Saturday, May 28, 2011

Mid Day International News

Mid Day International News

Morgan: The penguin who won't swim

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When placed in water, Morgan uses his beak and flippers to quickly haul himself out

Morgan the penguin is "really unusual". He simply doesn't want to swim. The white-flippered penguin is about 16-years-old and was found skinny and lost at Flea Bay, Banks Peninsula, about three weeks ago. Now in quarantine at Christchurch's International Antarctic Centre, Morgan is the first penguin staff have ever seen that refuses to swim. When placed in water Morgan uses his beak and flippers to quickly haul himself out. "This is a really unusual penguin. It is the first time we have ever seen a mature penguin that has come in from the wild and simply refuses to swim," centre director Richard Benton said.


Strange lil fella: Morgan has a unique habit of flipping his water bowl
upside down and standing on it.

Morgan also has a unique habit of flipping his water bowl upside down and standing on it, Benton said. Penguin keeper Mallorie Hackett said Morgan was "full of character" and was "definitely a ladies man". In 25 days' time he will be introduced to the centre's main penguin encounter, where Hackett hopes he will befriend Parnia, a single female white-flippered penguin. The tiny bird was found starving and malnourished at a penguin colony on the property of conservationist Shirleen Helps, where the population has fallen dramatically this year as changing weather patterns have reduced fish stocks.

"A lot of chicks have starved to death before we could actually help them, then the adults started getting into trouble and started ending up too skinny to get the through the moult and this one was one of those ... we've probably lost 80-90 per cent of the chicks this year," said Helps. New Zealand's Department of Conservation says the culprit is La Nina, a weather pattern characterised by unusually cool ocean temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific.


Pakistan must flush al-Qaeda out: Clinton

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On a surprise visit to Islamabad yesterday, US Secretary of State asked the Pakistani government to take 'decisive steps' against al-qaeda elements and militants waging war in Afghanistan from ITS soil

The US yesterday asked Pakistan to take "decisive steps" to flush out al-Qaeda elements and to act against militants waging war in Afghanistan from Pakistani soil, as top leaders of the two countries held talks here aimed at easing tensions that have affected their ties. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who arrived here this morning on an surprise visit to address tensions generated by the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad on May 2 lauded Pakistan's contributions to the war on terror but made it clear that more needs to be done to counter Taliban and al-Qaeda elements.


Surprise visit: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton addresses tensions
that were generated after the Osama raid with Pakistan's President
Asif Ali Zardari yesterday. Pic/AFP

"Today we discussed in even greater detail cooperation to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qaeda and to drive them from Pakistan and the region. "We will do our part and we look to the government of Pakistan to take decisive steps in the days ahead," Clinton told a news conference after talks with the top civil and military leadership. Pakistan must also be a part of US plans for the reconciliation process in war-torn Afghanistan, she said. The US is supporting an Afghan-led process that seeks to split the Taliban from al-Qaeda and reconcile militants who renounce violence and accept the Afghan constitution.

Safe haven
"There is momentum toward political reconciliation in Afghanistan but the insurgency continues to operate from safe havens here in Pakistan," Clinton said. Pakistan, she said, "has a responsibility to help us help Afghanistan by preventing insurgents from waging war from Pakistani territory". Shortly after flying into the Chaklala military airbase in Rawalpindi, Clinton held a one-to-one meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari that lasted 30 minutes. The two sides then held delegation-level talks. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) head Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha participated in these talks.

Clinton described the talks she and US Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Admiral Mike Mullen held with the Pakistani leadership as "frank and constructive". "This was an especially important visit because we have reached a turning point. Osama bin Laden is dead but al-Qaeda and its syndicate of terror remain a serious threat to us both," she said. The US wants to defeat violent extremism and end the violence in Afghanistan while also ensuring a secure, stable, democratic and prosperous future for Pakistan, she added.

Referring to the US raid that killed the al-Qaeda chief and led to bilateral relations plunging to a new low, Clinton said "there is absolutely no evidence that anyone at the highest levels of the Pakistan government knew that bin Laden was living just miles from where we are today".

Support to Osama
However, Clinton said her Pakistani interlocutors "were very forthcoming in saying that somebody, somewhere was providing some kind of support" to bin Laden and that an investigation was now underway. "We intend to be consulting closely as we go forward, with them providing information they are finding and us reciprocating," she said.

Search continues
A CIA forensic experts team will fly to Pakistan to search the compound where Osama bin Laden was killed and the agency will use sophisticated equipment to search for possible materials hidden inside the walls at the site.


Brit school bans hugs

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A school has banned pupils from giving each other high-fives, handshakes - or even hugs. Governors imposed the 'no contact' rule as they say it prevents fighting or bullying. Dayna Chong (15) was thrown into detention for cuddling a female pal at The Quest Academy, in Croydon, South London. Mum Anita (33), from nearby New Addington, said the policy was "extreme" and "ludicrous".



She said, "If the kids can't even hug each other at school some of them will never learn how to be socially interactive. School is supposed to be where we start teaching our children how to be social " shaking hands, hugging, opening up. You need an embrace to comfort you when things go wrong. I've never heard of anything so crazy in my life."

Dayna said, "I was just hugging my friend in the morning to say hello and I had to sit on my own and miss out on break because of it. They're trying to turn us into robots." A spokesman said, "Physical contact between students is not allowed because it is often associated with poor behaviour or bullying and can lead to fighting."
Principal Andy Crofts added, "It creates a disciplined environment which is essential for learning and respect."


Old woman fights off bandit with bag

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An 89-year-old Australian woman who used a handbag to beat off a knife-carrying would-be robber said yesterday she would do it all again, adding she would have "killed him if I could". The woman, known only by the pseudonym Jean, was chatting with two friends in an underground car park in Melbourne on Thursday after buying a bottle of wine to enjoy after a day's shopping when a "grubby" man approached.

When he allegedly held a knife to the throat of Jean's 82-year-old lifelong friend and demanded her handbag, Jean acted without hesitation. "I thought he was going to kill (her) and I wasn't going to have that, and I just hit him with my bag on his face," Jean said."I'd have killed him if I could."

The grandmother with the knife at her throat had already attempted to kick the would-be thief in the groin.
"He was just saying 'Give me your bag! Give me your bag! And I said, 'No way'," the woman, who asked to be known as Marie, said. The man fled after a male passer-by came to the defence of the women. Police were impressed by the women, who survived the incident with handbag intact and only a small cut to Marie's hand, which did not require treatment.


Kahn was gentle in bed: Porn star

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Porn queen tells of steamy threesomes with 'sweet' former IMF chief Dominique strauss-kahn

An Italian porn star has claimed that she had enjoyed a steamy threesome with former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Michelle Conti aka Natasha Kiss (38), who is said to have met Strauss-Kahn at a private members strip club in Paris, said he was 'gentle and sweet', adding that she remembered him most for 'his cuddles'. Kiss, who has starred in dozens of erotic films, described how she had nicknamed the Frenchman Ghengis Khan -- the ruthless 12th century Mongol warlord emperor.


Sweet memories: Michelle Conti claims she remembers Kahn because
of his cuddles and was disgusted by what he has been put through.
Pic/AFP

"I thought long and hard about speaking. When I saw him in the newspapers and on the television, treated worse than a killer, then I decided to speak out," the actress said to Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera in an interview. "We met in a private club in Paris four or five years ago. He shook my hand and very clearly said his name," she said. "He was in the club like everyone else there, he wanted to have a drink, a dance and if you feel like it go off with someone."

When asked why Strauss-Kahn had begun to flirt with her, Kiss, who boasts on her website that 'sex is her reason for living' said, "He was very sweet. I was with friends and he was on his own. He tried to attract the attention of an older distinguished lady but she gave him a look which said she was not interested so he just smiled back at her."

"He tried with others but with no luck. What attracted me to him was the fact he was such a gentleman despite all the rebuttals he got. He then approached me and he got it together with a friend and myself," she added. Kiss, says on her website she makes porn movies "for passion not the money." "He was very gentle, educated and not a dribbling dog as can often happen -- in fact he treated us both very sweetly, he cuddled me and that's what stuck in my mind," she said.

She said, "I have no doubt that he is a very nice person, it's disgusting what he is being put through."
"Dominique does not need to rape a woman -- if he wants he can just pay an escort or do as he did in Paris and go to a private club to enjoy himself for a bit. He is just a libertine."

Maid's reputation
Former IMF chief's defence team says it has information that could 'gravely undermine' hotel maid's account.
However, prosecutors quickly slammed the defence for dropping hints the accuser has skeletons in her closet.
In the wake of the incident, Sofitel officials have agreed to a union demand to relax the regulation that housekeepers wear skirts and allow them to work in pants.

Tourist spot
A crush of tourists and gawkers have collected outside Kahn's Tribeca apartment to get a glimpse of the man.


'Fragile Pakistan uses terror as state policy'

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India tells the US, terms the neighbouring country 'global epicentre of extremism'

Calling Pakistan a "fragile" state, Home Minister P Chidambaram said yesterday that India's immediate western neighbour, a "global epicenter" of violent extremism, was promoting terror infrastructure as "state policy". Sounding an alarm over the growing terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan, Chidambaram, said: "The vast infrastructure of terrorism in Pakistan has for long flourished as an instrument of state policy." The home minister was speaking ahead of his talks with his American counterpart Janet Napolitano, who arrived in India on Tuesday for talks here to strengthen anti-terror ties between the two countries. This is the first internal security dialogue between India and the US.


Let's share terror info: Home Minister P Chidambaram requested
US Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to strengthen anti-terror
information-sharing between the two countries. Pic/AFP

The home minister said Pakistan was the "global epicenter of terrorism". "Its economy has weakened and the state structure in Pakistan has become fragile. Today, Pakistan itself faces a major threat from the same forces. Its people as well as its state institutions are under attack." He said different terrorist groups, "operating from the safe havens in Pakistan", have left that country increasingly radicalised, leaving Indian "in perhaps the most difficult neighbourhood in the world".

The home minister's remarks come amid a spate of terror attacks in Pakistan following the killing of Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden who was living in a house near a top military academy in Abbotabad garrison town of that country. Napolitano's visit to India, a first by a top US official after President Barack Obama's November 2010 trip, comes as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in Pakistan in the aftermath of the May 2 killing of Osama.

Chidambaram said the homeland security dialogue "is an important milestone in India-US relations and adds a very important dimension to the growing strategic partnership between our two countries". The home minister said India was battling terrorist infiltration and fake currency inflow that "do not only take place through our western border, but is often routed through countries that we share open borders with".

"We also have to deal with the challenge of large scale migrations from across our borders. Insurgent groups have sometimes found refuge in our neighbouring countries. Internal instability in our neighbouring countries has a direct bearing on the population in our border states," he said, adding that India's "comprehensive neighbourhood strategy is based on political engagement, especially with Pakistan". India, he said, "supports political stability; assistance for economic development and improved connectivity and market access for our neighbours to the Indian economy". "A stable, peaceful and prosperous neighbourhood is vital for the security of the people of India," he added.


End anti-Americanism, Clinton tells Pakistan

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Pakistan should leave its "anti-Americanism and conspiracy theories" as that will help it overcome problems, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton bluntly said Friday after arriving here on a previously unannounced visit.

Clinton, who is on a day-long trip, is the most senior US official to visit the country since US commandos sneaked into Pakistan and shot dead Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden May 2.

"America cannot and should not solve Pakistan's problems. But Pakistan should understand that anti-Americanism and conspiracy theories will not make their problems disappear," Clinton told a news conference here.

The US had "tried to be a very good friend" of Pakistan, she said and added: "Pakistan's future is imperatively important for us, and more important for the people of Pakistan themselves."

"We look forward to a strong Pakistan, one which is democratic."

She, however, underlined the need for Pakistan to eliminate "extremists" - a reference to Islamist forces who have significantly stepped up violent attacks since Osama's killing in a hideout in Abbottabad, barely 120 km from Islamabad.

Clinton admitted that the two countries, although allied in the war on terror, had differences.

Earlier, Hillary Clinton discussed security related issues and US-Pakistan ties with President Asif Ali Zardari.

The Clinton-Zardari meeting, held at the President House, lasted for half an hour. It was followed by delegation level talks, an official told the Associated Press of Pakistan.

The Pakistani delegation comprised Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Army chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar and Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir.

Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen and US Ambassador in Pakistan Cameron Munter represented Washington.

Zardari spoke of his country's sacrifices in war on terror.

He said Pakistan had paid a major price in the fight against terror and noted that terrorism can only be eliminated through joint efforts at regional and international level.

Soon after arriving in the country, Clinton said that Washington had "absolutely no evidence that anyone at the highest level of the Pakistani government" knew where Osama was hiding.

"This was an especially important visit because we have reached a turning point. Osama Bin Laden is dead but Al Qaeda and his syndicate of terror remain a serious threat to us both," BBC quoted Clinton as saying.

British school bans hugs, handshakes

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A school in Britain has reportedly banned students from hugging and shaking hands. Parents have termed the ban "extreme", "crazy" and "ludicrous".

The school administration at the Quest Academy, in Croydon in South London, imposed the "no contact" rule as they say it prevents fighting or bullying, The Sun reported.

A 15-year-old pupil, Dayna Chong, was sent to detention for "cuddling" a female friend in school.

Her mother Anita, terming the policy "extreme" and "ludicrous", said: "If the kids can't even hug each other at school, some of them will never learn how to be socially interactive."

"School is supposed to be where we start teaching our children how to be social - shaking hands, hugging, opening up. You need an embrace to comfort you when things go wrong. I've never heard of anything so crazy in my life."

The school has 800 students aged 11 to 18.

A spokesman said: "Physical contact between students is not allowed because it is often associated with poor behaviour or bullying and can lead to fighting."

School principal Andy Crofts added: "It creates a disciplined environment which is essential for learning and respect."

Simon Cowell wants Obama's Beast

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Security-conscious Simon Cowell is obsessed with US President Barack Obama's bomb-proof Cadillac -- popularly known as The Beast. The car-mad X Factor guru, who has a fleet of luxury motors, has ordered his people to get him his own version of the sleek, black monster.


Love at first sight: Simon Cowell's love of cars is well-known and
when he saw the Beast he immediately wanted the car. Pic/AFP

His spokesman Max Clifford admitted the star had been in touch about the limo, shipped over for the US President's trip to Britain and Ireland. Clifford confirmed, "Simon Cowell phoned me this morning and said he wants the same car as Obama." Its long list of security features include an armour-plated fuel tank.

It also has puncture-resistant tyres and bullet-proof glass.Simon, is known to be upping his security as he tours the States to discover new acts for his smash-hit US X Factor. His normal mode of transport is a Rolls-Royce -- he owns one in the US and another in London. His security was stepped up three years ago after a tracking device was found on his London Roller.

He also zips around town in a Mini. A pal said, "Simon's love of cars is borderline obsessional. He took one look at Obama's Beast and his first thought was, 'I need one.' Obviously it is not as simple as walking into a Cadillac showroom and getting one. "A Beast would take months, if not years, to complete."

Cowell's jewels
The long list of super-expensive cars in Cowell's garage:
>> Ferrari 360
>> Mercedes SL55AMG
>> Range Rover
>> Bentley Azure
>> Aston Martin DB7
>> Bugatti Veyron
>> Mini Cooper S
>> Jaguar XK120
>> Lamborghini Spyder


Posted by Harshad at 7:16 AM

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