American propaganda

Pakistan in a critical situation. Americans demanding to take action against the Haqani network while they are having [peace talk with them in Afghanistan. this is quiet a serious matter. some officials of america including their army head have passed really strong statements against Pakistan. they claimed that Pakistan intelligence agency ISI has a relation with the haqani network and they are supporting haqani network to kill american soldiers in Afghanistan. so there is a need to establish some relation with the other countries which can support Pakistan point of view. at present Pakistan is lonely and no one is ready to support or agree at Pakistan point of view. so work should be done on the foreign policies and Pakistan as a nation have to be united against this american propaganda.
Pakistan should now act bravely. Pakistanis politicians should negotiate with the Americans and tell them straight forward that this war had serious implications on Pakistan and its economy. about thirty five thousand people have lost their lives and about 70 billion dollars have been lost in this war and situation still getting worst. Americans should realize that power is not the solution. the solution to this problem is a political one. in past every war ended on the tables, so this war should be ended for the peace of the world.

Army officer beats helpless music director

 A serving Army officer allegedly beat black and blue an award-winning music director, Sohail Javed, on Wednesday night in Lahore Cantt after a row which started after the officer’s son hit the car driven by Sohail’s wife with his bike.

While Colonel Nadeem thrashed Sohail, the officer’s wife allegedly beat Sohail’s wife. Sohail has recently shifted from Karachi to Lahore and resides in Askari 10, a garrison housing society that affluent people generally prefer to live in considering it a better place on security grounds.

Incidentally, while he was brutalised by an Army officer, he was also denied justice from the housing society administrator and then the police. “I am a serving officer and I will not spare you now or in the days to come and when ever and where ever I will see your family I will beat the hell out of you guys if need to be I will make sure you don’t live in Askari 10 in peace”, Col Nadeem roared as he beat Sohail in the office of Askari 10’s administrator. The administration officer, Major (retd) Ameer Bahadar didn’t intervene as Sohail and family was being beaten in the office. Instead he later told the family to report FIR and he couldn’t be any help as there is a serving officer involved. Askari 10’s administer, Maj (R) Ameer Bahadar, refused to talk with The News when contacted for his version. “It was dispute between the two parties. You go and talk with them, not me,” he said.

The North Cantt Police Station didn’t register the FIR either, telling the family that the police can’t afford creating mess with the army officer. Sohail who spoke to The News on this issue, has mentioned all these details in an application now sent to the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, and the copies have also been sent to the chief of the army staff, Punjab chief minister and DG Housing GHQ.

Sohail, who survived cancer and have already gone through two major chest surgeries, said that Colonel Nadeem didn’t listen to them and instead kept saying “how dare you touch my son. I am serving officer and I will not spare you now or in the days to come and when ever and where ever I will see your family I will beat the hell out of you guys if need to be I will make sure you don’t live in Askari 10 in peace”. This clearly shows that “the colonel knows that he is above the law.”

The first thrashing incident occurred around 9pm Wednesday when Sohail’s wife, Asma, and son were heading to the Askari Market for buying grocery. “Three boys improperly riding a motorcycle came and intentionally hit the car from behind and broke the back light of our car causing minor dents,” said the application. As Asma reprimanded the hitters for being careless, they hurled abuses at her, provoking her 15-year son to come for the mother’s rescue.

The boy driving the bike threatened with serious consequences as, according to Sohail, the guy said: “his dad is a colonel and he will fix my wife and her family.” “Once the things started getting out of hand my wife called me to the scene,” Sohail explains. “On reaching there I saw my wife and son surrounded by a mob and I could see them in trouble, I pushed a few boys away and secured my family, in that process I slapped a boy,” Sohail explains.

“Colonel Nadeem’s wife showed up at the scene later on and yet again the scene got wild as the lady did not try to diffuse the situation,” he further notes in the complaint sent to the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

All this while, Sohail narrates, I kept requesting that I need to just speak to Colonel Nadeem whose son was riding the bike and no one else but nobody gave his information.

As Sohail and family returned home, the colonel’s son allegedly came to Sohail’s house along with friends delivering threats of dire consequences. “A few hours later another party came to our house in three cars with people appearing to be gundas and gave threats and abused along with army officers and the families of the boys who were riding the bike.” “I was slapped repeatedly in front of my house,” Sohail explains, adding that “this also amounts as infringement or our liberty, me and my family could not move or get out of the house”.

“Once the complaint was sent to the Askari admin office we were asked to meet the security admin at the Askari 10’s administration officer Mr Major Ameer’s office at 9am, July 28, 2011 to resolve the matter and come to a peaceful conclusion.”

“On July 28, 2011 at 9 am when we went to the Askari admin office the above mentioned major was not present at the scene and the above mentioned colonel with a group of 20 people including his wife was present at the scene and assaulted me and my wife as soon as they saw us and started kicking and beating us and dragged us on the road and kept abusing us in most foul words.”

Major Ameer after the incident came over to my house, Sohail goes on, and asked me to come with him to the spot where the car accident happened and see if there was any security camera footage available, as no camera were mounted in that direction no footage or evidence could be found.

“I am a survivor of cancer and have gone through two major chest surgeries hence any kind of pushing around or rough handling is a serious danger to my health. My wife and I tried to explain this to the colonel and that we only want to talk it out so this is over. But he did not listen to us and kept saying how dare you touch the son of Colonel Nadeem I am serving officer and I will not spare you now or in the days to come.”

“In order to save myself and my wife I had to run to the other office of Major Ameer and requested him to help us. In return we were told Askari admin cannot do any thing about this incident and we should report our issue to the police and take it up with them.”

“Before we could report a complaint, strangely a complaint was filed against us, alleging the injuries those boys got were because of us, which is completely untrue,” he writes in the application sent to the chief justice.

After an entire day of waiting and going through the proper channel of reporting a complaint and medical check up “we were told that our FIR cannot be reported, no action will be taken on our complaint as “they cannot mess with an army colonel and I am not hurt enough and no blood or broken bone to take this case any further.”

“Dear Sir we here by request that this matter should be taken up most urgently with a proper investigation further. How can honourable army officials who are also known as the defenders or our nation can beat and humiliate civilians and their families.”

“It is therefore respectfully prayed that for grievances of the applicant and appropriate action may kindly be ordered and the culprit may kindly be penalized with in accordance with law that is under the Pakistan penal courts and relevant law there too, it is further prayed that the security to the life and liberty of our family may kindly be insured by the local police,” said the application.

‘Bol’ screened in London, wins over media critics

 Eros International screened on Thursday critically acclaimed Pakistani film “Bol” at a theatre at the company’s headquarters here in Manchester Square to a selected group of showbiz critics from the British Asian ethnic media.

Directed by Shoaib Mansoor of ‘Khuda Ke Liye’ fame, starring Atif Aslam, Iman Ali, Mahira Khan, Manzar Sehbai, the film has won plaudit from critics in Pakistan and India and has seen the record number of viewers turning up at the cinemas. The film is being released in the UK on 30th of August in 21 sites, including the prestigious Empire Leicester Square.

Bol is a gripping drama dealing with harsh and real life issues of the status of women, the underclass of homosexuals, sectarian tension lines, the reality of red light areas in the heart of Pakistan, the hypocrisy of the clergy, police corruption, conservatism and attitude towards women. Killing in the name of honour is a subject in the film which has become a hot topic in the west in recent years.

Promoted by Geo films and Jang Group, there is a huge excitement in Britain about the film as the entertainment columns, especially of ethnic media, have been mention the success of the film for many weeks now.

Leading showbiz critics who watched the film here were full of praise for the acclaimed director who has been credited with dealing with highly controversial and taboo subjects with effortless brilliance.

Asjad Nazir, top film critic and renowned entertainment writer told The News that the film is “tremendously brave and very powerful”.

“Bol is a thought provoking film that should be watched by everyone. Apart from being a gripping drama, this is an important film that sheds light on a number of important issues. Great performances from the entire cast elevate the drama to a higher level.

“The only thing that will prevent this from being a film that crosses over is the fact that it’s too long and that it could have been better technically. Hopefully this will be a first proper step towards resurrecting Pakistani cinema.”

Ashanti Omkar, Bollywood editor for BBC Publishing, found the film adult-themed and shocking in the sense that it deals with the real life issues of South Asian culture with up-front bravery. “The acting is good and the heroine of the film (Humaima Malik) is really good with what she did but I would have liked to see happier and progressive side of Pakistan but kudos to the director for creating the Hakeem character (Manzar Sehbai) we hate so much.”

Raj & Pablo, presenters of Love Bollywod on BBC Asian Network and B4U Bollywood Showdown, described the film as “very powerful, gripping and full of fantastic performances”.

“We loved it, the director excels in this film and visually its stunning too. Bol presents the social issues in a positive way. It leaves it to the viewers to decide what is right and what is wrong. The release of this film is a plus point for the Lollywood and shows the massive Pakistani talent is there, there are brilliant directors and actors but their work need to be highlighted more. The film is slightly long and we think it could have been edited a bit more.”

Amit Roy, a veteran London based Bollywood critic and author of the Asian Rich List, loved the film and was impressed and gave the film “8 out of 10”. “It deal with difficult issues in a very modern way.

The central character of Hakim is trying to do his best for his family but he is a prisoner of the circumstances, cultures and traditions. In Shoaib Mansoor and Bol characters, we have Asian stars.

“I was in Lahore a few months ago and the film reminded me of the rich texture and colours of the beautiful old city. The film also shows that the film-making quality of Pakistani shouldn’t be underestimated.”

Amer Shoaib of Cinema Journal said that more films like Bol should come out of Pakistan to the wider audience to show how good Pakistanis actors and directors are. “The film should receive great reception wherever it goes for it has all the hallmarks and the characteristics of a successful film.”

A painkilling, anti-inflammatory drug may help prevent headaches in Muslims fasting from dawn to dusk for Ramazan, according to a study from Israel -- where a "Yom Kippur headache" is also known.

About four in every ten people who abstain from food and water all day during the month-long Ramazan period get headaches, said the study, published in the journal Headache.
Doctors aren't quite sure what causes them. It could be dehydration, or caffeine withdrawal in people who are used to getting their morning coffee, Drescher told Reuters Health.

Drescher and his Israel-based colleagues had already shown that Jews who took the drug known as etoricoxib, or Arcoxia, before fasting for 25 hours on the Yom Kippur holiday got fewer headaches than those who didn't.

Arcoxia, a cousin of the painkiller Vioxx, isn't approved for use in the United States because the Food and Drug Administration decided it was too similar to Vioxx, which Merck pulled from the market in 2004 when it was linked to a higher risk of heart attack. But Arcoxia is available in Israel, among other countries.

The drug has a longer-lasting effect than some other painkillers, which is important because taking a pill in the middle of the day when a headache sets in would be considered breaking the fast.

"If you take Tylenol (acetaminophen)... by the time you get around to feeling the effects of the fast, the medicine is long out of your system," Drescher said.

To see how Arcoxia would work during Ramadan, the researchers assigned 222 adults planning to fast in 2010 to either take the drug or an inactive placebo pill just before the start of fasting each day. All participants recorded how often they had a headache, and how severe it was.

After a week they switched treatments.

During the first day of fasting, when headaches are thought to be most common, 21 percent of people taking Arcoxia reported having a headache, compared to 46 percent of those who took the placebo pill.

The Arcoxia group also reported fewer total headaches during that first week, the researchers wrote. And when they did have headaches, they rated them as less severe than participants taking the placebo.

Kate Winslet escapes fire at Branson holiday home

 British Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet was among the guests who escaped unhurt from a fire which swept through Richard Branson's Caribbean holiday retreat overnight.

Branson said the blaze was caused by a lightning strike on The Great House on Necker Island, and that the building was completely destroyed.

Branson, his wife Joan and son Sam were staying in a nearby property, but among those who fled the affected building were 35-year-old Winslet, her boyfriend and family, Branson's mother Eve and his daughter Holly.

"Around 20 people were in the house and they all managed to get out and they are all fine," Branson said in comments released to the British media.

"We had a really bad tropical storm with winds up to 90 miles per hour. A big lightning storm came around 4 a.m. and hit the house.

"My son Sam rushed to the house and helped get everyone out. Kate Winslet, her boyfriend and her family were there and Holly and some of her friends were also staying. My mother was there and they managed to get her out and she is fine."

He said his office was based in the main house, and that he had lost thousands of photographs in the fire.

Branson added that he planned to rebuild the property, which British media said had been expected to be the venue for the marriage later this year of Holly to fiance Fred Andrews.

Necker Island is part of the British Virgin Islands and is privately owned by Branson.

Astronomers discover planet made of diamond

 Astronomers have spotted an exotic planet that seems to be made of diamond racing around a tiny star in our galactic backyard.

The new planet is far denser than any other known so far and consists largely of carbon. Because it is so dense, scientists calculate the carbon must be crystalline, so a large part of this strange world will effectively be diamond.

The evolutionary history and amazing density of the planet all suggest it is comprised of carbon -- i.e. a massive diamond orbiting a neutron star every two hours in an orbit so tight it would fit inside our own Sun," said Matthew Bailes of Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne.

Lying 4,000 light years away, or around an eighth of the way toward the center of the Milky Way from the Earth, the planet is probably the remnant of a once-massive star that has lost its outer layers to the so-called pulsar star it orbits.

Pulsars are tiny, dead neutron stars that are only around 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) in diameter and spin hundreds of times a second, emitting beams of radiation.

In the case of pulsar J1719-1438, the beams regularly sweep the Earth and have been monitored by telescopes in Australia, Britain and Hawaii, allowing astronomers to detect modulations due to the gravitational pull of its unseen companion planet.

The measurements suggest the planet, which orbits its star every two hours and 10 minutes, has slightly more mass than Jupiter but is 20 times as dense, Bailes and colleagues reported in the journal Science on Thursday.

In addition to carbon, the new planet is also likely to contain oxygen, which may be more prevalent at the surface and is probably increasingly rare toward the carbon-rich center.

Its high density suggests the lighter elements of hydrogen and helium, which are the main constituents of gas giants like Jupiter, are not present.

Just what this weird diamond world is actually like close up, however, is a mystery.

"In terms of what it would look like, I don't know I could even speculate," said Ben Stappers of the University of Manchester. "I don't imagine that a picture of a very shiny object is what we're looking at here."

Amazing and Interesting =)

A 99-year old man has ended his lifelong holdout and tied the knot for the very first time.

Gilbert Herrick met 86-year-old Virginia Hartman, a widow who raised five children, while living at Monroe Community Hospital near Rochester, New York. Something that hadn't clicked for 98 years finally did.

They tied the knot June 6. Her five children, grandchildren and great grandchildren helped plan. Both are confined to wheelchairs, making their first dance as a couple tricky. They waited for the floor to clear, said Herrick.