Mukesh Ambani Asia's No.1 billionaire

NEW DELHI: The number of richest persons is increasing in Asia and more Asians are set to dominate the ranking in the coming years after the number of billionaires in the region surpassed Europe and N. America.

According to world ranking agency, Credit Suisse Group, India's Mukesh Ambani is Asia's richest man with a net worth of $26.8 billion. He Asia's number one richest person even after his shares slid 18 percent.

Hong Kong’s Li Ka-shing ranks second, with a $25.8 billion fortune. Lakshmi Mittal, the Indian-born chairman of ArcelorMittal, the world’s biggest steelmaker, is the third wealthiest Asian with a net worth of $23.6 billion.




The number of billionaires in Asia rose to 351 from 245 in 2010. Europe had 251 billionaires while North America accounted for 332 in the last year. 

Giant moth discovered in Himalayas

LONDON: A photographer has spotted a giant moth on a trip to document the biodiversity of the eastern Himalayas.




Early one morning Sandesh Kadur was driving through Arunachal Pradesh in the far north-east of India, when he rounded a bend in the road and saw "a ginormous moth" sitting by a pothole.

He got out to take photos, and as he did so the moth went into a defensive posture, spreading its wings and leaning forward to make itself look as big as possible. It remained still for several minutes, so one of Kadur's colleagues was able to step behind it; the moth's wingspan was wider than his face.

As well as the moth's intimidating size, the striking patterns on its wings may also ward off predators.

Venomous animals like wasps and poison frogs use similar colours to deter animals. In fact, in China the atlas moth is known as the snake's head moth, because the patterns on the tips of its wings look slightly like the heads of snakes.

Kadur eventually decided that the moth wasn't safe sitting in the road, so he manoeuvred it to the side. Some people are scared of moths but these monsters only live for a couple of weeks as adults and don't eat at all.

All their feeding is done during a voracious larval stage when they go from egg to pupa in just four to six weeks - these are very hungry caterpillars indeed. 

Change is around the corner: Nawaz

LAHORE: PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif said the change is just around the corner and those who were claiming to bring change are getting out of sight, Geo News reported.

He was addressing PML-N workers at Aiwan-e-Iqbal after a general workers meeting.

Nawaz said there was no terrorism, suicide bombings and extremism during the PML-N's tenure. Our present would have been much better if we were allowed to complete the term, he said.

'The politics of hypocrisy should end, some people claimed to get Pervez Musharraf reelected in uniform many times but today they are part of the government who issued red warrants for the dictator.

AMAZING ROBBER

کراچی میں دن دہاڑے ڈکیتیاں معمول کی بات ہے لیکن ایک ڈکیتی ایسی بھی ہوئی ہے جس کی خبر پڑھ کر لٹنے والے سے اظہار ِ افسوس کے بجائے اُسے بے ساختہ داد دینے کوجی چاہتا ہے۔ واقعہ کچھ یوں ہے کہ آرٹس کونسل آف پاکستان کے مرکزی دروازے کے سامنے کھڑے ایک شاعر کو کار سوار اسلحہ بردار دو لڑکیوں نے لوٹ لیا۔ایک تو شاعر اور پھر سامنے ایک نہیں دو لڑکیاں، لٹنا توتھا ہی …یوں نہ سہی تو یوں ہی سہی۔ لڑکیوں نے پہلے تو آفتاب خاور کو کار میں بیٹھنے کی درخواست کی۔ معلوم نہیں شاعر صاحب کا دل کس کیفیت میں الجھا ہوا تھا کہ لڑکیوں کی کھلی پیش کش ٹھکرا دی۔ پھر کیا تھا لڑکیاں خود گاڑی سے باہر تشریف لائیں اور گن پوائنٹ پرشاعر کا بیگ اور سونے کی انگوٹھی چھین کر فرار ہو گئیں۔ میرصاحب ہوتے تو فوری کہتے …دل کے لٹنے کا بھی کیا مذکور ہے … یہ نگر سو مرتبہ لوٹا گیا… جرأت ہوتے تو لٹنے کے بعد یہی کہنے کی جرأت کرتے … دل لوٹ لیا اُس نے دکھا دستِ حنائی … کیا ہاتھ ہے، کیا ہاتھ ہے، کیا ہاتھ ہے واللہ …حضرت داغ جہاں بیٹھے ہوتے وہیں بیٹھے کہہ اُٹھتے …دل چرا کر نظر چرائی ہے …لٹ گئے ، لٹ گئے ، دہائی ہے … ساغر صدیقی ایک نعرہ ٴ مستانہ لگاتے … جس عہد میں لٹ جائے فقیروں کی کمائی … اُس عہد کے سلطان سے کچھ بھول ہوئی ہے۔ فیض صاحب اپنی قناعت پسندانہ طبیعت کا اظہار کچھ یوں کرتے … نہ گنواؤ ناوک ِ نیم کش، دلِ ریزہ ریزہ گنوا دیا …جو بچے ہیں سنگ سمیٹ لو ، تنِ داغ داغ لٹا دیا …فراز صاحب ہوتے تو خود مشاعرہ لوٹ کر جا رہے ہوتے ۔ انہیں بھلا کون لوٹ سکتا تھا …اسلام آباد میں خواتین کے حوالے سے منعقدہ ایک تقریب میں موجود تھے۔ جب انہیں شعر پڑھنے کے لیے بلایا گیا تو نسوانی حقوق کی علمبردار ایک خاتون کھڑی ہوئیں اور کہا فراز صاحب آ ج آپ صرف عورتوں کے حوالے سے شعر سنائیں گے۔ فراز صاحب نے برجستہ کہا ۔ بی بی میری توساری شاعری ہی عورتوں کے گرد گھومتی ہے۔ سنا گیا ہے کہ آفتاب خاور کے لڑکیوں کے ہاتھوں لٹنے کے بعد کئی ایک شاعر آرٹس کونسل کے اردگرد کسی ایسی ہی واردات کا شکار ہونے کے لیے دل و جاں ہاتھ میں لیے گھوم رہے ہیں۔

Govt hikes POL, CNG, electricity rates

ISLAMABAD: Government has once again raised the prices of petroleum products, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and electricity, Geo News reported Wednesday.

According to the notification issued by Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority, the price of petrol has been raised by Rs2.75 per litre to Rs97.66 while the rate of diesel has been kept unchanged at Rs103.46 a litre.

The rate of light diesel has been ramped up by Rs3.08 per litre; Kerosene oil by Rs4.38 to Rs96.40 a litre and; the price of HOBC raised by Rs8.67 to Rs126.87 a litre.

The new rates will be applicable from 12:00 AM, March 1.

OGRA had estimated an increasing trend in international POL prices, as they had risen during February while the rupee had devalued against the dollar in the same period.

Meanwhile, the rate of CNG has been ratcheted up by Rs1.77 a kilogram.

Electricity tariff also been raised by 39 percent under fuel adjustment for the month August 2011.

The per unit increase of Rs3.39 has been approved and will be adjusted during the next billing cycle and it will not be applicable for KESC.

Dr Israr Shah to join PTI today

ISLAMABAD: Dr Israr Shah, a senior member of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), who lost both of his legs for the cause of the party, has decided to end his 42-year long association with the party while announcing his new political carreer by joining the caravan of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf of Imran Khan.

Dr Israr Shah, whose basic membership of the party and Central Executive Committee was suspended for the last two years for raising voice against corruption in the government, will announce joining Imran Khan today.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan will welcome the former PPP stalwart into his party at the party secretariat here in the afternoon. “What I expect from the PTI is due respect and nothing else: there are so many things on which Imran Khan and I are on one page,” Shah said while talking to The News here. 

Dhaka beat Khulna to reach BPL final

DHAKA: Dhaka Gladiators qualified for the final defeating Khulna Royal Bengals by nine runs in a high-scoring match of the Bangladesh Premier League here at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on Tuesday.

Dhaka Gladiators will meet Barisal Burners in the final, to be played on Wednesday.

Chasing a daunting target of 192, Khulna made 182-7 falling ten runs short despite a courageous batting display by captain Shakib Al Hasan who remained unbeaten on 87.

During a 41-ball innings, he struck nine boundaries and four towering sixes including two off the last balls of the match. 

He was well supported by Nasir Hossain, who contributed 35.

For Dhaka, Elias Sunny took three wickets for 30.

Earlier, Dhaka batted first after winning the toss and amassed 191 for four in the allotted 20 overs.

Allrounder Azhar Mahmood top scored with 65 from 39 balls, hitting three sixes and six fours while Mohammad Ashraful was 47 not out and opener Imran Nazir made 41.

Geo Super showed the match live from Mirpur, Dhaka.