Month: May 2013

Assad’s control over Syria extremely reduced: US

by

Reiterating its commitment to bring political change in Syria through peaceful and diplomatic options, the Obama Administration has noted that the Assad regime in Syria remains in a vulnerable position and its control over the country is extremely reduced.

“Assad remains in a vulnerable position, that his control over his country is extremely reduced because of the strength of the opposition,” White House Press Secretary, Jay Carney, said at his daily news conference.

Sreesanth turned to Lord Ganesha after knowing he was with murder accused in Tihar

by

Tainted cricketer S. Sreesanth found the eastern corner of his cell in Tihar’s Jail number one and set a small idol of Lord Ganesha there. That was the first thing he did on reaching his cell in ward number 10 – meant for first time offenders – on May 28. He was on the verge of tears as the reality of his surroundings sunk in.

He has been sent here till June 4 and may have to stay longer if denied bail.

US Army staff sergeant to admit Afghan massacre

by

The Army staff sergeant charged with slaughtering 16 villagers in one of the worst atrocities of the Afghanistan war will plead guilty to avoid the death penalty in a deal that requires him to recount the horrific attack for the first time, his attorney told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Staff sergeant Robert Bales was “crazed” and “broken” when he slipped away from his remote southern Afghanistan outpost and attacked mud-walled compounds in two slumbering villages nearby, lawyer John Henry Browne said.

26 killed, 80 injured in Iraq violence

by

As many as 26 people were killed and 80 injured due to bombings and clashes in different parts of Iraq Wednesday.

A car bomb struck a wedding party in the neighbourhood of Jihad, southwestern Baghdad, killing at least 16 people and wounding 46, reported Xinhua citing an interior ministry source.

Four people were killed and 16 injured when another car bomb was set off in a market in western Baghdad, the source said.

School sex scandal rocks China, several teachers held

by

A major sex scandal has rocked schools in China as a number of teachers have been held for molesting girl students in recent days, prompting the apex court to strengthen crackdown on crimes against juveniles.

Yang Shifu, a 55-year-old teacher from Tongbo County in Henan province, was arrested today for molesting several of his students since last Spring, local officials said.

Yang was detained on May 23 after police received tips and conducted inquiries among the victims and their family members.

The students also received medical check ups, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Ishrat case: CBI to probe IB input about LeT threat to Modi

by

In a new twist in the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case of 2004, sources say that the CBI will probe whether a top Intelligence Bureau officer created a false input of threat to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi that led to the girl’s encounter.

CNN-IBN has accessed exclusive details which say that the CBI will interrogate the top IB officer who was posted in Gujarat in 2004.

The officer, sources said, had created an input which said that Ishrat and other LeT operatives were out to kill Modi.

Obama accused of selectively quoting bin Laden in anti-terror talk

by

US President Barack Obama has been accused of selectively quoting Osama bin Laden, by using a snippet of an anti-America screed to make it sound like Al Qaeda was breaking under the weight of the U.S. drone program. Obama quoted the Al Qaeda leader during his wide-ranging speech on counterterrorism policy last Thursday in Washington. As part of his argument in defense of the lethal drone program, Obama suggested bin Laden himself deemed the strikes to be effective, according to a Fox News report.

4-year-old girl falls into borewell in Haryana

by

A four-year-old girl fell into a 120-feet deep borewell in Balai village in southern Haryana on Wednesday evening.

The incident occurred around 4.30 pm when the victim, identified as Tanu, fell in the pit while playing. Though the pit was 120-feet deep, the child was reportedly stuck around 25 feet below.

Rescue operation was underway till late night and the local administration said they were trying to rescue the girl by digging a pit parallel to the one she was stuck in. The rescuers had reached a depth of 17 feet till the time of reporting.

–PTI

Pressure mounts on Srinivasan to quit, but he remains defiant

by

The chorus for BCCI chief N Srinivasan’s ouster today grew from within with Board heavyweights and some state units demanding his resignation as Sharad Pawar joined in the attack on him but the beleaguered cricket boss showed no signs of relenting under pressure.

Following all round attack on Srinivasan’s continuance as BCCI Chief in the wake of arrest of his son-in-law and CSK team owner Gurunath Meiyappan on charges of betting in IPL, Board heavyweights –Rajeev Shukla and Arun Jaitley — shed their reluctance on the issue.

Tendulkar receives award for fastest ton in Ranji

by

Senior cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, who played a crucial role in Mumbai’s conquest of their 40th Ranji Trophy title this season, today received award for striking the fastest century in the national championship at the annual awards function of Mumbai Cricket Association here.

Tendulkar, who slammed the century against Railways at the Wankhede Stadium, received the award at the hands of fellow Mumbai stalwart and former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar, with several former Test and first-class cricketers present.

Woman commits suicide inside police station in AP

by

A 35-year-old woman allegedly committed suicide inside a police station at Tekulapalli in Khammam district of Andhra Pradesh, police said.

Sakhi, who had been called along with two other men for questioning in connection with an attempt-to-murder case, panicked and hanged herself by a saree inside the police station’s toilet.

Her husband blamed one of the police constables for the incident. A case of abetment to suicide was lodged and probe was on, police said.

Villages staged a demonstration outside the police station, seeking action against the guilty persons.

—PTI

BJP has committed suicide by expelling me: Jethmalani

by

A day after being expelled from BJP, veteran lawyer Ram Jethmalani on Wednesday hit back, saying by doing so, it has committed “suicide” which will please the “corrupt” government and their collaborators within the party.

In a letter to party President Rajnath Singh, Jethmalani said he has been out of BJP at least from 2004. “I have been out of the party at least from 2004, if not earlier. In 2010, the party approached me with a request to join. At that time, I made it very clear that the party knows my views on all problems facing the nation.

Ishrat Jahan encounter: CBI to quiz senior IB officer

by

CBI will soon question a senior officer of the Intelligence Bureau in the Ishrat Jahan encounter case regarding the input issued on the threat to life of Chief Minister Narendra Modi in 2004 which resulted in killing of the teenager.

CBI sources said the role of the officer who was posted in State Intelligence Bureau in 2004 had come under the scanner of the agency for the alleged fake input that Modi was on the target of LeT militants.

They said the agency is now planning to question the officer as witness in connection with the probe and asked him to join the probe.

Three held for killing 12-year girl

by

A man along with two exorcists was arrested for killing his 12-year-old daughter in Firozabad district, police said here today.

Body of the girl was recovered from a plastic bag on May 23, they said.

Her father Kailash Chandra lodged his complaint at Dakshin police station alleging that she had been raped and murdered.

During investigation of the case, it was found that Kailash, who wanted a son, with the help of two exorcist Pramod Kumar and Diwaker Kulshresta murdered his daughter, police said.

Kailash and the two exorcists were arrested last night, they said.

–_PTI

7-year-old raped by relative; critical

by

A seven-year-old girl was raped allegedly by her relative in Kishni area of the district.

The girl, a student of second standard, was raped by her relative when she was alone at her residence late last evening, police said.

The accused was nabbed by villagers and later handed over to police.

The girl was first rushed to district hospital from where she was referred to Medical Hospital Agra in a critical condition.

–PTI

Minor girl raped at railway station

by

A 16-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a son of a railway worker at the Kanpur Central railway station here, police said on Wednesday.

The incident happened yesterday when the girl, resident of Jharkhand, got down at the station to get water, but missed her train. Later, she was taken to an empty coach by the son of a railway worker, Surendra Tiwari, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) said.

The accused has been identified as Manoj Kumar Gupta, he said.

The accused has been arrested and the girl has been sent for medical examination, he added.

—PTI

UP files petition against Varun Gandhi’s acquittal

by

The Uttar Pradesh government Wednesday filed a petition in a court challenging the acquittal of BJP general secretary Varun Gandhi in a hate speech case.

The case will be heard June 10, officials said.

The Samajawadi Party (SP) government filed the petition after it came under fire from minority community leaders who alleged that SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav had gone “soft” on Gandhi.

A woman’s hidden beauty secrets

by

Do you know that lemon juice can ve used to whiten nail tips and baking soda helps in cleaning teeth? You can also massage your face with ice cubes to reduce wrinkles.

These and more beauty secrets have been dug up by lifestyle website Femalefirst.co.uk which shares some of them as follows:

1- Put sliced cucumber on eyes to freshen them up. Cucumber therapy helps reduce stress also.

2- Drink at least two litres of water everyday. It helps in digestion.

3- Apply toothpaste on burnt spots and insect bites. It reduces the pain and swelling.

4- Shave legs with hair conditioner

Man kills minor daughter after fight with wife

by

A man was arrested here for killing his two-and-half-year-old daughter after a fight with his wife, police said.

Sanjay Kumar, 25, a labourer, smashed the head of his minor daughter on the ground in Palam Vihar area Tuesday night, police said.

“The accused suspected his wife of having an illicit relationship and often fought with her over the issue. On Tuesday night, he again had an argument with his wife and in a fit of rage threw his daughter on the ground,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Surender Pal Singh told IANS.

Manmohan in fray for Assam Rajya Sabha polls

by

The ruling Congress party in Assam has issued a whip to ensure the presence of its legislators for the crucial Rajya Sabha polls Thursday, which see Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the fray.

Amidst reports of dissidence and infighting, the party Wednesday issued the three-line whip to ensure 100 percent turnout of party legislators in the assembly and also asked its ally Bodoland Peoples’ Front (BPF) to ensure presence of its members for the polls for the two Rajya Sabha seats from Assam.

Telangana JAC calls for march to assembly

by

The Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) Wednesday called for a march to the assembly on June 14 to intensify the movement for a separate Telangana state.

At its meeting here, the JAC steering committee decided to hold the march during the second phase of the budget session of the state legislature, scheduled to begin June 10.

JAC chairman M. Kodandaram appealed to people to participate in the march to voice their demand for a separate Telangana. He said that the JAC would conduct a publicity campaign on a large scale across the region from June 1.

SRK discharged after surgery

by

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh khan, who underwent surgery on his right shoulder at Lilavati hospital here was discharged Wednesday evening.

A source close to the family revealed: “The surgery went off well and he is absolutely fine. Shah Rukh got discharged at around 8.30 p.m. His wife Gauri was with him.”

Shah Rukh underwent surgery on his right shoulder Monday afternoon and his son Aryan flew down from London to be with his father.

Sources close to SRK says that the surgery was due for quite some time.

100,000 Christians killed every year, says Vatican official

by

Around 100,000 Christians are killed every year around the world because of their faith, a top Vatican official has said.

Monsignor Silvano Maria Tomasi, a Catholic archbishop, said the Middle East, Africa and Asia were the worst places, the Daily Mail reported citing Vatican radio.

Tomasi said Christians were also forced to leave their homes and see churches destroyed in some parts of the world, and were often subjected to rapes, kidnappings and discrimination.

He referred to the kidnapping of two Orthodox bishops near Aleppo in Syria last month.

Man arrested for raping minor in Delhi

by

A 13-year-old girl was raped by a security guard who lived in her neighbourhood, police said Wednesday. The man has been arrested.

The incident happened at Punjabi Bagh area in west Delhi Tuesday evening.

The girl who worked as a domestic help in the house was lured by Raju Yadav, 30, to an isolated place near her house and raped. Later, he fled from the scene. The girl told her parents about the assault, who approached the police.

Police said the rape was confirmed. Yadav was arrested Wednesday morning from his house.

—IANS