Pakistan News Today

Kaptaan

2012-02-28T04:13:00.004-08:00

Imran Khan was born on 25th November 1952 in Lahore, Pakistan. He grew up in Zaman Park (Lahore) where cricket was a great part of his family life.

Education and Cricket Career:

Imran received his early education at the prestigious Aitchison College, Lahore. Imran Khan proved to be a fine cricketer and made his first-class test debut for Lahore at the age of sixteen.

Imran was selected for the Pakistan cricket team in 1970, where he soon made a permanent place for himself. He finished his high school education at the Royal Grammar School in Worcester, England, where he excelled in cricket. He went on to study Economics and Politics at Keble College, Oxford, in 1972, and was captain of Oxford's cricket team in 1974.

During the Seventies, Imran became a world-class 'all-rounder' and was rewarded with the captaincy of the Pakistani cricket team in 1981. He was declared international cricketer of the year in 1989-90.

Lead the Pakistan team to lift World Cup in 1992:

Imran Khan led the Pakistani team under his captaincy to victory over every other cricketing country in the world. He molded them into a great team through his skills and understanding and taught them what team spirit was and made the players give their best instead of just playing for themselves. Imran Khan led Pakistan to numerous victories all over the world, and during his capaincy Pakistan won the world cup in 1992.

Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital:

Imran vowed to build a Cancer Hospital after watching his mother die from the disease, which made him think about how poor people coped during such difficult times. Since retiring from Cricket in 1993 Imran has been devoting his time in the setting up and running the Cancer Hospital. To raise money he organized door-to-door collections, charity launches and a Ramadan appeal. Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital opened in Lahore in 1996 and the press and television covered this happiest moment in Imran’s life. Today SKMT is one of the leading institutions for free cancer treatment in the world and has received international recognition.

Currently,Imran Khan is building another cancer hospital in Karachi, using his successful Lahore institution as a model.

Imran is also amongst a number of actors, artists, singers and sports figures who donate their talents to advocate for children on behalf of UNICEF as Special Representatives. He has used his international profile in cricket to support health and immunisation programmes in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Chancellor of Bradford University, England and Namal College:

In December 2005 Imran was appointed as Chancellor of the University of Bradford in UK, acting as an ambassador for the University in the UK and overseas. The Chancellor awards degrees but also is important as a role model and in helping raise aspirations and awareness of educational opportunities. Imran Khan is the fifth Chancellor of the University of Bradford.

On 27 April 2008, Khan's brainchild, a technical college in the Mianwali District called Namal College, was inaugurated. Namal College was built by the Mianwali Development Trust (MDT), as chaired by Khan, and was made an associate college of the University of Bradford in December 2005.

As a philanthropist and a Member of Parliament in the district, Imran has, under the umbrella of the Mianwali Development Trust (MDT), undertaken a number of initiatives to address the multiple economic and social challenges faced by the area. These challenges include driving improvements in literacy, community organization, health, access to credit, encouragement of corporate investment, and education. Imran Khan has the experience and drive to make Namal College a success story.

Political Career:

Imran Khan was deeply shocked and realized that the only way to change things in Pakistan is through an independent judiciary. To fight corruption and bring the rule of law he formed his own political party, Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI) or Movement for Justice. The slogan of PTI is Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem.

He represented Mianwali as a member of the National Assembly from November 2002 to October 2007.

JAPAN Takes Another Step Towards Robot Workers

2010-09-19T23:02:00.001-07:00

JAPAN — The replacement of humans by machines in the workplace took another step forward on Wednesday, as Japanese researchers unveiled a model they hope could lead to humanoid menial workers.

Its makers, Kawada Industries and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), hope the robot will be a step towards creating a model that can help ease greying Japan's looming labour shortage.
"We designed a working robot in the image of a lean but well-muscled track-and-field athlete," Noriyuki Kanehira, robotic systems manager at Kawada, told a news conference to unveil the blue-and-white "HRP-4".
Designed to help researchers develop models that could replace humans in repetitive manual labour, the latest "athlete" model in a near 10-year-old series updates the feminine, catwalk-strutting, karaoke-singing HRP-4C.

But the tone this time is altogether more serious, according to a joint statement from its developers.
"It is Japan's urgent task for the early 21st Century to develop robots that could carry out simple, repetitive works... in a bid to complement the workforce in a country that is rapidly ageing with fewer and fewer children," they said.
Standing at 151 centimetres (59 inches) tall, the robot stood on one foot, twisted its waist, struck poses, obeyed voice commands and followed objects with its head in a demonstration on Wednesday.
The HRP-4 boasts joints that move more freely than its predecessors and can run a range of separately-developed software applications, its makers said.
Kawada and AIST will start selling the robot to universities and research institutes in Japan and abroad from January 2011.

The price tag for what is described as a "low cost" model is 26 million yen (306,000 dollars) each. Its creators hope to sell between three and five units a year.

TODAY NEWS........................
RELATED VIDEOS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpO57NltoAI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKiufUDng8k&feature=related

AAMIR KHAN Gets Invitation to dine with Prince Charles

2010-09-07T21:55:00.000-07:00

Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan and his wife Kiran Rao have been invited to dine with the Prince of Wales and Camila Parker Bowles at their Marlborough House in Westminster, London.

Perfectionist Khan is honored by this gesture of the Prince and has accepted the offer. He has been invited with wife Kiran for cocktails and dinner.

It is pertinent to mention here that this is not the first time that Prince of Wales will be sharing moments with Bollywood personality. Earlier, it was Padmini Kolhapure who was so over whelmed that she kissed the Prince on his trip to India.

Aamer & Asif Axed from the List of awards.

2010-09-03T22:47:00.000-07:00

KARACHI: Embattled Pakistan bowlers Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif, currently embroiled in a corruption storm, have been dropped from the International Cricket Council's annual awards list.

"The pair's nominations have been withdrawn and the jury has been informed," an ICC spokesman confirmed to media without giving further details.

Aamer was in the running for the best emerging player award while Asif was listed in the best cricketer category.

The awards ceremony will take place in Bangalore on Monday.

Aamer and Asif, as well as Test captain Salman Butt, are all being investigated following allegations of 'spot-fixing' in the fourth Test against England last week.

All three have been charged by the ICC with "various offences" under its anti-corruption code and they have been suspended pending a decision on those charges.

Health news

2010-09-02T01:37:00.000-07:00

Scientists found that drinking good amount of water before having meals can help loose serious amount of weight. Slimmers can lose an average of 5lb extra if they drink two glasses of water three times a day before meals.

Scientists in Virginia tested the theory on 48 older adults, aged 55 to 75, split into two groups for over 12 weeks. The first group followed a low-calorie diet but did not drink any extra water before meals. The second group followed the low-calorie diet but drank two glasses of water before each meal. Over the course of 12 weeks, the group who drank water lost about 15.5lbs while the others lost about 11lbs. The researchers also say that drinking water can make you feel full on zero calories, while too much water can also lead to serious health problems.

The researchers presented their findings at the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston.

Plane Crash: 58 bodies Handed to There Families

2010-07-28T23:42:00.000-07:00

ISLAMABAD: At least 58 of 152 killed in the plane crash in Islamabad have been identified thus far and handed over to the bereaved families,

The bodies brought to the PIMS Hospital, were mostly in parts and pieces, garnered from the crash site.

Those identified are Maulana Nawabul Hasan of Attaock, Ghulam Rasool, Prem Chand, Airhostess Naheed Bhatti, Sumaira Munawwar, Mirza Tahir Baig, Mona, Amir and Afshan.

The bodies of Piyar Ali, Sapna Munawwar, Munawwar, Maulana Nawabul Hasan and Abdur Raheem have been given in the custody of the relative family members.

The PIMS Hospital officials said a team of 50 doctors has been constituted to identify the bodies.

Meantime, according to Federal Interior Minister Rehman A Malik, the body parts beyond recognition are being DNA tested today.

Chief Commissioner Islamabad said the DNA test process would take a week to complete; afterwards, the bodies would be handed to the grief-struck families.

Salman Khan Praises Tere Bin Laden

2010-07-22T22:50:00.000-07:00

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, who is known for speaking his mind come what may, has once again said something out of the ordinary. After watching the latest release ‘Tere Bin Laden’ recently, Salman went ahead to the extent of advising Osama Bin Laden to watch the flick.
Reports reveal that Sallu burst into laughter after seeing the movie. “Saw Tere Bin Laden yet ? Haina? I told u... Isn`t the hero and noora the best thing in the film?,” Salman posted on Twitter.
“Even Osama wud laugh. Obama shud keep a pvt screening for him,” tweeted Salman.
Directed by Abhishek Sharma, ‘Tere Bin Laden’ was recently released in cinemas across the country. The film is the story of an ambitious young reporter Ali, who gets hold of an Osama look alike and makes a fake Osama tape which he sells to the news channel to raise money so that he can migrate to USA.

3-year extension in Army Chief’s service....Today News

2010-07-22T22:21:00.000-07:00

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has announced 3-year extension in the service of Army Chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani starting from November 29, 2010.
In a televised address, the PM said that the government is fighting war of terrorism with people’s backing. The Army completed successful military operations in Swat, Malakand and Waziristan under the leadership of COAS Kayani. The ongoing army operations have entered into a critical juncture. And it is necessary to have continuity in the leadership of Army. Army Chief’s capabilities are seen with respect all across the world. So, it is decided with the consultation of President Asif Ali Zardari to give COAS a three years extension. He said he made this decision easing the present policy.

Iraq war was illegal: DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

2010-07-22T00:30:00.000-07:00

LONDON: The Deputy Prime Minister's statement, while standing in for David Cameron in Prime Minister's Questions, could lead to renewed legal claims against the Government and armed forces.

Clegg's comments angered some Conservative MPs, many of whom, including Mr Cameron, had voted for the 2003 invasion. His remarks came as Mr Clegg clashed with Jack Straw, who was standing in for Harriet Harman, Labour's leader.

Speaking about the former foreign secretary he said: "Maybe he one day - perhaps we will have to wait for his memoirs - could account for his role in the most disastrous decision of all, which is the illegal invasion of Iraq."

The Liberal Democrats were the only mainstream party to oppose the decision to topple Saddam Hussein. In the Commons Mr Clegg seemed to revel in reminding Mr Straw that it was Labour that had taken the country to war illegally.

Before his surprise outburst Mr Clegg had enjoyed raucous backing from his Coalition colleagues as he stood in at the Dispatch Box for the first time for the Prime Minister who is in America.

But his comments were seized on as he was speaking for the Coalition. Downing Street unconvincingly claimed that Mr Clegg was allowed to speak in a personal capacity.

In an attempt to defuse the row Number 10 said that the Iraq Inquiry, led by Sir John Chilcot, would declare whether the invasion on March 2003 was illegal.

But hours later a spokesman for the inquiry made it clear that Sir John would not make a conclusion on whether the America-led invasion, which was backed by 45,000 British personnel, was legal.

However, Downing Street still chose not to distance itself from the comments as Tory MPs attacked Mr Clegg for his contentious remarks.

crushes most walnuts with hand BY A CHINESE

2010-07-22T00:05:00.000-07:00

BEIJING: The record of most walnuts crushed by hand unaided by any instrument in one minute is 112.The world record was achieved by Lu Yuehui in China on the set of Zheng Da Zong Yi - Guinness World Records Special in Beijing, China.This feat was conducted on 22 November 2009.

Umar Gul urged Pakistan's batsmen

2010-07-21T23:32:00.000-07:00

Umar Gul urged Pakistan's batsmen to build a lead of "150-200" after helping rout Australia for just 88 on the first day of the second and final Test at Headingley on Wednesday.

Gul played his part with two wickets for 16 runs in nine overs.

But such was Pakistan's command of the swinging ball, his were only the third-best figures of the innings with teenage left-arm quick Mohammad Aamer taking three for 20 in 11 overs and Mohammad Asif three for 30 in 10.1.

Pakistan, who lost the first Test by 150 runs at Lord's last week, finished the day on 148 for three - a lead of 60.

Test novices Umar Amin and Umar Akmal were unbeaten on one and eight respectively at the close.

Earlier, Salman Butt marked his first day as Pakistan captain, following Shahid Afridi's post-Lord's retirement from Tests, with 45 in an opening stand of 80 with Imran Farhat (43).

"It was a good day for us," said Gul. "We all bowled well and we will be happy with a lead of 150-200."

Deepika Gets a New Tattoo

2010-07-21T23:07:00.000-07:00

MUMBAI: The super model and the daughter of ace tennis player- Prakash Padukone, who made her dream debut opposite Shahrukh Khan in Farah khan's Om Shanti Om has a new reason to smile.

The tall actress recently got a painful tattoo done at her ankle.

The entire process of the tattoo was quite painful as ankle is one of the toughest places to get a tattoo. The actress who already has a tattoo at the nape of her neck has designed her new tattoo in the shape of an anklet.

The idea of tattoo clicked to her mind during the shooting of her movie in London. Although her decision of getting a tattoo done was quite spontaneous, but Deepika was quite excited about the proposal and took keen interest, in its making.

However the actress who is also a former tennis player herself at the national level has denied to reveal the place from where she has got the tattoo made but the sources close to her indicate that this is to do with her recent break up with Ranbir Kapoor.

As the actress, is trying hard to come out of the break up blues

Priynka Chopra Researches for 'Silence' role...news

2010-07-21T03:34:00.000-07:00

MUMBAI: Priyanka Chopra has reportedly planned to spend some time in a mental hospital while researching for a movie role.

The actress, who is to play a mentally ill woman in Silence, is apparently visiting a number of institutions so that she can learn more about the disability she is portraying.

"The film has already signed another leading heroine Katrina Kaif hence Priyanka was hesitant to take up the movie. However, after going through the script, Priyanka realised the importance of her character in the film and signed it.

"She has preparing been for the role and is planning to visit some institutions," a source revealed.

Chopra added: "I will start shooting for Anurag [Basu]'s Silence in January 2011 after completing Don 2. I am preparing for my role. I need to undergo training to perform the role perfectly. I am happy to get such a challenging role, which many of my age do not get."

19 kill in various areas Due to rains

2010-07-21T03:01:00.000-07:00

LAHORE: At least 19 people lost their lives in rain-related accidents, as driving rains are in progress in various parts of the country,

The stormy downpours intermittently continued since last night in Dera Ismail Khan and the adjoining areas.

At least three children and a woman were killed as their house caved in in Aba Shaheed. The rainwater is still present in low-lying areas, rendering the life virtually suspended.

The rainwater after it rained overnight, accumulated in low-lying and interior areas of Sargodha, injuring at least six people, as the walls of houses crumbled down in katchi abadis.

Also, a man died of electrocution in Sargodha area of Phalarwan.

The spell of heavy showers are intermittently in progress in Gujranwala and its suburbs.

Introduced First ice-cream van for dogs in London

2010-07-21T02:41:00.000-07:00

LONDON: A new ice cream van with tasty treats specifically for canines will have man's best friend howling with delight.

Instead of offering the traditional vanilla whip cones topped with a flake, these frozen feasts contain gammon and chicken ice cream - complete with a crunchy canine biscuit bone.

A team of scientists investigated the perfect combination of temperature, texture and taste, ensuring the treats would be delicious to dogs and completely safe.

They came up with two flavours - 'dog eat hog world' - a gammon and chicken sorbet topped with a biscuit and served in a cone - and 'canine cookie crunch' - a combination of mixed dog biscuits and ice cream.

The K99 van can be found in parks this summer and, rather than the traditional chimes, the van will be playing the theme tune to Scooby Doo.

It makes its debut appearance at The Boomerang Pets Party in Regents Park, London, on Saturday.

Spokesperson for The Boomerang Pets Party Sally Bezant said: 'Every year Brits consume an average of around 50 ice creams per person, with the majority of these eaten in the summer months.

'All the while, man's best friend has to make do with a bowl of water to cool down. And, with 10.5 million dogs in the UK, that's a lot of pets missing out.'

'With this is mind, The Boomerang Pets Party decided to take action and bring an ice cream to the dogs of Britain.'

Head chef behind the K99's recipes Ceric Nale said: 'When it came to designing the recipes for the K99s, we wanted to make sure we had the most exciting flavour and texture combinations.

'After a lot of research, a gammon and chicken ice cream and a mixed dog biscuit ice cream were the clear winners, and we hope they'll be flavours dogs simply can't refuse.'
Early results show that dogs have a big appetite for the novelty treats.

The ice creams are available for a 99p donation to Berkshire Search and Rescue Dogs.

70 houses wipe out due to Rains in Bannu

2010-07-21T02:26:00.000-07:00

LAHORE: The unabated spree of heavy downpours is continued in separate parts of country, resulting in the worst ever rain-inflicted incidents.

A man died after being trampled under his house roof due to incessant wave of showers, in Gujranwala, meanwhile, as many as 70 houses have collapsed in Bannu alone, witnesses and media reports said.

Overnight string of the torrential rains has left low-lying areas submerged under water in Sargodha while; the uncontainable water has entered into houses located in the heart of the district.

Six persons have reportedly been wounded due to collapse of walls in Katchi Abadis. Another person electrified to death in Sargodha after receiving power shocks.

The rescue officials are actively engaged in cleaning the route of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who is carrying out inspection of worst affected areas, instead of providing relief to affetees.

Series of heavy showers, started last night in Gujranwala city and adjoining areas, is still ongoing with small recesses, sending people in turmoil and electricity broken down for many hours.

Meanwhile, in Faisalabad the rains cats-and-dogs have turned the weather pleasant, not only leaving the low-lying area deeply submerged under water but also prompting WASA crew to engage in cleanliness activities.

Two persons sustained injuries after being crushed by house walls in Faisalabad who have been shifted to hospital, while people are trying to rid of stagnant water from their homes on their own.

Parachuting Donkey Shocks Russian beach goers

2010-07-20T05:06:00.000-07:00

MOSCOW: Russian beachgoers got a shock when they saw a donkey soaring in the blue skies over the balmy beaches on the Sea of Azov in southern Russia last week, police said on Tuesday.

Attached to a parachute, the animal screamed in fear as it circled over heads of holidaymakers sunbathing on a beach in the Cossack village of Golubitskaya in the Krasnodar region last week.

A regional police spokeswoman said the donkey ended up in the skies as a result of an impromptu advertising campaign by several Russian entrepreneurs to attract beachgoers to their private beach.

Instead, they attracted the attention of regional police who learned of the flying donkey earlier this week and launched a probe.

"The donkey screamed and children cried," regional police spokeswoman Larisa Tuchkova said. "No-one had the brains to call police."

Instead, she said, people reached for their cameras and bombarded a local newspaper with phone calls.

"It was put up so high into the sky that the children on the beach cried and asked their parents: "Why did they tie a doggy to a parachute?"

"The donkey landed in an atrocious manner: it was dragged several metres along the water, after which the animal was pulled out half-alive onto the shore."

5 killed in Punjab Rains

2010-07-20T04:54:00.000-07:00

IN LAHORE: The spell of sporadic rain continued in different parts of Punjab including Lahore that turned weather pleasant on Tuesday.

Five people were killed in rain-related incidents in Lahore, Sheikhupura and Nankana Sahib. Heavy showers lashed different areas of Punjab on Tuesday morning. However, water accumulation in low-lying areas disturbed routine life.

Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif visited rain-affected areas of Lahore and reviews rescue operation. Three persons including two children electrocuted in Shahidra and Taj Park areas whereas two dead in Sheikupura and Nankana Sahib.

Met office predicted more rains in next 48 hours. Rain recorded in Lahore 62 mm, Gujaranwala 86 mm, Mianwali 80 mm, Sialkot 69 mm and Chakwal 25 mm

What came first Chicken or Egg?

2010-07-20T00:07:00.000-07:00

British researchers may have uncovered a partial answer to the age-old question, 'what came first the chicken or the egg?' According to a team, comprising researchers from the University of Warwick and the University of Sheffield, the answer is "chicken" or at least a particular chicken protein.
University of Warwick researchers Mark Rodger and David Quigley, in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Sheffield, have now been able to apply a powerful computing tool called metadynamics and the UK national supercomputer in Edinburgh to crack this egg problem.

Car for blinds will be presented next year in the market

2010-07-19T23:41:00.000-07:00

US Scientists and the National Federation of the Blind are developing a car for the blind and will present a prototype next year. The vehicle will be fitted with technology that allows a blind person to drive independently, the NFB and Virginia Tech University said.
Non-visual aids include sensors indicating turns in the road via vibrating gloves. Puffs of compressed air on the face will alert the driver to obstacles. Other aids to be fitted include a vibrating vest to give feedback on speed and a steering wheel with audio cues and spoken commands indicating the car's direction.
Last year Virginia Tech turned a beach buggy into an experimental vehicle for blind drivers. They used sensor lasers and cameras to act as the eyes of the buggy. The model to be presented next year will be a modified Ford Escape sport utility vehicle, the NFB announced.
"We're exploring areas that have previously been regarded as unexplorable," said NFB president Marc Maurer. He added that projects like this car was changing people's perception of the blind. "We're moving away "from the theory that blindness ends the capacity of human beings to make contributions to society".
Mr Maurer said he started talking about a car for blind drivers ten years ago. "Some people thought I was crazy," he said.
The prototype is expected be be publicly tested by a blind driver on the Daytona race track in Florida next January.

Three year-old Nepali girl Releases a Solo Album...today news

2010-07-19T23:28:00.000-07:00

Atithi K.C. a three-year old Nepali girl, has released a solo music album and set her eyes on entering the record books. Atithi’s father, music composer Uddhab K.C., claims the child is the youngest recording artist in the world and plans to register her name in the Guinness Book of World.
The album, comprising nine Nepali songs including the country’s national anthem, was released on Sunday by composer Ambar Gurung at a large media gathering. Atithi, supported and prodded by her father on stage, sang three songs from her album Atithi. Her elder sister Usna has been singing since she was four and watching her perform on stage, Atithi too started singing.

Ejaz Ahmed says Mohammad Yousuf may return to National Cricket Team:

2010-07-19T23:05:00.000-07:00

Assistant coach of the national cricket team Ejaz Ahmed has said that experienced batsman Mohammad Yousuf can be added to the squad in Shahid Afridi’s place, which will be decided in two days time.
Talking to the media in Leads, Ejaz Ahmed said that names of Younas Khan and Mohammad Yousuf are under consideration for the remaining test matches of the tour but it is more likely that Mohammad Yousuf will be added to the squad. He also said that Salman Butt is in good form and he can handle captaincy as well............ PAK-news-Today

Death toll from Typhoon Rises to Seventy Six in Philippines

2010-07-19T22:09:00.000-07:00

MANILA: The death toll from Typhoon Conson in the Philippines rose to seventy Six on Tuesday as rescuers pulled more bodies from the sea, with dozens more still missing and feared dead, authorities said

The number of missing stood at 72 as coast guard and navy boats were joined by aircraft in scouring the waters nearly a week after the typhoon hit, the National Disaster Coordinating Council said.

“The search and rescue operations are still going on, as long as there are still people missing,” said Relan Asuncion, section chief of the civil defence office.

The death toll was up from 68 but the number of missing was down from Monday's earlier report of 84, authorities said.

Asunción told AFP that aside from the additional bodies being found, the number of missing was falling as field units removed the names of those who had been listed twice.

Conson slammed into the country on July 13, directly hitting the capital Manila as it cut westward into the South China Sea with a ferocity that caught weather forecasters by surprise.

It caused massive power outages across Luzon, toppled power lines, uprooted trees and destroyed thousands of homes.

Days later, the damage caused by the storm was still being counted with over 2,000 people still sheltered in evacuation centres, the government said.

In China the storm killed at least two people, and left one dead and about a dozen missing in Vietnam. —AFP

Flying Car will soon Available at Market for Public

2010-07-19T07:06:00.000-07:00

America: The Flying Cars will soon become a reality! Efforts are on to develop a car with the wings, which is scheduled to be launched next year. The Flying Car is being developed by Terrafugia, a company based in Woburn, Mass.

According to experts, it won't be easy to drive the car with wings, as it would still require a runway for landing and take-off. The car is designed to fly below 10,000 feet. It can fly under bad weather conditions.

The base price of the Flying Car is set at $194,000 and may cost more when it will be ready. The car will also feature a radio, transponder and plane parachute. Terrafugia has already received 70 orders for the Flying Car.

The Flying Car has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,430 pounds, including fuel and passengers. Gas mileage on the road is about 30 mpg. Hopefully, it will be imported to India too after its dream lunch. So, James Bond's 'Flying Car' will soon fly in the air.

AIDS in the world in Present Situation

2010-07-19T06:58:00.000-07:00

BEIJING: The 18th International AIDS Conference will take place in Vienna, Austria, on July 18-23. About 25,000 delegates from around the world will discuss the current situation of AIDS as well as preventive measures to fight the pandemic.

Following is some basic knowledge on AIDS and the current situation of this disease in the world:

AIDS, or acquired immune deficiency syndrome, is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This condition progressively reduces the effectiveness of the immune system and leaves individuals susceptible to opportunistic infections and tumors.

HIV is transmitted through direct contact of a mucous membrane or the bloodstream with a bodily fluid containing HIV, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, preseminal fluid and breast milk.

This transmission can involve sex, blood transfusion, contaminated hypodermic needles, exchange between mother and baby during pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or other exposure to one of the above bodily fluids. The average delitescence of HIV virus in the human body is 12 to 13 years.

Ever since it was first recognized in 1981 by American researchers, AIDS has become a worldwide pandemic attracting the attention of the whole world as a major public health hazard and a controversial social issue.

In June 2001, the UN General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS issued a Declaration of Commitment on HIV and AIDS, pledging a coordinated action plan for all countries to fight the disease with the goal of starting to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015.

Statistics from the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS show that around the world, an estimated 33.4 million people now live with HIV. A further breakdown shows that 22.4 million of these people live in Sub-Saharan Africa, 4.7 million in Asia, 2.3 million in North America and Central and Western Europe, 2 million in Latin America and 1.5 million in Eastern Europe.

Moreover, an estimated 2.7 million HIV/AIDS infectors are added each year around the world, with 2 million new infectors from Sub-Saharan Africa. About 2 million people die of the disease every year, with 1.7 million from Sub-Saharan Africa.

Drug abuse has become one of the major factors fostering the spread of AIDS. Currently around the world about 3 million people consume drug by injection and in some countries, up to 40 percent injecting drug users carry HIV virus.

At present the total fund needed for preventing and treating AIDS across the world each year has increased to over $16 billion.

The number of AIDS patients receiving treatment around the world now has reached 4.7 million, 10 times as many as the 2005 figure. But as many as 11 million patients have not received due treatment.

While AIDS has so far remained incurable, it is nevertheless totally preventable. A healthy lifestyle, especially keeping away from drugs, is the most effective way to prevent this deadly disease.

“AIDS is no longer a sexy topic. White America has moved on and Black America is in denial. We’re so paralyzed by the stigma and shame that we ignore it. That’s disheartening to me,” Lewis-Thornton told the Defender.

HIV/AIDS is the number one killer of African-American women between ages 25 and 44. African Americans are three times more likely to have HIV/AIDS than any other racial group; and African-American women accounted for an estimated 69 percent of new infections for women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.