englishnews

Rains, mudslides submerge SKorean capital, kill 38

2011-07-27T23:29:00.000-07:00

SEOUL, JUL 28 -

Walls of mud barreling down a hill buried 10 college students sleeping outside Seoul, and flash floods submerged streets and subway stations in the South Korean capital, killing at least 38 people.

The students were engulfed by a landslide Wednesday in Chuncheon, about 68 miles (110 kilometers) northeast of Seoul, said fire marshal Byun In-soo. A married couple and a convenience store owner also died.

The roar of the landslide sounded like a massive explosion or a freight train, witnesses interviewed on television said. They described people screaming as buildings were carried away by rivers of mud.

About 670 firefighters, soldiers, police and others rushed to rescue those trapped and extract the dead from the mud and wreckage in Chuncheon, where 24 others were injured and several buildings destroyed.

The 10 South Korean students attended Inha University in Incheon, just west of Seoul, and they were volunteering at a local elementary school, Byun said.

In southern Seoul, at least 15 people died when mud crashed through homes at the foot of a mountain. The National Emergency Management Agency reported 10 more deaths due to a stream flooding and landslides in towns near Seoul.

Emergency official Kim Wu-min said Thursday that a total of 38 people have been found dead and four others are reported missing in the wake of the heavy rains.

Fast-moving mudwaters filled the streets in Seoul on Wednesday, sending residents scrambling to the roofs of their partially submerged cars.

Water filled some subway stations and spewed from sewers. TV images showed people in one flooded subway station using shovels, brooms and a wooden board in an effort to keep more rain from coming in. Yonhap news agency reported Internet and wireless connections failed in southern Seoul due to power failures.

Footage showed officials rescuing hikers stranded on mountainsides. People plodded down streets covered with knee-deep water, many barefoot, their pants rolled up. In Seoul's center, cars were restricted from entering the lower part of a submerged two-level bridge.

The heavy rain since Tuesday left about 620 people homeless and flooded 720 houses and about 100 vehicles throughout South Korea, the emergency management agency said.

About 17 inches (440 millimeters) of rain fell on Seoul and more than 13 inches (340 millimeters) on Chuncheon in the last two days, about 15 times more than the average two-day rainfall at this time of year, according to the state-run Korea Meteorological Administration.

Weather officials said another 10 inches (254 millimeters) could fall in northern South Korea, including Seoul, through Friday.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency issued a traffic emergency, mobilizing more officers to deal with the inclement weather.

Seoul, a bustling capital of 10 million, shut down portions of two major highways stretching along each side of the main Han River because of high water, said disaster official Kim Ji-hwan.

A dam located just east of Seoul was discharging 16,400 tons of water per second, said Cha Jun-ho from the Han River Flood Control Office. The dam already discharged about 1,000 tons per second days before the recent downpours.

People in Seoul, where smartphones are ubiquitous, posted dozens of photos on Twitter and Facebook showing inundated streets and mud-covered cars. Many complained online that Seoul had neglected to prepare for the downpours.

Khanal, Dahal agree in principle to reshuffle Cabinet

2011-07-27T23:12:00.000-07:00

KATHMANDU, JUL 28 -

Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal and UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal agreed in principle to reshuffle the Cabinet on Thursday.

Khanal and Dahal agreed in principle to reshuffle the government by creating favorable environment by concluding the peace process and statute drafting and implementing five-point pact.

According to the prime minister’s press advisor Surya Thapa, the duo held discussion on concluding the twin tasks of the peace process and statute drafting during the meeting this morning.

The UML Standing Committee (SC) meeting will create conducive environment for the same, Thapa said.

The party SC meeting has been scheduled after 12 this afternoon.

The Maoist has recommended 24 names--12 for Cabiet ministers and 12 state ministers--for Cabinet reshuffle.
SORCE :- I KANTIPUR

Cong asks fringe parties to join its protest

2011-07-27T21:23:00.000-07:00

Post Report

KATHMANDU, JUL 28 -

Nepali Congress (NC), which obstructed the House session for the third consecutive day on Wednesday, has called on fringe parties to join its protest demanding prime minister’s resignation.

In a meeting held at NC Parliamentary Party office in Singha Durbar, the main opposition called on the small parties to support its bid to press the government to implement the five-point deal and pave the way for a national consensus government.

Representatives of a dozen fringe parties, including Rastriya Janashakti Party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party and Chure Bhawar Ekata Party, attended the meeting where NC

leaders called on them to help foil the ruling parties’ attempt to reshuffle the Cabinet and prolong the government’s life against the five-point deal.

Congress leaders Ram Chandra Poudel and Prakash Man Singh said Prime

Minister Jhala Nath Khanal and Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal were

preparing to revive the ‘already-scrapped’ seven-point deal singed between them on Feb 3. @ ekantipur

Fresh collections at Le Monde

2011-07-27T21:18:00.000-07:00

Post Report - KATHMANDU, JUL 28 -

Planning to buy sandals and don’t know where to go? We suggest you pay a visit to Le Monde, an exclusive women’s footwear showroom at City Centre, Kamal Pokhari. The store, spread over an area of 550 sq ft, has recently unveiled a totally fresh range of women’s footwear products in all categories.

The show stealers at the store are gladiator sandals, wedge heels, tip toes and bridal collections. “As the festive season is approaching, we have emphasised flashy, vivacious and colourful designs,” said Priyanka Agrawal, proprietor of Le Monde. She added that most women prefer high heels and fancy sandals during this season. The newly launched products have been imported from Thailand, Hong Kong, India and other places.

Agrawal claimed that all the products available at the store were either branded or of high quality. “It’s ultimately trust that drives customers towards one’s store. Therefore, to live up to our customers’ expectations, we import the best looking branded and non-branded but high quality products,” Agrawal said.

Moreover, the store imports only five pairs of sandals in a particular design to make their product line-up more exclusive. “For women, exclusiveness matters very much. They don’t want to be seen in shoes being worn by others. Thus, keeping in mind their nature, we have maintained a policy of featuring only five pairs of footwear products in any of the designs we sell,” Agrawal said, adding that the store discontinues importing the same designs after a certain period of time.

Le Monde features more than 500 new models of sandals. They are priced from Rs 1,100 to Rs 5,000. “Most of our customers do not mind paying a bit more for genuine products,” said Agrawal. According to her, the store is updated with the latest products every two months. “As we have a huge number of regular customers, we make sure that they get to see something new every time they step into our store. Therefore, the product ranges available here are changed every two months,” Agrawal said.

The sandals are available in sizes 35 to 41. The store maintains an ample amount of options in colours and sizes. Le Monde is currently offering a discount of 10 to 15 percent on all its products. The store provides a two-month warranty, and it will repair any damage for free within that period.

In today’s edition of Bazaar, The Kathmandu Post features a selected range of newly unveiled sandals you may want to check out at Le Monde, situated on the second floor of City Centre, Kamal Pokhari. @ ekantipur

South Korean cargo plane carrying 2 crashes

2011-07-27T21:14:00.000-07:00

AP

SEOUL, JUL 28 -

An Asiana Airlines cargo plane carrying two people crashed into waters off South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju on Thursday, an airline official said.

The plane crashed after reporting a mechanical problem and losing contact with air traffic workers, airline official Kim Dong-won said.

Five coast guard patrol boats and four helicopters were searching the area for signs of the pilot and co-pilot, Jeju coast guard spokesman Choi Kyu-mo said.

Coast guard searchers have recovered part of a wing with an Asiana Airlines logo on it, life jackets and parts of a pilot seat, the coast guard said in a statement.

The plane had taken off from South Korea's Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, and was bound for Pudong in China, Asian Airlines said in a statement. It was carrying computers, semiconductors, paint and resin solution among others, it said.

Asiana officials got a report early Thursday morning from the pilot that the Boeing-747, which was southwest of Jeju, was having mechanical difficulties and would try to make its way to the island's airport, said Jason Kim, a spokesman for Asiana.

Officials then lost contact with the plane and asked the South Korean coast guard to investigate, Kim said. The airline also sent its own emergency specialists to the area.

South Korea has been lashed with extraordinarily heavy rain this week, with landslides and floods killing dozens and causing havoc. Kim said it was unclear whether the weather had caused any problems for the plane.

Coast guard officials said there was no rain in the area but stronger-than-normal wind.

North and South Korea are in a tense military standoff across their heavily armed border, but there was nothing to immediately indicate that the crash had any military connection.

Asiana Airlines was in the news last month when two South Korean marines fired rifles at an Asiana plane carrying 119 people.

South Korea's military later apologized, saying the marines mistook the plane for a North Korean military aircraft. The military said it planned to strengthen training so troops can better distinguish civilian planes. Officials said the plane wasn't in range of the rifle fire.

Bomb wounds 6 UN peacekeepers in south Lebanon

2011-07-27T12:04:00.000-07:00

AP

BEIRUT, JUL 27 -

A roadside bomb blew up next to a United Nations convoy carrying French peacekeepers in south Lebanon on Tuesday, wounding at least five of them in the second attack on the U.N. force in two months, the United Nations said.

The bomb went off at the southern entrance of the port city of Sidon as a U.N. convoy with several vehicles was passing by.

The U.N. Security Council called the bombing a "terrorist attack" and condemned it "in the strongest terms." It also condemned all attempts to threaten the security and stability of Lebanon.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also strongly condemned the attack and "is deeply disturbed" at the second major incident targeting the peacekeeping force in two months, U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack. But political tensions are rising in Lebanon over a U.N.-backed tribunal's indictment last month of four Hezbollah members in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Iranian-backed Hezbollah is the most powerful political and military force in Lebanon today and it has refused to hand over the suspects. The tribunal is expected to publish details of the indictments after a 30-day deadline that expires at the end of the month.

There are also concerns that unrest in neighboring Syria, which has seen more than four months of protests against the autocratic government there, could spill over into Lebanon.

U.N. peacekeepers have been deployed in southern Lebanon since 1978 to monitor the border with Israel. The force was boosted to almost 12,000 troops after Israel and Hezbollah fought a war in 2006. Under the U.N. resolution that ended the fighting, the force is monitoring a zone south of the Litani River where Hezbollah is banned from keeping weapons.

The Security Council reaffirmed its determination to ensure that no acts of intimidation prevent the U.N. force from carrying out its mandate to monitor the Israeli-Lebanon border.

In a similar attack about two months ago, a roadside bomb ripped through a U.N. convoy carrying Italian peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, wounding six. The May 28 attack was the first since 2008.

UNIFIL spokesman Neeraj Singh said five peacekeepers were injured in the latest bombing and three went to a hospital. He did not say what nationality they were, but Lebanese security officials said they were French.

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe and the Security Council said six French peacekeepers had been wounded.

The discrepancy in casualty numbers could not be immediately reconciled.

In a statement, Juppe said he condemned the attack and demanded that Lebanese authorities conduct an investigation and do everything possible to bring those responsible to justice.

The Lebanese officials said at least one of the wounded suffered injuries to the face and chest. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with military regulations.

A police official said this bombing appeared to be smaller than the May blast. Both happened in the same area. He said preliminary investigations showed the bomb contained around two kilograms (4.5 pounds) of explosive material.

Prime Minister Najib Mikati denounced the bombing and ordered an immediate investigation, his office said.

The Security Council welcomed the Lebanese government's commitment to launch an investigation to bring to justice the perpetrators of the attack.

Singh said U.N. forensic experts were at the scene, adding UNIFIL was working in coordination with the Lebanese armed forces to investigate.

The deadliest attack on UNIFIL was in June 2007, when a bomb hit an armored personnel carrier near the Israeli border and killed six Spanish peacekeepers.

No group has claimed responsibility for any of the attacks.

Nepal, Russia talk energy investment

2011-07-27T12:01:00.000-07:00

Ekantipur Report

KATHMANDU, JUL 27 - Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Upendra Yadav returned to Kathmandu on Wednesday morning from Moscow.

During his stay there, he inaugurated the sixth Non-Resident Nepali (NRN) Regional Conference and held meetings with Russian officials.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yadav met Russian Chief Justice Vyacheslav M Lebedev and Russian Acting Foreign Minister A I Denisov. During his meeting with Denisov, Yadav said Nepal has huge potentials in hydropower, human resource, agriculture and tourism and that the country was eager to strengthen cooperation with Russia in these fields. The Russian Acting Foreign Minister conveyed his readiness to help Nepal in all its endeavours for economic development.

"Yadav also met Acting Minister for Energy Anatoly Janovsky where the latter expressed his readiness to discuss any concrete proposal by Nepal regarding Russian investment in Nepal's energy development," a MoFA statement read.

DPM Yadav proposed a joint committee be set up to study viable projects and create an atmosphere for mutual investment, the statement added. In response, the Russian minister informed the Nepali side that the Director of Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Energy would lead the Russian side, adding the committee would be formed soon to take up concrete projects.

During Yadav's stay in Moscow, a conference of Nepali ambassadors based in European countries was organised. At the conference, Yadav instructed the envoys about linking foreign policy with economy diplomacy.

CoAS Gurung off to Singapore

2011-07-27T11:57:00.000-07:00

Ekantipur Report

KATHMANDU, JUL 27 - Chief of Army Staff Chhatra Man Singh Gurung has left for Singapore on Wednesday to attend the seventh conference of head of the militaries of the Asia Pacific region.

The three-day conference will start on July 28 and will discuss the strengthening military cooperation among countries of the Asia Pacific.

Gen.

During his his stay, Gurung will also meet military leaders of the US, China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Canada, Bangladesh and Singapore, according to a press statement issued by Directorate of Public Relations of Nepal Army.

Gurung is accompanied by his wife Kamala Gurung.

Nepal Army’s second in command Lt Gen Gaurav SJB Rana will serve as acting army chief during his absence.

Energy-based industries absorb lion’s share of investments

2011-07-26T21:29:00.000-07:00

Rajesh Khanal

KATHMANDU, JUL 27 -

The country saw massive investments being made in energy-based industries in the last fiscal year. According to the latest statistics of the Department of Industry (DoI), Rs 67.21 billion, or 85.5 percent of total investments, was poured into energy-based industries including hydropower, solar and bio-mass.

The number of registrations of energy-based industries has shot up too. Compared to 14 industries in 2009-10, the last fiscal year saw 22 industries being registered at the department.

With big money being poured into energy-based industries, the proposed capital investment in industries in the last fiscal year has surged significantly compared to 2009-10 even though there were fewer industries registered that year. The DoI’s statistics show that the registered industries have a proposed investment of Rs 78.6 billion, up from 34.35 billion in 2009-10.

According to DoI director general Dhundi Raj Pokhrel, the size of capital investment increased with a rise in the number of hydropower and cement companies registered last year. A total of 16 hydropower companies, eight cement industries and three airlines were registered during the period.

However, registrations of medium and large industries fell 5.4 percent in terms of numbers with 244 such industries being registered last year compared to 258 in 2009-10. Pokhrel said the decline could be due to the government’s recent provision that requires potential industries to carry out a feasibility study before they can be registered.”

According to the DoI, 40 large industries have come up with a proposed investment of more than Rs 100 million. These include industries related to hydro power, cement, cable car, airline, agricultural products including pallet production and livestock farming.

Among the industries with large capital investments are Upper Tamakoshi (Rs 35.29 billion), Shree Sino Hydro Sagarmatha Power Company (Rs 12.37 billion) and Robust Energy (Rs 5.58 billion).

In terms of numbers, the service sector is at the number one position followed by manufacturing, tourism, agro-based and energy-based industries. Even though the service and manufacturing sectors attracted a higher number of investors last year, the capital investment in these industries is much lower than that of energy-based industries. But compared to 2009-10, registrations of manufacturing and service industries and their proposed capital investment both have declined in 2010-11 compared to 2009-10. With the manufacturing sector grappling with a host of problems from energy crisis to labour issues, a slowdown in numbers and capital is understandable.

The surge in investment in the tourism sector was due to Nepal Tourism Year 2011. With major business houses investing in cement industries with limestone mines, investment in mineral industries has gone up. Despite swelling investments, the DoI’s statistics show a decline in FDI last year. Of the total industries registered last year, 74 had foreign investments against 171 in 2009-10. The number would have been less hadn’t it been for the 41 industries with foreign investment registered in the last two months of 2010-11. - @ ekantipur

8 dead, 18 missing as storm lashes Philippines

2011-07-26T21:18:00.000-07:00

AP ,
MANILA, PHILIPPINES, JUL 26 - A slow-moving storm unleashed massive floods and landslides Tuesday in the northeastern Philippines, killing at least eight people with 18 missing and several towns isolated.

Gov. Joey Salceda said three children died in a landslide in a mountainside village in his Albay province's Polangui town, while two men were pinned to death by a fallen coconut tree in Pio Duran town. Two other people died in storm-related accidents in the hard-hit province.

A man was electrocuted by a cable from a damaged power post in eastern Catanduanes province, officials said.

Waist-deep floodwaters swamped the houses of about half a million people, or nearly half of Albay's population, after Tropical Storm Nock-ten set off pounding rains overnight and forced many to flee to safer areas, including churches and village halls, Salceda said.

He said that four men were reported missing after the storm flooded and isolated many of Albay's 15 farming towns and three cities.

Fourteen other mostly fishermen also were reported missing in the nearby provinces of Catanduanes and Quezon, said Benito Ramos, administrator of the Office of Civil Defense.

"Many of our towns seemed like islands. They were isolated from each other," Salceda told The Associated Press by telephone from the provincial capital of Legazpi, where he was overseeing rescue efforts for stranded villagers.

Salceda said the storm caused power outages and canceled classes.

Forecasters said Nock-ten was packing sustained winds of 47 miles (75 kilometers) per hour and gusts of 56 mph (90 kph) off eastern Camarines Norte province. It dumped heavy rains as it moved slowly toward Luzon's eastern coast.

Regional disaster-response official Raffy Alejandro said the storm inundated seven towns of Camarines Sur in the province's worst flooding in five years.

Army troops and coast guard personnel planned to bring seven rubber boats to rescue some villagers trapped on roofs but a key highway was blocked by floodwaters and mudflows from Albay's Mayon volcano, Alejandro said.

Alejandro said his typhoon-prone region did not have even one helicopter for rescue operations. The air force pulled out their aircraft from the area for unspecified reasons a few months ago despite his appeal for at least two standby choppers during the typhoon season that started in June, Alejandro said.

Nock-ten, a Laotian word for bird, is the 10th of about 21 typhoons and storms expected to lash the Philippines this year.

Chevy Beat Diesel will be here next month

2011-07-26T20:52:00.000-07:00

KATHMANDU, JUL 27 -

Vijay Motors, sole authorised distributor of General Motors (GM) in Nepal, is all set to introduce a diesel version of the Chevrolet Beat in the domestic market. The company, which currently markets a petrol version of the Chevrolet Beat, plans to roll out the diesel version by mid-August. The car was launched in India on Monday.

“All the three variants, the Chevrolet Beat PS, LS and the LT, will be launched simultaneously,” said Ritesh Kumar Karki, executive of Vijay Motors. “The cars to be imported here will be manufactured at GM’s factory in India.”

The diesel version of the Chevrolet Beat is equipped with a 1.0 litre engine, which is the smallest diesel engine manufactured by GM globally keeping in mind India’s roadway conditions.

“The car will be suitable in Nepal as it has been designed looking at the India’s environment and roadway conditions which are quite similar to Nepal’s,” Karki said.

The three-cylinder engine has a displacement of 936 cc and can produce power of 62.50 PS per litre and a torque of 160.26 Nm per litre. The car has a ground clearance of 175 mm. It features McPherson strut-type front suspension with anti-roll bar and compound crank-type rear suspension. Likewise, it comes with gas-filled front and rear shock absorbers.

The car’s interior features fabric upholstery, map pockets and bottle holders on the front doors, front and rear cup holders and lower IP storage in all the variants. The car comes with 14-inch stylized steel wheels, body coloured bumpers, body colour tailgate and sporty black spoiler in all the variants. Other premium exterior features include both sides outdoor outside rear view mirror (ORVM), chrome radiator, grille, body colour door handles and ORVMs, front fog lamp, panel body colour spoiler and satin silver roof rails.

For the comfort and convenience of the passengers and driver, the car comes with electronic power steering, manual and automatic air conditioners, rear seat folding option, digital tachometer, odometer and trip meter, internally adjustable ORVMs, remote fuel filler release, remote tailgate release and, interior courtesy lamp in all the variants. The premium version, the Beat LT, boasts additional features like sunglass holder, boot lamp, USB music system with four speakers, passenger side vanity and mirror cover.

Keeping in mind safety and security, the car has been equipped with height adjustable front headrest, centre high mount stop lamp (CHMSL) and dual horn in all the variants. Likewise, the LS and LT variants features day and night IRVM, height adjustable rear headrest, central locking and rear defogger. Along with these features the LT also boasts rear wiper, dual airbags, optional front seatbelts, load limiters and antilock braking system (ABS).

“Most of the cars in the same segment feature maximum use of rubber in the interior and exterior. However, 60 percent of the interior and exterior in this car is made of steel which makes it safer than others in the class.”

According to Vijay Motors, the car will be available in all the 10 colour options. The company claims that the Beat gives a mileage of 24 km per litre. source : ekantipur

Malnutrition-hit minor on deathbed

2011-07-26T20:42:00.000-07:00

Jamuna, who weighs eight kg, has lost her eyesight and is so weak that she cannot even chew or swallow properly
NEPALGUNJ, JUL 27 -

"Such an emaciated child I had seen only in a picture depicting hunger in Somalia," said Dr Bimal Dhakal of his new patient, 12-year-old Jamuna Buda.

Jamuna was admitted to the Malnutrition Rehabilitation Centre of the Bheri Zonal Hospital four days ago. Just skin and bones, she weighs only eight kilogram, has lost her eyesight and weak to the point that she cannot even chew or swallow properly.

Jamuna's mother Najara said that her growth was normal until the age of four. "First, she had a problem with her sight and then she started getting weak."

Najara and her husband Dipak come from a remote Serabang village of Kada VDC in Rukum. With seven children to feed, the couple work as wage labourers to eke out living.

Owing to the lack of funds, the couple could neither take Jamuna to hospital, nor provide nutritious diet to her.

"We took her to local shamans. Some said she was hexed by witch and some said that our deity was mad and had cursed her with the disease," Najara said. "We, finally, managed Rs 10,000 on loan and took her to the district hospital and the doctor there advised us to bring here."

Bimala Poudel of the Malnutrition Rehabilitation Centre said there has been a slight improvement in Jamuna's condition in the last four days. She said that Jamauna is being administered milk, jeevanjal and liquefied food every two hours. source :ekantipur

Filipino YouTube sensation hooked on music and performing

2011-07-26T08:39:00.000-07:00

Pocholo Concepcion
Philippine Daily Inquir

Maria Aragon breaks down, covers her face and tries to stifle the tears as she appraises her luck after arriving in Manila for the first time last week.

“I saw children who don’t have money and are not going to school. I just feel very blessed for the past couple of months. It’s really a big thing for me,” the precocious Filipino-Canadian Internet sensation tells the Inquirer.

Aragon made waves early this year when a homemade video of herself performing Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” went viral on YouTube—eventually catching the American pop superstar’s attention.

Going Gaga

Lady Gaga went on to invite Aragon to sing with her in front of a full-house audience at the 24,000-capacity Air Canada Center in Toronto last March. A few weeks prior to the concert, Aragon appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”.

Life for Aragon has never been the same. Taking an early break from school last June, she went to shoot a commercial for cell phone maker HTC in Vancouver and had a solo concert there after meeting up with her cousins.

Then she proceeded to Ottawa and sang the national anthem on Canada Day, with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in attendance.
Aragon is in Manila to record an album with Star Records. But she’s not an exclusive artist of ABS-CBN. She’ll be in the country until the end of August, says her manager Jeng Guiyab.

Her debut album, says Aragon, will have five tracks, including a cover of the tune that made her famous on YouTube, “Born This Way,” a Lea Salonga song and a new Vehnee Saturno composition.

Aragon recalls having a natural liking for music as early as she could remember. “I was maybe 3 or 4 when I used to watch my dad singing Beatles songs on the karaoke.”

It was also her father, Veni, who taught her how to sing. The first song she learned was “Maybe” by King Girado, a brother of Filipino singer Nina.

From then on, Aragon was hooked on music. She found herself singing in the shower, at school and during family gatherings.

Playing by ear

Learning to play the piano, Aragon adds, also came naturally. She recounts seeing her brother Jezette play the instrument and write songs with it. “It was boring to sing on the karaoke,” Aragon says, “and I thought maybe I should learn to play the piano, too, so I have something else to offer the audience. I figured out the chords myself and played it by ear.”

As far as influences are concerned, Aragon names two: Beyonce, whom she saw the first time she watched a concert in Winnipeg; and Michael Jackson. She thinks Beyonce “has natural talent, a wide vocal range, the whole package”, while Jackson is an idol because “he lived and breathed music, aside from doing charity work”.

Among local artists, Aragon says she looks up to Charice and admires the stars of ABS-CBN whom she watches regularly on The Filipino Channel back home in Winnipeg.

As she looks forward to record her album, Aragon points out that the songs will reflect her age and won’t be about love.

Asked to expound, she says some of the tunes will be message-driven: “You don’t have to think about just where you are, but also about the rest of the world, because there are so many things happening around us, like people suffering.”

If this young girl sounds serious, listen to her recall her early childhood: “I didn’t get to play much with toys, I was more interested in how they’re made. That’s why I wanted to be a toy maker when I was in kindergarten. I kinda think dolls are scary.”

She even wants to be a social worker or an activist, if not an artist “because I like making things. I’d like to make a difference and help bring change.”

But right now there’s an album waiting to be recorded and she can’t complain:

“I love doing what I’m doing now. If this goes on, I would really be grateful for it. I would like to write songs, too, but at this point I’m not inspired yet. I want it to come naturally.”

Lawyer paints picture of cold, paranoid Norway killer

2011-07-26T07:58:00.000-07:00

AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE

(Updated)
OSLO, July 26: The lawyer for the gunman behind last week´s attacks in Norway laid out his feelings about the case and his client Tuesday, painting a picture of a cold and paranoid "warrior" who appears to be insane.

"This whole case indicates that he´s insane," Geir Lippestad told journalists about Anders Behring Breivik, who has claimed responsibility for Friday´s bomb attack on the Oslo government and subsequent shooting spree on a nearby island.

"He believes that he´s in a war and he believes that when you´re in a war you can do things like that without pleading guilty," the lawyer said of the 32-year-old Norwegian who wants to bring about an anti-Muslim revolution.

"He´s in his bubble," Lippestad added.

If his client is adjudged medically insane after blowing up eight people in Oslo and shooting dead 68 mainly youth members of the Labour Party on Utoeya island, Lippestad said: "He can´t be punished in a jail."

Paving the way for a defence that could see his client escape prison, after medical experts acceptable to the prosecution are found, Lippestad said Behring Breivik "has a view on reality that is very, very difficult to explain."

He said his client used unspecified drugs to make himself "strong, efficient, to keep him awake" going into Friday´s rampage.

"He thought he´d be killed after the bombing, after the action on the island, and he also thought he´d be killed at trial," Lippestad said.

In fact, "he was a little bit surprised that he succeeded, that in his mind he succeeded," Lippestad added.

Asked whether Behring Breivik had shown any empathy for his mainly young victims, Lippestad said: "No."

Behring Breivik wrote and published a 1,500-page manifesto immediately before starting his bombing and shooting spree.

"He believes this war will continue for 60 years and in 60 years this war will be won," Lippestad said of the events he believes he has triggered, preparations for which are painstakingly chronicled in the tract.

Behring Breivik said he was part of an organisation that has two cells in Norway and several others abroad. "Where I don´t know," Lippestad said.

"He looks on himself as a warrior and he has started this war," Lippestad said, adding that one of the reasons Behring Breivik´s first court appearance on Monday was behind closed doors was for fear he would send coded signals to other cells.

His client was disappointed that the hearing was not open to the public, Lippestad said.

"In his mind he´s at war and therefore he said this was necessary," and that´s why while admitting responsibility he does not plead guilty.

"He says that he´s sorry he had to do this but it was necessary to start the revolution... He hates anyone who believes in democracy."

"My point of view is that he´s a very cold person."

BUSINESS BRIEFS: Broadlink ups internet speed

2011-07-26T07:54:00.000-07:00

KATHMANDU, July 26: Wi-Fi serivce provider Broadlink has launched a new package, offering customers unlimited 256 kbps internet package at Rs 899 per month.

The tariff is inclusive of all the taxes. A press statement from Broadlink on Tuesday said all existing users will be automatically upgraded to the 256 kbps unlimited plan.

"The company´s vision is to provide higher speed at very affordable price," Binod Timalsina, CEO of Broadlink, said in the statement.

Broadlink has expanded its network coverage to more than 150 locations in 25 cities across the country. It is planning to expand to Dharan, Inaruwa, Damak and Urlabari by next month. Broadlink has also been offering 3GB plan at 5 Mbps speed for Rs 499 per month.

"Under this plan, customers can use data up 3GB in computer as well as in handheld devices," the statement added.

Pepsi selects winners of first week

KATHAMNDU: Varun Beverages -- the bottler of Pepsi products for Nepal -- has announced first week´s lucky winners of its promotional campaign ´Party @ Namche´. Issuing a press release, the company said Sonam Lama of Tilganga won Sony Home Theatre System, while other seven winners Tara Kumari Rai of Kumaripati, Nathu Baskota of Naya Buspark, Sanak Regmi of Chabahil, Saraswoti Silpakar of Ganabahal, Sujit Shah of Dharan , Deepak KC of Lokanthali and Tanya Chhetri of Dhobighat won Sony sound system. Varun Bevereages had launched the campaign on July 15.

source : www.myrepublica.com

My personal life is nobody’s problem: Anushka

2011-07-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

By Hindustan Times

Remember Rachel and Ross from the hit TV show, Friends? Well, Bollywood’s ‘newest couple’ Anushka Sharma and Ranveer Singh seem to have taken a leaf out of their book. The reason: the Band Baaja Baraat (2010) actors fight and patch up almost as frequently as Rachel and Ross used to, on the cult sit-com. Apparently, the latest showdown took place at the recently concluded IIFA ceremony in Toronto, Canada.

But Anushka isn’t amused. Reacting sharply to the alleged ‘constant fights’ between Ranveer and her, she says, “I don’t understand the interest in my personal life. What’s happening between Ranveer and me isn’t something for others to bother about. I choose to ignore this talk since it would be silly to comment and add fuel to it.”

Rumour has it that the couple had an argument regarding Ranveer’s late arrival for a dance rehearsal at IIFA. It’s also believed that she didn’t like the fact that he was bonding with actor Sonakshi Sinha, who was performing with him. Incidentally, the Dabangg (2010) girl had also revealed that she has a crush on Ranveer on Karan Johar’s chat show, Koffee With Karan. Ask Anushka if everything is fine between them and she snaps back, “That should be nobody’s problem. If I utter anything, I would light off a firecracker of sorts. So, I’d rather remain quiet about it. He is the hero of my upcoming film (Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl). I have great respect and admiration for him and we love working together.”

However, what gets Anushka excited is Yash Chopra’s next directorial venture with her Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008) co-star Shah Rukh Khan, alongside Katrina Kaif. “I never thought I would get the chance to do a film with him again. It’s nothing less than a dream-come-true. He was my first hero and SRK will always be my favourite,” says Anushka, who is equally fond of Katrina. “I have a lot of respect for her. Katrina isn’t from India, but she has created a place for herself in the industry. I feel her achievements are nothing less than admirable.”

Anushka has also earned herself a part in Vishal Bhardwaj’s next with Ajay Devgn as well as a deal with Nivea brand on its 100-year anniversary. “I always had a desire to work with Vishal. He has a special understanding of cinema. I’m sure he’ll tap into my acting potential in a way that no one else can,” she adds.

Blow hot, blow cold?
Talks of Ranveer and Anushka fighting came up earlier this year when it was suggested that she wasn’t happy about him spending too much time with a TV starlet during the rehearsals for an award function performance. Apparently, a huge argument ensued later.
Recently, they apparently fought again and the bone of contention was Ranbir Kapoor. Grapevine suggested that Ranveer wasn’t happy about Anushka getting ‘pally’ with him and they had an argument at a friend’s place

Death Threat to Journalist

2011-07-26T07:32:00.000-07:00

Uday Singh Shrestha, publisher and editor of a local daily paper, Nispakshya Dhwani, was threatened of life by a trader Raju Shrestha on June 22 over the news editor Shrestha wrote about the growing irregularities on export of coal and rice chaff.

“Trader Raju Shrestha said the news challenged his business of coal and rice chaff. So, he would take journo Shrestha’s life,” Jhalak Gaire, a local journalist said, quoting editor Shrestha.

Freedom Forum expresses grave concern to the incident and strongly urges the local administration to probe into the incident. The administration is also urged to provide security to the journalists so as to create environment conducive for the freedom of expression and right to information.

source : medianepal.com

Little Star 2011

2011-07-26T07:20:00.000-07:00

ADMIN JULY 10, 2011

KATHMANDU, July 4: Little Star 2011, presented by Green Arts Media Private Limited, took place at Naach Ghar on July 2.
Among the 47 participants, Prince Shrestha of DAV School and Riya Shrestha of Shuvatara School bagged the title of Little Star 2011.

The chief guest was actor Namrata Shrestha.

Joining her on the judges’ panel were Kiran Nepali from Kutumba; Bhuwan Nepal, President of Lions Club Capital Kathmandu; Mika Sundari, singer and Principal of Japanese Language School; Lasata Joshi, singer and RJ; Nirnaya Shrestha, singer and rapper; and Ashok Pyasi Rai, senior subeditor of Annapurna Post.

The program started with the singing of Nepal’s national anthem and the chief guest’s speech.

The nineteen male contestants were adorned in formal shirts and trousers while the girl participants were in pretty pink gowns.

Kiran Nepali shared, “I can feel the excitement of those children peeping from the backstage. I can’t even imagine how much they’re enjoying this. Their dresses and speeches and performances! I can’t wait to get this started.”

“We’ve worked with College Ambassador for the past four years. And those youngsters between 16 and 22 years wish they had something like Little Star to help them gain confidence for their future. I think this program is an effort to build our little heroes for tomorrow” Shazid Bista, the host of the show, said.

Prameshwor Pant, father of Aashutosh Pant, a contestant, shared “I’m glad my son is participating. All we’ve done is to tell him to go up there and give it his best. It doesn’t matter if he wins it or not. All we want him to do is have fun.”

There were participants from seventeen different schools. The deciding question for the participants was “Which is your favorite cartoon character, and why?”

IIFA in Toronto

2011-07-26T07:16:00.000-07:00

TORONTO, JUN 26 -

Tens of thousands of fans swarmed a stadium in Canada’s largest metropolis on Saturday for the 12th annual “Bollywood Oscars,” being held for the first time in North America.

Organizers said 22,000 were to attend this year’s ceremony at Toronto’s Rogers Centre, while another 700 million could watch it on television.

Shah Rukh Khan, Anil Kapoor (“Slumdog Millionaire”) and the Deol family were among the dozens of Bollywood superstars in attendance, along with Oscar-winners Hilary Swank and Cuba Gooding Jr.
A three-day festival leading up to awards night also saw flash mobs of Indian dancers, gala movie premieres, a fashion show and Indian cultural events.

On Friday, Jermaine Jackson performed his late brother Michael’s hits with Indian pop singer Sonu Nigam at an IIFA concert to commemorate the second anniversary of Michael’s death.

Ontario has the second-largest Indian diaspora in the world, topping 600,000 out of a total population of 13 million, “and their passion for Indian cinema has become ours (all Ontarians) too,” said Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty.

Launched in 2000 at the Millennium Dome in London the annual IIFA awards have been held in 11 cities around the world, including Colombo, Macao, Bangkok, Dubai, Amsterdam and Johannesburg.

The event is designed to celebrate the popular Hindi-language film industry and win new audiences abroad.

Bollywood gangster movie “Once Upon a Time in Mumbai” leads the field in the nominations for the Hindi-language film industry’s glitziest awards.

The film has been nominated in 12 categories for the IIFA awards, including best film and best male lead for Ajay Devgan, one of Bollywood’s leading actors.

Screen tough guy Salman Khan’s corrupt cop romp “Dabangg” (Fearless) is close behind with 11 nominations.

Other movies in the running for a clutch of awards include the drama “Ishqiya” (Love) with nine nominations. Romantic comedy “Band Baaja Baaraat” (The Wedding Planners) and the thriller “Rajneeti” (Politics) both have eight.

The nominations came from more than 1,500 votes from the Indian film fraternity.

Last year’s event in Sri Lanka saw many top stars stay away after protests by Indian Tamils who said Bollywood’s decision to come to the island nation legitimized the government of President Mahinda Rajapakse.

CoAS Gurung to leave for Singapore

2011-07-26T07:05:00.000-07:00

KATHMANDU, JUL 26 -

Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Chhatra Man Singh Gurung is all set leave for Singapore to take part in a conference of Armies Chiefs Conference that is due to be held on July (28 to 31).

Gurung is embarkign on the visit at a joint invitation by Chief of Staff of US Army General Martin E. Dempsey, Chief of Army of Singapore Armed Forces, Major Genral Chan Chun Sing.

According to a press statement issued by the Army Headquarters, Gurung would be showing his presence at the conference which is aimed at “the improvement of the infantry through multilateral security aid”.

The conference would dwell on the issues of the security and other current affairs of the Asia-Pacific through bilateral and multilateral talks.

Gurung is set to hold discussions with the Army Chiefs and representatives of US, China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Canada, South Korea, Thailand, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Singapore.

In the meantime, Gurung is also participating in various programmes to be organised as part of the 35th Pacific Armies Management Seminar (PAMS - XXXV).

Ekantipur Report

Moroccan army says military plane crash kills 78

2011-07-26T06:28:00.000-07:00

Reuters

RABAT, JUL 26 - At least 78 people were killed when a Moroccan military aircraft crashed in the south of the country on Tuesday, the army said.

In a news alert carried by the official news agency MAP, the army said three other people were severely wounded in the crash, Morocco's deadliest air disaster in several decades.

Officials from India, Pakistan talk in New Delhi

2011-07-26T06:16:00.000-07:00

AP,

NEW DELHI, JUL 26 - High-level Indian and Pakistani officials held talks Tuesday against the backdrop of a recent terror attack that killed 20 people in India's financial capital.

The foreign secretaries' meeting, just five months after the nations resumed bilateral discussions, was expected to focus on confidence-building measures including cross-border trade and visa protocols before the countries' foreign ministers meet Wednesday.

"This is essentially a preparatory round," Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao told reporters before meeting Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir in New Delhi. "We had a very good meeting in Islamabad last month, and this has, in a sense, set the trend for our discussions here today."

The South Asian neighbors resumed talks in February after almost a two-year break following the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack in which 10 Pakistani gunmen killed 166 people.

In the bombings in Mumbai earlier this month, suspicion has fallen on the Indian Mujahideen, an Islamic militant group linked to Pakistan's Lashkar-e-Taiba that has claimed past attacks using similar explosives. Indian officials say they are still investigating the case, however, and it was not clear if India and Pakistan would be discussing it this week.

"We have every reason to be satisfied with our joint endeavors for the cause of peace and stability and for good relations between our two countries," Bashir said.

Tuesday's talks lasted a few hours, but the discussions were not detailed afterward.

Since February, Indian and Pakistani officials have discussed a range of issues including terrorism threats, cooperation on the 2008 Mumbai attacks investigation and the divided Himalayan territory of Kashmir, which both sides claim in its entirety.

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told reporters Tuesday in Islamabad that the talks were the "only way forward to improve ties with India."

His newly installed foreign minister, Hina Rabbani Khar, said she hoped Wednesday's meeting with Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna is productive. The two are expected to review progress so far made on issues including security, water sourcing and commerce while also looking for ways to further boost cooperation.

It is in the "interest of Pakistan that the dialogue should be result-oriented," Khar told reporters in Lahore, Pakistan, before boarding a flight to Delhi. "We should be positive in our engagement, and we are."

India's defense minister also said the two sides would hopefully "be able to find a solution in the long run," but would plan for contingencies.

"We will continue dialogue on the one side and on the other side, we will strengthen our national security apparatus," Defense Minister A.K. Antony said.

Measles kill over 1,000 DR Congo children since January: UN

2011-07-26T05:26:00.000-07:00

AFP

JUL 26 - A measles epidemic has killed 1,145 children in the Democratic Republic of Congo since January, the UN's Humanitarian Affairs mission in Kinshasa said Monday.

The epidemic "has already affected 115,600 children and killed 1,145" between January and June, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement.

This prompted the vaccination of 3.1 million children across five provinces it added.

The campaign swung into action in May after the NGO Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) deplored "the lack of reactivity" of organisations like the World Health Organisation to what it termed an "uncontrollable" epidemic.

The DR Congo is also battling cholera and polio epidemics.

Scarred Malaysian girl longs for dad

2011-07-26T05:17:00.000-07:00

Farik Zolkepli
The Star

Her once beautiful face is now badly scarred by acid splashed by her father but that does not stop Nurul Dahyatul Fazlinda Mat Haizan from missing him.

The nine-year-old Malaysian girl, better known as Lin, said she had never blamed her father Mat Haizan Mat Yassin, 29, for the incident.

“It was just a horrible accident,” she said of the day in August last year when her father splashed acid on her, her brother Muhammad Irfan Firdaus, three, mother Ku Huzaimah Che Ku Awang, 29 and grandmother Minah Omar, 56.

Lin suffered severe burns on her face and chest, while her mother had injuries on the hand and body. Both Muhammad Irfan and Minah suffered minor burns.

Mat Haizan is serving a 10-year sentence in Marang Prison for hurting his family after a quarrel with his wife.

“I have already forgiven my father. He loves us and would never intentionally hurt us,” she said, adding that her only communication with him now was through the letters he sent from prison.

“I just want him to know that my love for him outweighs everything. It would be wonderful to see him after all this time,” she said.

Ku Huzaimah said her former husband deeply regretted his actions.

“He is always asking me to do my best to cure Lin, including sending her for corrective surgery so that she will regain her beautiful face,” she said, adding that she has sent pictures of the children to Mat Haizan.

“We were happy for 11 years but that one incident scarred our family. However, I want to put it behind me and focus on improving Lin's appearance,” she said.

Lin had gone for a reconstructive surgery early this year but the scar did not heal properly as she refused to wear a pressure mask which she said was uncomfortable. She is due for another follow-up surgery soon.

Im Soo Yeon - Hot and Sexy Korean Model

2011-07-26T05:07:00.000-07:00

Im Soo Yeon is one of the beautiful Korean Race Queen with beautiful eyes and sexy Legs. She is widely reknown for her sexy legs, if you are looking for her hot and sexy photoshots then you are the perfect place. Today we have a bunch of Sexy Photo shots of Korean Sexy Model Im Soo Yeon .