The more you walk, lower the diabetes risk

You can reduce your risk of developing diabetes by walking.

Researchers tracked 592 middle-aged adults in Australia who participated in a study to map diabetes levels between 2000 and 2005.

Participants underwent a health examination at the start of the study and provided details about their eating and lifestyle habits. The volunteers were also given a pedometer and instructed how to use it.

It was found that a follow-up with the participants five years later showed that a higher daily step count was associated with a lower body-mass index (BMI), lower waist-to-hip ratio and better insulin sensitivity, even after adjusting for factors such as diet, smoking and alcohol intake. These associations were independent of calorie intake and appeared to be largely due to a change in weight.

It was calculated that a sedentary person who changed his or her behaviour and started walking 10,000 steps every day could achieve a threefold improvement in insulin sensitivity, compared with a similar person who walked 3,000 steps a day, five days a week.

The 10,000 steps per day is a popular guideline, but a more recent recommendation is 3,000 steps per day, five days a week.

The above findings confirm an independent beneficial role of higher daily step count on body-mass index, waist-to-hip ratio and insulin sensitivity and provide further support to promote higher physical activity levels among middle-aged adults, the researchers concluded.

Vegetable juice help reduce weight loss: study

Vegetable juice is a drink made primarily of blended vegetables mixed with fruits such as tomatoes or grapes to improve flavor. Drinking V8 100 percent vegetable juice could help reduce weight.

Vegetable juices are commonly made from varying combinations of carrots, beets, pumpkin, and tomatoes etc, a private news channel reported.

The latter two, although not technically vegetables, are commonly used to increase palatability. Other popular items in vegetable juices are parsley, dandelion greens, kale, celery, fennel, and cucumbers. Lemon, garlic and ginger may be added by some for medicinal purposes.

Other common juices include carrot juice, tomato juice, turnip juice, and V8 Juice.

Study showed that overweight individuals with metabolic syndrome who drank one to two servings of V8 100 percent vegetable juice as part of DASH diet lost more weight compared to non-juice drinkers.

Over the 12-week study period, the juice drinkers lost an average of four pounds compared to the non-juice drinkers who lost one pound.

In addition to weight loss, the vegetable juice drinkers had significant increases of vegetable intake, vitamin C and potassium over the course of the study compared to the non-juice drinkers.

In general, vegetable juices are recommended as supplements to whole vegetables, rather than as a replacement.

Recent study found that juices provide the same health benefits as whole vegetables in terms of reducing risks of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Another study has found that drinking vegetable juice reduces risks of Alzheimer’s disease by 76%.

Many popular vegetable juices, particularly ones with high tomato content, are high in sodium, and therefore consumption of them for health must be carefully considered. Some vegetables such as beets also contain large amounts of sugar, so care must be taken when adding these to juices.

Fresh vegetables juice helps supply your body with readily available nutrition. It not only tastes great, but it helps you eat, or in this case, drink more vegetables in a day than you normally would.

It’s a well known fact that your body needs optimal nutrition to be healthy. Nutrition is fuel for the body. Every action of your body requires nutrition. Your body requires nutrition in order for your organs, glands, bones and every other component of your body to be healthy.

By enjoying fresh vegetable juice, you help to ensure the consistency needed to obtain the long term benefits, study revealed.

Teen obesity could shrink Australian lifespans

Health experts warned that Australia’s life expectancy could be sent into reverse after a new study found alarming levels of obesity among teenagers.

Nearly a quarter of 13-to-18-year-olds are overweight or obese, according to the survey of 12,000 secondary school students, which said Australia was facing a “chronic disease time-bomb”.

“If ever there was a wake-up call for Australians, this is it,” said Professor Ian Olver from the Cancer Council of Australia, which commissioned the National Secondary Students’ Diet and Physical Activity survey.

“As obese kids move into adulthood, the heightened risk of chronic diseases like cancer means previous gains in life expectancy may be reversed.

“We may see today’s teenagers die at a younger age than their parents? generation.”

The study found an “excessive prevalence of overweight and obesity among students”, with 23.7 percent of the teenagers above their healthy weight.

Just 15 percent met national guidelines for an hour’s physical activity every day, with girls more lax than boys and exercise levels diminishing with age.

Almost one in three students said they drank four or more cups of sugary or sports drinks per week, and 43 percent ate fast food or takeaways at least once a week. Only 14 percent ate the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables.

Nearly half (47 percent) of students had three to four televisions in their home, with a further 17 percent reporting five or more TVs and 47 percent saying they had a set in their bedroom. Only one percent had no TV at all.
A majority (71 percent) engaged in “small-screen recreation” — watching television and DVDs, playing video games and using computers — for more than two hours on an average school day, exceeding national health guidelines.
“This piece of research confirms what we’ve feared for some time — that the high school students of today will grow up to be the heart attack victims of tomorrow,” said Lyn Roberts, head of the National Heart Foundation, which co-commissioned the research.
Australia is one of the world’s fattest nations, with the most recent National Health Survey classifying 25 percent of people aged 18 or older as obese, and 37 percent as overweight.
The total cost of obesity, including health and productivity costs, was estimated to be around Aus$58 billion ($58 billion) a year in 2008, the most recent available figures.

Fresh meat prevents chronic diseases

The use of fresh and healthy meat can keep people away from fatal diseases like food poisoning and gastrointestinal (GI) complications.

“Such complications may lead to malfunctioning of liver, kidneys and brain,” Physician Dr Syed Hasnain Ali Johar told APP here on Sunday.

He said that major reasons for GI diseases were caused by the use of unhealthy meat and improperly cooked food as bacteria flourish rapidly in unhygienic meat.

He said that liver diseases could cause hepatitis and liver disorder, which were fatal at an advanced stage, adding kidney malfunction could lead to renal failure, if not treated in time.

Dr Hasnain Ali Johar said that meat of sick animals called ‘Laap’ hardly carry any proteins and vitamins rather use of such meat is a source of diseases for human beings.

Laap could also cause ‘botulism’ a diseases in which intestines are paralysed and diarrhoea went on non-stop in children that could lead to death, while in adults it might cause paralysis of a part of body, brain or other complications.

He advised the people to avoid excessive use of beef and mutton called “red meat” to lead a healthy and active life.

He was of the view that eating food regularly from hotels, stalls and open places often caused GI diseases, terming meat at these places “unhygienic.”

“Keeping meat in refrigerators for more than 10 days is not a good practice because such freezing exterminate the proteins,” he added.

He also advised that people should avoid meat, if they were not sure about its hygienic condition. If healthy meat was unavailable, people should use pulses, eggs and milk to get proteins.

Pulses are second source of getting the required proteins after meat, while one glass of milk or one egg could provide sufficient protein to human beings.

The family physician suggested that people should use seasonal vegetables, which are cheap and full of vitamins, minerals and even proteins.

Sleep best time to strengthen memories

Reactivating newly learned memories during sleep rather than when awake does a better job of strengthening the memory trace.
Memory consolidation is a dynamic process. To study how brain works during sleep, researchers from America involved training participants in a memory task to learn an object’s location in a grid.
At the same time an odour was released the idea being to associate the memory with the smell. One group then went to sleep, while the second group stayed awake.
After about 20 minutes, while the sleeping group’s brain wave patterns were in slow wave sleep (SWS), both groups were subjected to the same odour again to reactivate the memory.
After another 20 minutes, the sleeping group was woken, and both groups were given a similar task, but the objects were in different locations and without the odour. Half an hour later they were asked to recall the position of the cards from the original task.
It was found that both groups were correct about 60 per cent of the time without any odour assistance. But once the odour was added to the test, the non-sleeping group was only correct about 42 per cent of the time, compared to the sleeping group’s 84 per cent.
The above findings prove that reactivation during waking destabilised memories.
In contrast, reactivation during SWS immediately stabilised memories, thereby directly increasing their resistance to interference.

World Sleep Day today

On Monday, World Sleep Day, sleep specialists said the lack of quality sleep has become a public health issue because of the rising number of people who are not getting adequate sleep.

Dr. Michael Sarte, president of the Philippine Society of Sleep Medicine, said Filipinos may not be realizing the effect of quality sleep on people’s overall physical and mental health.

“Most people do not know that a lot of illnesses can be traced to the fact that they do not get enough sleep,” he said.

“The more they can be informed, the better they can be armed,” he said.

He said quality sleep for adults should have four to five cycles of both deep sleep and light sleep, five to seven hours a night.

Light sleep is when a person drifts in and out of sleep and can be easily awakened. In this stage, the eyes move slowly and muscle activity slows down.

Deep sleep is when a person falls deep in slumber. There is no eye movement or muscle activity, and the brain produces delta waves almost exclusively.

On the other hand, children require at least nine to ten hours of quality sleep, he said.

Smoking increases among Pakistani women

The number of college and university going women smokers in the country has jumped to 16 percent from six percent in the recent years, said Prof. Javaid A. Khan, a senior chest physician and researcher in his presentation during 12th Biennial Convention of Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA).

He said women smokers too, are bearing the same health consequences of tobacco usage as the male smokers,

“Pakistanis in general consume Rs. 450 billion worth of tobacco annually including 120 billion rupees on smoking cigarettes daily, added the Consultant Chest Physician, currently associated with Aga Khan University Hospital.

In his key-note address on Tobacco Control – Key to Disease Prevention, he said millions of rupees are also spent on pan chewing, besides niswar and hookah by the masses each year.

According to a PIMA press release issued here on Monday the two day 12th Biennial Convention of the Association, concluded on Sunday evening at Hyderabad, was attended by renowned consultants, including Pediatricians, Cardiologists, Nutritionists, Oncologists, Gynecologists, Hematologists and other medical professionals.

A large number of postgraduate students and pharmacists from all parts of Sindh also attended the moot.

Dr. Javaid A. Khan in his keynote address said tobacco usage in the form of Shisha or Hooka, gaining steady popularity among youth in urban areas of the country, was 100 times more harmful than cigarettes.

“Smoking Shisha for an hour is equal to smoking 100 cigarettes in the same time,” he said.

The chest physician, a strong proponent of anti-smoking campaign said “shisha” also contains nicotine and tar that result in lung cancer and heart attacks.

“Unfortunately many people consider Shisha as a non-hazardous leisurely activity,” he said.

The chest physician referred to a WHO study that showed parents who had only 15 percent acceptability for smoking reflected over 70 percent acceptability for the Shisha smoking.

“It is an alarming trend and there was an immediate need to create awareness regarding diseases caused due to smoking, in one or the other form,” he said.

Dr. Khan deplored that in countries like Pakistan; a single cigarette was cheaper than a loaf of bread and consequently was getting popular among youth due to its availability and affordability.

He said that tobacco was responsible for 100,000 deaths annually in Pakistan.

“Appropriate and efficient measures to prohibit smoking and tobacco chewing will not only prevent deaths but also curtail heavy expenditure incurred on diseases caused due to consumption of tobacco and its bi-products,” he said.

The Chest physician said although cigarettes and tobacco were very cheaply available in Pakistan, medicine especially Tarceva, needed for treatment of lung cancer, cost patients more that US$ 4000 per month, and is unaffordable for majority of countrymen.

World health day observed

World Health Day was observed on April 7 across the globe including Pakistan. This year theme of the World Health Day is “Antimicrobial resistance: no action today, no cure tomorrow”.

Each year, the World Health Organization selects a key global health issue and organizes international, regional and local events on the Day and throughout the year to highlight the selected area.

World Health Day 2011 focus on antimicrobial resistance and its global spread. Antimicrobial resistance threatens the continued effectiveness of many medicines used today to treat the sick, while at the same time it risks jeopardizing important advances being made against major infectious killers.

Antimicrobial resistance is not a new problem but one that is becoming more dangerous; urgent and consolidated efforts are needed to avoid regressing to the pre-antibiotic era. On this day, WHO introduced a six-point policy package to combat the spread of antimicrobial resistance.

Drug resistance is becoming more severe as many infections are no longer easily cured, leading to prolonged and expensive treatment and greater risk of death, warns the World Health Organization (WHO).

World Health Day is celebrated every year to mark the establishment of WHO on April 7th 1948. Under the theme “Combat Drug Resistance”, WHO has called for urgent and concerted actions by the governments, health professionals, industry, civil society, and patients to slow down the spread of drug resistance and limit its impact today to preserve medical advances for future generations.

The message this year is loud and clear while the world is on the brink of losing these miracle cures, said WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan.

Pakistan successfully tests Hatf-8 missile

Pakistan Friday successfully conducted flight test of indigenously developed air launched cruise missile Hatf-8 (Ra’ad).

According to ISPR, it has range of 350Km and has been developed exclusively for launch from aerial platforms.

It can deliver nuclear and conventional warheads with great pin point accuracy.

Cruise technology is extremely complex and has been developed by only a few countries in the world.

NA unanimously passes General Statistics (Reorganization) Bill 2011

The National Assembly (NA) on Friday unanimously passed the General Statistics (Reorganization) Bill 2011 as reported by the Standing Committee.

State Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar moved the bill to provide for the reorganization of statistical system in Pakistan The General Statistics (Reorganiaztion) Bill 2011] in the House.

The statement of objects and reasons says that the restructuring and reorganization of the federal statistical system of Pakistan to make it more responsive to the national requirements, with increased autonomy and credibility and ensure a proper statistical capacity building career planning of professional staff, up-gradation of their skills and above all, economy in resources through better coordination and integration of different data collecting agencies has been under consideration of the government.

Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi put the bill in the House by clause by clause reading and the House passed the bill.

Gwadar Port to be connected through rail link: Bilour

Minister for Railways Ghulam Ahmed Bilour on Friday said that a proposal was under consideration to connect the Gwadar Deep Sea Port through a rail link of Pakistan Railways.

He said feasibility study had been completed under which the Gwadar Port was proposed to link with main railway network at Mastung located on Quetta-Taftan section, while the length of proposed railway link would be 901 kilometres.

During the question-hour session of the National Assembly, he said negotiations were underway with China to lay the railway track, adding that a Chinese company had conducted a survey in this regard while further terms and conditions were yet to be finalized.

He said Pakistan Railways was in dire need to get new locomotives and overhaul the oldones besides improving infrastructure.This deficiency was causing hours-delay in trains arrival and departure, he added.

During the ongoing 30th session of the National Assembly, Bilour had informed the House that the Pakistan Railways had not received the Rs. 11.6 billion grant approved by the Federal Cabinet even after passage of four months, which was essential to improve its efficiency.

“We are in dire need of funds to purchase new locomotives and repair old-ones for improving its countrywide operations,” he said.

Replying to a supplementary question, he said the Ministry was considering a proposal of life insurance for those people who lost their lives in rail related incidents.

He said the entire railway network was being equipped with modern signaling system, adding that Walkie-Talkie Radio sets had been provided to Train Guards and relief trains.

The Minister said installation of VHF radio set at each station on main line from Peshawar to Karachi had been completed. “Installation of VHF Radio on 280 locomotives running with Mail, Express, Passenger and Goods trains has also been completed,” he said.

During last four years, he said, around 644 accidents took place over the Railway network. Out of these, 45 per cent accidents took place at un-manned and manned level crossings, he added.

He said the train service on Sahiwal to Raiwind track would hopefully start by end of this year.

Bilour said that Pakistan Railways was granting 50 per cent concession in economy class and 25 per cent concession in all AC classes to senior citizens who attained the age of 65 years.

“They can avail the concession in all trains except five non-stop trains including Millat Express, Karakoram Express, Karachi Express, Islamabad Express and Margala Express,” he said.

Replying to another question, he said the fare structure of Railways was designed in favour of common people who mostly travel by economy and air conditioned lower classes. Fare is charged at the rate of Rs. 0.78 per kilometer, which is much cheaper as compared to road.

Gilani opens two fly-overs in Multan

Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Friday inaugurated two fly-overs in the city which would streamline traffic operations, besides providing free way passage to ambulance service to nearby Nishtar Hospital.

The PM unveiled the plaque of Jinnah Chowk Level-1 fly-over that has been completed at a cost of Rs 500 million, besides inaugurating the road from Jinah Chowk to Vehari Chowk.

Premier Gilani also inaugurated Nishtar fly-over completed with an overall cost of Rs 180 million. The 975 metre long fly-over, with a width of 6.1 to 7.3 metres, starts from Pul Mauj Darya and ends near the emergency block of the Nishtar Hospital.

This vital infrastructure facility would ensure quick medical help to critically injured or ill persons.

The fly-over was completed in nine months.

The 325 metre long and 7.3 metre wide Jinah Chowk level one fly over was completed in 13 months. It would provide a convenient passage to traffic from other cities and provinces, officials said while giving briefing to the prime minister.

The premier congratulated the veteran politician Senator Malik Salahuddin Dogar and MPAs,including Syed Ahmad Mujtaba Gilani, Malik Ahmad Hussain Dehar, Malik Mohammad Amir Dogar and others after inaugurating the two fly-overs.

Federal secretary communications Anwaar Ahmad Khan, Chairman NHA, General Manager NHA and other officials were also present. Prime Minister also inaugurated 3.2 km long Qasim Bela link road completed at a cost of Rs 55 million in six months.

Out of total six fly-overs meant to streamline traffic operations from Jinah Chowk to Double Phatak, four fly-overs have been completed, including Jinah Chowk level-1 fly over, Nishtar fly- over, Pul Mauj Darya fly over and Chungi No 9.

All these fly-overs or interchanges are part of the Inner Ring Road project and divided into three segments titled as package one, two and three.

Of the Rs 1.2 billion package, one segment comprises fly-overs at Jinah Chowk and Chowk Rasheedabad. The level two fly-over at Jinah Chowk is expected to complete in July 2011 while Chowk Rasheedabad flyover would be taken up during next fiscal year.

The Rs 1.2 billion package-II segment comprises fly overs at Chungi No 8 and 9. Chungi No 9 interchange has been completed while 50 percent work has been done on Chungi No 8 interchange.

Rs 1.2 billion package-III segment comprises Pul Mauj Darya, Nishtar and double Phatak interchanges. Two interchanges have been completed and the third one, double Phatak interchange was 50 per cent complete.

The communications ministry launched many projects for development of South Punjab as part of PM’s development package which included Multan Urban Area, Aiman Wala bridge in Jalalpur Pirwala, Head Mohammadwala bridge between Multan and Muzaffargarh, Muzaffargarh additional carriage way, Muzaffargarh bypass, Inner Ring Road Multan, Bosan Road project and others.

The work on M4, Faisalabad-Multan motorway has also started. M4 would connect southern Punjab to the national road network and it would open up new avenues for trade activities and consequently usher in prosperity.

Other Divisions to be consulted about formation of new province: PM

Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said on Friday that other Divisions including Bahawalpur, would be consulted on the issue of creation of a new province.

He was talking to the media after inaugurating the widening, improvement and construction of the Qasim Bela link road to Aviation Chowk, costing Rs 61 million.

On a question about Seraiki province, the PM said that he had already announced making it part of the PPP manifesto at a public gathering in Jalalpur Pirwala. However, he said other divisions including Bahawalpur would be taken into confidence on the issue.

The Prime Minister said that not even a single political force was opposing the creation of a new province in the region.

He said the talks with PML-Q were underway and President Asif Ali Zardari would announce about the final outcome in this regard.

He strongly supported the reconciliation policy of government which would bring about economic stability in the country. “Political stability will ensure prosperity in the country. Our reconciliation policy will also set a precedent for next governments,” he added.

To a question on drone attacks, the Prime Minister said the government had taken a stance on the attacks and presented its point of view before Parliament. “The government is also in contact with friendly countries to muster support to stop the drone attacks,” he added.

On electricity shortage, he said an energy conference would be convened and chief ministers of the four provinces would discus the steps to overcome the crisis.

11 die in Daraa clashes: Syria activists, military

At least 11 people were killed in clashes during anti-regime protests in the Syrian city of Daraa Friday — four soldiers shot by “terrorists” and seven civilians killed by security forces, military sources and rights activists said.
Security forces opened fire as “thousands of people” from neighbouring towns tried to “bring aid and food” to the city, besieged by the army since Monday.
“At least seven people were killed and dozens of others were wounded,” an activist at the scene said.
Separately, a military official said “an armed terrorist group attacked a military post in Daraa at dawn,” state news agency SANA reported. “Four soldiers were killed and two were captured.”
However, there have been reports of troops refusing to fire on protesters, and the four soldiers “were killed defending residents,” as tanks and snipers controlled the city, activist Abdullah Abazid said.

Prince William, Kate Middleton tie nuptials

Prince William, the second in line to the British throne, married his commoner fiance and former classmate Catherine Middleton at the historical Westminster Abbey on Friday in a ceremony marked by pomp and pageantry and watched by some 2000 invited guests and billions around the world via television, internet, face book and twitter.
Just before the ceremony, Buckingham Palace announced that Prince William and his wife will be known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Thousands of Britons and overseas visitors lined the marriage route on a cool and cloudy day to welcome the married couple when they emerged from the Abbey after hour long ceremony.
This was the 16th Royal marriage at the 1000-year-old Church where William’s parents Prince Charles, heir to the throne, and late Princess Diana tied nuptials in 1981.
William and Kate, both 29, announced their engagement in November last year after eight years of courtship. The two met at the University of St.Andrews in Fife, Scotland, some ten years ago.
Kate was the first commoner to marry a prince close to the British throne in 350 years. The last time was in 1660 when Anne Hyde wed the Duke of York, who later became James II.
The Dean of Westminster conducted the service, the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams, married the couple as the church bells peeled.
Pakistan was represented at the wedding by High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan along with other diplomats and representatives of Commonwealth countries based in London.
Prince William, an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot, based in Wales, and his future wife travelled separately to the wedding service. The prince drove in a Bentley, accompanied by his younger brother and best man Prince Harry.
William’s father Prince Charles and his wife came to the Abbey in a 1950 Rolls Royce Phantom. They were followed by William’s grandparents Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillips who left Buckingham Palace.
William, Harry, Prince Charles and Prince Phillips all wore ceremonial military uniforms.
Miss Middleton travelled in a Rolls Royce, accompanied by her father from a nearby hotel. They were the last to arrive at the Westminster Abbey. Kate wore a designer white wedding dress with a two metre long train and a tiara on her head, a gift from her mother-in-law.
Some 5,000 policemen were on duty while members of the British armed forces lined the route. At the end of their wedding service, the couple travelled in the open 1902 State Landau along the Processional Route to Buckingham Palace.
The day was a declared public holiday and some 4,000 street parties were to be held across the country to mark the auspicious occasion.

Pak-India commerce secretary level talks today

ISLAMABAD: Commerce Secretaries of Pakistan and India would meet here today and discuss various trade related issues to give impetus to the Pakistan-India economic engagement.

Indian Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar, along with a six-member delegation, arrived here on Tuesday to hold talks with his Pakistani counterpart Zafar Mehmood on trade related issues.

"The talks would continue for two days on April 27 and 28 to cover various trade issues with an aim to boost trade among the neighbouring countries," sources said.

Rahul Khullar took stock of ongoing work at Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari-Wagah border. On plans for India to get Most Favored Nation (MFN) status from Pakistan, Khullar said the issue would be raised at his meeting with Pakistan delegation. "Though talks are unstructured, without any fixed agenda, such will be taken up," he added.

He said he expected a positive outcome from talks as there exists scope for enhancing trade between two countries. "I am going to listen to them and we feel that good things will come out,'' he said, adding he felt business visas must be relaxed to enable businessmen to travel easily between both countries.

On trade across Line of Control (LoC in disputed Kashmir), Khullar said the matter would be taken up at appropriate level, and if anomalies existed, steps would be taken to correct them.

This will be the second high-level interaction between the two countries after the resumption of dialogue on all bilateral issues.

Rehman assures action against target killers

ISLAMABAD: The Interior Minister Rehman Malik Wednesday said the SHO of Aabpara police station had been suspended following the incident of journalists’ torture in Islamabad, Geo News reported.

Talking to media men outside the Parliament House, the Minister said indiscriminate action would be initiated against the elements involved in target killings.

He said investigations were underway into the party affiliation of the arrested men in target killings, in which, he added that marked decline had been noticed.

“No one will be allowed to spoil law and order,” he asserted.

The Interior Minister put the number of missing people in Pakistan to 177.

Four target killing suspects arrested

KARACHI: Police parties in separate raids arrested four suspects for their alleged involvement in the acts of targeted killings and seized arms recovered from their possession, Geo News reported Wednesday.

According to police sources, police of Liaquatabad super market police in a raid station arrested two accused identified as Junaid alias Kala and Irfan alias Afoo. The were allegedly involved in the target killing of SHO Shafiq Tanoli’s brother Naveed Tanoli, police sources said.

SP Liaquatabad Town Naveed Khwaja claimed that the two arrested accused had been involved in targeted killings of 45 people in different parts of the city and that they were being further investigated.

In a separate police raid, a party activist Umair son of Fazal-e-Rabi was arrested from Muhammad Pur area of Orangi Town for his alleged involvement in several acts of target killings. Firearms were also recovered from him, police said.

According to SP Orangi Town, Khurram Waris the accused had been involved in firing on passenger busses and he was wanted in different crimes including allegedly killing seven people by opening fire on 1-D route bus.

In another raid in Mauripur, a team of CID Polices held a man named Bakht Chandio for his alleged involvement in target killings.

SP Fayyaz Khan said the accused belonged to an ethnic organization, who had been allegedly involved in recent target killings in Gulistane-e-Jauhar, illegal occupation of land and kidnappings for ransom.

Rain threatens to dampen royal wedding

LONDON: The world's first glimpse of Kate Middleton at her wedding to Prince William on Friday could be under an umbrella after forecasters said it may rain and even thunder on the big day.

But the grim prediction failed to dissuade devoted fans of Britain's royal family who have already begun camping out in front of Westminster Abbey for Britain's biggest wedding in 30 years.

As final preparations were under way on Tuesday, British police vowed "robust" action against planned Muslim protests but said they had no specific intelligence about any security threat.

Scotland Yard said more than 5,000 police, including specialist protection and firearms officers, would be on duty for the ceremony, while military personnel would also line the processional route.

"In London we operate on a daily basis against a backdrop of a severe threat from international terrorism, and of course we have planned to this threat level for this event," said Commander Christine Jones, one of the officers leading the massive security operation.

London has suffered previous terror attacks like the suicide bombings on the transport system on July 7, 2005, in which 52 people were killed, while in Northern Ireland there has also been a recent surge in dissident violence.

Meanwhile, after an unseasonably warm Easter break, forecasters warned rain was highly likely and conditions will be much cooler for the big day, spelling bad news for the hundreds of thousands of people expected to gather.

"In London there is a risk of some showery rain, but equally there may well be some brighter interludes at times. A brisk northeasterly wind could make it feel distinctly cool," a Met Office spokeswoman said.

Aisling Creevey, a forecaster at MeteoGroup, said there was a danger the crowds could have to contend with stormy conditions.

"It is looking at the moment that there are going to be quite brisk north-easterly winds, showers and possibly a few rumblings of thunder -- that's sneaking into the charts at the moment," she said.

"We wouldn't rule out the odd lightning strike as well."

Rain would also affect global TV coverage of an event expected to be watched by two billion people worldwide.

But if it does pour on the big day, the crowd will be treated to the sight of the couple leaving Westminster Abbey in a glass coach that William's mother Princess Diana used to travel to her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981.

If the weather is fine then they will use an open-top horse-drawn carriage.

Bad weather is unlikely to deter John Loughrey, 56, a self-confessed "super fan" of William's mother Princess Diana. He was the first to arrive at the Abbey late Monday to ensure a front-row spot.

Equipped with only a sleeping bag and two carrier bags at the start of his four-day wait, he was dressed in a t-shirt emblazoned with the words "Diana Would Be Proud" with pictures of Kate and William tied round his waist.

"I think they are good for Britain and good for tourism. We have had them for more than 1,000 years and they make a great contribution to the life of this country," said the former chef from London.

Mother and daughter Guen Murray, 76, and Patricia Easthope, 48, arrived outside the abbey early Tuesday.

"I did the same thing for Princess Anne's wedding, Charles and Diana, Andrew and Sarah. It's going to be uncomfortable as we've slept on these cobbles before for a few nights," she said.

But in a rare case of someone turning down an invitation to the wedding, the captain of Ireland's rugby union team, Brian O'Driscoll, said he had been invited but he had to stay at home to prepare for a big match for his club.

The first public prayers for William and Kate were held on Tuesday at the abbey by duty chaplain Reverend Martin Hume. They will be held hourly until the wedding.

The Dean of Westminster John Hall, who will be the first person to greet Kate when she arrives at the abbey in her Rolls Royce Phantom on Friday, said separately he expected she would have a "sense of calmness."

"It's important that she enjoys it. It's important that Prince William enjoys it," he added. (AFP)

Kate, William wow crowds on wedding eve

LONDON: Kate Middleton attended a final rehearsal at Westminster Abbey on the eve of her wedding as Prince William delighted crowds of wellwishers with an impromptu appearance on Thursday.

The casually dressed prince was given a welcome worthy of a rock star as he appeared on The Mall, the wide boulevard leading to Buckingham Palace where hundreds of people were preparing to camp out overnight.

Earlier, the couple said they had been "incredibly moved" by the affection shown to them since they announced their engagement in November.

In a message in their official wedding programme, William and Kate thanked "everyone most sincerely for their kindness" as they prepare for "one of the happiest days of our lives".

The Order of Service revealed that Kate will not promise to obey her husband in her marriage vows, following in the footsteps of William's late mother Diana, who later divorced his father Prince Charles and died in a Paris car crash in 1997.

In Friday's ceremony, 29-year-old Kate will pledge to "love, comfort, honour and keep" William rather than the more traditional vow to "obey" him.

With 24 hours to go to the wedding, weather forecasters had good news for the 600,000 people expected to gather to watch the ceremony, predicting a cloudy but dry start to Friday, with only a small risk of rain.

In a diplomatic row that threatened to overshadow the good mood, Britain abruptly withdrew the Syrian ambassador's invitation to the wedding, saying the regime's crackdown on protesters made it unacceptable for him to attend.

The invitation had attracted controversy following claims from rights groups that more than 450 pro-democracy protesters have been killed in Syria by security forces in recent weeks.

"Buckingham Palace shares the view of the Foreign Office that it is not considered appropriate for the Syrian ambassador to attend the wedding," a Foreign Office statement said.

The Syrian envoy, Sami Khiyami, said the decision was "embarrassing" and blamed the media for forcing the British government's hand.

"I find it a bit embarrassing but I don't consider it as a matter that would jeopardise any ongoing relations and discussions with the British government," he told BBC Radio.

"I don't really understand it but I understand the influence of media on the government decisions."

Visiting well-wishers on the wedding route on Thursday evening, Prime Minister David Cameron said: "The right decision was taken."

Preparations for the biggest royal wedding in Britain for 30 years reached fever pitch as Kate attended a second and final rehearsal at Westminster Abbey early Thursday, accompanied by William's brother and best man Prince Harry.

She later made a brief appearance outside The Goring hotel, where she will spend her last night as a single woman, delighting the crowds with a wave.

A canopy has been erected over the front of the hotel to ensure no one sees her wedding gown until she arrives at the abbey on Friday.

On The Mall, which the newlyweds will travel down in a horse-drawn carriage, hundreds of people were preparing to spend a chilly night to get a good view of the procession.

Ruth Jackson, a head teacher from Wales, said: "It's history in the making.

We've never been to a royal event before so we wanted to come and soak up the atmosphere. It hasn't disappointed us."

Cameron praised the "fantastic atmosphere" as he walked through the crowd, and Prince Charles' wife Camilla also joined the throng, saying: "We're all ready for tomorrow -- it's wonderful and all very exciting!".

Camilla and Charles attended a reception along with the queen on Thursday night being given for British and foreign royals attending the wedding at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in central London.

As final security checks were carried out, meanwhile, police said they had arrested 20 people across London after warning they would act to prevent anyone causing trouble during the wedding. (AFP)

LONDON: The wedding of Prince William and his fairytale bride Kate Middleton began Friday with huge crowds and a global TV audience watching Britain's biggest royal celebration for three decades.

Kate, wearing an ivory and white satin wedding dress with long lace sleeves, a veil and a long flowing train waved to cheering crowds of well-wishers as she entered Westminster Abbey.

William arrived at the church 45 minutes earlier accompanied by his younger brother and best man Prince Harry. Grinning broadly, he was dressed in a scarlet military tunic with a blue sash.

It is the richest display of pageantry since William's late mother Diana married Prince Charles in 1981 and offers Britain's royal family a chance at renewal after Charles and Diana's bitterly public split.

The absence of Diana, who died in a car crash in Paris in 1997, will be keenly felt throughout the day, and Prince Charles's main spokesman Paddy Harverson said she was "always" in William's thoughts.

Two billion people -- a third of the world's population -- is expected to watch Diana's eldest son wed the commoner he began dating at St Andrews university in Scotland eight years ago.

William Arthur Philip Louis -- as Diana's eldest son and the second in line to the throne will be called during the service -- waved to the crowds with one white-gloved hand as he arrived at the 1,000-year-old church.

Kate herself travelled to the abbey with her father Michael and took four minutes to walk down the aisle, which is lined with trees specially brought in to create the feel of an English garden.

Palace officials confirmed her dress was by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen.

Guests were already packed inside, including footballer David Beckham, singer Elton John and "Mr Bean" actor Rowan Atkinson. Fifty members of the royal family and dozens of foreign royals were due after William.

Queen Elizabeth II granted the couple the titles Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as a wedding gift earlier in the day.

Hundreds of thousands of campers transformed The Mall, the wide boulevard leading to Buckingham Palace, into a sea of Union Jack flags. (AFP)

Prince William marries Kate in glittering ceremony

LONDON: Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton married at Westminster Abbey on Friday in a royal occasion of dazzling pomp and pageantry that has attracted a huge global audience and injected new life into the monarchy. 

Before the vows, a veiled Middleton, the first "commoner" to marry a prince in close proximity to the throne in more than 350 years, walked slowly through the 1,900-strong congregation to the swirling strains of Charles Parry's "I Was Glad". 

As they met at the altar William whispered to her, prompting a smile at the start of the ceremony. The Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams declared the couple married with the words: "I pronounce that they be man and wife together." 

'Beautiful' Kate wears dress by McQueen designer

LONDON: Kate Middleton wore a stunning ivory and lace wedding dress Friday by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, her face covered lightly with a hand-embroidered veil held by a tiara lent by the queen.

Smiling broadly and waving to the cheering crowd outside Westminster Abbey, the 29-year-old clutched a bouquet of flowers that included Sweet William. Inside, her groom Prince William showed his appreciation, mouthing: "You look beautiful."

Burton, the 36-year-old creative director of fashion house Alexander McQueen, had long been tipped for the commission, but palace officials had remained tight-lipped right up until the moment Kate stepped out of the car.

They said the bride has "worked closely" with Burton in formulating the design, which she wanted to "combine tradition and modernity".

More than 1 mln flock to royal wedding: police

LONDON: More than one million people flooded London on Friday to witness Britain's royal wedding, police confirmed.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said one million people lined the wedding route as Prince William tied the knot with Kate Middleton.

Some 500,000 people were estimated to have flocked to the Mall, the tree-lined boulevard leading to Buckingham Palace, to get a glimpse of the newlyweds as they kissed on the balcony. (AFP)

LONDON: Joyous crowds cheered and gaped in awe as beaming newly-weds Prince William and Kate Middleton rode through London in a fairytale horse-drawn carriage and kissed on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

Hundreds of thousands of royal fans from all walks of life and from across the planet descended on London on Friday to witness the most talked about British wedding in years.