10 Weird Facts About Valentines Day

As dates are closing to February 14, the whole town is painted red. Literally! Well Valentines day is one day that is loved by every happy couple. Heck even single people enjoy it with friends if there is no one special in their life. But like any other hallmark holiday this day too comes with its weird superstitions  and stories.

Here we have ten weird fact about Valentines day. So read on for the things that you did not know about the day of love. And please be careful about the color of flower you give when it comes to roses, the consequences might not be so pretty!

10. Dumping

53% of women in America would dump their boyfriends if they did not get them a present for Valentines day! and then we complain when people are materialistic!

9. History

In medieval times young men and women would write their names and place them in a bowl on February 14. Each would then draw names from the paper of the opposite sex and wear them on their sleeve. Hence the term” to wear your heart on your sleeve”.

8. Myths

It was once believed that if a woman saw a flying robin on Valentine’s day she would end up getting married to a sailor. If a sparrow was the bird she saw she would end up marrying a man that was poor and live a happy life, if she saw a goldfinch then she was to marry a man that was a millionaire. One can only wonder who she would marry if she saw a crow.

7. The Greatest Valentine

Teachers receive the most valentines followed by children, mothers, wives and sweethearts.

6. Spending

The average US Consumer is expected to spend $117 on gifts,meals and entertainment on valentines day.Men spend double as compared to women who spend approximately $76  and men spend $158

5. Profits

Chocolates and candy reaches a sale of $1011 billion on Valentines day  and nearly $1.7 billion worth of flowers are bought each year on valentines day.

4. Single People

For every 120 single men in their twenties there are a 100 single women. So the good ones are out there after all!

3. Kissing

Kissing helps reduce tooth decay because the extra saliva helps clean out your mouth. Also you burn 26 calories in a one minute kiss. Who says it isn’t healthy to smooch!

2. Flowers

15% of the women in America send flowers to themselves on valentines day.198 million red roses were produced for valentines day in 2010.However be careful when giving roses to a feminist they are also known as a symbolic woman zone! And if you want to stay just friends only in that case giving yellow roses is appropriate. In some countries white and yellow roses are used in funerals so be careful!

1. Chocolate

Richard Cadbury introduced the first box of chocolates on Valentines Day in the late 1800′s Physicians of the 1800′s commonly advised their patients to eat chocolate to calm their pining for lost love.

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England need second-highest run chase in Test history for unlikely win over Pak

Azhar Ali scored a dogged 157 to push Pakistan's lead to 323 in the Dubai Test © Associated Press

England at last saw the back of Azhar Ali, but still need to pull off the second-highest run chase in their Test history to avoid a 3-0 whitewash against Pakistan.

Azhar's painstaking career-best 157 spanned six sessions and almost nine hours, before the number three was ninth out in Pakistan's 365 all out on the third evening at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

England were therefore left with more than six and a half sessions to make 324, on a wearing pitch which had already helped spinners Monty Panesar (five for 124) and Graeme Swann share eight wickets.

They made an acceptable start to their mission improbable, openers Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss reprising the roles played by their great antecedents Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe, the last and only other time England made so many to win - against Australia in Melbourne in 1929.

Cook and Strauss achieved a notable first for this series at least, when they surpassed their previous highest opening partnership of 27 on this disappointing tour - reaching 36 for none at the close.

They had a scrape each before stumps, Cook dropped by Taufeeq Umar off Umar Gul at third slip on four and Strauss rightly given not out on 14 - even after DRS - when he got his pad outside the line on impact against Mohammad Hafeez's off-spin.

Azhar's 442-ball vigil had been a triumph of unstinting concentration, shot selection and restraint - taking in a stand of 216 with Younus Khan (127), and containing just 10 fours and one six.

But Pakistan's last seven wickets then fell for only 34 runs in 21 overs, to give world number ones England a glimmer of hope that their batsmen might yet redeem themselves here.

Younus predicted yesterday that the tourists could still have a chance in this match, if their luck held. Equally, having watched Azhar's unflustered tour de force, it seemed they might collectively do worse than take their cue from him.

Azhar was in absolutely no hurry on the way to his second Test hundred and beyond, having previously reached exactly three figures on this same ground against Sri Lanka last year.

He eventually reached the milestone from the 319th ball he faced, with one of the most memorable shots of his long innings - a cut off Panesar for his fifth four.

He might have gone before his third-wicket partner Younus, for 84, but survived when Swann was just unable to hang on to a tough chance at second slip, very low to his left off the bowling of James Anderson.

Instead England's only breakthrough this morning came when Stuart Broad had Younus lbw on the front foot - DRS indicated the ball would have clipped the very top of middle-stump - after a five-hour stay which had helped to shut England out for 82 overs.

Younus was replaced by captain Misbah-ul-Haq, another batsman content to make the most of the ample time available in this well-progressed match.

He and Azhar duly added another 87, until Misbah fell lbw pushing forward to Panesar in late afternoon to kickstart the rush of wickets.

There was no DRS left for Asad Shafiq, sweeping at Panesar to become the 40th lbw victim of this head-scratching series, and Adnan Akmal was soon bowled for a duck by one that turned to beat his defence and hit off-stump.

Swann then scored his first successes, after 32 overs in vain.

Abdur Rehman and Saeed Ajmal were both caught at slip shortly before tea - and then Azhar fell bat-pad to the off-spinner, and Panesar completed the innings with yet another lbw to account for Gul.

Meanwhile, Tim Bresnan arrived in Dubai this afternoon in time to watch the final session here, having undergone fitness tests in Yorkshire on the elbow injury which ruled him out of the Test series.

England hope the seamer will be available for four one-day internationals and three Twenty20s against Pakistan, starting on February 13. (The mirror)

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Pakistan is going to whitewash England: Afridi

KARACHI: Pakistan's former captain and flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi feels the team is capable of handing out a 3-0 whitewash to world number one England given the way it dominated the first two Tests.

Pakistan enjoy an unassailable 2-0 lead over the English. "I think Pakistan will complete a clean sweep in the third Test. They can whitewash England," Afridi told reporters at a function to launch the autobiography of former chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed.

Afridi said Pakistan enjoyed a psychological hold over the English batsmen.

"I see this series as the best opportunity for Pakistan to win the series 3-0. As they keep on winning they are getting hungrier for success and that is always the first sign of a team turning into a top class side," he said.

"Another good thing is that all the players realise their responsibility and are contributing and supporting each other on the field."

The all-rounder, who will join the team for the one-day and Twenty20 matches against England from next week, said Pakistani players have made winning a habit.

"After winning the first two Tests, the morale and confidence in the team is very high," he added.

Afridi, who was captain of the one-day side until last May, said that the way Pakistan are improving, they could soon match the feats of other great teams.

"Pakistan has the potential to be as good as the Australians were at one time," he said.

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India afraid of taking on Pakistan : Zaka Ashraf

The contrasting form of the Pakistan and India sides of late might have left the latter’s management reluctant for a showdown, according to Ashraf. PHOTO: AFP

Dubai: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf has said that the national team’s recent resurgence has left arch-rivals India afraid to take them on and is forcing the delays in bilateral resumptions.

The neighbours have not played a Test series since 2007 but there were hopes of a thaw after the sides met in the World Cup semi-final last March. The teams are slated to play each other under the International Cricket Council’s Future Tours Programme this year as well. But India’s hectic schedule has made it difficult to find a slot for the bilateral series, prompting Ashraf to accuse the Indian board of running scared.

“Because of the way our team is performing and the way their team is doing in Australia, maybe India are afraid,” said Ashraf. “For them, losing to Australia isn’t an emotional matter. But there are more emotions attached if they lose to Pakistan.”

India were routed 4-0 in their Test series in Australia to record eight consecutive away defeats, while Pakistan have not lost a series since August 2010. Ashraf complained that all requests by the PCB to revive relations had been unsuccessful.

“We’re ready to play against them when their prime minister and board president want the teams to play. Maybe it’s their selectors and team management who are afraid of facing Pakistan.”

India lose chief sponsor

Meanwhile, Indian cricket was hit by a major crisis when the long-time sponsor of the national team pulled out over differences with the board.

The Sahara group of companies, which has been a cricket sponsor since 2000, said in a statement that it was ending what it called a ‘one-sided emotional relationship’ with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

“We feel such a one-sided emotional relationship can’t be dragged any further,” read the company statement. “We’re withdrawing from all cricket under the BCCI.”

Sahara also withdrew its ownership of the Pune Warriors team in the Indian Premier League over a dispute with the BCCI.

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Breaking News About Humsafar Episode 20

Due to Technical Problems Episode 20 Has Not Been Telecast ed
Please Bare With Us We Apologize To Our Fans For This Unfortunate Thing

But Please If You Love Humsafar Then Don’t Use Bad Language And Remarks
Its Humsafar And TRP Rating Or Money Is Not More Important Then Our Fans
So Please Control Your Emotions And Trust Us And Forgive Us For Tonight !!

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Humsafar Drama Full Episode 20 By Hum Tv 4th February 2012

Humsafar Drama Full Episode 20 By Hum Tv 4th February 2012

Watch online streaming of the latest episodes of the dramas of Hum Tv.Humsafar watch online serial.Watch Humsafar Drama serial online.Humsafar 4th February 2012 Hum Tv.Famous Humsafar Drama watch online.

Note : Humsafar Episode 20 did not air Today Hum Tv due to 12 Rabi ul Awal Thanks for Visiting Site.

When Episode 20 of hum tv drama serial humsafar will on-air, we will upload it on our site.A lot of humsafar fans got upset today due to old episode of humsafar. Hum tv didn't telecasted humsafar episode 20 today.Humsafar facebook fan page filled with huge no. of humsafar fans angry comments and walls for not telecasting drama serial humsafar 's episode no. 20. It is also noted that drama serial humsafar is on no. 1 top Pakistani drama serials due to high ratings.Fans wait for its new episode every week.Today on 4th Feb humsafar 20th episode was had to telecast but due to some issues hum tv didn't telecast humsafar's new episode which should be Episode no.20.A large number of keywords " Humsafar Episode 20" was recorded on google Pakistan and all over the world on search engines by Humsafar's fans.

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The man of crises, the superman of Pakistan team - Younus Khan

After getting bundled out in the first innings for a paltry 99, Pakistan bounced back in the second with a commanding 180-run lead. The chief architect of this act Younis Khan, came into this game amid heavy scrutiny as he had failed to make a compelling impact on the series thus far.

Walking in with Pakistan hanging by the thread at 28 for 2, he got off the mark with an inside edge down to backward square. The enormity of the challenge he faced could be judged by the fact that it had been raining wickets since Day 1.

These were testing times for Pakistan. While all were busy making assumptions and predictions of a meagre total, Younis and Azhar silently resolved to take advantage of a pitch that was flattening out and take Pakistan to a secure position heading into Day 3.

It took Younis 20 balls to stroke his first boundary, an elegant straight drive presenting full face of the bat off Stuart Broad. Along with Azhar Ali, he showed true grit and determination in crafting an astounding revival in this innings.

Throughout his innings, he rarely gave the bowlers or DRS a chance to dislodge him. Younis presented the perfect technique of extricating yourself from frailties of the DRS system. Confidence was oozing from his stroke play as he punished anything short or wide from the bowlers. Younis was particularly good against spin bowlers, making use of his favorite sweep shot astutely.

Stauss’s applause for Younis Khan and Azhar Ali, as they marched off the ground clearly indicated a day bossed by the king who registered 20^th century under his belt with a strike rate of 58.97 in this innings.

In a broader perspective, Younis’s innings may well make Pakistan the first team since 1907, to win a test after being bundled out for less than a 100 runs in the first innings of a Test match. For now though, in a series which has failed to enchant the batsmen Younis Khan along with Azhar Ali has played a pivotal role in ascertaining Pakistan’s dominance over England.

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Gaddafi's shirt, wedding ring up for sale

Tripoli: Slain dictator of Libya, Moammer Gaddafi's bloodied shirt and wedding ring have been put up for $2 million (Rs 10 crore) auction. The disgraced dictator was wearing the silver ring and bloodied beige shirt when he was dragged from a drainpipe near his home town of Sirte before being beaten and shot.
Libyan national Ahmed Warfali is apparently asking for $2 million (Rs 10 crore) for the items after somehow coming into their possession. He believes he could have attracted a higher value if he had been selling them in Europe.
A picture of what appears to be the ring shows an engraving representing the date Gaddafi married his wife, Safia, on September 10, 1970.

But critics say Warfali should not be selling his possessions. "The ring does not belong to Gaddafi. It's Libyan money and this guy should not sell the ring," said one person, who posted his comments on a Facebook wall for residents of the town of Zintan, where Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam is being held.
Saif was arrested in November last year, but has not yet been handed over to the transitional government or the International Criminal Court for trial.
Another Facebook user said, "Well you can sell Saif for 20 billion dollars, if you do not want the guy to sell the ring." There remains tensions in the country in the wake of Gaddafi's death as militias continue to jostle for power.

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Queenie Padilla quits showbiz, embraces Islam

Actress Queenie Padilla. File photo

MANILA, Philippines – Actress Queenie Padilla has quit show business for her Muslim religion.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Padilla said she finds inner peace and direction in life in Islam.

"Islam is a way of life. When you start to [become a] Muslim, you know [what] your life purpose really is. I am such a sinful person, but Allah invited me to his house. I am so close to him," she said.

Padilla recently performed the Hajj, a pilgrimage to Makkah in Saudi Arabia. She said she has become a totally different person because of Islam.

"When I was in showbiz, I was very unhappy. I was lost and I always felt I never belong. But now that Allah is in my life, Alhamdullilah, La illa illalah, I am so happy and content in my life,” she said.

As she enjoys her new life, Padilla said she will not go back to show business.

“Haram kasi sa isang babae ang maging artista kasi lahat ng aura pinapakita mo. Kasi ang babaeng Muslim ay napaka-modest. At ang babae sa Islam ay parang jewel... Actually I already quit [showbiz] like 8 months [ago], since my last appearance on TV,” she said.

Padilla thanked her father, action star Robin Padilla, who introduced her to Islam.

“I just want to thank my father for giving me the opportunity to perform Hajj. And I love him so much because without my father, I might not have been a Muslim,” she said.

Even Padilla’s relatives and friends in Saudi Arabia were inspired by her new image.

As she returns to the country, Padilla said she will carry with her the experiences she had while doing Hajj, adding that she will share these to her fellow Filipinos.

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Younis' century puts Pakistan in control

Close Pakistan 99 and 222 for 2 (Younis 115*, Azhar 75*) lead England 141 (Strauss 56, Rehman 5-40) by 180 runs

	Younis Khan scored the first century of this series to put Pakistan in the driving seat in the third Test © Getty Images
Related Links Matches: England v Pakistan at Dubai (DSC) Series/Tournaments: England tour of United Arab Emirates Teams: England | Pakistan Gallery: Younis, Azhar seize control for Pakistan

The first hundred of this Test series was a long time in coming but it was well worth the wait. It went to Younis Khan. His enduring talent has again lifted Pakistan's expectations that they can achieve their first whitewash in a Test series against England.

When Younis came to the crease shortly before lunch on the second day, he was out of form, 22 wickets had fallen for 268 runs and batsmen on both sides were in mental turmoil over a record number of lbw decisions in a three-Test series. Not another wicket fell all day.

By the close, Younis had 115, his third-wicket stand with Azhar Ali was worth 194 in 72 overs and Pakistan's lead was 180. Some Pakistan fans held aloft a banner stating that Pakistan's target was to be the No. 1 Test side in the world. England can confirm it is an uncomfortable place to be.

Whenever mutterings are heard that his Test career is nearing an end, Younis comes up with something special. England tried to bowl straight, seeking to add to the 37 lbws in the series (the record in any length of series is 43) but the pitch was slow and the sound of ball against pad was conspicuous by its absence as Younis worked the ball serenely through the leg side.

It is only two months since Younis took an unbeaten double hundred off Bangladesh in Chittagong and his serenity flooded back. Both he and Azhar, whose restrained unbeaten 75 again identified him as a talent in the making, read the line confidently, their footwork was crisp and on the rare occasions Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann matched the turn found by Pakistan's left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman, they had the skill to adjust to the ball off the pitch.

England imagined they might have dismissed Azhar lbw, on 70, just before the close when Swann found turn around leg stump. Umpire Simon Taufel said no, England reviewed, more in hope than expectation, but to the consternation of the fielding side Hawk-Eye showed the ball going too high. Pakistan's lead was 168 and England had not got the break they desperately needed. Andrew Strauss, an England captain with no time to waste, even took the new ball two overs before the close.

Younis' second 50 took 60 balls and changed the complexion of the match. His gathering confidence was illustrated when he twice reverse-swept Swann as England's spinners resorted to bowling into the rough outside leg stump. Two short balls from Panesar helped him through the 90s. When he swept Panesar to reach his 20th Test hundred, two greats of India's past, Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, were moved to rise from their seats in the VIP area and applaud.

But the incident that will most trouble England was one of the rare balls Younis missed: a delivery from Panesar that pitched on middle, dislodged a piece of turf as it spun past the outside edge, and cracked Anderson on the left shoulder at first slip. This is a dry pitch and it can be expected to turn extravagantly as the match progresses.

It all possessed a different feel to the pre-lunch session. Six more wickets tumbled on the second morning, with England scraping a first-innings lead of 42 and then removing Pakistan's openers. Taufeeq Umar's technical frailties were again evident as James Anderson bowled one from wide on the crease to have him caught by Strauss at first slip. Mohammad Hafeez, after striking Panesar cleanly for a straight six, fell lbw to an over-ambitious sweep.

England's batting frailties are now so extreme that their average of 17.84 runs per wicket is currently lower than in any completed series since the 19th century, an era when the roller was probably pulled by a horse, if they could find a horse, and the art of groundsmanship extended to little more than pushing the stumps in.

England began the series fretting about the mysterious spin bowling of Saeed Ajmal but they are ending it baffled by the conventional approach of Rehman, who took five wickets for the second successive innings as Pakistan restricted England's first-innings lead. This canny left-arm spinner, enjoying unforeseen riches in his late-blooming career, had performed the sajda on the outfield in Abu Dhabi when he took five Test wickets in an innings for the first time. Once again he fell to his knees.

England, resuming on 104 for 6, lasted 12 overs. Anderson, the night-watchman, propped forward to the last ball of the first over and was bowled through the gate. It was the sort of respectable, turning delivery Rehman has produced on countless occasions and suddenly it looked unplayable.

Stuart Broad hinted at positive intent but he was lbw to Ajmal after Pakistan turned to DRS to overturn Steve Davis' not-out decision. Broad was straight back to the laptop, analysing his dismissal, seeking answers. Another centimetre and he would have been outside the line. Umpires would never give anybody out on such small margins; technology does.

Andrew Strauss' prolonged resistance ended at eight-down, to his most adventurous shot. He had extended his overnight 41 to 56 when he came down the pitch to hit Rehman over the legside and was stumped by Adnan Akmal.

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B-town congrats Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D'Souza

 
Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D'Souza Friday tied the knot at a lavish ceremony in a five-star hotel here. Bollywood wishes "happiness" and "eternal bliss" to the newlyweds.

The couple tied the knot in the presence of family and close friends in a typical Maharashtrian wedding ceremony.
Shah Rukh Khan: What a lovely wedding...riteish & genelia looked beautiful...may Allah bless them with happiness. Side Note: the chola roti was very nice too.
Bipasha Basu: Congrats Mr. and Mrs. Deshmukh! Sooo adorable!

Anupam Kher: Congratulations to Riteish and Genelia for their life together hereafter. May you fall in love with each other everyday of your life.

Madhur Bhandarkar: My heartfelt wishes to Riteish and Genelia for the new journey of life they r going to start together. God bless u both.

Shazahn Padamsee: Congrats to my lovely friends Riteish and Genelia for the beginning of their beautiful journey together today. Lots of love to both of u.

Tusshar Kapoor: Heartiest congratulations to @Riteishd and @geneliad, my 2 most fun co stars on their wedding today!! Another couple bites the dust!!

Kumar Taurani: @geneliad @Riteishd Many congratulations, you looking awesome as couple, God Bless You...

Minissha Lamba: Here's wishing @Riteishd and @geneliad a blissful life of joy! You make love look so beautiful...

Vishal Dadlani: Congratulations, and happiness always! RT @Riteishd: MR & MRS DESHMUKH.

Sujoy Ghosh: Love at its best ... RT @Riteishd: MR & MRS DESHMUKH

Sophie Choudry: Big day for the beautiful couple Riteish and Genelia when officially to become one! Wishing them happiness, fun times and eternal bliss! God Bless.

Neha Dhupia: From my side too congrats to Riteish and Genelia for their wedding. Flower petals filled tweets coming your way!

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England vs Pakistan: Placing All Bets On Pakistan

   

by Ashar Zaidi

Profile: A Sports correspondent at Geo New

Logic might favor England but passion is eager to topple it down; let’s see who rules the deserts.


Agreed, you are the number one test side in the world. Agreed, you have dominated your last six test series. Agreed, the world’s best have kneeled before your might, that you are gifted with some of the best performers in the game and you feel refreshed after a four months rest, but that doesn’t mean things will walk your way all the time. Sharpen your swords England, Misbahism is geared up for a showdown.


England and Pakistan are two top teams. Try comparing them in any aspect and the equilibrium will hit the middle mark each time.  That’s precisely the reason why fans and experts appear impatient for a mouth watering encounter, followed by the trickiest question of all, who will come out victorious?


This is a tough question to answer. The bookies love England but ask me and I see this love affair as a well disguised googly. My hard-earned money is on Pakistan and I won’t risk it without rock-solid reasoning.


Strauss has a world conquering squad just like Michael Vaughn did in 2005, but like the Indians, they are mostly back-yard heroes that can win in favorable conditions. Expose them to hostile terrain and they fall like autumn leaves. I remember England touring Pakistan in 2005 still basking in the euphoria of their Ashes triumph, only to see their top names licking injuries and Shoaib Akthar puncturing their batting sedans. With mud for UAE pitches flown in from Karachi, I can only see history repeating itself.


So, here are six reasons why I believe England will return home with only Arabic hospitality to talk about.


1- Stepping into the Unknown


It’s UAE, meaning it’s an arid-zone. Even in January the place can be devilishly humid, dusty and the scorching sun beats hard on your head. No coach in the world can teach you how to handle quickies while dry winds are slapping your face. Long days in the heat can drain life out of your legs and water alone would fail to quench the English thirst, instead tons of Gatorade would need to be gulped.


For statistic devotees, England are yet to play a test match on UAE soil and the last ODI they played here was way back in 1999. As for Pakistan, UAE is their second home. The green shirts have played nine matches and are well versed with the conditions.  Will the ball turn or skid on these placid wickets? England must have spent sleepless nights solving this enigma. For Pakistan, they have the perfect idea for mix and match.


2- Paki Pace Factory Fired Up


They say a team is built around its fast bowling therefore it can’t possibly go wrong in Pakistan’s case. Pakistani spinners have been capturing bulk of headlines recently, somewhat over shadowing the brilliance pacers have shown with the ball. The likes of Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Tanveer Ahmed and Aizaz Cheema have largely been responsible for causing early dents and paving way for the spinners to wipe out the cake. These maverick quickies are equipped with a plethora of lethal deliveries, good enough to sink any batting line on Earth.


To fine tune their every move is the bowling maestro Aquib Jawaid (Bowling coach) who himself has bowled countless memorable spells on these barren fields. Hard to forget would be his seven against Sri-Lanka in Sharjah. He is a living example for his militia to follow.


England, on the other hand could have wished for a few better options. Let’s admit, Tim Bresnan was one bowler who could have extracted life out of Dubai’s moribund surface. But with him out of the picture the English pace battery appears vulnerable. Major work load will fall on James Anderson and Stuart Broad and don’t expect the likes of Grame Onions, Steven Finn and Chris Tremlett to cause Pakistanis much trouble.


This will be the ideal setting for an unseen injury popping up to one of these pacers. If that happens, England is sure to lose heart. In most of their previous victories, it’s the combination of four fast bowlers that have guided them through; Dubai could be a different story.


3- Spin Fear


We heard it before, now we have seen it. England doesn’t like to play spin. Take the two practice matches for example: M. Nabi, the off-spinner from Afghanistan bagged five while the Swabi born Leggie, Yasir Shah cleaned up eight in the second, exposing a huge feebleness in English defense.


This is their fragility before second string spinners, and the big boys haven’t even stepped in. Both Saeed and Rehman are world class spinners and their fingers are itching to cast magic. The spot-light is on the tricky Ajmal who some see as the English tormentor, with 50 wickets in the calendar year, he is one player around whom the hype has been building.


Ajmal is a darling character; he loves challenges and has a habit of cracking jokes. Remember the “Special Delivery” he warned about? It is now termed “The Teesra”.  We have seen the traditional off-spin, then Shane Warne invented the “Seedha” while Saqulain brought out the “Doosra”. Where in the world Ajmal’s Teesra will spin is still a mystery!


The spin night-mare doesn’t end here. Rehman and Hafiz are equally good supplements that give their Captain plenty of option to juggle.


England on the other hand is pinning hopes on their Desert Rose, Grame Swann, but whether their vital cog can live up to expectations is another story. Ask me and I would say he is an over-rated bowler, simply because England doesn’t have another quality act. Just 27 wickets in 2011 and you expect him to make you shiver? C’mon, even a club bowler could do better. While some would argue that he is nurtured under Mushtaq Ahmed’s watchful eyes, let me remind you that Pakistani batsmen are best mediators of spin. As for Monty, let’s first see if he finds a place in the final 11. We can ponder about his vitality later on.


4- The Younis Factor


Mince no words, Younis will be the difference between victory and defeat.  While many credit Misbah for keeping the unit together and turning it into a winning lot, if you knew the dynamics of the Pakistan dressing-room you would know it’s Younis that has keeps the fabric knitted. On the field he is a classy batsman, an excellent exponent of classic stroke-play and a skilful fielder with a deadly accuracy of hitting the stumps. Back in the drawers, he is the best pitch reader, an astute thinker, motivator and a strategy genius for his side.


The 34 year old Khan from Mardan is a tough nut to crack and possesses a dreadful appetite for runs. His mountainous 313 at Karachi and epic 267 at Bangalore are credible proof’s he can play really long innings and bat England out of the match. 2011 has been a fantastic year for Khan, cracking 765 runs in just 12 innings with a staggering avg of 85. England definitely won’t want him batting long and nursing the tail.


5- No Rating Fear, Only Hunger to Prove


The brutal fact is that this is one horror Strauss can’t shy away from. Stepping in 2012 as the top ranked test side, the English have a lot at stake. They might have belted the Protease, Aussies and the Indians, but they are well aware of the un-predictability and destruction Pakistan can cause. If England loses, the Telegraph, Guardian and Times would cry that England succumbed on the first real litmus test.


Pakistan are enjoying life out of any such fear. Their recent feats have been looked down as being against toothless opponents, so this is their proving stage. If they win, it will be a testimony of their metal. If they lose, Misbah would simply shake off the loss as it would be one against the best side in the world.  


6- Pakistanis Don’t Break Under Pressure


England reached summit No. 1 after thrashing India last summer. Apart from their prolific play England had two other factors to thank. India is a team of ageing legends and as Brad Haddin rightly pointed out, it’s a team that breaks down under pressure. Rest assured Strauss won’t find anything like-wise here.  Even at 38 and 34, Misbah and Younis are the fittest horses in the stable and whenever stakes are down, even Ajmal can show heroics with the bat. It’s an All for one, and one for all equation.


May the Best Team Win:


And so my bragging comes to an end. Thankfully, Pakistanis are realistic and focused on the task ahead. Opener Taufiq Umar couldn’t be more candid admitting that his team would have to exceed their abilities to beat England. On the other hand, the placid tracks of UAE demonstrate the rarity of a positive result. This means a single session played loose could slip out the series. Have no doubt in mind; there will be loads of storms in the deserts.

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Anonymous gain access to FBI and Scotland Yard hacking call

The hackers published a video of the call on YouTube

Hacking network Anonymous has released a recording of a conference call between the FBI and UK police in which they discuss efforts against hackers.

The call, said to have taken place last month, covers the tracking of Anonymous and similar groups, dates of planned arrests and details of evidence held.
Anonymous also published an email, apparently from the FBI, showing the email addresses of call participants.
The FBI and Scotland Yard confirmed the leak and said they were investigating.
It also emerged on Friday that hackers linked to Anonymous had accessed the websites of several US law enforcement agencies and that of the Greek justice ministry.
 
'Email intercept'

The FBI said in a statement: "The information was intended for law enforcement officers only and was illegally obtained. A criminal investigation is under way to identify and hold accountable those responsible."

London's Metropolitan Police's central e-crime unit said the matter was being investigated but that no operational risks had been identified.
It was unclear how Anonymous had managed to obtain the recording but a lawyer for one of the suspects discussed told the BBC it appeared to have been taken as an audiofile from an intercepted email, rather than having been eavesdropped on.
A comment on one of the Twitter accounts linked to Anonymous, AnonymousIRC, said: "The FBI might be curious how we're able to continuously read their internal comms for some time now."
BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says the recording, which was published on YouTube, will be highly embarrassing for the cyber crime detectives.
At one point an FBI agent thanks the Metropolitan police for their help with investigations, to which the British detective replies: "We're here to help. We've cocked things up in the past, we know that."

Analysis

Leo Kelion Technology reporter

While it now appears that the FBI-Scotland Yard conference call was obtained through an intercepted email recording, recent research does suggest it is possible for hackers to intercept communications systems once thought secure.
Earlier this week, two researchers from Germany's Ruhr University Bochum announced they had reverse engineered two of the secret ciphers used to encode calls made by satellite phones. The pair said the devices - used in military campaigns and natural disaster areas - used algorithms that were "considerably weaker" than what was available elsewhere.
Another noted security researcher, Karsten Nohl, told a conference he had generated a code book which allowed calls made on mobiles using the GSM standard to be decrypted.
One solution is to make VoIP (voice over internet protocol) calls using the latest encryption techniques. But such conversations only remain safe if any recordings are similarly encrypted and the decryption codes safely guarded.

The FBI said in a statement: "The information was intended for law enforcement officers only and was illegally obtained. A criminal investigation is under way to identify and hold accountable those responsible."

London's Metropolitan Police's central e-crime unit said the matter was being investigated but that no operational risks had been identified.
It was unclear how Anonymous had managed to obtain the recording but a lawyer for one of the suspects discussed told the BBC it appeared to have been taken as an audiofile from an intercepted email, rather than having been eavesdropped on.
A comment on one of the Twitter accounts linked to Anonymous, AnonymousIRC, said: "The FBI might be curious how we're able to continuously read their internal comms for some time now."
BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says the recording, which was published on YouTube, will be highly embarrassing for the cyber crime detectives.
At one point an FBI agent thanks the Metropolitan police for their help with investigations, to which the British detective replies: "We're here to help. We've cocked things up in the past, we know that."
'Attention seeker'
According to the alleged leaked email, the 17-minute phone call took place on 17 January.
The email was sent to law enforcement officials in the US, UK, Sweden, Ireland and other countries, inviting them to "discuss the on-going investigations related to Anonymous, Lulzsec, Antisec, and other associated splinter groups".
The recording features the voices of about five men, apparently speaking from London, Los Angeles and Washington.

What is Anonymous?

Anonymous describes itself as an "internet gathering". The term is used to describe a collective of people who come together online, commonly to stage a protest.
The groups vary in size and make-up depending on the cause. Members often identify themselves in web videos by wearing the Guy Fawkes masks popularised by the book and film V for Vendetta.
Its protests often take the form of disrupting websites and services.
Its use of the term Anonymous comes from a series of websites frequented by members, such as the anarchic image board 4Chan.
These allow users to post without having to register or provide a name. As a result, their comments are tagged "Anonymous".
In the past, groups have staged high-profile protests against plans by the Australian government to filter the internet and the Church of Scientology.
Many Anonymous protests tackle issues of free speech and preserving the openness of the net.

They begin with light-hearted conversation but move on to discussing the names of some of the people being tracked and their plans for legal action.

The online pseudonyms of suspects are included in the recording, but some of the real names appear to have been bleeped out.
Among those discussed are several British men accused of being behind cyber attacks in the US and UK, including Jake Davis and Ryan Cleary who were arrested last year.
The British detectives discuss delaying some arrests while US investigations are being carried out.
The police also refer to a 15-year-old who claims to have been behind an attack on online gaming site Steam last year, where the identities and credit card details of tens of thousands of users were accessed.
"He's a 15-year-old who's basically just doing this all for attention," says the British detective.
Anonymous is a loose collective of hackers, anarchists and pranksters which has targeted the websites of a range of governments, companies, law enforcement agencies and individuals in recent years.
Also on Friday, Anonymous claimed credit for an attack on a police website in the US city of Boston. A message posted on the site said it had been hacked several months ago in response to "police brutality" towards the Occcupy Wall Street movement.
This followed another attack on a police website in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, where officials say personal information on informants, crimes and residents were accessed.
Hackers operating under the Anonymous name also took over the website of Greece's justice ministry on Friday, prompting officials to take the site down.
The hackers said the action was a protest against Greece's signing of a global copyright treaty and the government's handling of the economic crisis.
The website was replaced with a video of a figure wearing the symbolic white mask of Anonymous supporters, saying: "Democracy was given birth in your country but you have killed it."

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10 Tips To Get Google Adsense Approved in Pakistan

I know many of you’d desperately want to read this post as Google is now very strict with its Adsense account approval polices, especially for those living in Pakistan.
We know that all professional bloggers are very serious about their blogging and hence they will not get involved in any activity which is against Google Adsense Terms and Conditions. Then why Google is banning Adsense accounts of professional bloggers in third world countries like Pakistan?
Well there is a reason, that has been repeatedly discussed on this website, which is mainly the misuse of Adsense accounts in Pakistan by spammers. They create Google Adsense account via third party websites and upon approval sell these accounts to non professional bloggers, who than put ads on their spammy blogs. Sorry to say but this is not the way to earn money from Google Adsense.
Buying and selling of Google Adsense accounts is not the only misuse in Pakistan. Just pickup the newspaper and look at Classified Ads to see the number of ads related to Google Adsense. All these spammers are trapping innocent people claiming that they will tell a way through which one can easily earn 25,000 to 30,000 Rupees per month. When you contact them and ask them what is the way of earning this much money online, and guess what there answer would be “Google Adsense”.
There are hundreds if not thousands of Groups working in Pakistan, which are misleading people saying that Google Adsense is a easy way to earn money on internet.
Here’s how they trap innocent people:
Almost every trainer/fake teacher creates free blogs on blogger.com and redirect it to free domain name services like Dot.tk or Co.cc. They pick articles from article directories like Ezinearticles.com or Goarticles.com and post 5 to 10 articles on each blog. Now such a blog won’t get adsense approval, hence they get these accounts through third party website like FLixya and Docstoc. After that they put ads on these crappy blogs and show them to innocent people and charge them thousands of rupees.
One more thing I would like to add before I tell you the 10 killer Tips to get your Google Adsense account approved in Pakistan. After creating these blogs they create groups of different peoples in different cities and assign them tasks, such as visiting these websites regularly to generate impressions. Also they ask users to cross-click on Google Ads of other members to earn money.
This whole situation is really terrifying and if it continues Google will surly ban Pakistan. So we must condemn these activities and must educate our people that this is not the way to earn money from Google Adsense.
Below are the few tips through which everybody can get Google Adsense account, which is of course illegal.
10 Tips To Get Google Adsense in Pakistan
1. Buy your own Top level domain and a reputable webhosting service, examples are Godaddy or Hostgator. If you’ll buy cheap webhosting from an ordinary webhost, initially Google might accept your application but after some time when your site traffic increases Google will surly ban your Adsense account because of the slow server speed.
2. Second and most important thing now a days specially after Google Panda Update is choosing a theme or template for your site. Its better to buy premium theme rather than free themes because of SEO optimization and other rich features. This way you can tell Google that you are serious about your blogging profession and you are not a spammer.
3. Some of you might not agree with me but try to use blogger as your blogging platform and avoid WordPress. After Google banned thousands of Pakistani bloggers Adsense accounts i have manually checked nearly 100 blogs and believe me or not more than 90% blogs were on WordPress and very few Top level Domain blogger blogs were banned by Google (as we all know blogger is owned by Google so you can understand).
4. Register your domain on your own name and address and provide same name and address when you apply for Adsense account. Its better to provide working Telephone number, full address including postal code as well.
5. Wait for at-least 6 months before applying for Google Adsense. Yes I know this is the most painful step and you don’t want to wait this long but friends we are not alone in this case. China and India are also with us and Google is not accepting applications from these countries before 6 months.
6. First 6 months of your blog wants real effort and hard work. Write as much quality and unique content as you can. This will surly leave a good impression on Adsense team and no doubt they want to partnership with you.
7. Make sure you blog has neat and clean design and easy to find navigation system. Recently Google has banned many Pakistani bloggers account saying that your blog is not providing user experience.
8. Never apply for Google Adsense if your blog has less content and is not optimized according to Google terms and Conditions. Make sure your blog has Privacy policy, Copyright Policy, Disclaimer, About Us and Contact Us pages before applying for Adsense.
9. Never try to create Adsense account via third party websites like Flixya or Docstoc. If you create account from these websites and put ads onto your blog than you are wasting your blog. In future Google will surly catch you and will ban your account.
10. Make sure that your blog has at-least 300 unique visitors per day before applying for Adsense. If you blog’s traffic’s main source is Facebook than there are little chances that Google will accept your application. Try to optimize your blog so that it gets natural traffic from search engines rather than social networking websites.
Hope it helps.

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PTI Facebook Pages Hacked, Millions of Fans Lost

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s more than 30 fan pages were hacked today in a single go, costing the political party millions of fans go wasted.
No one has taken the responsibility for this massive hack down of PTI’s facebook fan pages.
Citing President of the Insaf Students Federation in Karachi, Arsalan Ghumman, The Express Tribune reported that the official Facebook pages of PTI leader Imran Khan, the student wing Insaf Students Federation, and several, more including that of Dr. Alvi were hacked into and hidden from the public’s eye.
“The pages were hijacked at 3 pm on Friday. We are in touch with the Facebook authorities to recover them,” he said.
On other hands Facebook is notorious for taking such cases non-seriously.
Reportedly, hacker first cracked the gmail id of Mr. Imran Ghazali, the web manager of PTI social media team before cracking into facebook pages of political party.
It is unclear so far if pages were deleted or are kept private (hidden from public) by the hacker.
If not recovered, this is going to be a big blow PTI’s short term plans. This incident yet again reminds us that we are living in a country without cyber law..
 

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Beating England 3-0 will be big, says Misbah

Misbah-ul Haq attends a practice session at The Dubai International Cricket Stadium

[© AFP]

Captain Misbah-ul Haq believes routing world number one England 3-0 will be a big achievement but stressed his team will not take that extra pressure into the third and final Test starting here from Friday.

No team has ever registered a clean sweep in the 58 years of Pakistan-England cricket and Misbah's team has a good chance of creating history after their comprehensive ten wicket win in the first Test and by 72 runs in the second.

England, who will also be in danger of losing their world's top rankings if they lose here, will have to find a quick solution to counter Pakistani spinners Saeed Ajmal (17 wickets) and left-armer Abdul Rehman who has 12 in two matches.

Misbah said Pakistan will look for an encore in the third Test.

"It will be a big achievement for the team (winning 3-0)," said Misbah of the clean sweep which Pakistan last achieved against Bangladesh at home in 2003, while their last against a top Test nation was beating West Indies 3-0 in 1997.

"The way the team is performing with consistency, if we play well like we did in the first two games good results will come but we will not take that extra pressure (of clean sweep)," said 37-year-old Misbah.

Since taking over as captain in the aftermath of spot-fixing scandal during which Pakistan lost 3-1 to England in 2010, Misbah has led Pakistan to eight wins with one defeat and five draws.

Misbah said England were still a good team and winning the last Test will not be easy.

"No doubt, England is a good team, they are number one in the world and it will not be easy because they will be more prepared, but we will try our best," said Misbah, who praised Ajmal and Rehman.

Ajmal took a career best 7-55 in the first Test here and Rehman registered his best 6-25 in the second in Abu Dhabi, feats which Misbah said were extraordinary.

"I think both have been bowling well for quite some time now and they create pressure on the batsmen and never give any opportunity to let them out of that and on top of that England batsmen were low on confidence," said Misbah.

Misbah hinted about keeping the same combination, although Pakistan have the option of using the bench player in paceman Wahab Riaz in place of Junaid Khan.

"I am a firm believer in the balance of the team because the first priority is to win and I think we will go with whatever is the best combination for the team," said Misbah, predicting the Dubai stadium pitch will help batsmen more than in the first Test.

England captain Andrew Strauss admitted the key would be countering Pakistan's spinners.

"That's one of the crucial things about playing spin, you have to adapt your game according to the surfaces you play on. I am very optimistic, you'll see people a bit clearer in what their gameplan is and how they are looking to play, which is a good starting point," said Strauss.

"These conditions are slightly different, so it's more about adapting your game to the conditions than going right back to square one and saying 'right, I need to change everything'. That's a dangerous route to go down.

"It's a setback (2-0 down) in the sense that we didn't want it to happen, and we didn't want to lose a series. But that's gone, finished - and in some ways, maybe it's a good lesson for us that if you're five percent off your game against the majority of sides you're going to come unstuck."

"We desperately want to avoid losing the series 3-0; we desperately want to come back and show we're better than we have shown so far in the series. I think there's a feeling among the whole squad that we can and should come back and do that."

Strauss added that middle-order batsman Ian Bell was fit after suffering stomach problem which forced him to miss practice on Wednesday.

The only question remaining is whether England will play with two spinners or drop one from Graeme Swann or Monty Panesar.

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Wi-Fi Service, Cellphone Headed for More Subway Stations

 Wall Street Journal

By Ted Mann

Rob Bennett for The Wall Street Journal

Subway travelers have been able to used cellphones in the C, E line station at Eighth Avenue and 23rd Street since September. Cell service is scheduled for 30 more stations this year.

Cellphone service will arrive at 30 additional subway stations in 2012, including Times Square and Rockefeller Center, broadening access to include much of Midtown, the firm conducting the improvements said this week.
Transit Wireless, which launched cell service in six stations on 14th and 23rd Streets in September, is working to extend cellphone access to the 30 new stations this summer. Construction is slated to begin in April, a spokesman said.
Among the stations scheduled to be wired for cell service this year are those at Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Columbus Circle and stations along 96th Street. A full list of the new locations is below.
The stations would come online in groups of five or six at a time, beginning in July or August, said Patrick Smith, spokesman for Transit Wireless.
Transit Wireless has negotiated deals with AT&T and T-Mobile to provide cell coverage in the subways, and negotiations with other wireless carriers for access to its underground system is ongoing, the company said.
The company also plans to announce the launch of free wireless Internet access in six subway stations within the next several weeks, said Smith. The wi-fi access would be free to subway passengers, and paid for through a sponsorship arrangement still under negotiation.
The MTA has previously estimated the cost of wiring all 271 subway stations in the transit system at roughly $200 million, a cost being borne entirely by Transit Wireless. Transit Wireless and MTA will share proceeds of the company’s contracts with wireless carriers, MTA officials have said, with a minimum annual payment to the transit system of $3.3 million once the cellphone network is complete.
“Bringing wireless service into our underground subway system reinforces the MTA’s effort to use technology to improve customer convenience that allows them to stay in touch with friends, relatives and business contacts,” said Kevin Ortiz, a spokesman for the MTA. “And by having access to real-time service status updates while underground, riders can better navigate the system.”
Meanwhile, the MTA announced the winners of its App Quest contest, in which software developers built applications to display subway data and schedules on smart phones. The winning app, called EmbarkNYC, features GPS navigation, street and subway system maps, and a trip planning feature that doesn’t require a cell phone signal to be operational.
A list of the contest winners is at the MTA’s contest website.
Stations scheduled to begin cell phone service in 2012:
1, 2, 3 station, W. 96th Street & Broadway
1 station, W. 86th Street & Broadway
1 station, W. 79th Street & Broadway
1, 2, 3 station, W. 72nd Street & Broadway
1 station, W. 66th Street & Broadway
1 station, Columbus Circle, W. 59th Street & Broadway
1 station, W. 50th Street & Broadway
1, 2, 3 station, Times Square, W. 42nd Street & Broadway
1 station, 7th Ave. & W. 28th Street 1 station, 7th Ave. & W. 23rd Street
1 station, 7th Ave. & W. 18th Street
B, C station, West 96th Street & Central Park West
B, C station, West 86th Street & Central Park West
B, C station, West 81st Street & Central Park West
B, C station, West 72nd Street & Central Park West
A, B, C, D station, Columbus Circle, W. 59th Street & Broadway
B, D, E station, 7th Ave. & W. 53rd Street
C, E station, 8th Ave. & W. 50th Street
B, D, F, M station, Rockefeller Center, 6th Ave. and W. 47-50th Streets
A, C, E station, Times Square, 8th Ave. & W. 42nd Street
N, Q, R station, 5th Ave. & W.59th Street
N, Q, R station, 7th Ave. & W. 57th Street
N, Q, R station, 7th Ave. & W. 49th Street
N, Q, R station, Times Square, W. 42nd Street & Broadway
R station, W. 28th Street & Broadway
R station, Madison Square, W. 23rd Street & Broadway
7 station, Times Square, W. 42nd Street & Broadway
Shuttle, Times Square, W. 42nd Street & Broadway
F station, 6th Ave. & 57th Street
E, M station, 5th Ave. & 53rd Street
Stations with existing cell phone coverage:
A, C, E station at Eighth Avenue and West 14th Street
L station at Eighth Avenue and West 14th Street
C, E station at Eighth Avenue and West 23rd Street
1, 2, 3 station at Seventh Avenue and West 14th Street
F, M station at Sixth Avenue and West 14th Street
L station at Sixth Avenue and West 14th Street

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US TODAY: Slain border agent's family files $25M claim against U.S.

PHOENIX -- The family of slain Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry filed a $25 million wrongful death claim Wednesday against the federal government, saying he was killed because U.S. investigators allowed murder weapons into the hands of criminals.

Terry died Dec. 14, 2010, when his special-operations unit got into a shootout with border bandits in a remote canyon area near Rio Rico. At the scene, investigators found two AK-47s that were traced back to a gun-smuggling probe by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Congressional investigations and Department of Justice records have since revealed that ATF agents allowed as many as 1,400 guns to be transported into Mexico, and that the AK-47s were purchased by a known firearms trafficker. The so-called "gun-walking" strategy used in Operation Fast and Furious remains the subject of inquiries by Congress and the Department of Justice's inspector general.

• STORY: Justice, House GOP tangle over Fast and Furious

In the civil claim, which is a required legal step prior to the filing of a lawsuit, Terry's family says federal agents were not only negligent, but acted "in violation of ATF's own policies and procedures."

"The murder of Agent Terry and other acts of violent crimes were the natural consequence of ATF's decision to let dangerous weapons designed to kill human beings 'walk' into the hands of violent drug-trafficking gangs," says the claim, filed by Phoenix attorneys Patrick McGroder III and Lincoln Combs.

The 65-page document was filed on behalf of Terry's parents, Josie and Kent Terry Sr., as well as surviving siblings. In it, family members criticize federal authorities for attempting to cover up the flawed strategy in Fast and Furious, and its connection with Brian Terry's death.

The claim says family members met in March 2011 with former U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke, who resigned amid the scandal. The claim alleges he incorrectly said that guns found at the scene were from a store in Texas, and that the fatal bullet would never be found even though it was recovered during an autopsy.

"Burke hemmed and hawed, bobbed and weaved, refused to give straight answers, and flat-out lied about when he knew about Brian's death and Operation Fast and Furious," the family alleges.

The claim contains poetry, dozens of family photographs, lyrics from Terry's favorite songs and a detailed account of his life. In explanation of the $25 million demand, it concludes: "The love and companionship of a beloved son, warrior and American hero like Brian is impossible to quantify, but it is worth at least that much."

Wagner also reports for The Arizona Republic.

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Miami Herald to occupy a Memphis-owned building

A Memphis-based commercial real estate firm is exchanging one high-profile tenant in Miami for another, from the U.S. Southern Command headquarters to the Miami Herald.
The Miami Herald Media Company has signed a lease for the 158,000-square-foot building SMPO Properties built and opened in Doral in 1997 for $40 million.
The newspaper will move its business and news staffs of more than 700 people 12 miles inland from its longtime headquarters on the Atlantic in Downtown Miami to the affluent Doral suburb.
SMPO, owned by Oscar Seelbinder, built the building. GPA-I, a special-purpose business entity created for the project, took ownership and leased it to the Southern Command until the military moved out last August.
The Southern Command oversees military activity in South and Central America during crisis situations and disasters.
Seelbinder is also a partner in GPA-I with fellow Memphians including Jerry Sklar, an attorney; Ron Sklar, a builder-developer; and John H. Montgomery, who splits his time between Memphis and Chicago.
The Herald had been hunting for a new home. Newspaper publisher McClatchy Co., which owns the Miami Herald, sold the Herald’s seaside headquarters eight months ago for $236 million with the agreement the paper could stay rent-free for up to two years.
The Herald signed a 15-year lease for the two-story office building and nine acres. GPA also sold an adjacent six acres where the Herald will build a 120,000-square-foot production facility.
The Miami Herald lease isn’t the only big deal landed recently by SMPO, which is headquartered at 5858 Ridgeway Center Parkway in East Memphis.
Just before the Herald lease, SMPO completed a deal with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to lease for 20 years a 45,000-square-foot laboratory building in Los Angeles.
“It’s the second-largest lab the USDA will have in the United States,” Seelbinder said. “The value of the lab is more valuable than the property leased to the Herald.”
SMPO was founded in 1984. It’s a comprehensive commercial real estate firm and what Seelbinder describes as a “merchant builder.’’
“You build things and then you sell them,” Seelbinder explained.
It began by building and leasing out post office buildings. SMPO has built more than 150 of them.
But the company also has built a CVS pharmacy, AutoZone stores, four FedEx facilities ranging from 115,000 to 575,000 square feet, and Captain D’s restaurants.
SMPO has sold the vast majority of the nearly 200 properties it has built over the years across 40 states, Seelbinder said.
“We only have a couple left,” he said. “It’s difficult to hold on when people offer prices. In merchant building, you put up property that’s income-producing. In essence, somebody will pay us more than we feel it’s worth and we sell it.”
In addition to developing, SMPO is a commercial real estate broker of government leased and credit-rated tenant transactions. The combined value of its brokered deals over the years exceeds $500 million.
SMPO also manages property, and as SMPO Financial, LLC, it even structures commercial real estate loans of $750,000 to more than $100 million.
Despite its successes and longevity, SMPO doesn’t seem that well known.
“There’s never been an importance placed on being in the public eye,’’ Seelbinder said.
“The primary business we do has more to do with public bids to government, and relationships with credit tenants. It just never has seemed important to have publicity.”

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Women’s Tennis: WVU Hosts Pitt and Akron

MORGANTOWN, W. Va. – The West Virginia women’s tennis team will play host to Pitt on Friday at 3 p.m., as well as Akron on Sunday at 12 p.m., with both matches being held at the Ridgeview Racquet Club.

Tina Samara

The Mountaineers enter Friday’s tilt against the Panthers with an 0-3 record, but are coming off a loss to No. 9 Virginia in which coach Tina Samara saw strides in the right direction.

“We took some positives away from our match against a very tough Virginia team,” says Samara. “We competed on Tuesday, and if we bring that same fire to the court this weekend, we like our chances.”

WVU had the opportunity to square off against players from Pitt, who enters the match at 1-1, during the fall season at the Martha Thorn Invitational and the ITA Regionals.

“We saw some of Pitt’s players this fall,” Samara says. “They have some strengths at certain spots, but I definitely think that they are beatable. Again, it comes down to what we do. If we stay within ourselves and do what we are capable of, we will be fine, but that is a big if.”

The Mountaineers lead the all-time series against the Panthers, 29-4.

“We should be coming out with more fire than normal because it is Pitt,” Samara says of the rivalry. “There is a little extra behind it. We made sure the upperclassmen told the younger girls what this match is all about.”

Sunday’s match against Akron (2-0) will present a different difficulty to the Mountaineers, as the Zips come in as a somewhat unfamiliar opponent. WVU did not compete against them in the fall.

“We don’t know a whole lot about Akron,” Samara says. “We have looked over their results, and they look like a pretty solid team.”

Akron won 5-2 over Michigan State on Jan. 22 and will enter Sunday’s match having played two matches the day prior.

In order for the Mountaineers to be successful in both matches this weekend, junior Emily Mathis will need to continue her strong play in the No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles spot.

“I am not worried Emily,” Samara says. “She will go out and do her best. She will fight hard and do what she does to get wins.”

A full recap of both matches will be available on MSNsportsNET.com after the completion of competition.

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