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Simple keyhole surgery can halve heart attack risk

August 27, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

Doctors have said that a one-hour operation that could halve the risk of heart attacks in patients with high blood pressure could be available from next year.

In trails patients undergoing the keyhole procedure saw their blood pressure drop by a

fifth within six months — enough to halve the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

A follow-up after 18-months showed no reversal of the condition. The trials proved so successful that some clinics have already made it available privately, and researchers expect the treatment to be made available to tens of thousands of British patients on the NHS.

The procedure severed the nerves, which connect the kidneys to the brain and carry signals to control blood pressure.

Doctors say the operation, which costs just 6,000 pounds, could offer a lasting solution for tens of thousands of British patients whose high blood pressure cannot be controlled by conventional drugs. Although people who undergo the procedure still have to take medication to keep their condition in check, it brings about a drop in blood pressure, which drugs alone have failed to provide.

Further trials will establish whether the technique, known as renal denervation, could also help patients whose bodies will not tolerate conventional blood pressure drugs.

In a study, which involved more than 100 patients across 11 countries, researchers found that the 20 per cent reduction in patients’ blood pressure was still maintained a year and a half after the procedure, with no major side effects reported.

“We are encouraged to see that renal denervation shows substantial and sustained blood pressure reduction in treatment resistant patients,” the Telegraph quoted Dr Murray Esler of Saarland University Hospital in Germany as saying.

“We know the renal nerves play a crucial role in blood pressure elevation and this study shows those nerves can be targeted with renal denervation without major side effects,” Dr Esler added.

The new procedure, first trialled at Barts and the London NHS trust in 2009, involves severing malfunctioning nerves around the kidneys.

The nerves send signals to the brain that tell it that blood pressure is too low, causing the brain to increase it to dangerously high levels.

Doctors correct the fault by threading a wire through the renal artery until it reaches the kidneys, where it lets off a burst of heat to burn the nerves and disable them.

Although the operation is moderately painful, it does not require a general anaesthetic and patients can generally leave hospital on the same day.

Charities have so far funded a small number of procedures for patients in severe need, but doctors involved in the trial said they will lobby NHS commissioning boards to make it available to a limited number of treatment-resistant patients next year.

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Doctors have said that a one-hour operation that could halve the risk of heart attacks in patients with high blood pressure could be available from next year.
In trails patients undergoing the keyhole procedure saw their blood pressure drop by a fifth within six months — enough to halve the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
A follow-up after 18-months showed no reversal of the condition. The trials proved so successful that some clinics have already made it available privately, and researchers expect the treatment to be made available to tens of thousands of British patients on the NHS.
The procedure severed the nerves, which connect the kidneys to the brain and carry signals to control blood pressure.
Doctors say the operation, which costs just 6,000 pounds, could offer a lasting solution for tens of thousands of British patients whose high blood pressure cannot be controlled by conventional drugs. Although people who undergo the procedure still have to take medication to keep their condition in check, it brings about a drop in blood pressure, which drugs alone have failed to provide.
Further trials will establish whether the technique, known as renal denervation, could also help patients whose bodies will not tolerate conventional blood pressure drugs.
In a study, which involved more than 100 patients across 11 countries, researchers found that the 20 per cent reduction in patients’ blood pressure was still maintained a year and a half after the procedure, with no major side effects reported.
“We are encouraged to see that renal denervation shows substantial and sustained blood pressure reduction in treatment resistant patients,” the Telegraph quoted Dr Murray Esler of Saarland University Hospital in Germany as saying.
“We know the renal nerves play a crucial role in blood pressure elevation and this study shows those nerves can be targeted with renal denervation without major side effects,” Dr Esler added.
The new procedure, first trialled at Barts and the London NHS trust in 2009, involves severing malfunctioning nerves around the kidneys.
The nerves send signals to the brain that tell it that blood pressure is too low, causing the brain to increase it to dangerously high levels.
Doctors correct the fault by threading a wire through the renal artery until it reaches the kidneys, where it lets off a burst of heat to burn the nerves and disable them.
Although the operation is moderately painful, it does not require a general anaesthetic and patients can generally leave hospital on the same day.
Charities have so far funded a small number of procedures for patients in severe need, but doctors involved in the trial said they will lobby NHS commissioning boards to make it available to a limited number of treatment-resistant patients next year.
Findings from the study were presented at the European Society of Cardiology congress in Munich.
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Filed Under: Health News Tagged With: blood pressure drop, Blood Pressure Drugs, heart, murray esler, operation, pressure, risk, saarland university hospital

Karzai criticised by Kandahar elders over security and corruption

April 5, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Kandahar (Afghanistan), Apr.5 (ANI): Tribal elders in the Afghan city of Kandahar have sharply criticised President Hamid Karzai over issues of security and corruption.

According to the BBC, one tribal elder after another stood up, speaking loudly, angrily, some shouting at the president, complaining of police corruption, official bribes and insecurity.

Tribal elders took Karzai to task over issues of security and corruption

“I can’t, I will be killed by the terrorists,” retorted one tribal elder – a reference to the growing strength of the Taliban in the region.

But the message from this gathering of some 1,500 tribesmen is that they are not ready for any major military operation by Afghan and NATO led forces any time soon.

The president assured them that no operation would be started without their support. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: corruption, hamid karzai, NATO, operation, Taliban

Residents of Pak’s Bara district flee homes following Lashkasr’s warning

September 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Landi Kotal (Pakistan), Sep 19 (ANI): Following a warning issued by the leader of a terrorist organization, hundreds of Bara residents fled their houses to move to safer places before the last day of Eidul Fitr festivities.

On Friday morning, Lashkar-i-Islam (LI) chief Mangal Bagh issued a warning over his illegal FM radio station, saying that people should take cover as his armed outfit was about to retaliate the military operation in Bara, The Dawn reports.

Earlier, the militant leader had said that his private miltia would not resist the operation in the area.

Traders and shopkeepers of Bara bazaar have shifted their merchandise to safer places, it has been learned.

Meanwhile, the bullet-riddled body of Wahid son of Hanan, who was kidnapped by Lashkar activists a day earlier, was found in Jamrud Khwar area.

A note was found with the dead body saying that anyone found assisting the security forces would meet the similar fate.

Earlier, the FC media cell had appealed the locals to help security forces in their operation against militants. (ANI)

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Sealdah-New Delhi Duronto Express flagged off

September 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kolkata, Sep 19 (ANI): Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee flagged off Sealdah-New Delhi Duronto express, the country’s first point-to-point non-stop train in Kolkata.

The Duronto express will cover the 1447-km distance between Sealdah and New Delhi in 16 hours and 20 minutes.

“After 30 years there is a train called Duronto. It will go faster than Rajdhani and it is an achievement, it will go non-stop and will stop only at the operation stop where they will take drinking water or whatever, only operational stoppage, otherwise no,” said Banerjee.

The train will have no commercial stop, but has three operational stops at Dhanbad, Moghalsarai and Kanpur Central.

The 16-coach train comprises one AC-1, three AC-II, four AC-III and five AC-III (economy) coaches.

Banerjee also said the 14 Duronto Expresses announced in the Railway budget would be operational shortly.

These trains will be launched in Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and Bangalore as a pilot project.

Passengers boarding the train on the first day were extremely excited.

“Well, first thing is that first day it has got added attraction plus it is the fastest super fast train. So I got the opportunity I thought I will avail it,” said TK Singh, a passenger. (ANI)

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Five bodies of CoBRA personnel recovered from Dantewada forest

September 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Dantewada, Sep 19 (ANI): Five more bodies of personnel of the elite anti -Naxal force Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) have been recovered from the Dantewada Forests in Chattisgarh.

A major offensive was launched against the Naxals following specific intelligence inputs about them being present in the forest.

According to CoBRA sources, the bodies of Assistant Commandant Rakesh Chaurasia, a sub-inspector, a head constable and two constables were recovered during a combing operation in the thick forests near Singamadagu.

On Friday, Assistant Commandant Manoranjan Singh was killed during a gunbattle. So far, the death toll has been pegged at six.

Security forces also unearthed an arms manufacturing unit.

Nine Naxals have been killed during Operation red Hunt so far.(ANI)

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Pak Army’s plans to use private militia against Taliban may backfire: Report

September 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, Sep.18 (ANI): The Pakistan Army’s initiative to sponsor local militias, or the lashkars, as they are commonly known, may have been working in its favour against the Taliban, however some people feel such move could back fire in future.

Backed by the Army, which had initiated an all out operation against the Taliban in Swat and Malakand Divisions in April, more than 8,000 villagers living across the region have joined these militias to try to keep the Taliban away from their villages.

Military officials are encouraging people to join hands with the troops against the extremists and carrying out special drives for forming such lashkars.

“The military is going village to village, speaking with elders and encouraging them to form their own lashkars and unite with existing ones,” said Swat military spokesman Major Mushtaq Khan.

While the Army considers that its initiative would yield positive results and prevent the Taliban’s onslaught in the region, experts have raised questions over it saying the move could have catastrophic effect in future.

“They could be temporarily used in some areas where the Taliban are weak or heavily resented, like in Swat. But at the end of the day, the villagers need to do their work; they can’t be armed every night,” The Christian Science Monitor quoted, Rahimullah Yusufzai, a well-known journalist, as saying.

“Creating these private militias may work in the short-run, but what if they later turn on each other to settle personal scores?” usufzai asked

Experts said the military should think twice before trying to extend the experimant into Pakistan’s other tribal agencies, where the Taliban still maintains a strong grip.

“It’s a very interesting experiment. But if it works in Swat, this can’t be replicated anywhere else, because the guys that they were pitted against were way too powerful, the murder of Qari Zainuddin was a case in point,” said Rifaat Hussain, an analyst at Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad. (ANI)

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Brit men having moob jobs on the rise

September 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Sep 18 (ANI): It has emerged that more and more Brit men are having cosmetic surgery to get rid of their “moobs”.

According to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), there has been a 44 per cent year-on-year rise in the number of men wanting to get rid of their ‘man boobs’.

The AGM of BAAPS in Cardiff heard that the procedure is now the fifth most popular cosmetic op for men, with more than 1,000 men forking out more than 2,000 pounds to get rid of their flabby breasts in the last 12 months.

Delegates were told over the past five years the numbers of men losing their moobs have shot up by an amazing 1,000 per cent.

“We are seeing men of all ages coming in to have their breasts made smaller,” the Sun quoted plastic surgeon Douglas McGeorge as saying.

“They are losing their inhibitions about the operation and deciding to undergo an operation which previously was a women’s operation,” he said.

McGeorge, who is based in Chester, revealed that a recent patient, who had never taken his shirt off, was typical of the men queuing up for the op.

“It was a grandfather who had never taken off his T-shirt in his life because he was so embarrassed about the size of his breasts,” he said.

“He had never been able to strip to the waist on the beach in front of his own children – but was determined not to be in the same position with his grandchildren,” he stated.

The moob jobs pushed out facelifts to become the fifth most popular plastic surgery for British men after nose jobs, eyelifts, ear corrections, and liposuction.

“Reasons for the upsurge include men being more open now about their physique than years ago,” plastic surgeon Fazel Fatah said.

“And they can get more and more information about it from internet sites which encourage them to have the op,” he added. (ANI)

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One militant killed in encounter in J-K

September 17, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Srinagar, Sep 16 (ANI): Indian security force on Wednesday killed a militant in an encounter while three others are still holed up in border area of Mendhar in Poonch district.

Sources said that the army and the police in Chajla area of Mendhar launched a joint operation soon after receiving inputs that a group of four militants had come into the Indian side from across the Line of Control (LoC).

One militant was killed and rest are still trapped in the area, they said.

The encounter is continuing when the last reports came in. (ANI)

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Theron will not play Kidman’s wife in sex-change drama

September 17, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, Sep 16 (ANI): South African actress Charlize Theron has turned down a role in a new movie about the first person to undergo a sex-change operation.

Theron, 34, was to play as Gerda Wegener, the wife of artist Einar Wegener opposite Nicole Kidman, 42, in ‘The Danish Girl’, but she recently turned down the role.

Kidman will star and co-produce the project, which is adapted from David Ebershoff’s novel about Wegener, who underwent a procedure to become a woman in the early 1930s.

Tomas Alfredson, who will direct the film, is refusing to let the casting hiccup upset his filming schedule.

“We have been in talks for close to a year, and we are soon going into production,” Contactmusic quoted him as having told Daily Variety. (ANI)

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Taliban back to terror business from new stronghold near Mardan-Swat Highway

September 17, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Sep.16 (ANI): The Taliban’s threat has still not subsided in the Swat and Malakand Divisions as the security forces have found that the extremists have created a new stronghold in the region and are planning strikes from there.

According to senior officials, the Taliban, after being forced to retreat following the military operation, have shifted their base to the rough terrains between Batkhela and Jalala on the Mardan-Swat Highway and trying to regroup.

“It is from here that they are building their arms arsenals, training camps, logistics and propaganda centres,” officials said.

Over 200 people in the region have received handwritten and typed death threats in the past fortnight which proves that the Taliban is alive and kicking here.

“We are aware of how you assist security agencies and act against Islam. You are going to face the wrath of God,” one of the letter stated.

One of such threat mail has also been received by former North West Frontier Province (NWFP) Minister, Kamal Shah, who said the extremists have taken refuge in Shergarh, Batkhela, Chakdara, Iroshah, Shakh Number Panch, Jabban Road, Palai Sherkhanai, Sakhakot, Jalala and other villages on the Highway and are waiting to strike.

Security officials said they are aware of the development and the threat mails being sent by the Taliban. They said steps are being taken to thwart any untoward incident and block the supplies of arms and ammunition to the extremists.

“We are on their heels and are making all efforts to block arms and ammunition supplies to them from the channels developed by Taliban through Mohmand Agency, the adjoining areas of Malakand like Palai Sherkhani and Jabban Iroshah Road,” The News quoted a senior official, as saying. (ANI)

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‘Two for one’ breast boosting technique not as viable as it seems

September 17, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Sep 16 (ANI): A technology that was claimed as the ultimate solution to give a boost to women’s breasts by using fat removed from thighs is not viable as it seems, say experts.

Mel Graham, chairman of the Harley Medical Group, recently claimed that the “two for one” procedure could extract excess fat from where it was not wanted – the belly, hips or thighs – and relocate it to the bust.

However, rival cosmetic surgeons criticised the “hype” surrounding the new operation, insisting that it was “premature”.

“(This) is setting consumers up for disappointment and there are many reasons for vigilance,” the Independent quoted Dai Davies, of Plastic Surgery Partners in Harley Street, as saying.

He said that doctors have long been experimenting with innumerable aids to give women larger busts, including using body fat as a procedure.

The technique of removing fat by liposuction, and then injecting it into the chest has been tried for almost 20 years but with limited success, said Davies.

“Where you are injecting small amounts of fat into the face, which has a good blood supply, there is good evidence that it works. Most plastic surgeons would agree there is a place for it. But this involves injecting a large blob of fat into the breast area. Fat consists of living cells and living cells must have a blood supply, otherwise they die,” he explained.

In a Japanese study last year, 230 women underwent fat transfer, and it was found that, on average, half the fat injected was lost and all the women needed a second procedure after a year.

There are also fears that dying fat cells could cause micro-calcification in the breast leading to difficulties in breast screening and an increase in biopsies – an invasive procedure to remove tissue to check for cancer.

“I don’t think we should be a testing ground for all these techniques. You are feeding on a susceptible group of people. There should be controls but, sadly, the Government has decided it won’t implement regulation,” said Davies.

Professor David Sharpe, a plastic surgeon in Yorkshire and the founding chairman of the breast special interest group of BAAPS, said: “This sounds like another example of creative marketing. Breast implants are a well-tried and tested method. At the moment, I would stick with that.”

Mel Braham, chairman of the Harley Medical Group, said results of a US trial to be presented next month would demonstrate the success of the operation.

“The results will be assessed by our medical board and, if approved, the operation will be introduced next year. I don’t take risks with patients. I am confident this is a safe procedure,” he said. (ANI)

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Pak Army claims that it has killed 16 more militants in Swat

September 14, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Sep.14 (ANI): Security forces killed 16 more militants, at least two of them senior Taliban members, while one soldier was killed in clashes during searches in Swat on Monday, the military said in a daily update.

Over 1,700 militants have been killed since Pakistani security forces launched the military operation against Taliban militants in the month of April.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Sunday, the top Taliban leader in the Swat valley, about 120 km northwest of Islamabad, was surrounded, adding the back of the Taliban insurgency had been broken.

The military’s chief spokesman, however, was more cautious, saying efforts were being made to capture the Swat Taliban chief, a self-styled cleric called Fazlullah, but media reports of his imminent capture were speculation.

‘We’d like to capture him today,’ the official said, while declining to say when he might be tracked down.

The Pakistani Taliban under the overall command of Baitullah Mehsud were held responsible for a wave of attacks across the country from 2007, including the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in December that year. (ANI)

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Delhi CM says preparations for Commonwealth Games on schedule

September 14, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Sep.14 (ANI): Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday rebutted criticism of her government’s efforts on preparations for the Commonwealth Games to be held in the national capitalext year.

Reacting to Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) president Mike Fennell’s concerns about the organizing committee’s ability to deliver, Dikshit said that she had not received or read Fennell’s letter to Suresh Kalmadi, but was confident that the games preparations are going as per schedule.

Dikshit’s reaction came a day after Fennell sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s intervention to expedite preparations for the 2010 event.

In his letter to the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (CWOGC), a furious Fennell asked Kalmadi to arrange a meeting with Prime Minister Singh next month.

“Our main concern relates to the capacity of the Organising Committee to deliver operationally. Preparations for the Games are significantly behind, so much so that the Commonwealth Games Federation is extremely worried about the Organising Committee’s ability to deliver the games to any comparable standard to that of the last two editions of the Games in Manchester and Melbourne,” Fennell wrote in his letter

Fennell claimed that the vast majority of functional areas were considerably behind schedule and that an overhaul in the management culture and operation of the organising committee was needed, else the Games “will fail from an operational perspective”.

“With only a year to run until the Games, I feel I must personally brief the Prime Minister of India on the lack of preparations and to seek his input in developing an appropriate recovery plan. I have asked the Chairman of the Organising Committee to facilitate such a meeting on my return to Delhi in early October for our General Assembly,” he said. (ANI)

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US ‘hopes’ Pak would bring 26/11 perpetrators to justice

September 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, Sep.12 (ANI): The United States has said that it ‘hopes’ Pakistan would bring the Mumbai terror attacks perpetrators to book.

“We would hope that the Pakistani authorities will continue their investigation and bring the perpetrators of the attacks to justice,” The News quoted US Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs P J Crowley, as saying.

Commenting on the military offensive in the Swat and Malakand Divisions, Crowley said the Pakistan Government should pay more attention towards fighting the extremists and urged the people of the region to maintain patience during the operation.

“It is a serious and successful effort which boost the sense of protection among the people and they are now more determined,” he highlighted. (ANI)

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Pak Taliban spokesman arrested

September 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Peshawar, Sep.11 (ANI) The Pakistan Government on Friday announced that it had arrested the chief spokesman of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, Muslim Khan.

Khan was formerly a commander and spokesman of the Swat Taliban.

“Muslim Khan and Mahmood Khan with head money of 10 million rupees (120,482 US dollars) have been arrested by security forces in a successful operation in Swat,’ military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said in a statement.

Muslim Khan was second on the most-wanted list behind Mullah Fazlullah. He earned notoriety as the hardline Taliban spokesman in Swat but was largely impossible to reach after the military launched its summer ground and air assault.

Mahmood Khan was number four on the most-wanted list, described as commander of Kuza Banda in northern Swat.

“Along with them, three other terrorist leaders Fazle Ghaffar, Abdul Rehman and Sartaj have been also been apprehended,” the Dawn quoted Major General Abbas, as saying.

Pakistan says more than 1,900 militants and over 167 security personnel were killed in the offensive but the tolls are impossible to verify independently.

Answering a question on Muslim Khan’s arrest, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said it should be seen as a national success. (ANI)

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DGCA directs all domestic airlines to charge tariff at last week’s levels

September 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Sep 11 (ANI): The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has written to the CMDs/CEOs of all scheduled airlines to charge air travellers tariff at a level prevalent in the week ending September 6.

In the letter, the DGCA said it was aware of domestic airlines charging tariff almost three to four times higher on various metro routes as compared to those prevalent in the week ending September 6.

It is further noted by the DGCA that the cost of operation of scheduled airlines on account of various constituent elements have not undergone any significant change in the last week to merit a fare hike.

The DGCA warned that any violation of these directives would be dealt with under the appropriate law. (ANI)

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Back injury could end Phil Collins’ drumming career

September 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Sept 11 (ANI): Genesis drummer Phil Collins may be forced to quit drumming after a back injury.

The 58-year-old had suffered back injury during the last Genesis tour, in 2007, and had said earlier this week that the problem had come about because of his drumming posture, due to which his vertebrae had been crushing his spinal cord.

The rockstar has now revealed that a surgery to repair the dislocated vertebrae in his neck had left him incapable of holding drumsticks properly or playing the piano.

However Collins was optimistic about the future and said “stuff appens in life”

The Telegraph quoted him as saying: “There isn’t any drama regarding my ‘disability’ and playing drums.

“Somehow during the last Genesis tour I dislocated some vertebrae in my upper neck and that affected my hands.

“After a successful operation on my neck, my hands still can’t function normally.

“Maybe in a year or so it will change, but for now it is impossible for me to play drums or piano.

“I am not in any ‘distressed’ state – stuff happens in life.” (ANI)

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India, Nepal agree to review Air Service Agreement

September 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Sep 11 (ANI): India and Nepal signed here a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for review of Air Service Agreement (ASA) and a technical accord.

As per the understanding reached between the delegation from the two countries, the weekly seat capacity has been increased to 30,000 from the existing 6,000. This step can safely be expected to give a whole new boost to tourism as well as trade between the two countries.

Three new points have been granted to Nepal, namely Dehra Dun, Gorakhpur and Bagdogra and for India, Pokhara, Lumbini, Biratnagar, Nepalgunj, Janakpur, Dhangadi and Bhairahawa.

However, within their overall capacity entitlements, the designated airlines of Nepal shall be entitled to operate not exceeding 10,000 seats per week to/from Mumbai and Bangalore each and not exceeding 15,000 seats per week to/from Delhi. This restriction will become null and void from January 1, 2011.

Regarding the revised route schedule, the Nepali delegation stated that barring Kathmandu, there is no other airport in Nepal which is suitable for operation of international flights.

The designated airlines of each party shall be entitled to operate any number of all-cargo services between each other’s territory with any type of aircraft with full 3rd, 4th and 5th freedom traffic rights. Such all-cargo services may also be operated under co-operative marketing arrangements such as code sharing blocked space.

The delegations took note of the Technical Co-operation Agreement signed between the Airports Authority of India and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. Both sides agreed to take further action for implementation of this Agreement.

The Indian side reiterated its request that permission for the deployment of sky marshals on the flights operated by the designated airlines of India to/from Nepal may be expedited.

The Nepal side took note of the request and informed that the matter had already been referred to the appropriate authority of the Government of Nepal. The Nepal side will pursue the matter. This Memorandum of Understanding shall super cede all previous arrangements to the extent applicable and shall come into force with immediate effect.

The Indian delegation was led by M. Madhavan Nambiar, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Nepal side was led by Nagendra Prasad Ghimire, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation. (ANI)

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Seven terrorists killed by Pak security forces in Malakand

September 10, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Rawalpindi, Sep 9 (ANI): The Pakistani security forces continued on Wednesday the search and clearance operations in Swat and Malakand during in which seven terrorists were killed.

According to a press release issued by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the security forces conducted search operation in Charai near Malam Jabba and during exchange of fire with terrorists a soldier died and two others were injured. Also, seven terrorists were killed.

At least 11 terrorists voluntarily surrendered to security forces in Sarsanai, shadhand Banda and Bar Shaur, The News reported.

Local Jirga handed over a terrorist to security forces in Bar Kabulgram near Martung.

In Bajaur Agency, the security forces conducted search operation in Nawaga Bazaar and apprehended local terrorists commander along with five accomplices.

A wanted terrorist Kalam Khan voluntarily surrendered in Khar.

The security forces continued the relief activities, as at least 10 trucks of mix rations have been distributed amongst the IDPs of Bajaur. Also, as many as 294,841 cash cards have been distributed amongst the IDPs of Malakand. (ANI)

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Gen Kapoor flags in all-women Army team that scaled Siachen’s highest peak

September 10, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Sep 9 (ANI): Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor flagged in the first ever women expedition team for army corps of engineers to Indira Col, Siachen, today at Army Headquarters here.

The Indian Army has achieved another milestone in the history of Indian mountaineering by undertaking an ‘All Women Officers Expedition’ to Siachen glacier.

The Corps of Engineers in consonance with its spirit of adventure has organised this unique expedition to the highest and coldest battlefield in the world, Siachen Glacier, a junction point of three countries – India, China and Pakistan.

The expedition led by Major Megha Astagikar summitted Indira Col, located at an altitude of 20,187 feet, after trekking 103.10 kilometers on August 15, which coincided with the 62nd Independence Day.

Enroute to Indira Col, the team halted at eight camps to carry out acclimatisation, training and build-up of essential logistics. Braving inclement weather and extremely difficult terrain conditions, Indira Col was summitted well before the planned schedule.

The team traversed across the most treacherous high altitude terrain characterised by high avalanche-prone snow bound area with deep crevasses, steep ice-walls and scarce oxygen.

The 17 women officers expedition team was flagged-off by the Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Noble Thamburaj on August 3.

Prior to undertaking the expedition, a detailed planning and rigorous training in basic ice-craft and mountaineering skills was carried out by the team at the Army Mountaineering Institute, Siachen Base Camp.

Major AR Ramakrishnan, the trainer of the expedition team, inspite of being a battle casualty during ‘Operation Vijay’ summitted Indira Col alongwith the team making the achievement of the expedition spectacular and creditable. (ANI)

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