Month: May 2011

Syrian army intensifies Daraa presence

by

Damascus, May 02: The Syrian army’s presence in the southern city of Daraa has intensified as armed groups continue clashes with the country’s security forces.

Security forces arrested many people on Sunday in the Syrian city of Daraa, which has been the scene of protests over the past six weeks, Reuters reported.

The event took place despite Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s introduction of a new package of reforms, which he has said would meet the demands of the protesters.

Travel alert issued after bin Laden death

by

Washington, May 02: The US has issued a global traveling warning for all American citizens following the killing of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

After announcing the death of bin Laden during an operation, the US State Department issued a world-wide travel alert for Americans, warning them of “enhanced potential for anti-American violence,” Reuters reported.

How Osama was killed in Pakistan

by

Islamabad, May 02: Osama bin Laden was killed in a helicopter raid on a mansion in an area north of the Pakistani capital, US and Pakistani officials said on Monday.

Four helicopters launched the attack in the Bilal area of Abbottabad, about 100 kilometres north of Islamabad, said a Pakistani intelligence official. One of the helicopters crashed after it apparently was hit by fire from the ground, the official said. He gave no word on casualties.

He said the helicopters took off from a Pakistani air base in the north of the country.

Terrorists find sanctuary in Pak: Chidambaram

by

New Delhi, May 02: Home Minister P Chidambaram on Monday sought Pakistan’s cooperation in arresting the people involved in the 26/11 attacks, following the news of Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden’s killing by the US in Pakistan.

In his statement, Chidambaram said, “We take note with grave concern that part of the statement in which President Obama said that the fire fight in which Osama Bin Laden was killed took place in Abbotabad ‘deep inside Pakistan’. This fact underlines our concern that terrorists belonging to different organisations find sanctuary in Pakistan.”

Akbaruddin attack case shifted to CCS

by

Hyderabad,May 02: Police commissioner A K Khan on Sunday handed over the case of Akbaruddin Owaisi attack to the Central Crime Station (CCS) for swift and proper investigation.

Police, in the meantime, have identified Abdullah Bin Younus Al-Yafayee and Mohammed Bin Salem Wahlan as the persons who allegedly opened fire at the MIM leader at Barkas on Saturday.

German man alleges rape after sex change

by

Srinagar, May 02: A German man, who underwent a sex change operation to become a woman, has moved an application in a local court pressing charge of rape against a man who refused to marry him.

Patrick claimed before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate here that he had homosexual relation with a Kashmiri man in New Delhi some times back and they had decided to get married.

Since homosexual marriages are not recognised in India, Patrick decided to undergo a sex change operation to become a woman to be with the man he loved.

Somali pirates seize Singaporean tanker

by

Mogadishu, May 02: A Singaporean shipper says Somali pirates are believed to have hijacked a chemical tanker and its 25-member crew off the coast of Kenya.

The vessel was loaded with over 28,000 tons of crude palm oil and it was en route to Kenya from Indonesia when it was hijacked and is believed is heading towards Somalia, Singapore firm Glory Ship Management said in a statement on Sunday.

The MT Gemini “was believed to have been hijacked by pirates… on 30 April at 12:33 pm Singapore time (0433 GMT),” AFP quoted the statement as saying.

Case filed against Togadia

by

Kanhangad, May 02: The police here filed a case against Pravin Togadia, the international general secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, on Sunday on the allegation that he made a highly inflammatory speech, which could lead to communal disharmony, at a public meeting here on Saturday.

Police sources said the case was filed under Section 153(A) of the Indian Penal Code (promoting communal disharmony), a non-bailable offence. They said the police had reviewed the video footage of the speech before filing the case.

Mohammed Pahelwan not named in FIR

by

Hyderabad, May 02: Central Crime Station sleuths said that Mohammad Pahelwan, the prime suspect behind Saturday’s attack on the MIM MLA, Mr Akbaruddin Owaisi, has confessed that he had planned to eliminate Mr Owaisi as he felt cornered from all sides by the MLA.

Interestingly, Pahelwan has not been named in the FIR though the police said that he had been identified as the key conspirator and would be brought into the case as the investigation progressed.
The police also confirmed that the 55-year-old Pahelwan was not present at the spot when the incident took place.

10 student gangraped by 3

by

Dehra Dun, May 02: A 17-year-old girl was allegedly gangraped by three persons, including her boyfriend, in Clement town of the district, police said on Sunday.

According to the complaint lodged by the victim, she was going for tuitions on Saturday when Raees Aalam(20) offered him a lift, promising to drop her at the institute, the police said.

However, instead of dropping her at the institute, he took her to a rented accommodation of his friend Mohammed Javed (21) where one more person Sifat Qazi (21) was also present, the police said.

Mega challenge to Jagan

by

Kadapa, May 02: All the big heads of the state political parties have virtually turned the by-elections into a major issue with their concentration on Kadapa, from where YS.Jagan Mohan Reddy is contesting for the Lok Sabha. One of the recent addition to this bandwagon party is Chiranjeevi. He vows for a sure win for Congress candidate Dl.Ravindra Reddy. Chiranjeevi who also joined the campaigning on Congress behalf, has challenged Jagan Mohan Reddy and his followers to destabilize the Congress Government if they can.

Justice has been done: Obama

by

Washington, May 02: United States President Barack Obama announced on Monday that US led operations killed Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden.

“US launched a targeted an operation at the mansion outside Islamabad. There has been no casualty of US or civilians in the operation. After a fire fight at the mansion, Osama Bin Laden was killed,” Obama said.

Obama added, “I ordered specific operations at the compound after confirmed reports that Osama Bin Laden was hiding in the specific mansion.”

ISI confirms Osama Bin Laden killed

by

Islamabad, May 02: A senior Pakistani intelligence official confirmed Monday that Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the September 11, 2001 attacks, had been killed.

“Yes, I can confirm that,” he said, but declined to give further details.

——-Agencies

Investigators find black box from Air France crash

by

Paris, May 02: Investigators have located and recovered the memory unit of the flight data recorder of a 2009 Air France flight – a remarkable deep-sea discovery they hope will explain why the aircraft went down in a remote area of the mid-Atlantic, killing all 228 people on board.

France’s air accident investigation agency BEA said a search by a submarine probing some 3,900 meters (12,800 feet) below the ocean’s surface located and recovered the unit Sunday morning. The unit is now aboard the ship Ile de Sein, the statement said.

Shame no Indian eligible for coach’s job

by

New Delhi, May 02: Former Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara Sunday said it is a “shame” that no Indian was found competent to coach the World champions.

Sangakkara was surprised that despite so many exceptional Indian cricketers around, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) found no one competent for the job.

“Having produced some many good cricketers in the region…it is a shame that no suitable candidate was found competent to take over the national side,” he said.

Sangakkara said it is important for the boards to make the full use of the home grown coaches.

Zaheer has learnt the art of pace bowling

by

Mumbai, May 02: Former Australian speedster Jason Gillespie on Sunday praised Indian pace spearhead Zaheer Khan, saying the left-armer was reaping the rewards of the hard work he put in the early part of his career.

“This is his second half of his career and he has really learnt the art of pace bowling. He is very much in control of his game and his reaping in the rewards of that,” he told reporters here.

“If I look at fast bowlers around the world, Zaheer for me is a wonderful bowler,” he added.

Man kills daughter, dumps body in drain

by

Hyderabad, May 02: In a chilling incident exposing yet again the plight of the girl child in the country, a man strangled his four-year-old daughter and dumped the body into a culvert in Shamshabad.

The victim, R Ashwini, 4, was the second daughter of Viswanath, a vendor from Shivrampally.

Eight years ago, Viswanath had married Nagamani of Gulbarga and the couple migrated to the city to eke out a living. They have two daughters, Nandini, 6, and Ashwini, 4.

Panel on Lokpal Bill to meet today

by

New Delhi, May 02: Five Union ministers and social activist Anna Hazare’s representatives will meet here on Monday to take forward the process to draft an effective legislation to combat corruption.

Civil society members held rallies in several cities yesterday in support of a strong anti-corruption law as the Union ministers went through minute details of various versions of the draft Jan Lokpal Bill prepared by Hazare’s team.

UMF leaders appeal to Muslims to pray for recovery of Akber Owaisi

by

Hyderabad, May 2: Leaders of United Muslim Forum Mr. Mohammad Abdur Raheem Qureshi, Maulana Sulaiman Sikandar, Maulana Qubool Pasha Shuttari, Maulana Khalid Saif Ullah Rahmani, Maulana Husam Uddin Sani Jafer Pasha, Mr. Raheem Uddin Ansari and Muneer Uddin Mukhtar have appealed Muslims to pray for health and speedy recovery of MIM MLA Akber Uddin Owaisi.

The leaders told that in this hour of adversity, Grace of the Almighty is possible only with prayers and good deeds.

Siasat news

Adarsh scam: CBI to quiz Ashok Chavan soon

by

Mumbai, May 02: After having quizzed several accused in the infamous Adarsh scam, it will be the turn of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan soon to face some questions from the CBI which plans to wrap up probe into the Housing Society case.

Sachin to donate Sai marble statue

by

Puttaparthi, May 02: Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar is keen to pay ‘guru dakshina’ to Sathya Sai Baba. He is likely to donate the entire amount required for a marble statue of the Baba which is to be erected on or beside the Maha Samadhi.

According to sources, the statue may cost around Rs 30 lakh. The Sathya Sai Central Trust is yet to accept the offer and make an official announcement to that effect. Tendulkar broke down after Sai’s death and rushed with his family from Hyderabad to Puttaparthi to pay his last respects to Sai.

BJP smells bigger scam in Air India

by

New Delhi, May 02: Suspecting a “bigger scam” in Air India operations, BJP on Sunday demanded that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pin responsibility for the alleged mismanagement in the running of the national carrier. Pointing out that Air India losses have mounted after the merger of the domestic and international airliners, BJP spokesman Rajiv Pratap Rudy wondered whether the present state of affairs in the airlines was a ploy to shut it down.

Indo-Pak hockey series this year: Rehman Malik

by

Islamabad, May 02: Bilateral hockey ties between India and Pakistan are almost certain to be revived this year with both the countries playing three matches apiece on either side of the border, Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said.

“Good news for hockey lovers. As patron of Hockey, we have agreed in principle to have 3 matches in India & 3 matches in Pak, within this year (sic),” he wrote on his Twitter account.

“Hockey matches between India and Pakistan will be great sporting activity,” Malik added.

Osama: 9/11 author who defied Bush, Obama

by

London: Challenging the might of the “infidel” United States, Osama bin Laden masterminded the deadliest militant attacks in history and then built a global network of allies to wage a “holy war” intended to outlive him.

The man behind the suicide hijack attacks of September 11, 2001, and who US officials said late on Sunday was dead, was the nemesis of former President George W Bush, who pledged to take him “dead or alive” and whose two terms were dominated by a “war on terror” against his al Qaeda network.

Eight Indian crew-members of hijacked ship return to Mumbai

by

Mumbai, May 02: Released by Somali pirates after a seven-month-long ordeal, eight crew members of the hijacked ship M/T Asphalt Venture on Sunday returned to India.

Captain Ramesh Singh and seven sailors were released on April 15 by the pirates after reaching a deal with the owners of the vessel, which involved payment of an undisclosed ransom amount.

However, the pirates — who were supposed to release all the 15 crew members — allegedly backtracked and took seven crew members, including six officers, on-shore to Somalia. The ship was released by the pirates.