Shanghai Expo: Driverless cars introduced

A group of orange vans have successfully finished the last stretch of a roughly 15,000 kilometre journey from Italy to the 2010 Expo in Shanghai, China.
The feature by the Italian-engineered Piaggio electric mini vans was made all the more impressive by the fact that they have no drivers. The vehicles, which can navigate roads using sensors, set off from their base in Parma on July 28, on a journey through eastern Europe, Russia, Kazakhstan and all the way across China. Their voyage, believed to be the longest ever for a car with no driver, has served as a road test to see exactly what problems will befall the automated vehicles. On Thursday, exactly three months to the day since they set off, marked the official end of their trip, and the vehicles were on display for thousands of visitors outside the European Union pavilion. Alberto Broggi, project leader from the University of Parma’s VisiLab who has spent 15 years researching the technology, was overjoyed by the success of the trip. The vehicles use a series of cameras and laser sensors on the front, sides and behind the windshield which allows them to ‘understand’ what is going on around them, and decide to steer, break or accelerate accordingly when confronted with obstacles like pedestrians. However, movements like parking and pulling over require manual control, meaning at least one engineer is seated in each vehicle at all times. The vehicles have also struggled in situations of heavy traffic, such as in central Moscow, when they become disorientated by other cars switching lanes and engineers were forced to take control. The vans will rest in the Expo site until the international extravaganza closes on Sunday (October 31), when they will start to make the long journey back to Italy.

Russian-US space crew lands in Kazakhstan

KOROLYOV: A Soyuz capsule carrying two Russian cosmonauts and a US astronaut back to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) landed safely in Kazakhstan on Saturday, an announcer at Mission Control said.

“The TMA module has landed,” the announcer said to applause. The descent took place a day after an initial attempt to return was aborted after latches holding the Soyuz TMA-18 craft to the orbital station failed to open. AGENCIES

Key facts about Kyrgyzstan

BISHKEK: Key facts on Kyrgyzstan, a central Asian republic, which has been mired for the past four days in deadly violence in the south of the country:

- GEOGRAPHY: Kyrgyzstan is one of the smallest and poorest of the predominantly Muslim countries, which emerged in Central Asia from the break-up of the Soviet Union.

Landlocked and mountainous, the country is wedged between Kazakhstan to the north and west, China to the east and south, and Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to the west and southwest.

At 198,500 square kilometers (76,600 square miles), Kyrgyzstan is slightly smaller than Britain.

- POPULATION: 5.3 million, of whom 67.4 percent are ethnic Kyrgyz, 14.2 percent Uzbeks and 10.3 percent Russians.

- CAPITAL: Bishkek.

- LANGUAGES: Kyrgyz and Russian.

- HISTORY: Kyrgyzstan was formerly part of Russian Turkestan, which was broken up after the creation of the Soviet Union in 1917. It became one of the 15 federated republics of the Union in 1936.

The country proclaimed its independence in August 1991, and two months later Askar Akayev was made president in an election in which he was the sole candidate.

After the September 2001 attacks on the United States, and the subsequent war in Afghanistan, the Akayev regime allowed Washington to set up an air base, which is still there. The country also hosts a Russian base, set up in 2003.

Akayev clung to office through a series of elections that were widely seen as rigged, until he was unseated by a popular revolt in March 2005.

He was replaced by Kurmanbek Bakiyev, a former prime minister who had defected to the opposition.

Bakiyev fled the country after an uprising in April, which left 87 dead and the current provisional government was installed, led by interim leader Roza Otunbayeva.

- ECONOMY: Predominantly agricultural, Kyrgyzstan has few of the mineral and hydrocarbon resources enjoyed by its near neighbours, although it produces some oil and gold.

Agriculturally, the country is famed for its livestock, notably its horses.

Revenue per capita stood at 524 dollars in 2008, according to the World Bank.

Growth: 2.3 percent in 2009.

Debt: 2.46 billion dollars (WB).

- ARMED FORCES: 10,900 troops (IISS).

- ORGANISATIONS: Kyrgyzstan is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, which groups Russia, China and the main Central Asian states, and the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation.

Key facts about Kyrgyzstan

BISHKEK: Key facts on Kyrgyzstan, a central Asian republic, which has been mired for the past four days in deadly violence in the south of the country:

- GEOGRAPHY: Kyrgyzstan is one of the smallest and poorest of the predominantly Muslim countries, which emerged in Central Asia from the break-up of the Soviet Union.

Landlocked and mountainous, the country is wedged between Kazakhstan to the north and west, China to the east and south, and Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to the west and southwest.

At 198,500 square kilometers (76,600 square miles), Kyrgyzstan is slightly smaller than Britain.

- POPULATION: 5.3 million, of whom 67.4 percent are ethnic Kyrgyz, 14.2 percent Uzbeks and 10.3 percent Russians.

- CAPITAL: Bishkek.

- LANGUAGES: Kyrgyz and Russian.

- HISTORY: Kyrgyzstan was formerly part of Russian Turkestan, which was broken up after the creation of the Soviet Union in 1917. It became one of the 15 federated republics of the Union in 1936.

The country proclaimed its independence in August 1991, and two months later Askar Akayev was made president in an election in which he was the sole candidate.

After the September 2001 attacks on the United States, and the subsequent war in Afghanistan, the Akayev regime allowed Washington to set up an air base, which is still there. The country also hosts a Russian base, set up in 2003.

Akayev clung to office through a series of elections that were widely seen as rigged, until he was unseated by a popular revolt in March 2005.

He was replaced by Kurmanbek Bakiyev, a former prime minister who had defected to the opposition.

Bakiyev fled the country after an uprising in April, which left 87 dead and the current provisional government was installed, led by interim leader Roza Otunbayeva.

- ECONOMY: Predominantly agricultural, Kyrgyzstan has few of the mineral and hydrocarbon resources enjoyed by its near neighbours, although it produces some oil and gold.

Agriculturally, the country is famed for its livestock, notably its horses.

Revenue per capita stood at 524 dollars in 2008, according to the World Bank.

Growth: 2.3 percent in 2009.

Debt: 2.46 billion dollars (WB).

- ARMED FORCES: 10,900 troops (IISS).

- ORGANISATIONS: Kyrgyzstan is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, which groups Russia, China and the main Central Asian states, and the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation.

UK Army Head Sir Jock Stirrup resigns early

LONDON: Sir Jock Stirrup, Britain”s chief of the defense staff since 2006, will step down this fall, six months before expected.

Having had his tenure extended until April 2011 by the previous government, the air chief marshal has been heavily criticized for deploying troops quickly without adequate equipment, expert civilian support, or clear objectives.

The first Strategic Defense and Security Review since 1998 will take place in the autumn. Its aims are to assess military spending and the role Britain will play in world affairs.

It is considered an apt time for Sir Jock to step down.

Talks with Defense Secretary Liam Fox were said to be amicable.

The ministry of defense (MoD) Permanent Undersecretary Sir Bill Jeffrey will also leave office. As with Sir Jock, all references to being fired have been denied.

Both are considered to have been close to the previous Labor administration and a clean start for the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition is seen as sensible.

Sir Jock, a former jet pilot, could be replaced by candidates including the head of the army, Gen. Sir David Richards, and the vice chief of the defense staff, Gen. Sir Nicholas Houghton.

Sir Bill”s post may not be refilled as there are already more bureaucrats than soldiers in the MoD.

20 feared dead in northern India boat accident

LUCKNOW: At least 20 people were feared drowned when their boat capsized on Monday during a prayer ceremony on the river Ganges in northern India, a senior local official said.

The vessel, with about 60 people on board, turned over in the fast-flowing water, district administrator Senthil Pandyan said by telephone from Uttar Pradesh state, where the accident occurred.

“So far we have recovered 10 bodies. We suspect another 10 people have drowned,” Pandyan, the chief official for Ballia district, said.

“This group wanted to perform some special prayers that required them to be in the middle of the river. When the boat got to the middle, it capsized in strong currents,” Pandyan added.

Some of those on board managed to swim to the banks of the Ganges, which is revered as a holy river by Hindus.

Rescue efforts were underway to find the missing people.

Boat accidents are common in India, mainly caused by overcrowding, poor maintenance of vessels and a lack of life jackets and other safety equipment.

Kyrgyz govt makes arrest, as 117 dead in riots

OSH: Kyrgyzstan”s interim government said on Monday it had arrested a “well-known person” on suspicion of fomenting the worst ethnic riots in 20 years, which have killed at least 117 and left cities in flames.

The Interior Ministry in the Central Asian state, which hosts Russian and U.S. military bases, said the situation in Osh and Jalalabad was “tense.” A witness in Osh said gangs resumed shooting on Monday at residents and homes in one area of the city.

The interim government said authorities in Jalalabad had made an arrest. It did not disclose the person”s identity, but repeated accusations that supporters of ex-president Kurmanbek Bakiyev, who was overthrown in April, were behind the violence.

Bakiyev, in exile in Belarus, issued a statement from there on Sunday in which he denied claims he was behind the clashes.

But Kubatbek Baibolov, commandant in Jalalabad, said in televised comments: “This is nothing other than an attempt by Bakiyev”s supporters and relatives to seize power.”

The ethnic violence between Kyrgyz and Uzbek residents began late on Thursday and escalated over the weekend. Witnesses said gangs armed with automatic rifles, iron bars and machetes had set fire to houses and shot fleeing residents.

Kyrgyzstan”s interim government, which assumed power after the April revolt, has been unable to gain full control of the country”s south, which is separated from the north by mountains. It appealed to Russia at the weekend to send in troops.

The renewed turmoil in Kyrgyzstan has fuelled concern in Russia, the United States and neighbour China. Washington uses an air base at Manas in the north of the ex-Soviet state, about 300 km (190 miles) from Osh, to supply forces in Afghanistan.

Russia has said it will not send in peacekeepers alone but will discuss the situation within a Moscow-led security bloc of former Soviet republics known as the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO).

Kyrgyzstan”s interim foreign ministry said the CSTO meeting would take place in Moscow later on Monday.

Led by Roza Otunbayeva, the interim government has sent a volunteer force to the south and granted shoot-to-kill powers to its security forces in response to the deadly riots. Otunbayeva has accused supporters of Bakiyev of stoking ethnic conflict.

The Health Ministry said on Monday that 117 had been killed — 93 in Osh and 24 in Jalalabad — and 1,485 wounded in the violence, exceeding the death toll in the capital Bishkek during the overthrow of the president in April.

Moscow sent at least 150 paratroopers to Kyrgyzstan on Sunday to protect its own military facilities in the country.

Sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Russian troops could also be deployed to guard a hydroelectric power station in the south, freeing up Kyrgyz troops to combat the rioters. Russia”s embassy in Kyrgyzstan declined to comment.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was alarmed by the scale of the clashes and ordered a special envoy to travel to the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek, his office said in a statement.

The Red Cross said on Sunday the humanitarian situation in southern Kyrgyzstan was becoming “critical.”

Bread had been delivered to some residents of Osh, who were fearing starvation after grocery stores burnt to the ground, a reporter said. Ethnic Uzbeks trapped in one neighbourhood of Osh gathered to share stockpiled food.

The interim government has sent two planes, each loaded with 50 kg of food, clothing and medical supplies, to the south. Residents of northern Kyrgyzstan have donated humanitarian supplies and some residents are giving blood in Bishkek.

The Interior Ministry said six policemen had been killed in the conflict. Shooting occurred in Jalalabad overnight, it said, and its forces were patrolling southern regions.

The European Union is sending its special representative for Central Asia, Pierre Morel. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), currently chaired by Kyrgyzstan”s northern neighbour, Kazakhstan, is also sending a special envoy.

Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan intertwine in the Fergana Valley. While Uzbeks make up 14.5 percent of the Kyrgyz population, the two groups are roughly equal in the Osh and Jalalabad regions.

The latest clashes are the worst ethnic violence in southern Kyrgyzstan since 1990, when then-Kremlin leader Mikhail Gorbachev sent Soviet troops into Osh after hundreds of people were killed in a dispute that started over land ownership.

Zardari meets Hu, Medvedev

TASHKANT: President Asif Ali Zardari and Chinese President Hu Jintao had a bilateral meeting here on Thursday and discussed matters of mutual interest.

The two leaders, who met here on the sidelines of the 10th Summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), had a frank exchange of views on various issues of mutual interest including the bilateral relations, situation in the region and matters of international importance. The two Presidents agreed to further deepen and strengthen their already existing multifaceted relations and cooperation in various fields for the mutual benefit of two countries.

During the meeting which was held in a very cordial atmosphere, there was unanimity of views on various issues of regional and international importance, with particular reference to the peace and stability of region.

The two Presidents agreed to step up cooperation in establishing peace and fighting terrorism in the region.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev also held a meeting today in which they agreed to consolidate cooperation to root out militancy and terrorism from the region.

The two leaders who met here Thursday night on the sidelines of the 10th Summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), exchanged views on the matters relating to bilateral ties, situation in the region as well as the matters of international importance. Russian President supported the inclusion of Pakistan in SCO since Pakistan is an important country in the fight against terrorism and militancy.

The two Presidents discussed bilateral relations, anti-terror cooperation and drug control. The Russian President supported Pakistan’s candidacy for membership of SCO.

Both Presidents agreed to enhance cooperation in bilateral relations to strengthen the efforts to dismantle the networks of terrorism across SCO region.

President Zardari invited the Russian President to visit Pakistan, which he accepted. President Zardari will also be visiting Moscow next month.

The two presidents expressed satisfaction over the current level of bilateral engagement between Pakistan and Russia and hoped the bilateral cooperation between the two countries in various fields will gain further strength.

President Zardari, who arrived here on Thursday will address the summit Friday.
The member countries of SCO include China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Pakistan, India and Mangolia are observer countries.

The summit will also discuss giving permanent membership to observer countries.
The SCO, over the years has assumed significance as it seeks to promote peace and stability in the region besides combating terrorism, extremism and organized crime.

The Organisation has also been able to further expand its mandate to include economic and cultural cooperation. It has also extended its outreach to include observers and dialogue partners.

stosur

PARIS (AFP) – Samantha Stosur of Australia stunned four-times former winner Justine Henin at the French Open on Monday to wreck hopes of a dream quarter-final between the Belgian and top seed Serena Williams.

It was the first time that Henin had lost since the second round in 2004, a 24-match unbeaten run that was the third best on record and it put a spoke in the comeback trail she has been blazing since the start of the year.

It was also the second straight year that the fast-rising Gold Coast resident Stosur has reached the last eight in Paris, having lost in last year’s semis to eventual winner Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia.

“Going into a quarterfinal, I couldn’t probably hope to be in a better position, I don’t think,” the Australian said.

“Obviously beating Justine is going to give me lots and lots of confidence for the next match.”

The other quarter-final in the top half of the draw will see fourth seed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia take on Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan, the first player from that country to reach the last eight of a Grand Slam.

In sharp contrast to the Henin-Stosur thriller, which the Australian won 2-6, 6-1, 6-4, Williams breezed past Shahar Peer of Israel 6-2, 6-2.

The American insisted she was not shocked by Henin’s dismissal.

“She is no pushover,” she said of Stosur. “She has beaten me before and I shall have to play my best game,” she said.

“You can never underestimate anyone and Sam is a wonderful claycourt player.

“She has a good chance to go all the way. She is fast, she is strong and she has a great serve. She plays a real allround game.”

Henin missed the 2008 and 2009 French Opens after retiring in May 2008 claiming that she had lost all motivation and wanted a change of lifestyle, but returned to action at the start of the year in Australia.

She quickly jumped out into a 2-0 lead and a second break of serve in the seventh game allowed her to pocket the opener 6-2 in just 32 minutes.

But just when it looked like the Belgian was heading for a straightforward win, Stosur, who is ranked a career-best seventh in the world, upped her game.

She turned on the power with her serve to edge ahead and then stunned Henin with an array of attacking shots that left the Belgian shaking her head in frustration.

Stosur pocketed the second set and she stuck with her gameplan to go for her shots and attack the net at every opportunity in the decider, with Henin looking to lure her into a battle of baseliners.

Games went with serve until 2-2 when an increasingly uncomfortable-looking Henin failed to convert two points for a 3-2 lead and then double-faulted to hand the break to the Australian.

Stosur had the initiative with her own usually reliable serve to follow, but she promptly played a poor game allowing Henin to claw her way back into the match at 3-3.

She was handed a second chance though three games later when Henin dished up three unforced errors and a double fault allowing the Australian to take a 5-4 lead.

This time she gleefully accepted it, finishing off the Belgian on her second match point.

Henin said that she had felt more nervous and uncomfortable on court than usual having played for five straight days because of a succession of rain delays.

“It’s not easy to play so many days in a row.” she said. “Maybe a day off would have been welcome.”

“I wanted the adventure to continue but I wasn’t at my best today and she took her chances. It’s difficult when you return to this level.”

The only trouble Williams had against Peer came right at the start when she dropped the first seven points of the match as she struggled to get to grips with the cold, blustery conditions out on the Philippe Chatrier centre-court.

But she promptly won the next nine as she moved up the gears and then broke Peer for a second time to take a 4-2 lead.

From there she coasted through, her serve and ground strokes far too heavy and penetrating for the Israeli.

The win kept alive the American’s hopes of winning the French Open for just the second time, eight years after her first triumph, and also kept her on track for the fabled calender year Grand Slam having won the Australian Open title in January.

Ivanovic faces early exit at French Open

PARIS: Ana Ivanovic hit another low in her slide since winning the French Open two years ago, losing 6-3 6-0 to 28th-seeded Alisa Kleybanova of Russia in the second round on a rainy Thursday.

Former women”s winner Serena Williams also had to kick her heels, with their matches just two of the 41 that were scrubbed from the rain-soaked schedule.

Ivanovic, the 2008 champion and former world number one, bowed out meekly 6-3, 6-0 to big-hitting Russian 28th seed Alisa Kleybanova, who has made the last 32 for the first time.

Kleybanova will now face Kazakhstan”s Yaroslava Shvedova, who put out eighth seeded Pole Agnieszka Radwanska, for a fourth-round spot.

Japan”s Date Krumm, who turns 40 in September and made her Paris debut in 1989, was unable to repeat her stunning first-round dismissal of former world number one Dinara Safina as she lost to Australia”s Jarmila Groth.

With Date Krumm carrying a calf injury, the Slovakian-born Groth cruised to a 6-0, 6-3 win and next faces compatriot Anastasia Rodionova, who put out Russian 21st seed Vera Zvonareva.

Serbian fourth seed Jelena Jankovic, twice a semi-finalist, also moved into the last 32 with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 win over Estonian qualifier Kaia Kanepi.

Fourth seed Murray resumed his match with Argentina”s Juan Ignacio Chela and won 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-2 to set up a last 32 clash with Cypriot 25th seed Marcos Baghdatis.

American sixth seed Roddick reached the third round with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 win over Slovenia”s Blaz Kavcic and next faces Russia”s Teimuraz Gabashvili.

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