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Gunmen attacked worshippers from a minority sect in two areas of the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore on Friday, taking hostages and killing at least nine people, a senior government official said.
“It’s difficult to confirm exact casualty figures but nine bodies have been shifted to Jinnah hospital,” Khusro Pervez Khan, the commissioner of Lahore, told Reuters.
(Reporting by Kamran Haider; Editing by Chris Allbritton and Ron Popeski)
New Delhi, May 21 (ANI): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched a nationwide drive to check adulteration of petroleum products, kerosene and medicines.
Talking to reporters here, Ashwani Kumar, Director of CBI, said: “This time we have kept our focus upon economic offences, which is further divided into two types of economic offences, the first being adulteration of petroleum products and the second is adulteration of medicines. The public is directly connected to both these which is the reason why we have chosen these two areas.”
Harsh Bhal, spokesperson of CBI said that the results of the surprise checkups at several petrol pumps revealed quite startling facts.
“All the zones of CBI conducted special drives in their respective zones. The joint surprise checks were conducted alone with officials of all public sector undertakings to check the adulteration of petroleum products,” he added.
He further said that during the surprise checks conducted at manufacturers of medicines and shops selling these numerous malpractices came to light.
“During surprise checks, it was found that the spurious medicines are being supplied to the CGHS (Central Government Health Scheme) and government hospitals. It was also found at many places that spurious medicines especially Ayurvedic medicines are being manufactured without license from the competent authority. It was also found that expired medicines are being supplied to various dispensaries and government hospitals,” added Bhal.
The CBI has taken up this coordinated drive since there were numerous complaints of rampant corruption in different parts of the country. (ANI)
Washington, May 6 (ANI): A new research from the University of Leeds has suggested that organic farms may be seen as wildlife friendly, but the benefits to birds, bees and butterflies don”t compensate for the lower yields produced.
While comparing organic and conventional farming to date, the researchers found that the benefits to wildlife and increases in biodiversity from organic farming are much lower than previously thought – averaging just over 12 percent more than conventional farming.
The organic farms in the study produced less than half of the yield of their conventional counterparts, so the research raises serious questions about how we can use agricultural land to maximise food production and still protect our wildlife.
“Over the next forty years, we”re going to have to double food production worldwide to keep pace with population increases. Our results show that to produce the same amount of food in the UK using organic rather than conventional means, we”d need to use twice the amount of land for agriculture,” says Professor Tim Benton, who led the project.
“As the biodiversity benefits of organic farming are small, then the lower yield may be a luxury we can”t afford, particularly in the more productive areas of the UK,” he added.
Benton and colleagues looked at two areas in Central South West England and the North Midlands, taking into account over 30 variables covering climate, topography, socio-economic conditions, land use and soil type.
Thirty-two organic and non-organic farms were paired together, some in ”hotspot” regions with many organic farms and others in ”coldspots” with very few, to help identify any cumulative impacts over a wider area. Comparisons were made also between individual fields, with 192 fields sampled in all.
The research looked at birds, insects (including butterflies, bees and hoverflies), earthworms and plants.
Comparing farm by farm, the researchers found a 55 per cent drop in yield compared to a 12.4 per cent increase in biodiversity.
However, comparisons between larger areas found that ”hotspots” with a greater density of organic farming showed a 9.1 per cent increase in biodiversity across the board.
The study has been published online in Ecology Letters. (ANI)
Melbourne, April 29 (ANI): Botox, which is derived from botulism toxin, is no longer a wrinkle-fixer only for those over 40, as it is has emerged that Australians as young as 20 are using it.
Terri-Anne Chapman, 21, a Gold Coast personal assistant from Varsity Lakes, is a regular user of botox, and she says she uses the product to stop lines before they appeared.
“I”m 21 so I don”t have wrinkles – I treat it as a preventative so when I do get older I don”t have really bad lines,” the Courier Mail quoted her as saying.
Chapman first had Botox between her eyes when she was 20 and has had it three times since.
“I had a slight frown-line in between my eyes, which most people couldn”t see unless I pointed it out, but it bothered me,” she said.
She said the treatments lasted just under six months.
“Botox is very common on the Gold Coast – a lot of my girlfriends have it done regularly,” she revealed.
“Taking care of yourself and helping prevent any early ageing signs is important to a lot of people,” she explained.
The average cost of Botox per area is about 300 dollars and people usually have one or two areas treated at a time.
Cosmetic doctor Mario Soteriou, of Cosmetic Image Clinics in Brisbane, said Botox was increasingly common for women in their 20s.
“When Botox was first released, it was about getting rid of a line . . . now it”s more about preventing,” he revealed.
“Lines occur over time because of muscle movement, but by relaxing those muscles you remove the potential for those lines,” he explained.
Dr Soteriou said he had three women this week say, “my mother has a line here and I don”t want it”.
“After treatment they become more positive – they benefit both emotionally and physically,” he stated.
But dermatologist and owner of The Skin Centre on the Gold Coast, Michael Freeman, said young women did not need Botox because their skin was elastic.
He said Botox was not unhealthy, but warned if women paralysed muscles in one area, more lines could appear in another.
Dr Freeman said the most popular spot for Botox was above the nose, but most people could train themselves out of using those muscles and therefore it would not be necessary. (ANI)
* Yuan not mentioned in reports of talk by either country
* Obama underlined importance of Iran cooperation
* Hu stressed trade, Tibet and Taiwan
By Jeff Mason and Chris Buckley
WASHINGTON/BEIJING, April 2 (Reuters) – Chinese President Hu Jintao told U.S. President Barack Obama their two nations should defuse economic strains through negotiations, but neither leader touched on the yuan dispute in remarks published on Friday.
Hu made the conciliatory comments in an hour-long talk with Obama that also covered the Iran nuclear dispute and China’s demands over Tibet and Taiwan, two areas that recently flared as sore-spots in U.S.-China relations.
The top-level talk capped a week of easing tensions between the two big powers.
A beach closed due to a sewage spill during heavy rain last week has reopened.
The ‘no swimming’ signs have been removed at Dicky Beach as tests showed water quality has returned to safe levels.
Sunshine Coast Water’s Gary Sabburg says Twoway Lake remains closed.
“The results have not returned to those levels. We will continue to monitor,” he said.
“Signs will stay up advising people not to enter the water in that area. Everywhere else the things are returning to normal but they’re the main two areas and the Kawana Lake area the signs will be still out there until we get a return there.”
The Department of Environment and Resource Management is hoping the confusion over North Eton and Eton North has now been resolved.
Regional manager Ian Gordon says the two areas will now been known as North Eton after public consultation late last year showed an overwhelming preference for the name.
Mr Gordon says the name change resolves an issue that was a result of the forced council amalgamations.
“Two or three years ago one was in Mirani Shire as it was then, and one in Mackay City Council, but with the amalgamation now they’re actually both within the Mackay Regional Council boundaries,” he said.
“Hence leading to potential for confusion with Australia Post and emergency services.”
Sydney, July 7 (ANI): Former Australian star Glenn McGrath has predicted that the current Australian squad has the potential of cleaning out England 5-0 in the Ashes series which begins in Cardiff on Wednesday.
Though McGrath had made a similar prediction before the 2005 series, the retired pace great said he was impressed by Australia’s Test series win in South African this year.
“I’ve got total confidence in the boys, especially watching the way they played in South Africa in the last Test series. That would have given them a lot of confidence and they showed what they can do and the huge potential that they’ve got,” The Herald Sun quoted McGrath, as saying.If they can do the same here and maybe even improve in one or two areas, they will do really well and probably win 5-0,” he added.
Earlier, McGrath was called into an Australian team meeting to provide essential tips to the new-look pace attack.
Australia’s pace attack will head into the series with Peter Siddle and Mitchell Johnson in sparkling form. (ANI)
Chandigarh, June 27 (ANI): In a bid to conserve electricity, the Punjab Government has asked all the government-run offices to do without air conditioners for the time being.
The initiative has been taken to provide eight hours of uninterrupted power supply to the farmers during the paddy-sowing season.
“We have learnt about it from the item in various newspapers. We are not using any air conditioners and we have issued a circular to all concerned, the whole of staff of DC (Deputy Commissioner) office that they should be careful with the use of electricity,” said P. S. Mand, deputy commissioner, Mohali.
However, some employees said it was difficult to carry on without air conditioners because computers require constant cooling.
“It has definitely impacted us as the whole system is computerised and without air conditioners computers cannot work,” said Jagnandan Singh, a computer operator.
The electricity situation has become grimmer with Bhakra Nangal Dam deciding to restrict the outflow of water due to the delayed monsoon.
According to the National Meteorological Department, the total rainfall from the crucial June-September monsoon would be only 93 percent of the long-term average, coming in below normal for the first time in four years.
Four of 36 national zones were still to receive any monsoon rain. Rains were normal in two areas and excess in three during the week, while 27 zones recorded deficit to scanty rains.
The monsoon hit the southern coast on May 23, ahead of the normal date of June 1, but has since progressed weakly. (ANI)
Bhubaneshwar, June 26 (ANI): People of Orissa can take a sigh of relief as the much-awaited monsoon touched its southern coast, and will cover entire state in a day or two, say officials.
“Monsoon has delayed, actually because earlier its ONSET was on 25th May. Now monsoon has revived and today it has covered some parts of south Orissa and conditions are also favourable for covering remaining parts of Orissa during next two-three days,” said S. C. Sahoo, director, Bhubaneswar meteorological centre.
Meanwhile, people in Bhubaneshwar enjoyed pre-monsoon showers.
“It’s raining after so many days so I am feeling very nice. It was difficult to move in scorching sun. Now its much better,” said Swagatika, a local resident.
Students and office goers felt respite after a long period of rising mercury and scorching sun.
“Even though its late, its better late than never. So just enjoy the monsoon. And it will bring relief to students and also to office going people and also to farmers out here,” said Sourav, a student.
According to the National Meteorological Department, the total rainfall from the crucial June-September monsoon would be only 93 percent of the long-term average, coming in below normal for the first time in four years.
Four of 36 national zones were still to receive any monsoon rain. Rains were normal in two areas and excess in three during the week, while 27 zones recorded deficit to scanty rains.
The monsoon hit the southern coast on May 23, ahead of the normal date of June 1, but has since progressed weakly. (ANI)
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