Dunya TV

Scientists turn skin cells into beating heart muscle
Ten killed in drone attack in North Waziristan
Pak-India Interior Secy-level talks start today
Contempt case: Gilani, Aitzaz discuss appeal
Surcharge of CNG to be doubled
Lahore: PIA flight escapes disaster
Altaf asks politicians to avoid controversial statements
Multan: Woman killed in name of honour
Sargodha: Father sells four months old son
Gold price down by Rs 600 per tola
Euro skids down to 22-month low
Sindh Rangers additional powers extended for 3 months
Yousaf committed to focus on test cricket
Finance Minister briefs PM on forthcoming budget
Angry investors file cases against Facebook

Scientists turn skin cells into beating heart muscle

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Scientists have for the first time succeeded in taking skin cells from patients with heart failure and transforming them into healthy, beating heart tissue that could one day be used to treat the condition.  The researchers, based in Haifa, Israel, said there were still many years of testing and refining ahead. But the results meant they might eventually be able to reprogram patients  cells to repair their own damaged hearts. "We were able to demonstrate the ability to take skin cells from very sick patients with significant heart failure, heart disease, and show that cells, skin cells from these patients can be eventually differentiated to become healthy heart cells in the dish. So one can take skin cells from a very sick individual, who has very sick heart cells, to reprogram them to become induced pluripotent stem cells and then make heart cells that are healthy, that are young and resemble heart cells at the day that the patient was born," said Lior Gepstein from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, who led the work. The researchers, whose study was published in the European Heart Journal on Wednesday, said clinical trials of the technique could begin within 10 years. "These cells can be transplanted into hearts of animals, survive and function in synchrony with existing heart tissue. This study open the road, hopefully, to future clinical trials, in a decade or so, that will test the ability of such heart cells to repair the patient s own heart," Gepstein said.

Ten killed in drone attack in North Waziristan

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According to details, the spy plane fired two missiles at a house near Mir Ali area of North Waziristan, killing ten people and injuring several others. Panic spread in the area after the attack as drones are still flying over Mir Ali.

Pak-India Interior Secy-level talks start today

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The broad agenda of the two-day talks would focus on visa relaxation, multiple visas for traders, on arrival visa for elderly and children at Wagah border, cooperation in anti-terrorism, progress on Mumbai attacks, CBMs on line of Control. The talks would be led by Interior Secretary Khawaja Siddiq Akbar while the Indian side would be represented by Home Secretary R K Singh. In this regard Federal Interior Minister Senator A. Rehman Malik chaired a pre-meeting of Secretary Interior talks Wednesday between Pakistan and India scheduled to be held on Thursday. The Minister reviewed progress of the last Secretary Interior talks between Pakistan and India and gave instructions to move forward. Sources told Online that during the talks Pakistan would review the progress made by India regarding the probe into Samjhota Express, in which a number of Pakistanis lost their lives, and would apprise the India side of its progress on the Mumbai attacks. Meanwhile according to Indian media reports, a 12-member delegation, led by Home Secretary R K Singh, Wednesday left for Pakistan for the Home Secretary-level talks where a relaxed visa regime is expected to be inked apart from New Delhi pressing for action against perpetrators of the 26/11 attack. The visit comes in the backdrop of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari s visit to India on April 8 during which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had stressed the need for Pakistan to take firm action to curb terrorism to enable India to make forward movement in the bilateral relationship. The Prime Minister had also asked Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai attack to justice and prevent activities aimed against India from Pakistani soil. "These continue to be our priorities," Home Secretary Singh said before leaving for Islamabad. The last round of Home Secretary-level talks was held in New Delhi in March 2011. The New Delhi joint statement had identified cooperation in the areas of counter terrorism, progress in bringing the fugitives of the Mumbai terrorist attack case to justice and a revised bilateral visa agreement as some of the priorities.

Contempt case: Gilani, Aitzaz discuss appeal

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The counsel of Prime Minister in contempt case Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan has called on Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and discussed with him the matters relating to appeal against Supreme Court verdict. Barrister Aitzaz apprised the Prime Minister about the legal points of the case and his preparedness to file an appeal in the court, on which Prime Minister expressed satisfaction. The sources said that Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan would submit appeal on contempt case verdict in the court on behalf of Prime Minister today.

Surcharge of CNG to be doubled

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According to sources, the surcharge on CNG is going to be enhanced from Rs 147 per MMBTU to Rs 300 per MMBTU. The proposal for increase in surcharge was give by cabinet’s special committee. The sources said that the government has decided to bridge gas between petrol and CNG prices. I was also decided that the CNG will be gradually converted to LPG.

Lahore: PIA flight escapes disaster

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According to details, an oxygen gas cylinder booked in luggage of PIA flight 307 from Lahore to Karachi exploded on the conveyor belt. The gas cylinder fell 500 feet away after the explosion. Panic spread at the airport after the explosion. Aviation experts are of the view that the explosion may have caused severe damage if it had exploded inside the plane.

Altaf asks politicians to avoid controversial statements

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Talking to a delegation of coordination committee of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Altaf Hussain said that solution to every controversy lies in the equal distribution of resources. He asked Intellectuals to take bold stance bail out Sindh from the current law and order situation. He also advised the political leaders to refrain from issuing controversial statements. The MQM party workers from Sindh, Balochistan, Seraiki belt, Gilgit and Kashmir were also present on the occasion.

Multan: Woman killed in name of honour

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According to details, 20-year-old Shahbaz shot dead his mother, Bindia Begum, over a family dispute in Arifabad area near Multan and also attacked his neighbourers’ and injured a man. According to police, the deceased Bindia Begum got divorce from her husband due to which the accused was upset. The accused managed to escape from the scene after committing the crime.

Sargodha: Father sells four months old son

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According to details, four-month-old Gulroze was soled for Rs 20 thousand by his father Nauroze Khan to a man named Sajjad. It was also decided in the deal that Sajjad will have to pay further 50 thousand rupees in case of death of the child. Nauroze had earlier sold two of his daughters due to poverty and wanted to sell his other children too. Police have arrested the accused while a case has also been registered against five persons, including two women.

Gold price down by Rs 600 per tola

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According to Sindh Jewellers Association, price of one of tola gold has become Rs 54,800 with cut of Rs 600 while the price of 10 g gold has become Rs 46, 971 with cut of Rs 514. The decrease of $25 was recorded in the price of one ounce gold in the world market.

Euro skids down to 22-month low

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Stock markets were hit hard and the euro skidded down to near 22-month lows against the dollar Wednesday as investors grew increasingly skeptical that European Union leaders will be able to cobble together a plan to kick-start the region s faltering economy and deal with its crippling debt. Leaders of the 27 EU countries are to meet in Brussels later for a summit that will focus on Europe s economic woes and Greece s political crisis. An election in Greece on June 17 is widely considered to be a referendum on the country s membership of the euro. And that s caused big jitters in the markets over the past couple of weeks. "The market remains focused on the uncertain European situation, with today s European leaders meeting doing little to ease market worries," said Nick Bennenbroek, an analyst at Wells Fargo Bank. In the early part of the week, there had been some hope that Europe s leaders might make progress towards shoring up Europe s defenses against financial turmoil. Any enthusiasm appears to have vanished with Germany s continued refusal to back the idea of eurobonds debt jointly issued by all the memebers of the 17-country eurozone. Such bonds would aim to bring down borrowing rates for financially weak states by distributing the risk of their debt across the whole. "Hopes for today s EU summit have been well and truly chucked out of the window, as the Germans once again state their firm opposition to eurozone bonds as a means of solving the crisis," said Chris Beauchamp, market analyst at IG Index. In Europe, Britain s FTSE 100 was 2.53 percent lower at 5,266, while Germany s DAX lost 2.3 percent to 6,285. The CAC-40 in France was 2.6 percent lower at 3,003. The euro was also under pressure, trading 0.5 percent lower at $1.2557 its lowest level since July 2010. Whereas a weak euro would help the region s exports, it would conversely make it more expensive for the eurozone to import anything. Wall Street opened lower too, with the Dow Jones industrial average down 0.7 percent at 12,416 and the broader S&P 500 index 0.6 percent lower at 1,308. Greece s politics will also remain the focus of investor attention. The main concern is that political parties that are against the terms of the country s bailout package might win the election. If Europe then cuts off its funding to Greece, the country may face a messy exit from the euro, raising concerns among investors that other countries might follow. Some analysts say a Greek exit would herald the beginning of the end of the euro and could slam the global economy. Another big worry for investors is a slowdown in Chinese growth, compounded by a reluctance of Chinese companies to borrow because of uncertainty about the economy. Those concerns dented sentiment earlier in Asia. Japan s Nikkei 225 index tumbled 2 percent to close at 8,556.60, while Hong Kong s Hang Seng fell 1.3 percent to 18,786.19 and South Korea s Kospi lost 1.1 percent at 1,808.62. Oil prices were near seven-month lows as they tracked equities and amid hopes that the standoff between Iran and western powers over the country s nuclear program may be ending. Iran has agreed to allow the U.N. nuclear agency to restart an investigation into its nuclear program. Benchmark oil for July delivery down 50 cents at $91.35 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. ____

Sindh Rangers additional powers extended for 3 months

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In view of the deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi additional powers for Sindh Rangers have been extended for another three months. Sindh government Wednesday issued a notification in this regard. Rangers are allowed to seal exit/entry points and conduct searches in all five districts of Karachi under the authority. Provincial Home Department has issued the notification in this regard under which rangers could use brute force against culprits. These powers enable the paramilitary troops to search any premises without any warrants and open fire at miscreants in self defense. They can also besiege any area in case of the presence of culprits there.

Yousaf committed to focus on test cricket

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Talking to the media at his home in Lahore, he said that he would also play domestic cricket. Making a comparison with India star Sachin, he said that he can also perform well. He said that he is hopeful of having space in test squad against Sri Lanka.

Finance Minister briefs PM on forthcoming budget

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During meeting with the Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, the Minister for Finance said that Rs 300 billion had been spent on development projects under PSDP during current fiscal year. He said that specific funds would be allocated in Water and Power, Communication and Food Security departments. He said that the development funds would be approved by the National Economic Council during a meeting.

Angry investors file cases against Facebook

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At least four lawsuits had been filed claiming the company and the lead dealers of its shares had withheld crucial information from smaller investors. The Massachusetts state government issued a subpoena for the lead underwriter, Morgan Stanley, over how it shared information ahead of the massive share sale. And one investor sued the Nasdaq OMX exchange for damages resulting from the huge computer glitches that stalled or prevented the execution of orders on millions of shares after the shares hit the market Friday. The lawsuits alleged that Facebook, company executives and the underwriters of the IPO violated securities laws by issuing "false and misleading" information in the official documents before the share sale. They "failed to disclose that during the IPO roadshow, the lead underwriters... cut their earnings forecasts and that news of the estimate cut was passed on only to a handful of large investor clients, not to the public," said Glancy Binkow & Goldberg in its suit. Facebook went public Friday, selling 421 million shares to raise $16 billion in the country s second-largest IPO ever. But the shares plunged 18 percent over the first three trading sessions, driving allegations that large institutional investors had received privileged analyses that drove them to dump the shares, while small investors paid the price. "The Facebook debacle is coming off as an insult to individual investors. It looks like the worst of Wall Street hype with a dose of chicanery to boot," said Dick Green at Briefing.com. "Insiders certainly look like the winners and individual investors the losers." The shares rebounded slightly in morning trade Wednesday, climbing 2.1 percent to $31.66, but still well below the $38 IPO price that investors paid to score big gains in the market debut of the world s leading social network. Some of the suits were class actions announced by law firms which were still seeking to collect support from investors willing to sign on to the actions. Legal firms in the United States frequently file such class-action lawsuits even as they seek plaintiffs; often competing suits are ultimately combined into one. One Maryland investor, Phillip Goldberg, sued Nasdaq in the New York District Court, saying he lost money when the exchange failed to promptly and accurately execute his orders to buy and sell Facebook stock on Friday. "Orders placed by investors seeking to purchase Facebook shares during the first trading day often took hours to execute," the suit said. Goldberg s suit also seeks class-action status, citing media accounts of other investors having the same problems.Nasdaq did not comment on the suit.On Tuesday Morgan Stanley said it had followed all appropriate procedures in the IPO, and denied doing anything wrong."In response to the information about business trends, a significant number of research analysts in the syndicate who were participating in investor education reduced their earnings views to reflect their estimate of the impact of the new information," the bank said in a statement."These revised views were taken into account in the pricing of the IPO. Regulators were reported to be examining what happened, but there was no confirmation of any official probe.There was little information on how regulators viewed the episode."If true, the allegations are a matter of regulatory concern to FINRA and the SEC," Rick Ketchum, the chief executive of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, said in a statement.