US Washington, India's grand old marathon man Ashis Roy, who turns 80 June 1, is running again after a gap of over six months, this time by participating in a half marathon in Alexandria. Roy, who has run a record 113 marathons, completed the half marathon in Alexandria, a Washington suburb in neighbouring Virginia, Sunday with a timing of 3 hours, 10 minutes and 40 seconds. He was awarded a finisher's medal and an age group winner medal. Roy, who was bedridden for

over three months after a major backbone surgery in Delhi last

November, had run his last full marathon in the US in August last year. His 113 marathon tally includes 44 in the US, 12 in Canada, 38 in India and 19 in other countries.

Known as the "Marathon Man of India", Roy is only Indian to find mention in "The Messengers", a book by Malcolm Andersen of Kingston University in Canada, about people who have completed more than 100 marathons. Roy started running marathons at the age of 52 after retiring as a cardiologist from the Indian Air Force. Starting with his first run in Rath marathon in November 1985 he went on to complete his 100th marathon in January 2010.


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05 June to 11 June 2012

Saudi Princess 'does a £5m runner from five star Paris hotel' Police called after she does midnight flit with her entourage of SIXTY As moonlight flits go it was one of the more brazen. If you were trying to dodge paying a hotel bill of £5million you might just slip out of a side door and walk away quietly with some hand luggage. However, when a Saudi princess tried it from a five-star establishment in Paris she was just a little bit too noticeable what with her retinue of 60 servants in tow and a mountain of suitcases. Princess Maha Al-Sudairi's planned escape was always destined to end in farce and fiasco. She and her entourage were instantly spotted by staff when filing out of the exclusive Shangri-La hotel at 3.30am last Friday. They called the police and the wayward ex-wife of Saudi Crown Prince and deputy prime minister Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz - who is second-in-line to the Saudi throne - was stopped as her extensive luggage was being bundled into a fleet of limousines.

Most offenders in her position would have been arrested on the spot, charged and perhaps would already be behind bars. But because the princess is protected by diplomatic immunity, police were unable to arrest or even charge her with an offence. Instead the French authorities can only approach the Saudi Embassy in a bid to get them to help. In the meantime the princess and her small army of servants have been offered refuge from their troubles - at another luxury hotel, the Royal Monceau, near the Champs-Elysees. The fivestar hotel is owned by 'family friend', the Emir of Qatar, who has offered to put her up while the matter is resolved. The princess arrived in Paris with her entourage on December 23 last year and booked out an entire 41-room floor of the Shangri-La. Up until then she had been confined to a palace in the middle eastern state by Saudi King

Abdullah after leaving behind a trail of unpaid bills with luxury firms across Europe, reportedly including Dior, jewellery outlets Chaumet and Victoria Casal, and at least one hotel. She repeatedly dodged demands from the hotel to settle her ballooning bill, the newspaper Le Parisien reported. Matters finally came to a head last week when police found her and her servants attempting to leave the hotel. This is not the first time the royal has found herself in hot water. Her global over-spending has been well-documented in the past. She was originally 'cut off' by a furious King Abdullah after racking up massive debts all over the world during the last few years. In June 2009, she claimed diplomatic immunity in France after amassing £15million in unpaid shopping bills, including £60,000 on designer lingerie alone. The following year, she was once again bailed out by her oil-rich

There will be life on Mars Mission to create first human colony by 2023 and it will be filmed for reality TV show

An independent space launch company aims to put four people on Mars by April 2023 - and the team will not be coming back. Mars One claims that a new crew of four will join every two years as the explorers build their settlement, and that by 2033 there will be 20 people living on Mars. The company has been in talks with independent space suppliers such as Space X, which recently launched the first privately owned rocket to the Space Station. The Dutch company is backed by a Nobel prize winning physicist, Gerard 't Hooft - and also by Paul Romer, co-creator of Big Brother. The company aims to start training astronauts next year - and will turn the selection and training programme into a 'media event' similar to a reality show. 'We see

this as a journey that belongs to us all, and it is for this reason that we will make every step one that

we take together,' says the company. 'This will also be our way to finance the mission: the mission to Mars will be the biggest media event ever! 'The entire world will be able to watch and help with decisions as the teams of settlers are selected, follow their extensive training and preparation for the mission and of course observe their settling on Mars once arrived. The emigrated astronauts will share their experiences with us as they build their new home,

conduct experiments and explore Mars.' Mars One's plan has been in development since 2011. Big Brother creator Römer says, 'When the Mars One founders first approached me, asking whether they could speak to me about a mission to Mars, my first response was 'these people are crazy. What can they do that NASA's can't?''That conversation made it clear to me, however. They think so creatively, and outside of the box and the concept of a 'one-way' mission is both outrageous and exciting. These aspects are what brought me to the idea of making the mission the biggest media event in the world. Reality meets talent show with no ending and the whole world watching. Now there's a pitch!'

government after she ordered £18,000 worth of glassware and silverware from a Paris store. Despite this, her fabulously wealthy credentials meant the 'IOU' notes handed to shopkeepers which read 'payment to follow' were usually accepted. Over the years, up to 30 of Paris's most exclusive retailers have fallen foul of her bouncing credit notes, French newspapers reported.

Shop owner Jacky Giami, who owns Paris's Key Largo leisure wear store, said the princess and her relatives had more than £100,000 worth of his stock. Last night, police in Paris said they were unable to arrest or charge her because she was claiming diplomatic immunity. They said they would be asking the Saudi embassy to help settle her accounts.

Mother-of-two, 36, receives police warning For Facebook joke about squirting Olympic flame with water pistol A mother-of-two who joked on Facebook that she would squirt the Olympic flame out with a water pistol was given a police warning. Helen Perry, 36, was threatened with arrest after writing that she had her son's water guns at the ready after learning that people who live 60 miles away had been chosen to carry the torch through her hometown. She also said that she would blockade the route through Bridlington, East Yorkshire, until they chose a local person to take part in the relay. Several weeks after posting the light-hearted comments on a local newspaper page, she received a call from police. 'I could not believe what I was hearing when I answered my phone and it was the police calling about what I had written on Facebook,' said the former care home manager. 'At first I thought it was a joke. 'The officer I spoke to warned me

that if I carried out what I had joked about online then I would be committing a criminal offence and would be arrested. 'I understand that security is very tight at the moment what with the Olympics and the Queen's Jubilee but this was very clearly a joke. 'Bridlington is quite a small place and it was just like we were having a conversation between friends on Facebook. 'The tone was clearly light-hearted. 'I got quite a telling off and I remember him mentioning something about terrorism. 'I felt quite stupid because I have warned people in the past to be careful what they post on Facebook.' Mrs Perry said she assured the police officer that she would not do anything to disrupt the relay when it passes through Bridlington later this month. Mrs Perry first posted: 'there are people in brid who do deserve the privilege and should've been a consideration.'

Superhero impersonator died wrapped in three rolls of cling film and nylon sheet When bizarre sex game went wrong A superhero impersonator died after wrapping himself in three rolls of cling film and a red nylon sheet in a bizarre solo sex game which went wrong, an inquest heard. James Lockless, 50, was discovered dead in his flat when police officers broke the door down after his friends and neighbours realised he was missing. The officers found him dead in a dark room near three rolls of cling film and a weightlifting bench in the property in Carshalton, Surrey. Police officers initially thought the karate teacher and impersonator of the Marvel Comics character

Wolverine may have been murdered. When other officers arrived and cut the sheet off the body, they found cling film wrapped tightly around various parts of his body including his neck and ankles. A post-mortem examination revealed he had died from autoerotic asphyxia, a coroner, sitting in Croydon, heard. The alarm was raised when he failed to turn up for a karate lesson and his body was found. Police found the body lying on its left hand side bound from head to toe in red nylon on the floor. The officers had to cut three rolls of cling film attached to his body. It was around his ankles and other places including his neck. In returning a verdict of

misadventure, Coroner Dr Roy Palmer, said: 'He managed to do what he did entirely on his own'. Mr Lockless ran Sutton Martial Arts Centre at Sutton Grammar School. He began teaching karate after launching the centre, with his father, Syd, in the 1980s. The sixth dan black belt had also worked as a lookalike of Marvel Comics superhero Wolverine. Tragically for the family, Syd died last Friday, aged 78, of a suspected heart attack. In its heyday up to 500 children and adults would learn at the centre each week. Mr Lockless was also well-known as a doorman in Sutton who had worked at Chicago's and Revolutions nightclubs. His brother, Dave Lockless, said: 'He

was very friendly and always looked for the good in everyone. 'He was an easy-to-get-on-with character.' He said his family had been devastated by the double tragedy of losing his brother and his dad within days of each other. A police spokesman said: 'Police were called at 3.30pm on Saturday, February 11, following reports of a missing person. 'Officers attended an address at Devonshire Road, Carshalton, and found the body of a man. 'London Ambulance Service was called and the male was pronounced dead at the scene.' It is unclear how long Mr Lockless had been lying dead, although officers found a local newspaper on the doormat from three days beforehand.


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The real Tracy Island? Tiny Japanese volcanic outcrop is the spitting image of the Thunderbirds' ocean base When International Rescue are called upon to save the day, their incredible machines rise up from secret hangars concealed across Tracy Island to take to the sea and air. The South Pacific paradise, rendered in vibrant Supermarionation, was the setting for the home base of the Thunderbirds, a secretive organisation created to help those in grave danger. This is Aogashima, a tropical, volcanic island in the Phillipine Sea that bears a remarkable resemblance to the home of International Rescue in Gerry Anderson's hit Sixties series. Part of the Izu Island chain, and politically part of Tokyo although it is 200 miles from the Japanese capital, volcanic island Aogashima is a geological curiousity. With only about 200 residents, all living in one

small town, the island is one if the country's most remote and unspoilt. There are only two ways to get on or off the outcrop: by helicopter or by boat. Those choosing to sail must arrive or depart from one, small, unreliable harbour which is often rendered useless by bad weather. As such, it's a far cry from the Tracy Island of Thunderbirds fame, with its fleet of technologically advanced rescue vehicles poised to save the world 24 hours a

day. Indeed, Aogashima is noted for its peace and quiet, as a place to escape the relentless bustle of urban life and commune again with nature. Piercing the turquoise waters of the Pacific the 3.5km long and 2.5km wide rocky outcrop was formed by the overlapping remnants of at least four volcanic 'bowls' or calderas as they are known. Just like Tracy Island, the rugged cliffs, which are comprised of layered volcanic deposits, rise

sharply upwards and on the southern side of the picturesque retreat is a sharp ridge forming one edge of a caldera named Ikenosawa. This dominates the island, with one point on its southern ridge, Otonbu reaching a height of 423 metres - the island's highest point.The spot does however boast a post office and a school, but the history of human settlement on Aogashima is unclear. The island is mentioned in records from the Edo period from 1603 - 1868 and volcanic activity is recorded in 1652, and from 16701680. An Earthquake is reported in July 1780 with further tremors in May 1781 leading to an eruption. In April 1783, lava flows from the Maruyama cone resulted in the evacuation of all 63 households on the island. During a massive eruption in 1785, around 140 of 327 islanders are said to have perished.

Alaska's rodent-free site gets new tongue-twister of a name - Hawadax

DNA - the building blocks of life - has been turned into literal building blocks, like very, very small Lego, creating an alphabet where each letter is 1,000th the thickness of a human hair. Researchers at Harvard have come up with a method for building tiny structures out of synethetic DNA strands, which are programmed to assemble themselves into the alphabet. But this isn't just scientists showing off - the method could be used to create tiny organic 'machines' that swim inside the human body to deliver drugs directly to diseased areas. Researchers at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University have developed a method for building complex

nanostructures out of short synthetic strands of DNA. Called single-stranded tiles (SSTs), these interlocking DNA 'building blocks' could be the foundation of future generations of organic machines. DNA is best known as a keeper of genetic information - but scientists are increasingly investigating it as a way to 'build' tiny organic structures for use inside the body. But in an emerging field of science known as DNA nanotechnology, it is being explored for use as a material with which to build tiny, programmable structures to 'build' objects. To date, most research has focused on the use of a single long biological strand of DNA, which acts as a backbone along which smaller

05 June to 11 June 2012

RADIO DENT AL DENTAL New MP3 'teeth jewellery' plays music directly through your skull They are the gaudy fashion statement beloved of hip hop stars and rappers. But now it seems that grillz - teeth jewellery sported by rappers such as Nelly - are not just about the way you look - you can use them to listen to music too. A design student has created a way of using the bling mouthpiece to hear songs via 'bone conduction' through your skull. Aisen Chacin, of Parsons The New School for Design in New York, attached a vibrating motor to a digital music player and connected it to a mold of her upper teeth. She also installed controls on the underside so users can change songs or increase the volume by pushing up with your tongue. When the music starts, the vibration is strong enough that the music can be heard clearly - without the need for headphones. If the sound being played is loud enough, others can even hear it apparently coming out of your teeth. A video

posted on YouTube shows one of Chacin's friends sitting down with the motor in his mouth and his hands in his ears - and a look of surprise on his face when he hears the music. Grillz were made popular by the song by rapper Nelly even though dentists have made dire warnings against them. They say bling materials like gold or diamonds can wear down the enamel on your teeth and that grillz should not be worn. Chacin unveiled her device, called 'Play-A-Grill', at the New Interfaces for Musical Expression conference last week. She said: 'Grills are almost always made of precious metal, most notably gold or platinum.

strands bind to its many different segments, to create shapes - a method called DNA origami. In focusing on the use of short strands of synthetic DNA and avoiding the long scaffold strand, Yin's team developed an alternative building method. Each SST is a single, short strand of DNA. One tile will interlock with another tile, if it has a complementary sequence of DNA. If there are no complementary matches, the blocks do not connect. In this way, a collection of tiles can assemble itself into specific, predetermined shapes. In demonstrating the method, the researchers created just over one hundred different designs, including Chinese characters, numbers, and fonts, using hundreds of tiles for a single structure

of 100 nanometers (billionths of a meter) in size. The approach is simple, robust, and versatile. 'Use of DNA nanotechnology to create p r o g r a m m a b l e nanodevices is an important focus at the Wyss Institute, because we believe so strongly in its potential to produce a paradigm-shifting approach to development of new diagnostics and therapeutics,' said Wyss Founding Director, Donald Ingber, M.D., Ph.D

Goodbye, Rat Island! The living ABC : Scientists create tiny alphabet out of DNA

After two centuries of being known as Rat Island, the remote Aleutian site in Alaska has been renamed to reflect its hard-won rodent-free status, but the new moniker comes with a pronunciation guide. The ten-square-mile landmass will now be known as Hawadax (pronounced 'How-ah-thaa'), the traditional Aleut name it was given before a Japanese ship ran aground there in 1780, triggering Alaska's first rat infestation, state and federal officials said on Wednesday. Hawadax has multiple meanings, including 'entry' and 'welcome,' said Alaska State Historian Jo Antonson. 'It sounds better than 'Rat,'' she said. The ravenous rodents that jumped ashore from the shipwreck and their beady-eyed progeny wiped out nearly all the island's native seabirds and

wreaked other ecological havoc on the site, located about 1,300 miles southwest of Anchorage. In 2008, some 228 years after the rats' landing on the island, wildlife managers succeeded in eradicating the rampaging rodents using rat poison dropped from helicopterhoisted buckets. The island has no permanent inhabitants. The $2.5million project funded by the U.S. government was declared a success in 2010, and seabird populations decimated by the rats have begun making a comeback on the island. In May, the U.S. Geological Survey's Board on Geographic Names approved the island's new name, which had been backed by indigenous Aleut organizations, according to officials. But while the island has been renamed, the rat legacy lingers on the map in another form.

You can instantly know a woman's sex history from her stride, claims study They say having sex gives you a spring in your step - and it seems it's actually true. Belgian researchers watched videos of women walking, and were able to tell whether they regularly had orgasms from intercourse. At the Universiti Catholique de Louvain, Institut d'itudes de la famille et de la sexualiti, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, they set about proving the theory right. They took women with known histories of either vaginal

orgasm or inability to orgasm from sex and videotaped them walking on the street, and their orgasmic status was judged by sexologists blind to their history. 'In the sample of healthy young Belgian women, half of whom were vaginally orgasmic, history of vaginal orgasm that was triggered solely by penilevaginal intercourse, was diagnosable at far better than chance. The researchers think that, as well as having an effect on people's mental

health, orgasms can 'loosen' muscle groups. They wrote: 'Research has demonstrated the association between vaginal orgasm and better mental health. Some theories of psychotherapy assert a link between muscle blocks and disturbances of both character and sexual function. In FunctionalSexological therapy, one focus of treatment is amelioration of voluntary movement.


Issue #460 (30)

THE CONTACT

05 June to 11 June 2012

Pictures of the week Riot police officers stand guard behind barricades near the Constitution Assembly building as the midnight deadline of Nepal's first federal constitution approaches in Kathmandu May 27, 2012. A new constitution is widely seen as crucial to helping end the instability that has plagued Nepal since the end of a Maoist-led civil war in 2006 and subsequent overthrow of the monarchy, but it has been thwarted by demands for the country to be divided into states along ethnic lines

Members of the media wearing protective suits adjust their masks in the Seismic Isolated Building at Tokyo Electric Power Co's (TEPCO) tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Fukushima prefecture May 26, 2012.

Demonstrators protest against Syria's President Bashar al-Assad after Friday prayer in Binsh, near Idlib May 25, 2012

Pooja, 17, a potter, makes an earthen pot inside a workshop in Jammu May 25, 2012.

A visitor walks near the artwork entitled "The Shooting... At Watou" by Folkert de Jong at the opening of the first Kyiv biennale "Arsenale 2012" in Kiev May 23, 2012. About 100 artists from different countries will take part in the biennale which opened on Wednesday

A miner stands in front of burning barricades on the A-66 motorway, on the first day of a strikes to protest against the government's spending cuts in the mining sector, in Pola de Lena, near Oviedo, northern Spain, May 23, 2012

The SpaceX Falcon 9 test rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida May 22, 2012. The rocket blasted off on Tuesday for a mission designed to be the first commercial flight to the International Space Station. The mock shuttle Explorer, in the foreground, had been on display at the Kennedy Space Center Complex, and will be moved to the Johnson Space Center in Houston this week in order to make room for the arrival of Space Shuttle Atlantis

A fisherman floating on a rubber tube throws a net to catch fish from the waters of the Sabarmati river in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad May 22, 2012.

Lebanese Sunni Muslim gunmen hold up their rifles as they mourn the death of Sheikh Ahmed Abdul Wahid, a Sunni Muslim cleric, during his funeral at his hometown at al-Bireh, northern Lebanon, May 21, 2012. Lebanese soldiers shot dead two members of an alliance against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in northern Lebanon on Sunday, security sources said, in the latest incident to raise fears Syria's turmoil was spilling over the border into its neighbour.

Divers Martin Garwood (L) and Amanda Elzer enjoy an 'underwater morning tea' at the Sydney Aquarium May 21, 2012. The divers enjoyed an 'underwater tea' to support a Cancer Council initiative to raise money for cancer research.

Artists perform with fire during a fire festival in Minsk, May 20, 2012.

Revellers attend the Wave and Goth festival in Leipzig May 25, 2012. The annual festival, known in Germany as Wave-Gotik Treffen, features up to 150 bands and musicians playing Gothic rock and other styles of the "dark wave" music subculture attracting a regular audience of up to 20000, according to organizers. The festival runs from May 24 to May 28.


Issue #460 (31)

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05 June to 11 June 2012

The next generation of surgeons Traffic jam at 30,000 feet Chilling photo shows bottleneck on Mount will be robots shaped like snakes Everest as dozens of climbers try to reach Which will crawl inside your body armed with scalpels Tiny snakes that coil through human bodies armed with sharp tools such as scissors sound like the stuff of sci fi - and not the pleasant kind. But scientists and doctors are already using the creeping metallic tools to perform surgery on hearts, prostate cancer, and other diseased organs. The next generation, though, will be wireless, and will explore inside your body on their own unattached to any tether. The snakebots carry tiny cameras, scissors and forceps, and even more advanced sensors are in the works. For now, they're powered by tethers that humans control. But experts say the day is coming when some robots will roam the body on their own. 'It won't be very long before we have robots that are nanobots, meaning they will actually be inside the body without tethers,' said Dr. Michael Argenziano, the Chief of Adult Cardiac Surgery at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Medical Center in New York. Argenziano was involved with some of the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration clinical trials on robotic heart surgery more than 10 years ago. Now he says snake robots have

Pakistani doctor Shakeel Afridi a womaniser, corrupt

Pakistani doctor Shakeel Afridi has been described as a hard-drinking womaniser by several current and former Pakistani officials. He faced accusations of sexual assault, harassment and stealing long before he was captured by Pakistani intelligence agents. They said his main obsession was making easy money.

become a commonly used tool that gives surgeons a whole new perspective. 'It's like the ability to have little hands inside the patients, as if the surgeon had been shrunken, and was working on the heart valve,' he said. But Argenziano and experts in robotics say the new creations work best when they're designed for very specific tasks. 'The robot is a tool. It is no different in that sense than a scalpel. It's really a master-slave device,' he said. Howie Choset has been researching and building robots, particularly snake robots, at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Mellon University for years. Choset believes that his snake robot and others like it help reduce medical costs by making complex

surgeries faster and easier. Choset says his new design is smaller and more flexible than earlier models: The diameter of the head is less than the size of a dime. The size of surgical robots allows surgeons to operate with far less damage to the body, helping the patient heal faster. For example, instead of opening the entire chest up during heart surgery, a small incision is made, and the robot crawls inside to the proper spot. Dr. Ashutosh Tewari of Cornell University Medical Center has used robotic tools to perform thousands of prostate operations. He said the precision of the tiny robotic tool is vital not just to cutting out cancerous tumors, but to seeing exactly what nerves to leave intact.

summit on weekend when four died A chilling photo of dozens of climbers making their way up Mount Everest shows a deadly traffic jam at 30,000 feet. Mountaineering experts believe a similar bottleneck at the Hillary Step, a 40-foot rock wall at 28,740 feet, was at least partially responsible for the deaths of four climbers last weekend. Ha Wenyi, 55, from China, Canadian Shriya Shah-Klorfine, 32, German Eberhard Schaaf, 61, and 44-year-old Song Wonbin from South Korea were all stopped nearly three hours at the dizzying altitude -- forced to burn up their precious oxygen supplies as they waited for a crowd of 150 climbers to clear the area. The photo, taken by Ralf Dujmovits for Outside Magazine, is a stark portrait of just how crowded the world's highest peak has become -- loaded with mostly amateur climbers paying sherpas to do much of the hard work for them. Treacherous weather on the unforgiving mountain clears up only for a short time, leaving small windows of opportunity for dozens of climbers to attempt the summit.

Most of these men and women are desperate to get a return on the $75,000 they've

paid for the privilege to climb up Everest. Many of the 220 people who was died on Everest were amateurs who pressed forward against the advice of their sherpas or other climbers. Ms Shah-Klorfine appears to have ignored both, according to Outside. When two climbers reached her on the way back from the summit, they noticed that she was acting strangely. They urged her to turn back. She shook her head and motioned aggressively forward. Eventually her sherpas urged her to turn around, too. 'No, I have to go. I have to go,' she reportedly told them. She pressed on and with just a trickle of her remaining oxygen, she reached the summit. On her way down, she ran out of air and her sherpas carried until she died, Outside reports.

THE WORLD'S SMALLEST COWBOY TWO-YEAR-OLD SADDLES UP MINIATURE PONY 'MAYBELLINE' TO COMPETE IN THE RODEO His belt buckle is nearly as big as his face and his trusty steed is a stumpy-legged miniature pony, but the rodeo kid is causing a big stir in the gritty world of barrel racing. Little Royce Gill, from Upper Horton in western New South Wales, Australia should be kicking up tantrums as he goes through the terrible twos but instead he is kicking up the dust on his six-year-old pony Maybelline. It is perhaps no surprise the young cowboy has taken to the sport, which involves racing around barrels at high-speed

and requires precise levels of horsemanship, as he is the s e v e n t h generation rodeo rider in his family. Standing in front of his beloved animal Royce, who bears an uncanny resemblance to the character Woody from the film Toy Story, is competed in his first competition against under 18s last week at the Beaudesert Rodeo and although he failed to win a place he has plenty of time

to catch up with his much older compatriots. Dad Ryan Gill said the racing was in his son's blood and he was happy to help him follow his passion. 'I have ridden horses since I was five,' said the champion rodeo rider, 'and his mother, Stacey Wilburn, also barrel races.' 'We breed 200 calves purely for bucking bulls and 300 horses for rodeos, so there's not much

else around for Royce to play with. 'There are a lot of older kids, but Royce loves it and is pretty keen. I just sit him on and he wants to stay there.' Mr Gill who lives on a 3000-acre property in the country said he would help his son progress on to bigger calves and ponies as he grew. The pocket-sized rodeo rider has a busy schedule over the coming weeks. He is due to compete against people more than seven times his age at barrel racing competitions in Charleville, Mount Isa, Chinchilla, Bundaberg, Maleny, Bowen and Cloncurry.

Naked man killed as he chews on another nude man MIAMI: It is being called one of this city's goriest crimes: A naked man was on top of another nude man along a busy highway, biting into the man's face, tearing it to pieces. A police officer arrived to help, but the mauler growled at him and continued to chew away, stopping only when he was shot to death.Miami police said little Tuesday about the attack, which took place Saturday afternoon in the shadow of The Miami Herald headquarters. Surveillance video from the newspaper's security camera showed cars, motorcycles, pedestrians and bicyclists passing by. The victim, identified as 65-year-old Ronald Poppo, a homeless man who lived under the causeway, was in critical

condition."He had his face eaten down to his goatee. The forehead was just bone. No nose, no mouth," said Sgt. Armando Aguilar, president of the Miami Fraternal Order of Police. "In my opinion, he just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time." Sgt. Javier Ortiz, vice president of the Miami Fraternal Order of Police, said it was one of the bloodiest "and goriest scenes I've ever been to.""It was not only grotesque, it was just very sad, the amount of blood. It was very sad to see what happened to this gentleman that had his face eaten," Ortiz said. It's not clear what led Rudy Eugene, 31, to attack Poppo. Eugene's exwife, Jenny Ductant, told WPLGTV, said he was somewhat

paranoid. "I wouldn't say he had mental problem but he always felt like people was against him ... No one was for him, everyone was against him," she told the station. She and Eugene's mother declined comment when reached by The Associated Press. Larry Vega was riding his bicycle off the causeway, which connects downtown Miami with Miami Beach, when he saw the attack. "The guy was, like, tearing him to pieces with his mouth, so I told him, 'Get off!'" Vega told Miami television station WSVN. "The guy just kept eating the other guy away, like, ripping his skin." Vega flagged down the Miami police officer, who can be seen exiting his car on the Herald video. Vega said the officer

repeatedly ordered the attacker to get off. Eugene just picked his head up and growled at the officer before continuing to maul his victim, Vega said. The officer shot Eugene, but he just kept chewing, Vega said. The officer fired again, killing Eugene. Vega

refused to comment when reached by The Associated Press, saying he wanted to put what he witnessed behind him. Detective William Moreno would not release details about the shooting, citing the ongoing investigation.


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Biggest pink diamond ever to go under hammer Sells for over TWICE its estimate after fetching $17m at auction The biggest pink diamond ever sold has been auctioned for a price worthy of its size and rarity - after fetching over $17m today. The Martian Pink, 12.04carat pink diamond - the largest ever to hit the auction market sold for over double its original estimate when it went under the hammer for $17.4m (ÂŁ11.1m) through auction house Christie's. The incredibly rare gem, is one of only two pink diamonds in the world which are said to be of 'significant size', along with a 23.60-carat Williamson Pink diamond, which was presented to Queen Elizabeth II as a wedding gift. While most natural pink diamonds have a tinge of purple, grey or orange to them, the Martian Pink stone shows no trace of a secondary colour. Rahul Kadakia, Christie's

head of jewellery in the U.S. and Switzerland, said after the record sale in Hong Kong: 'As a round stone it is one of the most expensive round pink diamonds that's ever been sold at auction anywhere in the world, so yes it did break a record in that sense. 'It's very difficult to have round coloured diamonds that actually show their colour with this intensity which is why most coloured diamonds that you see are cut into fancy shapes; either

The school that went up in smoke... As smiling students posed for their graduation photos

These university students had an unusual backdrop for their graduation day photo - their school engulfed in flames after a huge blaze broke out at their college as they collected their degrees. As the students posed up for their graduation day photos dressed in their robes and hats their university building is pictured going up in smoke behind them. The students from Dalian University of Technology City College, Liaoning province, northern China, had to flee when the fire broke out in a storage warehouse beside their dormitory. But before they left the grounds they made sure they got one final graduation snap, throwing their caps into the air as a large smoke plume from

the fire dominates the scene in the background. All students were then evacuated to safety at nearby hotel accommodation and the fire was extinguished. Netizen 'Brent-J' posted one photo showing students using the flaming dormitory as a backdrop. He wrote: 'It's too big of a coincidence to see the university on fire today, as it's also graduation day. The students are filled with love in seeing the school burn.' The photos then went viral online being forwarded 3,000 times in two hours. Angry college officials later uploaded pictures onto the college website showing students tackling the blaze with super-soakers. 'They show the true spirit of the college. Our students shouldn't be celebrating destruction,' one person commented.

a rectangular shape, a heart, an oval. The Martian Pink diamond was previously owned by a private collector, and was given its name by American jeweller Ronald Winston in 1976, the year America launched its first satellite mission to Mars. Christie's said of the stone: 'Its dimensions, perfected by the round brilliant cut, ensure a stunning visual display of brilliance.' Mr Kadakia added: 'To have a round diamond, the most classic cut of them all, with 57 facets and this kind of colour intensity, is very rare.' 'And on top of that the stone has not been seen on the market since 1976, which is when the stone was sold by Harry Winston himself to a very dear friend of his. 'And it's been with the family since then and it's come up this one time at auction.'

05 June to 11 June 2012

Nato kills senior al-Qaida leader in Afghanistan KABUL, Afghanistan - The U.S.-led NATO force in Afghanistan killed al-Qaida's second highest leader in the country in an airstrike in eastern Kunar province, the coalition said Tuesday. Sakhr al-Taifi, also known as Mushtaq and Nasim, was responsible for commanding foreign insurgents in Afghanistan and directing attacks against NATO and Afghan forces, the alliance said. He frequently traveled between Afghanistan and Pakistan, carrying out commands from senior al-Qaida leadership and ferrying in weapons and fighters. The airstrike that killed al-Taifi and another al-Qaida militant took place Sunday in Kunar's Watahpur district, the coalition said. A follow-on assessment of the area determined that no civilians were harmed, it said. The US-led invasion of

Afghanistan was carried out because al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden used the country as

his base to plan the September 11, 2001, attacks in New York and Washington. Most of alQaida's senior leaders are now believed to be based in Pakistan, where they fled following the US invasion. The terrorist organization is believed to have only a nominal presence in Afghanistan. Many senior al-Qaida commanders have died in US drone attacks in Pakistan, and bin Laden was killed by US commandos in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad last May.

Neon light left on for 77 years discovered during renovation of landmark restaurant But who's paying the $17,000 electric bill?

Renovation of a landmark Los Angeles restaurant has revealed a neon lamp that has been left on for around 77 years. The light, forgotten for decades, was discovered burning brightly behind a dusty wall in the woman's restroom in Clifton's Cafeteria. The surprising discovery was made as the building's owner, Andrew Meieran, as he undertakes a multimillion renovation of the historic building. Much of the restaurant featured translucent, hand-painted forest murals that were backlit by neon panels such as the one found. He told KTLA that it was nothing short of 'staggering' that the light has survived from the end of the Great Depression until now. 'The fact it's been tucked away and it's so simple in its construction has kept it going all these years - it's just neon, gas, and glass.' He also hypothesised that the bulb generated more than $17,000 in

electrical bills. The nook where the neon light was found was covered over in plastic and plywood when part of the restroom was partitioned off as a storage area. But for some reason, no one disconnected the electricity. California is also home to the world's longest burning light bulb. Known as the Centennial Light, the bulb has been burning for 110 years strong. The hand-blown bulb was first installed at the fire department on L Street, and survived several renovations. It hangs in the fire house in Livermore to this day. Neon experts agree that it is rare for a neon bulb to burn for

more than 40 years and that this one - which has been burning nearly twice as long - could be the oldest working neon light in the world. Mr Meieran is currently renovating the 47,000-foot space, keeping a careful eye toward the building's historic details. In fact, he'll be using Clifford Clinton's diary to make sure every aspect is correct. Clifton's Cafeteria was an important building in the landscape of Los Angeles, offering hungry families the option to 'pay what you can' for dinner during the throes of the Depression. The long-hidden neon will be on proud display, with a replica transparency over part of it.

Japanese smartphone manufacturer builds phone with radiation detector A mobile phone company is planning to sell smartphones with radiation detectors. Softbank, tapping into concerns that hotspots still remain along Japan's eastern coast a year after the Fukushima nuclear crisis, said today it will soon begin selling smartphones with radiation detectors. Parts of northeastern Japan are still off-limits due to high radiation levels after the Fukushima nuclear plant was devastated by a huge earthquuake and tsunami,

Following last year's Fukushima plant meltdown triggering meltdowns and sending radiation out into the area. Anti-nuclear sentiment is high, with advocacy groups in Tokyo and other cities calling for radiation monitoring at schools and other public facilities. Softbank founder and president, Masayoshi Son, standing in front of an aerial photo of the crippled plant, said: 'The threat from the nuclear accident cannot be seen by the human eye and continues to be a concern for many people,

especially for mothers with small children.' The smartphone is in the company's 'Pantone' series and will come in eight bright colours. It will include customised radiation chips, made by Sharp, that measure radiation levels in microsieverts per hour. The phone, which goes on sale this summer, can also keep track of each location a user tests for radiation levels. Son, who emerged as an outspoken critic of nuclear power and advocate of renewable

energy sources after last year's quake, told vendors and reporters that the smartphone was more portable and userfriendly than conventional Geiger counters. Softbank, Japan's No. 3 mobile phone operator, has not set a price on the new smartphone yet, but Son told reporters after the event that it would be in an affordable price range.


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Thanks my old China

05 June to 11 June 2012

Obama personally prepares 'kill list' of Qaida targets

Charity shop given cracked and damaged pot celebrates ÂŁ360,000 windfall at auction after discovering it was made by famous artist A small damaged pot donated to a charity shop has stunned the art world after it sold for an astonishing ÂŁ360,000. The Chinese bamboo brush pot was taken to the store in a carrier bag along with some other junk, but keeneyed staff spotted that it might be old. It turned out to have been made between 1662 and 1722 by one of the most famous artists of the day, Gu Jue. The shop raises money for the St Peter's Hospice in Bristol and average turnover of each of the charity's 47 outlets is 138,000 pounds. It means that the one donation has achieved the same amount as nearly three years of trading in one shop - and it is all profit. Despite the bamboo being extensively cracked and the base and rim having been crudely repaired with glue, the item excited the Chinese market. There was furious bidding at Woolley and Wallis saleroom in Salisbury, Wilts, which

oversaw the sale. There are only two or three people in the world who have the skill to restore it and one of them will no doubt be contacted by the new owner, who is from Hong Kong. The pot - 16.2cm high by 14.5cm - was carved with magnificent skill to depict a scene including the philosopher Laozi on his ox. He sits amidst 12 figures in various pursuits in a mountainous landscape beneath pine trees and beside a flowing river. It probably depicts 'The Agreeable Life in a Land of Transcendents', a

'Go buy yourself a car' Struggling Texas waiter gets $5,000 tip from generous couple... on $26 bill

Here's a tip: if you're ever down on your luck, take a gig at D'Amico's in Houston, Texas. Server Greg Rubar, 43, was having trouble commuting to work at the Italian eatery after his car was destroyed in a thunderstorm. A generous couple took note of their favorite waiter's plight and decided to intervene, shelling out $5,000 on a $26 tab to help the struggling man. 'I wasn't expecting this kind of money,' Mr Rubar said to the MailOnline. 'I was shocked.' Mr Rubar, who works behind the counter of the Houston restaurant, said he's worked there for about 16 years. 'I always talk to them,' Mr Rubar said. 'I've known them for eight years and I guess they just felt like helping me out.' In a bout of recent thunderstorms that plagued the Houston

area, Mr Rubar said his Nissan was damaged beyond repair. 'I had ruined my car and I was having trouble getting to and from work,' Mr Rubar said. He said he had been taking cabs and buses to commute and on the day of his biggest tip, he was 30 minutes late to his shift. Mr Rubar works alongside his companion, Terri Elsik, at the restaurant and the couple has a child together. 'They were waiting until I showed up to give it to me,' he said. The two sipped on potato cabbage soup and wine until Mr Rubar arrived, he said. When he walked into work, the man approached Mr Rubar with an envelop and said, 'Go buy yourself a car.' Flabbergasted by the sentiment, Mr Rubar thanked him and didn't look inside.

famous poem. After the pot was handed in the shop staff in Bristol took it to the local Clevedon Salerooms, where Marc Burridge realised its potential. He took it to John Axford, a world-renowned expert in Chinese objects, from Woolley and Wallis. Mr Axford said: 'The pot was extensively damaged and the wood had dried and cracked and there was nasty glue stuck to it. 'Luckily its potential was spotted and it is an incredibly rare thing made by one of the most sought after bamboo artists of the

17th century. Scholars in China at the time had a range of accoutrements and the creation of those became an art in itself. 'This would have been used to hold calligraphy brushes and was carved using specialist knives. It is signed with the mark of Gu Jue, followed by the seal Zong Yu, which is probably a studio mark. 'The scene depicts a poem and it is very often hard to identify exactly which one it is. There was real international interest in the pot and all our phone lines were booked. 'I'm sure it will be restored, but there are only two or three people in the world who have the skills to do it.' Janet Loud, St Peter's Hospice Head of Shops, said: 'We are shocked but delighted that this brush pot far exceeded the amount even experts believed it would raise at auction. 'It is a fantastic boost for St Peter's Hospice in these difficult economic times when fundraising is tough.'

They describe a paradoxical leader who shunned the legislative deal-making required to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, but approves lethal action without hand-wringing. The report described the top-secret process, which begins with some 100 counterterrorism officials going through biographies and selecting suspects in Yemen and Somalia to be added to the kill list. The US-led Nato force in Afghanistan killed al-Qaida's second highest leader, Sakhr alTaifi , in the country in an airstrike in eastern Kunar province, the coalition said on Tuesday. He was responsible for commanding foreign insurgents in

Afghanistan. AP Washington: US President Barack Obama was personally making all decisions about a topsecret and expanding 'kill list' of terrorists belonging to al-Qaida and its affiliates hiding in Pakistan and Yemen to be eliminated in steppedup drone attacks, according to a media report. "He (Obama) is determined that he will make these decisions about how far and wide these operations will go," said Thomas E Donilon , his national security adviser. "His view is that he's responsible for the position of the US in the world. He's determined to keep the tether pretty short," New York Times quoted Donilon as saying.

'The Dream of all Italians' Artists unveil 'dead' Berlusconi artwork Lying in a casket on a velvet carpet, at first glance you could be forgiven for thinking Silvio Berlusconi had passed away. But in fact it's just a very realistic waxwork which pokes fun at the beleaguered former Italian premier and hints at his sins. Entitled Il Sogno degli Italiani' or 'The Dream of the Italians', the controversial artwork has been created by artists Antonio Garullo and Mario Ottocento, the first ever married gay couple who tied the knot in Amsterdam in 2002. The name of the installation refers to what Berlusconi apparently

called himself on the phone to one of his girlfriends, according to Italian media. The former prime minister, who is still very much alive at 75, is seen smiling as he lies in a glass coffin with his eyes closed. Bizarrely he is wearing giant Mickey Mouse slippers as he lies on a satin pillow in a double-breasted blue jacket. There is also one hand inside his unzipped trousers while the other hand rests on the History of Italy. Positioned in a shrine at the Ferrajoli Palace, the shocking installation is available for all Italians to see and is just

yards from Berlusconi's former stomping ground, the Palazzo Chigi, the official residence of Italian prime ministers. Garullo and Ottocento said of their work: 'We put Berlusconi's body into a glass case to emphasise the personality cult that he has been

Staying connected from bathroom `new norm` for F acebook addicts Facebook MELBOURNE: Facebook and Twitter addicts post updates that may have been composed in the restroom, a new research has found. According to the Australian, there is a growing class of social media addicts, obsessed with staying in touch with their friends through social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter no matter where

they are, and six percent are so gripped they are

tweeting and posting while on the toilet, News.com.au reported. The finding came from a survey of 1016 consumers and 1951 businesses by

the Australian Interactive Media Industry Association and Yellow Pages. It also revealed 62 percent of internet users Down Under now have a presence on a social network and 36 percent use it at least once a day. About 10 percent of users are so obsessed with keeping in touch through social media channels they are accessing sites at least five times every day.

creating for all these years and which will possibly remain for years to come. 'At the same time we put a screen between the contingent reality and historical judgment. 'If Italians are ultimately ''a people of saints, poets, seafarers'' then the archItalian Silvio is a worthy simulacrum of this people'. Berlusconi stepped down as premier last November after failing to come up with convincing reforms to help Italy exit from the sovereign debt crisis. The last part of his term in office was marred with a constant stream of lurid revelations about his private life. The sleazy politician is currently embroiled in a high-profile court case after being accused of paying for sex with underage minor Karima El Mahroug, also known as Ruby the Heartbreaker, in February 2010 when she was just 17-years-old.


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05 June to 11 June 2012

NHS remove word ‘Dad’ from pregnancy handbook in case it offends same sex couples An NHS guide to childbirth will no longer use the term ‘Dad’ when referring to the nonpregnant partner as it may offend homosexual couples. The ‘Ready Steady Baby’ pamphlet has been revised after receiving a complaint that it ‘was not inclusive of people in same sex relationships’. After receiving the complaint an equalities assessment was carried out and it was decided to replace ‘dad’ with ‘partner’. The 220 page guide is funded by tax-payers’ money and has been distributed by the NHS to expectant parents for 14 years. Its purpose is to give advice on dealing with pregnancy and to help parents through the process, as well as their child’s first year. Family campaigners are outraged by the move as they fear it may undermine traditional family set-ups. Norman Wells, of the Family Education Trust, said: ‘This is all part of an agenda to present as natural a type of family that

cannot be created by natural means. ‘The NHS should not be squandering tax payers’ money to advance the cause of a minority interest group. ‘No matter how much effort is made to present positive images of families headed by same-sex couples, the fact remains it takes a man and a woman to create a child.’ The news comes in the aftermath of a major survey by equalities charity Stonewall which concluded that gay and bi-sexual men feel neglected and sometimes even discriminated against by the health organisation. Almost 6,900 gay and bisexual men who had used NHS’s services within the last year were asked about their experiences by the gay rights organisation. Ben Summerskill, chief executive of Stonewall said to MailOnline: ‘Gay couples have no problem with using the term ‘dad’ - in fact many of them are just that and wish to be called

it. ‘Most importantly is bringing up children in loving, stable homes not what term you use.’ A spokesman for NHS Scotland, which is behind the booklet, said: ‘It is standard practice to review publications on a yearly basis, if not more often. ‘At the time this complaint was received the Ready Steady Baby text had just been through its annual review, changes made and the new edition was printed in December 2011. ‘The review process identified the need to use language that was more inclusive, particularly in relation to same sex partnerships.’ More than 700,000 copies of Ready Steady Baby have been handed out since 1998, with 90,000 copies being printed last December at a cost of £100,000. Robert Oxley, TaxpayerScotland’s Campaign manager said: ‘It’s barmy that the NHS is wasting money reprinting guides because of a single complaint. ‘Becoming a dad isn’t

synonymous with one type of couple so it seems ridiculous to worry about changing it. The NHS has bigger priorities than prescribing how to define who wants to be called dad.’ The booklet is not the first victim of the public sector’s equality policies. Each year six million pounds of tax money is put towards employees who ensure that staff, policies and information

stays politically correct. The NHS alone has 42 such staff members, whose work include ensuring ‘diversity and equality’. Councils, police forces and the Scottish Government all have staff holding similar roles. Last month it was revealed that paramedics and nurses are being sent on courses to teach them how to ask questions in a politically correct manner.

Four terrorists convicted of Berlusconi spent $25 planning Mumbai-style attack million on his bunga On awards ceremony hosted by newspaper that printed cartoon of Mohammad Four men have been convicted by a Danish court for planning an attack on Denmark's Jyllands-Posten newspaper, in

retaliation for the paper printing offensive cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed. The four men, all Muslims resident in Sweden, pleaded 'not guilty' to the charges. But, in a unanimous verdict broadcast on Monday morning, Glostrup district court found all four guilty of terrorism. According to PET, the Danish security service, the men had planned to 'kill as many people as possible' by raiding an awards ceremony held by the newspaper. They face up to 16 years in jail when sentenced later on Monday. Three of the men were seized in a Copenhagen flat in December 2010, along with a machine gun with a silencer, a revolver, 108 bullets, and 200 plastic handcuff strips - with which they were accused of

planning an assault similar to the 2008 Mumbai attacks on two five-star hotels. In the weeks following the

arrests, the fourth man was picked up in a flat on the outskirts of Stockholm. Another man, an Iraqi, was seized in Copenhagen, but was later released. Sahbi Zalouti, 37, Munir Awad, 29, and Omar Abdalla Aboelazm, 30, are all Swedish citizens - of Tunisian, Lebanese and Moroccan descent respectively. The fourth man convicted, 44year-old Mounir Dhahri, is a Tunisian national. PET said it seized the men only days before they planned to attack the Sporting Newcomer of the Year event, which was attended by Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik. Jyllands-Posten has been a terror target since it published 12 satirical cartoons of

Mohammed in 2005, breaking a taboo in Islam against depicting its prophet. The most notorious cartoon showed Mohammad carrying a bomb on his head with a lit fuse, instead of a turban. The cartoons sparked street protests around the world, leading to the bombing of the Danish embassy in Pakistan, and arson attacks on Danish embassies in Syria, Lebanon and Iran. In its latest terror threat assessment, released at the end of January, PET argued that the country remained 'a priority terrorist target among militant Islamists' - partly because of the newspaper's decision to reprint the cartoons in 2008.

bunga parties

LONDON: Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi had 16 million pounds (about $25 million) in cash delivered to his luxury villa to pay girls at his bunga bunga parties, The Sun reported. The staggering stash was revealed during the trial of the 75-

Israeli man divorces wife for not getting rid of her 550 cats LONDON: A man in Israel has divorced his wife because she refused to get rid of her 550 cats. The court in the southern Israeli town of Beersheba urged the couple to attempt a reconciliation, but the wife refused to part with her feline friends, which apparently meant more to her than her husband, the Daily Mail reported. According to the Times of Israel, the man told the Rabbinical Court that there were so many cats in the

house that he was unable to sleep in his own bed. The cats would refuse to sleep on the floor, preferring his comfortable bed, and there were so many running around the house he was unable to use the bathroom. In the kitchen, the furry animals made it near impossible to prepare meals in the kitchen. “When he sat to eat, cats jumped onto the table and stole his food,” the Times of Israel revealed

year-old politician who refuses to admit to have paid for having sex with a minor. Dozens of women received money, cars and jewels for attending the bashes and sleeping with the politician, say prosecutors. Some of the girls dressed up as nuns and police officers and performed pole dances to entertain Berlusconi and his cronies. Guiseppe Spinelli, Belusconi’s accountant, has revealed how he drew sums totalling 16 million pounds out of the bank in 2009 and 2010. He took wads to the millionaire’s mansion near Milan, where parties were held in the basement. “He would tell me what amounts to put in the envelopes,” said Spinelli about Berlusconi who is accused of paying for sex with Karima El Mahroug, known as Ruby the Heartbreaker, when she was just 17.


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ALL-ROUND SHOW! H A M B A N T O TA : Shahid Afridi’s superb allround performance helped Pakistan post an easy 23run victory over Sri Lanka in the second and final Twenty20 international and level the series 1-1. Hosts Sri Lanka were shot out for 99 as they collapsed, their lowest T20 total against Pakistan, after restricting the tourists to 122- 6 in Hambantota. Man of the match Afridi was the star of Pakistan’s victory in a low- scoring match, hammering a 33ball 52 not out and then grabbing two wickets for 17 runs in his four disciplined overs. Afridi, who becomes the first player to appear in 50 T20 internationals, hit one six and five fours in his fourth half- century. Pacemen Mohammad Sami and Yasir Arafat also impressed as they took three wickets apiece to keep pressure on Sri

Lanka, who rested skipper Mahela Jayawardene and fast bowler Lasith Malinga. Middle- order batsman Chamara Kapugedera topscored with 19 in a dismal Sri Lankan batting display. Sri Lanka, who won the opening match by 37 runs on Friday, were 76- 4 at one stage before losing their last six wickets for 23 runs. Pakistan were earlier struggling at 41- 4 before Afridi steadied the innings with a 68- run stand for the fifth wicket with Shoaib Malik, who hit three successive fours off leg- spinner Kaushal Lokuarachchi in his 26- ball 27. Lokuarachchi bagged two of the first four wickets as Pakistan struggled, removing skipper Mohammad Hafeez ( 24) and Umar Akmal ( five) in his four- over spell. Paceman Nuwan Kulasekera was the most impressive bowler, finishing with 2-13.

‘I WON’T QUIT’ CHENNAI: India’s chess legend Viswanathan Anand yesterday ruled out any possibility of retirement and said winning the fifth World title has given him the boost to carry on as long as he enjoys the game. In his first interaction with the Indian media, during a felicitation ceremony organised by his sponsor NIIT, after returning at home from Moscow, Anand said he is still enjoying his game and the win over Israeli challenger Boris Gelfand in the World Championship meant a lot for him. “ There are definitely no thoughts of retirement. In fact, quite the opposite. ( Winning a fifth world title) has been a huge boost to my morale. As long as I enjoy, I don’t see any reason to retire. Winning in Moscow meant a lot emotionally. It’s not only about records. It’s just that you hate losing and you love winning. I am looking forward to playing chess and winning tournaments,” Anand said. Asked what the fifth world title meant for him, Anand said: “For me, the number has been irrelevant. Every title defence is spe-

cial. I simply want to enjoy playing chess. There is no checklist.” Meeting Putin Anand said his interaction with Russian president Vladimir Putin, after winning the title, was witty. Putin during the meeting remarked ‘ so, we brought this on ourselves’ when the Indian told him how developed his game while training at the Russian Culture Centre. “ Well we laughed because I thought it was a witty line. The meeting was almost half an hour. He is very knowledgeable about chess. He spoke about how chess is important in Russian culture. He was generally very gracious. I thought that was a quick one,” he recalled. On his preparations leading up to the match, Anand said: “ My training was from January 15 to April 15. This time my preparation was very intensive because I did not have a camp. Last year I was busy playing tournaments. “ We worked very hard and developed some thoughts. I had several systems prepared with black

and white. You always had to start with something new. I knew Gelfand since 1989 and always thought he was very professional and disciplined chess player. “ With the white pieces, he managed to steer clear of our dangerous ideas. This reflected how seriously he was taking the match. It was only in game 11 and 12 that we were able to break out a bit,” he said. Anand also said that whether he caught Gelfand by surprise he reacted aggressively.

“ I was excited about what was to come. I thought I could put him under pressure. The turning point happened very quickly. He made some wrong moves and I was very happy that I could get back into the match. I cannot emphasise how important this moment was,” Anand said. Praising Gelfand, Anand said: “We both felt genuine respect for each other. I am really happy to have retained my title. Now I can really relax and enjoy this.”

05 June to 11 June 2012

GOOD FOR CRICKET!

AS chances of a bilateral series between India and Pakistan are getting brighter, cricketers from India and across the border heaved a sigh of relief. From former India captain Bishan Singh Bedi to Pakistan stalwart Mushtaq Mohammad, all seem to be gunning for the resumption of cricket ties between the two nations. The last time a bilateral series took place was in 2007 when Pakistan toured India for a three- Test series. The hosts won 1-0. Bedi was skipper in 1978-79, when India toured Pakistan after 1960-61 with Mushtaq Mohammad being the opposition captain. The former left- arm spinner, who is known for calling a spade a spade, sounded excited at the prospect of the resumption of ties. “ I wholeheartedly welcome the decision. But the venue could be India or somewhere like Sharjah or Dubai because I don’t think Pakistan is in a position to hold cricket right now simply due its security concerns,” Bedi told SUNDAY MiD DAY. Asked whether this is the right time to play the arch- rivals, Bedi said: “ anytime is right time for an India- Pakistan series.” Mushtaq, who is based in Birmingham, was also thrilled by the turn of events. “ It was like a breath of fresh air when I heard about the resumption of the cricket ties between the neighbouring countries. Not sure about security “ As a former cricketer, I would like to see talented cricketers from both the nations fight it out on the field. I am not sure whether cricket is possible in Pakistan. Unless and until the touring country is absolutely satisfied with the security there (Pakistan), they won’t tour Pakistan,” Mushtaq said from Birmingham. “ It’s not only the players of both nations, the

people are also involved emotionally with the IndiaPakistan cricket,” he added. Mohsin Khan, who was part of the Pakistan side that played against India in 1982- 83, was of opinion that cricketers across the border have been good friends and so playing against each other will be more of fun rather than rivalry. “ The Indian and Pakistani cricketers have shared a great rapport over the years. It is same at the present as it was during my time or even before that. The players used to crack jokes, eat together and our language is almost the same,” Mohsin said. Cricket shouldn’t suffer The former Pakistan opener didn’t want to drag cricket into politics. “ How many times are we going to make cricket an excuse for tensions on the border? In my opinion, the leadership of both nations should come together and solve the issues diplomatically. Cricket or any sport for that matter shouldn’t be made to suffer. So, I personally feel that political tensions can be taken care of by the leadership of two great nations, but cricket should continue as usual,” Mohsin added. Former India seamer Karsan Ghavri, who played against Pakistan in 1978- 79 ( in Pakistan) and 1979- 80 ( in India), too was enthused with the news of the possibility of a bilateral series between the two countries. “ Why not? Cricket has nothing to do with politics. The diplomatic relations can be looked after by the diplomats, but as far as cricket is concerned, we have had some memorable moments not only on the field, but even off it. There have been great amabassadors of the game from both India and Pakistan. I have never seen Pakistanis as rivals off the field,” Ghavri said.


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THE CONTACT

05 June to 11 June 2012

Fasten your seatbelts for a dream home! The man transforming a 727 passenger jet into a house deep in Oregon woodland Many people will be able to relate to Bruce Campbell dedicating time and effort into creating his dream home. But fewer will understand when he reveals his future home is a 727-200 aircraft tucked away in the woods of Oregon. Entering and exiting through stairs lowered down from the plane, Campbell explains that he tries to keep his new home clean and tidy as he wipes his feet and clambers through the latchoperated door. With the passenger chairs

ripped out of the main cabin there is plenty of room for Campbell’s possessions – cardboard boxes waiting to be unpacked are stacked throughout the room. Clearly excited to be showing visitors around, Campbell says the prospect of living in the plane full-time ‘exhilarates’ him. With electricity already functioning, one of the first tasks in transforming the jumbo jet into a hospitable living space was, of course, getting a working plumbing system.

They cost £1,500

Campbell is still tinkering with it but one of the aircraft’s three toilets is already up and running. ‘It’s small but I’m small’, he says, peeking into the functioning restroom. Furthermore, he has installed a temporary shower within the main cabin of the plane. Campbell concedes the shower doesn’t afford much privacy but points out that if you live in the middle of the woods

that isn’t a pressing concern. Describing the venture as an ‘experiment’, Campbell hopes that others will follow his lead: ‘It is a good experiment in a living environment that, I hope, will prove to be something that mankind will embrace with vigour at a later time.’ Lighting up with glee, Campbell ushers his guests into the space he describes as his ‘favourite playroom’: the cockpit. And in warmer weather, the aircraft’s wings make for great

decks - easily accessed through the emergency exits. Campbell has had some visitors to his bizarre bolthole and, he says, some have fallen in love with it. There is no radio or TV in the plane but an iPod touch provides music as Campbell potters away creating his new home. ‘It’s not for everybody. But I think it is for a lot of people and it is definitely for me. I absolutely love it,’ says Campbell as he concludes his tour.

each to make... Romantic moods, fertility now pop artist’s ‘naked furniture’ sculptures sell for record £2.6m

Sculptures by a British artist that provoked a storm of feminist protest when they were first exhibited have sold for an astonishing £2.6 million. The sum – almost 30 times the pre-sale estimate – is a record for works by Allen Jones, a central figure in the pop-art movement of the Sixties. Created in 1969, the sculpted table, chair and hatstand feature fibreglass models of semi-naked women. The pieces, which cost £1,500 each to produce, were the most fought-over items in the auction of a collection owned by the late German billionaire Gunter Sachs, former husband of Brigitte Bardot. Eventually all three sold to an anonymous telephone bidder. Overall, the collection, which included works by Andy Warhol, fetched £35.6 million at Sotheby’s. Mr Jones, who will receive £10,000 in resale royalties, said: ‘Pop art has been highly soughtafter recently. It’s very pleasing

for my work to be enjoyed as part of the history of the period.’ Mr Jones, now 75, studied at the Royal College of Art, where his work was featured alongside that of his friend David Hockney. Six sets were made of the furniture-sculptures, which caused outrage when they were exhibited in 1970, with feminists accusing the artist of objectifying women. In 1981, Sir Alan Bowness, director of the Tate, was criticised when he purchased the most provocative of the pieces, Chair, for the gallery with public money. ‘The sculptures were seen as very risque at the time,’ said Mr Jones. ‘I was commenting on the same situation that was the source of the feminist movement.’ James Sevier, director of contemporary art at Sotheby’s, said: ‘These sculptures still look radical, fresh and contemporary now. Very few of these iconic British pop-art works have appeared at auction before, and I think we will see more of them being sold at even higher prices.’

help women guess men’s sexual orientation It’s been clear since the dawn of time that women have ways of knowing things for which the evidence isn’t always obvious — to men, anyway. New scientific research suggests women have an uncanny ability to tell whether men are gay or straight, using very few visual cues — and that ability appears to be linked to their own hormonal cycles. A study, published in the journal Psychological Science and led by a University of Toronto professor, outlines how women are more accurate at guessing whether men are straight or gay — based only on pictures of their faces — when they are at the peak of their fertility cycles or have just read a story about a romantic encounter. In two experiments, heterosexual women were asked to view images of males’ faces. The researchers required that the men pictured had no facial hair or jewelry, and they were selected to be similar in attractiveness and emotional expressions. One test looked at where the women in the study were in their fertility cycles, and found that those who were ovulating were most accurate in determining the sexual orientation of the men. Another experiment split the female subjects into two groups, one of which read a story of a romantic encounter as a way to induce affectionate feelings before examining the men’s pictures. These women who

were “primed with a mating goal” proved to be more accurate at picking the men’s sexual orientations. Both these tests were replicated with a mix of heterosexual and lesbian females in the pictures. In these experiments, fertility and romantic priming did not help the subject women — who were heterosexual, as in the other tests — pick the sexual orientation of the females in the pictures. “The logic goes that, evolutionarily, when women are more likely to be successful in getting pregnant, they would be more attentive to cues that would facilitate that in the environment,” said the study’s lead author, Nicholas Rule, a psychology professor at the University of Toronto. He said there appears to be

a similar effect at work for women who are predisposed to mating after reading a love story. “It really seems to be about where their thoughts are at both consciously and unconsciously,” Rule said. He said the study raises questions of what else women might be better at perceiving when they are in heightened state of arousal or at peak fertility. Rule said it’s unclear what practical implications there are for such findings, but the study provides one of many possible examples of how people perceive things subconsciously. “The research my lab does is basically just that — the things that we realize without realizing it, the judgments we make, the things that influence us without our even knowing it.”


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THE CONTACT

05 June to 11 June 2012

THE WORLD'S RICHEST ROYALS THE WORLD'S 14 RICHEST ROYALS STRUGGLED TO MAINTAIN THEIR FORTUNES THIS YEAR. COLLECTIVELY THE GROUP'S TOTAL WORTH IS DOWN 9%; THE BIGGEST LOSER IS DUBAI'S MONARCH, WHOSE FORTUNE FELL MORE THAN 60%. ONLY TWO RULERS, THOSE OF SAUDI ARABIA AND QATAR, SAW MODEST GAINS. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Thailand Fortune: $30 billion (unchanged), Age: 82 World's longest-reigning monarch battled personal health crisis, political unrest. Highly revered King was hospitalized last year with reported lung infection. Meanwhile political protests and government backlash became violent, disrupting the stock market (its stock exchange building suffered fire damage amid rioting) and scaring off both investors and tourists. U.S.-born, Swiss-educated ruler has not stepped into this fray. Monarch's assets, held under the Crown Property Bureau and composed mainly of public investments and real estate, held up thanks to prior year's upswing. But continuing turmoil may eventually take its toll.

Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Brunei Fortune: $20 billion (unchanged), Age: 63 Sultan is divorcing his third wife; remains married to first wife and mother of eventual successor, Prince Al-Muhtadee Bilah Bolkiah. He and Brunei weathered global recession with conservative economic policies and currency pegged to Singapore's. But oil production is slowing; reserves are expected to last only 25 years. Trying to diversify economy. Sultan continues to spend lavishly: reportedly purchased 48 handbags, 24 "duck" umbrellas from Lederer de Paris shop in New York recently. Case against brother Prince Jefri, accused of pilfering $15 billion from sultanate, remains in courts.

King Abdullah bin Abul Aziz, Saudi Arabia Fortune: $18 billion (up), Age: 86 Managed to steer Saudi Arabia through the global recession with government spending and high oil production; the country is projected to record 4% growth this year. King's fortune up as a result. This year hosted the 12th annual Gulf Cooperation Council attended by fellow royals from Qatar, Kuwait and Dubai. Known for trying to lighten up his Kingdom's strict religious laws; recently fired a cleric for criticizing a new co-ed university that is set to open in Saudi Arabia.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan, UAE

Fortune: $15 billion (down), Age: 62 Re-elected president of the UAE for a second fiveyear term in November by the emirates' Federal Supreme Council. The hereditary ruler of the tiny emirate of Abu Dhabi provided $10 billion bailout package to debt-burdened brother state of Dubai in December. Did not escape downturn; fortune down $3 billion as result of last year's 40% decline in oil export earnings, coupled with double-digit declines in real estate and stock markets. Continuing to promote his Abu Dhabi 2030 plan to reinvent it as a tourism and cultural hub.

Prince Karim Al Husseini, Aga Khan Fortune: $800 million (unchanged), Age: 73 Spiritual leader of the world's Ismaili Muslims chairs the Aga Khan Development Network, which promotes investments in Asia and Africa. Passionate horse breeder owns an estimated 800 thoroughbreds at stud farms in Ireland and France; holds stake in Goffs, one of Britain's largest horse auction houses, and French horse auction house Arqana. Filed suit this year against two Canadians for copyright infringement; the pair published a book using Aga Khan's writings, allegedly without approval.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Fortune: $4.5 billion (down) Age: 60 Fortune tumbled due to emirate's heavy debt load of $109 billion racked up by state-owned companies in heady days; $15.5 billion of debt due this year. His own Dubai Holding owes banks $12 billion, majority through investment companies Dubai Group and Dubai International Capital, which own stakes in Sony's and Airbus' parent. Last December sold stake in Egyptian investment bank EFG Hermes at a 60% discount to purchase two years ago. Recently stated that the UAE economy is doing fine and that the worst for Dubai is over. Renowned horseman has valuable equine assets.

Prince Hans-Adam II von und zu Liechtenstein, Liechtenstein Fortune: $3.5 billion (unchanged) Age: 65 Head of a nearly 900-year-old family, prince celebrating his 65th birthday with display at Vienna's Liechtenstein Museum of roughly 140 artworks acquired during his reign, including works by Rembrandt and Rubens; also promoting his new book The State in the Third Millennium. Meanwhile, country trying to cut government expenditures to plug budget gap of 15%. Profits at his privately owned LGT bank down 35% last year. Liechtenstein taken off of the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development's "uncooperative tax haven" list May 2009, a year after tax evasion scandals brought investigations and calls for more transparency in the country's banking sector.

King Mohammed IV, Morocco Fortune: $2.5 billion (unchanged) Age: 46 Ascended throne after father's death in 1999; focused on alleviating poverty and improving on father's human rights record. Royal assets include a majority stake in OCP Group, the country's sole phosphate miner, as well as significant property holdings. Phosphate prices on the rise after a dip last year. King's ambitious goal of attracting 10 million annual tourists to Morocco by 2010 close to being achieved with some help from Hollywood: comely country served as backdrop to recent star vehicles Sex and the City 2 and Prince of Persia.

Prince Albert II, Monaco Fortune: $1 billion (unchanged), Age: 52 Head of 700-year-old Grimaldi family attempting to add onto Monaco, which is smaller than New York's Central Park, by erecting new district on pillars at sea. Promoting his new film Antarctica 2009: A Continent in a State of Alert, based on his 17-day trek there. In June long-time bachelor announced engagement to former South African Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock. Being sued by former employee Robert Eringer, an alleged spymaster for Monaco, for back pay. Family fortune includes real estate, art, antique cars, stamps and stake in Monte Carlo's casino.

Sultan Qaboos bin Said, Oman $700 million (unchanged), Age: 69 Ascended throne in 1970 after overthrowing his father in a coup. Has led successful diversification of economy with grand objective of reducing the oil sector's hefty 40% contribution to GDP to 9% by 2020. Promoting gas and tourism industries; government also owns stake in the Wave, a $2.5 billion mixed-use beachfront development in country's capital, Muscat. Avid classical music fan; personally financed restoration of mosques across the country. Graduate of Britain's Sandhurst Military Academy, served in British Infantry. Divorced with no children, succession plan is matter of much speculation.

Queen Elizabeth II, U.K.

Fortune: $450 million (unchanged), Age: 84 Oldest reigning monarch in British history continues to hold onto the throne, which she ascended at age 25, thwarting hopes of her long-waiting son, Prince Charles. Met her 12th British prime minister, David Cameron, this spring when the conservative Tories took control of government. Custodian of such state-owned treasures as Buckingham Palace, the Crown Jewels and the royal art collection, her personal fortune includes property in England and Scotland, fine art, gems and a stamp collection. Grandson Prince William rumored to be announcing engagement to longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton this summer.

Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah, Kuwait

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Qatar

Fortune: $350 million (down), Age: 81 Sheikh Sabah does not share in his country's vast oil wealth, like royalty of other gulf states; instead he receives an annual stipend. His fortune continues to be hit by Kuwait's economic stalemate. The oil revenuedependent emirate has done little to diversify its economy, political bickering is hindering reform (in the past three years, Kuwait has seen the dissolution of three parliaments and the resignation of five governments) and now foreign investors are scaling back. In 2006 appointed by the National Assembly after the crown prince deemed too ill to rule.

Fortune: $2.4 billion (up) Age: 58 Became ruler after deposing father in a bloodless coup in 1995. Leads one of the best-performing global economies, based on rising oil and gas prices; GDP rose 9.5% last year and is set for double-digit growth this year. Qatar Holding purchased Britain's Harrod's department store more than $2 billion. Emir is leading Qatar's bid for the 2022 World Cup, the first time it would be staged in the Middle East if the bid is accepted. In spare time, cruises on his 436-foot superyacht Al Mirqab, one of world's largest.

Fortune: $200 million (unchanged) Age: 72 Celebrated 30 years on the throne this year; her mother, the previous Queen Juliana, abdicated in favor of Beatrix in 1980. As head of state, seen as unifying force in recent contentious elections; appointed a negotiator to work with fractious parties in forming a cabinet. A surge in export revenue, recovery in real estate and strong stock market have helped steady royal family's fortunes, but uncertainty over the new government and future austerity measures needed to bring budget deficits in line may dampen future prospects. Real estate holdings include Castle Drakensteyn in Holland and a villa in Tuscany.

Queen Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard, Netherlands


Issue # 460 (38)

THE CONTACT

Shouldn't you be concentrating? Breivik murder trial judge caught on camera playing solitaire in court After seven weeks in court, the murder trial of Anders Breivik must be getting a little tedious for the five judges whose job it is to decide the Norwegian mass killer's fate. One of the men presiding over the lengthy trial has been caught on camera playing solitaire on his laptop. As the Oslo trial entered its eighth week on Monday, TV cameras clearly captured lay judge Ernst Henning Eielsen tackling the tricky card game when he should have been listening to the evidence of a Swedish professor. The image is likely to anger relatives of the 77 people Breivik, 33, admits he murdered in two attacks in Norway last

year. But a spokesman for the Oslo court insisted Mr Eielsen was concentrating. Irene Ramm told AFP: 'The judges are attentively following what is being said and what is being presented to the court. 'There are differ-

DRINKING FOUR OR MORE CUPS OF TEA CAN LOWER THE RISK OF MIDDLE - AGED RELATED DIABETES The British habit of tea-drinking can help lower the risk of Type 2 diabetes - but only if you drink four or more cups a day. A study of European populations found that countries that drank four cups a day the British average - had a 20% lower risk of developing the illness. Te a d r i n k i n g ranged from an average of none a d a y i n Spa i n t o four a day in the UK. The study found that benefits seemed to be most obvious among heavy tea drinkers drinking a mere one to three cups a day doesn't lower the risk. A research team led by Christian Herder from the Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, Germany, said previous analyses showed tea consumption was associated with lower incidence of type 2 diabetes. 'Obesity is a major risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes, but dietary factors may also play a role. One dietary factor of interest is tea consumption. 'Tea consumption may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes by influencing glucose digestion, glucose uptake, and by protecting beta-cells from free-radical damage. This beneficial effect may be due to

the polyphenols present in tea.' Herder said, 'Drinking at least four cups of tea per day was associated with a 20 per cent lower risk, whereas drinking one to three cups per day did not lower the risk of diabetes compared with non-tea drinkers. But it was unclear if tea is associated inversely over the entire range of intake. He wrote 'Therefore, we investigated the association between tea consumption and incidence of type 2 diabetes in a European population.' It was done in 26 centres in eight European countries, and consisted of 12,403 incident type 2 diabetes cases plus thousands of others without the disease. Tea drinking ranged from an average of none a day in Spain to four a day in the UK. Herder wrote: 'Increasing our understanding of modifiable lifestyle factors associated with the development of type 2 diabetes is important, as the prevalence of diabetes is increasing rapidly. 'In line with this, no association was observed when tea consumption was studied as continuous variable. This may indicate that the protective effect of tea is restricted to people with a high tea consumption.

ent ways of staying focused. It's not the first scandal to hit the high profile trial. In April another lay judge was dismissed after it was discovered he had commented on the case on Facebook. In the aftermath of the killings last year, Thomas Indebro wrote: "The death penalty is the only just sentence in this case!!!!!!!!!!" Breivik killed eight people in a bomb attack on a government building in the capital Oslo, before shooting to death 69

teenagers at a youth camp on the island of Utoya. He has confessed to the killings, but denies criminal responsibility on the grounds the attacks were an act of 'self-preservation' carried out to protect the 'indigenous' population of Norway from immigration. His trial, designed to determine if he is sane, is expected to last 10 weeks. If he is, he will be sent to prison, if he's ruled insane, he will be held in a psychiatric institution.

05 June to 11 June 2012

Syria President Assad blames ' monsters' for Houla carnage SYRIAN President Bashar Assad denied on Sunday that his government had anything to do with last week's gruesome Houla massacre, saying not even " monsters" would carry out such an ugly crime. In a televised speech to parliament, Assad said his country is facing a " real war" and blamed foreignbacked terrorists and extremists for the bloodshed. He pledged to press ahead with his military crackdown. The President's first comments on the massacre expressed horror over the deaths of more than 100 people, nearly half of them children. UN investigators say there are strong suspicions that pro- government gunmen carried out the killings, but Assad denied that. " If we don't feel the pain that squeezes our hearts, as I felt it, for the cruel scenes - especially the children then we are not human

beings," Assad said. His remarks suggest he is still standing his ground, despite widespread international condemnation over his deadly crackdown on dissent. Although his words reflected many of the same general points of his previous speeches - blaming terrorists and extremists, vowing to protect national security - his comments on Houla were widely anticipated. " Not even monsters would carry out ( the crimes) that we have seen, especially the Houla massacre... There are no Arabic or even human words to describe it," he said. The Syrian opposition brushed off his comments as lies. " It is a desperate and silly speech that does not merit a response," said A d i b S h i s h a k l y, a Saudi- based member of the country's main opposition group, the Syrian National Council.

OSAMA ‘SAVED HIS MONEY FOR JIHAD’

ISLAMABAD: Osama bin Laden spent all his personal wealth on jihad, stinting on meat and electricity as luxuries so he could save his money to help fund terror attacks, according to recollections by his deputy and successor posted online late on Saturday. Yet, in the second of his ‘ Days With the Imam’ series of videos, Ayman al- Zawahiri said Bin Laden would pay readily for hospitality for his guests — although the former al- Qaeda leader lived mostly on bread and vegetables, he once invested in an entire herd of sheep to slaughter in case visitors came by. Zawahiri, who became head of al- Qaeda after Bin Laden was killed in a US raid last year, spoke conversationally while dressed in a white robe and turban. Bin Laden was born to a wealthy family, but ran into financial troubles after he was pushed out of Sudan in 1996, Zawahiri said. Lived on bread Shortly thereafter, he said, Bin Laden spent $

50,000 to help finance the 1998 bombings of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania at a time when he only had $ 55,000to his name. Those bombings killed 224 people. Bin Laden’s personal wealth also helped finance the September 11 attacks on the United States in 2001. “ He is well- known for living austerely but he spent all his money for jihad,” Zawahiri said. “ If you enter his house you would find simple furniture … and if we were invited to eat, he offered us what was available in his house, bread and vegetables.”

But the terror leader was “ generous to his guests by slaughtering sheep for them and because of continuous visitors, he once bought a herd of sheep so that he would be always ready for them.” No to luxury Zawahiri said Bin Laden used to encourage the mujahideen — holy warriors — to live without electricity, which he considered a luxury. “ Luxury is the enemy of jihad and if the mujahideen were brought up to live in asceticism, they would tolerate the burden of jihad,” Zawahiri quoted Bin Laden as say-

ing. Zawahiri said Bin Laden was also generous to his bodyguards, who were devoted to him. In the first video in the series, posted on jihadist websites in November, Zawahiri said he wanted to show Bin Laden’s ‘ human side’. He described a sensitive man who cried when his friends lost family members, remained close to his children despite the hard life of an international jihadist, and fondly remembered — by name — the 19 men who carried out the deadliest terrorist attack ever on US soil.


THE CONTACT

Issue # 460 (39)

EGG ROLL

Ingredients:

1 cup Carrots (unpeeled and shredded) 1 cup Cabbage (shredded) 1 cup Pod Peas (cut diagonally in thin strips) 3 cloves Garlic (crushed) 1 medium Onion (finely diced) 8 Green Onions (sliced thin) ½ cup Mushrooms (diced) ½ cup Water Chestnuts (diced) ½ cup Broccoli and Cauliflower Florets (broken into very small pieces) 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce/ Fish Sauce ½ cup White Wine 1 tsp Pepper ½ tsp Salt (or to taste) 1 tbsp Cornstarch 25-30 Egg Roll Wrappers 2 tbsp Oil Oil (for deep frying) How to make Egg Roll: Heat oil in a large wok. Add garlic and sauté to

brown. Add onion and stir fry until transparent. Pour in Worcestershire sauce and add salt and pepper. Mix well. Add white wine and stir well. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Add carrots, cabbage, pod peas, green onions, mushrooms, water chestnuts, broccoli and cauliflower. Mix to blend well and cook till the vegetables turn tender. Dissolve cornstarch with 2 tbsp of water and add to the mixture. Cook the vegetables,

veggie pizza

constantly stirring, till the mixture thickens up. Remove the mixture from heat and allow it to cool. Place 2 to 3 tbsp of the mixture onto each egg roll wrapper. Roll up firmly to form rolls. Heat oil in a deep fryer. Place a few egg rolls in the fryer at a time. Fry until they turn brown. Remove and set aside. Repeat with the remaining egg rolls. Serve hot with sauce or chutney.

Plum cake

05 June to 11 June 2012

SANDWICH GATEAU Ingredients: 3 strips of bread sliced horizontally from a loaf Mint filling 1 tbsp blanched spinach paste 2 tbsp mint chutney grated rind 1 lemon 100 gm hung curd salt Curry filling 100 gm hung curd 1 tsp prepared mustard 1 tbsp tomato ketchup 1 tsp curry powder 1 tsp garlic paste

1 tbsp mango chutney 1 tbsp cheese spread salt and pepper Finish 100 gm seasoned hung curd 2 tbsp mayonnaise 2 tsp butter fresh herbs Method: Butter the bread. Combine filling ingredients for mint filling and curry filling. Layer the sandwich with the two fillings. Top with finishing ingredients and serve chilled.

PANEER JHALFREZI

Ingredients:

Base 100 gm flour (maida) 30 gm butter 100 gm potato ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt Sauce 4 tbsp readymade tomato puree ½ tsp garam masala ½ tsp coriander powder ¼ tsp Oregano ½ tsp salt 1 tsp sugar ½ tsp chilli powder Topping 50 gm cheese ½ medium onion (thinly sliced) ½ medium capsicum (thinly sliced) 1. Put the potato in a polythene bag and Micro high for 2 ½ minutes. 2. Mash the cooked

potato to a smooth paste. Keep aside to cool. 3. Rub butter into the flour till it resembles breadcrumbs. 4. Add mashed potato, baking powder and salt. 5. Knead to a dough using a few tbsp cold water. 6. To prepare the sauce, mix all the ingredients. 7. Roll out pizza dough and spread out in the dish. 8. Spread the sauce on the base, leaving ¼" space all around. 9. Micro high uncovered for 6 minutes. 10. Mix a little salt to the onion and capsicum. Sprinkle this mixture on the pizza. 11. Grate cheese over it. Micro high uncovered for 1 minute

2 Cups Plums 1½ Cup Maida Flour 4 Eggs ¾ Cup Butter ¾ Cup White Sugar 1 Tsp Lemon Zest ½ Tsp Baking Powder Method: Beat the egg whites in a bowl. Cream the butter with sugar in a large bowl. Add lemon zest to eggs. Stir together 1-cup flour and baking powder. Fold in this flour mixture into the creamed mixture. Add and stir the egg whites. Grease a ten-inch tube pan. Arrange the batter uniformly into the prepared pan. Arrange the sliced plums attractively over the batter with skin-side down. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake it for 40 minutes.

Ingredients: 2 Dry red chilies 1 Red Onion 2 Inch Ginger 2 Green chilies 2 Tomatoes 2 Capsicums 400 gm Paneer 1/4 Cup coriander leaves 1 tsp Cumin seeds 1 tsp Red chili powder 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 1 tsp Garam masala powder 1.5 tbsp Vinegar 2 tbsp Oil Salt to taste How to make Paneer Jhalfrezi: Break the red chilies into two pieces, peel and chop the onions into thick slices and separate the onion rings. Peel and cut the ginger into pieces, wash & chop the green chilies.

Cut the tomato and bell pepper into half, remove the seeds and cut them into long slices. Finely chop the coriander leaves and cut the paneer into finger size pieces. Heat oil in a kadai, add cumin seeds and when they change color, add the halved red chilies. Next add the ginger pieces, sliced onions and sauté for a minute. Add the red chili powder, turmeric powder & stir well. Then mix the capsicum pieces and cook for a few minutes, then add the paneer pieces and toss. Lastly add the salt, vinegar, tomato pieces, garam masala powder & cook for 2-3 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with chopped coriander leaves. Paneer Jhalfrezi is ready.


Issue # 460 (40)

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05 June to 11 June 2012

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