Linked In

LinkedIn is an online network of more than 7.5 million experienced professionals from around the world, representing 130 industries. When you join, you create a profile that summarizes your professional accomplishments. Your profile helps you find and be found by former colleagues, clients, and partners. You can add more connections by inviting trusted contacts to join LinkedIn and connect to you. Your network consists of your connections, your connections’ connections, and the people they know, linking you to thousands of qualified professionals.

http://www.linkedin.com/home?trk=tab_h

I was once called by a project manager in Systems Limited to discuss on a Computer Graphics project and I could not join his team because of some personal issues. But he being impressed by my nature send me an invitation of linked in. I think it is more professional than Orkut like forums. My profile:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/ranahammad

A series of unfortunate events for PCB

Thanks to the Australian umpire Darrel Hair, Pakistan cricket has been in the spotlight since August's Oval Test against England when the captain, Inzamam-ul Haq, refused to take his team back on the field after it was accused of ball-tampering.
Inzamam was acquitted of tampering but was handed a four-match ban for bringing the game into disrepute, and according to Zaheer Abbas, who was Pakistan's manager on the tour, he had "lost the confidence" of senior board officials.
Inzamam's replacement, Younis Khan, last week refused to lead the side, saying he did not want to be a "dummy" captain. The refusal prompted Khan to resign, although he was reinstated by Ashraf on Saturday, hours before the team's departure for India and the Champions Trophy.
The crisis gripping Pakistan cricket intensified on Monday with the resignation of the PCB's director of operations, Abbas Zaidi.
Zaidi's departure comes three days after the resignation of the former PCB chairman, Shaharyar Khan, and two days after Mushtaq Ahmed was sacked as assistant coach for the Champions Trophy. This is what an umpire can do.................. Not only he can turn the face of the match but he can also turn the fate of the team playing that match. Lets hope everyting turns out gooood.........and Pakistan return home with the Champions Trophy. Good luck Pakistan Cricket Team ;)

What makes a good UN secretary general?

The UN Security Council is deciding which of the six candidates for Kofi Annan's job it will recommend to the General Assembly, for when he steps down at the end of the year. But what makes a good secretary general?

The former US ambassador to the United Nations, Richard Holbrooke, once described Kofi Annan as "the best secretary general in the history of the UN".

link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/5388840.stm

South Korean pulls ahead in race to succeed Annan

South Korea's foreign minister has cemented his position as the near-certain successor to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, being the only one of six candidates to escape a veto in an informal Security Council ballot.
The Security Council was expected to hold a formal vote to pick the eighth secretary-general in the United Nations' 60-year history on October 9, making Ban Ki-moon's appointment almost assured.

link: http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/10/02/un.ban.ap/index.html

Nobel prize for genetic discovery

Two US scientists have been awarded the Nobel Prize for medicine for their pioneering work in genetics.
The work of Dr Andrew Fire and Dr Craig Mello could lead to new treatments for a range of illnesses, including viral infections and cancer.
They discovered a phenomenon called RNA interference, which regulates the expression of genes. The process has the potential to help researchers shut down genes which cause harm in the body.

The breakthrough has also given scientists the ability to systematically test the functions of all human genes. In its wake, many companies have been set up to develop research tools to make use of what has become a whole new industry.

link: http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/lists/2006.html

news: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/5398844.stm