SAS using ‘toy drones’ to pinpoint location of IS militants before airstrikes

The sophisticated carbon-fibre drones, available in shops for 2,500 pounds, are reportedly being used by the British Special Air Service (SAS) increasingly as a surveillance tool to pinpoint the location of Islamic State (IS) commanders and suicide bombers.

According to The Daily Star, these drones are capable of spying on terrorists inside rooms and monitor their activities around towns and villages. They can silently hover above targets for up to half an hour and are impossible to detect by eye.

‘There is a DNA of Lord Ram in India’s blood’: UP Governor Ram Naik

Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik stirs a fresh controversy by saying that there is DNA of Lord Rama in India’s blood.

Governor Ram Naik statement was much of discussion at Kasganj of Eta Sali were he was attending a religious ceremony.

Earlier in December last year, Governor Ram Naik was in news for being in favor of temple in Ayodhya.

Naik said that Ram temple in Ayodhya should be built as earliest as possible because “it is the wish of Indian citizens”.

“People of the nation want Ram Mandir to be made, that wish should be fulfilled as soon as possible,” Naik said.

Barack Obama offers ‘chadar’ at Ajmer Dargah Sharif for Chishty’s 803rd Urs

On behalf of US President Barack Obama, that country’s envoy to India Richard Verma has offered a ‘Chadar’ (a ceremonial cloth inscribed with religious verses) at the Ajmer Dargha Sharif on the occasion of the 803rd Urs of Sufi saint Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty. The chadar was handed over to the Dargah’s Chief Khadim or chief priest Syed Salman Chisty in Ajmer, Rajasthan.

700 Feared Dead in Migrant Shipwreck in Mediterranean: UNHCR

Seven hundred people are feared to have drowned when a fishing boat smuggling migrants to Europe capsized off Libya, the UN’s refugee agency said today, in what could be the deadliest Mediterranean migrant disaster yet.

Only 28 people survived the capsize, UNHCR spokeswoman Carlotta Sami told the Skytg24 news channel in Italy. The survivors indicated there had been more than 700 on board, she said.

The Maltese navy put the numbers on board at around 650 and said an alert had come in around midnight local time yesterday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi projects his government as pro-poor

Accused of being pro-corporate, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday projected his government as pro-poor and pro-farmers and lashed out at his critics for their “congenital habit” of running down BJP.

While refraining from speaking about the land acquisition bill against which Congress organised a rally here, he made a special mention about his government’s initiatives to benefit the farmers, including the “bold” decision to pay compensation to those who suffered in the recent rains by bringing down the criteria of damage from 50% to 33%.

Gujarat BJP Lawmaker Showers Cash at Community Event, Says it’s ‘Donation’

A video clip that went viral today, purportedly shows a woman BJP parliamentarian showering currency notes on ‘devotees’ dancing at a religious-cum-community event at the famous Bhalka Tirth in Veraval town of Junagadh district.

Poonam Maadam, who represents the Jamnagar seat, was seen showering currency notes of Rs. 10 denomination on people who were dancing at the event held last night.

When contacted, she said it’s a “long tradition” of Saurashtra’s ‘Lok-Dayro’ (cultural or folk event in the region) and the money was part of “donation” that would be used for the social cause.

Charlie Hebdo attack increases Islamophobia to five-fold in France

Ever since the deadly terrorists attack on the French magazine, Charlie Hebdo in January, Islamophobic acts in France have levitated 500 %.

According to French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM), the European country witnessed 222 Islamophobic acts since the start of 2015, showing a extreme surge vis-à-vis the 37 incidents recorded over the same period last year.

The French National Observatory against Islamophobia warned of never done “implosion of anti-Muslim acts” in the nation.

US to have more Muslims than Jews by 2050

Muslims are expected to surpass Jews as the second largest religious group in the US in 2050 owing to their continuous migration and the highest fertility rate, according to a study.

Two trends that are already underway the decline of Christians and the growth of religiously unaffiliated people as a share of the US population are expected to continue in the decades ahead, said the Pew Research Center’s projections of major religious groups around the world.

Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi to address Kisan Rally today

Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi will address a ‘ Kisan Rally’ at the Ramlila Ground in the national capital today, during which they are expected to target the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre over the controversial Land Acquisition Bill.

During the rally, the two leaders are also expected to highlight the losses and problems faced by farmers.

Muslims are not lonely in fight for justice – Secular organizations record protest

After the failure of Muslim political and religious leaders in the wake of Alair encounter, secular leaders have become active. The non-political leaders struggling for separate Telangana State have now demanded justice for Muslims. They totally rejected the stand taken by Government of Telangana in respect of Alair encounter and they have demanded CBI enquiry.

As Kashmir burns, Hafiz Saeed cries ‘Jihad’

Amid growing tensions in Jammu and Kashmir, Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed has pledged full support to the Kashmiris in their struggle for freedom and said he backed ‘jihad’ in the troubled state in concert with Pakistani government and the army.

He also warned that the movement for attaining freedom will intensify in the coming days, forcing India to give up Kashmir.

“Jihad is the duty of an Islamic government…There is a government in Pakistan and it has always taken the stand that it is the right of Kashmiris to attain freedom.

Telangana shocker: Dead person comes walking

A person who reportedly died after failing under a moving train comes alive after a month, much to the shock and surprise of his family and members officials.

Pentaiah Goud of Midjil a district of Mahboobnagar was missing and his brother Srinivas Goud claimed the body of an unidentified person who was killed under a running train on April 14, stating that the body belonged to his brother. The family members buried the body in their village. However, one of the villagers found Pentaiah in Hyderabad and informed Srinivas Goud.

With Love from Obama, a ‘Chadar’ for Ajmer Sharif

The 803rd Urs (annual feast) celebrations of the revered saint Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Hasan Chisty of Ajmer, starting Monday, will be momentous affair this year – thanks to US President Barack Obama.

A red coloured, richly embroidered ‘chadar’ (holy cloth) will be offered on Obama’s behalf at the mausoleum of the Garib Nawaz on the inaugural day of the weeklong urs, Haji Syed Salman Chishty, director of Ajmer’s Chishty Foundation, told IANS.

Hezbollah blames Saudi Arabia for spread of extremism

The leader of Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group launched his harshest criticism yet of Saudi Arabia today, blaming the kingdom for the spread of extremist ideology in the Muslim world and the killing of civilians in Yemen.

Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah told hundreds of supporters at a rally in southern Beirut organized in support of Yemen’s Shiite rebels that Saudi-led airstrikes targeting them have not led to victory.

Since March 26, the Saudi-led coalition has been pounding the rebels known as Houthis and allied fighters loyal to Yemen’s ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Debt-ridden farmers forced to rent out kids to shepherds

Unseasonal rains and hailstorms forcing debt-ridden farmers to use every mean to earn bread for them. In a village of Madhya Pradesh a farmer couple rented out their children to the gadariyas or shepherds.

The children, however ran away from the gadariya camp, have now been rescued.

Women should be allowed to wear veil in court: UK’s top judge

UK’s most senior judge called for showing fairness and understanding to the religious beliefs of different cultures by respecting Muslim women’s right to wear the Islamic face-veil in court.

Lord Neuburger, the Supreme Court President has said judges must possess “an understanding of different cultural and social habits” in order to show fairness in trials.

“It is necessary to have some understanding as to how people from different cultural, social, religious or other backgrounds think and behave and how they expect others to behave,” said.

MIM was using drugs to attract Muslim youths: Nitesh Rane

Days after his father and Congress heavyweight Narayan Rane lost the Bandra (East) Assembly bypoll, Congress MLA Nitesh Rane on Thursday alleged that MIM was using drugs to lure Muslim youths, a charge denied by the party.

“MIM is spreading its wings among the youth in the community through drugs. The party is not only a threat to the country and politics, but also to the future of Muslim youths,” Nitesh told reporters.

Viqar encounter – Religious and Political forces totally failed

The citizens are badly feeling the lack of leadership of their community. The earlier leaders of Muslim community did not hesitate to entangle with the government for the cause of Muslims of the city. On certain occasion they did not lag behind criticizing their own government from the platform of the mosques.

Maulana Hameeduddin Akhil Hussami and Maulana Suleman Sikandar etc did not remain silent on the atrocities on the Muslim youth. They were always ready to crush all aspects of deviation and maintained truthfulness.

Masarat Alam remanded to 7-day police custody

A court tonight remanded separatist leader Masarat Alam Bhat, arrested over raising of pro-Pakistan slogans and hoisting Pakistan flags at a rally, to seven-day police custody by a court in Budgam.

Alam was produced before a concerned judge who sent him to police custody till April 23.

The 45-year-old hardliner was arrested from his home in Habbakadal area of the city early this morning and slapped with charges of leading seditious activities and waging a war against the nation.

Digvijay’s dig at Obama’s praise of Modi

Congress leader Digvijay Singh today had a dig at US President Barack Obama praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by recalling Winston Churchill’s remarks about German dictator Adolf Hitler.

“Winston Churchill (former British Prime Minister) had once praised Adolf Hitler and five years later he had to fight against the same man. God forbid, Obama may have to withdraw his remarks,” Singh said.

Obama has written a profile for Modi for Time magazine describing his life story “from poverty to Prime Minister” as one that reflects the dynamism and potential of India’s rise.

–PTI

Alam’s arrest: Govt. will work in nation’s best interest, says V.K. Singh

Minister of State for External Affairs General (Retd.) V.K. Singh on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre will work in the nation’s best interest.

General (Retd.) Singh, who was reacting to the arrest of separatist leader Masarat Alam by the Jammu and Kashmir Police in connection with the raising of Pakistani flags during a rally at Srinagar, said the Indian Government knows the law of this country and will do what is best for the nation.

Bird flu: All 1.6 lakh poultry birds from infected zone culled

Authorities in Telangana today completed the grim task of culling about 1.6 lakh poultry birds from the infected zone in Thorrur village, the epicentre of bird flu outbreak.

“We have completed the culling operations,” Director of state Animal Husbandry Department, Dr D Venkateswarlu told PTI here.

The department officials said all the 1,59,953 poultry birds in one km radius of the village in Ranga Reddy district, have been been culled, while as many as 2,30,928 eggs were destroyed.

Sadhvi Prachi accuses Azam of ‘conspiracy’ to covert dalits

Firebrand Hindutva leader Sadhvi Prachi today accused Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan of hatching a “conspiracy to convert” Dalits in Rampur and claimed that they were threatened with demolition of their homes if they did not convert to Islam.

“They were asked to keep quiet or their homes would be destroyed. Either you become Muslims or you would be finished…. This conspiracy was done at the behest of one man,” he said and added she had warned Azam Khan of the consequences if a single Dalit was converted.