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Bride Falls Into Niagara Falls Watch full video Latest Uploaded
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Gilani approves recognition of Republic of South Sudan
In a message to the president of South Sudan, the prime minister conveyed heartiest felicitations on behalf of the people and the government of Pakistan. ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Friday approved the recognition of Republic of South Sudan by Pakistan.
The United Nations General Assembly added the candidacy of South Sudan as the 193rd member state after declaring its independence from Sudan on July 9. So far 88 countries have accorded recognition to the newest independent country.
In a message to the president of the Republic of South Sudan, the prime minister conveyed heartiest felicitations on behalf of the people and the government of Pakistan.
He expressed best wishes for the success in nation building efforts as well as in socio-economic development of South Sudan.
The prime minister said Pakistan looked forward to working closely with the South Sudanese government both at bilateral and multilateral levels to advance shared objectives of peace, prosperity and development of peoples of both the countries.
Shark spotted off beach in France scares bathers
Porbeagles, a type of mackerel shark can be spotted off Arcachon
5:02PM BST 21 Jul 2011
Panic-stricken holidaymakers splashed out of the bather's zone at Pereire beach at Arcachon Bay, near Bordeaux, after they spotted the clearly confused predator at the aperitif hour of around 6pm.
When bathers rushed to raise the alarm with life guards, one, Laurent Orban said: "We didn't really believe them. But then people started hurrying out of the water".
"There really was a shark. All greyish blue. He was lurking just five or six metres from the shore, in very little water in the swimming zone," he told the regional newspaper Sud Ouest.
"We quickly hoisted the red flag and got everyone out," he said.
At one stage, the animal was beached on the shore.
Paris Air Show 2011 in pictures
Paris Air Show 2011 in pictures
 |
Heatwave spreads across central and eastern US
A punishing heatwave has settled over central and eastern parts of the US, pushing temperatures as high as 37C (99F) and causing up to 22 deaths:
The National Weather Service warned of "dangerous" levels of heat and humidity creeping east, with no relief expected in eastern states until Sunday.
As much as 50% of the US population was under a heat advisory, officials said.
Meteorologists have put the temperatures down to a "dome" of high pressure in the atmosphere.
On Thursday, many regions in the central US and parts of the eastern seaboard also saw heat indexes - a combination of temperature and humidity - topping 43C.
Air sinks "This is an exceptionally strong ridge of high pressure that really has an exceptional scope and duration," Eli Jacks, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, told the BBC.
The National Weather Service warned of "dangerous" levels of heat and humidity creeping east, with no relief expected in eastern states until Sunday.
As much as 50% of the US population was under a heat advisory, officials said.
Meteorologists have put the temperatures down to a "dome" of high pressure in the atmosphere.
On Thursday, many regions in the central US and parts of the eastern seaboard also saw heat indexes - a combination of temperature and humidity - topping 43C.
Air sinks "This is an exceptionally strong ridge of high pressure that really has an exceptional scope and duration," Eli Jacks, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, told the BBC.
Somali Islamists maintain aid ban and deny famine
Somalia's al-Shabab Islamists have denied lifting their ban on Western aid agencies and say UN reports of famine are "sheer propaganda".
A spokesman for al-Shabab, which has ties to al-Qaeda and controls much of the country, accused aid groups of being political.
Most Western aid agencies quit Somalia in 2009 following al-Shabab threats.
The United Nations World Food Programme was one of those banned.
It says it is planning to airlift food into the capital, Mogadishu, in the coming days to help the thousands of malnourished children who face starvation in the country.
Some 10 million people are said to need food aid across East Africa but Somalia is by far the worst affected country, as there is no national government to co-ordinate aid after two decades of fighting.
Greece aid package boosts stock markets
Stock markets have continued to rise following the eurozone's comprehensive agreement designed to resolve the Greek debt crisis.
UK, French and German markets gained more than 0.5% in early trading, while Japan's Nikkei closed up 1.2%. The euro also rose further against the dollar.
Eurozone leaders agreed a further 109bn euros ($155bn, £96.3bn) aid package.
Private lenders will contribute to the package, which will give Greece decades more to repay its debts.
The latest Greek bailout by the 17 eurozone governments and the International Monetary Fund is part of a comprehensive package to shore up the single currency unveiled on Thursday.
Eurozone leaders hailed the comprehensive agreement.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said: "We have sent a clear signal to the markets by showing our determination to stem the crisis and turn the tide in Greece, thereby securing the future of the savings, pensions and jobs of our citizens all over Europe".
Don't Ask Don't Tell Repeal Moves Forward
Don't Ask Don't Tell Repeal Moves Forward
July 21, 2011 6:37 PM
ABC News' Kirit Radia (@KiritRadia_ABC) reports:
The Pentagon will announce tomorrow that the Secretary of Defense and the heads of each military branch have certified that Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, the military’s controversial policy barring openly gay men and women from serving in the armed forces, is ready to be repealed.
The leaders of each service branch have determined that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly will not harm military readiness. The move paves the way for the policy to be overturned in 60 days.
The announcement will take place in an event at the Pentagon tomorrow afternoon, just shortly after new Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is formally sworn in.
This is one of the final steps in overturning the longstanding policy whereby service members are not allowed to admit they are gay and the military is allowed to ask if they are. President Obama pledged to reverse the policy, but only if military leaders agreed it is the right thing to do.
Congress repealed the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell law last December, but the Pentagon still had to complete the certification.
As part of an effort to reassure the military leadership, individual service members, and concerned members of Congress, last year the Pentagon circulated confidential surveys to members of the military and their families asking their views on gays serving openly and what effect they believed it would have on their ability to perform their duties in battle and at home.
The results ultimately contributed to the certification that will be announced tomorrow.
This year the policy has also been subject to a seesaw battle in the courts, that confused commanders, recruiters, and service members about whether the policy was still in place and whether service members could still be discharged under it.
The Pentagon has already begun training programs to prepare service members and their families for the change in policy.
99 year-old man marries for the first time
99 year-old man marries for the first time |
Updated at: 1734 PST, Friday, June 24, 2011 NEW YORK: A 99-year old man has ended his lifelong holdout and tied the knot for the very first time.Gilbert Herrick met 86-year-old Virginia Hartman, a widow who raised five children, while living at Monroe Community Hospital near Rochester, New York. Something that hadn't clicked for 98 years finally did. They tied the knot June 6. Her five children, grandchildren and great grandchildren helped plan. Both are confined to wheelchairs, making their first dance as a couple tricky. They waited for the floor to clear, said Herrick. |
Seven killed in Karachi firing: Wasan
Seven killed in Karachi firing: Wasan |
Updated at: 1146 PST, Friday, July 22, 2011 KARACHI: Interior Minister Sindh, Manzoor Wasan said on Friday that seven people have been killed and ten injured in firing incidents that took place in Malir and Khokhrapar, Geo News reported.The interior minister was speaking to the Sindh Assembly session and said that police has been sent to affected areas while orders to deploy Rangers have also been issued. He urged all political parties and institutions to play their role to restore peace in the city as there is a huge difference in the situation now, Wasan added. |
Greece aid package agreed by eurozone
22 July 2011 Last updated at 07:04 GMT
The latest Greek bailout involves a "calculated risk" by European leaders, says the BBC's Nigel Cassidy
It comes after leaders agreed to lend Greece a further 109bn euros ($155bn, £96.3bn).
Asian stock markets reacted quietly to the news, while the euro held gains.
Japan's Nikkei index rose 1.2% in late afternoon trading, while the Hang Seng was up 1.5%. US stocks closed up 1.2% on Thursday, while European markets rallied strongly in anticipation of the deal.
The share prices of banks seen as most exposed to distressed eurozone government debts rose by more than 5%, led by Barclays, which ended the day 7.8% higher.
Meanwhile, the euro stayed near a two-week high against the dollar, reached as news of the agreement broke.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said: "We have thus sent a clear signal to the markets by showing our determination to stem the crisis and turn the tide in Greece, thereby securing the future of the savings, pensions and jobs of our citizens all over Europe."
Debt relief The Institute of International Finance - a global trade body representing big banks and other major lenders - said the planned debt restructuring would target participation by 90% of Greece's private sector lenders.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy said private lenders will contribute a total of 135bn euros of financing to Greece.
The plan is expected to provide some 50bn euros of debt relief to Greece.
Three of the four options offered to lenders to swap or relend existing debts would extend Greece's repayment terms by 30 years, while the fourth would do so by 15 years.
They all offer a much lower interest rate than Greece's current 15%-25% cost of borrowing in financial markets.
Two of the options would also involve "haircuts" - reducing the principal amount of debt Greece has to repay.
The terms of the deal imply a loss to Greece's lenders equivalent to 21% of the market value of their debts, said the IIF.
First default The restructuring is widely expected to be declared by credit rating agencies to be a default by Greece on its debts - something European leaders have been at pains to avert until now.
Herman Van Rompuy: "This situation was... threatening the stability of the eurozone"The ECB and France had been particularly opposed to a default, but it was ultimately insisted on by Germany.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said: "I strongly welcome the voluntary contribution from the banks. I believe that this is the right signal coming at a difficult time".
Mr Sarkozy played down the significance of the banks' participation in the aid package.
"If the rating agencies are using the word you just used (default), it is not part of my vocabulary. Greece will pay its debt," he told reporters.
The deal would make Greece the first ever EU country to default, and could have a number of serious repercussions:
Irish interest rates The biggest fear of European leaders is that imposing losses on Greece's lenders could lead to contagion - a sharp increase in the rate at which markets are willing to lend to other eurozone borrowers, in particular Italy and Spain.
However, the borrowing costs of Portugal and the Republic of Ireland still remain at levels that suggest markets think they too are likely to default in the next five years.
Mr Sarkozy said on Thursday there will be no imposition of losses on private sector lenders to the Irish Republic or Portugal.
Thursday's announcement should make life easier for both countries, with the repayment dates of their rescue loans being doubled to 15 years.
It also included a 2% reduction in the Irish Republic's interest payments, something that the Republic's Prime Minister, Enda Kenny said would save it a "substantial" 600-800m euros a year.
Investment projects Among the other changes announced on Thursday were plans to ultimately turn the Eurozone's bail-out fund into a European equivalent of the IMF.
The EFSF was granted new powers to buy up bonds - necessary for it to carry out the Greek debt restructuring - and to make credit available to countries such as Spain and Italy that are not at immediate risk of insolvency.
EU development funds and loans from the European Investment Bank would be used to finance Greek infrastructure and development projects.
The move responds to criticisms from some economists that the eurozone's previous approach of insisting that Greece implement deeper and deeper budget cuts was killing the Greek economy, and therefore self-defeating.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso also indicated plans to rein in the power of the credit rating agencies.
"We... endorsed the plan of reducing overreliance on external credit ratings," he said, adding that policymakers would come forward in the autumn "with further proposals".
Greece aid package agreed by eurozone
Click to play
Details of how Greece will restructure its massive debts have emerged as eurozone leaders agree a package they hope will help resolve the debt crisis.
Private lenders will be forced to contribute to the aid package which is designed to give Greece decades more to repay its debts.It comes after leaders agreed to lend Greece a further 109bn euros ($155bn, £96.3bn).
Asian stock markets reacted quietly to the news, while the euro held gains.
Japan's Nikkei index rose 1.2% in late afternoon trading, while the Hang Seng was up 1.5%. US stocks closed up 1.2% on Thursday, while European markets rallied strongly in anticipation of the deal.
The share prices of banks seen as most exposed to distressed eurozone government debts rose by more than 5%, led by Barclays, which ended the day 7.8% higher.
Meanwhile, the euro stayed near a two-week high against the dollar, reached as news of the agreement broke.
Continue reading the main story 
Gavin Hewitt BBC Europe editor
“Start Quote
Doubts will remain as to whether, having won a second bailout, Greece will remain committed to unpopular austerity measures and privatisations”
Gavin Hewitt BBC Europe editorThe latest Greek bailout by the 17 eurozone governments and the International Monetary Fund is part of a comprehensive package to shore up the single currency unveiled on Thursday.
Eurozone leaders hailed the comprehensive agreement.Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said: "We have thus sent a clear signal to the markets by showing our determination to stem the crisis and turn the tide in Greece, thereby securing the future of the savings, pensions and jobs of our citizens all over Europe."
Debt relief The Institute of International Finance - a global trade body representing big banks and other major lenders - said the planned debt restructuring would target participation by 90% of Greece's private sector lenders.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy said private lenders will contribute a total of 135bn euros of financing to Greece.
The plan is expected to provide some 50bn euros of debt relief to Greece.
Three of the four options offered to lenders to swap or relend existing debts would extend Greece's repayment terms by 30 years, while the fourth would do so by 15 years.
They all offer a much lower interest rate than Greece's current 15%-25% cost of borrowing in financial markets.
Two of the options would also involve "haircuts" - reducing the principal amount of debt Greece has to repay.
The terms of the deal imply a loss to Greece's lenders equivalent to 21% of the market value of their debts, said the IIF.
First default The restructuring is widely expected to be declared by credit rating agencies to be a default by Greece on its debts - something European leaders have been at pains to avert until now.
Click to play
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said: "I strongly welcome the voluntary contribution from the banks. I believe that this is the right signal coming at a difficult time".
Mr Sarkozy played down the significance of the banks' participation in the aid package.
"If the rating agencies are using the word you just used (default), it is not part of my vocabulary. Greece will pay its debt," he told reporters.
The deal would make Greece the first ever EU country to default, and could have a number of serious repercussions:
- banks would be forced overnight to recognise in their financial accounts billions of euros in losses on Greek debts they own
- these losses could in turn leave banks short of capital - making it difficult for them to lend - and could leave the Greek banks insolvent
- Greek banks would also be unable to use their government's debts as security to borrow cash from the ECB
- the ECB itself stands to make major losses on Greek debts it has bought or accepted as collateral from the Greek banks
- separately, the debt restructuring could also trigger payouts on billions of dollars of credit derivative contracts, used by financial markets to hedge against or speculate on a Greek default
Irish interest rates The biggest fear of European leaders is that imposing losses on Greece's lenders could lead to contagion - a sharp increase in the rate at which markets are willing to lend to other eurozone borrowers, in particular Italy and Spain.
Continue reading the main story
Debt to GDP ratios
- Greece 142.8%
- Italy 119%
- Belgium 96.8%
- Ireland 96.2%
- Portugal 93%
- Germany 83.2%
- France 81.7%
- Spain 60.1%
"We would like to make it clear that Greece requires an exceptional and unique solution," the eurozone leaders said in a statement following their meeting.
Despite their fears, markets rallied as details of the new bailout emerged, with the cost of borrowing for all of Europe's heavily indebted borrowers falling.However, the borrowing costs of Portugal and the Republic of Ireland still remain at levels that suggest markets think they too are likely to default in the next five years.
Mr Sarkozy said on Thursday there will be no imposition of losses on private sector lenders to the Irish Republic or Portugal.
Thursday's announcement should make life easier for both countries, with the repayment dates of their rescue loans being doubled to 15 years.
It also included a 2% reduction in the Irish Republic's interest payments, something that the Republic's Prime Minister, Enda Kenny said would save it a "substantial" 600-800m euros a year.
Investment projects Among the other changes announced on Thursday were plans to ultimately turn the Eurozone's bail-out fund into a European equivalent of the IMF.
The EFSF was granted new powers to buy up bonds - necessary for it to carry out the Greek debt restructuring - and to make credit available to countries such as Spain and Italy that are not at immediate risk of insolvency.
EU development funds and loans from the European Investment Bank would be used to finance Greek infrastructure and development projects.
The move responds to criticisms from some economists that the eurozone's previous approach of insisting that Greece implement deeper and deeper budget cuts was killing the Greek economy, and therefore self-defeating.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso also indicated plans to rein in the power of the credit rating agencies.
"We... endorsed the plan of reducing overreliance on external credit ratings," he said, adding that policymakers would come forward in the autumn "with further proposals".
Dr. Dre - I Need A Doctor (Explicit) ft. Eminem, Skylar Grey
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Black Eyed Peas - The Time (Dirty Bit)
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OK Go - White Knuckles - Official Video
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Shakira Tour Blog: Moscow
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Iraq harnesses technology to protect ancient treasures
July 21, 2011 -- Updated 1517 GMT (2317 HKT)
A new geo-database will protect Iraq's archaeological treasures like the Ishtar Gate in the ancient city of Babylon
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- A new database of Iraq's ancient monuments and sites has been developed
- Known as the "cradle of civilisation," Iraq's sites include Ur, Nineveh and Babylon
- Making use of Google Maps, users can focus on a site and see aerial views and relief maps
- It is hoped database will provide a tool to help police sites and stop looting
Yet hostile circumstances on the ground have left the country's antique heritage vulnerable to looting and damage.
International calls for the safeguarding of Iraq's ancient sites have resulted in the development of a sophisticated geodatabase record of ancient sites and monuments, which it is hoped will allow them to be better monitored and protected.
MEGA-Iraq (Middle Eastern geodatabase for heritage) is being developed by the Getty Conservation Institute and the World Monuments Fund alongside Iraq's State Board of Antiquities and Heritage.
Susan Macdonald is Head of Field Projects at the Getty Conservation Institute.
The map interface is really useful to be able to understand the physicality of a site
--Susan MacDonald, Getty Conservation Institute
--Susan MacDonald, Getty Conservation Institute
How it works
Using Google's freely available satellite imagery as a base map, she said, MEGA allows users to focus on particular archaeological sites, see a terrain map or an aerial view of the site and surrounding buffer zones, and scan in to access details of the site's features.
Because of the visual nature of the geodatabase, users will have an accurate picture of the condition of a site at a given time and therefore be able to pinpoint any changes in its condition, according to Macdonald. Also, newly discovered sites, usually most vulnerable to looting, can be quickly input into the database.
An earlier project was abandoned in 2007 because of the dangerous situation on the ground in Iraq. That project was transferred to Jordan in collaboration with the country's Department of Antiquities and MEGA-Jordan is today live and actively used.
Developments in Iraq
According to Jeffrey Allen, a consultant for the World Monuments Fund, timing is crucial to the success of the project. "We're now trying to implement the system in much more difficult circumstances (than in Jordan), but it's probably easier to do it now in Iraq than it would have been previously," he said.
Developing MEGA now, he continued, will help ensure that as the country starts to rebuild itself, future infrastructural plans won't encroach on existing archaeological sites.
While many countries have electronic archaeological databases, Macdonald said, MEGA is different in that it uses open-source software, is accessible online, requires minimal specialist training to use, and is multi-lingual.
"The real power of it comes when (many) people are using it," she said, adding that ministries and local governments across Iraq would potentially have access to it.
(It's) going to help people have more respect for their cultural heritage
--Jeffrey Allen, World Monuments Fund
--Jeffrey Allen, World Monuments Fund
RELATED TOPICS
MEGA has been met with applause from archaeologists across the globe.
Dr. Lamia al-Gailani-Werr is an Iraqi archaeologist and consultant for the Ministry of Culture there.
She said: "I think (the database) is essential. It depends on the political situation because Iraq is still not stable enough for archaeologists to go everywhere but I think it's very good to do."
She is working on a computerized inventory of objects in the National Museum, which will further help Iraq's State Board of Antiquities and Heritage know what it has and help in protecting it.
The extent of illegal antiquities trade is hard to gauge, according to Interpol's website, often because items aren't known to be lost until they appear on the art market and because of the dearth of detailed inventories of items in countries such as Iraq.
"The fact is, every country ought to have a database for their archaeological sites," said John Curtis, Keeper of the Middle East collections at the British Museum in London.
While theoretically MEGA has the potential to be linked up to collections inventories, Curtis stressed that it is "a survey of sites in Iraq, not objects, it's not specifically going to help tracking lost items.
"What it might do is help them be protected in the future," he added.
Fight against looting
Julian Radcliffe, chairman of The Art Loss Register, an international database of stolen and missing works of art and antiquities, agreed, saying: "On its own it wouldn't do much to stop looting, but that's true of many initiatives. Nobody's got a silver bullet for this."
What is constitutes, he said, is a useful starting point, an important measure among many that will help organizations such as his own and Interpol track down lost items.
"If there has been recent looting from a particular site revealed by this new MEGA database, then we would be alerted to the fact that we should look for items of the type that will have come out of that site," he explained.
"Therefore we would say, when we see an item that we're suspicious of, I wonder whether it came from that site," he said.
And according to Allen of the World Monuments Fund, there is one other reason that MEGA will be important to the people of Iraq.
"I just think (it's) going to help people have more respect for their cultural heritage because they can commodify it and they can measure how much they have in a much better way," he said.
Extremely Rare Feline Discovered
The other night I received an extremely excited phone call from Bonny, my cleaning lady. She could hardly wait to tell me about the research scientists who have been buzzing excitedly about an extremely unique breed of cat, the Ouranio Toxo recently discovered in Iyakne, a tiny village located in a remote part of the Congo. Upon maturity at 4 years of age, the Ouranio Toxo weighs in at about 40-50 pounds. Famous for being chatty cats, they make a sound that resembles the combination of a barking dog and a "singing" Siamese.
While at first glance this attractive feline, pictured above, resembles the common orange tabby domestic house cat, this rare species boasts an unusual sparkling coat color which occurs immediately after it feeds on its specialized diet, the extremely scarce and almost extinct varicolored fish, the Pisces Errectus.
Much like the flamingo's feathers are pink as the result of feeding on an exclusive diet of the deeply pigmented shrimp, the Ouranio Toxo, the Greek word for "rainbow", was chosen as the name for this exceptional feline species since the cat will display a rainbow-like patch on its chest shortly after eating and digesting its prey.
Unfortunately, this amazing feline is an endangered species due to the deforestation of the local area and the impact that logging has made on the native streams and rivers in which the Pisces Errectus makes its home. Since this eye-catching fish is the sole diet for the Ouranio Toxo, scientists fear that the species will soon become extinct.
However, due to its rarity and beauty, and its potential as a tourist attraction, the Iyakne residents have been successfully reaching out to several conservation agencies which are working diligently to the preservation of the habitat of both the endangered fish and the magnificent felines.
One of the most endearing features of the Ouranio Toxo is its high intelligence and affectionate nature. Similar in disposition to a dog, this breed of cat is keen on learning tricks far and above those that domestic cats enjoy. People who live with these felines report that not only can these cats excel in agility training; they appear to even read people's minds, responding appropriately to their human companions very thoughts. Is this cat really psychic? More research is needed to determine the veracity of these anecdotes.
Rumors are flying furiously that an exotic cat breeder from California has smuggled a breeding pair of these exceptional felines into the United States and is planning to sell the kittens for $25,000. This writer feels strongly that these cats belong in the Congo and that it is not only a travesty to remove them from their native environment but to profit off of them.
Gotcha!
April fools!
Photo credit: Flickr
While at first glance this attractive feline, pictured above, resembles the common orange tabby domestic house cat, this rare species boasts an unusual sparkling coat color which occurs immediately after it feeds on its specialized diet, the extremely scarce and almost extinct varicolored fish, the Pisces Errectus.
Much like the flamingo's feathers are pink as the result of feeding on an exclusive diet of the deeply pigmented shrimp, the Ouranio Toxo, the Greek word for "rainbow", was chosen as the name for this exceptional feline species since the cat will display a rainbow-like patch on its chest shortly after eating and digesting its prey.
Unfortunately, this amazing feline is an endangered species due to the deforestation of the local area and the impact that logging has made on the native streams and rivers in which the Pisces Errectus makes its home. Since this eye-catching fish is the sole diet for the Ouranio Toxo, scientists fear that the species will soon become extinct.
However, due to its rarity and beauty, and its potential as a tourist attraction, the Iyakne residents have been successfully reaching out to several conservation agencies which are working diligently to the preservation of the habitat of both the endangered fish and the magnificent felines.
One of the most endearing features of the Ouranio Toxo is its high intelligence and affectionate nature. Similar in disposition to a dog, this breed of cat is keen on learning tricks far and above those that domestic cats enjoy. People who live with these felines report that not only can these cats excel in agility training; they appear to even read people's minds, responding appropriately to their human companions very thoughts. Is this cat really psychic? More research is needed to determine the veracity of these anecdotes.
Rumors are flying furiously that an exotic cat breeder from California has smuggled a breeding pair of these exceptional felines into the United States and is planning to sell the kittens for $25,000. This writer feels strongly that these cats belong in the Congo and that it is not only a travesty to remove them from their native environment but to profit off of them.
Gotcha!
April fools!
Photo credit: Flickr
Huge poppy seed cache confiscated in Afghanistan
Huge poppy seed cache confiscated in Afghanistan
By David Ariosto, CNN
July 21, 2011 -- Updated 1247 GMT (2047 HKT)
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Half a million pounds of opium poppy seeds are confiscated by security forces
The operation took place in Nimroz province
Afghanistan is the world's leading cultivator of illicit poppy
RELATED TOPICS
Afghanistan
NATO
United Nations
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Nearly half a million of pounds of opium poppy seeds have been confiscated in southwestern Afghanistan during a joint raid by NATO and Afghan National Security forces, officials said.
The operation took place Wednesday in the Delaram district of Nimroz province, which borders Iran.
The find represents the largest uncovered by Afghan and coalition forces this year, according to Ministry of Interior spokesman Sediq Seddiqi.
The opium poppy can be used to make heroin and other drugs, and is considered a staple of insurgent funding.
Afghanistan is considered the world's leading cultivator of opium poppy, ahead of Myanmar, according to a 2011 United Nations report.
The country accounts for 63% of the world's total areas under opium poppy cultivation, despite a smaller harvest last year due to an unspecified disease in opium plants.
Locally, one gram of heroin costs around $4, the U.N. reported. After the product is transported to illicit markets in the United States or northern Europe, the same amount is worth between $170 to $200 per gram.
In a separate operation in Kandahar province, security forces also uncovered 4,400 pounds (nearly 2,000 kilograms) of hashish and 33 pounds (15 kilograms) of ammonium nitrate, which can be used in fertilizers and as an explosive component.
By David Ariosto, CNN
July 21, 2011 -- Updated 1247 GMT (2047 HKT)
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Half a million pounds of opium poppy seeds are confiscated by security forces
The operation took place in Nimroz province
Afghanistan is the world's leading cultivator of illicit poppy
RELATED TOPICS
Afghanistan
NATO
United Nations
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Nearly half a million of pounds of opium poppy seeds have been confiscated in southwestern Afghanistan during a joint raid by NATO and Afghan National Security forces, officials said.
The operation took place Wednesday in the Delaram district of Nimroz province, which borders Iran.
The find represents the largest uncovered by Afghan and coalition forces this year, according to Ministry of Interior spokesman Sediq Seddiqi.
The opium poppy can be used to make heroin and other drugs, and is considered a staple of insurgent funding.
Afghanistan is considered the world's leading cultivator of opium poppy, ahead of Myanmar, according to a 2011 United Nations report.
The country accounts for 63% of the world's total areas under opium poppy cultivation, despite a smaller harvest last year due to an unspecified disease in opium plants.
Locally, one gram of heroin costs around $4, the U.N. reported. After the product is transported to illicit markets in the United States or northern Europe, the same amount is worth between $170 to $200 per gram.
In a separate operation in Kandahar province, security forces also uncovered 4,400 pounds (nearly 2,000 kilograms) of hashish and 33 pounds (15 kilograms) of ammonium nitrate, which can be used in fertilizers and as an explosive component.
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India players slam Afridi remarks: report
India players slam Afridi remarks: report
Updated at: 1329 PST, Wednesday, April 06, 2011
NEW DELHI: Indian cricket stars Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh have hit out at Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi for his comments that Indians do not have "big clean hearts" like Pakistani Muslims.Afridi also praised Pakistan's media for being "100 times better" than India's in a Pakistani TV show aired Sunday that has caused hurt and anger across the border in India.
"If Indians were not large-hearted, they would not have made so much of progress and delivered growth," Harbhajan was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India news agency.
"I think it's been an uncalled for reaction. It wouldn't help the love and respect with which he is treated in this country."
"Pakistanis indeed have very large hearts which is evident by their generous gesture of dropping so many catches against India during the semi-final clash," Yuvraj said.
"India would not have gone to the final had it not been for Pakistan's large-heartedness!"
Pakistan dropped four catches of Sachin Tendulkar who went on to make a vital 85 and fashion India's 29-run win over their rivals.
Afridi insisted later that his remarks had been taken out of context, although he stood by his comments about the Indian media.
His remarks shocked fans in India, who had greeted his efforts during the World Cup to promote harmony between the estranged neighbours whose diplomatic relations are fraught with tension.
The Holy Quran Arabic, English and Urdu
Chapter 2: Al-Baqarah البَقَرَة
| [2:271] And whatsoever you spend or whatsoever vow you vow, Allah surely knows it; and for the wrongdoers there shall be no helpers. [2:271] اور جو بھی تم قابلِ خرچ چیزوں میں سے خرچ کرو یا منتوں میں سے کوئی منّت مانو تو یقیناً اللہ اسے جانتا ہے اور ظالموں کے لئے کوئی مددگار نہیں۔ | |||||||||||||||
| [2:272] If you give alms openly, it is well and good; but if you conceal them and give them to the poor, it is better for you; and He will remove from you many of your sins. And Allah is aware of what you do. [2:272] تم اگر صدقات کو ظاہر کرو تو یہ بھی عمدہ بات ہے۔ اور اگر تم انہیں چھپاؤ اور انہیں حاجت مندوں کو دو تو یہ تمہارے لئے بہتر ہے۔ اور وہ (اللہ) تمہاری بہت سی برائیاں تم سے دور کردے گا۔ اور اللہ اس سے ہمیشہ باخبر رہتا ہے جو تم کرتے ہو۔ | |||||||||||||||
| [2:273] It is not thy responsibility to make them follow the right path; but Allah guides whomsoever He pleases. And whatever of wealth you spend, it is for yourselves, while you spend not but to seek the favour of Allah. And whatever of wealth you spend, it shall be paid back to you in full and you shall not be wronged. [2:273] ان کو ہدایت دینا تجھ پر فرض نہیں۔ لیکن اللہ جسے چاہتا ہے ہدایت دیتا ہے۔ اور جو بھی تم مال میں سے خرچ کرو تو وہ تمہارے اپنے ہی فائدہ میں ہے۔ جبکہ تم تو اللہ کی رضاجوئی کے سوا (کبھی) خرچ نہیں کرتے۔ اور جو بھی تم مال میں سے خرچ کرو وہ تمہیں بھرپور واپس کر دیا جائے گا اور ہرگز تم سے کوئی زیادتی نہیں کی جائے گی۔ | |||||||||||||||
| [2:274] These alms are for the poor who are detained in the cause of Allah and are unable to move about in the land. The ignorant man thinks them to be free from want because of their abstaining from begging. Thou shalt know them by their appearance; they do not beg of men with importunity. And whatever of wealth you spend, surely, Allah has perfect knowledge thereof. [2:274] (یہ خرچ) ان ضرورت مندوں کی خاطر ہے جو خدا کی راہ میں محصور کر دیئے گئے (اور) وہ زمین میں چلنے پھرنے کی طاقت نہیں رکھتے۔ ایک لاعلم (ان کے) سوال سے بچنے (کی عادت) کی وجہ سے انہیں متمول سمجھتا ہے۔ (لیکن) تُو ان کے آثار سے ان کو پہچانتا ہے۔ وہ پیچھے پڑ کرلوگوں سے نہیں مانگتے۔ اور جو کچھ بھی تم مال میں سے خرچ کرو تو اللہ اس کو خوب جانتا ہے۔ | |||||||||||||||
| [2:275] Those who spend their wealth by night and day, secretly and openly, have their reward with their Lord; on them shall come no fear, nor shall they grieve. [2:275] وہ لوگ جو اپنے اموال خرچ کرتے ہیں رات کو بھی اور دن کو بھی، چھپ کر بھی اور کھلے عام بھی، تو ان کے لئے ان کا اجر اُن کے ربّ کے پاس ہے اور ان پر کوئی خوف نہیں ہو گا اور نہ وہ غم کریں گے۔ | |||||||||||||||
| [2:276] Those who devour interest do not rise except as rises one whom Satan has smitten with insanity. That is because they say: ‘Trade also is like interest;’ whereas Allah has made trade lawful and made interest unlawful. So he to whom an admonition comes from his Lord and he desists, then will that which he received in the past be his; and his affair is with Allah. And those who revert to it, they are the inmates of the Fire; therein shall they abide. [2:276] وہ لوگ جو سود کھاتے ہیں وہ کھڑے نہیں ہوتے مگر ایسے جیسے وہ شخص کھڑا ہوتا ہے جسے شیطان نے (اپنی) مَس سے حواس باختہ کر دیا ہو۔ یہ اس لئے ہے کہ انہوں نے کہا یقیناً تجارت سود ہی کی طرح ہے۔ جبکہ اللہ نے تجارت کو جائز اور سود کو حرام قرار دیا ہے۔ پس جس کے پاس اُس کے ربّ کی طرف سے نصیحت آجائے اور وہ باز آ جائے تو جو پہلے ہوچکا وہ اسی کا رہے گا اور اس کا معاملہ اللہ کے سپرد ہے۔ اور جو کوئی دوبارہ ایسا کرے تو یہی لوگ ہیں جو آ گ والے ہیں۔ وہ اس میں لمبا عرصہ رہنے والے ہیں۔ | |||||||||||||||
| [2:277] Allah will abolish interest and will cause charity to increase. And Allah loves not anyone who is a confirmed disbeliever and an archsinner. [2:277] اللہ سود کو مٹاتا ہے اور صدقات کو بڑھاتا ہے۔ اور اللہ ہر سخت ناشکرے (اور) بہت گنہگار کو پسند نہیں کرتا۔ | |||||||||||||||
| [2:278] Surely, those who believe and do good deeds, and observe Prayer and pay the Zakat, shall have their reward from their Lord, and no fear shall come on them, nor shall they grieve. [2:278] یقیناً وہ لوگ جو ایمان لائے اور نیک اعمال بجا لائے اور انہوں نے نمازکو قائم کیا اور زکوٰۃ دی‘ اُن کے لئے اُن کا اجر اُن کے ربّ کے پاس ہے۔ اور اُن پر کوئی خوف نہیں ہو گا اور نہ وہ غمگین ہوں گے۔ | |||||||||||||||
| [2:279] O ye who believe! fear Allah and relinquish what remains of interest, if you are believers. [2:279] اے وہ لوگو جو ایمان لائے ہو! اللہ سے ڈرو اور چھوڑ دو جو سود میں سے باقی رہ گیا ہے، اگر تم (فی الواقعہ) مومن ہو۔ | |||||||||||||||
| [2:280] But if you do it not, then beware of war from Allah and His Messenger; and if you repent, then you shall have your original sums; thus you shall not wrong, nor shall you be wronged. [2:280] اور اگر تم نے ایسا نہ کیا تو اللہ اور اس کے رسول کی طرف سے اعلانِ جنگ سن لو۔ اور اگر تم توبہ کرو تو تمہارے اصل زر تمہارے ہی رہیں گے۔ نہ تم ظلم کروگے، نہ تم پر ظلم کیا جائے گا۔
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