Ajmal Kasab a hero, hanging will inspire more attacks: LeT

Islamabad: Hours after 26/11 attacker Ajmal Kasab was executed, terror group Lashkar-e-Toiba on Wednesday described the Pakistani national as a “hero”.

A senior commander of the LeT reportedly said Kasab was a "hero" who will inspire more attacks.

"He was a hero and will inspire other fighters to follow his path," the commander of the Pakistani militant group accused of masterminding the attack told news agency Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location.executed at 7.30 am this morning at Pune's Yerwada Jail.

The November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks were carried out by 10 terrorists of the LeT.

Fish oil heals bed sores too

Fish oil promotes healing in bed sores of critically ill patients, too, says an Israeli research.

Bed sores result from constant pressure on the skin and underlying tissue due to prolonged sitting or lying down by such patients.

Painful and prone to infection, these sores need to be healed, says Pierre Singer, professor at the Tel Aviv University`s Sackler Faculty of Medicine.

With doctoral candidate Miriam Theilla at the Rabin Medical Centre, Singer designed a randomized experiment to test the impact of dietary fish oil supplements on bed sores, the British Journal of Nutrition and the American Journal of Critical Care reported.

After a three week period of adding eight grams of fish oil to their patients` daily diet, researchers found not only a significant easing of pain and discomfort from bed sores - a 20 to 25 percent improvement, according to the Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing - but also a more efficient immune system and a reduction to inflammation throughout the body.

Inspired by the results of a previous study showing that dietary fish oil supplements also raised oxygen levels in body tissues, Singer and fellow researchers sought to determine whether the supplement could also help heal bed sores, which are also formed by a lack of oxygen, reduced blood flow, and skin wetness, according to a Tel Aviv statement.

To test this theory, the researchers developed a randomized study with 40 critically ill patients. Half the patients were given standard hospital diets, and the rest had a daily addition of eight grams of fish oil added in their food, said a university statement.

After a three-week period, the patients in the fish oil group had an average of 20 to 25 percent improvement in the healing of their bed sores compared to the control group.

Fish oil, chock-full of Omega-3 fatty acids and anti-oxidants, can also help lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation in the skin and joints, and promote healthy foetal development.

Scientists create dissolvable condom to protect against HIV

London: Researchers have developed a female condom which they claim can protect against pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV by dissolving inside the body and releasing chemicals.

Besides blocking the sperm, the condom could time-release a potent mix of anti-HIV drugs and hormonal contraceptives, the `Daily Mail` reported.

Experts claim the `discreet protection` can safeguard people from HIV and unwanted pregnancy by `melting` inside the body.

Researchers at the University of Washington (UW) developed the condom from tiny microfibres through a method called `electrospinning`.

The cloth-like fibres can be woven from medicine into extremely thin `webs`. They are then designed to dissolve after use, either within minutes or over several days.

The team was given USD 1 million to develop the technology, which uses an electric field to charge fluid through air to create the very fine, nanometre-sized fibres.

"Our dream is to create a product women can use to protect themselves from HIV infection and unintended pregnancy," Kim Woodrow, a UW assistant professor of bioengineering, said."We have the drugs to do that. It`s really about delivering them in a way that makes them more potent, and allows a woman to want to use it," Woodrow said.

"This method allows controlled release of multiple compounds. We were able to tune the fibres to have different release properties," co-author Cameron Ball said.

One of the fabrics dissolves within minutes, offering users immediate protection, while another fabric dissolves gradually over a few days, providing an alternative to the birth-control pill, to provide contraception and protect against Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
While the researchers agree the technology is more discrete, they admit that people may have some doubts.
"At the time of sex, are people going to actually use it? That`s where having multiple options really comes into play," Krogstad told the University of Washington.

China to open first subway through longest river

Beijing: China's first subway line to cross the Yangtze River, the country's longest waterway, is expected to start test run this month in the central city of Wuhan, local officials have said.

Over the past three months, subway trains have run through the 27.73-km tunnel for Wuhan Line 2, which links Wuchang and Hankou, the two major areas of the city.

Passengers, however, will only be allowed to board the trains on December 28 when the test run starts, officials with the Hubei provincial transportation bureau said.

The subway line has recently passed the experts' assessment, state run Xinhua news agency reported.

It will be Wuhan's first subway, which is estimated to transport at least 6,00,000 passengers daily by 2015.
As a key transportation route, the line is expected to handle half of the city's cross-Yangtze traffic flow, easing gridlock on bridges over the river.

The construction costs around CNY 14.9 billion (USD 2.37 billion), according to estimates by previous reports.

The 6,300-km Yangtze River, which originates in northwest China's Qinghai Province and flows through 10 provinces and municipalities before emptying into the East China Sea, is a major transport link between the west and east China.

More than 100 bridges across the river are in use.

Wuhan lies at the intersection of the Han and Yangtze rivers and its city proper is divided into three major areas by the rivers.

Mumbai on list for big weather disasters

Washington: A new scientific report warns that global warming is causing more extreme storms and droughts and that the world should prepare for an unprecedented onslaught of deadly and costly disasters.

The report says the greatest danger is in highly populated, poor regions of the world, but no region is immune. The document by a Nobel Prize-winning panel of climate scientists forecasts stronger tropical cyclones and more frequent heat waves, deluges and droughts.

The 594-page report released Wednesday blames a combination of man-made climate change, population shifts and poverty.

The scientists say that some places, particularly parts of Mumbai in India, could become uninhabitable from floods, storms and rising seas. Other cities at lesser risk include Miami, Shanghai, Bangkok, China's Guangzhou, Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City and India's Kolkata.

Monsoon finally arrives in Himachal

Shimla: The delayed southwest monsoon finally reached Himachal Pradesh Thursday, bringing respite to the people. Showers lashed capital Shimla, Dharamsala, Manali and other towns, leading to a sharp fall in temperatures across the state.

Gaggal town recorded the highest rainfall of 152 mm.

"The southwest monsoon has arrived at various areas of the state and is advancing in other parts," Manmohan Singh, director of the meteorological office, said.

He said the conditions were favourable for further advance of the monsoon to neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana during the next two-three days.

Singh said the monsoon normally hits the state by June 27.

Last year it was well in time and reached here by June 24, but rainfall during the season was eight percent deficient.

Meanwhile, widespread rains caused a sharp fall in temperatures across the state with Gaggal town recording the highest rainfall of 152 mm in the state, the weather office said.

"The entire hill state witnessed moderate to heavy rainfall, bringing down temperatures by two-three degrees Celsius," Singh said.

Shimla town recorded 66.6 mm of rain, while Dharamsala, Palampur, Manali and Kalpa towns saw rainfall respectively of 102 mm, 124 mm, 30.6 mm and 0.4 mm, according to Singh.

Himachal to turn temple gold into mementoes

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh is set to allow gold-rich temple trusts to melt tonnes of the precious metal in their coffers to turn them into mementoes as is done at the Vaishno Devi shrine in Kashmir.

The government is shortly going to sign an agreement with the public sector Mines and Minerals Trading Corp (MMTC), according to an official.

"An MMTC team will be in Shimla next week to finalise the nitty-gritty before signing the agreement," Rakesh Kanwar, director of the Language, Art and Culture department, told to a news agency.

He said both gold and silver lying in the treasuries of 20 government-controlled Hindu temples would be used for making souvenirs for sale.

"But the conversion of the metals into souvenirs would be done only after its purification," he said.

Besides souvenirs, gold coins weighing between two grams and 20 gm and silver coins from 20 gm to 200 gm would be minted. The coins and the mementoes would have inscriptions of the respective temple deities.

According to government estimates, more than 300 kg of gold and 22,500 kg of silver are with the 20 temples.

The government last year amended the Himachal Pradesh Hindu Public Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 1984, that allowed conversion of 50 percent of the metal reserves in temples into mementoes.

An official said the conversion would help temples part with loads of gold and silver lying for decades and also check pilferage.

"Keeping the precious metal in safe custody is a costly affair. The income from the sale of coins and mementoes will be used for temple development and social activities," state temple administrator Prem Prasad Pandit said.

The hill state, also known as the "Land of the Gods", has 28 prominent Hindu temples that have a combined cash reserve of Rs.100 crore.

The shrine of Mata Chintpurni in Una district is the richest.

Other rich temple trusts include those of Naina Devi in Bilaspur, Baba Balak Nath in Hamirpur, Jwalaji, Chamunda Devi and Brajeshwari Devi in Kangra and Bhimakali and Hateshwari in Shimla.

According to the government proposal, only 50 percent of the total gold and silver lying with a temple would be converted into coins and mementoes.

"Of the remaining 50 percent, 10 percent is to be kept with the temple trust, 20 percent will be invested in gold bonds of the State Bank of India and the remaining will be used to adorn the deities," said an official.

Ban on tobacco products comes into force in HP

Shimla: Gutka, Kheni and other tobacco products vanished from shops in Himachal Pradesh as the ban on these goods came into force in the state today.

A complete ban had been imposed on sale, manufacture, storage and distribution of tobacco products like Gutka, Kheni and Pan Masala in the state from Gandhi Jayanti, an official spokesman said.

"A large number of customers are asking for Gutka whose sale has been banned now," said a shop owner on the Mall Road here.

The state government had taken the decision to ban Gutka and other tobacco products on July 13 this year.

Its implementation was, however, deferred following representations by traders who demanded some more time to clear their stocks.

Himachal had already banned smoking in public places and state capital Shimla had been declared a smoke-free city.

School in Himachal Pradesh prays for safety of their students stuck in Hurricane Sandy in US

Shimla: Shimla's Auckland House School is praying for the safety of its ten students stuck in Hurricane Sandy in the United States.The school administration says that the students, along with a teacher had gone on a science program to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and they are stuck in New Jersey.

Superstorm Sandy has left at least 50 people dead in eight states including 23 in New York. More than 6 million homes and businesses are without power with about two-thirds of them in New York and New Jersey.

Meanwhile, the school's principal, Anita John, said the school administration and the parents of the girls are constantly in touch with them and praying for their safe return.

"We are very concerned for their safety and because of our concern, all of us in the Auckland House School as a family have been praying for their safety. We have had prayers in the school for their safety and we want them all to be well. We know that they are well, but we do not want them to panic because their flights have been delayed," he said.

The students were supposed to return on October 28, however, their flight was cancelled.

"We know that the girls of our school are stuck in the hurricane and we have been praying for them. They were supposed to return on the 28th but because of the natural calamity, they could not. So, we are praying for them, we know that they are safe right now we are a bit relieved. But for now we are praying so that they come safe with the teacher to the school," said Aashima, a student.

Millions of people awoke to scenes of destruction wrought by Sandy after the powerful storm smashed into the eastern United States on Monday (October 29), destroying buildings, flooding streets, and cutting power to parts of the nation's most densely populated regions.

Some people were hit by trees, others died in flooding, from electrical shocks or in car crashes linked to the storm.

Sandy killed more than 65 people in the Caribbean last week before pounding US coastal areas.

More than 8.1 million homes and businesses on the East Coast of the United States were without power on Tuesday after the storm tore down power lines, flooded networks, and sparked an explosion at a power station on Manhattan's East River. That compares to 8.4 million outages at the peak of Hurricane Irene last year.

The outages spread from New Jersey, which was hardest hit, to 19 other states from North Carolina to as far inland as Indiana. Power companies estimate parts of New York City could be without power for more than a week.

Tremors shake Shimla

Shimla: Tremors of a light intensity earthquake were felt in Himachal Pradesh's capital Tuesday evening.

However, no loss of life or damage to property has been reported.

Tremors were felt for some seconds at around 5.45 p.m. in and around Shimla, an official at the state Meteorological Office here said.

Hills near Shimla, Manali get season's first snow

Shimla: Hills near the popular tourist destinations of Shimla and Manali Thursday saw light snowfall - the season's first spell, a weather official said here, triggering a rush of tourists.

Tourist spots near Shimla, like honeymooners' paradise Kufri, Fagu and Narkanda experienced snowfall but the flakes melted within few hours.

The hills near Manali like Kothi and Marhi also have experienced snowfall, an official of the Met Office said.

The majestic Rohtang Pass, located 52 km from Manali at an altitude of 13,050 feet that lies on the Manali-Leh National Highway-21, saw more than one foot of snow.

The official said the higher reaches in Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba, Kinnaur and Kullu districts experienced moderate snowfall. "There are chances of snowfall in high hills till Friday as western disturbances are active the region," he said. Western disturbance is an atmospheric system that causes rains and snowfall.

Popular tourist destinations Shimla, Kasauli, Manali, Dharamsala, Chamba and Dalhousie have been experiencing intermittent rains.

Due to cloudy conditions, the minimum temperatures across the state have increased by two to three degrees Celsius since Wednesday.

The state capital, which saw mild rain, recorded a low of 6.1 degrees Celsius, while it was minus 0.7 degree Celsius in Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district, 3.6 degrees Celsius in Manali, 1.5 degrees Celsius in Kalpa in Kinnaur district and 7.6 degrees Celsius in Dharamsala.

Keylong and Kalpa have also experienced snow.

Himachal reels under cold wave

Shimla: Cold wave tightened its grip over Himachal Pradesh as minimum temperatures stayed two to three degrees below normal in most part of the state.

Keylong in tribal Lahaul and Spiti district was coldest in the region with minimum temperature at minus 4.1 degree Celsius while Sundernagar, Bhuntar, Manali and Kalpa reeled under severe cold with minimum temperature staying between 2 and 3 deg C.

Solan, Mandi and Una recorded a low of 3.5 deg C, 4.1 deg C, 4.5 deg C, however, the state capital Shimla was hottest during the night with minimum temperature recording at 10.5 deg C, 5.7 notches above normal.
Northwesterly winds are prevailing over the state and a fresh Western Disturbance (WD) as an upper air system is likely to affect the Western Himalayan region from December 7 onwards causing rain or snow, sources in meteorological office said.

Nahan recorded minimum temperature at 10.2 deg C, 2 degree below normal while Palampur and Dharamsla recorded a low of 8.4 deg C.

Una was hottest during the day with maximum temperature measuring at 26 deg C, followed by Sundernagar 23.7 deg C, Nahan 23.5 deg C, Solan 25 deg C and Dharamsala 21.2 deg C, 2 to 5 degrees above normal.

Shimla recorded a high of 20.1 deg C, 7 degree above normal, the Met office said.

BANGKOK, THAILAND

Bangkok is full of exquisitely decorated Buddhist temples—as you go from one to the next you’ll be continually blown away by the craftsmanship and elabourate details. But if you’d rather seek enlightenment in a gourmet meal, or dance the night away, you’ll also enjoy Bangkok—the restaurant and nightclub scenes here are among the best in the world.

PATTAYA, THAILAND

Situated on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, Pattaya receives millions of visitors annually. Family-friendly Jomtien Beach makes a pleasant contrast to crowded, polluted Pattaya Beach, with its jetskis and beach bars. Daytrips to nearby island groups are popular diversions, as are days spent at Pattaya's 21 golf courses and slew of amusement parks. Although more families are now visiting the city, most tourists flock for Pattay's legendary nightlife. Baht bus routes cover main streets.

KOHTAO, THAILAND

Drifting serenely in the Gulf of Thailand, the palm-fringed island of Ko Tao takes its name from the abundant sea turtles that reside on its shores. White sand beaches sheltered by steep hills – some only accessible with four-wheel drive vehicles – and 300 days of sun per year invite long afternoons of lounging.

KOH PHANGAN

We're guessing they don't have a werewolf problem in Ko Phangan, because every month on the full moon, thousands of people take part in the Full Moon Party's all-night festivities, including music on the beach. By day, you'll find a lovely island with coconut trees and plenty of sandy white beaches. If you're a diver, visit Sailrock for a spectacular wall dive.

CAPE TOWN

 Cape Town is situated at the tip of the African Continent. The only way to understand and enjoy Cape Town is by experiencing the unique range of multicultural lifestyles and scenic national surroundings for yourself.

During the summer season, Cape Town is filled with holiday makers enjoying the hot weather, sunny beaches and beautiful scenery. So, if you want to spend your time during holiday season, it is best to make reservations as soon as possible. Before reaching the place, have a rough idea about the places around Cape Town, which you want to visit.

THE SOUTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND

The South Island of New Zealand is characterized by grand open landscapes. The island is well known for spectacular fiords, large beach forests, golden sand beaches and broad plains. Everybody can enjoy the travel to south island.
The south island has ten national parks. These parks incorporate world heritage sites, lakes, glaciers, fiords, native forest, coastline, and world class hiking tracks. The fabulous scenery across the south land attracts many people to plan vacation to this beautiful place.

Falun, Sweden(www.forceearth.org)

Originally built around a copper mine, Falun is now a popular tourist destination. The mine, the Great Copper Mountain, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2001 and can be toured with an official guide. Another must-see attraction is the Great Pit, 95 metres in depth and a result of the 1687 collapse in the mine. Although Falun’s mining history is the most prominent attraction, travellers can enjoy many traditional events, including the Swedish Ski Games, the Falu Party and Falu Cruising.

UDAIPUR, RAJASTHAN

This Rajasthani city is tourist magnet thanks to its serene lakes and beautiful palaces.
Topping the list of must-see spots is the Udaipur City Palace, with its impeccably maintained gardens, luxurious halls and chambers.
The Pichola and Fateh Sagar both offer a variety of attractions for tourists and the Saheliyon ki Badi has opulent gardens and fountains that are definitely worth a viewing.
As with most Rajasthani cities and towns, there is plenty of shopping here. So if you're looking for traditional arts, jewellery or clothing, Udaipur is just the place to go.
Getting there: Tourists can fly into Dabok Airport (24 km from the city) from Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur. Udaipur is connected by rail to Delhi and Jaipur, and by road by national highway 8 and has buses and taxis plying from most cities in and around the state.

KO PHI PHI DON, THIALAND(www.forceearth.org)

Most of this limestone island is a protected marine reserve… which means you’ll enjoy unspoiled beaches, as well as fantastic diving and snorkeling. Several local dive shops get great reviews from our travelers. When you’re back on dry land, chill out even more with a session of yoga on the beach.

PATONG, THAILAND(www.forceearth.org)

Situated on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, Pattaya receives millions of visitors annually. Family-friendly Jomtien Beach makes a pleasant contrast to crowded, polluted Pattaya Beach, with its jetskis and beach bars. Daytrips to nearby island groups are popular diversions, as are days spent at Pattaya's 21 golf courses and slew of amusement parks. Although more families are now visiting the city, most tourists flock for Pattay's legendary nightlife. Baht bus routes cover main streets.

KRABI TOWN, THAILAND(www.forceearth.org)

The southern Thailand town of Krabi serves as base camp for exploring the province of the same name, a lush region of jungles, limestone cliffs and idyllic isles floating just offshore in the Andaman Sea. Buddhist shrines still used by local monks are tucked into the chambers of the town's top attraction, Tiger Cave. The riverside pier links travellers with ferries and longboats to the best scuba diving, rock climbing and white sand beaches on the coast.

GREAT BARRIER REEF

This is the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem. It is one of the top beautiful places to visit in Australia. You can see it from the outer space and it is the world’s largest single structure, which is made of living organisms.
The reef supports 10,000 species which consists of 1500 types of fishes and 200 kinds of birds. This beauty inspires many of the travelers to visit the place.

KALKAN, TURKEY

Kalkan, like its neighbour Kas, is a lovely Turkish beach town. While most travellers spend their time enjoying the sun and sea, history buffs will appreciate Kalkan’s proximity to several ancient Lycian cities. If you’ll be in town for more than a day, consider renting a villa—you’ll love the chance to live like a local in such a beautiful spot.