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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

French hospital performs first hands and face transplant

A 30-year old man who was badly burned in a 2004 accident has become the first recipient of a simultaneous transplant of his face and both hands. A 40-strong team took 30 hours to perform the revolutionary surgery over the weekend.In a world first, French surgeons replaced in a single operation the face and both hands of a man horribly disfigured by an accident, the hospital where the surgery took place announced Monday.The 30-year-old recipient, on a donor waiting list for more a year, "had scars from burns to the face and hands so severe that it robbed him of all social life," the hospital said in a statement.The operation, which began Saturday night, lasted 30 hours and required a medical team of more than 40, according to the Henri Mondor Hospital in Creteil, a suburb southeast of Paris."It is a success, he is in good condition," one of the two head surgeons, Laurent Lanteiri, told AFP. "The patient is in post-op intensive care, which will last at least 15 days."Surgeons replaced the patient's entire face above the lips, including the scalp, nose, ears and forehead."Everything was reconnected -- the nerves, tendons, arteries and veins," said Lantieri, who performed the face transplant.Another team led by Christian Dumontier, a surgeon at the Saint Antoine Hospital in Paris, replaced both hands, including the wrists.Doctors also succeeded in grafting new upper and lower eyelids -- a world first."We will have to wait and see whether the nerves will grow back and give them mobility," he said.

General Motors plans new two-seat electric vehicle

Puma is the name of the new vehicle project that the struggling automaker is working on with scooter specialist Segway. The two-seater electric vehicle is designed to be more an environmentally friendly way of zipping around cities.US automaker General Motors and scooter maker Segway announced Tuesday they were working together to build a new two-wheeled, two-seat electric vehicle for city use.Dubbed Puma (Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility), the vehicle would be powered by lithium-ion batteries and feature a wireless communications network allowing users to avoid traffic and prevent crashes, the companies said in a statement.The prototype is designed to reach speeds of up to 35 miles (56 kilometers) per hour and travel up to 35 miles between recharges. But the groups did not say when the two-wheeler would hit the roads or how much it would cost."Imagine small, nimble electric vehicles that know where other moving objects are and avoid running into them," said GM vice president of research and development Larry Burns."Now, connect those vehicles in an Internet-like web and you can greatly enhance the ability of people to move through cities, find places to park and connect to their social and business networks."

Google addresses newspaper woes

The majority of newspapers should be online, says Google boss Eric Schmidt, amid criticism it should share some of the millions it makes from newslinks.Media owner Rupert Murdoch has questioned if aggregators like Google should pay to use content.The Associated Press is to sue to protect its content as a time when the industry is losing readers to the web."I would encourage everybody to think in terms of what your reader wants," Mr Schmidt told newspaper bosses."These are ultimately consumer businesses and if you piss off enough of them, you will not have any more," he warned the Newspaper Association of America's (NAA) annual conference in San Diego.While he praised the way newspapers initially embraced the internet, Mr Schmidt said they had since dropped the ball allowing the likes of Google to take over content distribution."There wasn't an act after that. You guys did a superb job, and the act after that is a harder question."

Google Street View Launches In 25 UK Cities

Google has launched Street View maps in the UK, making crystal clear photographs of millions of people's homes visible on the web.The 3D street-level internet maps cover 25 UK cities including London, Edinburgh and Manchester.It launched in the United States two years ago and critics warned it invaded people's privacy and made it easy for burglars to spot potential victims.At the launch in central London, Google was at pains to emphasise these concerns had been taken into consideration.Faces and car number plates are supposed to be blurred - although examples where this has not happened have already been spotted by bloggers.All the photos are taken from Google-branded cars with cameras on public roads - meaning Street View could not capture the Prime Minister's residence at 10 Downing Street.

Google launches India Elections Center

Internet giant Google

WASHINGTON Internet giant Google on Monday unveiled an online resource in English and Hindi for voters taking part in India’s general elections later this month.The Google India Elections Center allows Indian voters to go online to confirm their registration status, locate their polling place and view their constituency on a map.A partnership with The Hindustan Times and several non-profit groups, the India Elections Center also provides information about candidates and offers links to election-related news, blogs, videos, and quotations.Users of the Indian Elections Center site, located at google.co.in/intl/en/landing/loksabha2009/, can evaluate the status of development in their constituency using a range of indicators.‘With still more features to be added during the election, we hope the site will be an ongoing resource for analysis, governance, and democracy in India after the election,’ Google said in a post on the official company blog.Google’s partners include the Association for Democratic Reforms, Hindustan Times Media Ltd, Indicus Analytics, the Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy, the Liberty Institute, and PRS Legislative Services.

PlayStation outsells Wii in Japan

Sony's PlayStation 3 has outsold Nintendo's Wii console in Japan for the first time in 16 months.Last month, Sony shifted 146,948 units of the PS3 compared to 99,335 Wiis, reported publishing firm Enterbrain.While some suggest it could signal the end of Nintendo's dominance, others think it is unlikely that the PS3 will threaten the Wii's popularity globally.Meanwhile, Nintendo's revamped DSi console sold 92,000 units in the UK during its first weekend of sales.It makes it the fourth biggest ever console launch.Experts see the dominance of the PS3 during March as a temporary blip rather than a sign of Nintendo's decline.Microsoft however only shifted 43,172 units of its Xbox 360 during the same period.Games such as Resident Evil 5 and the latest version of action adventure Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 are credited with driving demand for the PS3 in Japan.

UK's RBS to axe another 9,000 jobs

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has said it is to cut a further 9,000 jobs over the next two years, in a move union leaders described as "devastating".The bank, now part-nationalised, said on Tuesday that it expected to save $3.7bn through the lay-offs in its back office operations, half of which will be in Britain.The bank said compulsory redundancies would be a last resort and that the overall impact of the job cuts would be lessened because of natural workforce turnover and a reduction in the number of temporary staff.But union leaders reacted angrily to the news.Rob MacGregor, from the trade union Unite, said the union was "appalled that thousands of people, who form the backbone of the RBS operations, are to be made redundant"."These employees are totally blameless for the current position which RBS is in, yet they are paying for the mistakes at the top of the bank," he said.

Bangladesh to announce war probe

Bangladesh is set to announce a probe to investigate and prosecute alleged war crimes during the country's war of independence nearly 40 years ago.The government says those accused of collaborating with the Pakistani army in the killing and rape of thousands of civilians will be put on trial.The party which fought for independence in 1971, the Awami League, has been returned to power with a majority.The probe is opposed by one of the main opposition parties, Jamaat-e-Islami.It leaders are among those accused for alleged war crimes.The Bangladesh government says that the setting up of the prosecution team is the start of the process which will eventually lead to the trial of hundreds of people for war crimes, crimes against humanity and maybe even genocide.It says that these were committed in 1971 by the Pakistan army, and their locally raised militia, when they embarked on a campaign to hold on to what was then the country's eastern province by terrorising its civilian population.

Islamabad says drone attacks fuel extremists

Pakistani leaders told Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen and Richard Holbrooke, special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, that drone attacks fuelled extremism and called for a new strategy to defeat al Qaeda and other militants.Pakistan told US envoys Tuesday that drone attacks fuelled extremism in the nuclear-armed nation and called for mutual trust to allow the implementation of a sweeping new strategy against militants.Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Richard Holbrooke, envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, held two days of talks with Pakistani leaders on a new US strategy to defeat Al-Qaeda and its allies.Holbrooke said that while the United States was suffering from intelligence failures in the region, he and Mullen had emphasised the two countries faced the same enemy and would have to work together."We believe that... the United States and Pakistan face a common strategic threat, a common enemy and a common challenge and therefore a common task," Holbrooke told a news conference in Islamabad.But Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said drone attacks -- to which Pakistan is publicly opposed -- work to the advantage of the extremists and flagged up "red lines" in Pakistan's cooperation with Washington."We did talk about drones and let me be very frank. There's a gap. There's a gap between us and them," Qureshi told the news conference.Pakistan is deeply opposed to the drone attacks, around 37 of which have killed over 360 people since August 2008, saying they violate its territorial sovereignty and deepen resentment among the populace."My view is that they are working to the advantage of the extremists. We agree to disagree on this. We will take it up when we meet again in Washington," Qureshi added, referring to talks scheduled for May 6-7.The visit by Mullen and Holbrooke, who are scheduled to fly on to India later Tuesday, is the first top-level US mission to Pakistan since President Barack Obama put the nuclear-armed Muslim country at the heart of the fight against Al-Qaeda."The bottom line is the question of trust. We are partners and we want to be partners," Qureshi said."We can only work together if we respect each other and we trust each other. There is no other way. Nothing else will work," he added.Tuesday's talks came as the New York Times reported that the United States intended to step up drone attacks on militants in Pakistan's tribal areas, which border Afghanistan, and might extend them deeper inside Pakistan.The cash-strapped country is keenly awaiting a US aid package that aims to triple economic assistance to 7.5 billion dollars over five years.

Iraqi shoe-thrower's jail term cut

An Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at George Bush, the former US president, has had his sentence reduced from three years to one, a court spokesman has said.The news came as a surprise to Muntadhar al-Zeidi's family, who called it "a victory for the Iraqi people" on Tuesday.The decision was made as al-Zeidi had no prior criminal record, an official said.The defence appealed against the original ruling to the Federal Appeals Court citing an Iraqi law stipulating a maximum sentence of only two years for publicly insulting a visiting foreign leader.A-Zeidi, 30, has become a folk hero across the Arab world since the attack, where Bush is reviled over the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq.The shoes narrowly missed Bush, who was addressing a news conference with Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, during the incident last December.

North Korea defends rocket launch

North Korea will take "strong steps" if the United Nations moves to implement sanctions in response to its rocket launch, a senior diplomat has said.Pak Tok-Hun, North Korea's deputy ambassador to the United Nations also defended what he said was his country's right to a peaceful space programme, accusing the security council of being "undemocratic" by targeting the reclusive communist state.His comments came as North Korea released footage of Sunday's rocket launch which it says put an experimental satellite into orbit.The United States and its allies are pushing for a strong response from the security council to what they see as a "provocative" long-range missile test in defiance of past resolutions.

UN wants speedy elections in Madagascar

The UN Security Council has urged speedy elections in Madagascar after the "unconstitutional" leadership change in Andry Rajoelina, the former Antananarivo mayor, ousted president Marc Ravalomanana with the army's backing.The Security Council on Tuesday voiced concern over the "unconstitutional" leadership change in volatile Madagascar and urged speedy elections, according to a senior UN official.Haile Menkerios, UN assistant secretary general for African affairs, said council members expressed "serious concern about the unconstitutional means of taking power" by Andry Rajoelina, the former Antananarivo mayor who ousted president Marc Ravalomanana last month with the army's backing.The 15-member body also urged that "there be a quick return to a constitutional order through a transitional process that is based on consensus reached through wide participation of all stakeholders throughout Madagascar," Menkerios told reporters."It's up to the parties to decide. I don't think anybody is dictating anything to them ... but a return to constitutional order can only come by organizing quick elections where the people of Madagascar will decide," he added."The quick organization of elections is what everybody is asking, including many stake-holders in Madagascar itself. This we will support," Menkerios said. "How quickly will depend on how much time it will require to organize elections that are free and fair."On Friday, a reconciliation conference organized by the Indian Ocean island's new army-backed regime recommended that fresh presidential polls be held in October 2010.

Niger and rebels 'agree to peace'

The government of Niger and Tuareg rebels of the Movement of Niger People for Justice (MNJ) have agreed to end hostilities, according to reports.Libyan state news agency Jana said two days of talks in Tripoli ended with both sides committing themselves to "total and comprehensive peace".There has been no confirmation from the Niger government but a rebel website said everyone supported reconciliation.The rebels are seeking a greater share of the region's uranium resources.In the past Niger said it would never negotiate with the rebels, whom it labelled as bandits, but last month the Libyan leader, Col Muammar Gaddafi visited Niger to help broker a deal.Rebels also released some government troops.Government representatives and rebel leaders declared peace in the presence of Col Gaddafi, the current chairman of the African Union, Jana reported.

‘No’ to joint operation in tribal areas

US military commander Admiral Mike Mullen and envoy Richard Holbrooke

ISLAMABAD Pakistan rejected on Tuesday a US proposal for joint operations in the tribal areas against terrorism and militancy, as differences of opinion between the two countries over various aspects of the war on terror came out into the open for the first time.Highly-informed sources said the move followed a collective decision reached between the government and security establishment to adopt a tough posture against a barrage of attacks and criticism emanating in recent weeks from Washington, directly targeting the Pakistan army and the ISI and creating doubts about their sincerity in the war on terror and the fight against Al Qaeda and Taliban.Two top US officials, presidential envoy for the region Richard Holbrooke and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen, had come to Islamabad with the idea of doing some tough talking and pressuring both the political and the military leadership to step up their efforts in the war on terror.Instead, what they got was a barrage of criticism of the American position and the allegations constantly levelled against Islamabad about either protecting some Taliban elements or not doing enough to eliminate what the United States believes are the main elements carrying out attacks on Nato forces in Afghanistan.According to a source in the US delegation, the stance taken by the Pakistani side came as a rude shock to the Americans, who had so far been taking the civilian and military leadership for granted.Pakistani sources said the proposal for joint operations in the tribal areas was floated by Mr Holbrooke and Admiral Mullen during a series of meetings with the civilian and military leadership.

Death toll at 235 as aftershocks hit quake zone

As rescuers continued to pull survivors and victims from the rubble of earthquake-hit Italian city L'Aquila, strong aftershocks continued to cause terror and destruction. The death toll has now risen to 235.Strong aftershocks rocked the Italian city of L'Aquila overnight, raining fresh debris as rescuers pulled more earthquake survivors from the rubble and the death toll climbed to 235.The government rushed to provide shelter for survivors who were second night away from their homes, and police were patrolling the historic town centre early Wednesday to protect abandoned apartments and businesses against looters.A 98-year-old woman who whiled away the long hours awaiting rescue crocheting was among the lucky few saved on Tuesday. Another was a girl found alive after 42 hours buried in rubble. But hopes of finding others was fading as cranes were busy pulling down unsafe buildings.Hospital sources quoted by Italy's domestic ANSA news agency said the morgue had taken in 228 bodies by nightfall.Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said 7,000 police, soldiers and other emergency service personnel and volunteers were taking part in the frantic hunt for survivors.Complicating their work, however, was a string of aftershocks that rattled L'Aquila more than a day after the initial 6.2-magnitude quake that devastated the historic mountain city and neighbouring villages.

Thai opposition mounts huge protest

Thai authorities are bracing themselves for violence as hundreds of thousands of anti-government protesters gather in Bangkok in the biggest attempt yet to force Abhisit Vejjajiva, the prime minister, from office.200,000 so far according to organisers - had gathered at Government House and many of them were marching towards the home of General Prem Tinsulanonda.Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted as prime minister in 2006, has blamed Prem, the leading adviser to King Bhumibol Adulyadej and a former premier himself, for masterminding the military coup against him.Protest organisers said they were expecting about 300,000 mainly Thaksin supporters to turn up in the capital on Wednesday from across the country.