Nyrstar: Nyrstar acquires Contonga and Pucarrajo polymetallic mines in Peru

July 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Nyrstar NV today announced that it has acquired the Contonga and Pucarrajo polymetallic
mines in Peru for approximately US$23 million, in line with the Company’s strategy to
selectively pursue opportunities in mining.

The Contonga and Pucarrajo mines comprise approximately 4,900 hectares of mining
concessions, located 500 kilometres north of Lima in the Ancash region, which is well
known for its significant zinc, lead, silver, gold and copper deposits. The Contonga
mine is located adjacent to the world-class Antamina mine, one of the world’s largest
copper-zinc mines.

The Contonga mine is an underground zinc-lead-copper-silver mine with more than 100
years of operating history, and is currently processing approximately 660 tonnes per day
of ore. The Pucarrajo mine is an underground zinc-lead-silver mine which has been in
operation for more than 30 years, and has a capacity of approximately 1,100 tonnes per
day of ore. Operations at the Pucarrajo mine have been suspended since June 2009 due to
cash constraints as a result of the financial crisis.

Nyrstar intends to ramp-up both operations to a combined capacity of more than 2,000
tonnes per day of ore by the end of 2012, resulting in annual production of
approximately 40,000 tonnes of zinc in concentrate, 4,000 tonnes of lead in concentrate,
1,000 tonnes of copper in concentrate and 1.5 million troy ounces of silver. The
ramped-up operations are expected to operate with C1 cash costs[1] of less than US$1000
per tonne of payable zinc due to significant by-product credits.

Leveraging Nyrstar’s existing operating presence in Peru, the Contonga and Pucarrajo
mines will be managed in conjunction with the Coricancha mine by a single experienced
management team, and will utilise the shared services of Nyrstar’s Lima office.

Similar to Nyrstar’s Coricancha mine, exploration at the Contonga and Pucarrajo mines by
previous owners has been limited. Accordingly, Nyrstar intends to undertake a modern
exploration program that is expected to significantly increase mineral reserves and
resources.

Commenting on the acquisition, Roland Junck, chief executive officer of Nyrstar, stated:
“The acquisition of the Contonga and Pucarrajo mines allows us to continue to pursue our
upstream integration into metals where we have existing expertise and proven capability,
whilst leveraging the operational benefits of managing our assets in clusters.

The Contonga and Pucarrajo mines are very competitive on the cost curve due to strong
by-product credits, and will take our capacity for zinc metal production from own
concentrates to approximately 25% by 2012. We continue to actively explore opportunities
to deliver on our strategy.”

As part of the acquisition Nyrstar will also assume debts of approximately US$16 million
associated with the operations. Part of the purchase price (US$5 million) will be held
in an escrow account for 12 months as security for the vendor’s obligations in relation
to customary representations and warranties relating to the acquisition.

Reserves and Resources

The following is a summary of the most recent reserve and resource statements for the
Contonga and Pucarrajo mines.

Contonga Reserves and Resources, 2009
Resource Class Tonnes (kt) Zn (%) Pb (%) Cu (%) Ag (oz/t)
Proven Reserves 1,494 4.67 1.71 0.47 2.93
Probable Reserves 405 4.55 1.34 0.66 2.91
Total Reserves 1,899 4.64 1.63 0.51 2.93
Measured Resource 1,639 5.15 1.78 0.58 3.01
Indicated Resource 430 4.94 1.47 0.72 3.12
Inferred Resource 1,020 4.79 0.99 0.89 2.32
Total Resource 3,089 5.00 1.47 0.70 2.80

Pucarrajo Reserves and Resources, 2009
Resource Class Tonnes (kt) Zn (%) Pb (%) Cu (%) Ag (oz/t)
Proven Reserves 182 8.22 0.83 – 2.32
Probable Reserves 158 8.23 0.79 – 2.24
Total Reserves 340 8.23 0.81 – 2.29
Measured Resource 199 7.98 0.77 – 2.16
Indicated Resource 1,116 7.45 0.57 – 1.69
Inferred Resource 715 7.51 0.76 – 2.00
Total Resource 2,030 7.52 0.66 – 1.85

[1] C1 cash costs are the net direct cash costs incurred from mining through to refined
metal (including operating costs, treatment charges, concentrate freight costs), less
by-product credits

About Nyrstar
The partner of choice in essential resources for the development of a changing world.
Nyrstar is a leading global multi-metals’ business, producing significant quantities of
zinc and lead as well as other products (including silver, gold and copper). Nyrstar is
listed on NYSE Euronext Brussels under the symbol NYR. For further information visit the
Nyrstar website, www.nyrstar.com http://www.nyrstar.com/ .

Contacts

Michael Morley
Director Legal and
External Affairs
T: +44 20 7408 8120
michael.morley@nyrstar.com mailto:michael.morley@nyrstar.com

Investors

Chris James
Group Manager,
Investor Relations
T: +44 20 7408 8161
M: +44 7912 269 497
chris.james@nyrstar.com mailto:chris.james@nyrstar.com

Media

Geert Lambrechts
Communications Advisor
T: +32 14 449 646
M: +32 473 637 892
geert.lambrechts@nyrstar.com mailto:geert.lambrechts@nyrstar.com

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ex-worker goes on rampage at Mazda plant, kills one

June 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

June 22 (Reuters) – A former Mazda Motor (7261.T) employee driving a station wagon smashed into Madza workers as they changed shifts at one of the car maker’s plants in Japan, killing one and injuring 10, the automaker said.

Cyclical Consumer Goods

The driver, Toshiaki Hikiji, was arrested less than an hour later a few kilometres away on suspected murder and other charges, Hiroshima prefectural police spokeswoman Takae Shiozaki said.

National broadcasters reported that Hikiji, a 42-year-old temporary worker, told police he had been fired two months ago and wanting to cause harm to Mazda, drove a Mazda Familia through the factory grounds intending to kill.

Mazda said Hikiji had started on April 1 but resigned eight working days later citing personal reasons.

National broadcasters showed swarms of police at Mazda’s Ujina factory in Hiroshima, where workers had been coming in and out of the plant between the night and day shifts at the time of the crime.

The Ujina plant builds the popular Mazda2/Demio subcompact and other models. (Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

MBAC Fertilizer Corp. Announces Recent Drilling Results for the Itafos Phosphate Project

June 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

TORONTO, ONTARIO, Jun 11 (MARKET WIRE) —
MBAC Fertilizer Corp. (TSX: MBC) (“MBAC” or the
“Company”) is pleased to report on recent drilling at its
wholly-owned Arraias-Campos Belos Phosphate Project (“Itafos”
or “Project”). This recent drilling is subsequent to the drill
results in the mineral resource estimate issued on May 17, 2010.

The goal of this recent program was to upgrade inferred resources to
measured and indicated resources in order to complete an updated resource
estimate for the definitive feasibility study on the Project
(“Definitive Feasibility Study”) which is expected to be
finalized by the end of July 2010.

Since the last resource estimate, an additional 13,228 meters have been
drilled with 382 new holes at a nominal 100 x 100 meters spacing. The
drilling confirms that phosphate ore is continuous and extends both north
and south of the existing Near Mine mineralization.

Antenor Silva, President and CEO, stated “we are very pleased with
the recent drill results as they have exceeded our expectations on grade,
strip ratio and continuity. In addition, they are expected to materially
increase measured and indicated resources from the 28.3 million tonnes
reported in the previous 43-101. This will support a new mine plan,
reserve estimate and economic analysis for the Definitive Feasibility
Study. We believe that these recent drilling results support the upside
potential for a significant increase in the value of the project.”

Project Background

Itafos is located in the municipality of Arraias, in the southeast of
Tocantins state, just a few kilometres away from Campos Belos, a town in
the Goias state in central Brazil.

MBAC is currently focused on the development of the Itafos which is
expected to commence production by the second quarter of 2012. At full
capacity, the proposed beneficiation plant is expected to generate 330
ktpa of phosphate rock concentrate at 28% P2O5. This phosphate
concentrate will be used to produce 500 ktpa of Single Super Phosphate
(“SSP”).

New exploration results

Since the last resource estimate, an additional 13,228 meters have been
drilled with 382 new holes at a nominal 100 x 100 meters spacing with the
objective of converting those Inferred Resources to Measured and
Indicated Resources reported by Wardrop on May 17, 2010.

Core Reverse Circulation Total

Calendar Years Holes m Holes m Holes M
—————- —————- ——————– —————-
Calendar 2008 198 7,014 – – 198 7,014
Calendar 2009 373 14,505 3 63 376 14,568
2010, to May 31 157 4,702 1,189 41,651 1,346 46,353
—————- ——————– —————-
Totals 728 26,221 1,192 41,714 1,920 67,935
—————- ——————– —————-

The 100 x 100 meters in-fill drilling campaign first targeted inner
parts of the Near Mine Block that had previously been drilled at 200 x
200 meters spacing (the Inferred Resource of which had been calculated on
the basis of block modeling techniques) and then targeted those Near Mine
areas referred to as Canabrava and Domingos that had previously been
drilled at 400 x 400 meters spacing (with a resource base calculated on
the basis of a polygonal inferred resource estimate).

Samples from the additional drilling have been submitted to the certified
international laboratory. Chemex Ltd (ALS), with the following key-note
intercepts being recorded thus far for Canabrava and Domingos:

Canabrava Area
CABR-RC-0106: 11.00m @ 10.89% P2O5, starting at 26m, including 29-36m
@ 14.90% P2O5.
CABR-RC-0116: 23.00m @ 6.94% P2O5, starting at 27m, including 27-36m
@ 11.76% P2O5.
CABR-RC-0083: 23.00m @ 4.71% P2O5 starting at 16m, including 18-24m @ 5.91%
P2O5 and 33-35 @ 8.29% P2O5.
CABR-DD-0071: 16.00m @ 7.02% P2O5, starting at 11.3m, including 11.3-23.8m
@ 9.20 % P2O5
CABR-RC-0097: 20.00m @ 17.11% P2O5, starting at 17m, including 25-37m
@ 20.24% P2O5.
CABR-RC-0099: 19.00m @ 10.27% P2O5, starting at 18m, including 21-28m
@ 14.21% P2O5.
CABR-RC-0113: 21.00m @ 10.03% P2O5, starting at 12m, including 24-32m
@ 14.09% P2O5.
CABR-DD-0008: 18.40m @ 9.01% P2O5 starting at 6m until EOH at 30.40m.
CABR-DD-0002: 18.60m @ 8.75% P2O5, starting at 10m, including 17.12-
28.6m @ 10.26% P2O5.
CABR-RC-0040: 31.00m @ 5.23% P2O5, starting at 16m, including 16-30m
@ 5.46% P2O5, 32-40m @ 6.21% P2O5 and 45-50m @ 4.84% P2O5.

Domingos Area
DOMI-RC-0033: 24.00m @ 14.85% P2O5, starting at 10m, including 10-25m
@ 19.44% P2O5 and 25-34m @ 7.20% P2O5.
DOMI-RC-0063: 27.00m @ 9.06% P2O5, starting at 15m, including 15-26m
@ 13.32% P2O5 and 26-42m @ 6.13% P2O5.
DOMI-RC-0105: 11.00m @ 11.07% P2O5, starting at 22m, including 22-26m
@ 7.74% P2O5 and 26-33m @ 12.97% P2O5.
DOMI-RC-0112: 15.00m @ 5.11% P2O5, starting at 23m, including 23-31m @ 5.44%
P2O5 and 31-38m @ 4.74% P2O5.
DOMI-RC-0110: 19.00m @ 7.41% P2O5, starting at 27m, including 27-42m @ 8.07%
P2O5 and 43-46m @ 6.03% P2O5.
DOMI-RC-0136: 10.00m @ 17.20% P2O5, starting at 15m.
DOMI-RC-0108: 16.00m @ 11.55% P2O5, starting at 30m, including 30-34m
@ 13.74% P2O5 and 37-41m @ 19.86% P2O5.
DOMI-RC-0109: 23.00m @ 11.55% P2O5, starting at 27m, including 27-37m
@ 16.47% P2O5 and 45-50m @ 8.25% P2O5- Hole stopped at 50m @ 11% P2O5.
DOMI-RC-0119: 16.00m @ 12.43% P2O5, starting at 3m, including 3-11m @ 17.30%
P2O5 and 12-19m @ 6.17% P2O5.
DOMI-RC-0131: 18.00m @ 7.05% P2O5, starting at 15m, including 15-22m
@ 10.17% P2O5 and 28-33m @ 6.05% P2O5.

Those and all other new drilling information and analytical results
are presently being compiled and will soon be submitted to Wardrop
Engineering Inc. for incorporation in the database and re-run of the
Mineral Resources estimate by means of appropriate block modeling
techniques and interpolation parameters for the stratiform mineralization
style found at Itafos.

Dr. Luiz A. Bizzi, PhD, MBA & P.Geo., Vice-President, Exploration of MBAC
Fertilizers, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument
43-101 and has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release as
applicable.

About MBAC Fertilizer Corp.

MBAC Fertilizer Corp. is focused on becoming a significant integrated
producer of phosphate and potash fertilizer in the Brazilian market. In
October 2008, MBAC indirectly acquired all of Itafos Mineracao Ltda,
which holds a 100% interest in the Itafos phosphate mine and related
infrastructure (the “Arraias-Campos Belos Project” also
referred herein as “Itafos” or Project”). MBAC is
continuing to search for additional fertilizer opportunities in the
Brazilian and other Latin-American markets. Strong agricultural
fundamentals in Latin-America combined with unique opportunities in
Brazil are expected to provide attractive growth opportunities for MBAC.

To learn more about MBAC, please visit our website www.mbacfert.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains “forward-looking information”
within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. The
forward-looking information contained in this press release includes, but
is not limited to, statements with respect to the conclusions drawn in
the AMEC study, the long-term potential value of the coastal potash
project, MBAC’s intention to advance the Coastal Potash Project to the
next stage of development, MBAC’s vision to become a significant
integrated producer of phosphate and potash fertilizer in the Brazilian
market, and MBAC’s expectation that strong agricultural fundamentals in
Latin America will provide attractive growth opportunities.

The forward-looking information contained in this press release is based
on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management and third party
sources, which are considered to be reasonable and accurate as at the
date the information is presented, and are inherently subject to a
variety of risks and uncertainties and other known and unknown factors
that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those
projected in the forward-looking information. These factors include
various exploration and development risks, environmental risks and
hazards, uncertainty with respect to current global financial conditions,
uncertainty with respect to the estimation of mineral reserves and
mineral resources, the need for additional resources, uncertainty with
respect to inferred mineral resources, insurance and uninsured risks,
potential increases in production costs, competition within the mining
industry and, in particular, the fertilizer production business in Brazil
and elsewhere, the need to obtain additional capital, fluctuations in
currency values, the ability to effectively integrate any future
acquisitions into its business structure, uncertainty with respect to
governmental regulation of the mining industry, risks relating to foreign
operations, labour and employment risks, dependence upon key management
personnel and executives, possible conflicts of interest with respect to
directors and executive officers who serve as directors and/or officers
of other companies involved in natural resource exploration and
development, climate change, and volatility in the Company’s stock price.
Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that
could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from
those described in forward-looking information, there may be other
factors that cause actions, events or results not to be anticipated,
estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking
information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future
events could differ materially from those anticipated in such
information. Potential investors are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information
contained in this press release is included for the purpose of assisting
potential investors in understanding the Company’s expected financial and
operational performance and the Company’s plans and objectives and may
not be appropriate for other purposes. Potential investors should conduct
their own investigations as to the suitability of investing in securities
of MBAC.

Contacts:
MBAC Fertilizer Corp.
Steve Burleton, CFA
Vice President, Corporate Development
416-367-2200
Investor@mbacfert.com
www.mbacfert.com

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Puget Ventures Inc. Discovers High Grade Extension of Werner Lake Cobalt Deposit

June 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Jun 07 (MARKET WIRE) —
Puget Ventures Inc. (TSX VENTURE: PVS) -

– NI 43-101 Resource Calculation Underway by PEG Engineering Group

– Summer Program Scheduled to Continue work to Expand Eastern Extension

PUGET VENTURES INC. announced today that the drill results from its 100%
owned Werner Lake Cobalt Deposit continue to demonstrate the high grade
nature of the primary cobalt deposit as Puget moves closer to a renewed
production decision on this key North American cobalt project.

Puget also released grab samples from the newly discovered eastern
extension of Werner Lake, located 800 metres to the east of the current
deposit area and directly on strike to Puget’s Eastern Shallows Cobalt
Deposit, clearly demonstrating the high potential for additional tonnage
for the Werner Lake Project.

“We are very pleased to discover the eastern extension to the
deposit, suggesting the likelihood of a much larger deposit area for
Werner Lake,” said Erin Chutter, President of Puget Ventures Inc.
“This drill season exceeded our expectations as we continue to move
our primary cobalt project of Werner Lake to a production decision.”

“The next step for the deposit is the NI 43-101 Resource Report
which will also include integration of historic drilling and resource
numbers and work from this spring’s program,” said Michael Dehn, CEO
of Puget Ventures Inc. “We are very excited to begin to better
understand the potential of further cobalt deposits moving across the
property towards our Eastern Shallows cobalt deposit four kilometres to
the east from Werner Lake.

The company completed 7,616m of drilling in 34 holes over the winter and
spring of 2009-2010. The initial winter program of 1839 metres in 17
relatively shallow holes was designed to test the bodies within and
adjacent to the known oreshoots of the West Cobalt and Old Mine Site
blocks, essentially as part of the due diligence for the NI 43-101
Resource Estimate which was initiated by PEG Engineering Group. After
successful completion of the initial phase, the program was expanded to a
spring phase of 5777m in 17 holes, aimed at probing the oreshoots at
depth, and at testing whether the deposits were indeed constrained by an
apparent shallowly plunging shoot direction. The drill program achieved
all these goals. On the basis of the results of these two programs, a
summer field program of surface exploration is being planned.

Tabulated below are the more significant values returned from all but one
hole (WL10-019 for which not all results have been received) in the
program:

—————————————————————————

INTERCEPT Au Co Cu Ni
HOLE NUMBER Final depth from to interval g/t % % %
—————————————————————————
WL09-001(ii) 89 67.0 70.3 3.3 0.06 0.028 0.507 0.02
includes 68.9 69.7 0.8 0.11 0.018 0.431 0.02
and 69.7 70.3 0.6 0.17 0.044 2.015 0.04
83.8 84.8 1.0 0.02 0.008 0.285 0.21
—————————————————————————
WL09-002(iii) 102 54.0 55.5 1.5 0.02 0.060 0.200 0.02
73.5 77.5 4.0 0.15 0.070 0.280 0.02
includes 75.0 76.4 1.4 0.20 0.120 0.560 0.02
—————————————————————————
WL10-003(iii) 97 65.7 66.5 0.8 0.09 0.050 0.460 0.01
—————————————————————————
WL10-004(iii) 74 25.4 37.7 12.3 0.30 1.210 0.220 0.02
includes 28.8 30.2 1.4 0.38 1.550 0.160 0.04
and 30.2 31.1 0.9 0.52 12.480 0.190 0.15
and 31.1 32.0 0.9 0.73 0.710 0.050 0.03
41.4 45.5 4.1 0.12 0.030 0.590 0.02
includes 41.4 42.9 1.5 0.15 0.030 0.450 0.02
and 44.3 45.5 1.2 0.13 0.030 1.190 0.03
47.6 49.2 1.6 0.09 0.020 0.160 0.02
includes 47.6 48.7 1.1 0.12 0.030 0.220 0.02
—————————————————————————
WL10-005(iii) 99 62.3 65.4 3.1 0.29 0.140 0.380 0.01
includes 63.6 65.4 1.8 0.45 0.180 0.610 0.02
68.0 71.8 3.8 0.32 – 0.710 0.01
includes 68.0 69.3 1.3 0.47 0.040 0.340 0.02
and 70.3 71.8 1.5 0.38 0.010 1.800 0.01
—————————————————————————
WL10-006 137 88.5 93.6 5.1 0.16 0.032 1.098 0.00
includes 88.5 89.5 1.0 0.21 0.003 0.215 0.00
and 92.4 93.6 1.2 0.42 0.124 4.346 0.01
99.6 101.0 1.4 0.15 0.090 0.081 0.00
—————————————————————————
WL10-007 135 54.8 55.2 0.4 0.07 0.012 0.323 0.00
————-
WL10-008(iii) 76 1.0 2.9 1.9 0.20 0.040 0.200 0.01
—————————————————————————
WL10-009(iii) 148 114.6 117.0 2.4 0.18 0.102 0.266 0.02
includes 116.1 117.0 0.9 0.39 0.120 0.470 0.02
—————————————————————————
WL10-010(iii) 164 131.8 136.1 4.3 0.11 0.100 0.370 0.02
includes 131.8 132.6 0.8 0.14 0.140 0.050 0.01
and 133.5 135.1 1.6 0.14 0.080 0.650 0.02
and 135.1 136.1 1.0 0.06 0.120 0.440 0.03
————-
WL10-011(iii) 95 67.4 68.4 1.0 1.31 0.010 0.020 0.01
72.2 73.1 0.9 0.17 0.011 0.382 0.02
—————————————————————————
WL10-012 69 38.4 39.6 1.2 0.04 0.053 0.159 0.02
—————————————————————————
WL10-013 92 76.8 79.1 2.3 0.14 0.060 0.190 0.02
includes 78.2 79.1 0.9 0.09 0.122 0.241 0.04
—————————————————————————
WL10-014 69 59.0 63.5 4.5 0.06 0.231 0.099 0.03
includes 59.0 60.6 1.6 0.10 0.377 0.135 0.04
and 62.0 63.5 1.5 0.04 0.232 0.080 0.02
—————————————————————————
WL10-015 131 no significant values
—————————————————————————
WL10-016 140 no significant values
—————————————————————————
WL10-017 122 no significant values
—————————————————————————
WL10-018 323 266.3 267.2 0.9 0.04 0.020 0.234 0.01
—————————————————————————
WL10-019 256 assays still outstanding
—————————————————————————
WL10-020 244 210.4 211.2 0.8 0.06 0.018 0.164 0.01
230.2 231.5 1.3 0.02 0.011 0.431 0.42
—————————————————————————
WL10-021 374 no significant values
—————————————————————————
WL10-022 281 220.0 224.9 4.9 0.18 0.025 0.243 0.01
includes 220.0 221.0 1.0 0.13 0.021 0.623 0.01
—————————————————————————
WL10-023 263 185.9 190.6 4.7 0.23 0.289 0.096 0.02
includes 185.9 186.6 0.7 0.76 0.826 0.244 0.06
and 186.6 187.6 1.0 0.11 0.383 0.087 0.02
and 189.0 189.6 0.6 0.20 0.349 0.062 0.02
203.3 204.4 1.1 0.09 0.121 0.139 0.03
—————————————————————————
WL10-024 296 240.0 241.1 1.1 0.06 0.288 0.156 0.02
248.5 249.3 0.8 0.08 0.057 0.150 0.01
252.5 253.5 1.0 0.04 0.007 0.106 0.01
—————————————————————————
WL10-025 465 no significant values
—————————————————————————
WL10-026 400 no significant values
—————————————————————————
WL10-027 439 no significant values
—————————————————————————
WL10-028 276 233.1 235.8 2.7 0.06 0.279 0.085 0.02
includes 233.1 233.8 0.7 0.07 0.853 0.049 0.04
—————————————————————————
WL10-029 499 33.2 35.2 2.0 0.09 0.020 0.082 0.01
363.0 364.0 1.0 0.07 0.005 0.201 0.01
368.6 370.0 1.4 0.16 0.039 0.422 0.01
381.8 382.5 0.7 0.02 0.028 0.157 0.02
—————————————————————————
WL10-030 366 223.3 224.3 1.0 0.04 0.007 0.142 0.04
—————————————————————————
WL10-031 37 hole abandoned – rig unstable
—————————————————————————
WL10-031B 542 468.2 469.2 1.0 0.03 0.069 0.156 0.02
472.2 475.2 3.0 0.10 0.017 0.274 0.00
—————————————————————————
WL10-032 358 289.1 290.1 1.0 0.08 0.126 0.147 0.02
312.3 315.1 2.8 0.09 0.196 0.145 0.01
includes 312.3 313.3 1.0 0.08 0.247 0.126 0.01
and 313.3 314.3 1.0 0.10 0.268 0.160 0.01
320.5 321.5 1.0 0.06 0.008 0.119 0.01
—————————————————————————
WL10-033 358 246.2 248.2 2.0 0.05 0.006 0.161 0.01
276.0 277.0 1.0 0.02 0.010 0.108 0.02
hole curtailed above zone
—————————————————————————
(i) the intercept thickness is not true thickness, which would be
approximately 70% of the quoted figure
(ii) Previously reported on January 27, 2010
(iii) Previously reported on April 19, 2010
nd indicates that one or more of the values within the sample interval
was below detection limits.
Detection limits are as follows: Au 5ppb, Pt 15ppb, Pd 10ppb
There are no significant values in the Platinum group Elements

Prudence dictated that WL10-033 be curtailed before reaching the
programmed intersection point when spring break-up occurred rather
earlier than expected. The casing remains in the hole to allow reentry.

Holes WL09-002 through WL10-013 all probed the original historically
drilled area beneath the Western Cobalt zone; and demonstrate that,
although values and thicknesses fluctuate, the values and thicknesses of
the original intersections are reflected in the current drilling program.
Hole WL10-014 targeted the heart of the Old Mine Area.

Holes WL10-015, WL10-016, WL10-017 were drilled to investigate the gap
between the Old Mine site and Werner Lake West Cobalt deposit. They show
that the zone is indeed absent in this area. Holes WL10-023, WL10-024,
WL10-028, WL10-032 are also all probes below the presumed lower limit of
the West Cobalt ore shoot. All showed good cobalt values of over 0.2% and
there are some good thicknesses indicated. They demonstrate that the
shallow easterly pitch is a fallacy. This has very positive implications
as far as increasing resources by further probing is concerned.

Holes WL10-029, WL10-031B probed below the known limits of the Old Mine
#3 lens oreshoot, but appear to have been sited too far to the west, and
therefore missed this short, high-grade strike.

A summer program of surface exploration and prospecting to extend the
known strike of the cobalt bearing zones is being planned. Preliminary
field work to the east of the Old Mine zone has demonstrated that the
zone does indeed extend in this direction, with some gratifying values
returned from surface grab sampling 800m east of the old mine site:

Au Co Cu Ni
g/t % % %
0.60 0.31 3.43 0.026
0.62 0.19 3.10 0.014
0.24 0.09 0.79 0.008
0.40 0.06 0.22 0.003

All cores were saw split before sampling. Cores are stored at the
Company facility on site. All analyses were done by Accurassay at
Thunderbay. Assays for gold and platinum group elements were by single
assay ton fire assay with an AA finish. Base metal analyses were by
ICP-MS following acid digestion. The QP for this drilling, logging and
sampling is Toby Hughes, P.Geol., P.Geo., P.Geo. The QP for this release
is Dr. Adrian G. Mann, P.Geol.

About Puget Ventures Inc. (www.pugetventures.com)

Puget Ventures Inc. is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. Puget controls
100% of its lands in the Werner Lake Mineral Belt in Northwestern Ontario
which includes the advanced stage Werner West Cobalt deposit.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information: The statements made
in this News Release may contain certain forward-looking statements.
Actual events or results may differ from the Company’s expectations.
Certain risk factors may also affect the actual results achieved by the
Company.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the
solicitation of any offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these
securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale
would be unlawful. The shares offered will not be and have not been
registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the “U.S. Securities Act”) and may not be offered or sold in
the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the
registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state
securities laws.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as
that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:
Puget Ventures Inc.
Ms. Erin Chutter
604-688-4219
info@pugetventures.com

Puget Ventures Inc.
Mr. Michael Dehn
604-688-4219
604-688-4215 (FAX)
mdehn@pugetventures.com
www.pugetventures.com

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

MAG Silver Intercepts More Molybdenum-Gold at Pozo Seco and New Intercepts of Zinc-Lead-Copper-Silver-Gold

June 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Jun 04 (MARKET WIRE) —
MAG Silver Corp. (TSX: MAG)(NYSE Amex: MVG) (“MAG”) announces
additional gold and molybdenum (“moly”) assay results from
on-going drilling (17 diamond drill holes) of the Pozo Seco moly-gold
discovery on its 100% owned Cinco de Mayo (or “Cinco”) property
in northern Chihuahua State, Mexico. Results confirm that Pozo Seco not
only represents an emerging moly deposit target in its own right, but
also represents an important indicator of nearby significant
lead-zinc-silver mineralization typical of the Carbonate Replacement
Deposits (CRDs) in this part of Mexico. A step out of 1.1 kilometres from
Pozo Seco also intercepted the system with indications that the potential
lead-zinc-silver root of the system may be near. Drilling continues with
4 machines conducting step out and in-fill drilling.

Details

Seven additional holes have been completed near Hole CM10-221 in an
attempt to follow the thick molybdenum mineralization at “Pozo Seco
Deep” reported April 14, 2010. Hole CM10-230 was the closest offset
and cut 164.86 metres (532.50 feet) of 0.052% molybdenum (Mo) with 0.19
grams per ton (g/t) gold before the hole was lost in a caving fault zone.
This fault zone may be part of the controlling structure to the regional
mineralization pattern and may lead back to the lead-zinc-silver rich
source for the observed moly mineralization.

Like CM10-221, there were several higher grade intercepts in CM10-230
(see table below). Holes behind and flanking the zone (CM10-226, 236 and
237) cut significant thicknesses of similar mineralization, as did Hole
224 that was drilled 400 metres to the northwest. Hole CM10-233, an
attempt to test below CM10-221, was lost at 146.30 metres in a cave.
Continued drilling will attempt to test beneath this area.

Seven additional holes have been completed in the 100 metre grid drilling
pattern in the Pozo Seco Prime Zone. The results are consistent with
those from neighbouring holes in terms of thickness and grade. The best
of these recent holes is CM10-228, which cut 94.03 metres (0 to 94.03
metre depth) grading 0.1% Mo and 0.15 g/t gold, with the first 24.84
metres from surface running 0.21% Mo and 0.32 g/t gold.

Hole CM10-247, an aggressive 1.1 kilometre step-out angle hole of the
Pozo Seco Deep zone, cut the Pozo Seco Fault (see below) at 300 metres
and entered the favourable Finlay Limestone. The Finlay is in turn cut by
a series of 5 strong quartz-calcite-barite-sulphide veins, ranging from
0.50 to 5.50 metres in thickness with up to 10% base metal and pyrite
sulphides. These “Rancho Zone” veins are very similar to
calcite-quartz-sulphide veins encountered above and around high-grade
manto, chimney and skarn zones in many of the world’s large CRDs. Assays
are pending for this hole. Drilling is in progress to determine the
source of the veins.

“The recent drilling continues to firm up and expand the stand-alone
moly-gold mineralization at Pozo Seco and results from the holes that
have been completed in the Pozo Seco Deep zone appear to confirm that
this is a fluid upwelling area with significant thickness and
grade,” said MAG CEO, Dan MacInnis. “The fact that our 1.1
kilometre step-out hole cut multiple mineralized veins with a more
proximal mineralization style, suggests we’re on the right track.”

MAG has also drilled a series of three step-out holes through complete
cover designed to test the Pozo Seco Fault 500 metres southwest of Pozo
Seco Prime. The first of these holes was an angle hole CM10-235, which
encountered an altered 2 metre wide quartz porphyry dike in the fault at
238 metres downhole with 0.40 metre (223.08 to 223.48 metre downhole) of
sulfide replacement mineralization grading 0.51% copper and 0.84% lead in
limestone on the north side. This was followed with 100 metre offsets to
the east and west (CM10-238 and 239 respectively). CM10-239 intersected
3.75 metres of 0.17 g/t Au, 0.41% Pb and 1.24% Zn starting at 172 metres
within the Finlay limestone.

On-going Exploration Program

Drilling is continuing with 4 machines: (2 dedicated to tracing the
Rancho Zone veins towards their source, 1 focused on testing geophysical
anomalies coincident with the Pozo Seco Zone, and 1 seeking the
large-scale replacement and skarn mineralization typical of the deposits
in the trend hosting Cinco de Mayo). Moly is a typical (and proximal)
component of CRDs, and the moly zone outlined at Cinco is several times
larger than that in the largest known CRDs in Mexico, suggesting that
very large scale silver, lead, zinc and copper mineralization may be
present in the heart of Cinco de Mayo. Gold, silver and base metal
intercepts encountered at depth in some of the recent drill holes further
substantiate MAG’s exploration model.

The tables below are presented by area and can be cross referenced with
the diagrams located at http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/MAG604maps.pdf
or www.magsilver.com. Holes are vertical unless indicated otherwise.

Table 1.0 Highlights from Pozo Seco Deep Zone

—————————————————————————-
From: To: Interval Molybdenum Molybdenum
Hole ID: metres metres metres g/t % Gold g/t
—————————————————————————-
CM10-224 56.90 81.00 24.10 439 0.044 0.10
—————————————————————————-
CM10-226 17.74 23.96 6.22 159 0.016 0.60
—————————————————————————-
including 23.08 23.96 0.88 575 0.058 1.52
—————————————————————————-
CM10-230(i) 9.14 174.00 164.86 522 0.052 0.19
—————————————————————————-
including 9.14 43.15 34.01 1,018 0.102 0.18
—————————————————————————-
including 12.40 16.00 3.60 1,828 0.183 0.39
—————————————————————————-
including 20.10 24.80 4.70 2,076 0.208 0.30
—————————————————————————-
CM10-231 66.47 112.04 45.57 1,035 0.104 0.07
—————————————————————————-
including 66.47 68.15 1.68 17,973 1.797 0.01
—————————————————————————-
including 98.38 112.04 13.66 1,128 0.113 0.23
—————————————————————————-
CM10-233 Hole lost in cave / No significant intercepts
—————————————————————————-
CM10-236 58.19 143.26 85.07 520 0.052 0.22
—————————————————————————-
including 120.94 137.90 16.96 1,253 0.125 0.53
—————————————————————————-
CM10-237 37.74 118.00 80.26 479 0.048 0.24
—————————————————————————-
including 96.67 115.82 19.15 936 0.094 0.42
—————————————————————————-

Table 2.0 Pozo Seco Prime Moly-Gold Zone

—————————————————————————-
From: To: Interval Molybdenum Molybdenum
Hole ID: metres metres metres g/t % Gold g/t
—————————————————————————-
CM10-227 5.80 17.48 11.68 1,347 0.135 0.21
—————————————————————————-
CM10-232 30.62 44.46 13.84 1,320 0.132 0.15
—————————————————————————-
including 30.62 32.80 2.18 5,788 0.579 0.07
—————————————————————————-
CM10-228 0.00 94.03 94.03 1,001 0.100 0.15
—————————————————————————-
including 0.00 24.84 24.84 2,097 0.210 0.32
—————————————————————————-
including 53.96 68.60 14.64 1,531 0.153 0.08
—————————————————————————-
CM10-225 0.00 73.56 73.56 1,484 0.148 0.23
—————————————————————————-
including 9.14 26.46 17.32 2,085 0.208 0.35
—————————————————————————-
including 56.14 73.56 17.42 2,748 0.275 0.25
—————————————————————————-
CM10-234 66.25 88.40 22.15 1,242 0.124 0.32
—————————————————————————-
or 66.25 90.90 24.65 1,137 0.114 0.29
—————————————————————————-
CM10-229 6.90 84.94 78.04 930 0.093 0.11
—————————————————————————-
including 15.87 30.48 14.61 1,751 0.175 0.26
—————————————————————————-
including 54.75 64.01 9.26 3,546 0.355 0.20
—————————————————————————-
CM10-240 0.00 86.06 86.06 1,000 0.100 0.18
—————————————————————————-
including 6.49 8.59 2.10 3,807 0.381 0.63
—————————————————————————-
including 28.18 50.28 22.10 2,267 0.227 0.41
—————————————————————————-

Table 3: Rancho Zone and Pozo Seco Fault Zone

—————————————————————————-
From: To: Interval Molybdenum Molybdenum
Hole ID: metres metres metres g/t % Gold g/t
—————————————————————————-
CM10-235 No significant intercepts
—————————————————————————-
CM10-238 No significant intercepts
—————————————————————————-
CM10-239(ii) 166.75 167.15 0.40 953 0.095 0.02
—————————————————————————-
and 201.20 206.50 5.30 65 0.007 0.27
—————————————————————————-

(i) CM10-230 was lost in mineralization
(ii) CM10-239 also has 0.17 g/t Au, 0.41% Pb and 1.24% Zn over 3.75 m
starting at 172 m.

Quality Assurance and Control: The Company has in place a quality
control program to ensure best practices in sampling and analysis.
Samples were collected by employees of consulting firm Minera Cascabel
S.A. de C.V. on behalf of MAG Silver Corp. The surface rock samples are
shipped directly in security sealed bags to ALS-Chemex Laboratories
preparation facilities in Hermosillo, Sonora or Chihuahua City
(Certification ISO 9001). Sample pulps are shipped from there to
ALS-Chemex Laboratories in North Vancouver, Canada for analysis. All
samples were assayed for gold by standard fire assay-ICP finish with a 50
gram charge. Gold values in excess of 3.00 g/t were re-analyzed by fire
assay with gravimetric finish for greater accuracy. Silver, values in
excess of 100 g/t are repeated by fire assay, zinc, copper and lead
values in excess of 1% repeated by Atomic adsorption for high grade
materials. Molybdenum is analyzed by ICP-MS to 1%, and checked by atomic
adsorption, over 1% Molybdenum is being reanalyzed by Atomic adsorption
methods for high grade materials.

Qualified Person: Dr. Peter Megaw, Ph.D., C.P.G., has acted as the
qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 for this
disclosure and supervised the preparation of the technical information in
this release. Dr. Megaw has a Ph.D. in geology and more than 20 years of
relevant experience focussed on silver and gold mineralization, and
exploration and drilling in Mexico. He is a certified Professional
Geologist (CPG 10227) by the American Institute of Professional
Geologists and an Arizona registered geologist (ARG 21613). Dr. Megaw is
not independent as he is a Director and Shareholder of MAG and is the
vendor of this project, whereby he may receive additional shares. Dr.
Megaw is satisfied that the results are verified based on an inspection
of the core, a review of the sampling procedures, the credentials of the
professionals completing the work and the visual nature of the silver and
base metal sulphides within a district where he is familiar with the
style and continuity of mineralization.

About MAG Silver Corp. (www.magsilver.com)

MAG is focused on district scale projects located within the Mexican
Silver Belt. Our mission is to become one of the premier companies in the
Silver Mining Industry. MAG is conducting ongoing exploration of its
portfolio of 100% owned properties in Mexico. MAG and Fresnillo plc are
jointly delineating a significant new silver vein discovery on the
Juanicipio property in Zacatecas State, Mexico. MAG is based in
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Its common shares trade on the TSX
under the symbol MAG and on the NYSE.A under the symbol MVG.

On behalf of the Board of MAG SILVER CORP.

Dan MacInnis, President and CEO

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be
“forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the US
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements in this
release, other than statements of historical facts are forward looking
statements including statements, including statements that address future
mineral production, reserve potential, exploration drilling, exploitation
activities and events or developments. Forward-looking statements are
often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as
“seek”, “anticipate”, “plan”,
“continue”, “estimate”, “expect”,
“may”, “will”, “project”,
“predict”, “potential”, “targeting”,
“intend”, “could”, “might”,
“should”, “believe” and similar expressions. These
statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from
those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Although MAG
believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements
are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees
of future performance and actual results or developments may differ
materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that
could cause actual results to differ materially from those in
forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, changes in
commodities prices, changes in mineral production performance,
exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital
and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions,
political risk, currency risk and capital cost inflation. In addition,
forward-looking statements are subject to various risks, including that
data is incomplete and considerable additional work will be required to
complete further evaluation, including but not limited to drilling,
engineering and socio-economic studies and investment. The reader is
referred to the Company’s filings with the SEC and Canadian securities
regulators for disclosure regarding these and other risk factors. There
is no certainty that any forward looking statement will come to pass and
investors should not place undue reliance upon forward-looking statements.

Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors: The U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission permits U.S. mining companies, in their filings with the SEC,
to disclose only those mineral deposits that a company can economically
and legally extract or produce. We use certain terms in this press
release, such as “Inferred resources,” that the SEC guidelines
prohibit U.S. registered companies from including in their filings with
the SEC.

Please Note: Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosures in
MAG’s annual and quarterly reports and other public filings, accessible
through the Internet at www.sedar.com and
www.sec.gov/edgar/searchedgar/companysearch.html.

Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange nor the American Stock Exchange has
reviewed or accepted responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this
news release, which has been prepared by management.

Contacts:
MAG Silver Corp.
Gordon Neal
VP Corp. Development
(604) 630-1399 or Toll free: (866) 630-1399
(604) 681-0894 (FAX)
info@magsilver.com
www.magsilver.com

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

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‘Ugly freaks’ Facebook comment lands Oz politician’s wife in trouble

June 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Sydney, June 04 (ANI): Townsville Deputy Mayor David Crisafulli’s wife irked locals of Mackay, Queensland by commenting on their looks on Facebook.

Tegan Crisafulli had written that she found only “ugly people” and “freaks” during a horse-racing event in the town.

Crisafulli, who is married to David Crisafulli, deputy mayor of Townsville, 390 kilometres away, wrote: “I still can”t believe how many freaks were there.

“I”ve never seen so many ugly people in the same place at the same time … I wonder if I”d get into trouble if I posted to FB [Facebook] my ”I”m the ugliest person to photograph” pics from the day.”

Mackay race club”s president Kerry Woodman blamed Crisafulli for looking at the crowd through “beer goggles”.

Meanwhile, reigning Miss Turf Girl Brooke Thompson disagreed with the leader’s spouse, saying there were “plenty of good-looking people” present.

“Beauty is not just on the outside, it also comes from the inside,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted her as telling the Mackay Mercury newspaper.

Crisafulli”s defended his wife saying it was just a “light-hearted” comment.

He said: “She wakes up beside me every morning and my head is rougher than anything I saw on that day.”

Tegan has deleted her page on Facebook, but a group titled “Beautiful People of Mackay Speak Out Against Tegan Crisafulli!” is still protesting on the site. (ANI)

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West Bengal train mishap death toll rises to 120

May 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Jhargram (West Bengal), May 29 (ANI): The death toll into Friday”s Gyaneshwari Express mishap near Jhargram in West Bengal”s West Midnapore District is reported to be 120 by Saturday evening.

The number of the injured stood at 250, as rescue operations were still being carried out at the site located some 135 kilometres from Kolkata.

According to reports, the death toll is likely to exceed 150, as one badly smashed bogie is yet to be looked into.

The incident occurred at around 1:30 a.m. on Friday, when the Mumbai-bound train was running between Khemasoli and Sardiya stations. (ANI)

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Singapore and Malaysia in joint oil spill clean-up

May 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Singapore and Malaysia are conducting a joint clean-up operation involving 20 craft to remove about 2,500 tonnes of oil spilled after a tanker collided with a bulk carrier on Tuesday morning, Singapore’s port authority said.

The spill measures about 4 kilometres by 1 km and was located 6 km south of Singapore’s southeastern tip at 0640 GMT, the city-state’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) said. Traffic through the Singapore Strait remained unaffected.

(Reporting by Alejandro Barbajosa; Editing by Ramthan Hussain and Dan Lalor)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

LeT admits giving 3-month terror training to failed Times Square bomber in PoK: Report

May 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Ottawa, May 19 (ANI): In the latest and sensational twist to the botched Times Square bombing plot, a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander has claimed that Faisal Shahzad, the confessed bomb plotter of Pakistani origin, had received terror training in one of the ‘jihad’ camps of the banned outfit in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).

A report in Maclean, Canada’s weekly current affairs magazine, cited an unnamed LeT commander as saying that Shahzad, during his visit to Pakistan in 2006, had visited the LeT’s main base of operations in Dulai, a village situated 25 kilometres away from Muzaffarabad, the capital of PoK.

“He was an eager recruit. Very intelligent but also very intense, and driven to make his mark for the sake of Islam,” the magazine quoted the LeT commander, as describing Shahzad.

The LeT commander, however, denied any direct involvement of his organisation with New York bombing plot.

“Shahzad came to us for training. He stayed with us for three months and we provided him with the basics. Then he went back to the U.S,” the commander claimed.

The terror commander added that following the training, Shazad was asked to return back to the US and directed not to contact the LeT, which carried out the ghastly Mumbai terror attacks in 2008, for at least six months.

“After six months, we tried to contact him, but we received no response, not from emails or by telephone. We thought, well, okay, so maybe he’s had a change of heart. We have thousands of recruits who come to us for training. It doesn’t affect us if one of them is lost,’ the magazine quoted the militant leader, as saying.

Recalling Shahzad’s attitude during his terror training, the LeT commander said one thing which was most noticeable in him was that he had a strong desire for glory.

“He wanted to do something big, not just die an anonymous martyr alongside hundreds of other martyrs. He wanted something international. He wanted to be famous. For us, that was dangerous. We don’t want attention brought to us, and we were worried that Shahzad’s personal agenda would get him captured and bring the spotlight on us,” the commander said. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

15 ft wall to fortify Baghdad

May 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 18 (ANI): Following a spate of suicide bombings in Baghdad the city’s governor has proposed the construction of a massive concrete wall around the city.

The huge city, which is home to approximately five million residents, will need a concrete wall of enormous dimensions. It will span 112 kilometres and will be 15 feet high.

The entry and exit to the city will be regulated at eight gates, which will be the only access points. This is likely to cause immense discomfort to the denizens as it would take at least an hour to gain entry into the city.

“We want to stop the terrorist from sneaking in. With the wall it will be much easier,” the Times quoted Shatha al-Obeidi, an aide to Salah Abdul Razzaq, the governor, as saying.

The authorities are hoping that the fortification will render the city much safer than it has been thus far. Previous measures include setting up of 1,500 checkposts and several miles of cement blast barriers both of which have failed to curb the violence.

These will be dismantled once the wall is completed.

“We have become a city filled with concrete. That will change,” said Al-Obeidi. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hackers can attack car control systems, warn experts

May 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 15 (ANI): A technological hazard is looming over auto industry. Scientists have warned that, in the future, hackers could be able to take over the control systems of car, disable the brakes and turn off the engine while the vehicle is moving.

Tadayoshi Kohno at the University of Washington in Seattle and Stefan Savage at the University of California, San Diego, have come up with info on the threat and the possible solution to it.

Computers help control many systems in modern vehicles, from anti-lock braking systems to the timing of ignition. Each system typically has its own dedicated computer controller, which is connected to a network that can be accessed by mechanics via a socket under the dashboard.

The experts tested two 2009 sedans of the same make and model, which they decline to name. They plugged a laptop into the control socket and used software called CarShark to send signals into the car”s networks. By sending random commands and observing the effect of each, they were able to decipher the language used by the control systems.

In tests on a disused airfield in Washington state, with the laptop plugged into a control network, the researchers were able to kill the engine and disable the brakes of a car moving at 65 kilometres per hour. They were also able to instantaneously lock the brakes.

Clearly, drivers would notice a laptop plugged into their car”s control systems. But it would be possible to achieve the same result with less obtrusive hardware that could be controlled remotely. Still more alarmingly, the researchers say they also took control of a car using wireless signals and operated it via the internet, but would not provide further details of this part of the study.

Although the attacks sound alarming, they require a high level of knowledge to carry out. “Car tuning” enthusiasts have similarly discovered how to control many of the systems the researchers compromised – although there is no evidence of anyone using these methods to malicious ends. Industry experts say they have never seen such attacks being used outside of the new experiment.

Savage says that the car industry”s attitude to system security is similar to that of the computer industry prior to the internet – which exposed computers to attack and revealed many vulnerabilities.

“This industry hasn”t had to deal with adversarial pressure, so its defences haven”t had to be that strong,” New Scientist quoted Savage as saying.

The study will be presented in a paper next week at the IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy in Oakland, California. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dozens of wedding guests electrocuted

May 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

At least 28 people returning from a wedding were electrocuted when their bus hit a power cable in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, police said.

The accident occurred in the state’s remote Mandla district, 450 kilometres from state capital Bhopal, area police chief KK Sharma said.

“There was a metal almirah [cabinet] on top of the bus which came in contact with a high-voltage power cable, resulting in the electrocution of 28 of the wedding guests,” he said.

Most of the victims were women, he said, without giving any numbers. The United News of India agency said three children and 12 women were among those killed on the bus, which was carrying 32 people.

In a similar accident, 10 Hindus returning from a cremation were electrocuted when a live power cable fell on their bus in the eastern Indian state of Bihar.

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23 die in S African bus crash

May 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

A bus crash in South Africa has killed 23 people and critically injured at least ten more.

It is believed the driver of the bus fell asleep at the wheel and veered off the road about 150 kilometres from Cape Town.

He survived and will face criminal charges.

However 19 of his passengers died at the scene while another 4 people died on the way to hospital.

The bus was reportedly overloaded and had previously been ordered off the road because of safety problems.

The crash highlights South Africa’s poor road transport record.

The country has undertaken a massive upgrade of the road system as it prepares for next month’s World Cup.

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Bhopal gas victims seek details of Nuclear Liability Bill from PMO

May 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 5 (ANI): Victims of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, described as one of the world”s worst ever industrial disasters, have filed a Right to Information (RTI) petition with the Prime Minister”s Office (PMO) here.

The RTI plea wants to know whether the Central Government took into consideration the disaster of gas leak at the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal in 1984 while drafting the Civil Nuclear Liability Bill with the USA.

Representatives of three non-governmental organisations (NGOs) – Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh, Bhopal Group for Information and Action and Children against Dow Carbide – accompanied the victims to the PMO.

It may be recalled that over 50 victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy walked over 800 kilometres on foot from Bhopal to New Delhi and met the Prime Minister in 2008.
The government had then their assured them that an empowered commission would be constituted to address grievances and would initiate remedial measures.

Citing that assurance of 2008, the protestors alleged that nothing has been done so far.
“When we came on a foot march to New Delhi to meet the Prime Minister in 2008, at that time the government assured us that they would form an empowered commission to address the demands of victims like removal of hazardous waste, treatment of contaminated water, pensions to widows etc. among others but we have not received anything,” said Zakiya, a victim.

The protestors also questioned the amount included in the Nuclear Liability Bill. The Bill which proposes a liability cap of 300 million dollars on the supplier in case of a mishap.
“They want to find out how the cap of 450 million dollars was fixed because this is even less than what the Bhopalis were paid as compensation and which was not sufficient enough to meet the medical expenses for five years,” noted Satinath Sarangi, an activist of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action.

In the early hours of December 3, 1984, around 40 metric tonnes of toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas leaked into the atmosphere and was carried by wind to surrounding slums.

The government says around 3,500 died in the disaster. Rights activists, however, claim that 25,000 people have died so far. (ANI)

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Two army personnel killed in Kashmir encounter

May 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Srinagar, May 5 (ANI): At least two army personnel, including an officer, were killed in an encounter with militants in the Bandipora District of Jammu and Kashmir Wednesday early hours.

According to sources,the gunfight broke out in Chattibandi area in the district.

Chattibandi is over 60 kilometres from Srinagar.

Army said the encounter took place during a search operation.

The operation was still continuing when last report came in.

More details are awaited (ANI)

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Somali Islamists seize pirate hub

May 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Heavily armed Islamist militants on Sunday seized Somalia’s port town and major pirate hub of Harardhere, meeting no resistance as pirates fled before their arrival, residents said.

Militants from the Hezb Al-Islam group had been advancing on Harardhere, 500 kilometres north of the capital Mogadishu, over the past few weeks and entered without a fight.

“The pirates emptied the town this morning after getting the information that Islamist fighters were about to enter town. I saw heavily armed militants enter the town on around 10 armed vehicles,” Abdulkadir Hasan, an elder in Harardhere said.

“There was not fighting because the Islamists did not encounter any resistance.”

Harardhere is one of three major pirate hubs in Somalia. As of late April, pirates operating from the Somali coast were holding 23 foreign vessels and 384 sailors awaiting the payment of ransom, maritime watchdog Ecoterra says.

The residents said the only militants who entered the town Sunday were from Hezb Al-Islam. Fighters from another hardline Islamist group, the Al Qaeda-inspired Shebab, have in recent days advanced on villages close to the town.

Ahmed Hasan Tubey, another witness, said the Hezb Al-Islam fighters chanted “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) as they entered the port town.

“They entered the town chanting Allahu Akbar, and took control of the police station and other positions,” he said.

Somalia’s hardline Islamists, who long condoned piracy, turned against the pirates after they started targeting vessels owned by Somali businessmen that were bringing food into the country.

Late last month Sheikh Ali Mohamud Rage, a Shebab spokesman, said his group had previously seen the pirates as a positive force fighting illegal fishing off Somalia.

“But now they have interfered with Somali commercial interests by hijacking Somali vessels,” he said, adding: “We have decided to take immediate action against those gangs.”

But he insisted: “We will not be cooperating in any way with the foreign naval forces in the waters off Somalia that have ulterior motives.”

An international flotilla of warships has been patrolling waters off Somalia, one of the world’s busiest maritime routes, since 2008, in a bid to stop the hijackings.

Despite the patrols, Somali sea bandits operating in nimble skiffs and mother ships – from which the smaller boats take to the sea – have repeatedly managed to seize vessels for ransom.

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has reported a drop in the number of vessels hijacked in the first three months of 2010 compared to the same period last year.

Sixty-seven piracy incidents were reported since January compared to 102 in the first quarter of 2009, the Kuala Lumpur-based agency said in a report last month.

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Thai soldier killed in Red Shirts-security forces clash

April 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Bangkok, Apr 29(ANI): One soldier was killed and at least 18 people were injured during a standoff in Thailand between security forces and the anti-government demonstrators, also known as the Red Shirts.

The soldier was reportedly killed by a shot fired by a member of the security forces.

Violence took place 40 kilometres from Bangkok, where thousands of Red Shirts, supporters of exiled former Premier Thaksin Shinawatra, arrived in a convoy of pick-up trucks and motorbikes to stage a rally as part of the opposition leadership’s attempts to widen protests across the city.

The army said it used real bullets during the standoff, as protesters hurled rocks at soldiers and tried to remove razor wire blocking their access.

Security forces said they had also seized 62 M79 grenades from suspected Red Shirts riding a motorcycle towards the area where the confrontation occurred, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.

The Red Shirts want Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to stand down and declare elections, saying he took power without any legitimate mandate.

Thaksin was ousted by a military coup in 2006 and Abhisit was installed a few years later after army-engineered parliamentary machinations removed political parties supportive of Thaksin.

Abhisit insists he wants to end the conflict peacefully, but there is no clear indication of how he plans to do this, particularly since he called off negotiations with the Red Shirts days ago.

Thailand is reeling from its worst political violence in almost two decades in the capital, where 27 people have died and almost 1,000 have been injured this month in a series of bloody confrontations. (ANI)

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Rajasthan”s cattle facing water shortage

April 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Jaipur (Rajasthan), Apr 24 (ANI): The cattle owners in Rajasthan are facing acute shortage of water, as the water bodies have dried up here.

The problem has been aggravated because of a drought like situation in 26 out of 32 districts of Rajasthan.

They have to carry water from far off places because of the water scarcity.

“We have to travel two kilometres away to get water for them. We are facing lots of problem because of water scarcity. Water is not even there in the tube wells all of them are totally dry,” said Jagannath, a cattle owner.

“We have to pass this 3-months time and we are finding it very tough to quench the thirst of our animals,” he added.

It is reported that the scanty and extremely poor rainfall has created a tough situation for all the cattle owners of Rajasthan during this summer.

“Earlier, we used to get water from nearby tube wells, rivers and animals used to drink water on their own but now we are facing lot of problems. We have to travel long distance of about two kilometres to get water for them now and because of the poor rainfall during the last few years, we are facing lot of problems,” said Abdul Jabbar, a cattle owner.

The situation is worst in the districts of Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Barmer, where most of the farmers are totally dependant on animal husbandry to earn their livelihood. (ANI)

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Taliban slaughters four alleged US spies in North Waziristan

April 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Apr.24 (ANI): Four alleged US spies have been slaughtered by the Taliban in restive North Waziristan’s Miranshah.

All four dead bodies, including a headless one, were found in Mir Ali, about 25 kilometres east of Miranshah.

A note found near the dead bodies accused the dead men of spying for the US troops and warned that anyone found spying for the foreign force would face the same fate, The Daily Times reports.

Dozens of men have been killed in a similar way in North Waziristan in the recent past, as the US continues to push the Pakistan Army to launch an all out attack on the militants based in the ungoverned tribal region and carry out their plan against foreign forces fighting in Afghanistan. (ANI)

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Two Hizbul militants killed in Jammu

April 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Jammu, Apr 24 (ANI): Security forces gunned down two Hizbul Mujaheedin (HM) militants in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir”s Doda District on Saturday.

Police sources said the encounter started late on Friday night and ended on Saturday morning.

Doda Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Prabhat Singh said one militant was killed on Friday night while the other on Saturday morning.

The slain militants have been identified as Tanvir Ahmad, an area commander, and Zubair Ahmad, a close associate.

The encounter took place in Gandoh which is over 180 kilometres from Jammu. (ANI)

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