Gas outage continues on 4th consecutive day | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

FAISALABAD: The gas supply remained suspended on fourth and the last day, on Wednesday to all industries of Faisalabad under gas load management plan, Geo News reported. The suspension of gas has badly affected industrial production resulting increase in miseries of daily wages workers. Sui gas authorities had announced gas outages to Faisalabad industrial units from Jan 30 to Feb 02.

Asian shares mixed, Egypt violence weighs | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

HONG KONG: Renewed concerns over protests in Egypt pushed Tokyo shares down on Thursday while Sydney was boosted by insurance companies after a huge cyclone caused less damage than expected in Australia. Most markets in Asia were closed for the Lunar New Year holidays. Tokyo fell 0.11 percent after news that the anti-government protests in Egypt had turned violent, with clashes between demonstrators and pro-government forces leaving three dead. The clashes erupted after almost a week of rallies against the three-decade rule of President Hosni Mubarak. Fears eased earlier this week after Mubarak said he will stand down at the end of the year but they were stoked again on Wednesday when television pictures showed the bloody clashes. The violence weighed on US stocks late Wednesday, with the Dow closing just 0.02 percent higher amid concerns over the wider implications for the Middle East. Oil continued its march upwards on the back of the trouble, with Brent North Sea crude for March up 22 cents at $102.56 in early Asian trade. New York's main futures contract, light sweet crude for March, climbed 47 cents to $91.24. In Sydney shares rose 0.24 percent amid relief that Tropical Cyclone Yasi -- described as one of the biggest to hit the country -- caused less damage than expected after slamming into the Queensland coast overnight. The huge storm did however devastate several towns and cut power to 175,000 homes in a state still reeling from months of catastrophic floods.

Euro falls ahead of ECB meeting | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

TOKYO: Risk averse investors pushed the euro lower against other major currencies in Asia Thursday as tension in Egypt prompted caution ahead of a meeting of the European Central Bank, dealers said. The euro fetched $1.3794 in Tokyo afternoon trade, down from $1.3808 in New York late Wednesday and falling away from a near-three-month high of $1.3862 touched in earlier trading. The euro traded at 112.62 yen, almost flat from New York late Wednesday. The dollar firmed to 81.63 yen from 81.54 yen. The euro fell as market players adjusted positions ahead of the European Central Bank (ECB) meeting later Thursday. Investors had previously expected tough rhetoric from the ECB, but the view that the ECB may not be so hawkish is gaining ground, a senior dealer at a major Japanese bank told Dow Jones Newswires. The euro had recently won support from speculation that eurozone interest rate hikes are likely. The main ECB interest rate will probably emerge from the meeting of its governing council unchanged at 1.0 percent, a level it fell to in May 2009, economists say. The euro is likely to also be hit by profit-taking ahead of closely watched US government non-farm payrolls data on Friday, said Satoshi Tate, senior dealer at Mizuho Corporate Bank. Investors "are likely to take profits after recent gains in the (euro/dollar) pair," he said. The euro fell back against the dollar after Ireland's credit rating was downgraded one notch by Standard & Poor's, casting a shadow over the eurozone economy. The dollar also benefitted from safe-haven buying amid heightened tension in Egypt. S&P on Wednesday reduced its short- and long-term debt ratings for Ireland by one notch, citing concerns about the health of its banking sector. It simultaneously lowered ratings on four Irish banks -- Allied Irish Banks, Anglo Irish Bank, Bank of Ireland and Irish Life & Permanent. The move cast a cloud over eurozone efforts to shore up the area's weakest economies through sovereign debt-buying by the Luxembourg-based European Financial Stability Facility. The dollar was mostly higher against regional Asian currencies, rising to Sg$1.2731 from Sg$1.2724 on Wednesday, to 30.87 Thai baht from 30.83, and to 1,113.60 Korean won from 1,101.70. It also rose to 9,030.00 Indonesian rupiah from 9,012.75 and to Tw$29.02 from Tw$28.94, while slipping to 43.94 Philippine pesos from 43.99.

ElBaradei tries to ease US, Israeli concerns | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 WASHINGTON: Leading Egyptian opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei sought to ease Western fears Wednesday that a post-Mubarak Egypt could turn against Israel and the United States.

"The hype that once Egypt becomes a democracy, it will become hostile to the US and hostile to Israel... these are the two hypes, and are fictions," ElBaradei told media.

ElBaradei, who earned a Nobel peace prize for his stewardship of the United Nations atomic watchdog, returned to Cairo shortly after protests erupted last month against President Hosni Mubarak's regime.

The veteran diplomat, who was well respected internationally but little known on the Egyptian street, has become a key opposition figure during days of brutal protests against Mubarak that have left many dead and injured.

In excerpts of his interview in Cairo with program anchor Katie Couric, ElBaradei again dismissed Vice President Omar Suleiman's offer for dialogue, insisting Mubarak must step down first.

"I will never get into a dialogue while Mubarak is in power. Because all you do is you give that regime a legitimacy, which in my view, they have lost," he said.

Faced with the biggest protests of his presidency, Mubarak is stubbornly holding onto power after appointing Suleiman as his first-ever vice president and announcing he will not seek re-election in September.

"I don't think he understand what democracy means. I don't think he understands that he really needs to let go," said ElBaradei.

US keeps in close contact with Egypt's military | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Robert Gates conferred with his Egyptian counterpart on Wednesday, his third conversation in a week with Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi amid a wave of unrest shaking Egypt.

"Secretary Gates spoke by phone with Field Marshal Tantawi again today," press secretary Geoff Morrell said in an email.

With the United States seeking to keep the lines of communication open with Egypt's powerful military, Gates' conversation with the defense minister followed a phone call earlier Wednesday between the US military's top officer, Admiral Mike Mullen, and Cairo's army chief of staff, General Sami Enan.

In his conversation with the general, Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, "expressed his confidence in the Egyptian military's ability to provide for their country's security, both internally and throughout the Suez Canal area," spokesman Captain John Kirby said in a statement.

The Pentagon offered no further details about Gates' conversation with the defense minister.

US officials and analysts view the role of Egypt's army as crucial in eventually resolving the crisis, and the administration is hoping that longstanding US defense ties with Cairo will provide some leverage.

The White House said earlier that US contacts with various levels of the Egyptian armed forces had helped rein in possible violence before Wednesday.

Egypt army holds 'key' to power: Israeli politician | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

JERUSALEM: The Egyptian army holds the key to who will be the next rulers of Egypt, a senior Israeli politician said on Wednesday, as an unprecedented wave of anti-government protests gripped the country. "The main power that will decide what power or regime Egypt will have in the future is the armed forces," he said late on Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity. "The key is in the hand of the armed forces," the source said, as the massive protests continued to paralyse the country, with demonstrators calling for the removal of President Hosni Mubarak. "So far they are functioning very well, the situation is very well controlled." Earlier on Wednesday the protests turned ugly in central Cairo as hundreds of supporters of the Mubarak regime clashed with anti-government forces, leaving three dead and more than 600 injured, as the army looked on helplessly. Israel's leaders have said the greatest fear is that extremist Islamic elements will take advantage of the political turmoil to establish an Iran-like regime in Egypt. But the source said the choice of a new government was more likely to be influenced by Egypt's secular military leaders. "In the future, the leaders of the armed forces will decide, along with Omar Suleiman and Tantawi, who will run the country," he said, referring to Egypt's new vice president, Suleiman, and Defence Minister Mohammed Hussein Tantawi. "They cannot affect the elections but they can create an atmosphere for calm for the elections," he said. Israel would welcome any new government that included Tantawi and former intelligence chief Suleiman, who has had a long history of involvement with both Israel and the Palestinians, the source said. "Their approach towards Israel is very good. I hope that they will continue to be part of the Egyptian regime," he said. "I believe we can talk with them... I hope that they will be part of the leadership."

US urges citizens to leave Egypt | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 WASHINGTON: The State Department issued a stark travel warning for US citizens in Egypt, urging those who want to leave to "immediately" head for the airport, adding that any delay was "not advisable."

"All remaining US citizens who wish to depart Egypt on a US government flight and who are able to do so should immediately proceed to the HAJ Terminal 1, Hall 4 as soon as possible on February 3," the State Department said in a statement, referring to the location within Cairo's international airport.

"Additional US government flights after Thursday are unlikely."

Days of protests turned increasingly violent in the key US ally, with gunfire aimed at anti-regime protesters leaving at least two dead in Cairo's central Tahrir, or Liberation, Square in the early hours Thursday.

Australian troop killed in Afghanistan | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 SYDNEY: An Australian soldier has been killed and another wounded by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, the Defence Department said Thursday, upping the number of Australian troops killed in the conflict to 22.

"It's with deep and sincere regret that I must inform you that an Australian soldier... has been killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan," acting chief of the defence force, Lieutenant General David Hurley told reporters in Canberra.

"A second soldier was seriously wounded in the incident."

Corporal Richard Edward Atkinson, 22, who was on his first deployment to Afghanistan, was killed on Wednesday while on patrol in Uruzgan's Deh Rahwod -- a region of southern Afghanistan at the heart of the Taliban-led insurgency.

Both men, members of the Darwin-based First Combat Engineer Regiment, were on a foot patrol with Afghan soldiers at the time of the incident.

The name of the wounded soldier was being withheld at the request of the family.

Sherry agrees to withdraw Blasphemy amendment bill | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani Wednesday said that Sherry Rehman has agreed to withdraw Blasphemy amendment Bill.

Talking to parliamentary delegation here, Gilani said that Sherry decided to withdraw the said bill in accordance with the party policy.

Prime Minister urged religious parties to come forward with the policy to restrain the misuse of Blasphemy law.

Gilani made it clear that no committee was constituted to amend the said law.

FIA obtains Saud Aziz cell phone record | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 ISLAMABAD: Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has, in the latest development on Benazir Bhutto’s murder case, recovered the record of cell phone kept and used by former CPO Saud Aziz during the murder of former prime minister of Pakistan, Geo News reported Wednesday.

However, it has been learnt through reliable sources that Saud Aziz had once again provided misleading information regarding the use of his cell phone.

The FIA when succeeded in obtaining record from the relevant mobile phone company, found that the cell phone remained in the use of Saud Aziz’s accountant, who has also been taken into custody, sources said.

Court decision in Raymond case to be accepted: PM | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday categorically said that the Government has no intention to amend the Blasphemy law, however its misuse should be prevented. "Neither the Government has moved a bill nor any Committee has been formed to amend the said law as both the treasury and opposition benches are on the same page and are unanimous on this sensitive issue," Prime Minister told the Lower House of the Parliament in response to a point raised by leader of the Opposition Ch. Nisar Ali Khan about policy statement by the prime minister regarding Blasphemy Law. He said that a Muslim cannot have two opinions on the blasphemy law and being descendant of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), he cannot even think of amending it. About Sherry Rehman's bill regarding the blasphemy law, the prime minister made it clear that it was not a party policy line and she had moved the bill in her individual capacity. The Prime Minister said he had talked to Sherry Rehman about it and told her that being a sensitive issue it should have been discussed within the party before moving and "she agreed with me". Gilani said that he called Ulema's conference on Namoos-e-Risalat and made it clear to them that the government has no intention to amend the law. He invited the Ulema to come forward and join hands with the government in its efforts to prevent misuse of the blasphemy law, adding that if the minorities have any reservations , the law can be made more effective in its functioning. The Prime Minister informed the House that majority of the cases under the blasphemy law have so far been registered against Muslims. He said the government respects the Ulema and they are free to take out rallies but it should not be against the government as it has made it clear that it fully respects the law. To another point of leader of the opposition regarding the US citizen Raymond Davis, the Prime Minister said the whole world has focused upon Pakistani nations reaction and wants to know whether it would be a mature move or not. He said Pakistan is a sovereign and responsible state, there is independent judiciary, media and a vibrant civil society, and the government has no intention to take steps which could bring a bad name to the country. He said that Raymond Davis matter is in the court and it will ask for his relevant record. The government respects the judiciary and whatever decision it gives would be accepted in letter and spirit. The Prime Minister condemned the blast in Peshawar in which precious lives were lost. The whole nation and the people of Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa in particular had given supreme sacrifices in the war against terrorism, he said, adding, they are sacrificing their today for the coming generations.

PM for policies to check misuse of BL | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday said that Pakistan is a sovereign state and the country has a sovereign Parliament, independent judiciary, independent media and a vibrant civil society. “We believe in the rule of law and will respect the decisions of the courts in letter and spirit,” he maintained. The Prime Minister was talking to a group of Parliamentarians who called on him separately here at his Parliament House Chamber on Wednesday morning. The Prime Minister asked the Parliamentarians to focus their debate on the national issues. Referring to the American national involved in the killing of three civilians in Lahore, the Prime Minister said the matter is subjudice, and “we should not discuss it till the court decides”. Referring to the Blasphemy Law, the Prime Minister categorically made it clear that the government has no intention to amend the law. Neither he nor the Speaker National Assembly has constituted any Committee to consider the amendment, he said and added Ms. Sherry Rehman has also agreed to withdraw her bill according to the party policy. The Prime Minister offered the religious parties to help the government in formulating the policies to check the misuse of Blasphemy Law against the citizens. Condemning the blast in Peshawar on Wednesday morning, the Prime Minister lauded the innocent citizens who are sacrificing their lives for the safe future of our next generation. He reiterated the resolve of the Government to root out the menace of extremism at all cost. The Prime Minister said that the government is focusing on the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the flood ravaged areas despite financial constraints. He maintained that the completion of ongoing projects will help generate economic activity and create employment opportunities. The Parliamentarians thanked the Prime Minister for disbursing the development budget irrespective of party affiliations. They apprised the Prime Minister of various development schemes in their respective constituencies. Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, Minister for Interior Rehman Malik, Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Haji Munir Khan Orakzai, Ch Iftikhar Nazir, Mrs Khadeeja Waran, Lt Gen (Retd) Qadir Baloch, Ayaz Amir, Malik Nawab Sher Waseer, Ms Rubina Qaimkhani, Haider Abbas Rizvi, Omer Sohail and Ms Shehnaz Sheikh called on the Prime Minister.

System of 1st computerized arms license inaugurated | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 KARACHI: The very first system for computerized licensing of arms was inaugurated in Karachi on Wednesday, Geo News reported.

Sindh Home Minister, Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza on the occasion, termed the start of the computerized licensing of arms as the first step towards elimination of illegal weapons in Sindh.

Dr. Mirza performed the inauguration of the computerized issuance of arms license and management system here at Sindh Home Department.

He described the system as a gift for the citizens of Karachi under which 30 licenses per day will be issued and its per license fee would be Rs4,500.

SC hints at action against IGs in missing person case | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has hinted at initiating proceedings against provincial police chiefs if cases, in which evidences were present, not filed, Geo News reported Thursday. Five-member bench headed by Justice Javed Iqbal heard the case of missing persons. The court while seeking the report from provincial police chief on missing persons, remarked that the cases of those persons whose evidences have been collected, would be listen first. Justice Javed Iqbal remarked that if cases, in which evidences were present, not filed, action would be taken against respective IG, adding that the purpose of this is to recover the missing persons. The court adjourned the hearing of the case till Feb 10.

Asian shares lower on China data | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

HONG KONG: Asian shares fell Thursday after new Chinese growth and inflation data pointed to more policy tightening by Beijing, while weak earnings in the United States hurt financials in Tokyo. Tokyo shed 1.13 percent by the break, Shanghai was 1.10 percent lower, Hong Kong fell 1.15 percent and Sydney lost 0.97 percent. Seoul slipped 0.24 percent, a day after hitting a record high. China said its consumer inflation stood at 4.6 percent in December. While that was down from November's 5.1 percent, the rate over 2010 came to 3.3 percent, higher than the government's target of three percent. The world's second-biggest economy as a whole grew at a breakneck 10.3 percent last year, up from a revised 9.2 percent in 2009 -- China's fastest annual pace since the global financial crisis began. The losses in Shanghai and Hong Kong followed strong gains on Wednesday after a leaked report by Hong Kong-based Phoenix Television previewed the inflation and growth figures. Analysts said the still-high inflation figure in December supported the case for further interest rate hikes and bank lending restrictions, after a slew of measures taken by Beijing this year in a bid to cool the red-hot economy. Zheshang Securities analyst Wang Weijun said the "December macroeconomic data has been digested and now eyes will be on January's inflation numbers and whether that will trigger more monetary tightening". Asian trade got off to a poor start after financial shares on Wall Street tumbled. Banking giant Goldman Sachs reported a 52 percent fall in fourth-quarter profit and a 38 percent drop over the year. The Goldman figures compounded fears over the US economy after December housing starts fell to their lowest level since October 2009. The Dow fell 0.11 percent, the broad-market S&P 500 lost 1.01 percent and the tech-rich Nasdaq dropped 1.46 percent. Worries about the pace of the US economic recovery could revive, Kenichi Hirano, operating officer at Tachibana Securities in Tokyo, told Dow Jones Newswires. The housing data "cast a doubt on US consumption this year", Hirano said. On foreign exchange markets the euro fell against the dollar on profit-taking after it hit a two-month high, dealers said. The single currency bought $1.3438 in Tokyo morning trade, down from $1.3470 in New York late Wednesday. The euro reached $1.3539 on Wednesday, its highest since November 23, on improved confidence in the eurozone after a well-received debt sale by beleaguered Portugal. The euro was flat at 110.47 Japanese yen and the dollar was also unchanged at 82.20 yen.

Cotton prices climb by Rs200 per maund | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 KARACHI: Cotton prices have reached to Rs10,500 per maund with an increase of Rs200 in local market, Geo News reported on Thursday.

The prices were increased as ginner factories refused to purchase the raw cotton (Phutti). The other factor of surge in the cotton prices is said to be increase in its prices at international market.

Talking to Geo News, member Pakistan Ginners Association Ahsan-ul-Haq said that the fresh hike is due to surge in the prices of commodity in the international market besides refusal of the ginners to purchase it in protest against imposition of tax on textile products.

Stocks slide on economic fears | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 KARACHI: Stock prices at Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) fell by more than 1.3 percent on Thursday after the prime minister said Pakistan faced more of an economic threat than a political one, while a wider sell-off dented regional markets, dealers said.

The Karachi Stock Exchange's benchmark 100-share index ended 1.32 percent, or 165.74 points, lower at 12,411.81.

Turnover fell to 183.6 million shares from 188 million shares on Wednesday.

"Investors booked profits across the board as regional markets fell, and on concerns over the country's deteriorating economic indicators," a stock dealer said.

"I do not see any political threat to my government but the country faces an economic threat," Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Wednesday.

TTP banned in Britain | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 LONDON: Britain has banned the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as a terrorist group, making it illegal to belong to or raise funds for the organisation in Britain, the government said on Wednesday.

TTP had carried out bombings across Pakistan and was linked to last year's failed Times Square terrorist attack in New York, Home Office Minister Damian Green told the Commons.

He successfully convinced MPs that a proscription order under the Terrorism Act 2000 should be placed against the group, banning it from operating in the UK.

Green said the TTP had committed a number of terrorist attacks in Pakistan, including a suicide car bomb outside a court in March 2009 which killed 14 people and a bombing at a police station in September last year.

Seventeen people died in that bomb while it has also attacked a Nato convoy and the US consulate in Peshawar. "Having carefully considered all the evidence, the Home Secretary firmly believes that the TTP is currently concerned in terrorism," Green told MPs. "The TTP is a prolific terrorist organisation that has committed a large number of mass casualty attacks in Pakistan.

"They have announced various objectives and demands such as the enforcement of Sharia (law), resistance against the Pakistani army and the removal of Nato forces from Pakistan. Proscription will align the UK with the emerging international consensus against this murderous organisation.

NZ parliament evacuated in bomb suspicion | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 WELLINGTON: The New Zealand parliament in central Wellington was evacuated and surrounding streets cordoned off Thursday after a suspicious package was found near the building, police said.

Police said a suitcase was found in bushes near the distinctive building, known as the Beehive, early Thursday afternoon.

"Specialist police are currently travelling to the scene to examine the package," police said.

Four Irish cabinet ministers quit | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 DUBLIN: Four Irish cabinet ministers have resigned in a surprise move that comes a day after the foreign minister quit following his failed attempt to oust Prime Minister Brian Cowen, reports said Thursday.

The exodus of four ministers late on Wednesday on top of the departure of Micheal Martin, who was foreign minister, leaves the Irish cabinet missing more than a quarter of its members.

The Irish Times newspaper said that the latest resignations paved the way for a reshuffle planned by the prime minister ahead of a general election expected in March.

It is the latest political upheaval in Ireland amid fierce criticism of the government's handling of an economic crisis that saw it pushed into accepting an EU-IMF bailout worth tens of billions of euros.

Health Minister Mary Harney; Justice Minister Dermot Ahern; Transport Minister Noel Dempsey and Defence Minister Tony Killeen tendered their resignations to the premier late on Wednesday, the Irish Times and state broadcaster RTE said.

The letters of resignation would be handed to the president with a recommendation they are accepted, said the Irish Times, citing a government statement.

All of the ministers who resigned had announced they do not intend to contest the forthcoming election, said the newspaper, adding that the appointment of new ministers is expected in the next day or two.

Majority Sudanese vote for separation | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

JUBA: Organisers of south Sudan's landmark independence vote were collating the remaining preliminary results, poised to return a landslide for secession after reaching the simple majority required on just 60 percent of the ballot. Figures from state and county referendum officials around the south showed that 2,224,857 votes for separation from the mainly Muslim, Arab north had already been returned by Wednesday evening. That comfortably exceeded the simple majority of 1.89 million votes needed on the 96-percent turnout of the 3,932,588 registered voters. In some areas, the vote for partitioning Africa's and the Arab world's largest nation was almost unanimous in a region still ravaged by a devastating 1983-2005 civil war. In Lakes state, centred on Rumbek town which served as rebel headquarters during the war, 298,216 of the 300,444 votes cast were for independence, more than 99.9 percent. Just 227 opted to remain united with the north -- less than a tenth of one percent -- with the balance made up by blank or invalid ballots.

Tunisia ministers resign from ruling party | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 TUNIS: Ministers in Tunisia's interim government have resigned from the ruling party, responding to street protesters' demands for an end to its influence after the overthrow of President Zine al-Abedine Ben Ali.

The move announced on state television on Thursday could go some way to restoring credibility in the government after four opposition ministers quit the cabinet this week, saying ruling RCD party ministers must go.

The prime minister and president left the party this week.

Street protesters in Tunis and elsewhere have kept up pressure for a government free of ties with the old guard while a prominent dissident said he would run for president to sweep the former leadership from power.

Highly placed dignitary had Gabol name on ECL | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 KARACHI: The name of former state minister and leader of Pakistan People’s Party, Nabil Gabol was placed on Exit Control List (ECL) on recommendation of a highly placed dignitary, sources told Geo News on Thursday.

Nabil Gabol, on Wednesday, resigned from the post of state minister for Ports and Shipping.

Later, he claimed that police raided his house in Karachi for taking him into custody. He said that he had gone into hiding.

Rehman, Mirza disown Orangi operation | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 KARACHI: Federal and provincial interior ministers have disowned the Orangi Town operation conducted by the Rangers on Tuesday, Geo News reported Thursday.

The PPP government and the party ran into serious trouble on Thursday when Sindh Interior Minister Zulfikar Mirza came out openly against the Federal government, saying he was totally ignored in the Rangers operations in Orangi Town.

Mirza, who had been silenced some days back by President Asif Zardari, told the Sindh Assembly today that he and as well as Sindh CM had no clue of any operation in Orangi Town.

On the other hand Federal Minister for Interior Rehman Malik who came back to Karachi today also expressed ignorance about the crackdown, saying it was an administrative mistake. Next time the CM and the interior minister would be taken into confidence, he said. However, he pointed out that the Rangers had powers for such an action.

The federal minister also denied reports about raid on house of PPP leader Nabeel Gabol.

Pak Army denies report on Mullah Omar | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Army Thursday rejected a foreign media report that Taliban chief Mullah Omar was treated for a heart attack in Karachi. A military spokesman in a statement "strongly contradicted the news item... about the medical treatment of Afghan Taliban Mulla Mohammad Omar at Karachi." "(The) news is unfounded and concocted to serve vested interests," the statement added.

No expectation of justice from CJ: Dogar counsel | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 ISLAMABAD: Nothing positive transpires in regard to the institution’s reputation when matters relating to judges are left for discussion by general people, said the counsel of former judge Abdul Hameed Dogar during proceeding of a case in connection with contempt of court notices to PCO judges.

A four-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Justice M. A. Siddiqui heard the case on Thursday.

Ibrahim Satti, counsel of former judge Abdul Hameed Dogar said: “One cannot expect justice from the present Chief Justice.”

He said whatever verdict the court reaches must not give the impression that it was made out of compulsion.

Dr. Basit, lawyer of former judges Shabbar Raza and Hasnat Ahmed in his arguments said the judges hearing this case are also ‘PCO judges’. He said the case was not earning a good to the institution of justice and the judiciary’s (reputation) graph is on the decline.

PPP-MQM meeting concludes | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 KARACHI: The meeting between Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) with an agenda to discuss law and order situation in Karachi concluded here on Thursday.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah attended the meeting from PPP side while Governor Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan, Dr. Farooq Sattar, Babar Ghauri represented MQM.

The members of both the parties vowed to make every possible effort towards restoring peace in the metropolitan city.

PPP-MQM sub-committee to resolve issues | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 KARACHI: The meeting between Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in a meeting on Thursday decided to form a sub-committee for resolution of issues between the two parties.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq, Agha Siraj Durrani, Ayaz Soomro, Rafiq Engineer and Syed Murad Ali Shah attended the meeting from PPP side while Governor Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan, Dr. Farooq Sattar, Babar Ghauri, Wasim Aftab, Dr. Saghir Ahmed, Adil Siddiqui represented MQM.

Representatives of PPP vowed to address MQM’s grievances on priority basis.

Both the parties agreed on strengthening cooperation for larger interest of the people and expressed concern on the law and order situation of Karachi.

Atlantic currents have seen 'drastic' changes: study | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

GENEVA: Scientists have found evidence of a "drastic" shift since the 1970s in north Atlantic Ocean currents that usually influence weather in the northern hemisphere, Swiss researchers said on Tuesday. The team of biochemists and oceanographers from Switzerland, Canada and the United States detected changes in deep sea Atlantic corals that indicated the declining influence of the cold northern Labrador Current. They said in the US National Academy of Science journal PNAS that the change "since the early 1970s is largely unique in the context of the last approximately 1,800 years," and raised the prospect of a direct link with global warming. The Labrador Current interacts with the warmer Gulfstream from the south. They in turn have a complex interaction with a climate pattern, the North Atlantic Oscillation, which has a dominant impact on weather in Europe and North America. Scientists have pointed to a disruption or shifts in the oscillation as an explanation for moist or harsh winters in Europe, or severe summer droughts such as in Russia, in recent years. One of the five scientists, Carsten Schubert, of the Swiss Federal Institute of Acquatic Sciences and Technology (EAWAG), underlined that for nearly 2,000 years the sub polar Labrador current off northern Canada and Newfoundland was the dominant force. However that pattern appeared to have only been repeated occasionally in recent decades. "Now the southern current has taken over, it's really a drastic change," Schubert said, pointing to the evidence of the shift towards warmer water in the northwest Atlantic. The research was based on nitrogen isotope signatures in 700 year old coral reefs on the ocean floor, which feed on sinking organic particles. While water pushed by the Gulfstream is salty and rich in nutrients, the colder Arctic waters carried by the Labrador current contain fewer nutrients. Changes could be dated because of the natural growth rings seen in corals. "The researchers suspect there is a direct connection between the changes in oceanic currents in the North Atlantic and global warming caused by human activities," said EAWAG in a statement.

Foetus found on UAE flight to Manila | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 DUBAI: A cleaner found a human foetus on an Emirati passenger plane after it landed in Manila, Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways said on Tuesday.

"Etihad Airways can confirm that a human foetus was discovered on board one of its aircraft at Ninoy Aquino airport in Manila by a member of the airport?s cleaning staff on Monday," the United Arab Emirates carrier said.

"Any media enquiries should be directed to local police," it added in a brief statement.

The Philippine Star newspaper said the six to seven-month lifeless foetus was found in the garbage bin of a toilet on board a plane which flew in from Abu Dhabi.

The foetus was wrapped in a diaper, it said on its website.

Last September, a live baby boy was found in a trash bin in a toilet on a Gulf Air jet shortly after it landed at Manila airport.

The Philippines authorities said at the time they were investigating a Filipina woman passenger, who they said had admitted giving birth to the boy in the toilet while on a long-haul flight from Bahrain.

Filipinos represent a major workforce in the oil-rich Arab states of the Gulf, and foreigners, mostly from Asia, account for more than 80 percent of the UAE population.

Last month, a newborn baby was reportedly found strangled to death and dumped in a bathroom bin at Dubai airport.

Police said they were working with Interpol to hunt an African woman believed to have given birth to the baby in the airport before she dumped the child and flew home.

Odds of an IVF baby? | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

LONDON: Want to know your chance of having a baby through in-vitro fertilization? There's an app for that. British researchers have devised a formula which they say gives a highly accurate prediction of the potential success of IVF, to help couples decide whether to try the treatment. They have made it available online as a simple computer calculator application, and say it will soon be available for download on Apple's iPhones and other mobiles. Scientists from the Universities of Glasgow and Bristol analyzed the details of more than 144,000 IVF cycles to produce a statistical model that can give a prediction of live birth which is up to 99 percent accurate. "Treatment-specific factors can be used to provide infertile couples with a very accurate assessment of their chance of a successful outcome following IVF," said Scott Nelson of the University of Glasgow, who led the research. Nelson, whose work was published in the Public Library of Science (PLoS) Medicine journal, said that up until now estimates of success have not been very reliable. The formula takes into account the woman's age, number of years trying to get pregnant, whether she is using her own eggs, the cause of infertility, the number of previous IVF cycles and whether she has previously been pregnant or had a baby. "The result of this study is a tool which can be used to make incredibly accurate predictions," he said in a statement. Nelson's team used data held by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, which regulates IVF treatment in Britain. They looked at all cycles carried out between 2003 and 2007 and assessed the chances of having a live birth. The fertility treatment market is big and growing, with an estimated 140,000 IVF cycles in the United States in 2008. As many as 80 million couples worldwide are infertile, experts say. In the United States and Britain, IVF is successful in about a third of women under 35 years old but in only five to 10 percent of women over the age of 40, Nelson said. There are many other factors besides age which can alter the chance of success "and clinics don't usually take these into account when counseling couples or women," he added. The calculator is already available free at www.ivfpredict.com. Applications for iPhones and Android smart phones are coming soon, so users "can discuss the results with your clinicians right there in the clinic," the website says. "There is a real need in medicine to try and replace general statements such as 'high risk' and 'good chance' with well validated, quantitative estimates of probability," said Gordon Smith, head of Cambridge University's obstetrics and gynecology department, who did not work on the study. "This model...provides women considering IVF with an understandable and quantitative estimate of their chances of success. It is a great resource."

Berlin museum extends popular Hitler exhibition | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 BERLIN: A groundbreaking exhibition in Berlin tackling the personality cult of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler has been extended because of large numbers of visitors, organisers said Thursday.

"Hitler and the Germans" at Berlin's German Historical Museum (DHM) had been due to close on February 6 but will stay open another three weeks until February 27, spokesman Rudolf Trabold said.

The exhibition, open since October, uses items ranging from propaganda posters, busts of Hitler, children's games and swastika Christmas decorations to show how Nazi imagery was present in almost every aspect of life.

These are juxtaposed with exhibits showing the sinister reality of life in the Third Reich behind the propaganda: the fate of Jews, political opponents or the mentally ill with no place in the Fuehrer's "Volk".

"So far we have had around 170,000 visitors," Trabold said.

Such an exhibition would not have been possible in Germany even 10 years ago, commentators say, and follows a recent change in popular attitudes in Germany towards Hitler.

The 2004 film "Downfall" portrayed Hitler as a deeply flawed human, not a monster, for example, and Germans have even learned to laugh at the dictator.

Blood test for cancer gets US boost | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 WASHINGTON: Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson said Monday it is partnering with US doctors to improve a blood test for cancer that could do away with biopsies and transform the field of cancer treatment.

The Circulating Tumor Cell (CTC) microchip technology, which inventors describe as a "liquid biopsy," has been touted as a revolutionary approach to diagnosing cancer since it was first developed several years ago by doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital.

It works by detecting cancer cells that have detached from a tumor and are circulating at very low levels in the blood.

But until now, the technology has been unable to do much more than count cells, giving doctors an idea of what is happening with a patient's cancer but not delivering the precision that the latest version can.

"The new technology allows us to not just count them but to understand the molecular changes that lead to the disease progression that is occurring in the cells," said Nicholas Dracopoli, vice president of Ortho Biotech Oncology Research and Development (ORD), a unit of Johnson & Johnson.

With just a single blood draw, the new technology can give researchers access to cells from a patient's tumor, without the patient having to undergo invasive and often painful surgical biopsy procedures.

"And that will then allow us to do sophisticated molecular analysis of those isolated cells so that we can then look and see if there are therapies that are optimally suited to a patient with those particular abnormalities," Dracopoli said.

The new technique "allows us... to monitor in real time what is happening in the tumor in a way you never could be if you had to do a surgical procedure each time in order to get the samples as we do today."

In other words, doctors could know a lot sooner whether a therapy for cancer is succeeding or failing, and they could possibly tailor a patient's treatment accordingly.

The partnership brings together Veridex, the company which brought the earlier version of the test to the US market, together with ORD and clinical researchers to develop an improved version of the current technology.

"This collaboration is an opportunity to apply our past learning to the advancement of a platform that will ultimately benefit patients with cancer," said lead CTC chip researcher Mehmet Toner in a statement.

The US Food and Drug Administration approved the earlier generation technology for use in detecting cancer cells in the blood of patients with metastatic, or advanced stage, breast, prostate and colorectal cancer.

The planned "next-generation system" aims to be used by oncologists "as a diagnostic tool for personalizing patient care, as well as by researchers to accelerate and improve the process of drug discovery and development," said a statement by Veridex.

Dracopoli said it could be three to five years before FDA clinical trials produce results that show the technique works toward detecting and treating a broader range of cancers.

"A big part of the collaboration over the next few years will be testing the technology in prospectively defined clinical trials and confirming that this information actually helps guide therapies and improves patient outcomes," he said.

"We hope this will be a means of significantly improving the way that patients are treated, in the sense that we can get information about how a patient is responding to therapy in a way that we cannot right now."

Online health info popular but often unchecked | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 LONDON: The number of people looking for health information online is set to soar as workers return from holiday breaks, but few will check where the information comes from, according to an international survey on Tuesday.

A report by researchers at the London School of Economics (LSE) commissioned by the private healthcare firm Bupa said that with smartphones and tablet computers set to outsell personal computers by 2012, more health information is available online and there are more ways to access it than ever before.

The Bupa Health Pulse survey questioned more than 12,000 people in Australia, Brazil, Britain, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Russia, Spain and the United States and found that 81 percent of those with internet access use it to search for advice about health, medicines or medical conditions.

Russians search for health advice the most on the internet, followed by China, India, Mexico and Brazil. The French search for online health information the least, according to the survey's findings.

It also found that 68 percent of those who have access have used the internet to look for information about specific medicines and nearly 4 in 10 use it to look for other patients' experiences of a condition.

"New technologies are helping more people around the world to find out more about their health and to make better informed decisions. However, people need to make sure that the information they find will make them better, not worse," said David McDaid, a senior research fellow at the LSE.

In Britain, where Bupa predicted there would be 40 million hits on health websites this week as people make New Year's resolutions after their Christmas break, experts warned that much online health content is unchecked and people would struggle to know what to trust.

The survey found that of the 73 percent of Britons who say they go online for health information, more than six in 10 look for information about medicines and more than half of them, or 58 percent, use the information to self diagnose.

Yet only a quarter of people say they check where their online advice has come from.

"Relying on dodgy information can easily lead to people taking risks with inappropriate tests and treatments, wasting money and causing unnecessary worry," said Annabel Bentley, a medical director at Bupa.

"Equally, people may check online and dismiss serious symptoms when they should get advice from a doctor."

Film producers, writers solidify Oscar race | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

LOS ANGELES: Film producers and writers on Tuesday jumped into Hollywood's Oscar race with their choices of 2010's best movies, including "The Social Network," "The Fighter" and "Black Swan," among others. The Producers Guild of America and the Writers Guild of America, which represent their respective groups in the film and television industries, annually issue lists of best movies, and their picks are closely watched in the race for Oscars. Joining the three movies above on the Producers Guild list were seven other films that have received praise from critics and industry groups. Those titles include "The King's Speech," "127 Hours," "Inception," "The Kids Are All Right," "The Town," "Toy Story 3," and "True Grit." The writers divide their top 10 into two groups, best original screenplay and best adapted screenplay. Boxing film "The Fighter" made the list of five movies that will vie for original screenplay, along with ballerina story "Black Swan," family comedy "The Kids Are All Right," and dramas "Inception" and "Please Give." Facebook film "Social Network," adventure "127 Hours," crime drama "The Town," western "True Grit" and independent movie "I Love You Phillip Morris" made the group of five competing for best adapted screenplay. Absent from the writer's list was "King's Speech," a drama about the stammering British King George VI that has made several best movie lists among critics. Hollywood is counting the days until the February 27 Oscars, the industry's biggest movie awards held in Los Angeles and given out by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Producers Guild and other industry honors can offer a guidepost for Oscar chances because many members of the PGA and WGA also belong to the Academy, whose members cast votes for the Oscars. Moreover, industry group and critics' lists also give a lift to movie theater ticket sales. The PGA also nominates films for best documentary, and those choices include "Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer," about the former New York governor's hiring of prostitutes, Rwandan genocide tale "Earth Made of Glass," as well as "Inside Job" that aims to explain the banking crisis. "Smash His Camera" about celebrity-chasing photographer Ron Galella, "The Tillman Story," that examines the death of U.S. football star-turned soldier Pat Tillman in Afghanistan and "Waiting for Superman," that details the failures of the U.S. educational system, rounded out the documentary nominees. The honor for best-produced animated movie puts "Despicable Me," up against "How To Train Your Dragon," and "Toy Story 3." The Writers Guild picked six films for best documentary but only one, "Inside Job," is shared with the producers. The writers other documentary nominees were: "Who is Harry Nilsson (And Why is Everybody Talkin' About Him)?" "Freedom Riders," "Enemies of the People," "Gasland," "The Two Escobars." The producers also unveiled TV nominees, and in the category for best TV drama, "Breaking Bad," will compete against "Dexter," "Lost," "Mad Men," and "True Blood." Nominees for TV comedy went to the producers of "30 Rock," Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Glee," "Modern Family," and "The Office." Back in December, the writers unveiled their TV picks. The PGA hands out its honor at a gala ceremony in Los Angeles on January 22, and the WGA has its awards dinner on February 5. Oscar nominees will be named on January 25, and the top awards will be given out on February 27.

Red carpet premiere of ‘Season of the Witch’ | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

 NEW YORK: Tending to red carpet duties for his soon-to-be-released movie, Nicolas Cage was on-hand for Relativity Media's premiere of "Season of the Witch" in New York City on Tuesday night.

Held at AMC Lincoln Square Theater, the Oscar winning actor was joined at the event by fellow cast members including Robert Sheehan, Stephen Campbell Moore, Claire Foy and Ron Perlman.

Due out in theaters on Friday, the Dominic Sena directed work finds "14th-century knights transport a suspected witch to a monastery, where monks deduce her powers could be the source of the Black Plague."

Denying that he took the role only to pay off reported multi-million dollar debt, Cage recently told USA Today, "(Season) I needed to do more than (for) necessity reasons, but because I genuinely connected with the ... material. But there's always that other element too, you know, as a result of what has happened that has been made very public."

Twilight, Katy Perry among People's Choice winners | GEO | LIVE GEO NEWS | GEO NEWS | GEO TV

LOS ANGELES: "Twilight" again stole the limelight at the People's Choice awards on Wednesday, on a night that also saw big wins for singer Katy Perry and actor Johnny Depp at the start of the Hollywood awards season. Organizers said a record 175 million votes were cast on social media and on the Internet for the favorite stars of television, movies and music in an awards show that is totally fan-driven. Despite being the earliest of Hollywood's glittering awards shows, the People's Choice picks gave few clues this year to the likely winners of industry-voted honors such as the Oscars or the Screen Actors Guild honors. "The Twilight Saga; Eclipse" the third installment of the popular vampire romance, won for favorite movie and favorite drama. "Twilight" star Kristen Stewart beat veterans like Julia Roberts, Angelina Jolie and Julia Roberts to take the favorite movie actress trophy . "I can't believe this. You guys are unreal! For movie number 3 already?" said "Twilight" actor Taylor Lautner, accepting the trophies. "Twilight" and its cast are not expected to be among Oscar nominees when they are announced on Jan 25. "Alice in Wonderland" star Johnny Depp took home the favorite movie actor trophy for the second year running. Television honors went to musical comedy "Glee" and its scheming cheerleader played by Jane Lynch, while medical drama "House" picked up trophies for best drama and best actress for Lisa Edelstein. The remake of "Hawaii Five-O" and the Twitter inspired comedy "$#*! (Bleep) My Dad Says" won for favorite new TV shows. Katy Perry, whose infectious pop hits "California Gurls" and "Teenage Dream" dominated the charts last year, picked up trophies for favorite female artist and favorite web celebrity, beating the flamboyant Lady Gaga. "I've had an incredible year!," she told the audience. Taylor Swift, whose "Speak Now" album was one of the biggest sellers of 2010, won best country artist. Swift's award was presented by singer Sir Elton John, a new parent with his partner David Furnish. "Elton! Congrats to you! You're a dad now," Swift told him, before thanking her own fans. More than 44 awards were given out including one for best talk show host to comedian Conan O'Brien. O'Brien started 2010 by being forced out of his job on "The Tonight Show" and ended it by launching his own show on cable channel TBS. "I want to thank everyone who made what could have been a horrible year into the best year of my life," O'Brien said.