Month: May 2013

Syria deploys missile defence batteries towards Israel

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Syria has deployed missile defence batteries towards Israel in response to an alleged Israeli attack that targeted a Syrian army facility in the capital Damascus Sunday, a media report said.

The pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV cited security sources as saying that Syria will also provide the Lebanese Hezbollah with “new qualitative weaponry”.

A statement issued after an emergency cabinet meeting Sunday said that Israel’s attack “opens the door widely before all eventualities”, Xinhua reported.

Israel cancels civil flights in north amid Syria tensions

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The Israeli Defense Forces has said it would shut down civil air traffic in northern Israel until Thursday.

The decision came amid escalating tensions between Israel and its northern neighbours, Syria and Lebanon, over an alleged Israeli air strike against missile caches near the Syrian capital Damascus Friday and Sunday, Xinhua reported.

Israel’s airline Arkia Sunday cancelled nearly 10 flights between the northern city of Haifa and the Red Sea port city of Eilat.

Israel did not release any official statement regarding the attacks on Syrian military facilities.

Minor Dalit girls allege rape

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Two minor Dalit girls were allegedly raped by some youths on the outskirts of the state capital when they were returning from a religious function.

The victims’ family lodged an FIR in the matter yesterday and efforts are being made to nab the accused, officers said.

On May 2, the girls were returning from a religious function when the youths overpowered them in a secluded place in Tiuni area and committed the rape, they said.

—PTI

Syria will defend itself by any means: Minister

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Syria reserves the right to defend itself by all possible methods, the country’s deputy foreign minister said in the wake of Israeli air strikes on the capital Damascus.

Israel carried out late Saturday and early Sunday what an intelligence official said were air strikes on a shipment of Iranian-made missiles bound for Hezbollah militants in neighbouring Lebanon.

“Syria will not allow to this to take place again,” Deputy Foreign Minister Fayssal Mikdad told Lebanon’s Al-Manar TV station, which is affiliated with Hezbollah.

Banerjee knew everything about chit fund scam: Buddhadeb

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Attacking West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, her predecessor and CPI-M leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Sunday termed as “lies” her statement that she knew nothing about the chit fund scam before the Bengali New Year day.

“New she says I did not know anything before Polia Baishakh (April 15-Bengali New Year’s Day). For some people, lying is a habit. She knew everything. Her government has admitted that in an affidavit before the court,” Bhattacharjee said without taking her name at a public meeting in Shyamnagar of neighbouring North 24 Parganas district.

Man held for sodomising minor in Delhi

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A 23-year-old labourer Sunday sexually assaulted a three-year-old boy here, police said. The accused was arrested.

Accused Pankaj had come to the victim’s house at Vijay Vihar area in west Delhi in the afternoon to meet his father. Finding the boy alone, he sexually assaulted him, police said.

After the incident, a neighbour heard the boy crying and informed his father. The accused was arrested after medical examination confirmed sexual assault, police said.

—IANS

Delhi property dealer shot in office

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A 48-year-old property dealer was injured after he was shot at in his office here by two men Sunday evening, police said.

“Mridul Mohan Manchanda was sitting at his office at Vasant Kunj area (in south Delhi), when two men barged into his office at around 5 p.m. and following an argument, fired at him twice,” said a police officer.

One of the bullets grazed Manchanda’s left temple while the other missed him.

The men fled on the scene on their motorcycle.

Police said Manchanda was taken to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) where he was undergoing treatment.

Andhra CM promises to curb illegal liquor outlets

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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy Sunday promised to shut down, in a phased manner, “belt shops” or illegal outlets of licensed liquor shops spread across the state.

He made the announcement while addressing a public meeting at Eluru in West Godavari district when union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh made a fervent appeal.

Ramesh said the chief minister should take the initiative as the women were strongly protesting against the belt shops. He said the liquor shops were badly affecting the lives of women, especially in rural areas.

Congress rules out immediate action against Bansal, Ashwani Kumar

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Coming out in defence of embattled Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, the Congress Sunday said no action will be taken against them immediately, even as opposition continued to press for their ouster.

“There is a probe going on, let the result come. We will decide after that,” Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari told reporters after a meeting of the Congress core group at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s official residence here.

India, China troops end stand-off ahead of Khurshid’s Beijing visit

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Intense negotiations over the weekend between India and China saw an end to the 20-day stand-off with troops of both sides pulling back to their respective positions prior to April 15 — when Chinese forces had intruded 19 km inside the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, sources said.

The development comes just days ahead of External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid’s May 9 visit to Beijing.

Protesters march in Moscow ahead of anti-Putin rally

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Several hundred protesters marched through Moscow Sunday to call for the release of people arrested after last year’s clashes at a rally against the rule of President Vladimir Putin.

The demonstration came on the eve of what is expected to be a much bigger anti-Putin rally in Moscow Monday, the first this year to be organised by established protest leaders such as Alexei Navalny, who is facing jail over embezzlement charges he says are politically motivated.

Pragya Thakur should be given speedy trial: Agnivesh

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Activist Swami Agnivesh today demanded that a fast track court be handed over the case of alleged role of accused Pragya Thakur in Malegon blasts.

Agnivesh said he met Thakur in Bhopal Jail in the presence of Deputy Superintendent (Jail) for about 90 minutes
and claimed that Thakur is ready to “fully cooperate” with all investigations into the case.

He said during the meeting she expressed her desire for a fast track court to decide on the case.

Thakur is one of the accused in the Malegaon blasts case of September 29, 2008, in which six persons were killed and 100 others injured.

Wild bear kills eight people in Odisha

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Bhubaneswar, May 5 (IANS) A wild bear mauled eight people, including two women, to death and injured eight others in a forest in Odisha’s Koraput district before being killed by villagers, an official said Sunday.

The female bear attacked people Saturday and Sunday when in the forest near their villages in Kotpad area of the district, 550 km from state capital Bhubaneswar.

Those killed and injured are mostly adults, Divisional Forest Officer Laxmikanta Mishra told IANS

This was the second incident of a bear attacking humans in the state this week.

AMU announces centre in Tipu Sultan’s name

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Aligarh, May 4 (IANS) The Aligarh Muslim University Saturday announced a centre for strategic studies named after the great Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan, who fought against the British forces in the 18th century.

“He (Tipu Sultan) was a true secular ruler of distinguished character. He was a right statesman and a right soldier who donated a huge amount for the construction of temples,” AMU Vice Chancellor, Lt. Gen. (retd) Zameer Uddin Shah said at a seminar “Life and Work of Tipu Sultan” to mark Tipu Sultan’s 214th death anniversary.

Chinese troops withdraw from Indian side of LAC

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New Delhi, May 5 (IANS) India and China Sunday ended the stand-off on the border by agreeing to pull back their troops to their respective positions prior to April 15 — when Chinese troops had intruded 19 km inside Indian side of the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh’s Depsang area, said informed sources.

The development comes just days ahead of External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid’s May 9 visit to Beijing.

Bollywood touch turns Bahrain music show into major draw

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Dubai, May 4 (IANS) A musical extravaganza featuring Bollywood personalities in Bahrain drew hundreds of people.

Batelco Mega Fair 2013 was hosted Friday by St Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Church at the Indian School in Manama, Bahrain’s capital, the Gulf Daily News reported Saturday.

Bollywood singer Benny Dayal and Indian playback singer Swetha Menon performed live.

Actors Ramesh Pisharadi, Sajan Palluruthi, Saju Kodiyan, Pramod Mala and Devi Chandana also appeared on stage.

Mumbai brokers arrested for killing Pune billionaire

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Pune/Mumbai, May 5 (IANS) Two Mumbai realty agents, nabbed in connection with the brutal murder of a Pune billionaire and his secretary for a property deal in Mumbai, were sent to police custody till Friday by a Pune magistrate here Sunday.

Ibrahim Ismail Shaikh, 38, and Ravindra Shankar Shetty, 37, were arrested from Bandra suburb of Mumbai late Saturday night.

They have been charged with the murder of Vinod Broker, 82, and his secretary Usha Nair, 52, an official said.

Man strangles pregnant wife to death

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New Delhi, May 5 (IANS) In a suspected dowry death case, a 30-year-old jobless man strangled his pregnant wife to death here before surrendering at a police station 12 hours later, an official said Sunday.

Vinod strangled four-month pregnant Pinky, 24, while she was asleep late Saturday night at his house in Bajrang Enclave in Najafgarh area in west Delhi, police said.

The suspect surrendered before police Sunday morning. Pinky’s parents alleged that he used to beat her up for dowry, police said.

‘Aurangzeb’ music average, but powerful

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Film: “Aurangzeb”; Music Directors: Amartya Rahut and Vipin Mishra; Singers Sashaa Agha, Ram Sampath, Keerthi Sagathia, K. Mohan, Marianne D’Cruz Aiman, Vipin Mishra.
Rating **1/2

The music album of director Atul Sabharwal’s debut movie “Aurangzeb”, a crime thriller, has five tracks and its four musical versions. The compositions are interesting and centred around power, which is in sync with the theme.

9 NATO soldiers killed in Afghanistan

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The Taliban-linked militancy and violent incidents claimed lives of nine soldeisr of NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Saturday, turning the day the bloodiest one since this January for the alliance in the conflict-ridden country, ISAF confirmed in a statement.

According to the military alliance fighting terrorism in Afghanistan, the deadly fighting happened in the restive southern region where Taliban militants are more active than in other areas, Xinhua reported Sunday.

Iran condemns Israeli air strike on Syria

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Moscow, May 5 ,Iran Sunday condemned Israeli air strikes earlier in the day on Syria and urged regional countries to resist such acts of “aggression”, said foreign ministry spokesperson Ramin Mehman-Parast.

Israel carried out early Sunday a missile attack on a military research centre outside the Syrian capital city of Damascus, Syria’s official news agency SANA reported.

Syrian state television has telecast video footage showing a series of large explosions around the Jamraya research centre, located about 15 km from the Lebanese border.

Israeli attack opens door to all eventualities: Syria

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Damascus, May 5,The Israeli attack against positions of the Syrian army earlier in the day “opens the door widely before all eventualities”, the Syrian government said Sunday.

While branding the attack targeting the Syrian army with rockets as “flagrant”, the statement did not overtly speak of any possible responses to the attack, Xinhua reported.

The comments came in a statement read out by Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi after an emergency cabinet meeting.

One in five British families struggle for food?

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London, May 5, One in five British families had to borrow money or use savings to cover food costs in April, a new survey showed Sunday.

Participated by about 2,000 people across Britain and conducted by the British consumer group ‘Which?’, the survey found that some 5 million British households needed to use credit or savings to cover their spending on food in April, Xinhua reported.

The Which? monthly consumer insight tracker survey discovered that many of the families using credit and savings to pay for food were low-income.

Pakistan demands release of 47 prisoners in Indian jails

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Islamabad, May 5 (ANI): Pakistan has demanded from India the release of 47 Pakistani prisoners who have completed their prison terms and are languishing in various Indians prisons. Pakistan”s envoy to India Salman Bashir conveyed the message in a letter addressed to Indian foreign secretary. According to spokesman for Pakistan High Commission in India Manzoor Ali Memon, the letter has been handed over to top officials at Indian Ministry of External Affairs by Pakistan”s deputy High Commissioner Abdul Rehman Nizamani, reports The Dawn.

Sarabjit”s kin to move to an International Court

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Bhikiwind, Mar 5 (ANI): Family of slain Sarabjit Singh on Sunday said that they would move an International Court of Justice over the death of the Indian prisoner in Pakistan following a brutal attack by jail inmates. the Dalbir Kaur, sister of Sarabjit Singh who had been crusading for her brother”s release citing that he was wrongly implicated said that Pakistan must pay for its inhuman action.