Swine flu deaths go up in India
09 August 2009
The number of people to die of swine flu in India has risen to five with the death of a number of patients over the weekend, health officials say.
Six patients are reported to be in a serious condition in the western city of Pune, which has recorded more cases than anywhere else in India.
A number of schools in the country have been shut temporarily over fears of children contracting the disease.
Officials say there are more than 800 cases of the H1N1 flu strain in India.
The virus is thought to have killed almost 800 people around the world.
A 53-year-old doctor of indigenous medicine died of the flu in a hospital in Pune early on Monday, taking the number of dead because of the flu to five.
Over the weekend, three people died of the flu in western India - a 43-year-old businessman who was visiting Ahmedabad city in Gujarat state; a 42-year-old teacher in Pune city; and a 53-year-old woman in Mumbai city.
Last Monday, a 14-year-old girl became the first person in the country to die of swine flu.
source: bbc.com
Saudi princess robbed in Sardinia
Italian police are investigating the theft of some $16m (£10m) in cash and jewellery from a Saudi princess staying on the Italian island of Sardinia.
The thieves used a master key to gain entry to her luxury hotel suite in Porto Cervo before ripping a safe from the wall, Italian media reports say.
They said the safe was only fixed with silicon to the wall in the suite.
Officials have not named the princess but say Italian and Saudi diplomats have had talks about the incident.
"The thieves used a master key. In 10 minutes at dinner time, without making any noise, they managed to remove the safe from a suite occupied by the Saudi princess," Italy's La Stampa newspaper reported.
The hotel is located in one of the most chic resort areas on the Italian island. source: bbc.com
Chavez slams Colombia 'incursion'
The Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, has accused Colombia of carrying out a military incursion into Venezuela.
Mr Chavez said Colombian soldiers had recently been seen crossing the Orinoco river, which forms part of the border, and entering Venezuelan territory.
He said the alleged incursion was a "provocation" by Colombia's government.
The accusations came shortly before a summit of South American leaders is due to discuss a Colombian proposal to allow US troops access to its bases.
Mr Chavez has been embroiled in a diplomatic row with his Colombian counterpart, Alvaro Uribe, ever since news of the plan emerged. source: bbc.com
Report: Iranian prison chief dismissed, arrested
TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Authorities have fired and arrested the chief of an Iranian jail that was closed amid allegations of mistreatment of detainees held for protesting June's disputed election, Iranian media reported Sunday.
Some protesters were arrested for contesting the election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
"One security official at the prison, who was responsible for reporting irregularities at the prison, as well as the prison warden have been sacked and are under arrest," Gen. Esmaeel Ahmadi Moghadam, commander of Iran's security forces, told the semi-official Iran Student's News Agency.
Iran's Press TV said the move comes in the wake of the deaths of two inmates who had been arrested for protesting the results of June 12 presidential election. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, ordered the Kahrizak facility shut down amid reports it did not measure up to the required standards, Press TV reported.
A Tehran member of Parliament, however, told ISNA that "a number of young people" died at the prison, and held Moghadam responsible. "[The] commander of the security forces is responsible in this matter and must be held answerable," Hamidreza Katoozian said. "Saying he did not know is not acceptable because he received daily reports [regarding conditions in Kahrizak]." source: cnn.com
Reporter escapes Taliban death sentence
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Zarghon Shah is a man who knows just how lucky he is to be alive.
Zarghon Shah: "We were just counting our moments to death."
1 of 2 He came face-to-face with the feared Taliban fighters of Pakistan's Swat Valley, was ordered to be executed and gained a chilling insight into the mind of a fearsome militant who has waged a campaign of terror.
"I saw two Taliban standing there then I realized the danger, that we were in a wrong place," Zarghon said.
It was May this year when the TV reporter and his crew, reporting on the Taliban's uprising, strayed too far.
Zarghon, his cameraman and driver were captured in Buner, taken to an empty room and put on trial by a Taliban commander.
"He said you are telling lies; you are spies. It is because of you hell has been unleashed on us ... and it is you, the media, who is responsible for this war. I'm not going to spare you, I will slit your throat."
Then with a death sentence on his head, Zarghon and his crew were left alone for five hours -- an agonizing wait.
"We were just counting our moments to death." Zarghon told me.
And he knew it would be a most gruesome, horrible death. source: cnn.com
Eye In the Sky, Satellites uncover North Korea
North Korea is one of the most secretive states in the world. Its citizens cannot travel abroad and have little, if any contact with those who visit their country. The few tourists that do make it are carefully herded to a handful of destinations and rarely get off the beaten track.
Yet, thanks to satellite imagery and the internet, North Korea's secretive world is being gradually unveiled. Here are a series of remarkable photographs showing aspects of North Korea's hidden world that rarely get seen by outsiders, as well as some unusual views of more familiar sights.
This image shows an elite residential compound to the north of the capital Pyongyang. North Korea's founder, Kim Il-sung, lived there and it is believed that his son, Kim Jong-il - the country's current leader - has a residency there. As well as the large houses and well-tended gardens, there is a swimming pool in the upper left hand corner, complete with water slide.
Out of shot, it is also possible to see that the compound has its own dedicated train line that seems to run into a tunnel underneath the area. Long time North Korea watcher, Dr Hazel Smith, says it's difficult to know where Kim Jong-il lives as public appearances aside, his activities are shrouded in secrecy. "These look similar to some of the diplomatic compounds I've seen which also have swimming pools. The party people live in the city proper, whereas this is clearly outside the city as there are so many trees," she said.
Water slide can be seen on the right hand side of the pool
Curtis Melvin, an American economist who has compiled a catalogue of detailed satellite images of North Korea, says sources within the country confirmed this location as being used by Kim Jong-il. "There are houses like this everywhere. At one point, there was a residence in every province. There are lots on the coast. Most of the nice roads in the country are built up to the gates of these compounds," he says.
Life for most of North Korean's 23 million people is harsh. North Korea's economy went into steep decline during the 1990s after the collapse of communism elsewhere. Though the economy has recovered to an extent thanks to greater co-operation with South Korea and some small scale market reforms, living standards and output remain far below the levels of the 1990s. Another factor that holds back the economy is the significant share of GDP that is spent on the military.
visit bbc.com for more detail.
Saudis shut TV offices in sex row
The Jeddah offices of a Lebanon-based TV station which broadcast an interview with a Saudi man boasting about his sexual conquests have been closed.
Saudi Arabian authorities said the offices had been shut by order of the country's deputy prime minister.
The 32-year-old Saudi man's interview shocked conservative Saudi society, prompting calls for him to be punished.
Mazen Abdul Jawad talked about his sexual conquests and how he picks up women in the kingdom.
A spokesman at the information ministry confirmed the decision to close the offices of the LBC TV station in the kingdom's commercial capital.
"It was because of the interview with Mazen Abdul Jawad," Abdul Rahman al-Hazzaa said, according to AFP news agency.
Discreet society
Saudi media say officials are considering whether to charge Mr Abdul Jawad over the interview, which appeared on a programme called Red Lines and challenged Saudi taboos.
Abdul 'in talks with Idol rival'
Paula Abdul may join a rival TV talent show following her exit from American Idol, according to US media reports.
The star met Nigel Lythgoe, producer of hit series So You Think You Can Dance, just days after announcing her decision to quit American Idol.
Lythgoe confirmed the talks to trade paper Variety and said there was "no question" he wanted to sign Abdul.
He said he knew of nobody else with her "experience of being a dancer, of being a choreographer and of being a judge."
Abdul began her career as a cheerleader for the LA Lakers, before going on to choreograph for Janet and Michael Jackson.
She was like my best buddy on the show. You only realise how much you miss somebody when you're not there
Simon Cowell arrives for his first American Idol show without Abdul
She also launched her own pop career in 1989, scoring global hits with Straight Up and Opposites Attract.
Lythgoe - best known in the UK from the Pop Stars TV series - said he had not necessarily approached Abdul with an eye to her becoming a permanent judge on So You Think You Can Dance, raising the possibility that she would have a recurring role as either a guest judge or a choreographer.
However, he said it was too soon to rule out the star returning to American Idol.
"Until Idol goes on the air, there's always an opportunity for negotiation," he said, adding later: "I don't think it's a publicity stunt." source: bbc.com
Badminton team quits after threat
The England team has withdrawn from the World Badminton Championships in India because of "a specific terrorist threat" made by extremists.
The championships are being played in the city of Hyderabad.
The eight-strong squad pulled out of the tournament, which starts on Monday, following reports of a threat by the Muslim extremist group Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Badminton England chief executive Adrian Christy said it was "an incredibly tough decision".
He added: "After the Olympic Games, this is the most prestigious championships in the world but we were not prepared to risk the safety of our players, coaches and staff in what we felt could have been a very volatile environment."
Mr Christy said the team, which included Olympic silver medallist Nathan Robertson, had "carefully considered" information from local police authorities.And after taking advice from the Foreign Office and British High Commission, the conclusion made by Badminton England was "that safety is of paramount importance," he added.
Performance director Ian Moss said: "It is a disappointing outcome, especially after we had enjoyed a very good preparation at our holding camp in Doha, Qatar, last week.
"Our athletes were extremely well prepared for these championships but, at the end of the day, personal safety must take priority over performance.
"This was a unanimous squad decision and is not reflective of the efforts made by the organising committee to create the safest environment possible for all athletes." source: bbc.com
One Day International Series Sri Lanka & Pakistan Latest Score
Sunday, 09 August 2009
One Day International Series
Sri Lanka: Yet to bat
Pakistan: 57-2 (11.4 overs)
Pakistan: 100-2 (20.1 overs)
Pakistan: 120-3 (24.2 overs)
Pakistan: 135-3 (26.5 overs)
Pakistan: 150-3 (29.0 overs)
Pakistan: 173-3 (32.3 overs)
Pakistan: 188-3 (34.4 overs)
Pakistan: 189 for 3 (35.0 overs)
Pakistan: 196-4 (37.0 overs)
Pakistan: 201-4 (37.5 overs)
Pakistan: 208-5 (39.2 overs)
279 for 8 (50.0 overs)