World marks Michael Jackson anniversary

Fans across the globe are paying tribute to singer Michael Jackson on the first anniversary of his death at the age of 50.

Thousands of people are likely to gather at the Los Angeles cemetery where the musician is at rest, along with members of his family.

Jackson's mother Katherine is expected at the family home in Gary, Indiana, where tributes will be paid.

A monument has also been dedicated to the star at London's Lyric Theatre.

In New York, the Apollo Theatre - where Jackson and his brothers won a talent contest and were subsequently signed to Motown Records - there will be a commemoration of his life.

Flowers have been left in tribute to the late star in Tokyo, where 50 fans will have the chance to spend the night in an exhibition of his possessions.

Jackson devotees gathering at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California said they had come to both grieve and celebrate his life.

Evdokia Sofianu, who had travelled from Greece, told the Associated Press: "I came because I love Michael very much."

"I'm just hoping to embrace the fans from everywhere," added Julia Thomas.

Prisoners' tribute

Michael's brother Randy said he would also be at the cemetery to pay his respects.

The star's three children are expected to mark the anniversary along with their grandmother and guardian Katherine at the former family home in Indiana.

The house in Gary is likely to become a major focal point for fans to remember the star one year after his death.

Meanwhile, prisoners in the Philippines are marking the anniversary by staging a version of Thriller for invited members of the public on Saturday.

The inmates of Cebu jail became an internet phenomenon when they were filmed performing the dance in 2007.

Meanwhile, Jackson has been named as the biggest selling artist in the UK since his death last year, with 4.3 million sales.

That exceeds his chart performance during his 1980s heyday, the Official Chart Company has said.

 

In pictures: Leaders arrive in Canada for G8/G20 summits

 

Apple issues advice to avoid iPhone flaw

Apple has released official advice for iPhone 4 owners to overcome the problem of the device losing signal when held by the lower left corner.

Steve Jobs responded to a query about the problem from one owner by saying: "Just avoid holding it in that way."

The official advice is to "avoid gripping it in the lower left corner in a way that covers both sides of the black strip in the metal band".

Alternatively, said Apple, customers could buy a case to shield the antenna.

The iPhone 4 went on sale on 24 June, with hundreds of people queuing outside Apple's flagship store in central London for the launch.

Many new owners reported that signal strength dropped when the phone was held.

In a statement, Apple said: "Gripping any mobile phone will result in some attenuation of its antenna performance, with certain places being worse than others depending on the placement of the antennas."

Steve Jobs issued his response in a message responding to an e-mail from the Ars Technica news site. Mr Jobs wrote that "All phones have sensitive areas".

The problem is thought to be particularly acute for left-handed owners who naturally touch the phone in the sensitive area.

The casing of Apple's latest phone is made of stainless steel, which also serves as its antenna.

Apple sells a rubber "bumper" that shields the sensitive area as do many other firms.

Richard Warner, one of the first to buy an iPhone 4, contacted BBC News, saying that he thought the phone was "useless in its current state".

"Apple have created a phone that has an antenna on the bottom left-hand side of the phone."

"This means that when you hold it in your left hand, the signal bars slowly fade until there is no signal," he wrote.

'Complaints'

A number of videos have been posted on video sharing site YouTube complaining about the reception issue.

One video had an American user running a speed test, with hands on and hands free.

In it, the user 'awington' says that, while holding the phone "it won't even run the test when I am holding the phone... once I let go, it makes a connection and runs the test.

"Hold it a second time, and the upload test will not start."

Social networking site Twitter was full of chatter, with numerous tweets on the reception problems.

The issue might stem from the way the integrated antenna is constructed. One section provides mobile reception, while another is for wi-fi.

Some users have speculated that touching the bottom of the phone bridges this gap, affecting signal strength.

When Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone 4 at Apple Worldwide Developers Conference, he described the integrated antenna as "really cool engineering".

 

Swiss graffiti man faces Singapore caning

Swiss man has been sentenced to five months in jail and three strokes of a cane for spray-painting graffiti on a train in Singapore.

Oliver Fricker, 32, a software consultant, admitted breaking into a depot and vandalising the train.

The judge called it a serious breach of security.

Caning in Singapore involves being struck with a wooden stick on the back of the thigh, which can leave permanent scars.

Amnesty International called the sentence barbaric.

Accomplice

Judge See Kee Oon said Fricker's actions were "calculated criminal conduct".

"He was fully conscious of the criminal nature of the act and must be prepared to face the consequences," the judge said.

Singapore says it is still hunting for a second man, UK national Lloyd Dane Alexander, who it believes took part in the spray-painting.

Fricker was arrested on 25 May, eight days after the incident and two days before he was to leave for a new job in Switzerland.

Prosecutors said the pair spray-painted the words "McKoy" and "Banos" on two carriages - a signature that has featured in graffiti works in other countries.

It is not clear if the two men are the duo behind the other works, or imitators.

Vandalism in Singapore carries a fine of up to S$2,000 ($1,437) or up to three years in jail, in addition to three to eight strokes of a cane.

 

Mohamed ElBaradei leads Egypt 'police death' protest

Several thousand demonstrators have taken to the streets of the Egyptian city of Alexandria to protest against alleged police brutality.

They were led by the former UN nuclear chief, Mohamed ElBaradei, now a campaigner for reform in his homeland.

It is the latest in a series of protests sparked by the death earlier this month of 28-year-old Khaled Said.

Witnesses say police beat him to death on an Alexandria street. Officials say he suffocated after swallowing drugs.

Pictures of his injured face have appeared on social networking websites, sparking condemnation from human rights groups.

Out in force

The protest happened after Friday prayers in the northern port city of Alexandria.

Mohamed ElBaradei, a Nobel peace laureate, joined in for the first time

Witnesses put the crowd at anything from 2,000 to 5,000 people - making it one of the biggest opposition demonstrations since Mr ElBaradei became involved in the movement - says the BBC's Jon Leyne in Cairo.

It is also the first time he has joined a protest himself, our correspondent says.

Protesters held up signs saying, "Long live Egypt" and "Condolences to freedom".

Some chanted "Down with Mubarak," referring to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Campaigners say Mr Said's death is evidence that Egypt's emergency law has created a culture of police impunity.

The law, which has been in place for nearly 30 years since the assassination of President Anwar Sadat by an Islamic militant, was recently renewed for a further two years.

 

Cameron wants troops home from Afghanistan by 2015

Prime Minister David Cameron has said he wants UK troops out of Afghanistan within five years.

Mr Cameron, who is in Canada for the G8 and G20 summits, was asked whether he wanted the troops home by the next general election.

"I want that to happen, make no mistake about it," he said.

But, ahead of talks with US President Barack Obama on Saturday, he said he preferred not to "deal in too strict timetables".

During the election campaign Mr Cameron said he wanted to start bringing troops back in next Parliament, due to last five years.

Interviewed in Canada, he told Sky News: "We can't be there for another five years, having been there for nine years already.

"But one thing we should be clear about - Britain should have a long-term relationship with Afghanistan, including helping to train their troops and their civil society, long after the vast bulk of troops have gone home."

Continue reading the main story

Our forces will not remain in Afghanistan a day longer than is necessary

Prime Minister David Cameron Four killed in Afghanistan named

His aides said his comments did not suggest any new timetable for bringing troops home.

Mr Cameron spoke as four UK soldiers who died in an accident in Afghanistan on Wednesday were named by the Ministry of Defence.

Pte Alex Isaac, Pte Douglas Halliday, Colour Sgt Martyn Horton and L/Cpl David Ramsden were travelling in a Ridgeback armoured vehicle when it left the road and landed in a canal.

'Some stability'

Mr Obama wants a US drawdown of troops to begin next summer although US General David Petraeus and others have insisted that has to be based on conditions on the ground.

Asked about Mr Obama's preference, Mr Cameron said he preferred not to "deal in too strict timetables" but wanted to get on with bringing "some stability" in Afghanistan so its people can run their own country and troops could come home.

Two weeks ago Mr Cameron told MPs: "Our forces will not remain in Afghanistan a day longer than is necessary and I want to bring them home the moment it is safe to do so."

However he told them that while the threat from al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan had reduced - he had been advised it would increase again if international forces left.

 

Animal activists challenged on whale film 'scam'

Norwegian animal welfare organisations have been accused of misleading the public over the "cruelty" of whaling.

Activists recently released a video that they said showed a harpooned whale possibly taking two hours to die.

At the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting, the Norwegian delegation said the footage had been packaged in a way as to "misrepresent the facts".

The campaigners, who rejected the allegations, say they were considering their options on how to respond.

The film was shot in May in the Lofoten Islands off the northwestern coast of Norway, the heart of the nation's whaling industry.

Disputed footage

Most hunting is carried out in coastal waters by adapted fishing vessels, so campaigners were able to film from the shore.

The video reportedly shows a boat firing an explosive harpoon at a minke whale, which the video's commentary says occurred at 9.15pm local time.

The harpoon appears to land short of its target; but narrator Carl-Egil Mastad, director of the Norwegian Society for the Protection of Animals, says: "For the next 22 minutes we filmed the whaling vessel apparently pursuing the injured whale".

The boat then disappeared from sight behind a headland; but later, the film crew - the narrative adds - found it again.

"Then at 11.30(pm), we filmed the [boat] firing a second harpoon shot, resulting in a clear kill," Mr Mastad says in his commentary.

"It is possible that this was the same animal which had been struck earlier, meaning it suffered from horrific harpoon injuries for more than two hours before dying."

 

Alleged Jamaica drug lord Coke pleads not guilty

Suspected Jamaican drug lord Christopher "Dudus" Coke has pleaded not guilty to US charges of drug and gun-trafficking.

Mr Coke, 41, entered the plea in a New York court after being extradited from Jamaica on Thursday.

Mr Coke waived his rights to challenge the extradition. If convicted, he faces life in prison.

Attempts to capture him in May led to clashes in which scores of people died. He was finally detained on Tuesday.

'Community leader'

Mr Coke entered the plea at Manhattan federal court on Friday.

"As I understand, you are pleading not guilty at this time. That is what your lawyer said," Judge Robert Patterson was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.

Mr Coke's lawyer Russel Newfeld replied: "Yes, that is right."

The judge then ordered that Mr Coke be remanded in custody, before he set a new hearing for 28 June to decide whether he should be jailed indefinitely pending trial, the AFP news agency reports.

On Thursday, Mr Coke made a brief appearance before a Jamaican judge in Kingston to announce that he was waiving his rights to challenge the extradition. He was later flown to the US.

Mr Coke said he believed he could win the case in the Jamaican courts.

But he added that he would go to the US to stand trial for the sake of his family, the people of Tivoli in west Kingston and Jamaica.

The US justice department says Mr Coke is one of the world's most dangerous drug lords, but his supporters say he is a community leader.

Tivoli Gardens clashes

Mr Coke is accused of being the leader of the notorious Shower Posse, which US prosecutors say operates an international drug and gun smuggling network.

They say that Mr Coke conspired to distribute cocaine and marijuana throughout the eastern United States for more than 15 years.

The Shower Posse is also blamed for numerous murders.

The pursuit of Mr Coke has shed light on the links between politicians and gang leaders in Jamaica.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding is said to have relied on Mr Coke to turn out the vote at election time in the Tivoli Gardens district he represents in parliament, and which the Shower Posse controls.

When Mr Coke was first indicted in the US last August, Mr Golding initially fought the extradition, arguing that it was based on flawed evidence.

But after months of delays and amid growing local and international criticism, he agreed to extradite the suspect and signed an arrest warrant in May.

However, gunmen loyal to Mr Coke in Tivoli Gardens barricaded the streets and mounted attacks against the police.

A state of emergency was declared and more than 70 people were killed in four days of gun battles, during which Mr Coke was able to escape. The security forces have since been accused of using excessive force.

 

Cartoon controversy

The ban on Facebook was lifted after about two weeks, when the site blocked access to the page, called Everybody Draw Muhammad.

The Draw Muhammad page on Facebook sparked protests in Pakistan

Facebook itself is not on the new list of websites to be monitored. A number of links from YouTube will be blocked but not the main site itself.

Many Muslims regard depictions of Muhammad, even favourable ones, as blasphemous.

In 2007, the government banned YouTube, allegedly to block material offensive to the government of Pervez Musharraf.

The action led to widespread disruption of access to the site for several hours. The ban was later lifted.

 

Pakistan to monitor Google and Yahoo for 'blasphemy'

Pakistan will start monitoring seven major websites, including Google and Yahoo, for content it deems offensive to Muslims.

YouTube, Amazon, MSN, Hotmail and Bing will also come under scrutiny, while 17 less well-known sites will be blocked.

Officials will monitor the sites and block links deemed inappropriate.

In May, Pakistan banned access to Facebook after the social network hosted a "blasphemous" competition to draw the prophet Muhammad.

The new action will see Pakistani authorities monitor content published on the seven sites, blocking individual pages if content is judged to be offensive.

Telecoms official Khurram Mehran said links would be blocked without disturbing the main website.

 

US sanctions inapplicable on Pak-Iran gas pipeline: Shakri

KARACHI: Irani Ambassador in Pakistan Mashallah Shakeri Friday said the sanctions placed on Iran by the US will not affect Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project which was signed much before the fresh restrictions.

Talking to Geo News, the Irani Ambassador said China, Turkey and European Union have signed several accords with Iran in energy sector and ruled out their being affected by the fresh round of US sanctions on the energy rich country.

Shakeri said with India onboard, the gas pipeline project was originally to cost 60 billion dollars. The laying of the gas pipeline within Pakistan may cost it 1.6 billion dollars.

He said a discussion of obtainment of financial assistance from international institutions is a bit pre-mature at this time.

Russia denounces US sanctions on Iran

BRUSSELS: Russia's envoy to the European Union slammed Friday unilateral US and EU sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme, warning the measures should not hit Russian business interests.

"We do not support them. We think they are totally wrong in substance and in tactics," ambassador Vladimir Chizhov told reporters in Brussels.

The United States and European Union angered Russia last week when they imposed sanctions on Iran's oil and gas sector, measures that went beyond a fourth set of UN sanctions which Moscow supported.

"The sanctions contained in (UN Security Council) Resolution 1929 are clever sanctions, the follow-on measures by the European Union are not," Chizhov said.

He charged: "If you want to dissuade Iran from pursuing a nuclear programme ... then why the hell are you banning the supply of equipment for the oil and gas industry?"

The sanctions will "certainly hinder" diplomatic efforts to convince Iran to halt its nuclear activities because Iranian officials "will immediately sense a difference of views" among world powers, he said.

Russia is also concerned about any interference with Russian business interests in Iran, the envoy said.

"We will certainly not accept any infringement of the rights and of the activities of Russian companies on the basis of those unilateral decisions," he said.

Russian cooperation with the EU on the Iran nuclear issue could be affected by the sanctions, he said.

"As far as our cooperation with the EU, that will certainly depend on the degree to which the EU will be taking into consideration our sensitivities regarding the interests of Russian companies involved," Chizhov said.

The United States, EU and Israel fear that Iran's nuclear activities are aimed at building an atomic bomb, but Tehran insists it is merely a civilian energy

17 websites blocked for blasphemous content

ISLAMABAD: Lahore High Court's Bahawalpur Bench has ordered to block 17 websites for carrying blasphemous content. The bench also ordered to monitor seven websites including Yahoo, Youtube etc. Later, the government ordered the monitoring of major websites including Google, Yahoo and YouTube for "anti-Islam content" on Friday, an official said. "The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has received orders from the ministry of information technology to monitor these websites, which are being implemented," a spokesman for the authority said. PTA officials have been summoned on June 28 in this regard.

 

India urged to keep confidence in Pakistan's judiciary

ISLAMABAD: The interior ministers of Pakistan and India agreed to hold further discussion on security issues after their meeting on Friday, which the Interior Minister Rehman Malik described as a "good beginning".

Interior Minister Malik told Chidambaram that the judiciary is independent here in Pakistan and India should keep confidence in it as Pakistan does in Indian judicial system.

He was of the view that the magistrate who recorded Ajmal Kasab's statement may testify this here in Pakistan.

Chidambaram, who is visiting Pakistan for Saarc Interior Minister's Conference on Saturday, discussed issues related to militancy and ongoing Mumbai attacks investigations, soon after his arrival in Islamabad.

The meeting between Interior Minister Rehman Malik and his Indian counterpart P. Chidambaram took place a day after the nations' top diplomats expressed optimism that relations between the two nuclear rivals would improve.

"Talks were held in a very good atmosphere and good topics were discussed. I can only say that there is a good message for the people of Pakistan and India, that there has been a very good beginning," Malik said after the meeting.

India made no immediate comments after the meeting, which was due to continue on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters before the meeting, Malik said he would share with his Indian counterpart "credible evidence" Pakistan had collected against suspects under trial in Pakistan for involvement in the Mumbai attacks.

"I said that it should be change of heart rather than dossiers," he told a questioner, referring to the information India had provided Pakistan about its own investigation into the Mumbai attack.

US citizens sentenced 10-year prison term

SARGODHA: Anti terror court sentenced five US citizens arrested under terror charges imprisonment of 10 years each here on Thursday. They were arrested in 2009.

The U.S. citizens, aged 19 to 25 at the time of their arrest, have been on trial since being detained on charges they sought terrorist training from Taliban guerrillas in militant strongholds near the border with Afghanistan.

Two are of Pakistani descent, two of Ethiopian origin and one of Egyptian background. All are friends from the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington D.C.

Taliban vow to fight on regardless of NATO commander switch

KANDAHAR: The Taliban will continue their insurgency in Afghanistan regardless of a switch in NATO command after the White House sacked General Stanley McChrystal, a spokesman said Thursday.

"We don't care whether it's McChrystal or Petraeus," Taliban spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi told foreign news agency by telephone from an undisclosed location, referring to newly appointed General David Petraeus.

"Our position is clear. We'll be fighting the invading forces until they leave," Ahmadi said.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai's government had publicly urged the White House not to remove McChrystal over disparaging remarks he made about officials in US President Barack Obama's administration in a magazine profile.

"Shame on Karzai, the puppet president who was shamelessly asking President Obama to keep McChrystal in the job," Ahmadi added.

Nothing dramatic expected from visits: Krishna

MUMBAI: India today said "nothing spectacular or dramatic" was expected from a series of forthcoming high-level political contacts with Pakistan because of the complexity of bilateral ties.

"I don't expect anything spectacular or dramatic because the Indo-Pak relationship is so complex", External Affairs Minister S M Krishna told reporters here.

He said Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao's visit to Pakistan was primarily "to prepare the ground for my visit to Islamabad next month".

Besides Krishna, Home Minister P Chidambaram is also scheduled to visit Pakistan in July to attend a meeting of SAARC Interior Ministers.

Krishna was here to visit ailing cartoonist R K Laxman who is undergoing treatment at Breach Candy Hospital here.

Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao is set to land in Islamabad on Thursday, Jun 24 to meet her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir. This is the first time an Indian diplomat will be visiting Pakistan since the Mumbai terror attacks in Nov 2008.

Home Minister P Chidambaram is also scheduled to visit Pakistan in Jul 2010 to attend SAARC Interior Ministers meeting.

Flood-hit south China braces for more rains

BEIJING: China braced for more downpours Thursday as the government set up emergency response headquarters to combat floods and landslides that have killed over 200 people and forced more than two million from their homes.

The state meteorological bureau warned that more rains were due to pound five hard-hit provinces and regions in southern China in the coming days, as water levels on many rivers surpassed historic highs.

Up to 196 millimeters (eight inches) of rain pummeled parts of Jiangxi and Fujian provinces during a 24-hour period starting Tuesday, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said, warning of landslides and mudflows.

More than 15,000 soldiers had been dispatched to hard-hit areas to help in rescue operations, while militias aided in the evacuation of over 75,000 people in Jiangxi after a dyke burst on the Fuhe river, it added.

The disaster, which has hit 10 southern and central Chinese provinces or regions, has caused an estimated 43 billion yuan (six billion dollars) of economic losses and displaced 2.4 million people since June 13. At least 211 people have died in the disaster with 119 left missing, the ministry said.

Almost all refugees return to Kyrgyzstan: official

BISHKEK: Almost all the refugees who fled Kyrgyzstan during ethnic clashes and crossed the border into Uzbekistan have now returned, the deputy head of the country's border service said Thursday.

"Around 70,000 refugees have already returned to Kyrgyzstan," Cholponbek Turusbekov told journalists. "Only yesterday around 26,000 refugees returned."

The Kyrgyz border service has said 75,000 Kyrgyz citizens fled to Uzbekistan during this month's violence, as gangs looted and burnt down the homes of the large ethnic Uzbek population in the country's south.

International aid groups have put the number at more than 100,000, however. Large-scale unrest has ceased in the southern region, where officials say up to 2,000 people may have been killed during the ethnic clashes between the majority Kyrgyz and minority Uzbek populations.

Blast wounds nine in Sri Lanka capital

COLOMBO: An explosion in a commercial area of Sri Lanka's capital on Thursday wounded nine people, police said, adding that Tamil rebels were not responsible for the attack.

"We are ruling out terrorist involvement, the incident was probably due to a personnel vendetta," police spokesman Prishantha Jayakody told foreign news agency.

The blast in the Pettah area of the city was believed to have been caused by a hand grenade or improvised explosive device.

June deadliest month for foreign troops in Afghan war

KABUL: The deaths of another four NATO troops in an accident in Afghanistan made June the deadliest single month for US-led foreign forces in the nearly nine-year conflict, according to a tally Thursday.

The four troops died as a result of a vehicle accident in southern Afghanistan on Wednesday, the NATO-run International Security Assistance Force said in a statement that gave no further details.

The new deaths bring to 79 the number of foreign troops who have died as a result of the conflict in Afghanistan so far this month, according to a tally based on statistics on the independent website. The grim record eclipsed the previous most deadly month for NATO troops last August, when 77 soldiers were killed.

Pak-India delegations meet as secretary level talks ended

ISLAMABAD: A meeting of Pakistan-India delegations is underway at the conclusion of one-on-one meeting between Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao.

The meeting will finalise the agenda of Pak-India foreign ministers meeting, which will be held in July.

Sources said Nirupama Rao will hold talks with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi today. Indian High Commission will host a reception for Indian delegation in which Pakistani officials also invited. Terrorism, water and other issues will be discussed during the meeting.

Taliban vow to fight on regardless of NATO commander switch

KANDAHAR: The Taliban will continue their insurgency in Afghanistan regardless of a switch in NATO command after the White House sacked General Stanley McChrystal, a spokesman said Thursday.

"We don't care whether it's McChrystal or Petraeus," Taliban spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi told foreign news agency by telephone from an undisclosed location, referring to newly appointed General David Petraeus.

"Our position is clear. We'll be fighting the invading forces until they leave," Ahmadi said.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai's government had publicly urged the White House not to remove McChrystal over disparaging remarks he made about officials in US President Barack Obama's administration in a magazine profile.

"Shame on Karzai, the puppet president who was shamelessly asking President Obama to keep McChrystal in the job," Ahmadi added.

Oil steadies; Fed, equity gains soothe

SINGAPORE: Oil prices steadied on Thursday, stabilising after two days of losses under the influence of modest gains in regional equities and dovish comments from the U.S. Federal Reserve.

Japan's Nikkei average rose 0.8 percent on Thursday, after U.S. stocks closed mostly lower on Wednesday following the Fed's monetary policy statement, suggesting interest rates will remain near zero longer than expected.

"Oil has picked up off the lows this morning. It had a very sharp sell-off Wednesday after the weak data on housing and the EIA stocks data," said David Moore, commodities strategist at Commonwealth Bank.

"The little bounce today is more a reaction to the dip last night. Regional equities are stable and the Fed's affirmation it will keep interest rates lows may have also helped."

U.S. crude for August CLc1 fell as much as 42 cents to $75.93 a barrel before recovering to $76.45, up 10 cents on the day at 0400 GMT. ICE Brent rose 12 cents to $76.39.

U.S. gasoline inventories last week fell by 800,000 barrels, with demand over the past four weeks up 1.2 percent over the comparable period last year. Distillate stocks rose by 300,000 barrels, while demand jumped 12 percent.

On Wednesday crude touched $75.17, the lowest since June 15, up 18 percent from the May 20 trough below $65, but prices are about $11 lower than their early-May 19-month peak above $87.

"What we see is a market that is still cautious about economic recovery," said Toby Hassall, an analyst at CWA Global Markets in Sydney. "That feeds into oil demand prospects."

U.S. crude inventories unexpectedly gained 2 million barrels last week, according to a government report on Wednesday, while data showed new home sales fell at a record pace in May to their lowest in more than 40 years.

In the U.S. Gulf, BP said it had reinstalled its oil syphon cap at its leaking well off the southern United States. At the same time, the Obama administration appealed a court ruling that blocked its six-month moratorium on deepwater oil drilling. But a long-term ban on deepwater production may cause the United State longer term problems.

"Obama's attempts to restrict deepwater drilling are at odds with another policy -- to cut dependence on imported oil," said Jonathan Barratt, managing director of Commodity Broking Services.

"By taking deepwater supplies out of the equation, U.S. self sufficiency in oil could fall to around 30 percent in 2035 from around 40 percent if deepwater production is allowed."

Weather concerns could complicate the picture after the U.S. National Hurricane Center said a tropical wave to the south of Cuba had a 30 percent chance of becoming a tropical cyclone over the next two days. Storms could hamper cleaning efforts and curb oil production in the Gulf of Mexico.

In other news, the Paris-based International Energy Agency on Wednesday said crude supplies would be comfortable for five years, further stoking bearish sentiment in the oil market.

India bat against Sri Lanka in Asia Cup final

DAMBULLA: India's captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat in the Asia Cup one-day final against Sri Lanka on Thursday.

Sri Lanka are seeking a hat-trick of titles, having won the last two editions in 2004 and 2008. The tournament was not held in 2006.

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Gautam Gambhir, Dinesh Karthik, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra.

Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (capt), Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Chamara Kapugedara, Thilinga Kandamby, Angelo Mathews, Farveez Maharoof, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan.

A new form of films emerges in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: “We sell 500 to 600 CDs everyday,” says Muzaffar, who produces and sells films at the Musafar CD store in Nishtarabad – Peshawar’s wholesale market for CDs and DVDs, which is home to over 180 stores.

Pashto cinema, which was until a few years ago one of the most well-performing sectors in the Pakistani film industry, was caught in a strange trap. With the rise in minifilms that are sold via VCDs, the number of people going to cinemas to watch films decreased, along with the fact that concerns about security kept people away from cinemas, as did the increased cost of visiting a cinema.

Enter, the ‘CD films’ or ‘minifilms’, as they are called. Made directly for a CD release, the films are sold for Rs40 in retail stores and Rs28 in the wholesale market.

Farman Umarzai, one of the first to produce these films, says that the productions are based on “the Sarhad culture and the problems people face in society.” He tends to make films that are “entertaining, and which distract people”. He added that the films “don’t have any vulgarity in them”.

Umarzai has never made a film about the Taliban, saying that he did not want to create enemies, and recalled how he received threats a couple of years ago. A number of prominent actors and singers have left Peshawar largely due to security threats. Comedian Alamzeb Mujahid was abducted and moved to Malaysia after his release. Muzaffar said that they are trying to call the actors back for the films as he believes the threats are in the past.

The process of making a ‘minifilm’ is short and far cheaper than a proper film, which now costs Rs60 to Rs70 lakhs to make on average. “It takes six to seven days to make”, says Umarzai, “and about a month to edit and add on music etc. The films are shot in Lahore, Peshawar, Abbotabad, Ayubia and Murree and edited in Peshawar.”

“It costs about Rs180,000 to Rs350,000 to make a film, which stars about 10 to 15 actors, some of the girls are from Punjab as we have very few female actors here, and their voices are then dubbed,” Umarzai told media.

The films are distributed via stores in Nishtarabad to Karachi, Mardan, Swat, Quetta, Kabul and Jalalabad, Dubai and London.

Lacking any official cultural policy for Pashto films to be sold in Afghanistan, the filmmakers believe they are losing out on a big market.

However, producers are proud that they have “kicked Indian and Hollywood films out of the market”.

“2012 was a huge hit worldwide but it barely sold here,” he says. “Indian films are not released in Peshawar cinemas and people prefer watching minifilms.”

However, Umarzai and Muzaffar are both adamant that there needs to be a proper censor policy, and the establishment of a censor board.

In the absence of a censor policy, Umarzai says, “insaan ka apna zameer censor board hota hai.” (Man’s own conscience is the censor board)

These films have become a huge industry in their own right, and at least eight are released every week. The shop owners in Nishatarabad have formed a union comprising of 122 members, and they now have a rotating schedule for film productions.

Nishtarabad was bombed in 2007, and the government has not provided any security to the market. At that time, they told storeowners they could either close up shop or arrange their own security.

But Muzaffar says they chose not to wrap up their businesses, and were at work the next morning. Now that minifilms are doing roaring business, he feels they made the right decision.

Action sought against public smokers

KARACHI: Everyday a large number of people break the law by smoking in public and commercial areas.

The Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance 2002 states that smoking is not allowed in public areas. The aim is to keep one person’s harmful habit from adversely influencing others in the society.

But despite the existence of the anti-smoking law, a serious lapse in its enforcement is the lack of no-smoking signs in public places.

“The government should install no-smoking sign boards at all the public and commercial areas, not only to enforce the law effectively but also to give directions to nonsmokers for lodging complaints against violators,” said Dr Arif Azad, head of The Networks for Consumer Protection.

With an absence of sign boards, health-conscious people are often found arguing with those smoking freely in public places.

Mohammad Imran, a
student, was seen reasoning with a Toyota Hiace driver in an effort to stop him from smoking inside the public transport.

Talking to media, he expressed his concern over the lack of warning sign boards and awareness.

“I tried to stop the driver from smoking but he did not pay any heed. When I told him that according to the law he was not supposed to smoke inside the van, he said ‘kahan likha hai’ (where is it written),” said Imran.

Lack of awareness and official implementation leaves the law as a weak argument that seldom works.

A citizen Sahil Aashiq said, “Public smokers should be locked up and fined, it is the only way to effectively implement this law.”

Talking to media, DC Islamabad Amer Ali Ahmed said the installation of no smoking sign boards at public and commercial areas was never considered by the Islamabad Administration. Ramzan Sajid, spokesman CDA assured that installation of no-smoking signs would be considered.

Leaf eaters compete in Nettle Eating Championships

LONDON: Around 1,500 people showed up at the Bottle Inn pub, in Marshwood, Dorset, to see 61 contestants compete in the 2010 edition of the annual Nettle Eating World Championships.

The history of this bizarre eating competition can be traced back to the mid 1980s, when local farmers started the ‘Longest Stinging Nettle’ competition, to see who could grow the longest stem of nettles.

Things went along just fine, until 1989, when Alex Williams presented a 15ft 6inches-long nettle, and claimed that if anyone could find a stem longer than his, he would it, As luck would have it, an American actually found a 16ft-long nettle, and Mr. Williams kept his word. From there on in, the competition evolved into the competitive eating challenge we now know as the Nettle Eating World Championships.

On June 19th, competitors were each served two-feet-long stinging nettle stalks, from which they had to pluck and eat the leaves. After an hour of eating, the bare stalks were measured and contestants who ate the most nettles, named winners.

In the men’s competition, first time participant Sam Cunningham managed to eat a whopping 74ft of stinging nettles, and claimed the title of king of the 2010 Nettle Eating World Championships. In the women’s contest, Laura Revell managed to consume 40ft of nettle, and win the title of champion.