Space hotel sees 2012 opening

Updated at: 1124 PST, Saturday, October 31, 2009
Space hotel sees 2012 opening BARCELONA: "Galactic Suite", the first hotel planned in space, expects to open for business in 2012 and would allow guests to travel around the world in 80 minutes.

Its Barcelona-based architects say the space hotel will be the most expensive in the galaxy, costing $4 million for a three-day stay.

During that time guests would see the sun rise 15 times a day and use Velcro suits to crawl around their pod rooms by sticking themselves to the walls like Spiderman.

Company director Xavier Claramunt says, "It's the bathrooms in zero gravity that are the biggest.

"How to accommodate the more intimate activities of the guests is not easy."

But they may have solved the issue of how to take a shower in weightlessness -- the guests will enter a spa room in which bubbles of water will float around.

When guests are not admiring the view from their portholes they will take part in scientific experiments on space travel.

Galactic Suite began as a hobby for former aerospace engineer Claramunt, until a space enthusiast decided to make the science fiction fantasy a reality by fronting most of the $3 billion needed to build the hotel.

An American company intent on colonizing Mars, which sees Galaxy Suite as a first step, has since come on board, and private investors from Japan, the United States and the United Arab Emirates are in talks.

CJP Chudhry Iftikha refuses plot in capital’s posh area

Updated at: 0933 PST, Saturday, October 31, 2009
CJP refuses plot in capital’s posh area ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has rejected the government’s offer of allotment of a residential plot worth Rs30 million in Islamabad, it is learnt.

GM Sikandar, former housing and works secretary and presently member of the federal services tribunal, told media on Friday that in line with the government’s policy the housing ministry had issued an offer letter to the chief justice of Pakistan for the allotment of a 600 sq yard residential plot in I-8 Sector of Islamabad on August 10 this year but the same day the government had to cancel the allotment after Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry refused to accept it.

The housing ministry that had taken the initiative apparently to please the chief justice was given a dressing down and had to undo everything within hours. Sikandar confirmed that the ministry had also sought the list of other Supreme Court (SC) judges, who were to be provided the second residential plot in Islamabad in line with the official policy.

By surrendering his right protected under the stated government policy, Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry seems to have subtly rejected the plot politics of Pakistan, which enables a select few influential groups to get the lion’s share in state resources, leaving nothing for the poor and the needy.

Interestingly it was soon after the November 3, 2007 PCO of General Musharraf that the then ruling junta made the new policy whereby the judges of the Supreme Court were entitled to get two residential plots in Islamabad as was allowed to the federal secretaries and BS-22 officers of the federal government.

The immediate beneficiaries of the policy were all the five judges of the Supreme Court, who had taken oath under the PCO including Justice (retd) Abdul Hameed Dogar, Justice (retd) Nawaz Abbasi, Justice (retd) Faqir Muhammad Khokhar, Justice (retd) Javed Buttar and Justice (retd) Saeed Ashad. All these PCO judges were given additional residential plots within a few weeks of the November 3 episode.

Sources in the Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF) said that these PCO judges were even taken to D-12 sector to select the plots of their choice for their services to the dictator of the day.

A few weeks before November 3, 2007 the then Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had taken suo moto notice of the government’s decision to allot two residential plots to federal secretaries in Islamabad.

While issuing notices to all concerned, Justice Iftikhar had questioned how the government could distribute the state land to a select group like sweets. But before he could decide the case, Musharraf imposed his unconstitutional PCO following which the PCO judges took no time to dismiss the suo moto notice. Consequently, they too got the additional plots.

6 Afghans arrested in Ubaro

Updated at: 1411 PST, Friday, October 30, 2009
6 Afghans arrested in Ubaro UBARO: Six Afghan nationals have been arrested by Ubara police have arrested six Afghan nationals at Sindh-Punjab border from Karachi bound buses and registered a case.

According to DPO Ghotki Ghazi Salahuddin, six Afghans traveling to Karachi from Peshawar and Punjab have been arrested at Sindh-Punjab border. The arrested persons identified as Noor Muhammad, Obaidullah, Rangeen Khan, Essa Khan, Gul Akbar and Ghal Khan. A case has been registered against the detainees under foreign act and they will be send to jail after producing in the court, he added.

Drone attacks creating hatred, FATA leaders tell Hillary

Updated at: 1532 PST, Friday, October 30, 2009
Drone attacks creating hatred, FATA leaders tell Hillary ISLAMABAD: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with members of National Assembly from FATA.

During a meeting, tribal leaders made it clear that use of power is not the solution of problems and drone attacks creating hatred in FATA. The delegation has assured US secretary of state that tribal are not terrorists.

Clinton said US will continue its cooperation with Pakistan in war against terror. She said Pakistan-US ties are not restricted to war and security issues as US wants long term and durable relationship with Pakistan.

Hillary Clinton also attended a cultural show in Pakistan National Council under strict security. Later, she met with delegations of intellectuals, civil society and women and discussed development in social sector.

Sugar crisis getting worst across Pakistan

Updated at: 1258 PST, Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Sugar crisis getting worst across Pakistan

LAHORE: Sugar crisis is getting worst across the country as shopkeepers claim they cannot sell the commodity on low prices after purchasing it on high cost, whereas the concerned government officers appear to raid and fine only small shopkeepers.

Government has failed in having the commodity availed for Rs36/kg as per the judicial rulings.

Sugar shortage continues to rise in retail market since the wholesalers and small shopkeepers are not purchasing the commodity on high price to avoid raids and fines.

Masses are unable to avail the essential food item despite 6,76,000 tonnes sugar is stocked in the godowns of sugar mills and Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP).

In some cities the essential food item is hardly available even for Rs100/kg

SBP predicts 2.5 to 3.5 percent growth rate 2009-10

Report by State Bank of Pakistan.
KARACHI: Pakistan’s economy is showing a gradual recovery and real gross domestic product (GDP) growth is likely to be close to the target of 3.3 percent during the current fiscal year (2009-10), according to State Bank’s Annual Report on State of the Economy for the year 2008-09 released Thursday.

The Report said that signs of recovery during FY10 are evident from a rise in imports during July 2009, which points towards a possible pick up in domestic demand, comparatively lower decline in large scale manufacturing (LSM) growth and resolution of circular debt problem that would support production activities in oil and energy sectors.

Moreover, SBP Report pointed out that a sharp fall in inflation in recent months has reduced uncertainty over relative prices and would support increase in investment demand. Although current SBP projections indicate that average annual inflation for FY10 is likely to ease, there remain significant risks to the inflation outlook.

Going forward, the Report projected that GDP growth is likely to be between 2.5 - 3.5 percent in FY10, while average CPI annual inflation is expected to be 10 - 12 percent and both the fiscal and current account deficits are likely to be 4.7 - 5.2 percent.