Saturday, May 15, 2010

Daily Latest News

Daily Latest News

Brussels gay pride parade draws 35,000 participants

Posted: 15 May 2010 12:38 PM PDT

Brussels, May 16 (DPA) More than 35,000 people took part in a gay and lesbian pride parade in the Belgian capital Saturday.

Organisers said around 10,000 more people than last year took part in the event, dubbed Belgian Pride Parade and aimed at highlighting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and calling for more tolerance.

Numerous politicians, representing the Socialists, Greens and Liberals joined the colourful procession. Belgians are due to go to the polls June 13.

Belgium is considered one of the most liberal countries, with same-sex marriage being legal since 2003.

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13 killed in Pakistan drone attack

Posted: 15 May 2010 12:34 PM PDT

Islamabad, May 15 (IANS) At least 13 people were killed in a US drone attack in Pakistan’s northwestern tribal region Saturday, a media report said.

The attack in the Terah valley area of Khyber Agency also demolished three houses, Online news agency reported citing sources.

However, there was no official confirmation of the attack, the first in the area.

Paris Hilton kicks personal trainer

Posted: 15 May 2010 12:17 PM PDT

London, May 16 (IANS) Socialite heiress Paris Hilton landed in a tough spot when she accidentally kicked her personal trainer.

The 29-year-old, who was practicing kick-boxing in a park in Los Angeles, got so involved in her workout that she ended up kicking her fitness trainer in his private part, reported thesun.co.uk.

Victoria to put art collection on public display

Posted: 15 May 2010 12:08 PM PDT

London, May 16 (IANS) Footballer David Beckham and his wife Victoria have an art collection worth almost $44 million and are now planning to put it on public display.

The entire collection, bought over eight years, is love themed. It includes paintings, portraits and sculptures by Damien Hirst, Sam Taylor Wood, Tracey Emin, Banksy and Jake and Dinos Chapman, mirror.co.uk reported.

The works are currently gracing the Beckhams’ homes in London, Milan and Los Angeles and could now go on public display.

“Victoria is a mover and shaker in more upmarket circles nowadays and likes being a collector. She is even in talks with a museum to showcase some of their pieces – all of which are love tokens, presents David or Victoria gave to each other for birthdays, Christmas and special anniversaries,” said a source.

Absconding Delhi prisoner held in Goa

Posted: 15 May 2010 11:59 AM PDT

New Delhi, May 16 (IANS) A prisoner who escaped from the Tihar Jail here in February was apprehended in Goa, police said Saturday.

Sandeep Parmar had escaped from the jail using the bail papers of another accused in the same case. Parmar was undergoing trial for kidnapping a 28-year-old businessman in 2007. He was apprehended in Goa Friday.

Sandeep Singh, a co-accused in the same case, had applied for three days of interim bail which was granted by the court. However, the jail received the bail papers in the name of Sandeep Parmar, instead of Sandeep Singh, and he took the opportunity to escape.

“Information was received that Parmar was in Goa. A team was dispatched and he was arrested,” a police official said.

According to police, Parmar was working as a sales executive in a furniture showroom in Goa.

Three cheats posing as sleuths arrested

Posted: 15 May 2010 11:49 AM PDT

New Delhi, 15 May (IANS) Three men were arrested for duping people of cash and valuables by posing as Crime Branch officers, police said Saturday.

Pardeep, 28, Jogender, 20, and Santosh, 22, were arrested May 11.

“They used to target passengers at bus stops early in the morning. They first befriended them, then offered them a lift, then duped the passengers of their belongings,” a police official said.

“On March 27, Ravi Ranjan Kumar with his friend had taken a lift from the accused. After few kilometers, they told Kumar that they were from the Crime Branch and wanted to check their ATM cards and belongings in connection with a robbery,” police official said.

According to police, Kumar and his friend’s ATM cards and pin number were taken on pretext of checking. Later, they also took away Kumar and his friend’s mobile phones, watches and a laptop.

During the interrogation it was revealed that the gang had four-five members. Along with three accused, police has also arrested Uday, 24, who bought the items stolen by the accused.

According to police, no complaint was ever made against the gang because their victims were all from outside the city.

Crude bombs recovered in Chhattisgarh

Posted: 15 May 2010 11:48 AM PDT

Raipur, May 15 (IANS) At least nine crude bombs were recovered Saturday from a forested area in Chhattisgarh’s restive Bastar region, police said.

The bombs were recovered from Kanker district when a police team was on its way to Markanar village, about 220 km south of capital Raipur, an officer at the police headquarters told IANS.

On Friday, police had recovered nearly 50 kg of explosive material in Dantewada district and a 15-kg claymore mine in a pocket between Chintalnar and Mukram village where 76 security personnel were massacred by the Maoists April 6.

Five robbers arrested in Gurgaon

Posted: 15 May 2010 11:47 AM PDT

Gurgaon, May 15 (IANS) Five people allegedly involved in over 22 cases of robbery and theft have been arrested in Gurgaon, police said Saturday.

“They were involved in 22 cases of crime like robbery, theft and snatching,” Gurgaon police Commissioner S.S. Deswal said.

The accused were identified as Narender Singh, Satender Kumar, Vijender, Vijender Singh and Naurotan.

“All of them have criminal backgrounds. Vijender Singh is on bail in a rape case while Narender is on bail in a case of vehicle theft,” Deswal added.

The accused have confessed their involvement in 22 cases of robbery, vehicle theft and snatching, of which 17 took place in Gurgaon, police said.

“A .315 bore country made revolver, .32 bore country made pistol, two iron rods, one torch and a motorcycle have been recovered from them,” the officer said.

Haryana police bust inter-state robbers gang

Posted: 15 May 2010 11:33 AM PDT

Ambala, May 15 (IANS) Haryana Police Saturday said they had busted an inter-state gang of robbers with the arrest of three people. Five stolen cars have been recovered.

According to the police, the gang’s kingpin Arjun Lal was arrested in Punjab’s Patiala city, while the other two, Satish and Vishal, were arrested from Kurukshetra town in Haryana.

“This gang was involved in nearly 200 cases of thefts committed in various parts of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. We have recovered five stolen cars, three pistols, 40 rounds of bullets and many sharp-edged weapons from their possession,” Inspector General of Police (Ambala) K.K. Sindhu said.

Police also recovered many fake driving licenses and vehicle registration documents from their possession, he said, adding they hoped to make more recoveries and arrests after the trio’s interrogation.

Four car thieves held in West Bengal

Posted: 15 May 2010 11:30 AM PDT

Siliguri, May 15 (IANS) Four car thieves, including two Nepali nationals, have been arrested in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district, police said Saturday.

Police said some of the cars stolen by the gang were believed to have reached some militant groups who were now using them with false number plates.

In a Friday night swoop at the Uttaryan township near Siliguri, police arrested a husband-wife duo from Assam — Anand Karki Chhetri and Sarita Sharma.

Following their interrogation, two Nepali nationals, Roshan Thapa and Ram Kumar Chhetri, were picked up from the Bagdora area the same night.

A 9 mm pistol, 12 live cartridges, a Border Security Force (BSF) uniform, a scorpio car, forged car papers, and false identity cards of the BSF and the army were recovered from the four arrested.

“They used to wear BSF and army fatigues to avoid suspicion. They have earlier operated in Bhubaneswar in Orissa and Durgapur of the state,” Siliguri Additional Superintendent of Police Gourav Sharma told reporters.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (Darjeelign Range) N. Ramesh Babu said police were interrogating the four to find out whether they used to supply cars to militants.

Peter Andre wants Mel B to find him a girl

Posted: 15 May 2010 11:28 AM PDT

London, May 15 (IANS) Australian singer Peter Andre says he wants former Spice Girl and close friend Mel B to find him a girl.

“I read somewhere that Mel B is trying to set me up with all her single friends in Los Angeles. This is news to me, but Mel, if you’re reading this, give me a call!” femalefirst.co.uk quoted Andre as saying.

Andre admits being furious with ex-wife Katie Price after learning she is selling family photographs on the internet.

“As you may or may not have heard, my ex-wife took it upon herself to sell old family pictures of ours on eBay last week. I am dealing with this matter privately and don’t want to say too much, but I will admit that I wasn’t exactly delighted when I found out about it!”, he added.

I don’t have a style icon : Cheryl Cole

Posted: 15 May 2010 11:27 AM PDT

London, May 15 (IANS) Singer Cheryl Cole admits she doesn’t have a style icon and moreover insists one should have confidence in their own appearance.

“Who is my style icon? I can’t name anybody. I think now I’m 26, I know what stuff fits and what doesn’t, what stuff looks good and what to avoid. I know what suits me now,” contactmusic.com quoted Cheryl as saying.

“I think the most beautiful thing about a woman is when she’s just herself.”

However, Cheryl reveals she regularly discusses latest beauty trends with her “Girls Aloud” band mate Nicola Roberts.

“Nicola’s always got something in the pipeline. You can ring her and she’ll always have a new trick – her recent thing was shaving legs with oil,” she added.

CBI to probe evidence tampering by Himachal cop (Lead)

Posted: 15 May 2010 11:25 AM PDT

Shimla, May 15 (IANS) Taking cognizance of allegations of evidence tampering by a police officer in a woman’s suicide case, the Himachal Pradesh High Court Saturday asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a “fair and impartial” probe.

Pronouncing the order a division bench of Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Deepak Gupta transferred the case to the CBI while hearing two petitions – one of the victim’s father and the other of her maternal uncle.

As the case came up for hearing, the state counsel objected to a parallel media trial by the petitioners.

“Even the family members of the victim were not cooperating with the probe being conducted by the police,” he said.

Justice Joseph observed: “It would be more appropriate that the investigation be conducted by an outside agency – the CBI.”

He said the CBI shall not divulge any information to the media till completion of the investigation.

“The media trial certainly hampers the investigation, if not vitiates it,” he observed.

The victim’s family had alleged that a senior police officer had tampered with the evidence and was interfering with the investigations being carried out by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the state police.

~ Rest Continues Below ~

Ritu, 28, hanged herself from a ceiling fan at her residence in Shimla March 28. She reportedly committed suicide after her bid to marry Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pradeep Kumar Sarpal’s son Sidharth was rebuffed.

Sidharth, a sub-judge in Mandi district, and Ritu knew each other for 15 years, the victim’s relatives said.

As per the first information report, Sarpal, his son and some policemen entered Ritu’s house after her suicide and tried to tamper with the evidence. None of her relatives was present in the house then.

Subsequently, police booked Sarpal, his wife and son for abetment to suicide and tampering with evidence.

Sarpal has already proceeded on a long leave.

MCI dissolved, seven-member committee set up (Second Lead)

Posted: 15 May 2010 11:16 AM PDT

New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) Three weeks after Medical Council of India (MCI) president Ketan Desai was arrested on corruption charges, President Pratibha Patil Saturday signed an ordinance dissolving the statutory regulatory body and replacing it with a seven-member committee.

A seven-member panel will replace the MCI and serve for a period of one year, Health Secretary Sujatha Rao said.

According to health ministry sources, the board will be led by reputed gastroenterologist S.K. Sarin, currently professor of gastroenterology at the G.B.Pant Hospital in New Delhi.

Other members in the board include eminent cardiologist Devi Prasad Shetty, Ranjit Roy Chaudhury, Sita Nayak, R.N. Salhan, Gautam Sen and R.S. Talhan.

The cabinet had discussed the ordinance Thursday, which had then gone to the law ministry for consultations.

After the president’s assent, the health ministry will have to bring out a notification.

The government decided to bring the ordinance after a crisis hit the regulatory body when its president was arrested April 22 by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs.2 crore to recognise a medical college in Punjab though it did not meet MCI standards. Desai had given his resignation to the health ministry Wednesday.

The MCI, a statutory body tasked to oversee the standards of medical education in India, grants recognition to medical degrees, gives accreditation to medical colleges, registers medical practitioners and monitors medical practice in the country.

Sujatha Rao Friday said that the 1956 act which set up the body did not empower the government “which has to work within a certain legal framework”.

“The government should have power to give directions to the MCI for what it has to do. If they do something wrong, we can take action,” Rao told media persons.

“There is a crisis. Our inability to respond to it brought out the shortcomings in the Medical Council Act,” she said.

The health secretary had also said that a draft law to regulate medical education in the country would be ready within a month, but that an interim measure would also be taken – hinting towards the ordinance.

Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) meanwhile opposed the dissolution of Medical Council of India (MCI) terming it “highly dangerous for the standard of medical education in the country”.

“Centre’s decision to dissolve the Medical Council of India and replacing it with a panel is highly objectionable,” IMA president G.Samaram said in a press release.

Stating that the step may lead to politicisation of education in the country, he said the person in question should be punished instead of dissolving the body.

Opposition to GM crops forced government rethink: Scientist

Posted: 15 May 2010 11:09 AM PDT

Chandigarh, May 15 (IANS) Eminent scientist P.M. Bhargava Saturday said the majority of the people in the country are against genetically modified (GM) food crops and this forced the government to rethink its policy on such products.

“With a majority of people opposing the entry of GM foods, government of India was forced to stall the bill proposed to be introduced in parliament in this regard. They also had to rethink the policy on BT cotton in the country with increasing evidence coming in about it being unsustainable over a longer period,” Bhargava told reporters.

Bhargava, who is considered the architect of molecular biology and biotechnology in India, is running his campaign against GM products under the banner of MARCH (Medically Aware and Responsible Citizens of Hyderabad).

“In India, we do not have any good laboratory with facilities to test the GM food. At least Rs.300 crore is required to establish a state-of-the-art lab in the country. We also urge governments of Punjab and Haryana to not allow their farmers to cultivate GM crops,” stated Bhargava.

Meghalaya calls all-party meeting on crisis

Posted: 15 May 2010 11:01 AM PDT

Shillong, May 15 (IANS) Six NGOs Saturday called for a 24-hour Meghalaya shutdown May 18, even as Chief Minister Mukul Sangma called an all-party meeting May 17 to discuss the situation in the state after the police firing at the disputed Langpih village in which four people were killed.

“The chief Minister has called a cabinet meeting Monday which will be followed by an all-party meeting and subsequently a meeting with the NGOs to discuss Friday’s incident at Langpih,” Deputy Chief Minister Bindo M. Lanong, who is in-charge of law, told IANS.

Sangma said he has taken up the matter with union Home Minister P. Chidambaram and requested him to set up an independent inquiry into the firing incident. He also asked the home minister to post a neutral force in the area, which lies on Meghalaya-Assam border.

In the meantime, the Meghalaya and Assam police would conduct a joint patrol in the area.

State Director General of Police S.B. Kakati confirmed that four people were killed in the firing by the Assam Police.

“Four people are confirmed dead and we are yet to get the exact details about those injured in the incident,” Kakati told IANS.

State Home Minister H.D.R. Lyngdoh who rushed to the incident site announced ex-gratia payment of Rs.1 lakh for the next of kin of each of the victims.

“I also met Himanta Biswa Sarma (Assam minister) and expressed our concerns on the incident. I have ask him to institute an inquiry and bring those people involved in the firing to book,” Lyngdoh said.

On Friday, four people were killed and several others were injured in the firing by Assam Police personnel at Langpih village. The firing began after a clash between tribal Khasis and Garos with Nepali nationals at a weekly market.

Protesting the “unprovoked firing” by the Assam police personnel, the powerful Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) along with five social organisations called for 24-hour shutdown in the Khasi-Jaintia dominated areas in Eastern Meghalaya.

“The bandh will come into effect from 5 a.m. May 18 to 5 a.m. of May 19 in protest against the firing at Langpih on innocent tribal Khasi villagers,” KSU President Samuel B. Jyrwa told reporters.

Blaming the Meghalaya government for Friday’s incident, the social organisations which held a joint meeting at KSU office, threatened to intensify their agitation if the government fails to set up a police station at Langpih.

“Had the government set up a police station at Langpih this tragic incident would have not happened,” Jyrwa said, while demanding that the government should resolve all border disputes with Assam.

Meanwhile, the organisations will also write to the National Human Rights Commission and Union Ministry of Home Affairs on the gross violation of human rights committed by the Assam police.

“We will urge upon the NHRC to send a team to Langpih to probe into the unprovoked firing incident,” the KSU president said.

Langpih village, which is about 60 km from Guwahati in Assam and 140 km from Shillong, has been a bone of contention between Assam and Meghalaya.

In fact, the area often hit headlines after the Assam government laid the cornerstone for a health centre in July 2008.

In 1985, the two state governments entrusted former chief justice of India Y.V. Chandrachud to head a committee of experts on the constitutional aspects of the boundary demarcation between the two states.

Assam claims Langpih based on the recommendations of the Chandrachud Committee report. Meghalaya rejected the report.

A boundary committee headed by the chief secretaries of both states has also been formed to amicably resolve the issue.

Mizoram chief minister rejects minister’s resignation

Posted: 15 May 2010 11:00 AM PDT

Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla Saturday rejected the resignation of Education Minister Lalsawta and asked him to resume work from Monday.

Lalsawta quit May 11 owning moral responsibility for mistakes in the technical entrance tests for filling the state’s quota in technical institutions across the country.

“I have not accepted the resignation letter of education minister and asked him to resume office from Monday,” the chief minister told reporters.

“Officials of state higher and technical education department were responsible for the declaration of incorrect results and mistakes in marks evaluation and tabulation. We are now inquiring the matter before taking any action against the flawed officials,” he said.

The chief minister blamed the officials of “deliberately committing the mistakes to malign the government’s reputation as they were seemed to be loyal to the previous Mizo National Front (MNF) ministers”.

Online verification of tenants, domestics in Gurgaon

Posted: 15 May 2010 10:58 AM PDT

Gurgaon, May 15 (IANS) In a unique initiative, the Gurgoan police has enabled house owners to verify their tenants and domestic help online without going to a police station, an official said Saturday.

“The verification form will be available online and don’t need to come to the police station,” Gurgaon Police Commissioner S.S. Deswal said.

“The programme was started on a experimental basis on the public-private-partnership model. One company has approached Gurgaon police for preparing a data base of the floating population like tenants, domestic help and drives and the work has been entrusted to it as an experiment,” Deswal added.

One can apply for verification on the website – www.hamarisuraksha.com, after which a company official of the company would visit the house and upload the necessary data and scan fingerprints through a biometric device.

The data would be handed over to the police, who would get it verified from their counterparts in other states. For this facility, Rs.50 will be initially recovered per application. In the case of domestics, the charges will be paid by the house owner while tenant will themselves pay the charges.

The company is planning to set up 15 registeration centers and also to deploy 15 floating teams for house visits.

1984 anti-Sikh riots: Court reserves order on missing chargesheet

Posted: 15 May 2010 10:57 AM PDT

New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) A city court Saturday reserved its order on an application on a chargesheet prepared by the Delhi Police against Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case but which was never presented before a judicial officer.

Additional Sessions Judge V.K. Goyal said the order on whether directions could be issued to the police to file the chargesheet before a court would be passed May 21.

“The chargesheet was prepared in the case based on FIR number 67/87 in police station Nangloi, naming Sajjan Kumar as accused on April 8, 1992, but it was dumped in the police file and never brought before the court,” special public prosecutor B.S. Joon had submitted before the court.

The FIR was clubbed with another riots case in which the trial was going on before the court, he had said.

During the arguments, senior counsel H.S. Phoolka, appearing for the riot victims, submitted the chargesheet should be filed before the court concerned and summons be issued against the accused to face trial.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajiv Ranjan, who appeared before the court to give an explanation on the matter, said the two cases relating to the incidents were clubbed on the legal opinion provided by the prosecution branch.

Prosecutor Joon said the police were not empowered to club cases and it was the sole prerogative of the court to decide such issues.

The prosecution had sought details of the two riots cases registered at Nangloi police station in 1987 and 1991.

The two cases were clubbed by the investigating officer and the name of the politician figured in one of the FIRs.

45 Taliban, 2 soldiers, 5 guards killed in Afghanistan

Posted: 15 May 2010 10:54 AM PDT

Kabul/Kunduz(Afghanistan), May 15 (DPA) Two Afghan soldiers, five private security guards and up to 45 Taliban insurgents have been killed in series of blasts and firefights in Afghanistan, officials said Saturday.

The two soldiers were killed and six others were injured in roadside bombings in southern provinces of Zabul, Uruzgan and Helmand Friday, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

Also in southern region, Taliban militants attacked a convoy of a private security firm in Ghazni province Friday, killing five security guards, according to the Interior Ministry. Three fuel

tankers were torched in the attack, the ministry said in a statement.

Afghan army personnel stationed in the province were deployed to the area and six insurgents were killed in the ensuing battle with the militants, an army statement said. It did not however confirm the death toll among the security guards.

Afghan and NATO troops launched an operation in the northern province of Baghlan Friday, Jawed Basharat, spokesman for the provincial police chief, said.

“Nine insurgents were killed and 11 others were injured during the operation,” he told DPA. One police officer and one soldier were injured in the clash in Dana Ghori district.

Taliban fighters and members of Hezbi Islami, another insurgent group fighting the government and NATO forces, operate in the province.

Tribal elder Abdul Matin, from Ahmadzai village, said that one civilian was killed and three were wounded.

Matin said it was not possible to evacuate the wounded to hospital because the fighting was still ongoing. But officials in the region denied that there were any civilian casualties.

In a separate incident in Baghlan province, US special forces killed five senior Taliban commanders, including their self-appointed governor, in a helicopter-led strike Friday night in

Baghlan-e-Markazi, an army commander said.

“Five Taliban commanders, including Maulawi Ruhollah, the Taliban’s governor for Baghlan province, were killed in the attack,” General Abdul Wakil Hesas, an army commander in the region told DPA.

Taliban militants are active in Baghlan and the neighbouring province of Kunduz. The militant group has appointed “shadow” governors and judicial officials in most of Afghanistan’s 34

provinces.

Taliban-led attacks in the two provinces have increased in recent months, prompting countermeasures by NATO-led troops operating there.

In the eastern province of Nangahar, Afghan soldiers backed by NATO troops killed eight suspected Taliban militants in a clash Friday, according to the Defence Ministry.

The clash happened in Surkh Rod district, where nine civilians were killed in a NATO-led operation Thursday.

Seven other militants were killed Friday in clashes in northern Baghlan, eastern Logar, and southern Kandahar provinces.

The previous night, Afghan and NATO forces killed 10 suspected Taliban militants and detained a rebel commander in Sangin, a district in the southern province of Helmand, Daud Ahmadi, spokesman

for the provincial governor said.

Officials said there were no casualties among the combined forces in the operation.
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