Toyota recalls 4.2 million vehicles in the worldwide

Toyota Motor Sales issued a press release regarding the accelerator pedal problem in certain models. The entire Toyota organization has been working with their franchise dealers since this time to prepare for the thousands of cars that will need modifications in 2010.
If you car is involved in the recall, let us help you.
The models involved are:
2007 to 2010 Camry
2005 to 2010 Avalon
2004 to 2009 Prius
2005 to 2010 Tacoma
2007 to 2010 Tundra
2007 to 2010 ES350
2006 to 2010 IS250
2006 to 2010 IS 350 [Detail]

Six Solutions for Saving Water and Saving Lives

As part of its role as the non-government advisor for the United Nations, Pasadena, California-based Art Center College of Design teamed up with another NGO, Un Techo Para Mi Pais, and embarked upon a humanitarian design charrette to help bring safe, clean water to the slums of Chile. [Detail]

Dangerous Drugs Have Been Globally Discarded But Are Available In Pakistan & India

Dangerous Drugs Have Been Globally Discarded But Are Available In Pakistan & India.

PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE
cold and cough
Reason for ban: stroke
Brand name: Vicks Action-500
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ANALGIN
This is a pain-killer
Reason for ban: Bone marrow depression
Brand name: Novalgin
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CISAPRIDE
Acidity, constipation
Reason for ban: irregular heartbeat
Brand name: Ciza, Syspride
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DROPERIDOL
Anti-depressant
Reason for ban: Irregular heartbeat
Brand name: Droperol
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FURAZOLIDONE
Antidiarrhoeal
Reason for ban: Cancer
Brand name: Furoxone, Lomofen
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NIMESULIDE
Painkiller, fever
Reason for ban: Liver failure
Brand name: Nise, Nimulid
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NITROFURAZONE
Antibacterial cream
Reason for ban: Cancer
Brand name: Furacin
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PHENOLPHTHALEIN
Laxative
Reason for ban: Cancer
Brand name: Agarol
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OXYPHENBUTAZONE
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
Reason for ban: Bone marrow depression
Brand name: Sioril
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PIPERAZINE
Anti-worms
Reason for ban: Nerve damage
Brand name: Piperazine
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QUINIODOCHLOR
Anti-diarrhoeal
Reason for ban: Damage to sight
Brand name: Enteroquinol

Universal phone charger approved

A new mobile phone charger that will work with any handset has been approved by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a United Nations body.
Industry body the GSMA predicts that 51,000 tonnes of redundant chargers are generated each year.
Currently most chargers are product or brand specific, so people tend to change them when they upgrade to a new phone. [Detail]

Sim Information System - 668

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has developed a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) information system to address associated risks on security and to ensure subscription regulations in cellular sector.

The objective of the project is to provide a consumer-based facility to mobile subscribers in Pakistan by which they would be able to find out the total number of SIM(s) registered against their respective CNIC number with each mobile operator.

http://www.pta.gov.pk/668/index.html

Kerry Lugar Bill (Carry Lugar Bill) - کیری لوگر بل

WASHINGTON: The following is the text of the Kerry-Lugar Bill passed by the Senate on Thursday, Sept 24, 2009. It will now go to the House of Representatives and if passed without amendments, will be sent to President Barack Obama for signing into law:

S.1707

Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009 (Engrossed as Agreed to or Passed by Senate)

SEC. 203. LIMITATIONS ON CERTAIN ASSISTANCE.

(a) Limitation on Security-related Assistance: For fiscal years 2011 through 2014, no security-related assistance may be provided to Pakistan in a fiscal year until the Secretary of State, under the direction of the President, makes the certification required under subsection (c) for such fiscal year.

(b) Limitation on Arms Transfers: For fiscal years 2012 through 2014, no letter of offer to sell major defence equipment to Pakistan may be issued pursuant to the Arms Export Control Act (22 USC 2751 et seq.) and no license to export major defence equipment to Pakistan may be issued pursuant to such Act in a fiscal year until the Secretary of State, under the direction of the President, makes the certification required under subsection (c) for such fiscal year.

(c) Certification: The certification required by this subsection is a certification by the Secretary of State, under the direction of the President, to the appropriate congressional committees that: (1) the Government of Pakistan is continuing to cooperate with the United States in efforts to dismantle supplier networks relating to the acquisition of nuclear weapons-related materials, such as providing relevant information from or direct access to Pakistani nationals associated with such networks;

(2) the Government of Pakistan during the preceding fiscal year has demonstrated a sustained commitment to and is making significant efforts towards combating terrorist groups, consistent with the purposes of assistance described in section 201, including taking into account the extent to which the Government of Pakistan has made progress on matters such as (A) ceasing support, including by any elements within the Pakistan military or its intelligence agency, to extremist and terrorist groups, particularly to any group that has conducted attacks against the United States or coalition forces in Afghanistan, or against the territory or people of neighbouring countries; (B) preventing al-Qaeda, the Taliban and associated terrorist groups, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, from operating in the territory of Pakistan, including carrying out cross-border attacks into neighbouring countries, closing terrorist camps in the Fata, dismantling terrorist bases of operations in other parts of the country, including Quetta and Muridke, and taking action when provided with intelligence about high-level terrorist targets; and (C) strengthening counterterrorism and anti-money laundering laws; and (3) the security forces of Pakistan are not materially and substantially subverting the political or judicial processes of Pakistan.

(d) Certain Payments: (1) IN GENERAL- Subject to paragraph (2), none of the funds appropriated for security-related assistance for fiscal years 2010 through 2014, or any amounts appropriated to the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund established under the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009 (Public Law 111-32), may be obligated or expended to make payments relating to (A) the Letter of Offer and Acceptance PK-D-YAD signed between the Governments of the United States of America and Pakistan on September 30, 2006; (B) the Letter of Offer and Acceptance PK-D-NAP signed between the Governments of the United States of America and Pakistan on September 30, 2006; and C) the Letter of Offer and Acceptance PK-D-SAF signed between the Governments of the United States of America and Pakistan on September 30, 2006.

(2) EXCEPTION: Funds appropriated for security-related assistance for fiscal years 2010 through 2014 may be used for construction and related activities carried out pursuant to the Letters of Offer and Acceptance described in paragraph (1).

(e) Waiver: (1) IN GENERAL - The Secretary of State, under the direction of the President, may waive the limitations contained in subsections (a), (b), and (d) for a fiscal year if the Secretary of State determines that is important to the national security interests of the United States to do so.

(2) PRIOR NOTICE OF WAIVER: The Secretary of State, under the direction of the President, may not exercise the authority of paragraph (1) until seven days after the Secretary of State provides to the appropriate congressional committees a written notice of the intent to issue to waiver and the reasons therefore. The notice may be submitted in classified or unclassified form, as necessary.

(f) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined: In this section, the term `appropriate congressional committees’ means (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives; and (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate.

SEC. 204. PAKISTAN COUNTERINSURGENCY CAPABILITY FUND.

(a) For Fiscal Year 2010: (1) IN GENERAL - For fiscal year 2010, the Department of State’s Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund established under the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009 (Public Law 111-32), hereinafter in this section referred to as the `Fund’, shall consist of the following: (A) Amounts appropriated to carry out this subsection (which may not include any amounts appropriated to carry out title I of this Act).

(B) Amounts otherwise available to the Secretary of State to carry out this subsection.

(2) PURPOSES OF FUND: Amounts in the Fund made available to carry out this subsection for any fiscal year are authorised to be used by the Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Defence, to build and maintain the counterinsurgency capability of Pakistan under the same terms and conditions (except as otherwise provided in this subsection) that are applicable to amounts made available under the Fund for fiscal year 2009.

(3) TRANSFER AUTHORITY: (A) IN GENERAL - The Secretary of State is authorised to transfer amounts in the fund made available to carry out this subsection for any fiscal year to the Department of Defence’s Pakistan Counterinsurgency Fund established under the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009 (Public Law 111-32) and such amounts may be transferred back to the Fund if the Secretary of Defence, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, determines that such amounts are not needed for the purposes for which initially transferred.

(B) TREATMENT OF TRANSFERRED FUNDS: Subject to subsections (d) and (e) of section 203, transfers from the Fund under the authority of subparagraph (A) shall be merged with and be available for the same purposes and for the same time period as amounts in the Department of Defence’s Pakistan Counterinsurgency Fund.

(C) RELATION TO OTHER AUTHORITIES: The authority to provide assistance under this subsection is in addition to any other authority to provide assistance to foreign countries.

(D) NOTIFICATION: The Secretary of State shall, not less than 15 days prior to making transfers from the Fund under subparagraph (A), notify the appropriate congressional committees in writing of the details of any such transfer.

(b) Submission of Notifications: Any notification required by this section may be submitted in classified or unclassified form, as necessary.

(c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined: In this section, the term `appropriate congressional committees’ means (1) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; and (2) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.

SEC. 205. REQUIREMENTS FOR CIVILIAN CONTROL OF CERTAIN ASSISTANCE

(a) Requirements: (1) IN GENERAL - For fiscal years 2010 through 2014, any direct cash security-related assistance or non-assistance payments by the United States to the Government of Pakistan may only be provided or made to civilian authorities of a civilian government of Pakistan.

(2) DOCUMENTATION: For fiscal years 2010 through 2014, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defence, shall ensure that civilian authorities of a civilian government of Pakistan have received a copy of final documentation provided to the United States related to non-assistance payments provided or made to the Government of Pakistan.

(b) Waiver: 1) SECURITY-RELATED ASSISTANCE: The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Defence, may waive the requirements of subsection (a) with respect to security-related assistance described in subsection (a) funded from accounts within budget function 150 (International Affairs) if the Secretary of State certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the waiver is important to the national security interest of the United States.

(2) NON-ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS: The Secretary of Defence, in consultation with the Secretary of State, may waive the requirements of subsection (a) with respect to non-assistance payments described in subsection (a) funded from accounts within budget function 050 (National Defence) if the Secretary of Defense certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the waiver is important to the national security interest of the United States.

(c) Application to Certain Activities- Nothing in this section shall apply with respect to (1) any activities subject to reporting requirements under title V of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 413 et seq.); (2) any assistance to promote democratic elections or public participation in democratic processes; (3) any assistance or payments if the Secretary of State determines and certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that subsequent to the termination of assistance or payments a democratically elected government has taken office; (4) any assistance or payments made pursuant to section 1208 of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (Public Law 108-375; 118 Stat. 2086), as amended; (5) any payments made pursuant to the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement between the Department of Defense of the United States of America and the Ministry of Defense of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; and (6) any assistance or payments made pursuant to section 943 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110-417; 122 Stat. 4578).

(d) Definitions- In this section (1) the term `appropriate congressional committees’ means the Committees on Appropriations, Armed Services, and Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committees on Appropriations, Armed Services, and Foreign Relations of the Senate; and (2) the term ‘civilian government of Pakistan’ does not include any government of Pakistan whose duly elected head of government is deposed by military coup or decree.

TITLE III—STRATEGY, ACCOUNTABILITY, MONITORING, AND OTHER PROVISIONS SEC. 301. STRATEGY REPORTS.

(a) Pakistan Assistance Strategy Report- Not later than 45 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report describing United States policy and strategy with respect to assistance to Pakistan under this Act. The report shall include the following: (1) A description of the principal objectives of United States assistance to Pakistan to be provided under title I of this Act.

(2) A general description of the specific programs, projects, and activities designed to achieve the purposes of section 101 and the respective funding levels for such programs, projects, and activities for fiscal years 2010 through 2014.

(3) A plan for program monitoring, operations research, and impact evaluation research for assistance authorized under title I of this Act.

(4) A description of the role to be played by Pakistani national, regional, and local officials and members of Pakistani civil society and local private sector, civic, religious, and tribal leaders in helping to identify and implement programs and projects for which assistance is to be provided under this Act, and of consultations with such representatives in developing the strategy.

(5) A description of the steps taken, or to be taken, to ensure assistance provided under this Act is not awarded to individuals or entities affiliated with terrorist organizations.

(6) A projection of the levels of assistance to be provided to Pakistan under this Act, broken down into the following categories as described in the annual `Report on the Criteria and Methodology for Determining the Eligibility of Candidate Countries for Millennium Challenge Account Assistance’: (A) Civil liberties. (B) Political rights. (C) Voice and accountability. (D) Government effectiveness. (E) Rule of law. (F) Control of corruption. (G) Immunization rates. (H) Public expenditure on health. (I) Girls’ primary education completion rate. (J) Public expenditure on primary education. (K) Natural resource management. (L) Business start-up. (M) Land rights and access. (N) Trade policy. (O) Regulatory quality. (P) Inflation control. (Q) Fiscal policy.

(7) An analysis for the suitable replacement for existing Pakistani helicopters, including recommendations for sustainment and training.

(b) Comprehensive Regional Strategy Report: (1) SENSE OF CONGRESS: It is the sense of Congress that the achievement of United States national security goals to eliminate terrorist threats and close safe havens in Pakistan requires the development of a comprehensive plan that utilizes all elements of national power, including in coordination and cooperation with other concerned governments, and that it is critical to Pakistan’s long-term prosperity and security to strengthen regional relationships among India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

(2) COMPREHENSIVE REGIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY: The President shall develop a comprehensive interagency regional security strategy to eliminate terrorist threats and close safe havens in Pakistan, including by working with the Government of Pakistan and other relevant governments and organizations in the region and elsewhere, as appropriate, to best implement effective counterinsurgency and counterterrorism efforts in and near the border areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan, including the FATA, the NWFP, parts of Balochistan, and parts of Punjab.

(3) REPORT: (A) IN GENERAL- Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the comprehensive regional security strategy required under paragraph (2).

(B) CONTENTS- The report shall include a copy of the comprehensive regional security strategy, including specifications of goals, and proposed timelines and budgets for implementation of the strategy.

(C) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DEFINED: In this paragraph, the term `appropriate congressional committees’ means (i) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives; and (ii) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate.

(c) Security-related Assistance Plan- Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a plan for the proposed use of amounts authorized for security-related assistance for each of the fiscal years 2010 through 2014. Such plan shall include an assessment of how the use of such amounts complements or otherwise is related to amounts described in section 204.

SEC. 302. MONITORING REPORTS.

(a) Semi-Annual Monitoring Report- Not later than 180 days after the submission of the Pakistan Assistance Strategy Report pursuant to section 301(a), and every 180 days thereafter through September 30, 2014, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that describes the assistance provided under this Act during the preceding 180-day period. The report shall include—

(1) a description of all assistance by program, project, and activity, as well as by geographic area, provided pursuant to title I of this Act during the period covered by the report, including the amount of assistance provided for each program or project, and with respect to the first report a description of all amounts made available for assistance to Pakistan during fiscal year 2009, including a description of each program, project, and activity for which funds were made available; (2) a list of persons or entities from the United States or other countries that have received funds in excess of $100,000 to conduct projects under title I of this Act during the period covered by the report, which may be included in a classified annex, if necessary to avoid a security risk, and a justification for the classification; (3) with respect to the plan described in section 301(a)(3), updates to such plan and a description of best practices to improve the impact of the assistance authorized under title I of this Act; (4) an assessment of the effectiveness of assistance provided under title I of this Act during the period covered by the report in achieving desired objectives and outcomes as guided by the plan described in section 301(a)(3), and as updated pursuant to paragraph (3) of this subsection, including a systematic, qualitative, and where possible, quantitative basis for assessing whether desired outcomes are achieved and a timeline for completion of each project and program; (5) a description of any shortfall in United States financial, physical, technical, or human resources that hinder the effective use and monitoring of such funds; (6) a description of any negative impact, including the absorptive capacity of the region for which the resources are intended, of United States bilateral or multilateral assistance and recommendations for modification of funding, if any; (7) any incidents or reports of waste, fraud, and abuse of expenditures under title I of this Act; (8) the amount of funds authorized to be appropriated pursuant to section 102 that were used during the reporting period for administrative expenses or for audits and program reviews pursuant to the authority under sections 101(c)(2) and 103; (9) a description of the expenditures made from any Chief of Mission Fund established pursuant to section 101(c)(5) during the period covered by the report, the purposes for which such expenditures were made, and a list of the recipients of any expenditures from the Chief of Mission Fund in excess of $100,000; (10) an accounting of assistance provided to Pakistan under title I of this Act, broken down into the categories set forth in section 301(a)(6); (11) an evaluation of efforts undertaken by the Government of Pakistan to (A) disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda, the Taliban, and other extremist and terrorist groups in the FATA and settled areas; (B) eliminate the safe havens of such forces in Pakistan; (C) close terrorist camps, including those of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed; (D) cease all support for extremist and terrorist groups; (E) prevent attacks into neighbouring countries; (F) increase oversight over curriculum in Madrassas, including closing Madrassas with direct links to the Taliban or other extremist and terrorist groups; and (G) improve counterterrorism financing and anti-money laundering laws, apply for observer status for the Financial Action Task Force, and take steps to adhere to the United Nations International Convention for the Suppression of Financing of Terrorism; (12) a detailed description of Pakistan’s efforts to prevent proliferation of nuclear-related material and expertise; (13) an assessment of whether assistance provided to Pakistan has directly or indirectly aided the expansion of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program, whether by the diversion of United States assistance or the reallocation of Pakistan’s financial resources that would otherwise be spent for programs and activities unrelated to its nuclear weapons program; (14) a detailed description of the extent to which funds obligated and expended pursuant to section 202(b) meet the requirements of such section; and (15) an assessment of the extent to which the Government of Pakistan exercises effective civilian control of the military, including a description of the extent to which civilian executive leaders and parliament exercise oversight and approval of military budgets, the chain of command, the process of promotion for senior military leaders, civilian involvement in strategic guidance and planning, and military involvement in civil administration.

(b) Government Accountability Office Reports:

(1) PAKISTAN ASSISTANCE STRATEGY REPORT: Not later than one year after the submission of the Pakistan Assistance Strategy Report pursuant to section 301(a), the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that contains (A) a review of, and comments addressing, the Pakistan Assistance Strategy Report; (B) recommendations relating to any additional actions the Comptroller General believes could help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of United States efforts to meet the objectives of this Act; (C) a detailed description of the expenditures made by Pakistan pursuant to grant assistance under section 23 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 USC.
The Kerry-Lugar Bill: details and conditions

Saudi king dismisses cleric after criticism

The Associated Press (AP)
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — The Saudi king dismissed a prominent hard-line cleric who criticized a university he recently launched for allowing men and women to take classes together.

King Abdullah issued a royal decree relieving Sheik Saad bin Naser al-Shethri from his duties on the powerful government-sanctioned Council of Senior Islamic Scholars, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.

The decree issued Sunday did not provide a reason for al-Shethri’s dismissal, but the cleric was quoted by local media in late September as demanding an end to coed classes at the newly opened King Abdullah Science and Technology University

He said that mixing students of the opposite sex was “a great sin and a great evil” under Islam and would distract men from focusing on their education. The comments indicated that there may be significant opposition to the country’s first fully integrated coed university among conservative elements within the kingdom’s powerful religious establishment.

Most of the country’s newspapers, which are government-guided, criticized al-Shethri, accusing him of trying to undermine Abdullah’s reforms and suggesting such criticism breeds terrorism.

The multibillion dollar postgraduate institution, which officially opened its doors to students in late September, has been touted by Abdullah as a “beacon of tolerance.” Saudi officials have envisaged the university as a key part of the kingdom’s plans to transform itself into a global scientific hub — its latest efforts to diversify its oil-reliant economy.

The school boasts state-of-the-art labs, the world’s 14th fastest supercomputer and one of the biggest endowments worldwide.

More than 800 students from 61 different countries have enrolled at the school so far. The university aims to expand to around 2,000 students within eight to 10 years.

Of that total, 15 percent will be Saudi, university officials have said.

The Saudi government hopes that the school will succeed in promoting scientific freedom in a country where strict implementation of Islamic teachings has often been blamed for stifling innovation.

Abdullah has encouraged change in the oil-rich kingdom since becoming crown prince in 1982, and has intensified his efforts since assuming the thrown upon the death of his half brother, King Fahad, in 2005.

Pakistan Country clocks to be wound back by an hour on Nov 1

The Pakistan country clocks will be reversed by one hour on November 1.

Geo News: http://www.geo.tv/9-28-2009/49902.htm
Jang Newspaper: http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/sep2009-daily/28-09-2009/u6685.htm

Transparency indicts Pakistan at critical time

By Ansar Abbasi September 24, 2009

ISLAMABAD: In an obvious rebuke to President Asif Zardari’s efforts to seek massive aid from the world community, the global anti-corruption watchdog, the Transparency International, issued a stinging indictment on the eve of a high-profile New York meeting of the Friends of Democratic Pakistan, saying: “How can one expect from any donor to come forward to assist Pakistan from its current financial crisis, when there exist no law against corruption.”

President Zardari is to meet US President Barack Obama, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and other world leaders at the Friends of Democratic Pakistan meeting in New York on Thursday but in its 2009 Global Corruption Report, released on Wednesday, Transparency International portrays Pakistan amongst the most corrupt nations in the world.

Releasing the annual report, the TI chief in Pakistan Adeel Gilani said anti-corruption efforts in the country had taken a 180 degree turn since Gen Pervez Musharraf issued the National Reconciliation Ordinance on October 5, 2007, 56 days after the ratification of the UN Convention against Corruption.

The timing for the release of the TI report would be embarrassing for President Zardari, whose government’s credibility is already seriously questioned internationally because of President’s own as well as many of his government’s key players’ past plagued by serious corruption charges.

Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin tried to soften the impact of the TI report by saying in his talks with US officials in New York, the US side had assured that most of the aid to Pakistan will be channelled through the federal government, although it is still not clear whether the US Congress will approve this.

A press release issued in Islamabad and New York, Syed Adeel Gilani, Chairman TI Pakistan, said the NRO has also granted further protection to the parliamentarians, as no sitting member of parliament or a provincial assembly can be arrested without taking into consideration the recommendations of the special parliamentary committees on ethics, which are not formed yet.

Gilani said over and above the NRO, the aims of the present government which has sent serious signals all over the world is that in Pakistan corruption will not be a crime if no accountability is held for three years. “The Draft Holder of Public Office Act 2009 prepared by the government to substitute the NAB Ordinance, under consideration of the National Assembly, gives further immunity to all against corruption from October 2010,” the report said, wondering, “How can one expect that any donor to come forward to assist Pakistan from its current financial crisis when there exist no law against corruption.”

The report said corruption is a serious problem in Pakistan, and this position is corroborated by a number of recent studies and reports. An assessment of Pakistan’s infrastructure implementation capacity was carried out at the request of the government, and the resulting report was published in November 2007 jointly by the World Bank and the planning Commission of Pakistan.

It states that approximately 15 per cent of the cost of corruption lies in procurement, costing the Pakistani development budget (2007/8) over Rs150 billion. Furthermore, the World Bank’s Control of Corruption Indicator in 2007 ranks Pakistan a mere 21.3 out of 100. The Global Competitiveness Report 2008-2009 ranked Pakistan 101st out of 130 countries and found that respondents pointed to corruption as the second most problematic factor for doing business in the country, after government instability.

The instability of the political situation in Pakistan cannot be underestimated as a factor in permitting corruption in the private sector to flourish. Despite Musharraf’s claim to be committed to fighting corruption, little headway has been made, and it is still considered to be ‘pervasive and deeply entrenched’.

Musharraf relinquished military power in November 2007, and his supporters were defeated in the February 2008 general election by a coalition of the Pakistan People’s Party and Nawaz Sharif’s Muslim League. Musharraf resigned in August 2008, facing impeachment for alleged crimes including gross misconduct and violation of the Constitution, it said.

The following is the Pakistan Chapter of the Global Report released on Sept 23: Legal and institutional changes: In a meeting with a delegation of TI Pakistan on 17 July 2007, the former prime minister, Shaukat Aziz, gave assurance that the Public Procurement Rules of 2004 would be implemented in all the federal government ministries. He also claimed that transparency was the ‘hallmark’ of government policy and that the government was promoting e-governance as a tool for more openness and in order to make processes more efficient. He claimed that the ëgovernment had made it mandatory that integrity pacts are signed for all government contracts over Rs10 million. Moreover, the adoption of the rules ëminimises discretion, gives priority to technical competence and ensures that award of contract is on the basis of lowest evaluated responsive bidder in the shortest possible timeí.

He also agreed with TI Pakistan that the Election Commission should ëhold the elections in the most transparent manner’. These commitments were undermined after the departure of the former prime minister in 2007. Under the caretaker government in 2008, complaints to the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority board were not acted upon.

The former president, General Pervez Musharraf, issued the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) on 5 October 2007, fifty-six days after the ratification of the UN Convention against Corruption. In many ways this was a setback for anti-corruption measures in Pakistan, as all proceedings under investigation or pending in any court that had been initiated by or involved the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prior to 12 October 1999 were withdrawn and terminated with immediate effect. The NRO also granted further protection to parliamentarians, as no sitting member of parliament or a provincial assembly can be arrested without taking into consideration the recommendations of the Special Parliamentary Committee on Ethics or the Special Committee of the Provincial Assembly on Ethics.

Public ills, private woes — the survival of the private sector during political instability: Corruption is a serious problem in Pakistan, and this position is corroborated by a number of recent studies and reports. An assessment of Pakistanís infrastructure implementation capacity was carried out at the request of the government, and the resulting report was published in November 2007 jointly by the World Bank and the Planning Commission of Pakistan. It states that approximately 15 per cent of the cost of corruption lies in procurement, costing the Pakistani development budget (2007/8) over Rs150 billion.

Furthermore, the World Bankís Control of Corruption Indicator in 2007 ranks Pakistan a mere 21.3 out of 100. In terms of the business sector, there are a number of measures that indicate that there is a serious issue of corruption. TI’s Global Corruption Barometer 2006 reported that the impact of corruption on the private sector was perceived as almost equal to corruption in the public sector; and The Global Competitiveness Report 2008ñ2009 ranked Pakistan 101st out of 130 countries and found that respondents pointed to corruption as the second most problematic factor for doing business in the country, after government instability. The instability of the political situation in Pakistan cannot be underestimated as a factor in permitting corruption in the private sector to flourish. Despite Musharrafís claim to be committed to fighting corruption, little headway has been made, and it is still considered to be ëpervasive and deeply entrenchedí.

The inauguration of the new president, Asif Ali Zardari, on 9 September 2008 ushers in a new era, but not one without challenges. The new democratically elected government will, therefore, require the immediate enforcement of good governance and transparency standards to counter the various dire problems facing Pakistan. There is an increased threat of terrorism, hyperinflation, a reduction in the Karachi Stock Exchange 100 Index, a sizeable depreciation of the currency, a substantial reduction in foreign currency reserves and a huge trade deficit inherited from the previous government.

Banking fines for cartels: the new Competition Commission: In Pakistan, monopolistic practices and cartels are perceived to hold sway in such businesses as banking, cement, sugar, automobiles, fertilisers and pharmaceuticals, to name a few. Although cartels distort market prices, they also create other anomalies. Existing players in an industry may firmly block the entry of new entrepreneurs through cartels, in order to ensure their own market dominance. This practice acts as a clear disincentive for the much-needed expansion of Pakistanís industrial base.

In October 2007 a new Competition Commission was set up under the Competition Ordinance 2007, in order to ëprovide for a legal framework to create a business environment based on healthy competition towards improving economic efficiency, developing competitiveness and protecting consumers from anti- competitive practicesí.

It was also meant to ërestrict the undue concentration of economic power, growth of unreasonable monopoly power and unreasonably restrictive trade practicesí, which are perceived to be ëinjurious to the economic well-being, growth and development of Pakistaní. In one of its first initiatives, the Competition Commission challenged the Pakistan Banks Association (PBA) on its decision to ëcollectively decide rates of profit and other terms and conditions regarding deposit accountsí. The PBA is a membership association to which only banks in Pakistan can be affiliated, and it advertised its decision openly in a daily newspaper on 5 November 2007. The terms of the agreement included a number of its member banks imposing ëa four per cent profit on Rs20,000 deposits and a Rs50 charge on less than a Rs5,000 balanceí on bank accounts included in the new Enhanced Savings Account (ESA) scheme. Furthermore, holders of basic accounts that met the criteria would have their accounts changed to ESAs without the prior instruction or agreement of the account-holders.

The Competition Commission considered this move by the PBA to be in violation of section 4 of the Competition Ordinance 2007, and, moreover, in acting as a cartel, the banks were alleged to have behaved anti-competitively. The implications of the changes included customers with balances of less than Rs5,000 having to pay Rs50 each month and the transfer of accounts without the account-holdersí prior permission.

On 24 December a ëshow-causeí was issued to the PBA and the banks, and they were asked to provide justification of their behaviour to the commission by 10 January 2008.

Both the PBA and the banks issued responses on 9 January, denying the charges of cartelisation, and on 28 February 2008 a further statement was issued, arguing that the commission did not have jurisdiction in this area and that, furthermore, the changes had been made ëat the behest of the regulator (the State Bank of Pakistan) in the larger public interestí. The PBA also argued that it could not be considered to be stifling competition as the deposit amounts affected by the ESA scheme amounted to only 2.25 per cent. The commission found later, however, that in terms of the number of account-holders affected the impact was much higher, constituting 45.12 per cent.

The final decision of the Competition Commission was made on 10 April 2008. The commission argued that the ëPBA has acted beyond its mandate...and has been instrumental in the formation of a cartelí. As a result, it had deprived small account-holders of the benefits they were otherwise earning on their savings accounts. The PBA and the culpable banks were ordered to discontinue the practice, not to repeat it and to pay considerable fines. The PBA was fined Rs30 million, and the seven banks involved were fined Rs25 million each.

The penalised institutions did have recourse to appeal to the appellate bench of the Competition Commission, but they failed to do so within the stipulated time. On 27 May the PBA did, however, appeal against the decision of the commission with the Sindh High Court, which ordered the commission not to take any action against the PBA before the decision had been adjudicated in court.

The commission appealed against the high courtís decision, and on 15 September 2008 the Supreme Court allowed the commission to proceed against the banks. The Competition Commissionís move against the banking cartel, as well as the support provided by the Supreme Court, is encouraging. It has sent the message that such practices by the private sector, including the maintenance of unreasonable power by monopolies and restrictive trade practices, will not be tolerated and that the institutions in charge of monitoring such practices have the power to act.

Privatisation of Pakistan Steel Mills: Corruption in privatisation in Pakistan is endemic: manipulation of the process can be found at all stages, from the evaluation of profits and assets of a company to the provision of kickbacks on completion of a settlement.

One of the most famous cases relating to privatisation involves the attempted privatisation of Pakistan Steel Mills. As Pakistanís largest and only integrated steel manufacturing plant, it is a private limited company, and 100 per cent of its equity is owned by the government. The plant is the biggest producer of steel in Pakistan and was installed in 1981, with the collaboration of Russia, by the Ministry of Industries, Production and Special Initiatives. In 1997 the government of Pakistan decided to privatise it, and, following the rules, secured approval from the Council of Common Interests.

In 1998 the privatisation of Pakistan Steel Mills was abandoned, and to make it profitable the labour force was reduced from 20,000 to 15,000.

As the steel mill had been designed, constructed and fitted out entirely by the Soviet Union, in February 2003 General Musharraf visited Moscow and signed an agreement to expand the production of the plantís steel from 1.1 million to 1.5 million tonnes. By December 2004, less than two years later, the privatisation of the plant was being discussed again, and by 10 February 2005 the decision to privatise the mill was taken by the government. The corporation, assessed at Rs72 billion, was sold to a consortium for Rs21.58 billion on 24 April 2006.

On 23 June 2006, the Supreme Court ruled against the privatisation, and Chief Justice Chaudhry prevented the sale of the state monopoly to the private investors.

The Supreme Court concluded that approving the award of the contract reflected disregard for the mandatory rules, as well as the information necessary for arriving at a fair sale price. The unexplained haste of the proceedings also cast reasonable doubt on the ethics of the whole exercise. While Chief Justice Chaudhry acknowledged that it was not the function of the court to interfere with the policy-making of the executive, the privatisation of the mills was ëvitiated by acts of omissioní and violated the mandatory provisions of laws and rules. The valuation of the project and the final terms offered to the consortium were not in accord with the initial public offering given through the advertisement.

This case had implications that still resonate today, as it is considered one of the causes of the dismissal of Chief Justice Chaudhry in March 2007, who was not reinstated until July 2008.

It is, therefore, partially responsible for a great civil society movement in Pakistan, which called for the restoration of an independent judiciary. There are also unanswered questions that still need resolution. In October 2006 a case was filed against the then prime minister, Shaukat Aziz, and ten other ministers, as well as the governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, alleging misuse of power ñ corruption as defined in section 9 of the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance 1999, which covers corruption and corrupt practices.

If found guilty, they would be subject to punishment, up to fourteen yearsí imprisonment, under section 10 of the ordinance for their involvement in the attempted privatisation of Pakistan Steel Mills. At the time of writing this report it was yet to be seen how the NAB, under the jurisdiction of the current government, will proceed with this case.

In Surprise, Moon Shows Signs of Water

There appears to be, to the surprise of planetary scientists, water, water everywhere on the Moon, although how many drops future astronauts might be able to drink is not clear.

Data from three spacecraft indicate the widespread presence of water or hydroxyl, a molecule consisting of one hydrogen atom and one oxygen atom as opposed to the two hydrogen and one oxygen atoms that make up a water molecule. The discoveries are being published Thursday on the Web site of the journal Science.

“It’s so startling because it’s so pervasive,” said Lawrence A. Taylor of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, a co-author of one of the papers that analyzed data from a National Aeronautics and Space Administration instrument aboard India’s Chandrayyan-1 satellite. “It’s like somebody painted the globe.” [Detail]

Pakistan Government To Monitor Telecom Traffic

The government has decided to have complete check on the telecommunication traffic by monitoring landline calls, wireless local loop interaction, cellular phones calls/SMS and e-mails to avert any subversive activity through obnoxious and unwanted communication. [Detail]

Nokia Launches First Netbook, Nokia Booklet 3G (12 hour battery life)

Nokia Corp., the world’s largest maker of mobile phones, on Monday unveiled its first netbook. Just like competing solutions, Nokia Booklet 3G is based on Intel Corp.’s Atom processor, but what will differ the devices from others is rather unprecedented battery life of up to 12 hours.

“A growing number of people want the computing power of a PC with the full benefits of mobility,” adds Kai Oistamo, Nokia’s Executive Vice President for Devices. “We are in the business of connecting people and the Nokia Booklet 3G is a natural evolution for us. Nokia has a long and rich heritage in mobility and with the outstanding battery life, premium design and all day, always on connectivity, we will create something quite compelling. In doing so we will make the personal computer more social, more helpful and more personal.”

The Nokia Booklet 3G will retail for €570 or about $810.

It will ship during the fourth quarter, but Nokia didn't elaborate on where in the world it would become available.





Nokia Booklet 3G Netbook full specifications:

* Dimensions Weight (max) 1250 g
* Dimensions (max) 264 x 185 x 19.9 mm

* CPU and Chipset Intel Atom Z530, 1.6 GHz
* Intel Poulsbo US15W, fanless design

* Memory and Storage RAM: 1 GB, DDR2, 533 Mhz, soldered down
* HDD: 120 GB, 1.8”/5mmH/SATA, 8 MB cache, 4200 RPM

* Display 10.1”, 1280×720 pixels, glass window

* Battery 16 cell, 56.8 Wh, Li-Ion prismatic, removable design

* Connectivity 802.11 b/g/n, 2T2R
* BT 2.1 + EDR
* Inbuilt 3G modem (data calls only). Different variants: WCDMA: 850/1900/2100 or WCDMA 900/2100 or no modem.
* All modem variants have GSM and GPRS
* Assisted-GPS

* I/O ports 1 x HDMI 1.2 out
* 3 x USB 2.0
* 1 x headphone out (OMTP 3.5 mm) – with OMTP headsets also functions as audio in
* 1 x DC-in
* 1 x SD card reader
* 1 x SIM / USIM slot

* Camera and microphone 1.3 MP front facing camera with integrated microphone

* Keyboard Frame keyboard
* 2 physical layouts: US (78 keys, 17 mm pitch, 1.8 mm stroke) and UK (79 keys, 16.7 mm pitch, 1.8 mm stroke)

* Other Accelerometer

* Software Operating System: Windows 7 Starter Edition, Home Premium or Professional
* MS Office Small Business 60 day trial
* MS Internet Explorer 8
* HDD protection utility, Hotkey utility , Knock Control utility, Power Profile Switcher, Battery Life utility
* Nokia Update Manager
* Ovi Suite
* Ovi Maps Gadget
* Social Hub
* F-Secure Internet Security 2010 trial

French Muslims suprised by first TV advert for halal food

In a surprising development for a country poised to ban the burka, the advert for the first time directly targets France's five million Muslims, offering them microwaveable paella, lasagna and shepherd's pie prepared in accordance with Islamic law.

To make meat halal or permissible, an animal or poultry has to be slaughtered in a ritual way known as Zibah.

Such adverts had previously been only been shown on Arabic satellite channels viewable in the country.

In the advert, broadcast on TF1, France's most-watched channel, as well as rival M6 and digital terrestrial channels, a middle class French Muslim couple rush to a supermarket shelf stocked with Zakia Halal, a brand of Panzani, the food group, as they seek food with which to break their fast during Ramadan.

The husband, who is pushing the trolley, says: "Yes, yes, we eat halal".

"Yes, Zakia halal," adds his wife, miming a "z" for Zorro. [Detail]

UN warns over swine flu in birds

The discovery of swine flu in birds in Chile raises concerns about the spread of the virus, the UN warns.

Last week the H1N1 virus was found in turkeys on farms in Chile. The UN now says poultry farms elsewhere in the world could also become infected.

Scientists are worried that the virus could theoretically mix with more dangerous strains. It has previously spread from humans to pigs. [Detail]

New Omega-3 Blood Test: A Better Predictor of Coronary Heart Disease Than Cholesterol

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. --A new blood test, measuring the level of omega-3 fatty acids in red blood cells, is now broadly available for the first time to the public everywhere as a consumer-friendly, at-home "finger stick" test. While scientists have long known of the benefits of fish and fish oil for overall heart health, over the past decade research has proven that the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish dramatically reduce one's risk for cardiovascular disease. Further, recent research indicates that omega-3 levels may be among the best predictors of future coronary heart disease - providing much stronger correlations to the risk of sudden cardiac death than traditional indicators, including HDL and LDL cholesterol.

The Gene Smart Omega-3 Index measures the amount of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids in red blood cell membranes and is expressed as the percent of total fatty acids. The results of the test are represented as a score that a significant body of research indicates may be an independent predictor of heart disease - with a score of 4 percent or less indicating a high risk, and a score of 8 percent or more indicating a relatively low risk.

"The research suggests that the levels of omega-3 fatty acids should be routinely measured, especially in vulnerable populations such as those at risk of cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases," said Floyd "Ski" Chilton, PhD, a pioneer in inflammatory disease and omega-3 research and a professor of Physiology and Pharmacology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. "This test is the most convenient, affordable and effective way to measure omega-3 levels."

However, very recent studies suggest that individuals have varying capacities to metabolize omega-3s. "So even if a person eats fish or takes fish oil supplements, they may not be getting enough," Dr. Chilton added. "It is important to measure omega-3 levels, so individuals can determine whether their dietary intake of this important nutrient needs to be adjusted."

In introducing the Gene Smart Omega-3 Index, Gene Smart has partnered with a pioneer of omega-3 research and cardiovascular disease, William S. Harris, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and Basic Biomedical Sciences at the Sanford School of Medicine of the University of South Dakota and a co-author on the American Heart Association's (AHA) Scientific Advisory on Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids published in Circulation (Vol. 106:2002).

Dr. Harris has published over 80 scientific articles on omega-3s, including his ground-breaking study, published in Preventive Medicine (Vol. 39, 2004) with co-author Clemens von Schacky, MD, a cardiologist from Munich, which first proposed the Omega-3 Index as a cardiovascular risk factor.

The Gene Smart Omega-3 Index(TM) uses Dr. Harris's proprietary HS-Omega-3 Index(R) methodology -- the same methodology used in the clinical studies that validated the correlation between the Omega-3 Index and heart disease risk. The science behind the Index has been tested and validated by data from numerous large-scale human clinical studies, including the highly-regarded Physicians' Health Study (PHS), which involved 14,916 healthy male physicians.

"The strength of the association between omega-3s and heart disease is really quite remarkable," said Dr. Harris. "And the benefits of having a high Omega-3 Index, in the 8 to 10 percent range, speak for themselves. Individuals with a high Index have a decrease in the relative risk for sudden cardiac death by as much as 90 percent."

Beyond Omega-3: The Critical Omega-6/Omega-3 Ratio
In addition to measuring the amount of omega-3s in the bloodstream, the new Gene Smart blood test provides a measure of a person's omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. Leading experts believe that the marked shift in omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids in the Western diet over the past three generations has led to an overall increase in chronic whole body inflammation and a higher incidence of allergic and inflammatory disease including cardiovascular disease, asthma, allergies, diabetes and arthritis. This is of concern because omega-3s tend to be anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective, while consuming too many omega-6 fats can lead to an overproduction of inflammatory messengers.

Dr. Chilton's latest research in nutrient/gene interactions, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry (June 5, 2009), demonstrated that shifting ratios of omega-6 to omega-3 from greater than 15:1 to less than 5:1 in humans can positively influence genes that provide protection against allergies and other inflammatory diseases. According to Chilton, the increased omega-6 fatty acids in the typical U.S. diet is due in large part to the industrialization of our food supply and increased consumption of omega-6 rich foods such as vegetable oils, salad oils, margarine and fried foods. Combined with a reduced consumption of omega-3 rich fish, this has resulted in omega-6/omega-3 ratios often well in excess of 10:1. Anthropological evidence suggests that our hunter-gatherer ancestors maintained a ratio closer to 2:1.

"The best news in all of this is that a low Omega-3 Index is an easily modifiable risk factor," added Dr. Chilton. "By simply eating more oily fish like salmon and albacore tuna, or taking a quality omega-3 supplement with the right levels of EPA and DHA, anyone can improve their Omega-3 Index score which research suggests will reduce their risk of heart disease - the number one killer of men and women in this country."

The Gene Smart Omega-3 Index test is now available through Gene Smart Wellness at www.genesmart.com as a convenient, at-home "finger stick" kit which is sent by the user to a lab for a comprehensive analysis. Research suggests that the Gene Smart Omega-3 Index may be an independent risk factor that is not influenced by other heart disease risk factors like cholesterol or blood pressure. All risk factors, including the Omega-3 Index, should be addressed as part of an overall heart health risk reduction strategy.

About Gene Smart
Gene Smart(TM) Wellness (GSW) is a preventative healthcare company that utilizes the latest understanding of the relation between diet & exercise, our genes and our health to empower individuals to take control of their health in order to live life abundantly. Floyd "Ski" Chilton, PhD, is the company's Chief Scientific Advisor and author of numerous articles and books on health and nutrition. His most recent book, The Gene Smart Diet (Rodale, 2009), makes the connection between what we eat, our genes and our health. More information on the Gene Smart program and the Omega-3 Index is available at www.genesmart.com.

Dr. Chilton is a professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Chief Scientific Advisor to GeneSmart Wellness, the company offering the Omega-3 Index test. His conflict of interest( )has been disclosed to Wake Forest University Health Sciences and outside sponsors and is institutionally managed.

USD 25 Trillion Thar Coal Reserves Can Change The Fate Of Pakistan

According to Pakistan Economy Watch the coal deposits in Thar can change the fate of the country if utilized in a proper way. It can save oil import bill, reduce unemployment and help strengthen economy, rupee and FOREX stocks.

Dr Murtaza Mughal president of Pakistan Economy Watch in a statement said that 185 billion tonnes of coal worth USD 25 trillion can not only cater the electricity requirements of the country for next 100 years but also save almost four billion dollars in staggering oil import bill.

He said that “The project which is in limbo since a decade can help thousands of households by providing employment and help save oil import bill by USD 4-4.50 billion and help FOREX reserves to swell.

Mr Murtaza said the coal power generation would cost Pakistan PKR 5.67 per unit while power generated by Independent Power Projects cost PKR 9.27. He said that “There is a remarkable difference that will certainly life economy of the country and will provide a break to poor. He said that the German, Chinese and other companies had not only carried out surveys and feasibilities of this project but also offered 100 percent investment in last 7 to 8 years but the petroleum barons always discouraged them in a very systematic way.

He demanded a probe into the matter as some elements deprived people of Pakistan from cheap source of energy for too long in their own interest. He said that petroleum lobby is very strong in Pakistan and they are against any other means of power generation except for the imported oil. This lobby is major beneficiary of the increasing oil bill that is estimated above 15 billion dollar this year.

French ban Muslim woman from pool for wearing 'burkini' swimsuit

Source: http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/aug2009-daily/14-08-2009/u2366.htm

A French woman who converted to Islam has been banned from wearing a "burkini" in a swimming pool outside Paris.

The woman, named only as Carole, 35, was told that the garment, a swimsuit that covers most of the body, was "inappropriate" clothing for a public baths.

Pool staff said her three-piece Islamic swimsuit she bought in Dubai - consisting of a headscarf, tunic and trousers - was against pool regulations and unhygienic. [Detail]

Other Sources:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1206050/Muslim-woman-banned-wearing-burkini-French-swimming-pool.html

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6793574.ece

http://infidelsunite.typepad.com/counter_jihad/2009/08/update-muslim-woman-banned-from-wearing-a-burkini.html

NASA wants proposals for space taxis

NASA plans to use $50 million of federal economic stimulus funds to seed development of commercial passenger transportation service to space, agency officials said on Monday.

Aspiring spaceship operators will have 45 days to submit proposals, which will be competitively evaluated. Awards for the Commercial Crew Development program are expected to be announced before the end of September.

The United States is retiring its fleet of space shuttles next year after seven more missions to complete construction of the $100 billion International Space Station, which orbits about 225 miles above Earth.

After that, the United States plans to buy rides for astronauts to and from the station from Russia, one of the 16 nations involved in the station program. [Detail]

5,000 tons of unsold Tesco cuts a year are being burned to provide power for homes

Tesco is sending 5,000 tons of leftover meat a year to be burned to generate electricity for homes, it emerged yesterday.

The supermarket disposes of enough meat that has passed its sell-by date to power 600 homes for a year through the National Grid.

Other major supermarkets plan to follow suit. But animal rights campaigners yesterday said many homeowners would be 'horrified' to learn that their electricity was generated by the 'macabre' recycling scheme.

Tesco has hailed the scheme as part of a 'green' drive which had enabled it to stop sending any of the waste it produces to environmentally damaging landfill sites.

But the campaigners said the environmental benefits were far outweighed by the greenhouse gases produced by all the extra animals unnecessarily reared for slaughter in the first place. [Detail]

Knowledge is Power ... Wake Up!!!

Demographics:
o World Jewish Population. 14 million
o Distribution: 7 m in America
5 m in Asia
2 m in Europe
100 thousand in Africa
o World Muslim Population: 1.5 billion
o Distribution: 1 billion in Asia/Mid-East
400 M in Africa
44 M in Europe
6 M in the Americas
o Every fifth human being is a Muslim.
o For every single Hindu there are two Muslims
o For every Buddhist there are two Muslims
o For every Jew there are 107 Muslims
o Yet the 14 million Jews are more powerful than the entire 1.5 billion Muslims

Why?

Here are some of the reasons:

Movers of Current History
o Albert Einstein - Jewish
o Sigmund Freud - Jewish
o Karl Marx - Jewish
o Paul Samuelson - Jewish
o Milton Friedman - Jewish

Medical Milestones
o Vaccinating Needle: Benjamin Ruben - Jewish
o Polio Vaccine Jonas Salk - Jewish
o Leukaemia Drug Gertrude Elion - Jewish
o Hepatitis B Baruch Blumberg - Jewish
o Syphilis Drug Paul Ehrlich - Jewish
o Neuro muscular Elie Metchnikoff - Jewish
o Endocrinology Andrew Schally - Jewish
o Cognitive therapy. Aaron Beck - Jewish
o Contraceptive Pill Gregory Pincus - Jewish
o Understanding of Human Eye. G. Wald - Jewish
o Embryology. Stanley Cohen - Jewish
o Kidney Dialysis Willem Kloffcame - Jewish

Nobel Prize Winners
o In the past 105 years, 14 million Jews have won 180 Nobel prizes whilst 1.5 billion Muslims have contributed only 3 Nobel winners

Inventions that changed History
o Micro- Processing Chip. Stanley Mezor - Jewish
o Nuclear Chain Reactor Leo Sziland - Jewish
o Optical Fibre Cable Peter Schultz - Jewish
o Traffic Lights Charles Adler - Jewish
o Stainless Steel Benno Strauss - Jewish
o Sound Movies Isador Kisee - Jewish
o Telephone Microphone Emile Berliner - Jewish
o Video Tape Recorder Charles Ginsburg - Jewish

Influential Global Business
o Polo Ralph Lauren - Jewish
o Coca Cola - Jewish
o Levi's Jeans Levi Strauss - Jewish
o Sawbuck's Howard Schultz - Jewish
o Google Sergey Brin - Jewish
o Dell Computers Michael Dell - Jewish
o Oracle Larry Ellison - Jewish
o DKNY Donna Karan - Jewish
o Baskin & Robbins Irv Robbins - Jewish
o Dunkin Donuts Bill Rosenberg - Jewish

Influential Intellectuals/ Politicians
o Henry Kissinger , US Sec of State - Jewish
o Richard Levin, PresidentYaleUniver sity - Jewish
o Alan Greenspan , US Federal Reserve - Jewish
o Joseph Lieberman - Jewish
o Madeleine Albright , US Sec of State - Jewish
o CasperWeinberger , US Sec of Defence - Jewish
o Maxim Litvinov , USSR Foreign Minister - Jewish
o DavidMarshal , Singapore Chief Minister - Jewish
o Isaacs Isaacs, Gov-GenAustralia - Jewish
o Benjamin Disraeli, British Statesman - Jewish
o Yevgeny Primakov, Russian PM - Jewish
o Barry Goldwater , US Politician - Jewish
o Jorge Sampaio, President Portugal - Jewish
o Herb Gray, Canadian Deputy - PM - Jewish
o Pierre Mendes, French PM - Jewish
o Michael Howard, British Home Sec. - Jewish
o Bruno Kriesky, Austrian Chancellor - Jewish
o Robert Rubin , US Sec of Treasury - Jewish

Global Media Influential
o Wolf Blitzer, CNN - Jewish
o Barbara Walters ABC News - Jewish
o EugeneMeyer , Washington Post - Jewish
o Henry Grunwald, Time Magazine - Jewish
o Katherine Graham , Washington Post - Jewish
o Joseph Lelyeld, New York Times - Jewish
o Max Frankel, New York Times - Jewish

Global Philanthropists
o George Soros - Jewish
o Walter Annenberg - Jewish


Why are they powerful? why are Muslims powerless?
Here's another reason. We have lost the capacity to produce knowledge.

o In the entire Muslim World (57 Muslim Countries) there are only 500 universities.
o In USA alone, 5,758 universities
o In India alone, 8,407 universities
o Not one university in the entire Islamic World features in the Top 500 Ranking Universities of the World
o Literacy in the Christian World 90%
o Literacy in the Muslim World 40%
o 15 Christian majority-countries, literacy rate 100%
o Muslim majority - countries , None
o 98% in Christian countries completed primary
o Only 50% in Muslim countries completed primary.
o 40% in Christian countries attended university
o In Muslim countries a dismal 2% attended.
o Muslim majority countries have 230 scientists per one million Muslims
o The USA has 5000 per million
o The Christian world 1000 technicians per million.
o Entire Arab World only 50 technicians per million.
o Muslim World spends on research/developmen t 0.2% of GDP
o Christian World spends 5 % of GDP

Conclusion.
o The Muslim World lacks the capacity to produce knowledge.

Another way of testing the degree of knowledge is the degree of diffusing knowledge.

o Pakistan 23 daily newspapers per 1000 citizens
o Singapore 460 per 1000 citizens.
o In UK book titles per million is 2000
o In Egypt book titles per million is only 17

Conclusion.
o Muslim World is failing to diffuse knowledge

Applying Knowledge is another such test.
o Exports of high tech products from Pakistan is 0.9% of its exports.
o In Saudi Arabia is 0.2%
o Kuwait , Morocco and Algeria 0.3%
o Singapore alone is 68%

Conclusion.
o Muslim World is failing to apply knowledge.

What do you conclude? no need to tell the figures are speaking themselves very loudly we are unable to listen

Advice:
Please educate yourself and your children. always promote education, don't compromise on it, don't ignore your children's slightest misguidance from education (and please, for God's Sake, don't use your personal contacts or sources to promote your children in their education; if they fail, let them and make them learn to pass; b/c if they can't do it now, they can't ever).
We are World's biggest and strongest nation, all we need is to identify and explore our ownselves. Our victory is with our knowledge, our creativity, our literacy...And nothing else.