Month: July 2011

Iraq, July 28:A twin attack involving a car bomb and a suicide bombing outside a bank in the north Iraq city of Tikrit on Thursday killed at least 12 people and wounded 28, a health official said.

“A car bomb exploded outside the Al-Rafidain Bank in the centre of Tikrit, and one minute later a suicide bomber exploded his vest as people gathered, killing at least 12 people and wounding 28,” said Dr Raad al-Jubburi, head of the health department in Salaheddin province, of which Tikrit is the capital.

He said that a number of police and soldiers were among the dead and wounded.

Jordan, July 28 — A military court in Jordan on Thursday convicted the Palestinian-born mentor of al-Qaida in Iraq’s slain leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi on terrorism charges and sentenced him to five years in prison.
Isam Mohammed Taher al-Barqawi, better known as Sheik Abu-Mohammed al-Maqdisi, was found guilty of “plotting terrorism” and recruiting militants in Jordan to join the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Cairo, July 28 — A Libyan activist says rebel fighters have clashed with government forces in several areas near the Tunisian border and have seized a town along a major highway.

A spokesman Badees Fessato says two rebel fighters and several government troops have been injured in Thursday’s fighting.

Libya’s five-month-old civil war has been largely deadlocked, despite shifting front lines. Rebels control most of eastern Libya and parts of the west, while Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has the rest.

Baghdad, July 28 — A local official says a suicide bomber has blown himself up outside a bank in Saddam Hussein’s hometown, killing 10 people and wounding about 30.

Salahuddin provincial spokesman Mohammed al-Asi says Thursday’s midmorning explosion occurred outside the state-run Rafidain bank in Tikrit, located 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of Baghdad.
Al-Asi says policemen who were picking up their monthly paychecks were among the casualties.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

Palestine, July 28:Scores of Palestinian police on Thursday raided the Ramallah home of ex-strongman Mohammed Dahlan who is under investigation for murder and corruption.

Witnesses in Ramallah’s Al-Tirah neighbourhood said a large number of police and security forces had surrounded his home at 7:00 am (0400 GMT) before forcing their way in and arresting around 10 of his bodyguards.
They were also seen removing weapons, files and computers from his house, as well as the former internal security minister’s two bullet-proof cars.

Baghdad, July 28 — Iraq’s leaders may soon reach agreement on whether to ask U.S. troops to stay in Iraq beyond a year-end departure deadline, but the final decision is up to parliament, the Iraqi prime minister said.

Nouri al-Maliki’s comments came ahead of a meeting Thursday between U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and his Iraq advisers in Washington.

Gaza Strip, July 28 — The United Nations says a U.N.-sponsored summer camp that will be the site of a kite-flying contest in northwest Gaza has been vandalized.

Christopher Gunness, a spokesman for the U.N. agency that runs the camp, says the vandals torched a stage, burned a U.N. flag and damaged a billboard. But he says nobody was hurt. He had no information on who vandalized the facility early Thursday.

Similar attacks have taken place in the past at U.N. summer camps in Gaza, where boys and girls mix. Suspicion has fallen on Islamic hard-liners who oppose mixing of the genders.

Jerusalem, July 28:Everyone looked on curiously as the Palestinian squared off with the Israeli, each seeking to land the decisive punch that would floor his opponent.
Within minutes it was all over, and the two youths briefly embraced before heading off in separate directions.
This was no political battle — just a regular bout of sparring between youngsters from a local Jerusalem boxing club that is trying to break down barriers between the two peoples.

US, July 28:US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has warned Congress that she will fight to block a Republican push to restrict aid for Israel’s Arab neighbors and Pakistan and cut off climate change funds.

Two panels in the Republican-led House of Representatives have approved billions of dollars in cuts in foreign affairs spending and imposed a range of new restrictions concerning issues from the Middle East to abortion.

Cairo, July 28 — Al-Qaida’s new leader praised Syrian protesters seeking to topple the regime of President Bashar Assad while trying to portray the uprising as an Islamic battle against American and Israeli interests.
The video message posted on extremist websites Wednesday is Ayman al-Zawahri’s first since al-Qaida named him its new leader in June following the death of Osama bin Laden in a U.S. commando raid in Pakistan.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla, July 28 – Authorities on Wednesday captured a man in Colorado who escaped nearly 32 years ago from the Florida prison where he was serving a life sentence for murder.
Frederick Barrett, 60, slipped away from the Union Correctional Institution in Raiford during a nighttime power outage on August 17, 1979.
U.S. Marshals Service officers, dressed as U.S. Forest Service firefighters, arrested Barrett early on Wednesday at his cabin in Montrose County, Colorado. He had been living in the remote, mountainous area under the name Neil Meltzer, Florida officials said.

Islamists across Britain have launched a poster campaign, setting up zones where the Sharia law would be enforced, a media report said Thursday.

The bright yellow posters put up at bus stops and on street lamp posts read: “You are entering a Sharia-controlled zone – Islamic rules enforced.”

The messages that have also come up in London, warn that in the Sharia zone there should be no gambling, music or concerts, porn or prostitution, drugs or smoking and alcohol, the Daily Mail reported.

Hyderabad, July 28: The Chief Minister N. Kirankumar Reddy has indirectly warned that Jagan has life threat.

He said one would reach the destination safely if he drove the car at the permitted speed for a car. But if he tried to travel by car at jet speed, he would meet with an accident and die. Jagan should reduce speed, the Chief Minister warned.

The Chief Minister has expressed anger that Jagan was indulging in false propaganda on government schemes simply because he has a newspaper and a channel in his hands. He said people were observing his vicious designs.

Mumbai, July 28: After donning a de-glam avatar in ‘Raajneeti,’ she shocked everyone with her pelvic thrusts in TMK’s sizzling item number ‘Sheila Ki Jawani’ and was recently seen driving a macho bike in ZNMD. Yes, we are talking about Katrina, who will soon be seen as a rockstar in ‘Mere Brother Ki Dulhan.’

Talking to a daily about her transformation, Bollywood’s Barbie Doll said, “I live life on my own terms. And I work on my own terms. I have always done the best I could. I am not disappointed with the glamour quotient of my earlier films.”

Hyderabad, July 28: Minor Irrigation Minister T G Venkatesh on Thursday stated that the state should be divided into three parts in the event of bifurcation of state necessitated.

Talking to media persons, T G Venkatesh stated the Rayalaseema region was backward both industrially and agriculturally and needs formation of separate state to develop on all fronts.

He also recalled the report submitted by the Justice B N Srikrishna Committee, which clearly pointed out the backwardness of Rayalaseema region.

Mumbai, July 28: First Salman Khan`s former girlfriend, actress Katrina Kaif, was roped in for the ‘Bodyguard’ item number and now his security aide Shera has shot for the much-talked about song.

Shera will not only feature in ‘Bodyguard Item Song’, but he will also be seen dancing and grooving with Salman.

Arizona, July 28: Like any new mother, he was keen to lose the babyweight but few would be quite so worried about getting a six-pack.

Thomas Beatie, the world’s first pregnant man or male mother has unveiled his new toned figure, just 12 months after giving birth to his third child in three years.

Mr Beatie, who now lives in Arizona with his wife Nancy and their three children, garnered international attention around the world when he became the first legally transgender man to become pregnant.

New Delhi, July 28: Hina Rabbani Khar made up for all Pakistani ministers in the past. Quite apart from that winning smile, which has had India tied up in knots since she touched down on Tuesday, the Pakistani foreign minister proved to be a spot-the-brand delight for the fash frat on this side of the border.

New Delhi, July 28: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was a tool in the central government’s hands to harass them, soon after the Congress demanded a probe by the agency into the Karnataka mining scam.

“This is an attempt to keep the heat on the issue on, we all know how the CBI is used as a tool by the government,” BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said.

Sitharaman said the BJP, as promised, has taken action by deciding to sack Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa after the Lokyayukta indicted him for illegal mining.

Hyderabad, July 28: Stating that the Telangana issue has reached its zenith, TRS president, Mr K Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday asked all T-MPs, MLAs and MLCs to retain their unprecedented unity and resign again to sustain the pressure on the Central government to carve out Telangana.

Hyderabad, July 28: Questioning Seemandhra leaders if they would suffer any losses in the event that Andhra Pradesh is bifurcated, Telangana Rashtra Samithi politburo member and former MP Vinod Kumar on Thursday appealed to them to stop objecting to the formation of Telangana as ‘development is only possible with smaller states.’

Hyderabad, July 28: The Chief Minister’s Office on Thursday cautioned the general public that a profile uploaded on the popular networking website ‘Facebook’ is unauthorised and put up by some private individuals.

The CMO added that neither Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy nor the state government have authorised the Facebook page, in the name of “Kiran Kumar Reddy Nallari – Andhra Pradesh CM.”

The CMO further said that the page was put up without the knowledge of the Chief Minister.

Hyderabad, July 28: It is little wonder that education standards at lower levels have fallen. About 900 out of the total 1,100 mandal education officer (MEO) posts are lying vacant for the last several years. The reason? A tussle between government teachers and panchayat raj teachers over promotions.

Guntur, July 28: The Chief Minister, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, accused the YSR Congress president, Mr Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s media organisation of false propaganda against the government. He blamed Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy for disseminating false and malicious news. He clarified that the government is opening the integrated hostels to admit SC, ST and BC students and shift the students from the nearest welfare hotels to integrated hostels to provide better facilities, if their strength is less.

Hyderabad, July 28: Handlooms and Textiles Minister P Shankar Rao on Thursday stated that all assistance would be provided to the family members of Yadi Reddy, who committed suicide for the cause of Telangana in New Delhi, last week.

Talking to media persons at Congress Legislature Party Office, P Shankar Rao stated that the Rs 1 lakh ex gratia has been sanctioned on behalf of the state government to the family members Yadi Reddy of Moinabad in Ranga Reddy district.

He promised to family that the government would offer a job to one of the family members in his textile department.