Month: April 2010

Kasab may have to forgo Rs 5,800 seized from him

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Mumbai, April 30: Ajmal Kasab, the lone Pakistani gunman of the 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes to be captured alive, might have to forgo Rs 5,800 seized from him by police at the time of his arrest.

Kasab, charged with killing 166 people and injuring many more during the terror attacks, was overpowered and arrested on the night of November 26, 2008, at Girgaum Chowpatty after an encounter with the police.

An injured Kasab was rushed to hospital where police recovered Rs 5,800 from his pocket.

The money was deposited in the trial court and kept as Muddamal (evidence).

EU official: China eyes targeted sanctions on Iran

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Beijing, April 30: The European Union’s foreign affairs chief said Friday that China is willing to discuss sanctions on Iran as long as they are carefully targeted and bolster efforts to curb the Iranian nuclear program.

EU Foreign Affairs High Representative Catherine Ashton said her discussions with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao show that China’s position has evolved from agreeing in principal to discuss sanctions to recognizing that targeted sanctions play a role.

Five women devotees killed in Haryana stampede

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Haryana, April 30: At least five women devotees were killed in a stampede early Friday at the Dera Sacha Sauda sect headquarters near this Haryana town, police said.

Officials said the stampede took place after 2 am when a congregation ended and gifts were being distributed to devotees of sect chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh. Sirsa is around 300 km from Chandigarh. Several people were injured.

The computer helper: Customise your Windows desktop

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Washington, April 30: You stare at your Windows desktop every day. So why not make it your own? With a little know-how, you can make your desktop easier to read, more enjoyable to look at, and more useful. Read on for some tips.

Q: How can I create a desktop background from a personal photograph that I love? I’m using Windows 7.

A: That’s fairly easy, so long as you know the resolution of your monitor and you have a decent image editing program that allows you to crop an image to an exact size specification.

Clinton warns Iran; calls Ahmadinejad anti-semitic President

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Washington, April 30: Describing Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as “anti-Semitic”, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today said that Tehran with its hostile nuclear ambitions poses a threat not only to Israel but the region.

“Iran, with its anti-Semitic president and hostile nuclear ambitions, continues to threaten Israel, but it also threatens the region and it sponsors terrorism,” Clinton said at the American Jewish Committee Annual Gala Dinner here.

US ‘encouraged’ by resumption of Indo-Pak talks

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Washington, April 30: The United States today said that it is “encouraged” by the decision taken by Indian and Pakistani Prime Ministers to resume dialogue between the two neighbouring countries.

“Our understanding is, it was a very positive coordial meeting. There were the pledges of further conversation by their Foreign Ministers. We are very encouraged by it,” Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs P J Crowley, told PTI.

Terrorism forces many Assam women into prostitution

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Guwahati, April 30: Decades of violent insurgency in Assam have forced many women, including homemakers, to take to prostitution after their husbands or close family members were killed or maimed in terror attacks. The busting of a sex racket here bears testimony to this.

During her questioning by city police, Pinky, 25, a divorcee, told police she was forced into prostitution to make both ends meet.

“She did it under compulsion and her story is indeed tragic…a victim of terror attack and forced into prostitution,” a senior police official said.

Taliban leader was not killed by drone strike, says Pakistan

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Islamabad, April 30: The head of the Pakistan Taliban, whom the US believed it had killed earlier this year in a missile strike fired from an unmanned drone, appears to have emerged from the attack wounded but alive.

Intelligence officials in Pakistan revealed that electronic surveillance and information gathered from sources in the field have led them to believe Hakimullah Mehsud survived the drone strike in January in North Waziristan. His current position in the Taliban is unclear and some reports have said other leaders may have used the attack to exert their influence.

Army foils infiltration bid, guns down three ultras

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Srinagar, April 30: Army today foiled an infiltration bid from across the Indo-Pak border by killing three militants at Kupwara district of north Kashmir, a defence spokesman said here.

He said a heavily armed group of militants entered Machhal sector, 150 km from here, in the wee hours but were confronted by alert troops guarding the border.

The intruders were asked to surrender but they opened fire and in the retaliatory action, the three militants were killed, he said.

The operation was still on, he added.
–PTI

Will not spare those out to divide Maharashtra: Bal Thackeray

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Mumbai, April 30: Claiming that Mumbai was on the verge of being separated from Maharashtra, Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray on Friday said he would ‘personally join the battle to thwart any such attempt.’

“We will not spare those who are out to divide Maharashtra. We will pounce on them like tigers,” Thackeray said in an interview to party mouthpiece ‘Saamana’.

Thackeray also expressed staunch opposition to the movement for creating a separate Vidarbha state.

White flower may cure leukaemia

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London, April 30: A common white flower could revolutionise the treatment of leukaemia, researchers have said.

An extract from the white flower commonly known as Baby’s Breath has been found to boost the efficiency of anti-cancer drugs by a million time.

They found that molecules called saponins, extracted from the Gypsophila paniculata plant, appear to break down the membrane of cancer cells, which makes it easier for antibody-based drugs, known as immunotoxins, to attack the cancerous cells.

Madhuri embraced Islam

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Islamabad, April 30: Madhuri Gupta, the 53-year-old second secretary arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan, may have embraced Islam about six years ago, a media report has claimed.

Gupta, who was posted at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad was perhaps a Shi’ite Muslim, according to a media report.

“She was really inspired by the teachings of Islam but was scared to announce her new faith,” reads a report in the Post. “Her kin has very close relations with a well-known Muslim family of Ashiq Hussain Jafri in Lucknow….

Cairo denies gassing Gaza smugglers

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Jerusalem, April 30: Egypt yesterday denied accusations by Hamas that it had pumped toxic gas into smuggling tunnels between Gaza and Egypt, killing four Palestinians and injuring three.

An Egyptian intelligence official said that Egypt had blown up the entrances to several tunnels earlier this week in an effort to seal them off. He added that the blasts may have sparked a fire that sucked air out of the tunnels, suffocating the workers.

Inzamam tips Pak to defend World Twenty20 title

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Karachi, April 30: Pakistan’s former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has tipped Pakistan to successfully defend its title and win the World Twenty20 Cup in the West Indies that starts from tomorrow.

“The way I see it this Pakistan team is well balanced and so strong for this format of the game that it shouldn?t lose to any team unless they self-destruct with internal issues,” Inzamam, the country?s most capped player said.

Inzamam said that Pakistan had a very strong bowling line-up but they needed to be consistent in their batting.

Herschelle Gibbs desperate to win T20 World Cup

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Johannesburg, April 30: South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs desperately wants to win the ICC Twenty20 World Cup and said he is ready to exchange any individual honour of my career for a victory in the Caribbeans.

“I would exchange any major individual honour in my career for a winner’s medal at an ICC event,” Gibbs told ‘The Star’ from Bridgetown, where South Africa is practising ahead of their first match against India in St Lucia on May 2.

Pre-Marital sex not an offence: SC

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New Delhi, April 30: The Supreme Court has said that there is no statutory offence when adults willingly engage in sexual relations outside the marital settings.

Honours no solace for slain cop’s family; want Kasab hanged

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Mumbai, April 30: Assistant police sub-inspector Tukaram Ombale was hailed as a hero for holding death in tight embrace during 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, but the honour bestowed on him is little solace to his family members who wants his killer Ajmal Kasab hanged.

Ombale, who was courage personified as he grappled unarmed with the AK-47-wielding Kasab at Girgaum Chowpatty, made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty but not before he had ensured the capture of at least one of the ten Pakistani terrorists who were on their diabolic mission.

Prabhakaran’s jaffna house demolished

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Colombo, April 30: Slain Tamil Tiger chief Vellupillai Prabhakran’s ancestral house in the Jaffna peninsula has been demolished, a Tamil politician said on Thursday.

M K Sivajilingam from the Tamil National Liberation Alliance told over phone from Jaffna that Prabhakaran’s house, located in Valvettithurai, about 30 km from Jaffna town, was “gradually” demolished in the last few weeks.

Prabhakaran was killed on May 18. “The house was slowly demolished by security forces in the last few weeks as it was becoming a tourist attraction.

’84 riots: Uproar in RS, LS

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New Delhi, April 30: The Parliament witnessed angry scenes on Thursday over the acquittal of Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

While a united Opposition forced the adjournment of the Rajya Sabha once during the day, the Lok Sabha witnessed heated exchanges.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal accused the government of shielding Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, another Congress leader.

—Agencies

3 terrorists killed in Kashmir

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Srinagar, April 30: Three terrorists were gunned down early Friday on the Line of Control (LoC) in Machil sector of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district by security forces.

A defence spokesman here said troops noticed movement of separatist guerrillas near the LoC trying to infiltrate to this side.

“The terrorists were challenged following which they opened fire. The fire was returned, triggering a gunfight which ended after the group of three infiltrators were killed,” Lt. Col J.S. Brar told IANS here.

Dhoni vs Yuvraj: Who’s the bigger ladies man?

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Mumbai, April 30: Surprisingly, none of the women picked any cricketer from other countries. This shows that expectations from Team India to win the T20 World Cup this time is very high.

Chitrangada Singh (actor): Dhoni has matured so much over the years. This is his third T20 World Cup and he is so good at handling stress and responsibilities of a captain.

Raima Sen (actor): Dhoni because he is a fiery mix of innocence and passion when he’s playing. He is dependable, always delivers and is a born leader.

Saving MP children with nutrition centres

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Bhopal, April 30: Kartar Adivasi, a one-year-old, weighed just 6.342 kg when he was admitted to the nutritional rehabilitation centre (NRC) at Narwar in Madhya Pradesh.

Born to Banwari and Binia of village Kiranpura (Barkhadi), the child was kept at the NRC for 14 days and then under followup care at his house, with the result that his weight increased to 9.3 kg by the time he was 15 months old.

65-year-old raped an 8-year-old

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New Delhi, April 30: In a shocking incident, a senior citizen allegedly raped an 8-year-old girl in Uttam Nagar area in West Delhi on Thursday evening.

Hari Lal, the 65-year-old accused, runs a small provision store in the area.

He allegedly raped her when the girl had gone to buy a few things. On the basis of the complaint, the police registered a case and arrested Lal.

—-Agencies

Road safety campaign launched in Gurgaon

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Gurgaon, April 30: A road safety campaign was launched Thursday among school children in Gurgaon in association with oil major Cairn India, with the theme of “Come Home Safely”.

The road safety campaign was launched at Delhi Public School here by Gurgaon police. Cairn India has its headquarters in the suburban city.

Drilling for uranium in Meghalaya held in abeyance

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Shillong, April 29: The Meghalaya government Thursday decided to keep in abeyance the proposed exploratory drilling for uranium inside the ecologically-fragile Balpakram National Park (BNP) in South Garo Hills district.

“We have decided to communicate to the centre the sentiments of the local people on the proposed exploratory drilling for uranium inside Balpakram,” Chief Minister Mukul M. Sangma told IANS.