Chhattisgarh to hire choppers to fight Maoists
New Delhi : Worried about the escalating Maoist violence in Chhattisgarh, the ministry of home affairs Wednesday allowed state authorities to hire choppers to take on the rebels.
Muslim majority areas of Firozabad is neglected by local officials
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
Firozabad: Residents of Muslim majority areas of Firozabad are battling with diseases due to lack of sanitary conditions. Dr. Shoaib Iqbal of Ideal Welfare Society stated that residents are facing acute shortage of drinking water, and unhygienic environment is prevalent in the community. He alleged that local municipal officers are not paying any heed to them.
BSF trooper killed in Tripura ambush
Agartala : A Border Security Force (BSF) personnel was killed Wednesday in an ambush by tribal separatists in Tripura, officials said.
Pakistani journalists receive international backing
Islamabad : International media Wednesday threw their weight behind Pakistani journalists rallying against rigorous new curbs imposed by President Pervez Musharraf on coverage of the country's deepening political crisis.
Three accused in human smuggling racket denied bail
New Delhi : A Delhi court Wednesday dismissed bail pleas of three people held for their alleged roles in the human smuggling racket involving Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Babubhai Katara.
Two NATO soldiers killed in Afghanistan
Kabul : Two soldiers of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) were killed in southern Afghanistan Wednesday, an ISAF statement said.
Another Memon guard sentenced, gets life imprisonment
Mumbai : Another bodyguard of Tiger Memon, a prime accused in the 1993 serial bombings here, was Wednesday awarded life sentence on two counts for his role in the devastating terror attack and was also fined Rs.100,000.
Larijani: Iran-EU nuclear talks ‘more rational’
Tehran : Iran's top nuclear negotiator has termed talks with the European Union over the ongoing dispute with Western nations over Tehran's nuclear programme as having become "more rational".
Nearly 80 killed in northern Sri Lanka fighting
Colombo : Nearly 80 combatants from both Sri Lanka's government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels had been killed in last three days of fighting in the island's north, a government military spokesman said Wednesday.
Cocaine worth Rs.30 mn seized, three held
Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) : Three drug peddlers were arrested here for carrying fine quality cocaine valued at Rs.30 million in the international market, police said Wednesday.
Mexican on hunger strike in Kolkata jail
Kolkata : A Mexican tourist, arrested for threatening his co-passengers on board an Indian flight in March, has resorted to a hunger strike in a jail here, demanding his freedom.
Bihar minority schools to get 10+2 facility
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
Patna: Bihar Government has decided to introduce Pre University (10+2) education in minority schools of the state. This decision to this effect was taken on Monday in a meeting of Bihar School Examination Board, presided by the Secretary of Human Resource Development Dr Madan Mohan Jha.
Under this decision all High schools recognized as Minority schools and aided by the government will be given funds and help to start classes for 'plus 2' education. This decision will help 120 Schools.
Palestinians ask for postponement of Abbas-Olmert meeting: Israel
Jerusalem : A meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas scheduled for Thursday has been postponed at the Palestinians' request, Olmert's office said Wednesday.
Seven killed, 25 wounded in Baghdad twin blasts
Baghdad : Two car bombs simultaneously went off Wednesday in the Kadhimiyah neighbourhood in northern Baghdad, killing seven people and injuring 25, independent Voices of Iraq news agency reported citing a police source.
Exam fraud: MPs Deora, Jindal, Panda pass Class 10!
New Delhi : The names of three young MPs figure in the list of students who passed this year's Uttar Pradesh Class 10 examination, it has been revealed in a TV sting operation conducted to expose corruption in the state education board.
Charge Musharraf with treason: petition
Lahore : Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf should be charged with treason and the army's corps commanders should be barred from participating in political activities, a petition filed in the Lahore High Court contends.
UAE wants India to play bigger role in Gulf region
New Delhi : The United Arab Emirates Wednesday pushed for "an increased involvement" of India in issues affecting the Gulf countries to promote peace and stability in the region as the two countries held a meeting of their joint commission here.
Another Memon guard sentenced, gets life term
Mumbai : Another bodyguard of Tiger Memon, a prime accused in the 1993 serial bombings here, was Wednesday awarded life sentence on two counts for his role in the horrible terror attack.
NCHRO to Hold National Seminar on Fake Encounter Killings at Mumbai
Clampdown on Pakistani media challenged
Islamabad : An ordinance imposing sweeping curbs on the electronic media has been challenged in the Supreme Court, which has been urged to declare that the move violates the fundamental rights guaranteed in the constitution.
Electronic gate at Dubai airport
Dubai : Dubai Airport launched a new service which is the first of its kind in the region. This new electronic gate will serve 117 airline companies, which have flights from Dubai to more than 200 destinations.
Saudi Arabia deports 1,000 Indians for overstaying
Dubai : Saudi Arabia has deported nearly 1,000 Indians who overstayed after entering illegally by obtaining pilgrimage visas.
Gunmen kill Afghan woman journalist
Kabul : Unknown gunmen have killed a woman journalist in Parwan province of central Afghanistan, police said Wednesday.
‘Terrorists trying to acquire weapons of mass destruction’
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russia's antiterrorism committee has said it has evidence that terrorists are trying to gain access to weapons of mass destruction and to technology needed to produce them.
"The National Anti-Terrorism Committee is receiving information, including from our foreign partners, about terrorists' endeavours to obtain access to weapons of mass destruction and technologies for their production," Nikolai Patrushev, who heads the committee and the Federal Security Service, said Tuesday.
Nepal is the new base for ULFA guerrillas
Guwahati : Nepal is turning out to be the latest sanctuary for separatists of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) with the outfit forging links with Maoist guerrillas in the neighbouring country.
Indian mission in UAE sets up centres to assist workers
Dubai : The Indian mission here is making arrangements to set up special counters where Indians can submit documents related to their work permits.
Six indicted for plotting attacks on US military base
Washington : Six men arrested last month for allegedly plotting attacks on US military base of Fort Dix in New Jersey have been indicted.
Bomb targets train in Sri Lanka
Colombo : A claymore mine was set off against a moving train in eastern Sri Lanka Wednesday, police said.
U.T. Khader wins Ullal bye-poll
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
Mangalore : U.T. Khader of Congress Party has won the Ullal bye-election by defeating his nearest rival Chandrashekhar Uchil of Bharatiya Janata Party by 8,032 votes, media reports said here Tuesday.
Militant killed in encounter, boy dies in explosion
10 HUJI militants surrender before Kashmir CM
Man arrested from Amar Singh’s house an impostor: police
New Delhi : The man, arrested from Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh's residence for allegedly offering help in settling a court case against party president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, was an impostor, police said Tuesday.
Khaleda Zia sued for grenade attack on rally
Dhaka : Former Bangladeshi prime minister Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman were sued in a criminal court Tuesday for masterminding a brutal grenade attack on an open air opposition rally that left over 20 people dead nearly three years ago, officials said.
Afghanistan, Pakistan vow joint struggle against terrorism
Kabul : President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz vowed Tuesday to jointly fight cross-border terrorism amid escalating tensions between the two countries.
Pakistani journalists charged for violating rallies ban
Islamabad : Pakistani police have registered a case against over 200 journalists who had rallied in the capital city against restrictions on electronic media, a representative of a journalist body said Tuesday.
Quattrocchi case: CBI sends team to assist Argentine officials
New Delhi : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has sent a two-member team to Argentina to assist law officers in that country during arguments over the trial to extradite Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi to India for his alleged role in the Bofors gun payoff case.
Kidnapped Indians in Nigeria safe, early release likely
New Delhi : The government Tuesday said its high commission in Lagos was in touch with the Nigerian authorities for an early release of 12 Indians who were kidnapped in the African country over the past fortnight.
Patna murder accused had threatened to blow up PMO
New Delhi : Amit Kumar Singh, who was arrested Tuesday on charges of killing a person by throwing him from the eighth floor flat of a judge in Patna last month, had threatened to blow up the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and Tihar jail here, police said.
One killed in grenade explosion in north Kashmir
Srinagar : A 14-year-old son of a police officer was killed in a grenade explosion in north Kashmir Tuesday while in another incident, two civilians sustained serious injuries in a powerful car bomb explosion in south Kashmir.
Memon’s bodyguard jailed for Mumbai blasts; 68 so far convicted
Mumbai : The bodyguard of Tiger Memon, a prime accused in the 1993 serial bombings here, was Tuesday sentenced to 14 years' rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs.375,000 for his role in the terror attack.
Muslim Majlis urges Muslims to get united for political empowerment
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
Gorakhpur : Uttar Pradesh Muslim Majlis president and former State Minister Khan Muhammad Atif called upon the Muslims to come together on one platform in order to ensure political empowerment of the community.
Memon’s guard, four others sentenced for Mumbai blasts
Mumbai : The guard of Tiger Memon, who played a key role in the 1993 serial Mumbai blasts, was Tuesday sentenced to 14 years' rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs.375,000 for his role in the terror attack.
Police arrest man for murder at Patna judge’s home
New Delhi : Delhi Police Tuesday apprehended a man on charges of killing one by throwing him from the eighth floor flat of a judge in Patna last month.
Blasts, killings, blackout in Chhattisgarh
By Sujeet Kumar
IANSRaipur : A power blackout caused by Maoists in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh worsened Tuesday as they brought down three more high-tension power transmission towers overnight, officials said.
Israeli troops pull back from Gaza
Jerusalem : Israel Defence Forces (IDF) withdrew from southern Gaza Strip Tuesday after one-day searching operation of smuggling tunnels and arms stockpiles in Gaza.
Pakistani sells daughter to settle gambling debts
Islamabad : A Pakistani man from the city of Karachi sold his 13-year-old daughter to settle gambling debts and was planning the same fate for her twin sister, local media reported on Tuesday.
Pakistani provincial government spokesman killed
Islamabad : Provincial Information Director Syed Mehdi Hussain was heading to work Tuesday morning when unidentified gunmen opened fire at him in downtown Peshawar, capital of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP). Hussain died on the spot. No one has yet claimed responsibility for the killing.
Boat capsizes, over 20 Taliban dead
Kabul : A boat capsize in Helmand province of southern Afghanistan, left 20 to 30 Taliban insurgents dead, a defence spokesman said Tuesday.
Iraqi police kill female suicide bomber
Baghdad : The Iraqi police thwarted a suicide bomb attack Tuesday when they killed a woman trying to blow herself up among recruits in northern Baghdad, an interior ministry source said.
Olmert to meet Abbas in West Bank
Gaza : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will meet in the West Bank city of Jericho Thursday, an official at Abbas' office said Tuesday.
Four publicly executed in Pakistan for adultery
Islamabad : A woman and three men were publicly executed in north-west Pakistan after a tribal council found them "guilty of adultery", media reported Tuesday.
Talmiz Ahmad to be India’s next ambassador to UAE
New Delhi : Talmiz Ahmad, a senior diplomat and director-general of the Indian Council of World Affairs, is set to become India's next ambassador to the United Arab Emirates - home to over 1.4 million Indians.
Memon’s guard, four others get jail terms
Mumbai : The guard of a man who played a key role in the devastating 1993 Mumbai blasts was Tuesday sentenced to 14 years' rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs.375,000 for his role in the terror attack.
Countdown to Kashmir solution has begun: Hurriyat leader
New Delhi : A senior separatist leader of Jammu and Kashmir has predicted an early resolution to the Kashmir issue, saying "countdown has already begun".
Musharraf sees ‘positivity’ on Kashmir
Islamabad : Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said he sees "positivity" in both Pakistan and India towards resolution of the Kashmir dispute.
Three killed in Chhattisgarh blast
Raipur : Three workers of the Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board (CSEB) were Tuesday killed when a powerful landmine exploded in Bastar region where Maoist guerrillas are active, the police said.
Maoists blast three more power towers in Bastar
Raipur : The power crisis in Chhattisgarh's insurgency hit Bastar region worsened Tuesday as Maoists brought down three more high-tension power transmission towers during the past 24 hours, officials said.
Over 20 Taliban militants killed
Kabul : Afghan police and US-led coalition forces killed over 20 militants in Kandahar province of southern Afghanistan, a military statement said Tuesday.
Benazir plans to return before next elections
Dubai : Benazir Bhutto, former prime minister of chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party, hopes to return to Pakistan well before the next general elections which may take place at the end of this year.
UN chief flays killing of Red Cross workers in Sri Lanka
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the brutal killing of two workers of the Sri Lankan Red Cross after their abduction from Colombo and offered his condolences to their families.
Bhutan’s fledgling cinema influenced by Hollywood and Bollywood
By Syed Zarir Hussain
IANSThimphu : When Hollywood star Demi Moore was taking a snapshot of her own blow-up tucked at a ramshackle video parlour in Bhutan, nobody noticed her - locals passed her off as another white skinned tourist visiting the Himalayan kingdom.
Explosion hits Beirut, as Lebanese army battles Islamists
Beirut : An explosion rocked Beirut, wounding 10 people, as deadly clashes engulfed the Lebanese army and Muslim extremists in the southern and northern parts of the country.
Two Congress leaders killed in Assam
Guwahati : Two ruling Congress party leaders were killed and another kidnapped by tribal separatists in Assam during campaigning for council elections, officials said Tuesday.
JIH names Naib Ameers, Secretaries
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
New Delhi : Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umri, in due consultation with Central Advisory Council session held at Bangalore from May 26 to 31, nominated Naib Ameers, Secretaries and Assistant Secretaries, said a JIH statement here Monday.
Land for Bachchan: Mayawati orders action against officials
Lucknow : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati late Monday issued a directive for filing criminal cases against officials involved in alleged irregularities in government land allotment to Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan.
Congress leader in Kashmir wounded in militant attack
Srinagar : Separatist militants shot at and critically wounded a senior leader of the ruling Congress party in south Kashmir Monday night.
Police catch corrupt officials on camera, 20 suspended
Gurgaon : At least 20 Gurgaon police personnel were suspended after a sting operation carried out by their seniors caught them red-handed extorting money.
Court frames rape, murder charges against Koli
Ghaziabad : The designated Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court here Monday framed rape and murder charges against Surender Koli, domestic aide of Noida businessman Moninder Singh Pandher, in cases related to two of the 19 victims of demonic Nithari killings.
Musharraf boosts media regulator’s powers amid dissent
Islamabad : Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf Monday responded to growing concern about government censorship by according state media regulator sweeping new powers to act against television channels deemed to be in breach of codes of conduct.
US, British targets in Pakistan under terrorist threat
Islamabad : Security has been beefed up in the Pakistani capital after receiving warnings about possible terrorist attacks on US and British installations, the Interior Ministry said here Monday.
Pakistan judicial crisis not to affect talks with India
Islamabad : The peace process between Pakistan and India will not be affected by the judicial crisis in the country, Pakistan's foreign ministry said Monday.
Indian team searches for kin in Karachi jail
Karachi : A 14-member Indian delegation Monday visited the Karachi Central Jail in search of their relatives who went missing after the 1971 Pakistan-India war.
Bombing near Baghdad monastery kills two Iraqis
Baghdad : Two Iraqis were killed and 10 wounded in an explosion near a monastery in southern Baghdad Monday, Voices of Iraq news agency quoted local authorities as saying.
Six die as gun battles break out in Somali market
Mogadishu : A shootout in the Somali capital's main market Monday left at least six people killed and the same number wounded, a day after Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi escaped a suicide bomb attack.
Bangladeshis in Belgium celebrate Bangla New Year
Brussels : Over 1,000 Bangladeshis celebrated their new year here with traditional gaiety as Belgian politicians used the occasion to woo the community voters for the upcoming national elections.
Man nabbed for offering to help ‘fix’ Mulayam trial
New Delhi : Delhi Police Monday nabbed from Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh's residence a man who allegedly offered help in settling a court case against party president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Palestine needs a Gandhi to lead struggle: envoy
Amar Singh hands over extortionist to Delhi Police
US defence chief: Afghanistan fight “absolutely winnable”
Kabul : The campaign to defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan has made real progress and is "absolutely winnable," US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said during an unannounced visit to Kabul Monday.
Lebanese army on alert around southern camp
Ain al-Hilweh (Lebanon) : Lebanese troops were on full alert Monday around a Palestinian refugee camp in the south of the country, after overnight fighting raised fears that the army could face a second battlefront separate to the ongoing siege of Nahr al-Bared.
Indian native jailed over hoax terrorist threat
Singapore : A man of Indian origin was jailed for 44 months by a Singapore court Monday for making three hoax calls to the police claiming terrorists planned to crash an Air India plane.
Bail for Amarinder’s son challenged in Supreme Court
New Delhi : The Punjab government Monday moved the Supreme Court, challenging grant of anticipatory bail to former chief minister Amarinder Singh's son Raninder Singh, accused of receiving Rs.210 millions in kickbacks for facilitating allotment of land to a private builder in Ludhiana.
Extradition case against Quattrocchi to begin June 7
New Delhi : Extradition proceedings against Italian businessman and accused in the Bofors gun payoff case Ottavio Quattrocchi would start in an Argentinean court on June 7, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) told a Delhi court Monday.
Pakistan expects better relations with Afghanistan
Islamabad : Pakistan's Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao said Monday that his visit to Afghanistan was very successful and will pave the way for good relations between the two countries.
Missing top Sri Lankan academic may be dead, says family
By M.R. Narayan Swamy
IANSNew Delhi : A respected Sri Lankan academic who disappeared from Colombo six months ago and was believed to have been seized by a pro-government Tamil group has probably been killed, his distraught family said Monday.
Maoists arrest ace fraud protected by Nepal govt
Kathmandu : In a move that left Nepal's government red-faced, Maoist cadres have "arrested" a businessman wanted for one of the biggest frauds in the country who had been assiduously protected by top ministers and security officials.
Pakistani journalists to stage march over curbs on media
Islamabad : Pakistani journalists were due to hold a rally here Monday in protest against sweeping powers of state media regulators that have obstructed television coverage of the country's three-month-old judicial crisis.
UAE gets tough on illegal foreign workers
Dubai : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government has given three months to all expatriate workers and their employers to adjust to new labour laws or face heavy penalties.
Four infiltrators killed in Kashmir
Jammu : The Indian Army Monday gunned down at least four militants near the Line of Control (LoC) when they sneaked into Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistani Kashmir.
A group of six to eight militants was challenged near Tarkundi sector of LoC, about 180 km north of here, a military spokesman said here. The militants opened fire, and the soldiers retaliated.
Civilian killed, 2 injured in Poonch blast
Grenade attack leaves 2 women among 8 civilians injured
Five civilians wounded in blast
Srinagar : Five pedestrians were wounded in a powerful grenade explosion here Monday.
IUML demands CBI probe into all encounters, custodial deaths
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
Belgaum (Karnataka) : Â Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has urged the Government of India to set up a high level Judicial Commission by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), to probe into all police encounters and custodial deaths and to suggest measures to prevent police atrocities and extra-judicial killings.
Indian boy killed in Bahrain
Dubai : A seven-year-old Indian boy was crushed to death by a Bahraini man who was reversing his car at high speed.
Protest in Gaza over threat to women journalists
Gaza : About 60 people demonstrated in front of the Palestinian parliament building in Gaza City, protesting a recent threat to women journalists by a radical Islamic group.
Kashmir plans 500,000 jobs in five years
By Sarwar Kashani
IANSSrinagar : With relentless violence since 1989 shattering its economy, Jammu and Kashmir has now set out an ambitious plan of creating about 500,000 jobs during the next five years.
‘West can cry but no change in Iranian nuclear policy’
Tehran : The West can "cry its heart out," but there will be no change in Iran's nuclear research programme, said Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Two militants killed in Kashmir gunfight
Srinagar : Two separatist militants of the Al-Badr outfit including its chief coordinator were gunned down by troops of the elite anti-insurgency Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and police at a south Kashmir village Sunday.
Four Assam policemen killed in rebel ambush
Guwahati : At least four policemen were killed and two others seriously wounded Sunday in an ambush by tribal separatists in Assam, officials said.
Heat wave kills 26 in Bangladesh
Dhaka : A heat wave has pushed temperatures to a record high across Bangladesh, leaving at least 26 people dead in the past week, officials said Sunday.
Opium worth Rs.40 mn seized in Jharkhand, four held
Ranchi : Jharkhand police Sunday seized opium worth Rs.40 million from Hazaribagh district and arrested four people in this connection.
Six American soldiers killed in Iraq
Baghdad : Six US soldiers were killed in insurgent attacks across Iraq, military said Sunday.
Abbas, Olmert to meet soon
Gaza : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert would meet soon to discuss the idea of resuming the stalled Middle East peace process, Chief Negotiator, Saeb Erekat, said Sunday.
Muslim party, Shiv Sena coalition to rule the civic body
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
Malegaon : Indian Muslim Congress Party or the Third Front, which emerged as the single largest party in civic polls with 26 seats in 72-member house, is all set to join hands with Shiv Sena in order to form a coalition on common grounds of development and progress. Interestingly, it is Shiv Sena and not the so-called secular Congress and Janata Dal (S) that offered to extend its support to this entirely new party led by the Imam of Jama Masjid and head of Jamia Islamia Madrasa.
Ten poachers arrested in Orissa
Kendrapada (Orissa) : At least ten snake charmers, including two women, were arrested Sunday by police in Orissa on charges of killing animals and reptiles in the state's world famous Bhitarkanika sanctuary.
A Muslim clergy to rule Malegaon with Shiv Sena support?
Malegaon (Maharashtra) : Intense political maneuverings are underway here to forge a ruling combination to run the Malegaon Municipal Corporation a week after the civic elections threw up a hung house last Monday.
Israel will continue military operations in Gaza: Olmert
Jerusalem : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert vowed Sunday morning to continue a military offensive against the Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip responsible for firing of rockets towards Israel.
Ajmer Dargah administration helps stranded pilgrims
Ajmer : Thousands of pilgrims stranded at Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti's Dargah here due to statewide violent protests by Gujjars are surviving on the free food and shelter being provided by the Dargah administration.
Sri Lankan troops, Tamil rebels trade heavy artillery fire
Colombo : Government troops shelled rebel-controlled areas in northern Sri Lanka overnight after coming under heavy artillery fire that killed at least one soldier and injured eight others, military sources said Sunday.
Fighting resumes at Lebanese camp
10 killed in northeast Baghdad car bombing
Baghdad : At least 10 people were killed when a car bomb struck a police patrol in Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad Sunday, a provincial police source said.
Roadside bomb kills five in Pakistan
Islamabad : Five people including a tribal chief, a government official, a policeman and a journalist were killed by a roadside bomb in northwest Pakistan, news reports said Sunday.
Israeli forces kill Fatah militant
Ramallah : A Palestinian militant, affiliated with President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement, was killed Sunday morning during clashes with Israeli forces in West Bank town of Jenin.
Watch out – bouncers on the prowl in Bhutan discos
By Syed Zarir Hussain
IANSThimphu : Feel free to swing to the music at the chic discotheques in this usually conservative Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. But caution please - don't try to take liberties, smoke a cigarette, or pop a dance pill for a kick.
NATO soldier, civilian interpreter killed in Afghanistan
Kabul : A soldier of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and an ISAF civilian interpreter were killed in eastern Afghanistan, an ISAF statement said Sunday.
Heritage and history sparkle at Kashmir golf course
By F. Ahmed
IANSSrinagar : A small groove of cork trees inside the 18-hole Royal Springs Golf Course is among the vestiges of the autocratic Dogra rule. These trees are now part of the state's rich heritage.
Bangladesh to re-commission navy frigate after five years
Dhaka : Bangladesh is to re-commission a frigate it purchased from South Korea for $83 million but removed from its fleet five years ago after a government change and charges of corruption.
Tahir Mahmood takes over as member Law Commission
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
New Delhi : Professor Syed Tahir Mahmood, a renowned legal expert and former chairman of National Minorities Commission, was appointed member of the Law Commission of India. He took over as a "full-time Member" of the Commission Friday.
For the best bargains, try Delhi’s weekly markets
By Azera Rahman
IANSNew Delhi : If you are looking for some splendid bargains and are game for some colourful chaos, look no further than the markets that magically spring up by the roadside once a week in many Delhi neighbourhoods.
Fuel-line bomb plot at JFK airport defused
Washington : A Guyana native and three other men were charged Saturday in a plot to blow up New York's busy JFK Airport using fuel lines that could have exploded throughout the airport and surrounding Queens neighbourhood, justice officials said.
Salem sent to seven-day police custody
New Delhi : A city court Saturday remanded extradited mobster Abu Salem to seven-day police custody on the charge of threatening a Delhi-based businessman and demanding Rs.50 million from him.
Afghan national arrested at Delhi airport, heroin seized
New Delhi : An Afghan national was arrested at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national capital for allegedly trying to smuggle four kg of heroin, valued at Rs.40 million in international market, an official said.
Indian families find no PoW in Lahore jail
Islamabad : The families of Indian Prisoners of War (PoW), in Pakistan to seek details about their missing relatives, visited the central jail in Lahore but did not find any prisoner, jail officials said.
Undertrials clash with police in Bengal jail
Kolkata : A group of undertrials led by a Maoist leader and a Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) militant clashed with police at a prison in West Bengal Saturday over poor facilities in the jail.
Resolution of Kashmir issue essential: Pakistani opposition leader
Shimla : Pakistan's Leader of Opposition Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman said here Saturday resolution of the Kashmir issue is central to normalisation of relations between India and Pakistan.
Pakistan’s suspended judge leads rally despite ban
Islamabad : Hundreds of people in Pakistan Saturday defied government orders prohibiting assembly of more than five people to welcome suspended Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry.
PDP warns central government against delay in troop reduction
Jammu : The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a partner in the ruling coalition in Jammu and Kashmir, Saturday warned the central government of negative consequences if there is any delay in the reduction of troops from the state.
Four arrested for damaging mangrove saplings in Orissa
Kendrapada (Orissa) : Forest officials in Orissa Saturday arrested four people for damaging and uprooting mangrove saplings in the state's coastal district of Kendrapada.
Hasina fears she could be the ‘next target’
Dhaka : Under pressure from the government that has detained some of her close aides without citing reasons, former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina fears that she could be the next target.
60 Taliban drown, relatives of police commander killed
Kabul : Sixty suspected Taliban fighters drowned after they broke a siege and tried to cross a river in southern Afghanistan, while five family members of a police officer were killed by insurgents in an attack in the same region, officials said Saturday.
Prisoners ‘packed like sardines’ in Bangladesh jails
Dhaka : VIPs including former ministers and lawmakers are among a record 86,000 detenues "packed like sardines" in Bangladesh's jails which have a total capacity to house only 27,000.
Imam found murdered inside mosque in Kashmir
Upsurge in Kashmir violence: Mufti cautions against panic reaction
Mufti disparage party leaders
Bomb threats to US consulate, Disney park
Hong Kong : A man who posted online threats to blow up the US consulate and Disneyland theme park here has been convicted of wasting police time, a news report said Saturday.
Four US soldiers killed in Iraq
Baghdad : Four US soldiers were killed and another wounded in insurgent attacks in Baghdad, the US military said Saturday.
Explosives laden lorry detected in Sri Lanka
Colombo : A lorry laden with more than 1,000 kg of explosives was stopped by the police in northwestern Sri Lanka - the biggest such detection in the country's long conflict with Tamil rebels, the military said Saturday.
Sri Lankan planes bomb LTTE camps
Colombo : Sri Lanka's air planes bombed Tamil Tiger rebel positions in the country's east, military officials said.
Four Maoists killed in Bijapur
Raipur : At least four Maoist militants were shot dead in a gun battle with the police Saturday in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit southern tip of Bijapur, officials said.
15 governments condemn Maoist attack on US envoy
Kathmandu : An attack by Maoists on the US envoy to Nepal has ignited condemnations from 15 countries that have urged the government to ensure the safety of foreign diplomats.
Parents cheer as English makes a comeback
By V.S. Karnic
IANSBangalore : Six-year-old M.B. Shalini came out of the school with awestruck wonder in her eyes after learning the basics of a language she had never known before - English.
US strikes Al Qaeda target in Somalia: report
Washington : The US military fired at a suspected Al Qaeda target in northern Somalia, US broadcaster CNN reported.
Former Bangla army officer convicted of killing Mujib may still avoid deportation
By Mayank Chhaya
IANSChicago : A California court's decision not to hear an appeal against deportation of a former Bangladeshi army major convicted in his country of killing its founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman over 30 years ago may not be the end of the road for him yet.
AMU signs pact with Wipro for E-learning
Aligarh : Wipro Infotech division has signed a pact with the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) to provide training, skills and consultancy services to the latter's Centre for Distance Education.
Human trafficking scam accused Rasheed remanded in police custody
New Delhi : A Delhi court Friday remanded Rasheed Ali, the prime accused in the human trafficking scam involving Bharatiya Janata Party MP Babubhai Katara, in seven days' police custody.
Nine acquitted in 1993 Hyderabad blasts
Hyderabad : A local court Friday acquitted nine of the 10 accused in the bomb blasts that rocked the Andhra Pradesh capital in 1993.
Abu Salem remanded in judicial custody for a day
New Delhi : A city court Friday sent extradited mobster Abu Salem to judicial custody for a day when his police remand for probing his role in a case of extortion at the behest of fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim ended.
Another headless body found in Delhi
New Delhi : Police found a headless body in west Delhi Friday - ten days after arresting a man who is alleged to have similarly decapitated four other bodies.
26 militants killed in eastern Afghanistan
Kabul : NATO and Afghan forces killed 26 Taliban fighters in two separate battles with militants in Afghanistan, while one soldier of the NATO-led forces lost his life, officials said Friday.
Trial court stays its probe into NDTV sting
New Delhi : A Delhi court Friday stayed its order for a probe into the sting operation conducted by NDTV news channel exposing an alleged nexus between the prosecution and defence in the 1999 BMW hit-and-run case.