Monday, May 17, 2010

Daily Latest News

Daily Latest News

Lindsay Lohan involved in club fight

Posted: 17 May 2010 12:35 PM PDT

London, May 18 (IANS) Actress-singer Lindsay Lohan reportedly got involved in a heated argument in a nightclub with an ice hockey player.

The 23-year-old star reportedly threw her drink over Aaron Voros’s model girlfriend Jessica Stam and claimed that Aaron was her ex-boyfriend.

“Lindsay threw a fit because she wanted to be at their table near the DJ. But she claimed she didn’t want to sit with Aaron and said, ‘He’s my ex-boyfriend. I don’t want him anywhere near me,’” contactmusic.com quoted a source as saying.

“A drink then flew in Jessica’s face, and Lindsay demanded their table be moved out. Club bosses refused and tried to calm her down. Stam, Voros and Avery were shocked but didn’t retaliate, and Lindsay left shortly afterwards,” added the source.

However, Aaron has since denied even knowing the ac

Enter your email address:

Heavy use of mobile phones can cause cancer

Posted: 17 May 2010 12:05 PM PDT

London, May 18 (IANS) Just half an hour a day on your mobile phone can increase the risk of brain cancer by a third, according to a report.

The interphone report, which has been largely funded by the mobile phone industry, was based on interviews in 13 countries over 10 years with 5,000 brain cancer victims or a friend or relative of those who had died or were too ill to be quizzed, reports express.co.uk.

It also found out that the heaviest user category were in greater danger of developing malignant glioma tumours, which account for half of all brain tumours in the Britain.

“It's time for the government to put warnings on mobile phone packaging and to issue cautions over children, similar to those in other countries,” said Grahame Blackwell, a spokesman for health charity WiredChild.

“Parents just don't realise the dangers, which go beyond brain tumours, and the government needs to inform them because the manufacturers certainly won't,” he added.

Jessica Beil takes military training for new film

Posted: 17 May 2010 11:52 AM PDT

Los Angeles, May 18 (IANS) Hollywood actress Jessica Beil is said to have taken military training for her role in new film “A-Team”.

She plays Army specialist Lt. Charisa Sosa, ex-paramour of the Team’s dashing rogue, Templeton “Faceman” Peck played by Bradley Cooper.

The 28-year-old star has been training an M4 semi-automatic assault rifle, a machine gun and a Beretta 9-millimeter, reports The Los Angeles Times.

It is said that the actress had a hard time playing the physically straining role that required her to carry machine gun and shoot the magazines.

Grant understands me better than anyone else: Hurley

Posted: 17 May 2010 11:52 AM PDT

London, May 18 (IANS) Actress Liz Hurley admits that her ex-boyfriend Hugh Grant still understands her better than anyone else.

The 44-year-old actress, who married Indian entrepreneur Arun Nayyar in 2007, met Grant in 1987 when they were both struggling actors. However, after 13 years of relationship, the couple announced amicable split in 2000.

“My overall best friend is Hugh. My “current affairs” best friend is Arun, because we speak to each other all day, every day” said Hurley.

“My sister Katie is my loyal best friend. But there is a part of my life neither Arun nor Katie understand; a career part and a different emotional level where Hugh is still my number one. We’ve been best friends for 24 years and that’s not nothing,” she said.

She also reveals that Grant is an excellent godfather to her son Damian, with US businessman Steve Bing and has now become a part of family, reports dailymail.co.uk.

“He’s a part of our family – we all go on holiday together and Arun and Hugh get on incredibly well. We’re all grown up, and if I wanted to be with Hugh, we would be together,” she added.

Film fest celebrating Indo-China relations begins

Posted: 17 May 2010 11:27 AM PDT

New Delhi, May 17 (IANS) A six-day Chinese Film Festival marking the diamond jubilee celebrations of the bilateral relations between India and China began in the capital Monday night.

“The Chinese Film Festival is a very special to us as it celebrates the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries,” said Anurag Misra, director of the Directorate of Film Festivals.

“The films cover contemporary themes from China and after Delhi, the festival will go to Kolkata and Pune. In all nine films from China will be screened,” he added.

The gala that will be held till May 22 here, commenced with the screening of 2010 Chinese movie “Confucius”. A biography on the Chinese thinker and social philosopher, it stars internationally renowned Chinese star Chow Yun-Fat and actress Zhou Xun. It has been directed by Hu Mei.

Other movies to be screened at the fest include Jackie Chan starrer “Looking for Jackie”, “You and Me”, “The Law of Romance”, “Huayao Bride in Shangri-La”, “The Road Home”, “One Hundred Yuan”, “Together” and “Fit Lover”.

The festival will be held in Kolkata and Pune subsequently from May 28-June 16.

A three-city, similar film fest that showcases Indian films is also being held in China.

The gala was presented by the Directorate of Film Festivals, China State Administration of Radio, Film and Television and the Chinese embassy in India.

~ Rest Continues Below ~

Also present at the event were V.B. Pyarelal, joint secretary (Films) in the information & broadcasting ministry and Chen Wang Xia, wife of the Chinese ambassador.

Antonio Banderas to judge UNDP photo contest

Posted: 17 May 2010 11:25 AM PDT

Johannesburg, May 17 (IANS) Hollywood actor Antonio Banderas has been roped in to judge a photo exhibition launched by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to be held during Millennium Development Goals Summit in September in New York.

The contest, titled “Picture This: We Can End Poverty”, seeks to show the inspirational work that is being done in many countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Banderas, who is UNDP Goodwill Ambassador, will choose the winning photos along with other four judges, who are professional photo journalists.

“We are at a defining moment in the fight against poverty. The challenges of achieving the MDGs cannot be overcome by a single person, organisation or government. All sectors of society need to be mobilised in a call to action for the big push to 2015,” Banderas said in a statement.

“This photo contest is the type of initiative that will bring all these different groups together in order to focus attention on the urgency of achieving the MDGs,” he added.

Supreme Court comes to help of same-gotra couple

Posted: 17 May 2010 11:21 AM PDT

New Delhi, May 17 (IANS) Coming to the aid of a Haryana couple belonging to the same gotra, or sub-caste, who married defying family norms, the Supreme Court Monday stayed the trial proceedings against the man and also issued a notice to the Haryana government.

The apex court stayed the trial proceedings against Parveen Kumar who moved the court seeking transfer of his trial to Delhi.

Parveen Kumar earned the wrath of his father-in-law, Ramesh Chand, for marrying Meenakshi as both belong to the same gotra and Parveen’s mother and that of his wife are cousins. Parveen married Meenakshi May 25, 2009, at an Arya Samaj temple in Yamuna Bazar in Delhi. The marriage was registered at Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh.

In the case filed against Parveen Kumar, he is accused of illegally going to Australia along with his wife Meenakshi and engaging in illegal immigration. The proceedings of the case is currently before the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kurukshetra, in Haryana.

The apex court bench of Justice Altmas Kabir and Justice Cyriac Joseph also issued notice to Haryana government on the plea by the petitioner that the proceedings be transferred to Delhi as he feared threat to his life and of his wife and other family members. The petitioner said he feared that he will not get justice in Haryana.

Some time after their marriage, Meenakshi went to Australia followed by Parveen. One Parvinder Kaur got a case registered against the petitioner for engaging in illegal immigration and the matter is proceeding in the Kurukshetra court. Praveen has alleged that Parvinder Kaur is a close acquaintance of his father-in-law.

Besides this, two other criminal cases were registered against the petitioner and his family members involving charges of committing criminal breach of trust, cheating and engaging in criminal intimidation.

On Feb 2, 2010, Parveen’s father-in-law Ramesh Chand had moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking cancellation of Parveen’s bail.

Costa Rican environmentalist to head UN climate panel

Posted: 17 May 2010 11:01 AM PDT

New York, May 17 (DPA) Costa Rica’s top environmentalist Christiana Figueres was appointed Monday to head the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Figueres will replace Yvo de Boer July 1, taking over a body troubled by its failure to win an international agreement in Copenhagen last December. The agreement is still needed as a successor to the Kyoto Protocol before its expiration in 2012.

Figueres was appointed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. She was a runner-up for the post along with South Africa’s minister of tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk.

“Miss Figueres is an international leader on strategies to address global climate change and brings to this position a passion for the issue, deep knowledge of the stakeholders and valuable hands-on experience for the public and private sector,” UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said.

Figueres led her country’s efforts in combatting climate change since since 1995. Her father, Jose Figueres Ferrer, was president of Costa Rica three times.

The Bonn-based UNFCCC is responsible for the debate and action on global fight against global warming. One of its major goals is obtain a new agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which sets targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming.

Iran-Turkey deal ‘positive’ but falls short: US

Posted: 17 May 2010 10:50 AM PDT

Washington, May 17 (DPA) Iran’s latest agreement to ship its enriched uranium to Turkey is a “positive step”, but falls short of meeting international demands regarding its nuclear activities, the White House said Monday.

Spokesman Robert Gibbs said the deal, brokered by Brazil and Turkey, does not require Iran to halt its own uranium enrichment programme – a key demand of the international community and previous UN Security Council resolutions.

The United States and other countries will continue to pursue sanctions on Iran if it did not comply with international demands, Gibbs said, while questioning Iran’s past record of not living up its obligations.

“Given Iran’s repeated failure to live up to its own commitments, and the need to address fundamental issues related to Iran’s nuclear programme, the United States and international community continue to have serious concerns,” Gibbs said.

“The United States will continue to work with our international partners … to make it clear to the Iranian government that it must demonstrate through deeds ­ and not simply words ­ its willingness to live up to international obligations or face consequences, including sanctions,” Gibbs said.

The leaders of Brazil and Turkey signed the accord with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in an effort to prevent the sanctions sought by the United States as well as Britain, France and Germany.

The United States has also received support for sanctions from China and Russia, two countries with veto authority on the Security Council who have previously been reluctant to impose strong sanctions.

Under the deal, Iran would ship most of its stockpile of low-enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for medium-enriched uranium for a medical research reactor in Tehran.

Neither type of the uranium is weapons grade, but the United States and other countries worry Iran will continue enriching at concentration levels that could eventually lead to a nuclear weapons capability.

Gibbs said the agreement must be clearly explained to the international community and the UN nuclear monitoring body known as the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, before it can be considered.

“Iran must take the steps necessary to assure the international community that its nuclear programme is intended exclusively for peaceful purposes, including by complying with UN Security Council resolutions and cooperating fully with the IAEA,” Gibbs said.

Simon Cowell to get Knighthood

Posted: 17 May 2010 10:49 AM PDT

London, May 17 (IANS) Music mogul Simon Cowell will reportedly be honoured with knighthood by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth next month.

According to sources, former prime minister Gordon Brown had recommended Cowell for his charity work, in particular his efforts with the chart-topping single “Everybody Hurts”, which raised money to help victims of the Haiti earthquake, reports contactmusic.com.

“Gordon Brown was very keen for Simon to get proper recognition for his work,” said a source.

“He was particularly impressed by the way Simon responded to his suggestion to release the record for Haiti by dropping everything to ensure it was a success.

“And there’s no doubt Simon has brought as great deal of happiness to millions of people with his music and TV shows.

Cowell’s friends also believe he “deserves” the honour.

“It would be an absolutely huge achievement and a wonderful tribute to all he’s achieved professionally. Simon deserves the honour because he does so much work behind the scenes for charity and publicly supports good causes,” said an insider.

Peace in south Asia hinges on Kashmir issue: Pakistan

Posted: 17 May 2010 10:46 AM PDT

Islamabad, May 17 (IANS) Establishment of peace and development in south Asia is hinged on the resolution of Kashmir issue, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Monday.

“The Kashmir dispute would continue to remain relevant to the world due to its strategic importance, for it is on the resolution of this intractable dispute that the peace and development of the entire South Asian region hinges,” Gilani said during his meeting with Pakistan-administered Kashmir’s Prime Minister Raja Muhammad Farooq Haider.

Gilani said the resolution of Kashmir issue as per the wishes of the Kashmiri people could help establish peace and economic prosperity in the region, according to Online news agency.

He said Pakistan will continue extending its political, moral and diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir, and added that the whole nation is united on this issue.

The prime minister was briefed on the progress of ongoing development activities in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Haider appreciated Gilani for his endeavours in raising the issue of Kashmir at every forum and thanked the government and people of Pakistan for their support towards their Kashmiri brethren.

Rethink of anti-Maoist strategy needed: Raman Singh

Posted: 17 May 2010 10:45 AM PDT

Raipur, May 17 (IANS) Under immense pressure over his anti-Maoist policy, especially after the latest attack by the rebels killing 35 people in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said Monday that a “rethink of the Maoist strategy is needed”.

“Strategy rethink is now needed. I will discuss the issue very soon with the central government in New Delhi,” a visibly upset Raman Singh told mediamen in capital Raipur. He said the massive landmine blast had claimed some 35 lives of special police officers (SPOs) and local people. It is the first ever attack on a passenger bus in Bastar region.

The chief minister said that about 55 people were on the bus, including a few people on the rooftop, when it was blown up by a massive blast on the Dantewada-Sukma state highway.

The blast ripped through the front portion of the bus and the vehicle was tossed up to 20 feet in air. The explosion left a 10 feet crater and the body parts of the killed were strewn all around.

“It’s a move to demoralise the police and paramilitary personnel and terrorise civilians, even the women and child were not spared,” Singh said, adding that some 20-25 SPOs were travelling in the bus.

“Police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have rushed to the site for a rescue operation,” Singh said. He is ruling the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government since December 2003.

To a query about the rising public demand for allowing the army to take over the anti-rebel operation in Bastar, he said, “The demand for handing over Bastar to the army is an issue that Raman Singh can’t decide on his own.”

The opposition Congress Monday questioned the Maoist policy of the BJP government and said the state should be brought under president’s rule urgently to restore faith among civilians.

“People are highly terrorised. Maoists have virtually taken control of the state mainly of the vast Bastar. The situation has gone out of the BJP government’s hands and the state should be placed under President’s Rule,” said Congress leader Ravindra Chubey, who is also leader of the opposition.

Delhi Police head constable commits suicide

Posted: 17 May 2010 10:42 AM PDT

New Delhi, May 17 (IANS) A 45-year-old head constable of Delhi Police allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree in north Delhi early Monday, police said.

“Subhash Chandran was found hanging from a tree near his barrack in Civil Lines by a colleague around 11 a.m.,” a police official said.

Chandran was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him dead.

According to police, a suicide note was recovered, in which Chandran said that he was committing suicide of his own will.

“Family problems might be behind his (Chandran) taking the extreme step,” the police official said.

Chandran, who hailed from Kerala, joined Delhi Police in 1982. He was posted at the Police Control Room (PCR) communication cell in the central zone.

Chandran is survived by his wife and two children. They stay in Kerala.

Maoists blast civilian bus in Chhattisgarh, 35 dead

Posted: 17 May 2010 10:41 AM PDT

Raipur/New Delhi, May 17 (IANS) At least 35 special police officers (SPOs) and civilians were killed when Maoist rebels detonated a landmine targeting a bus in which they were travelling in a forested stretch in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district, the same region where they slaughtered 76 security personnel over a month ago.

The second deadliest attack in the state’s Bastar region where Leftist rebels virtually run a parallel government was widely condemned, with Home Minister P. Chidambaram calling for a need to revisit India’s counter-insurgency policy — to make it more proactive.

The impact of the blast was so strong that the bus was tossed about 20 feet in the air and toppled, killing most of its around 55 occupants. The Maoists detonated the lethal improvised explosive device when the bus was on a highway linking Dantewada and Sukma town, about 450 km south of state capital Raipur.

SPOs are recruited from the local population to assist the police and paramilitary forces in their anti-insurgency operations.

The first locals and policemen who rushed to the site told IANS on telephone that the deafening blast created a 10-foot crater around which bloodied and mangled bodies were scattered.

Many damaged automatic weapons, obviously carried by the policemen, also lay beside the bodies, which were later carried away by police personnel in battle fatigues.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said 35 people, including women and children, were killed in the attack. The number of SPOs killed is not known. The bus had 20-25 special police officers (SPOs).

At least 14 SPOs and a civilian woman were injured.

“The bus has been completely destroyed. It is difficult to make out even its shape,” one of the locals told IANS. “We can see 20 to 30 bodies. They are lying all around the site.”

Raman Singh, who denounced the attack as “barbaric”, said he would discuss the security situation in his state with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

In Delhi, Chidambaram in a private TV channel interview condemned the guerrilla attack and stressed that the problem was allowed to “fester” over the last 10 years.

“We didn’t act early. We allowed it (Maoist problem) to fester for 10 years.”

He said he was “implementing the cabinet’s limited mandate” and hinted that the strategy to tackle the problem would be revisited. The home minister said he and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were on the same page about the issue.

“The prime minister has indicated that he will call the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security soon,” he said.

Leaders across the political spectrum, including Communists, unequivocally condemned the attack, the worst blamed on the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) since 76 security personnel were slaughtered, also in Dantewada district, April 6.

“There is need for strong, firm action as it affects security and safety of the country. We cannot have islands where writ of government does not run,” opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman told IANS.

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Sitaram Yechury said: “We strongly condemn this attack. It shows the callous manner in which Maoists are taking innocent lives.”

Congress spokesman Manish Tewari said the government will take stern measures to tackle Maoists and defeat them. “These acts prove that they are desperate and are absolutely inhuman and barbaric. Attacks like these will only encourage the government to take stern action against them and defeat them.”

The latest attack prompted a meeting between the prime minister and Home Minister P. Chidambaram, who had offered to resign after the April 6 massacre.

The place where the attack took place is part of the sprawling Bastar region, which is heavily forested and populated mainly by tribals, who are the mainstay of the Maoist movement.

The CPI-Maoist, which has called for a two-day shutdown in five states starting Tuesday, has turned Bastar into its stronghold deploying hundreds of armed cadres.

Meghalaya seeks independent probe on Langpih firing

Posted: 17 May 2010 10:30 AM PDT

Shillong, May 14 (IANS) Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul M.Sangma Monday said he will lead an all-party delegation Tuesday to the disputed Langpih village at state’s border with Assam where four people where killed in police firing Friday, and also asked the central government to institute an independent inquiry into the incident.

“The cabinet has decided to urge the government of India to expedite an independent inquiry in a time bound manner by independent agencies such as CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) into the firing incident,” Sangma told reporters after chairing a marathon meeting over the firing incident with leaders of all parties leaders and NGOs.

He said the cabinet also asked the Assam government to take approprite action against those who opened fire and killed four Mizoram people.

Besides those killed, many were injured in the firing by Assam Police personnel at the disputed Langpih village on the Meghalaya-Assam border. The firing began after a clash between Nepalis and tribal Khasis and Garos at a weekly market.

The cabinet also ratified the government’s decision to post state police personnel at Langpih to instill confidence and provide a sense of security to the people living in the area.

“Our forces will continue to provide security at Langpih till a solution is found on the inter-state border dispute,” Sangma said.

The chief minister also announced an enhanced ex-gratia payment of Rs.3 lakh to the next of kin of those killed, and said the government will bear all medical expenditure of those people injured in the firing.

Langpih village, about 60 km from Guwahati in Assam and 140 km from Shillong, has been a bone of contention between Assam and Meghalaya. The area has often hit the headlines since the Assam government laid the cornerstone for a health centre in July 2008.

Assam claims Langpih based on the recommendations of the Y.V.Chandrachud committee report. Meghalaya has rejected the report.

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

44 percent disappointed with UPA first year, shows poll

Posted: 17 May 2010 10:30 AM PDT

New Delhi, May 17 (IANS) A large number of people feel that they are worse off at the end of the first year of the second United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, a NDTV opinion poll said.

The poll, which surveyed 34,277 persons around the country, said that 44 percent of the respondents felt that they were worse off, while 35 percent said that they were better off in the second tenure of the UPA.

This feeling of disappointment was spread across both Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) voters – which listed 41 percent and 49 percent respectively.

However, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has a high approval rating of 70 percent of respondents, who said they were satisfied with his performance.

At the same time, 63 percent of respondents consider Congress president Sonia Gandhi is more powerful than Prime Minister Singh.

A question was also asked on who would make a better Prime Minister, Rahul Gandhi or Manmohan Singh – 46 percent voted in favour of the younger leader. Similarly, 55 percent said that the next Indian prime minister is likely to be Rahul Gandhi.

Among the cabinet, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Home Minister P.Chidambaram had high approval ratings of 59 percent and 61 percent respectively.

Significantly, 62 percent said they were very much affected by the inflation.

An overwhelming 77 percent were in favour of reservation of one-third of seats in parliament for women, with most of them feeling that women make better leaders.

Though politicians continue to be the most pilloried, with respondents of the NDTV opinion poll saying that 90 percent of politicians are corrupt, 88 percent also felt the police force was corrupt.

People should come forward to change politics: Ajay Devgn

Posted: 17 May 2010 10:28 AM PDT

Lucknow, May 17 (IANS) Politics in India has become too dirty and people, particularly youth, must take initiatives to clean it, feels Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn.

“We keep on blaming politicians for making politics a dirty affair. It won’t solve any purpose. If politics has become dirty, we too are responsible for it because people like us choose corrupt politicians,” he said.

“If we really want to change the politics and give it new positive dimensions, people from the society should come forward and join politics that should be also be deemed as a profession,” said Devgn, who was in Lucknow Monday to promote his upcoming movie “Raajneeti” in which the actor plays the role of a politician.

Asked whether he had any plans to enter politics in future, Devgn replied, “Frankly speaking, I don’t know politics…so, there’s no question of joining it.”

Besides Devgn, other actors of the upcoming movie, including Manoj Bajpai, Katrina Kaif and director Prakash Jha, were also in Lucknow to promote the movie.

In response to a question, Katrina said, “Yes, it’s true I followed Priyanka Gandhi for my role, but believe me I had to observe the body language of several other politicians also for my role.”

“People ask me unlike my other movies, my role in ‘Raajneeti’ is not glamorous. But, I believe my character is extremely glamorous in the movie. I play the role of a girl, who is from a very rich family but has to deal with hardships of life,” she said.

Jha said the movie is high on entertainment and is “not a teaching or preaching film.”

About his role in the film, Bajpai said, “My role is very similar to Duryodhana from the Hindu epic Mahabharata.”

Japan ready to send mission to explore Venus

Posted: 17 May 2010 10:26 AM PDT

Tokyo, May 18 (IANS) Japan is all ready to launch Tuesday its new space mission which will study the climate and surface of Venus.

The new space vehicle, called Venus Climate Orbiter Akatsuki, will travel to Venus on a two-year mission to study its climate and surface. It has been placed on its launch pad at Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture Monday, Xinhua reported.

Akatsuki, which means “Dawn” in Japanese, is scheduled to lift off at 6:44 a.m. Tuesday, provided the weather is clear, said a spokesperson from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

“Once we can explain the structure of Venus, we will be able to better understand Earth,” Akatsuki’s project scientist Takeshi Imamura said in a statement.

“For example, we may discover the reasons that only Earth has been able to sustain oceans, and why only Earth is abundant in life,” he said.

Akatsuki is “the world’s first interplanetary probe that deserves to be called a meteorological satellite”, Imamura said.

The probe carries five instruments which will help observe clouds, the terrain whilst orbiting the planet from the distances of 300 km to 80,000 km.

The mission will be launched by a Japanese H-2A rocket and, according to JAXA, will be carrying a payload to carry out several smaller satellite experiments, including a solar sail to be powered by the sun’s radiation.

No organised gang behind missing children: Delhi Police

Posted: 17 May 2010 08:08 AM PDT

New Delhi, May 17 (IANS) Delhi Police Monday told the Delhi High Court that there is no organised gang, engaged in kidnapping children, operating in the capital.

“No organised gang in kidnapping children for any unlawful activity has so far come to notice in Delhi,” police said, in a compliance report filed in the court about the number of missing children still untraced.

The report also said till June 2009, a total of 920 children were still missing and most of the children left home on their own, citing social reasons.

“Some children lost their way, some left due to financial problems, some left due to extreme study pressure and some left for job,” it said.

The court will now hear the matter on July 20.

The court had last year taken up on its own the issue of missing children after taking note of media reports that 2,210 children had gone missing from the capital between June 2008 and January 2009.

“It is an alarming situation that in the last six months, more than 2,000 children have gone missing,” the bench had then observed.

The reports also alleged that the police showed an insensitive attitude towards the families of missing children who had to face demeaning remarks, abusive language and demand for money.

In April, the court had asked the Delhi Police to file a fresh report about the number of children still missing.

Maoists blow up bus in Chhattisgarh, 35 dead (Second Lead)

Posted: 17 May 2010 08:04 AM PDT

Raipur, May 17 (IANS) At least 35 special police officers (SPOs) and civilians were killed when Maoist guerrillas blew up a bus in a forested stretch in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district, the same region where they slaughtered 76 security personnel over a month ago.

The bus flew about 20 feet in the air and toppled, killing most of its about 55 occupants, when the Maoists detonated a lethal improvised explosive device on a metalled road linking Dantewada and Sukma towns, about 450 km south of state capital Raipur.

The first locals and policemen who rushed to the site told IANS on telephone that the deafening blast created a 10-feet crater around which bloodied and mangled bodies were scattered.

Many damaged automatic weapons, obviously carried by the SPOs, also lay besides the bodies, which were later carried away by sombre looking police personnel in battle fatigues.

While Chhattisgarh Special Director General of Police Vijay Raman told NDTV television channel that up to 50 people were killed, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh put the toll at 35 dead. Of this, he said, 20-25 were SPOs and the rest civilians including women and children.

The SPOs are drawn from the local community to take on the Maoists.

“The bus has been completely destroyed. It is difficult to make out even its shape,” one of the locals told IANS. “We can see 20 to 30 bodies. They are lying all around the site.”

Raman Singh, who denounced the attack as “barbaric”, said the front portion of the bus was ripped apart. He said he would discuss the security situation in his state with Manmohan Singh.

The driver of the bus was a civilian. The attack occurred after 4 p.m. when it was only nine kilometres from Sukma town.

In New Delhi, Home Secretary G.K. Pillai denounced the Maoists for targeting civilians.

“Today we have seen the wanton disregard for life. The Maoists have blown up a civilian bus, where the majority of the passengers were tribals and innocent civilians. It so happened we had 15-20 SPOs also on that bus,” he said.

“This is a new dimension. I can only say that the targeting of civilians shows the Maoists are desperate.”

It was the worst attack blamed on the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) since 76 security personnel were slaughtered, also in Dantewada district, April 6.

All but one person killed then were from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), whose men came under attack from three sides by Maoists who lay in ambush.

U.K. Bansal, Special Secretary for Internal Security in the central home ministry, underlined that passengers in the bus were “partly civilians and partly SPOs. It’s extremely unfortunate, a dastardly attack”.

The latest attack prompted a meeting between the prime minister and Home Minister P. Chidambaram, who had offered to resign after the April 6 massacre.

The place where the attack took place is part of the sprawling Bastar region, which is heavily forested and populated mainly by tribals, who are the mainstay of the Maoist movement.

The CPI-Maoist, which has called for a two-day shutdown in five states starting Tuesday, has turned Bastar into its stronghold deploying hundreds of armed cadres.
Posted by Suresh at 3:02 PM

0 comments:

Post a Comment