Russian flagship airline reports 66 percent profit slump

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Russia’s flagship airline Aeroflot has posted a net profit of $166 million in 2012, down 66 percent on the previous year, the company said.

The company’s net profit was well below a consensus forecast of analysts polled by Prime news agency who expected the airline’s net financial result at $233.6 million.

Aeroflot said its 2012 net profit was lower than the previous year because the company received considerable proceeds in 2011 from the sale of subsidiaries and affiliates.

Pope urges aid for Syria, end to civil war

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Pope Francis has called on nations to give humanitarian aid to Syria’s population and end the deadly conflict in the country.

The abduction of a Greek Orthodox and a Syriac Orthodox bishop in Syria’s northern city of Aleppo was “a further sign of the tragic situation that the beloved Syrian nation has been undergoing, where violence and weapons continue to sow death and suffering”, the pope said at a general audience in St. Peter’s Square.

Italian politicians held for suspected fraud

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A treasurer for Italy’s Northern League party has been arrested on charges of fraud and embezzlement while three other politicians were placed under house arrest amid a probe into misuse of public funds.

Police arrested former Northern League party treasurer Francesco Belsito and also searched his home in the northwestern city of Genoa.

Among the charges faced by Belsito is that he embezzled 2.5 million euros of public funds to buy a luxury yacht for one of the sons of party founder Umberto Bossi.

28 lawmakers join caucus to support American Sikhs

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A new bipartisan American Sikh Congressional Caucus has been formed to educate US lawmakers and the general public about Sikh issues and support the American Sikh community that has often faced discrimination post 9/11.

Co-chaired by Democrat Judy Chu and Republican David Valadao, both House members from California, the caucus was joined by 28 members of Congress from both parties.

Children of Saudi women married to foreigners may receive pension

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The pension of a Saudi woman married to a foreigner may soon be paid to the couple’s children, according to an official from the Public Pension Agency (PPA).

Fatima bint Mohammed Ali, director of the women’s department at the PPA, said she was confident that the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers would approve changes to retirement legislation that would make this possible.

Fuel surcharge adds to woes of power consumers in AP

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Already bearing a heavy burden due to a steep hike of over Rs 6,300 crore in tariff, power consumers in Andhra Pradesh will now have to cough up an additional Rs 609 crore in the form of Fuel Surcharge Adjustment (FSA) for the third quarter of 2012-13 fiscal. The state government, which is under severe attack from all quarters over the unprecedented hike in power tariff as well as levy of FSA, failed to keep its word on relieving the consumers of the fresh burden.

Sonia’s statement not good in healthy democracy: BJP

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Stung by Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s rejection of the demand for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s resignation, BJP today said such an attitude by the ruling party is not helpful in a democracy as the demand “is based on facts”. BJP President Rajnath Singh expressed concern over Gandhi’s statement where she had said “let them ask” when the media sought her response to the opposition demand in Parliament for Manmohan Singh’s resignation on the coal issue. “The ruling party should exercise restraint. We are the principal opposition and we are demanding resignation on the basis of facts.

HC restores contempt petition against Raj Thackeray

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Bombay High Court today restored a contempt petition against MNS chief Raj Thackeray over his alleged remarks against the court last year. Division bench of Justices P V Hardas and Mridula Bhatkar restored the petition filed by advocate Ezaj Naqvi, seeking action against Raj for contempt of court. The petition had been dismissed earlier as Naqvi failed to appear before the court. The bench today also directed Union Ministries of Law and Judiciary and Information and Broadcasting to file their replies by June. The state Advocate General has already given a nod for initiating action.

Modi visits Narayana Mutt in Kerala amid controversy

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Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today visited Sree Narayana Mutt at nearby Sivagiri in Kerala for an event amid a controversy and protests by the Left activists. Modi’s five-hour visit to the state came against the backdrop of the Left attacking the authorities of the Mutt, which is dedicated to the ideals of 20th century saint- reformer Sree Naryana Guru who preached the message of unity of humanity, for inviting him to an important function. The BJP leader was invited for the inauguration of the golden jubilee of the Sree Narayana Dharma Meemamsa Parishad.

AP hopes for river dispute solution after tribunal’s visit

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The Vamsadhara Water Disputes Tribunal will find an amicable solution to the five decade long dispute between Andhra Pradesh and Odisha over sharing waters of the Vamsadhara river very soon, tribunal chairman Justice Mukund Sharma said. The tribunal under the chairmanship of Justice Sharma along with other members V M Chaturvedi, Ghulam Ahmad, D V Sharma, C S Vaidyanadhan and others, carried out a field survey by visiting villages of the Vamsadhara river belt in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Woman claims to have been raped twice in three days

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A 19-year-old married woman has claimed that she was raped here twice, by different men, in the space of three days. According to the victim, who was visiting her parents’ house in Cidco area, a local goon Vinod Salve raped her on Sunday, and threatened her with dire consequences if she approached the police. The woman, traumatised and scared, left parents’ home last night to take an auto rickshaw back to her husband’s house. Sangarsh B Landge and Sagar Dalvi, along with auto driver Manoj Jadhav, forcibly took her to a secluded spot, where Landge and Jadhav raped her, according to the victim.

AP Assembly Speaker names heads of department standing panels

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The Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly tonight appointed Chairpersons of the Department- Related Standing Committees (DRSCs) that were supposed to deliberate on the annual budget proposals and submit reports to the House. The decision comes four weeks after the first half of the Budget session of the state legislature was adjourned. The dozen-strong DRSCs, a unique experiment by the Speaker in the history of AP Legislature, were modelled on the Standing Committees in Parliament. Speaker Nadendla Manohar has appointed legislators from the Opposition parties as heads of some of the DRSCs.

No policeman can even sit without my orders, UP minister says

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In remarks that would cause embarrassment to UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, his ministers have ruffled feathers with one saying that officials and policemen cannot even take their seat without his orders and if they do so, they will be sacked within 24 hours.

Addressing a mass contact programme in Etah, textile minister Shiv Kumar Beria said government officials and policemen have no guts and cannot even take the chair without his orders, let alone work.

FIR against Sena MLA, others for assault

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Mahagaon police in the district today filed a case against Shiv Sena leader and Digras MLA Sanjay Rathod and nine other party workers on a complaint of assault filed by Yavatmal Zilla Parishad Education and Helath Committee chairman Manmohansingh Chavan. Chavan alleged that Sena workers dragged him out of his car at village Hivra Sangam, about 75 km from the city, last evening and thrashed him severely. Yavatmal Superintendent of Police Ranjan Kumar Sharma said FIR was filed against Rathod and nine others under section 353 (assault) and other relevant charge under IPC.

Boston bombing suspect unarmed when arrested in boat: Officials

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Two US officials say the surviving suspect in the Boston bombings was unarmed when police captured him hiding inside a boat in a neighborhood back yard. Authorities originally said they had exchanged gunfire with Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (joh-KHAHR’ tsahr-NEYE’-ehv) for more than one hour on Friday evening before they were able to subdue him.

US supports peaceful resolution of India-China boundary issue

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The United States has said that it supports peaceful and bilateral resolution of boundary dispute between India and China. “The United States supports India and China working together to settle their boundary disputes bilaterally and peacefully, and that’s what we’ve continued to urge throughout this,” the State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell told reporters at his news conference on Wednesday.

Motherhood is deliciously overwhelming: Shakira

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Pop star Shakira admits she cannot stand being apart from her newborn son Milan Pique Mebarak.

The 36-year-old singer, who welcomed her first child with soccer player Gerard Pique in January, said she is finding motherhood “deliciously overwhelming”, reported Contactmusic.

“Being a mother is deliciously overwhelming. It’s surreal. It’s a whole new experience to me, and I’m just discovering it second by second. And having him here, it’s great, it’s a new thing, it’s another part of me and my loved one. He’s accompanying me so I don’t feel alone,” she said.

Sunny Leone cannot perform in Dubai nightclub

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The controversial queen and porn star Sunny Leone was unable to perform a cage dance in Dubai nightclub called ‘Wild and Sunny’ which was organized by Javed Shafi, CEO of Premiere Production House. Sunny Leone’s show got cancelled last minute due to rejection from DTCM (Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing).

According to organizer Javed Shafi, all those who had purchased tickets to see Leone were refunded and the entry was made free for the night as opposed to the Dh100 tickets at the door. However, the audience had enjoyed the night with DJ Shadow, Hani and Bollywood dancers.

Enraged woman commits suicide after stabbing husband for questioning fidelity

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Enraged over her husband questioning her fidelity, a woman inflicted knife injuries on him, but later committed suicide repenting her act at Narasimhanaickenpalayam on the outskirts of the city today.

Police said the 56-year-old man used to frequently pick up quarrels with his wife over this issue and did so this morning too. In a fit of rage, she took a kitchen knife and slashed at her husband, asking why he was suspecting her at even at this age. The man ran out screaming and neigbours took him to a nearby hospital.

Ranbir Kapoor dances with Madhuri Dixit for Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani

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Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor, who has impressed all with his dance moves in the latest song Badtameez Dil in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, will finally get to shake a leg with dancing diva Madhuri Dixit.

Madhuri, who will be seen in an item song in the Ayan Mukherjee movie, will be shooting with Ranbir Kapoor today.

The official Twitter account of Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani tweeted: “Today Bunny aka #RanbirKapoor’s introduction song is being shot with the Legendary @MadhuriDixit1. Choreographed by @TheFarahKhan #YJHD”

Attacking Iran will be Israel last mistake

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Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi says military action against Iran will be the Zionist regime’s last mistake.

“The US and the Zionist regime’s threats have no value and at the same time, show their aggressive nature, and reveal their deceitful and misleading claims,” Vahidi said on Wednesday.

He reiterated Iran’s complete readiness to give a swift response to any military aggression against the country.

Vahidi advised US authorities to try and solve the problems in their own country instead of making warmongering remarks.

‘Increasing Israeli influence in India influencing national policies’

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(Pervez Bari): Due to the growth of multi-national companies in our country the Israeli influence is increasing day by day and they are influencing the national policies.

The above views were expressed by Maulana Khaild Rashid Farangi Mahli, Imam Idgah, Lucknow while speaking in a seminar on “Contemporary problems of Muslims in India” as chief guest. The seminar was held at Mughal Darbar Hall at Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, a Press release said.

Delhi rape case: Girl students hold protest in J-K

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Hundreds of girl students took out a protest march here against the rape of a 5-year-old girl in Delhi allegedly by her neighbour.

The protesters demand severe punishment for the accused.

Around five to six hundred students from various institutes of the area led by Poonch Youth Club president, Nishu Gupta, raised slogans against the Delhi Police and asked for justice to the victim.

They asked the government to dismiss Delhi Police Commissioner, Neeraj Gupta, and also demanded capital punishment for the rape convicts.

Arjun Kapoor likely do yet another film with YRF

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Actor Arjun Kapoor, who shot to fame with his performance in ‘Ishaqzaade’, is likely to team up with producer Aditya Chopra for yet another film. After essaying a rustic character in Yash Raj Films’ ‘Ishaqzaade’, the young lad of B-town is playing a double role in his upcoming film ‘Aurangzeb’. His third film with the YRF banner is `Gunday’, a romantic flick. All the three films of Arjun have been backed by Chopra. The ‘Aurangzeb’ trio – Arjun, director Atul Sabbarwal and Chopra – are likely to team up for a movie together.

Thane building collapse: Civic official arrested

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With the arrest of a Deputy Municipal Commissioner of Thane Municipal Corporation tonight, the number of arrests in connection with the building collapse in Mumbra area has gone up to 22.

DMC Srikant Sarmokdam, whose name was found in the diary of the builder (already arrested), was taken into custody, police said here.

Police had deferred arresting him because of a death in his family. Sarmokdam was due to retire soon, police added.

Seventy-four people died when a 7-story unauthorised building in Shil-Phata area near Mumbra in the district collapsed earlier this month.