Google begins Amazon River Street View project

Google is expanding its Street View service into some of the world s most remote places. It will photograph the Amazon and Rio Negro Rivers of northwest Brazil in partnership with charity Foundation for a Sustainable Amazon (FAS). Google will train local people to collect images, and will leave behind equipment so work continues long-term.

Pictures will be stitched together so users can explore 360-degree panoramics of the area. FAS approached Google two years ago with the plan to digitize high-quality images from the Amazon basin to demonstrate the effects of poor global sustainability efforts and widespread deforestation on the landscape. FAS project leader Gabriel Ribenboim said: “It is very important to show the world not only the environment and the way of life of the traditional population, but to sensitize the world to the challenges of climate change, deforestation and combating poverty.”

For Google, the project represents the biggest challenge for their Street View equipment, which was first designed to work over well-maintained, modern roads. Google s engineers will use the Street View “trike”, originally developed to reach off road areas – such as Stone Henge and Kew Gardens.

UN appeals for more helicopters for flood aid

SUKKUR : At least 800,000 Pakistanis stranded by floods are at risk of dying of starvation or disease unless the United Nations gets more helicopters to urgently reach them, officials said on Wednesday.

The dire situation of these victims — reachable only by air — underscores the challenges the disaster has created in a country that could face unrest if it fails to provide compensation for the loss of homes, crops and livestock and ensure the economy doesn’t suffer too much in the long term.

“We have got thirteen helicopters right now. We would like another 37 because more are needed,” said U.N. humanitarian spokesman Maurizio Giuliano. “We are using aid drops. It’s not the best way of doing it, but it is the only way.”

The World Food Programme urged Pakistan’s government to quickly help the 800,000 people who can only be reached by air. “The fear is they

Persons accused in murder made judges: Ramday

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court was hearing petitions challenging the 18th Amendment on Tuesday, Geo News reported.

A 17-judge full court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was hearing the challenges against certain clauses in the amendment.

Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday in his remarks said persons accused in murder were made judges in the past and century old tradition of consultation has been eliminated in the new process of judges’ appointment. It also lessens the position of chief justice, he added.

The Supreme Court Bar Association”s counsel Hamid Khan continued his arguments on Tuesday. He said 18th amendment has ended process of consultation whereas in PCO judges case, Supreme Court made consultation with chief justice mandatory.

Justice Shakirullah Jan said in old procedure, administration had begun the process of judges appointment and this was the reason of consultation but in new process, judiciary will appoint the judges.

Chief Justice in his remarks said consultations were made with prime minister and chief minister in July 31 verdict to strengthen parliamentary system. The scrutiny of judges conduct was carried out by administration and system will be collapsed if everyone eliminated from the process.

World Father’s Day today

ISLAMABAD: Father’s Day, a beautiful festive occasion that acknowledges and appreciates the important role played by a father in raising the child and consequently building a stronger society is being celebrated today (Sunday).

Father’s Day is a day honouring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society.

It is celebrated on the third Sunday of June in 55 countries of the world and on other days elsewhere. It complements Mother’s Day, the celebration-honouring mothers.

Historians have recorded that there was a tradition to celebrate Father’s Day even thousands of years ago. Their study say that 4,000 years ago in Babylon a son called Elmesu carved a father’s day message on a clay card. In his message Elmesu wished his father a long and healthy life.

The tradition of celebrating Father’s Day as seen today originated in the twentieth century. Father’s Day festival is considered extremely important as it help acknowledge the contribution of fathers to individual families and to societies as large.

Besides observance of Father’s Day provide children an opportunity to express love and respect for their fathers. The sentiment goes a long way in strengthening father-child relationship and consequently in the emotional development of a child.

My Sweet Dad

Whenever I am angry whenever I am sad

Nobody cares for me except my dad

He reads my mind he stands by my side

There is no doubt that he is my proper guide

Whenever I make a mess or something goes wrong

He asks me not to worry and to be strong

He has all the qualities that a father should have

He is just perfect and he has no match

‘Best’ is the only word that describes his personality

This is the truth and the only reality

— Priscilla Ambrose

11 killed as militants storm Yemen jail

SANA: Four heavily armed militants thought to belong to Al Qaeda stormed their way into the intelligence headquarters of Yemen’s second-largest city on Saturday, killing at least 11 people, security officials said.

In a telephone interview, a witness outside the heavily guarded building, in an upscale neighborhood of government offices in Aden, a port city about 200 miles south of Sana, the capital, said that the gunmen had escaped with several detainees.

The witness spoke on the condition of anonymity because of fear of reprisals.

Security officials would not comment on whether anyone had been freed, but Qaeda suspects are often held there, they said.

The blatant attack highlighted American concerns that Yemen’s weak central government may not be up to the challenges posed by an increasingly effective foe who is often able to attack at will inside and outside the country.

“We were hit where we least expected it,” Yemen’s information minister, Hassan al-Lozy, told Al Arabiya news channel. “This is a serious escalation from these terrorist elements.”

No group claimed responsibility for Saturday’s attack, which killed seven security officers, three women and a 7-year-old child, the Yemeni government. Said.

But on Friday, Al Qaeda issued a statement on militant Web sites threatening to “set the ground on fire under the tyrants of infidelity in Saleh’s regime and his U.S. collaborators,” a reference to Yemen’s president, Ali Abdullah Saleh.

11 killed as militants storm Yemen jail

SANA: Four heavily armed militants thought to belong to Al Qaeda stormed their way into the intelligence headquarters of Yemen’s second-largest city on Saturday, killing at least 11 people, security officials said.

In a telephone interview, a witness outside the heavily guarded building, in an upscale neighborhood of government offices in Aden, a port city about 200 miles south of Sana, the capital, said that the gunmen had escaped with several detainees.

The witness spoke on the condition of anonymity because of fear of reprisals.

Security officials would not comment on whether anyone had been freed, but Qaeda suspects are often held there, they said.

The blatant attack highlighted American concerns that Yemen’s weak central government may not be up to the challenges posed by an increasingly effective foe who is often able to attack at will inside and outside the country.

“We were hit where we least expected it,” Yemen’s information minister, Hassan al-Lozy, told Al Arabiya news channel. “This is a serious escalation from these terrorist elements.”

No group claimed responsibility for Saturday’s attack, which killed seven security officers, three women and a 7-year-old child, the Yemeni government. Said.

But on Friday, Al Qaeda issued a statement on militant Web sites threatening to “set the ground on fire under the tyrants of infidelity in Saleh’s regime and his U.S. collaborators,” a reference to Yemen’s president, Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Am Ready to Face Any Conspiracy: President Zardari

LONDON: President Asif Ali Zardari has said that the elected assemblies are his political weapons, and if any conspiracy be made against him will be fight back through same weapons.

In a telephonic interview to British news channel, Zardari said, “..we are political people and we will cope all issues in a political way.”

He further said that “He is ready to meet all the challenges and guard against all external and internal threats”.

President stated that it is “our duty to fight against external and internal enemies who disrupt our peace, progress and the efforts to bring prosperity to the people.”  Zardari vowed that PPP would not disappoint the country and the nation.

He further said that he is an elected President according to the constitution and some elements are trying to remove him unconstitutionally

---

Am Ready to Face Any Conspiracy: President Zardari was first posted on January 5, 2010 at 2:49 pm.