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N-submarines collide in Atlantic
There may be many earth clones
Mumbai Attacks
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China, US to resume military talks
Pakistan ‘unchained’ dozen Taliban to free Chinese techie
Loneliness ‘as harmful as smoking, obesity’
AQ Khan got N-goods from Japan
Obama to honour Stevie Wonder
Qureshi: India should respond sincerely
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N-submarines collide in Atlantic
London, February 16 HMS Vanguard, a Royal Navy's Trident class, and French Navy's new Le Triomphant class submarines were both damaged in the incident, but there were no reports of casualties or damages to the nuclear reactor or weapons, the Sun newspaper reported today. While the British submarine has now been towed to Faslane in Scotland for repair, Triomphant limped to Brest with extensive damage to her sonar dome, the paper said. Both vessels - between them carrying about 250 sailors - were reportedly submerged and on separate missions when they crashed on February 3 or 4. The British Ministry of Defence refused to comment on submarine operations but a spokesman said, “We can confirm that the UK’s deterrent capability has remained unaffected at all times and there has been no compromise to nuclear safety.” HMS Vanguard is one of the four nuclear submarines operated by the British military as part of its Trident system, and one is always on deterrent patrol. Each vessel is 150m long and 13 m in diameter, and can carry up to 48 nuclear warheads, including 16 missiles. — PTI
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There may be many earth clones
Chicago, February 16 "There are something like a few dozen solar-type stars within approximately 30 light years of the sun, and I would think that a good number of those - perhaps half of them have earth-like planets," Alan Boss told the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AASS). "So I think there is a very good chance that we will find some earth-like planets within 10, 20 or 30 light years of the sun," the astrophysicist from the Carnegie Institution for Science told his AAAS colleagues meeting here. One light year equals the distance light travels in one year at the speed of 3,00,000 kilometres per second, or 9.46 trillion kilometres. Boss is convinced that the planets could be found either by the Kepler space telescope US space agency NASA plans to launch on March 5, or by the French-European telescope-equipped COROT satellite that has been in orbit since 2006. "I will be absolutely astonished if Kepler or COROT didn't find any earth-like planets, because basically we are finding them already," Boss said yesterday. — AFP
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Mumbai Attacks
Washington, February 16 In a front-page article, The Washington Post said CIA “orchestrated back-channel intelligence exchanges” between India and Pakistan with the top American intelligence agency itself playing the role of a neutral arbitrator. “The exchanges, which began days after the deadly assault in late November, gradually helped the two sides overcome mutual suspicions and paved the way for Islamabad’s announcement last week acknowledging that some of the planning for the attack had occurred on the Pakistani soil, The Post quoted sources as saying. On November 26 last year, 183 persons, including American nationals, were shot dead by Pakistani terrorists who entered Mumbai through sea. Only one Pakistani terrorist involved in the attack was captured by the Indian security forces and is in the custody of the Mumbai police. Referring to interviews with sources in the US and foreign government, the newspaper said the intelligence went well beyond the public revelations about the 10 Mumbai terrorists, and included sophisticated communications intercepts and an array of physical evidence detailing how the gunmen and their supporters planned and executed their three-day killing spree in the Indian port city. — PTI
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China, US to resume military talks
Beijing, February 16 China regards self-ruled Taiwan as a renegade province that it has vowed to recover, by force if necessary. The meeting will now take place from February 27-28 between a US assistant secretary of defence and a deputy chief of the Chinese army, the China Daily said. The dialogue would be “informal”, it quoted defence ministry spokesman Hu Changming as saying. Clinton will visit China a week earlier, as part of a tour through Asia that will also include Japan, South Korea, and Indonesia. The US switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 1979, recognising “one China”, but remains Taiwan’s biggest ally and arms supplier.
— Reuters
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Pakistan ‘unchained’ dozen Taliban to free Chinese techie
Peshawar, February 16 “Yes, a number of militants were freed to secure the release of the Chinese engineer,” The News quoted a top official, as saying. He (official) however, declined to disclose the exact number of militants set-free in the deal. Long Xiaowei along with his colleague Zhuang Guo were abducted by the Taliban from Khal town of Lower Dir district in August last year. Later Guo succeeded in escaping from militant’s clutches. The Pakistan government has been under immense pressure from Beijing to act after the beheading of a Polish geologist, Piotr Stanczak, by the Taliban. The exchange of terrorists for securing the engineer’s release is seen as a very important step in view of Pakistan President Zardari’s forthcomimg visit to China. Sources said that Zardari is expected to take Xiaowei along with himself to China. Earlier, efforts for the release of the abducted Chinese engineer had failed , as the Pak government turned downed the demand of the militants to free 136 Taliban prisoners, besides other demands. — ANI
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Loneliness ‘as harmful as smoking, obesity’
London, February 16 A new study has revealed that loneliness not only makes people unhappy but affects their mind also - in fact, it raises blood pressure and stress levels, general wear and tear, and the chances of developing Alzheimer's disease. Moreover, the study has found that social isolation reduces a person’s will power and perseverance, thus affecting one’s ability to follow a healthy lifestyle. According to lead researcher Prof John Cacioppo of the University of Chicago, the difference between a lonely person and a popular person is akin to “a smoker and a non-smoker”. “Loneliness not only alters behaviour, but loneliness is related to greater resistance to blood flow through your cardiovascular system. Loneliness leads to higher rises in morning levels of the stress hormone cortisol, affects the immune system, higher blood pressure and depression. — PTI
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AQ Khan got N-goods from Japan
Islamabad/Tokyo, February 16 This supply "knowingly or unknowingly" helped Islamabad to acquire nuclear capability and were incorporated in its supply framework. "Japanese companies played a key role in supplying equipment used for Pakistan's nuclear development," Japan's Kyodo News reported, quoting the outcome of its investigations in Islamabad and Tokyo. Comments by Khan reveal how leading Japanese manufacturers knowingly and unknowingly helped Pakistan acquire nuclear capability and were incorporated into its supply framework.
— PTI
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Obama to honour Stevie Wonder
Washington, February 16 The President will organise a concert in the East Room of White House to honour Wonder, who had backed Obama during his run for the presidential post in 2008. Wonder is to be awarded a Gershwin Prize for Lifetime Achievement from the Library of Congress, the Washington Post reported. “Higher Ground” and “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” by Wonder were some of the popular songs during Obama’s campaign. The multi Grammy-award winning singer performed at Obama’s inaugural concert at the Lincoln Memorial, along with Usher and Shakira. The concert is scheduled to be shown on February 26 on PBS as part of the network’s “In Performance at the White House” series.
— PTI
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Qureshi: India should respond sincerely
Islamabad, February 16 Talking to newspersons in central city of Multan yesterday, Qureshi said India should sincerely respond to the questions if it was serious about the prosecution of the Mumbai attacks accused. The statement came days after Pakistan admitted for the first time that the 26/11 attack was partly planned in that country and a first information report (FIR) has been lodged against the eight accused, including the mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Zarar Shah.
— UNI
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Beijing, February 16
