Foreign Legion soldier killed in Afghanistan

A soldier with the French Foreign Legion has been killed in Afghanistan during clashes with insurgents north east of Kabul.

The unidentified member of a Foreign Legion parachutist regiment was shot during an exchange of fire with insurgents in the Tagab Valley and had been transported to a French military hospital in Kabul, said a statement from the French presidency.

French soldiers were backing Afghan troops during the clashes, it said.

President Nicolas Sarkozy paid tribute to the soldier and offered his condolences to his family.

He is the 41st French soldier to be killed in Afghanistan since the deployment of international troops in late 2001.

France has some 3,500 soldiers deployed in the country.

Austrian daredevil plans record-breaking fall to Earth from balloon on edge of space!

Melbourne, March 22 (ANI): Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner is preparing for a record breaking fall from a hot air balloon on the edge of space to earth.

The 40-year-old thrill seeker, a.k.a ‘Fearless Felix’ will make the jump from 36 kilometres up in the air, dropping faster and further than any parachutist before.

“When I jump, I”ll be going on a journey that no one has ever done. But you absolutely can”t let fear take a hold of you,” News.com.au quoted him as saying.

A former member of Austria”s special forces, Baumgartner has taken a leap from some of the world”s highest buildings.

Kuala Lumpur”s Petronas Towers and the statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro are some of Baumgartner conquests.

However, he has refused to reveal the date of his next stunt.

He said it is “the biggest goal I can dream of”.

With the backing of red Bull, a team of engineers, including former NASA scientists, is building a balloon and pressurised capsule to carry him into the stratosphere.

Baumgartner said:“ It”s a challenge. But it”s not my style to embark upon a project unless I”m 100 per cent confident that I can achieve my goal.”

However, the effect on the human body of passing through the sound barrier is unknown. (ANI)

World’s first patient implanted with smallest rechargeable neurostimulator completes one year

Washington, Sep 12 (ANI): The world’s first patient to have been implanted with the smallest ever neurostimulator for chronic pain is celebrating the one-year anniversary of his procedure today.

One year ago, former U.S. Army parachutist Adam Hammond became the first patient in the world to have been implanted with an Eon Mini neurostimulator.

Adam got the chronic pain after a skydiving accident when his parachute deployed incorrectly, leaving him in a coma with life-threatening injuries, including a severed spine, broken femur, fractured pelvic bone, and torn aorta.

Although Adam recovered from his accident, he battled chronic pain that left him dependent on a wheelchair.

But, today, the picture has completely changed and Adam is active and exercising, studying for his law degree and no longer in need of a wheelchair.

Adam also went to Washington, D.C., recently to meet with representatives and advocate for pain legislation.

However, Adam is not the only chronic pain sufferers who have been helped with neurostimulation, an FDA-approved therapy that uses electrical pulses to interrupt pain signals to the brain.

Over 60,000 St. Jude Medical neurostimulation devices have been implanted in patients in 35 countries around the world. (ANI)