Japan launches 'Hayabusa' bullet train

TOKYO: Japan's latest bullet train, the thin-nosed "Hayabusa" or Falcon, made its 300 kilometre per hour (186 mph) debut Saturday, boasting a luxury carriage modelled on airline business class.

Japan has built up a network of cutting-edge Shinkansen train lines since the 1960s that criss-cross the island nation and now hopes to sell the infrastructure technology abroad, including to the United States.

The latest ultra-fast tech-marvel will make two trips a day from Tokyo to Aomori, a scenic rural backwater on the northern tip of the main Honshu island that has until now been off Japan's bullet train map. It will also make one more trip a day to Sendai, located between Tokyo and Aomori.

Mutsutake Otsuka, chairman of East Japan Railway Co. (JR East), stressed the engineering sophistication of the new ride. "To the best of our ability, we will strive to improve Hayabusa's passenger comfort, safety and environmental friendliness, not just its speed," he told hundreds of people who came to Tokyo station to see the futuristic train.

The mood at the launch was dampened slightly by a seven minute delay to the first service after a passenger fell from the platform at Tokyo station, where more than 1,000 train hobbyists rushed to take pictures. The train was not moving at the time, and the man climbed back up to the platform unaided.

The green-and-silver E5 series Hayabusa travels at up to 300 kilometres per hour to make the 675 kilometre trip to Aomori in three hours and 10 minutes. From next year, it will push its top speed to 320 kilometres per hour to become Japan's fastest train.

Passengers will glide quietly along the straight stretches and tunnels that cut through Japan's mountainous countryside, said JR East, which has heavily promoted the launch of the new service.

Those willing to pay 26,360 yen ($320) for a one-way trip can enjoy the comfort of a 'GranClass' car, where a cabin attendant will serve them drinks and food in their deeply reclining leather seats on thick woollen carpets.

To promote the service, the train company has also heavily advertised Aomori as a tourist destination, praising its landscape, seafood and winter snow.

Japan's ultra-fast, frequent and punctual bullet trains have made them the preferred choice for many travellers, rather than flying or road travel, ever since the first Shinkansen was launched in time for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. But as Japan, and its railway companies, struggle with a fast-greying and shrinking population and falling domestic demand, the government and industry are aggressively seeking to promote the bullet trains abroad.

Japan has in the past sold Shinkansen technology to Taiwan and hopes to capture other overseas markets, such as Brazil and Vietnam, but faces stiff competition from train manufacturers in China, France and Germany.

The biggest prize is a future high-speed US rail network that President Barack Obama has promoted, to be backed by 13 billion dollars in public funding. California's then-governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was treated to an early test ride on the Hayabusa when he visited Japan in September.

Japan says its trains boast a strong safety record: despite running in an earthquake-prone country, no passenger has ever died due to a Shinkansen derailment or collision -- although people have committed suicide by jumping in front of the trains. Japan has also been developing a magnetic levitation or maglev train that, its operator says, reached a world record speed of 581 kilometres per hour in 2003 on a test track near Mount Fuji in Tsuru, west of Tokyo.

Researchers make key memory cells in lab dish

CHICAGO: U.S. researchers have coaxed stem cells into becoming a type of brain cell that dies off early in people with Alzheimer's disease.

The new technology would provide a ready supply of cells for use in testing new drugs or even transplants to help restore lost memory, the team reported on Friday in the journal Stem Cell.

While most Alzheimer's research is done in genetically modified mice, the new technique would allow researchers to study a key aspect of the disease in human cells.

"These are cells that are critically important for memory functions," said Dr. Jack Kessler of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, who worked on the study.

Kessler said the team used embryonic stem cells to create the neurons, which are thought to be among the earliest brain cells lost in Alzheimer's disease.

Stem cells are the body's master cells, the source of all other cells. Embryonic stem cells, taken from days-old human embryos, are especially pliable.

The technique to convert stem cells into neurons was developed by Christopher Bissonnette, a former doctoral student in Kessler's lab, who was inspired by the death of his own grandfather from Alzheimer's disease, a fatal brain-wasting form of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior.

When Kessler and Bissonnette implanted the newly grown nerve cells into the brains of mice, they functioned normally, producing nerve fibers called axons and making the brain chemical acetylcholine, used to retrieve memories from other parts of the brain.

The researchers say the technique can produce an almost infinite number of these cells, giving other scientists the chance to study these cells.

ORDINARY SKIN CELLS

The team has used the same approach to make induced pluripotent stem cells, in which ordinary skin cells are reprogrammed into an embryonic-like state. Using these cells, also known as iPS cells, the researchers converted them into brain cells or neurons.

The advantage of iPS cells, Kessler said, is they can be made from people with known Alzheimer's disease, allowing researchers to study differences between healthy cells and diseased cells.

The team made neurons from Alzheimer's patients, healthy people with no family history of Alzheimer's, and people who are healthy but have a genetic predisposition to develop the disease.

"These are real people with real disease. That's why it's exciting," Kessler said.

Kessler said the technology is far from ready, but that eventually it may be possible to make replacement memory cells that can be transplanted into people with Alzheimer's.

"This is exactly the type of fundamental research that is needed," William Thies, chief medical and scientific officer of the Alzheimer's Association, said in an e-mail.

"Knowing more about what causes and prevents brain cell death in Alzheimer's disease will undoubtedly be important for the development of future Alzheimer's treatments."

EU drops Hollywood studios probe

BRUSSELS: European regulators dropped a probe into deals done by major Hollywood film studios that it feared would stifle access to digital screens for low-budget European movies.

"I am pleased that Hollywood studios considered our legitimate concerns and modified the contracts so that cinema-goers can watch both Hollywood blockbusters but also small budget and art-house films with the latest state-of-the-art technology," said Joaquin Almunia, European Union competition commissioner.

"As the majors concerned have modified those contracts, all ends well, like in a good film," Almunia's spokeswoman added.

Almunia's office said that an antitrust investigation probing investment deals concluded during the switchover from film projection to digital cinemas had closed after the big producers changed the terms of contracts signed.

"Several major US Hollywood film studios revised contract provisions relating to the financing and installation of digital projection equipment in cinemas," the commission said in a statement.

"The changes proposed by major Hollywood film studios will make it easier for independent and art-house distributors to have access to cinemas equipped with digital equipment," it said.

UK minister says Arab unrest can double crude prices

LONDON: The price of a barrel of crude could double if the unrest in the Arab world deteriorates, oil trader turned British international development minister Alan Duncan warned Saturday.

Duncan, who has 30 years' business experience in the Gulf, told that the price of a barrel of crude could top $200 (140 euros), well above the record high of $147 reached in July 2008.

If extremists used the instability in the Arab world to bomb oil tankers, pipelines or Saudi reserves, prices could even hit $250 a barrel, Duncan said.

Analysts fear such highs could trigger another recession in Britain.

"I've been saying in government for two months... $200 is on the cards if this goes wrong, if anyone is reckless and foments unrest. All I'm predicting is danger," said Duncan. "It could be very serious. If crude oil doubles, you're going to have a very serious spike (in petrol prices). Try living without it for a week."

The British government is under pressure over the price at the pumps, with 63 percent of the cost going to the exchequer.

If the worst happened, current prices of #1.30 ($2.10, 1.50 euros) a litre at the pump "could look like a luxury", Duncan said, warning of #4 a litre.

"A Twittered-up generation now has massive power. All Arab countries are moving on. But they are all different," he said. "The powers are shifting but you can't do it overnight. We are asking them to do at the flick of a switch what we took centuries to do. "The majority of these rulers are not dictators. These are countries with their own history and cultures.

France to enforce veil ban from April

PARIS: A New French law banning full-face veils in public places will take effect from next month - a move widely accepted as targeting the country's Muslim population.

The law follows France's burqa ban, which outlawed the wearing of the full-length garment worn by women in Islamic traditions. From 11 April, the full-face veil will be illegal to wear in public places - on the street, in the supermarket, in classrooms, in museums, on buses and in parks. The only exceptions to a woman wearing the niqab in public will be if she is travelling in a private car or worshipping in a religious place.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been accused of trying to secure the vote of the far-right with the new legislation. Critics have pointed out that tiny minority of women in France wear full niqab - Muslim groups have estimated that just a few hundred people, in a country with a population of five million, wear the garment.

Those falling foul of the new law will face fines of €150 and be forced to attend a citizenship class, which will outline the 'secular values' of the republic. Although, confusingly, Sarkozy gave a speech praising the "Christian heritage of France", reports British daily newspaper.

Two killed, two injured in Korangi blast

KARACHI: A bomb explosion damaged the house killing at least two people and injuring two others in Korangi area of metropolis, Geo News reported.

According to the police, bomb exploded in a house at Ibrahim Haideri area near Korangi No. 5. Injured men have been identified as Ismail and Saddaruddin.

Dead bodies and injured men have been taken to Jinnah Hosiptal.

Killer of Two U.S. Airmen in Germany May Have Acted Alone

The investigation into the shooting deaths of two U.S. Airmen is still ongoing at this time, but officials seem to be leaning toward the theory that the gunman acted alone. Information has surfaced leading authorities to believe that the shooter was a recently radicalized Islamist who acted on his own to kill American troops. Ironically, it is believed that the man is an ethnic Albanian from Kosovo, a nation that is generally very supportive of the U.S. because of its role in helping Kosovo separate from Serbia.

"The suspect is accused of killing two U.S. military personnel and seriously injuring two others," federal prosecutors said in a statement. "Given the circumstances, there is a suspicion that the act was motivated by Islamism."

The two injured Airmen are still in the hospital at this time, with at least one of them in critical condition, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. The investigation is continuing, with police speaking with family and friends of the shooter to try to determine his motives and if any other people were involved in the planning or execution of the attack.

In related news, U.S. General David Petraeus issued an apology for an errant attack by coalition forces that killed nine Afghan children who were gathering firewood.

Justin Bieber's Hair Sells for $40,000 on eBay

You have to hand it Justin Bieber. Whether you like his music or his image, the kid seems to have his heart in the right place. After recently raising millions for charity by asking fans to donate $17 to a water organization in honor of his 17th birthday, Bieber and Ellen have now collaborated on a quick-hit $40,000 boon for another charity. After recently cutting his famous locks, Bieber appeared on the Ellen show and gave her some of his hair. The winning bid on eBay was in excess of $40,000!

That is one serious Justin Bieber fan, or possibly someone who is going to try to use the DNA in the hair to clone the Biebs. Either way, what a great use of his incredible fan appeal. Instead of pushing harder to increase his fame and build his brand, Bieber is using his fame to call others to action on behalf of good causes. Obviously, many celebrities do outstanding charity work, but Bieber is only 17 years old and is in the midst of an amazing streak of success and fame. It would be understandable if his focus was on an upcoming album or tour. Instead, he's taking the time to make an immediate impact.

Kudos to his parents and the people who have helped to develop what appears to be a very stable and mature teenager. His actions at such a young age will have an even greater impact as a result of the example that he is setting for legions of young fans around the world.

Friends Worried About Recently Divorced Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera has played down any reports that she may be unhappy in the wake of her October, 2010 divorce from Jordan Bratman, but friends of the singer are worried about her behavior of late. Noted a friend of Aguilera’s, "She’s not being honest with herself. She’s saying she’s this strong independent woman and she’s fine, but what she’s not stepping back to realize is that moving on after a divorce is not easy. She thinks she’s gotten her life together and has already moved on, when maybe she still needs to process it some more."

Aguilera, of course, claims that she’s found love with her new beau Matthew Rutler, who is 25, but her behavior since starting to date him has been erratic. In February, the 30-year-old veteran singer messed up the words to the national anthem at the Super Bowl, and was noticeably drunk at a party for Jeremy Renner in January. A week ago, Rutler was arrested for DUI and Aguilera was thrown in jail, apparently for her own safety.

Some friends are worried that Rutler is having a bad influence on Aguilera, noting, "There’s a real concern about this guy, and a lot of her friends feel she needs to get away from him. Hopefully, what happened is a real wake up call. She is going out and drinking more.

First Amendment Protects Protestors at Military Funerals

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the First Amendment of the Constitution protects the fundamentalist church members who regularly put together anti-gay protests just outside military funerals. While family members at the funerals have a difficult time dealing with the protests, the ruling indicates that there is nothing that can be done about the Westboro Baptist Church, of Topeka, Kansas, which has routinely been involved in such protests. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the opinion for the court in the case, while Justice Samuel Alito dissented.

Noted Roberts, "Speech is powerful. It can stir people to action, move them to tears of both joy and sorrow, and – as it did here – inflict great pain. On the facts before us, we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker. As a nation we have chosen a different course – to protect even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate." Alito, however, strenuously disagreed with the majority, writing, "Our profound national commitment to free and open debate is not a license for the vicious verbal assault that occurred in this case."

As is regularly the case, the Westboro Baptist Church showed up at the funeral of Matthew Snyder, a soldier who died in Iraq in 2006. The group blames the deaths of U.S. soldiers in Iraq on America’s acceptance of homosexuality and hold up signs at the funerals that read "Thank God for dead soldiers," "You’re Going to Hell" and "God Hates the USA/Thank God for 9/11.

Many stick with fast food after heart attack

NEW YORK: It would seem logical for patients who have had a heart attack to cut back on fast food.

Some devoted fast food eaters do. But six months later, more than half can still be found at their favorite fast food places at least once a week, according to a study in the American Journal of Cardiology.

Of nearly 2,500 heart attack patients studied by John Spertus, at the University of Missouri at Kansas City, 884 -- or 36 percent -- reported in a survey while still hospitalized that they had eaten fast food frequently in the month before their heart attack. "Frequently" was defined as once a week or more.

When Spertus and his colleagues checked back six months later, 503 were still eating fast food every week.

"Fast food consumption by patients with AMI (acute myocardial infarction) decreased 6 months after the index hospitalization, but certain populations -- including younger patients, men, those currently working, and less educated patients -- were more likely to consume fast food, at least weekly, during follow-up," he wrote.

"Novel interventions that go beyond traditional dietary counseling may be needed to address continued fast food consumption after AMI in these patients."

But the study showed that older patients and those who had bypass surgery were more likely to be avoiding fast food six months later.

The survey did not ask what menu items people ordered, and some in the restaurant business have pointed out that fast food isn't always limited just to burgers and fries.

But Spertus and his colleagues pointed out that the people in their study who kept eating fast food tended to have health profiles "consistent with selection of less healthy options."

Nine out of 10 patients in the study received dietary counseling before they left the hospital, but this didn't seem to affect that odds that frequent fast food eaters would improve their diets, and Spertus said this showed they needed more education after leaving the hospital.

"The problem is that patients are absorbing so much information at the time of their heart attack, that I just don't think they can capture and retain all the information they're getting," he told Reuters Health.

World Cup eclipses 7 Khoon Maaf

MUMBAI: The Cricket World Cup 2011 has over shadowed Vishal Bharadwaj's latest presentation 'Saat Khoon Maaf' which was expected to lead the box office.

The film is a thriller, a dark comedy and comes riding on enticing trailers and promos.

However, the film, despite the presence of Priyanka Chopra in a notorious avatar, has received lukewarm response at the box office. The film has garnered mixed reviews from the critics but it hasn't transformed into box office success.

Australia win toss, bat against Zimbabwe

AHMEDABAD: Australia captain Ricky Ponting won the toss and elected to bat against Zimbabwe in their opening World Cup match here at the Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera on Monday.

This is the fourth match of the tournament and the third in Group A.

Australia, who are aiming to win the fifth title after emerging champions in 1987, 1999, 2003 and 2007, have not lost a match in the last two editions in South Africa and the West Indies under Ponting.

They have lost just one of their 27 one-day internationals against Zimbabwe, the defeat coming in the 1983 World Cup in England.

Teams:
Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Shane Watson, Brad Haddin, Michael Clarke, David Hussey, Cameron White, Steve Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Jason Krejza, Brett Lee, Shaun Tait.

Zimbabwe: Elton Chigumbura (captain), Charles Coventry, Regis Chakabva, Graeme
Cremer, Craig Ervine, Christopher Mpofu, Raymond Price, Tatenda Taibu, Brendan
Taylor, Prosper Utseya, Sean Williams.

Oil up in Asia as Libyan tensions escalate

SINGAPORE: Oil prices surged in Asian trade Monday, with Brent crude passing $103 as escalating tensions in Libya fuelled concerns over instability spreading across the oil-producing Arab states, analysts said.

Brent North Sea crude for April delivery jumped $1.13 to $103.65 per barrel, and New York's main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in March, gained $1.17 to $87.37 in the afternoon.

"Both benchmarks have really zoomed ahead this morning. The main driver is really the unrest in the Middle East," said Victor Shum, senior principal for Purvin and Gertz energy consultants in Singapore.

He added that fresh violence in Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) member state Libya was igniting fears of instability spreading throughout the key oil-supplying Middle Eastern and North African region.

"Libya is a member of OPEC and even though Libya's oil production isn't very significant on a global basis, it's really threatening close to the main suppliers of crude oil to the world, mainly Middle East and North Africa," Shum told AFP.

Intense gunfire was heard early Monday in the heart of the Libyan capital Tripoli and other quarters of the city as Saif al-Islam Kadhafi, the son of strongman Moamer Kadhafi, warned the nation was on the verge of civil war.

Death sentence upheld for Ajmal Kasab

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court Monday confirmed death sentence of Ajmal Kasab who watched the proceedings via a video link and did not react after the judges delivered the verdict.

The court was to give its verdict in the appeal of the sole surviving gunman from the 2008 Mumbai attacks against his conviction and death sentence.

Kasab, now 23, was convicted and sentenced to death last May for his part in the wave of attacks on India's financial capital by 10 militants which killed 166 people and injured more than 300 others.

State prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said on Sunday that he was "very confident" that the death sentence would be upheld.

One of Kasab's lawyers, Farhana Shah, added: "Inshallah (God willing), we hope for the best but it's up to the discretion of the honourable court."

Kasab was found guilty of a string of offences including waging war against India, murder, attempted murder and terrorist acts after a high-profile trial at a maximum security prison court in Mumbai.

The appeal, which began last October, saw Kasab's legal team ask for a retrial, arguing that his trial lawyer was not given sufficient time to wade through the 11,000-page charge sheet before the case began.

They also claimed that prosecution evidence and witnesses were manipulated.

Under Indian law, death sentence cases have to be referred to the local state high court. The judges can uphold the sentence, reduce it, order a retrial or overturn the conviction.

If a death sentence is upheld in the high court, there is a further right of appeal to the Supreme Court in New Delhi and as a last resort to India's president for clemency.

The court upheld the acquittal of two Indians Fahim Ansari and Sabahuddin. The state had appealed against the acquittal of the pair who was accused of providing hand-drawn maps of potential targets to the gunmen.

The trial judge rejected the prosecution evidence against them as flimsy.

Kasab has been held in solitary confinement since his arrest in a shoot-out with police just hours after the attacks began. He has not attended the appeal for security reasons but has been able to follow proceedings via video link.

Vancouver still world's most liveable city: survey

SYDNEY: Vancouver topped the list of the world's most liveable cities for the fifth straight year, while Melbourne claimed second place from Vienna and Australian and Canadian cities dominated the list's top 10 spots.

In the annual survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit, the Canadian west coast city and 2010 Winter Olympics host scored 98 percent on a combination of stability, health care, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure - a score unchanged from last year.

It has topped the list from 2007.

Although Melbourne pipped the Austrian capital for silver medal, there was no other major change near the top of the list of 140 cities worldwide. Auckland, New Zealand, came in 10th.

"Mid-sized cities in developed countries with relatively low population densities tend to score well by having all the cultural and infrastructural benefits on offer with fewer problems related to crime or congestion," said Jon Copestake, editor of the report, in a statement.

Pittsburgh was the top US city with 29th place - just ahead of Honolulu -- while Los Angeles moved up three places to 44th and New York held onto the 56th spot.

London moved up one place to 53rd while Paris came in at number 16.

The top Asian city was Osaka at number 12, tying Geneva, Switzerland and beating out the Japanese capital of Tokyo, which came in at 18.

Hong Kong came in at 31 but Beijing, capital of the world's most populous nation and No. 2 economy, straggled in at 72.

There was also little change at the bottom, with Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, once again claiming the worst position with a rating of 37.5 percent, narrowing beating out the Bangladesh capital of Dhaka.

The Economist Intelligence Unit survey ranks cities based on 30 factors such as healthcare, culture and environment, and education and personal safety.

Following is a list of the top 10 most liveable cities as ranked by The Economist Intelligence Unit:
1. Vancouver, Canada
2. Melbourne, Australia
3. Vienna, Austria
4. Toronto, Canada
5. Calgary, Canada
6. Helsinki, Finland
7. Sydney, Australia
8. Perth, Australia
8. Adelaide, Australia
10. Auckland, New Zealand
The bottom 10 cities were:
1. Harare, Zimbabwe
2. Dhaka , Bangladesh
3. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
4. Lagos, Nigeria
5. Algiers , Algeria
6. Karachi, Pakistan
7. Douala, Cameroon
8. Tehran, Iran
9. Dakar, Senegal
10. Colombo, Sri Lanka

What will happen to Mubarak's billions

The mounting pressure from 18 days of historic protests finally drove Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak from office, after three decades as his nation's iron-fisted ruler. But over that time, Mubarak amassed a fortune that should finance a pretty comfortable retirement. The British Guardian newspaper cites Middle Eastern sources placing the wealth of Mubarak and his family at somewhere between $40 billion and $70 billion. That's a pretty good pension for government work. The world's richest man--Mexican business magnate Carlos Slim--is worth about $54 billion, by comparison. Bill Gates is close behind, with a net worth of about $53 billion.

Mubarak, of course, was a military man, not a businessman. But running a country with a suspended constitution for 30 years generates certain perks, and Mubarak was in a position to take a slice of virtually every significant business deal in the country, from development projects throughout the Nile basin to transit projects on the Suez Canal, which is a conduit for about 4 percent of the world's oil shipments. "There was no accountability, no need for transparency," says Prof. Amaney Jamal of Princeton University. "He was able to reach into the economic sphere and benefit from monopolies, bribery fees, red-tape fees, and nepotism. It was guaranteed profit."

Had the typical Egyptian enjoyed a morsel of that, Mubarak might still be in power. But Egypt, despite a cadre of well-educated young people, has struggled as an economic backwater. The nation's GDP per capita is just $6,200, according to the CIA--one-seventh what it is in the United States. That output ranks 136th in the world, even though Egypt ranks 16th in population. Mubarak had been working on a set of economic reforms, but they stalled during the global recession. The chronic lack of jobs and upward mobility was perhaps the biggest factor driving millions of enraged Egyptian youths into the streets, demanding change.

Estimates of Mubarak's wealth will probably be hard to verify, if not impossible (one reason dictators tend not to make it onto Forbes's annual list). His money is certainly not sitting in an Egyptian vault, waiting to be counted. And his delayed exit may have allowed Mubarak time to move money around and hide significant parts of his fortune. The Swiss government has said it is temporarily freezing any assets in Swiss banks that could be linked to Mubarak, an uncharacteristically aggressive move for the secretive banking nation. But that doesn't mean the money will ever be returned to the Egyptian people, and it may even find its way to Mubarak eventually. Other Mubarak funds are reportedly sitting in British banks, and Mubarak was no doubt wily enough to squire away some cash in unlikely places. Plus, an eventual exile deal could allow Mubarak to retain some of his wealth, no questions asked, as long as he and his family leave Egypt and make no further bids for power.

Epic skimming is a common privilege of Middle Eastern despots, and Mubarak and his two sons, Gamal and Alaa, were a bit less conspicuous than some of the Saudi princes and other Middle Eastern royals seen partying from time to time on the French Riviera or other hotspots. The family does reportedly own posh estates in London, New York, and Beverly Hills, plus a number of properties around the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El Sheikh, where Mubarak reportedly went after resigning the presidency.

Mubarak also spread the wealth far and wide in Egyptian power circles--another Middle Eastern tradition--one reason he incurred the kind of loyalty that allowed him to rule for a remarkable three decades. Top Army officials were almost certainly on his payroll, which might help explain why the Army eased him out in the end--allowing a kind of in-country exile--instead of hounding him out of Egypt or imprisoning him once it was clear the tide had turned against him for good.

BB murder case; Non-bailable warrant of Musharraf issued

RAWALPINDI: Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Rawalpindi has issued non-bailable arrest warrant of former President Gen Pervaz Musharraf (retd) in Benazir Bhutto assassination case, Geo News reported on Saturday.

ATC-III judge Rana Nisar issued the order while hearing in Adiala Jail.

FIA presented an interim charge of the case in which statements of former DG National Crisis Cell and IB Chief were recorded and Musharraf was declared nominated accused.

Barking dogs can land owner in jail

ROME: If you live in Italy and if the barking of your dogs keeps the neighbors up at night, it's you who might wind up caged -- in a jail cell.

The top appeals court sentenced four people in Sicily to two months in jail because they refused to keep their 10 dogs quiet at night despite complaints from neighbors who had repeatedly picked a bone with the owners over lost sleep.

The four were also ordered to pay court charges and a fine of 500 euros ($684) each. (Reuters)

Obama finally quits smoking

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama has finally kicked his craving for the odd cigarette -- and his wife Michelle is "very proud" the former puffer-in-chief can look his kids in the eye and say he doesn't smoke.

Obama's struggle to beat his addiction has been a subject of inordinate fascination for the US press, throughout his barnstorming 2008 campaign and in the first two years of his presidency.

But First Lady Michelle Obama told reporters Tuesday that the president had not had a drag for about a year and said she was "very proud" he had succeeded in what had been a "personal challenge for him," USA Today reported.

Michelle Obama said she had not repeatedly bugged Obama about quitting -- all while doing one of the world's most stressful jobs.

"When somebody's doing the right thing, you don't mess with them," she said according to USA Today, adding that Obama had finally stopped lighting up because he wanted to tell his daughters Malia and Sasha he did not smoke.

The first lady was talking to reporters to mark the anniversary of her "Let's Move" campaign to end childhood obesity.

Obama had been urged by his doctor in February last year to stop smoking for good after his first health check-up as president, when he was otherwise found to be in "excellent health" and "fit for duty."

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said that several of Obama's closest aides had joined the president in his effort to wean himself off tobacco, and added he was sure the first lady's influence had helped.