Gali Nagaraja

The Islamic State terrorist group has issued its first video from the recently-seized ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria, amid fears the extremist group could demolish the world heritage site.

Released by the IS-linked Amaq News Agency, the 90 second-clip is filmed without sound or people and shows black smoke rising behind the 2,000 year-old ruins.

The UN describes Palmyra as a site of “outstanding value” and it is considered one of the most important archaeological sites in the Middle East.

A huge explosion was heard in western Gaza city late on Tuesday which was a result of a rocket that exploded during launching it from northern Gaza Strip into Israel, security sources and witnesses said.

However, the Israeli media quoted the Israeli army as saying that five rockets were fired from northern Gaza Strip; four rockets landed on opened areas near the Israeli towns of Ashkelon and Ashdod. The army added that the fifth one exploded into Gaza, Xinhua reported.

Casualties were feared as explosions and ensuing gunshots rocked a diplomatic district in the central part of Kabul on Tuesday night, sources said.

The incident took place in Wazir Akbar Khan, the diplomatic enclave, after explosions went off in the area. The first blast took place at around 11.07 p.m. which was followed by sporadic gunshots, Xinhua quoted a security source as saying.

The World Food Programme ( WFP) has called for humanitarian pauses in the fighting in Syria so farmers can safely harvest and transport crops within the Middle East country to reach all Syrians in need, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here.

WFP executive director Ertharin Cousin was quoted by Dujarric at a daily news briefing on Tuesday here as saying that “we must support unhindered and unrestricted food transport across frontlines,” Xinhua reported.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon announced that the consultations in Geneva on Yemen has been postponed following a request from the Yemeni government and other key stakeholders for more time to prepare.

“The Secretary-General has asked his Special Envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, to postpone the consultations in Geneva planned for May 28,” said a statement released on Tuesday by Ban’s spokesperson.

The UN-sponsored consultations had been set to open on May 28 in Geneva to restore momentum towards a Yemeni-led political transition process.

US President Barack Obama will welcome South Korean President Park Geun-hye to the White House on June 16, the White House said.

Park’s visit, her second to Washington since taking office, will “underscore the strength and breadth” of the partnership between the US and South Korea, and demonstrate the “close” ties between the two peoples, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said in a statement on Tuesday.

Association of Urdu Development is organizing Jashn-e-Urdu on the occasion of 1st anniversary of formation of Telangana State. The program will be held at 3 p.m. on 1st June at Khaja Shouq Hall, Urdu Maskan, Khilwat, Ladbazar. Urdu Ghazal, short stories, Mushaira and joke telling session would be organized. Mr. Mohammed Tameezuddin Ahmed, President of the Association will preside over the function. Maulana Sirajuddin will recite Quranic verses and explain their meanings. Mr. Rukunuddin will render Urdu Ghazals on instruments. Mr. Sultan Subhani, Prof. Majeed Badaar, Dr. MQ Saleem, Ms.

Telangana Urdu Forum and Mazhar Educational Society will organize a consultative meeting at 10 a.m. on 28th May at Shezan Hotel, Exhibition Ground to elicit opinions about holding a conference for Urdu. Issues like promotion of Urdu, Linking Urdu language with jobs, teaching of Urdu in English Medium Private Schools and other facilities. Mr. Azam Ali and Mr. Mohammed Zubair Ali are the conveners. Mr. Mohammed Mahmood Ali, Dy. CM of Telangana State will inaugurate the meeting. Mr. Mohammed Ismail-ur-Rab Ansari will preside over the meeting. Hafiz peer Shabbeer Ahmed, Mr.

Siasat Urdu Daily is holding an informative seminar to explore the possibility of getting jobs for MBA and other degree holders at 4 p.m. tomorrow at Mahboob Husain Jigar Hall, Siasat Office Complex. Prof. Shamsuddin Asrar will deliver this informative lecture. Mr. Zahid Ali Khan, Editor of Siasat Urdu Daily will preside over the session. All the MBA passed students and other graduates may attend this seminar with their biodata. Mr. M.A. Hameed is the convener.

–Siasat News

The secret of enrichment of Telangana State is the reforms initiated by TDP Govt. in the past which TRS Govt. is now enjoying. TRS should be grateful to TDP. In the next election TDP will certainly come to power. These thoughts were expressed by Mr. L. Ramana, TDP Chief of Telangana State. He further said that TDP has no fear since its cadre is its strength. Despite defections from TDP, it has not become week. In the next few years TDP will not remain a regional party. It will assume the status of a national party.

Deputy Chief Minister Kadiyam Srihari on Monday reiterated that KG to PG free education scheme would be implemented across Telangana State from the next academic year.

Speaking after inaugurating a school at Warangal, the Deputy CM said, through the new scheme, steps would be taken to upgrade all government schools on par with other private and corporate institutions. He said that the KG to PG education scheme was aimed at providing quality education to all students at free of cost.

According to press note issued by Telangana Congress President, Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy, Ms. Sonia Gandhi is likely to visit Telangana State in June. Her tour program has to be finalized in consultation with party leaders. Mr. Reddy told that 2nd June will be celebrated as the thanks giving day for the formation of separate Telangana State. It has also been decided to hold a seminar on 3rd June to review 1 year rule of TRS in Telangana State.

–Siasat News

RSS miscreants attacked an under construction mosque in Atali village in Ballabhgarh in Haryana. It is very surprising that 500 policemen were posted in the village but many Muslim houses were set ablaze and their properties were looted. When police brought 150 affected persons to rehabilitate in the village, there was nothing left out. More than 18 persons were seriously injured, two of them are struggling for their life.

Former cricketer and Mumbai Indians icon Sachin Tendulkar has heaped praise on the IPL champion team’s skipper Rohit Sharma, saying that he has grown as a leader over the years.

“If you compare him today with what he was when he started out as Mumbai Indians captain, he is a far better captain today. He is much more confident now. He has gone through a lot of ups and downs as MI’s captain and has faced a lot of challenges. These challenges only make you a better cricketer and a tougher person,” Tendulkar said.

Shoaib Malik capped his one-day return with a brilliant century to help Pakistan post their highest total against Zimbabwe of 375-3 in the first day-night international in Lahore today.

Malik, playing his first one-day after two years, notched a 76-ball 112 with 12 fours and two sixes after Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat on a flat Gaddafi Stadium pitch.

Malik built on a confident 170-run opening stand between Mohammad Hafeez (86) and skipper Azhar Ali (79) as Pakistan improved on their previous best total against Zimbabwe of 349 at Jamaica in 2007.

An 82-year-old man was today awarded 10 years of rigorous jail term and a Rs 10,000 fine for raping a four-year-old girl in 2011.

Special judge Mandi Baldev Singh said Bakshi Ram, a resident of village Bhagwan Dhangar of Sarkaghat, would have to undergo two years of simple imprisonment if he fails to submit the fine.

Ram had sexually assaulted the girl while she was playing with his granddaughter.

Medical examination of the victim confirmed rape while potency test on the convict was positive.

Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Tuesday said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government has succeeded in removing the deep-rooted ‘loot lobby’ and ‘champions of corruption’ from the corridors of power in Delhi.

Addressing BJP workers in Kishanganj and Purnea district, union Minister of State for Parliamentary and Minority Affairs Naqvi said: “During the last one year, the Modi government’s steps to close down the shops of middlemen and power brokers has depressed the ‘loot lobby’.

The India-Saudi Arabia Joint Commission is to hold its eleventh meeting over two days here beginning Wednesday in the context of major changes in the movement of international crude oil prices in the past year shaped largely by actions of the oil-rich kingdom.

While the Indian delegation to the talks will be led by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the Saudi side will be led by the country’s Commerce and Industry Minister Tawfiq Bin Fawzan Al Rabiah, both of whom are slated to lead the talks on Thursday.

A 19-year-old girl, who was raped on the pretext of marriage, has been rescued from the clutches of a prostitution racket, police said on Tuesday. Three people have been arrested in this connection.

Shahjahan, 27, a resident of West Bengal, Nafees, 28, and a 27-year-old sex worker were arrested on charges of human trafficking.

Police said Shahjahan was also booked under charges of rape.

The 2,000-year-old Unesco World Heritage site of Palmyra has not been damaged by Islamic State terrorists who ovverran the ancient city, a top Syrian archaeology official said.

“The site has not been damaged so far,” the head of the Syrian government’s department of antiquities, Maamoun Abdulkarim, told the Free Iraq radio station on Tuesday.

The ancient site is fine,” said Abdulkarim, adding that he was worried Palmyra could “meet the same fate” as the ancient Iraqi cities of Nimrud and Hatra, which were bulldosed and blown up by IS fighters last year.

US President Barack Obama urged all NATO member countries to play a role in helping stabilise Afghanistan.

Emerging from a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House, Obama on Tuesday said not only the US, but also all NATO members should offer training and other support to Afghan forces following the drawdown of NATO troops, Xinhua reported.

Obama said the issue would be discussed at a NATO summit slated for July 2016 in the Polish capital city of Warsaw.

Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday rejected reports of terrorist group Islamic State ( IS) making headway in India, stating that threats have always existed under different names.

“Threats always exist in various names. We have to be aware of such threats and build our system based on that,” Parrikar said in an exclusive interview with ANI.

When asked about the Indian Government’s confirmation of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s presence in Pakistan, he refused to comment on the issue.

Taking a veiled dig at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who recently asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit farm markets and the families of dead farmers rather than embarking on frequent trips abroad, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said Modi’s foreign tours have strengthened India’s position.

“Regarding questions being raised on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s frequent foreign visits, such trips have strengthened India’s position,” Rajnath Singh said at a public meeting here.

He said when Modi’s predecessor Manmohan Singh went visiting nations, no one talked about it.

American business magazine Forbes has named German Chancellor Angela Merkel the world’s most powerful woman for the fifth year running, ahead of United States presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and philanthropist Melinda Gates.

According to a release, Forbes applied four metrics to determine its list: money, media, impact and spheres of influence.

The Egyptian foreign ministry on Tuesday summoned Pakistan’s charge d’affaires to inform him of Cairo’s rejection of Islamabad’s criticism of death sentence delivered upon former president Mohammed Morsi earlier this month.

Egyptian state-run MENA news agency reported that the foreign ministry stressed that the Pakistani official statements are considered interference in Egypt’s domestic affairs and implies unacceptable comments on the Egyptian regime which is fully independent.

Such interference shadows on bilateral relations, the ministry said, according to Xinhua.