Around 10 people were killed and 50 seriously injured when a passenger train rammed into a stationary train near Arakkonam junction, 75 km from Chennai at 9.30 pm on Tuesday. The Chennai Beach to Vellore train was waiting for signal at the Malappalam station, when the Arrakonam-Katpadi related stories
Trivedi assures steps to prevent accident
Railways announce exgratia for train mishap
Driver of moving train may have jumped signal: Dinesh Trivedi
Train accidents in 2011
passenger train rammed into it. Five bogies of the two trains were derailed due to the impact of the crash.
Chennai's ADRM said on Wednesday that 10 passengers were dead and at least 50 passengers were reported to be critically injured. They were rushed to the Arakkonam government hospital.
Rescue efforts, initially hampered by rains, were over with all the injured shifted to hospitals. The accident's cause was being investigated, said railways minister Dinesh Trivedi.
Terming himself "disturbed" over the incident, Trivedi said he was leaving for the accident site, along with minister of state for railways KH Muniyappa, the Railway Board chairman and other board officials, by the first available flight Wednesday morning.
He also announced ex-gratia compensation of Rs.5 lakh for the dead, Rs.1 lakh for the seriously injured and Rs.25,000 for the others.
Trivedi refused to speak about the cause of the incident, noting it could not be ascertained yet.
"We do not know what exactly had happened... these things take time. But we will not leave any stone unturned," he said.
Noting the driver of the train that hit the stationary train was alive and being treated, he said the driver could tell them on what happened as soon as he was in a condition to do so.
He said he ordered a breath-analyser test of the driver but it came out negative.
Efforts to rescue people trapped in the wreckage had been hampered by the darkness and heavy rain in the area but rescue teams, with the necessary equipment and aided by local people, had completed the task, officials at the spot said.
This is the second major train accident this year. In July, a Kolkata-bound express train derailed at a high speed in Uttar Pradesh, leading to 63 deaths.
Showing posts with label Anagha. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anagha. Show all posts
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Tamil Nadu train accident 10 dead, 50 seriously injured
Miss Universe : Leila Lopes of Angola is crowned
SAO PAULO (AP) — Newly crowned Miss Universe Leila Lopes hopes her victory will allow her to assist her native Angola further escape its history of war and impoverishment and said she plans to focus on combatting HIV around the globe.
Speaking in a timid voice early Tuesday shortly after taking the crown in South America's largest city, the 25-year-old Lopes said that "as Miss Angola I've already done a lot to help my people."
"I've worked with various social causes. I work with poor kids, I work in the fight against HIV. I work to protect the elderly and I have to do everything that my country needs," she said. "I think now as Miss Universe I will be able to do much more."
Responding to questions, Lopes said that she has never had cosmetic surgery of any kind and that her three tips for beauty were to get a lot of sleep, use sun block even when it's not sunny and to drink lots of water. She said her smile was her best weapon in the competition.
Miss-Universe-India-2011-Vasuki-Sunkavalli
Asked about racism in light of the fact that she's one of the few blacks ever crowned Miss Universe, Lopes said that "any racist needs to seek help. It's not normal in the 21st century to think in that way."
Lopes is Angola's first winner. She beat out 88 other competitors to win the title during the 60th anniversary of the world's biggest beauty pageant. She replaces last year's winner, Ximena Navarrete of Mexico.
She deftly handled the interview question that is asked of the remaining top five contestants. She was questioned about what physical trait she would change if she could.
"Thank God I'm very satisfied with the way God created me and I wouldn't change a thing," Lopes said. "I consider myself a woman endowed with inner beauty. I have acquired many wonderful principles from my family and I intend to follow these for the rest of my life."
The first runner-up was 23-year-old Olesia Stefanko of Ukraine and the second runner-up was Priscila Machado of Brazil. The third was Miss Philippines and the fourth Miss China.
Contestants spent the past three weeks in Sao Paulo, trying to learn samba dance steps, visiting impoverished children and kicking a football around for cameras as the Miss Universe pageant came to Brazil for the first time.
Despite battling against a home country favorite, Lopes won over the audience, speaking in the shared language of Portuguese. Angola, like Brazil, is a former Portuguese colony.
"She captivated the crowd and we were all behind her," said Brazilian Natalie Bursztyn, 20, who was in the crowd inside Credicard Hall where the event took place. "It was great that the judges also saw what the fans saw and gave her the crown. Her dress was beautiful and she knew exactly what to say when they asked her the question about her looks."
Another fan in the audience, Carolina Rocha, said Lopes' win was "well deserved, we were cheering for her all along. Her smile and her friendliness was what set her apart from the others. She also answered her question very well, that likely helped her a lot."
U.S. broadcast journalist Connie Chung was one of the celebrity judges, and said before the competition that she was taking the contest seriously.
"I know my job and I'll be tough, but fair," Chung said. "You have to keep in mind that these women are not objects just to be looked at. They're to be taken seriously. I want to choose somebody I take seriously and the world takes seriously, too."
Paula Shugart, president of the Miss Universe organization, was hyped for the night.
"It's our 60th anniversary, it's a very big show," she said. "We're anticipating close to a billion viewers from around the world."
Shugart said it was fitting the globe's biggest beauty pageant be held in Brazil at this time, as the nation prepares to host some major events in the coming years.
"I don't think there is any doubt in the rest of the world's mind that Brazil is the place, between hosting the Olympics and hosting the World Cup," she said. "I love the fact we're going to kick it off. I always say we're the 'World Cup' of beauty."
The contestants must never have been married or had children and must be at least 18 years of age and under 27 years of age by Feb. 1 of the competition year.
The pageant, hosted by NBC "Today" anchor Natalie Morales and the Bravo network's Andy Cohen, was broadcastr live on NBC and distributed to about 170 countries. The contest is co-owned by Donald Trump and NBC, and the celebrity judges included Chung and two prominent Brazilians, supermodel Isabeli Fontana and Indy race car driver Helio Castroneves.
Morales, who is half Brazilian, said that "what's most important is for the women to be beautiful inside and out."
For Cohen, the task of hosting was an easy one.
"It's a fun job. All I have to do is stand there, smile and scream the names of countries," he said.
Sharply dressed women and men jostled for chances to have their photos taken with stars on the red carpet. Some traveled from across the globe to support contestants.
Jehona Dreshaj, 17, arrived from Kosovo to cheer on her sister, Aferdita Dreshaj, who is representing the European country.
"It doesn't really matter the outcome, she is already a winner in our eye and we are so proud of her," she said. "This has been an incredible experience for her and for all of us. It's great for her to be representing our country in an event like this"
There have been no headline-grabbing gaffes going into this year's competition, as opposed to past years that have seen controversies of various stripes. The show itself went off without a hitch.
Some of the contestants have complained to the local news media about the size of bikinis used in some photo shoots, with Miss Mexico Karin Ontiveros saying they were "very small."
That was enough to draw chuckles in Brazil, where women from all walks of life, not just beauty queens, sport barely there swimwear on beaches throughout the country.
Miss USA Alyssa Campanella, from California, failed to end a long losing spell for the U.S. in the competition. An American has not been named Miss Universe since Brook Lee won the title in 1997.
The pageant started as a local bathing suit revue in Long Beach, California, organized by a swimwear company.
Speaking in a timid voice early Tuesday shortly after taking the crown in South America's largest city, the 25-year-old Lopes said that "as Miss Angola I've already done a lot to help my people."
"I've worked with various social causes. I work with poor kids, I work in the fight against HIV. I work to protect the elderly and I have to do everything that my country needs," she said. "I think now as Miss Universe I will be able to do much more."
Responding to questions, Lopes said that she has never had cosmetic surgery of any kind and that her three tips for beauty were to get a lot of sleep, use sun block even when it's not sunny and to drink lots of water. She said her smile was her best weapon in the competition.
Miss-Universe-India-2011-Vasuki-Sunkavalli
Asked about racism in light of the fact that she's one of the few blacks ever crowned Miss Universe, Lopes said that "any racist needs to seek help. It's not normal in the 21st century to think in that way."
Lopes is Angola's first winner. She beat out 88 other competitors to win the title during the 60th anniversary of the world's biggest beauty pageant. She replaces last year's winner, Ximena Navarrete of Mexico.
She deftly handled the interview question that is asked of the remaining top five contestants. She was questioned about what physical trait she would change if she could.
"Thank God I'm very satisfied with the way God created me and I wouldn't change a thing," Lopes said. "I consider myself a woman endowed with inner beauty. I have acquired many wonderful principles from my family and I intend to follow these for the rest of my life."
The first runner-up was 23-year-old Olesia Stefanko of Ukraine and the second runner-up was Priscila Machado of Brazil. The third was Miss Philippines and the fourth Miss China.
Contestants spent the past three weeks in Sao Paulo, trying to learn samba dance steps, visiting impoverished children and kicking a football around for cameras as the Miss Universe pageant came to Brazil for the first time.
Despite battling against a home country favorite, Lopes won over the audience, speaking in the shared language of Portuguese. Angola, like Brazil, is a former Portuguese colony.
"She captivated the crowd and we were all behind her," said Brazilian Natalie Bursztyn, 20, who was in the crowd inside Credicard Hall where the event took place. "It was great that the judges also saw what the fans saw and gave her the crown. Her dress was beautiful and she knew exactly what to say when they asked her the question about her looks."
Another fan in the audience, Carolina Rocha, said Lopes' win was "well deserved, we were cheering for her all along. Her smile and her friendliness was what set her apart from the others. She also answered her question very well, that likely helped her a lot."
U.S. broadcast journalist Connie Chung was one of the celebrity judges, and said before the competition that she was taking the contest seriously.
"I know my job and I'll be tough, but fair," Chung said. "You have to keep in mind that these women are not objects just to be looked at. They're to be taken seriously. I want to choose somebody I take seriously and the world takes seriously, too."
Paula Shugart, president of the Miss Universe organization, was hyped for the night.
"It's our 60th anniversary, it's a very big show," she said. "We're anticipating close to a billion viewers from around the world."
Shugart said it was fitting the globe's biggest beauty pageant be held in Brazil at this time, as the nation prepares to host some major events in the coming years.
"I don't think there is any doubt in the rest of the world's mind that Brazil is the place, between hosting the Olympics and hosting the World Cup," she said. "I love the fact we're going to kick it off. I always say we're the 'World Cup' of beauty."
The contestants must never have been married or had children and must be at least 18 years of age and under 27 years of age by Feb. 1 of the competition year.
The pageant, hosted by NBC "Today" anchor Natalie Morales and the Bravo network's Andy Cohen, was broadcastr live on NBC and distributed to about 170 countries. The contest is co-owned by Donald Trump and NBC, and the celebrity judges included Chung and two prominent Brazilians, supermodel Isabeli Fontana and Indy race car driver Helio Castroneves.
Morales, who is half Brazilian, said that "what's most important is for the women to be beautiful inside and out."
For Cohen, the task of hosting was an easy one.
"It's a fun job. All I have to do is stand there, smile and scream the names of countries," he said.
Sharply dressed women and men jostled for chances to have their photos taken with stars on the red carpet. Some traveled from across the globe to support contestants.
Jehona Dreshaj, 17, arrived from Kosovo to cheer on her sister, Aferdita Dreshaj, who is representing the European country.
"It doesn't really matter the outcome, she is already a winner in our eye and we are so proud of her," she said. "This has been an incredible experience for her and for all of us. It's great for her to be representing our country in an event like this"
There have been no headline-grabbing gaffes going into this year's competition, as opposed to past years that have seen controversies of various stripes. The show itself went off without a hitch.
Some of the contestants have complained to the local news media about the size of bikinis used in some photo shoots, with Miss Mexico Karin Ontiveros saying they were "very small."
That was enough to draw chuckles in Brazil, where women from all walks of life, not just beauty queens, sport barely there swimwear on beaches throughout the country.
Miss USA Alyssa Campanella, from California, failed to end a long losing spell for the U.S. in the competition. An American has not been named Miss Universe since Brook Lee won the title in 1997.
The pageant started as a local bathing suit revue in Long Beach, California, organized by a swimwear company.
Friday, 9 September 2011
CAG faults Reliance Industries, govt over KG basin
Reuters) - The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) criticised Reliance Industries and the government over development of the country's key natural gas field in the Krishna Godavari (KG) basin and called for revamping profit sharing arrangements from oil and gas blocks.
The offshore KG basin was expected to contribute up to one-quarter the gas supply for Asia's third-largest economy, but lower-than-expected output has left the energy-hungry nation more dependent on expensive, imported LNG to fuel power and fertiliser plants.
The CAG report, submitted to parliament on Thursday, said production sharing contracts between the government and operators were designed to encourage increasing capital expenditure by private contractors, which reduces the government's share of oil and gas revenue.
The CAG and the supreme court have been increasingly active over the past year at scrutinising major government contracts.
The report said Reliance Industries, the operator of the KG-DWN-98/3 block, was allowed to violate terms of its production sharing contract.
It said Reliance Industries was allowed to enter the second and third exploration phases of its blocks without giving up 25 percent of the contract area at the end of each phase, as required, by instead treating the entire area as a discovery area.
Still, investors greeted the report with relief, with Reliance shares ending 2.3 percent higher, outperforming the broader market, after falling more than 2 percent earlier in the day.
"From a Reliance point of view the report is not as serious as feared," said Jagannadham Thunuguntla, strategist and head of research at SMC Global Securities.
The auditor does not have prosecuting power, but its findings can form the basis of any possible government action against Reliance, as well as future policy on exploration.
The report may also give opposition parties more ammunition against the government, which is struggling to fend off corruption allegations, including in the award of telecoms licences that may have cost billions of dollars in lost revenue.
New Delhi recently agreed to press ahead with tough anti-graft legislation after facing the biggest protests in decades.
Reliance Industries, India's largest listed firm, said it was unable to comment on the auditor's report as it had not seen its contents. The company said it will continue to cooperate with the government on the audit.
Reliance Industries, controlled by Mukesh Ambani, India's richest person, has been under fire in recent months from the upstream regulator, investors and analysts over slowing gas output from its KG blocks, and its shares have suffered.
Earlier this year, Reliance sold a 30 percent stake in 22 oil and gas blocks, some in the KG basin, to BP in a $7.2 billion deal, in part to benefit from BP's expertise in deep water exploration.
In May, India's upstream regulator said Reliance was producing 48 mscmd (million standard cubic metres per day of gas) from its main D6 block in the KG basin off India's east coast, lower than the 60 mscmd it produced a year earlier, and far off the planned peak capacity of 80 mscmd.
Thursday's report said that while Reliance raised the development cost for the D1-D3 gas blocks to $8.8 billion from an initial $2.39 billion on the assumption that production would increase to 120 mscmd from an estimated 40 mscmd, the recent fall in output raises doubts about justification for the hike.
The higher the capex cost, the longer it takes for the government to see revenue from the blocks.
The CAG report called for reviewing the profit sharing mechanism on energy blocks between the government and operators.
(Writing by Prashant Mehra; Editing by Tony Munroe and Krittivas Mukherjee)
The offshore KG basin was expected to contribute up to one-quarter the gas supply for Asia's third-largest economy, but lower-than-expected output has left the energy-hungry nation more dependent on expensive, imported LNG to fuel power and fertiliser plants.
The CAG report, submitted to parliament on Thursday, said production sharing contracts between the government and operators were designed to encourage increasing capital expenditure by private contractors, which reduces the government's share of oil and gas revenue.
The CAG and the supreme court have been increasingly active over the past year at scrutinising major government contracts.
The report said Reliance Industries, the operator of the KG-DWN-98/3 block, was allowed to violate terms of its production sharing contract.
It said Reliance Industries was allowed to enter the second and third exploration phases of its blocks without giving up 25 percent of the contract area at the end of each phase, as required, by instead treating the entire area as a discovery area.
Still, investors greeted the report with relief, with Reliance shares ending 2.3 percent higher, outperforming the broader market, after falling more than 2 percent earlier in the day.
"From a Reliance point of view the report is not as serious as feared," said Jagannadham Thunuguntla, strategist and head of research at SMC Global Securities.
The auditor does not have prosecuting power, but its findings can form the basis of any possible government action against Reliance, as well as future policy on exploration.
The report may also give opposition parties more ammunition against the government, which is struggling to fend off corruption allegations, including in the award of telecoms licences that may have cost billions of dollars in lost revenue.
New Delhi recently agreed to press ahead with tough anti-graft legislation after facing the biggest protests in decades.
Reliance Industries, India's largest listed firm, said it was unable to comment on the auditor's report as it had not seen its contents. The company said it will continue to cooperate with the government on the audit.
Reliance Industries, controlled by Mukesh Ambani, India's richest person, has been under fire in recent months from the upstream regulator, investors and analysts over slowing gas output from its KG blocks, and its shares have suffered.
Earlier this year, Reliance sold a 30 percent stake in 22 oil and gas blocks, some in the KG basin, to BP in a $7.2 billion deal, in part to benefit from BP's expertise in deep water exploration.
In May, India's upstream regulator said Reliance was producing 48 mscmd (million standard cubic metres per day of gas) from its main D6 block in the KG basin off India's east coast, lower than the 60 mscmd it produced a year earlier, and far off the planned peak capacity of 80 mscmd.
Thursday's report said that while Reliance raised the development cost for the D1-D3 gas blocks to $8.8 billion from an initial $2.39 billion on the assumption that production would increase to 120 mscmd from an estimated 40 mscmd, the recent fall in output raises doubts about justification for the hike.
The higher the capex cost, the longer it takes for the government to see revenue from the blocks.
The CAG report called for reviewing the profit sharing mechanism on energy blocks between the government and operators.
(Writing by Prashant Mehra; Editing by Tony Munroe and Krittivas Mukherjee)
Giant 1000-kg crocodile caught in Philippines
Villagers and veteran hunters have captured a one-ton saltwater crocodile which they plan to make the star of a planned ecotourism park in a southern Philippine town, an official said Monday.
In this photo taken Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011, a Philippine National Police officer stands next a giant saltwater crocodile which was captured by residents and crocodile farm staff along a creek in Bunawan township, Agusan Del Sur province in southern Philippines late Saturday. Mayor Cox Elorde of Bunawan said that dozens of villagers and experts ensnared the 21-foot (6.4-meter) male crocodile along a creek in his township after a three-week hunt. It was one of the largest crocodiles to be captured alive in the Philippines in recent years.
In this photo taken Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011, Mayor Cox Elorde of Bunawan township, Agusan del Sur Province, pretends to measure a huge crocodile which was captured by residents and crocodile farm staff along a creek in Bunawan late Saturday in southern Philippines. Elorde said Monday that dozens of villagers and experts ensnared the 21-foot (6.4-meter) male crocodile along a creek in his township after a three-week hunt. It was one of the largest crocodiles to be captured alive in the Philippines in recent years.
A saltwater crocodile swims in a shallow pond inside its temporary cage at the remote village of Consuelo, in Bunawan township, Agusan Del Sur province in southern Philippines, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011. The 6.1-meter (20-foot) saltwater crocodile, now named "Lolong," was captured last Saturday by villagers and veteran hunters in the creeks of the remote region. The crocodile, weighing 1,075 kilograms (2,370 pounds), was the biggest to be caught alive in the Philippines in recent years. Wildlife officials were trying to confirm whether it was the largest such catch in the world, said Theresa Mundita Lim of the government's Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau. (AP Photo) less Residents look at a 21-feet (6.4 metres) saltwater crocodile, which is suspected of having attacked several people, after it was caught in Nueva Era in Bunawan town, Agusan del Sur, southern Philippines September 4, 2011. The crocodile captured on Sunday evening weighs 600 kg and is the largest crocodile caught in the country to date, according to the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center.
Residents look at a 21-feet (6.4 metres) saltwater crocodile, which is suspected of having attacked several people, after it was caught in Nueva Era in Bunawan town, Agusan del Sur, southern Philippines September 4, 2011. The crocodile captured on Sunday evening weighs 600 kg and is the largest crocodile caught in the country to date, according to the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center. Picture taken September 4, 2011. REUTERS/Stringer (PHILIPPINES - Tags: ANIMALS SOCIETY) less Residents use their hands to measure a 21-feet (6.4 metres) saltwater crocodile, which is suspected of having attacked several people, after it was caught in Nueva Era in Bunawan town, Agusan del Sur, southern Philippines September 4, 2011. The crocodile captured on Sunday evening weighs 600 kg and is the largest crocodile caught in the country to date, according to the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center.
Residents use their hands to measure a 21-feet (6.4 metres) saltwater crocodile, which is suspected of having attacked several people, after it was caught in Nueva Era in Bunawan town, Agusan del Sur, southern Philippines September 4, 2011. The crocodile captured on Sunday evening weighs 600 kg and is the largest crocodile caught in the country to date, according to the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center. Picture taken September 4, 2011. REUTERS/Stringer (PHILIPPINES - Tags: ANIMALS SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) less Residents from neighboring towns try to take a glimpse of a giant saltwater crocodile in its temporary cage at the remote village of Consuelo in Bunawan township, Agusan Del Sur province, southern Philippines, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011. The 6.1-meter (20-foot) saltwater crocodile, now named "Lolong," was captured last Saturday by villagers and veteran hunters in the creeks of the remote region. The crocodile, weighing 1,075 kilograms (2,370 pounds),... more
Residents from neighboring towns try to take a glimpse of a giant saltwater crocodile in its temporary cage at the remote village of Consuelo in Bunawan township, Agusan Del Sur province, southern Philippines, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011. The 6.1-meter (20-foot) saltwater crocodile, now named "Lolong," was captured last Saturday by villagers and veteran hunters in the creeks of the remote region. The crocodile, weighing 1,075 kilograms (2,370 pounds), was the biggest to be caught alive in the Philippines in recent years. Wildlife officials were trying to confirm whether it was the largest such catch in the world, said Theresa Mundita Lim of the government's Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau.
Residents look at a 21-feet (6.4 metres) saltwater crocodile, which is suspected of having attacked several people, after it was caught in Nueva Era in Bunawan town, Agusan del Sur, southern Philippines September 4, 2011. The crocodile captured on Sunday evening weighs 600 kg and is the largest crocodile caught in the country to date, according to the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center. Residents use their hands to measure a 21-feet (6.4 metres) saltwater crocodile, which is suspected of having attacked several people, after it was caught in Nueva Era in Bunawan town, Agusan del Sur, southern Philippines September 4, 2011. The crocodile captured on Sunday evening weighs 600 kg and is the largest crocodile caught in the country to date, according to the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center.
Residents from neighboring towns try to take a glimpse of a giant saltwater crocodile in its temporary cage at the remote village of Consuelo in Bunawan township, Agusan Del Sur province, southern Philippines, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011. The 6.1-meter (20-foot) saltwater crocodile, now named "Lolong," was captured last Saturday by villagers and veteran hunters in the creeks of the remote region. The crocodile, weighing 1,075 kilograms (2,370 pounds), was the biggest to be caught alive in the Philippines in recent years. Wildlife officials were trying to confirm whether it was the largest such catch in the world, said Theresa Mundita Lim of the government's Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau. (AP Photo)
In this photo taken Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011, a Philippine National Police officer stands next a giant saltwater crocodile which was captured by residents and crocodile farm staff along a creek in Bunawan township, Agusan Del Sur province in southern Philippines late Saturday. Mayor Cox Elorde of Bunawan said that dozens of villagers and experts ensnared the 21-foot (6.4-meter) male crocodile along a creek in his township after a three-week hunt. It was one of the largest crocodiles to be captured alive in the Philippines in recent years.
In this photo taken Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011, Mayor Cox Elorde of Bunawan township, Agusan del Sur Province, pretends to measure a huge crocodile which was captured by residents and crocodile farm staff along a creek in Bunawan late Saturday in southern Philippines. Elorde said Monday that dozens of villagers and experts ensnared the 21-foot (6.4-meter) male crocodile along a creek in his township after a three-week hunt. It was one of the largest crocodiles to be captured alive in the Philippines in recent years.
A saltwater crocodile swims in a shallow pond inside its temporary cage at the remote village of Consuelo, in Bunawan township, Agusan Del Sur province in southern Philippines, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011. The 6.1-meter (20-foot) saltwater crocodile, now named "Lolong," was captured last Saturday by villagers and veteran hunters in the creeks of the remote region. The crocodile, weighing 1,075 kilograms (2,370 pounds), was the biggest to be caught alive in the Philippines in recent years. Wildlife officials were trying to confirm whether it was the largest such catch in the world, said Theresa Mundita Lim of the government's Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau. (AP Photo) less Residents look at a 21-feet (6.4 metres) saltwater crocodile, which is suspected of having attacked several people, after it was caught in Nueva Era in Bunawan town, Agusan del Sur, southern Philippines September 4, 2011. The crocodile captured on Sunday evening weighs 600 kg and is the largest crocodile caught in the country to date, according to the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center.
Residents look at a 21-feet (6.4 metres) saltwater crocodile, which is suspected of having attacked several people, after it was caught in Nueva Era in Bunawan town, Agusan del Sur, southern Philippines September 4, 2011. The crocodile captured on Sunday evening weighs 600 kg and is the largest crocodile caught in the country to date, according to the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center. Picture taken September 4, 2011. REUTERS/Stringer (PHILIPPINES - Tags: ANIMALS SOCIETY) less Residents use their hands to measure a 21-feet (6.4 metres) saltwater crocodile, which is suspected of having attacked several people, after it was caught in Nueva Era in Bunawan town, Agusan del Sur, southern Philippines September 4, 2011. The crocodile captured on Sunday evening weighs 600 kg and is the largest crocodile caught in the country to date, according to the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center.
Residents use their hands to measure a 21-feet (6.4 metres) saltwater crocodile, which is suspected of having attacked several people, after it was caught in Nueva Era in Bunawan town, Agusan del Sur, southern Philippines September 4, 2011. The crocodile captured on Sunday evening weighs 600 kg and is the largest crocodile caught in the country to date, according to the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center. Picture taken September 4, 2011. REUTERS/Stringer (PHILIPPINES - Tags: ANIMALS SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) less Residents from neighboring towns try to take a glimpse of a giant saltwater crocodile in its temporary cage at the remote village of Consuelo in Bunawan township, Agusan Del Sur province, southern Philippines, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011. The 6.1-meter (20-foot) saltwater crocodile, now named "Lolong," was captured last Saturday by villagers and veteran hunters in the creeks of the remote region. The crocodile, weighing 1,075 kilograms (2,370 pounds),... more
Residents from neighboring towns try to take a glimpse of a giant saltwater crocodile in its temporary cage at the remote village of Consuelo in Bunawan township, Agusan Del Sur province, southern Philippines, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011. The 6.1-meter (20-foot) saltwater crocodile, now named "Lolong," was captured last Saturday by villagers and veteran hunters in the creeks of the remote region. The crocodile, weighing 1,075 kilograms (2,370 pounds), was the biggest to be caught alive in the Philippines in recent years. Wildlife officials were trying to confirm whether it was the largest such catch in the world, said Theresa Mundita Lim of the government's Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau.
Residents look at a 21-feet (6.4 metres) saltwater crocodile, which is suspected of having attacked several people, after it was caught in Nueva Era in Bunawan town, Agusan del Sur, southern Philippines September 4, 2011. The crocodile captured on Sunday evening weighs 600 kg and is the largest crocodile caught in the country to date, according to the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center. Residents use their hands to measure a 21-feet (6.4 metres) saltwater crocodile, which is suspected of having attacked several people, after it was caught in Nueva Era in Bunawan town, Agusan del Sur, southern Philippines September 4, 2011. The crocodile captured on Sunday evening weighs 600 kg and is the largest crocodile caught in the country to date, according to the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center.
Residents from neighboring towns try to take a glimpse of a giant saltwater crocodile in its temporary cage at the remote village of Consuelo in Bunawan township, Agusan Del Sur province, southern Philippines, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011. The 6.1-meter (20-foot) saltwater crocodile, now named "Lolong," was captured last Saturday by villagers and veteran hunters in the creeks of the remote region. The crocodile, weighing 1,075 kilograms (2,370 pounds), was the biggest to be caught alive in the Philippines in recent years. Wildlife officials were trying to confirm whether it was the largest such catch in the world, said Theresa Mundita Lim of the government's Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau. (AP Photo)
Delhi blast: Toll 13; agencies probe J&K link
The mail from IM was purportedly written by 'Chotoo' and sent from chotoominani5@gmail.com. The mail was received by media houses at 12:37 pm on Thursday.
"We are examining the email received by media houses, its authenticity and veracity, and (we are) taking it seriously," said Secretary (internal security) in the Home Ministry U K Bansal.
Bansal also said that some information indicating a Kashmir link with Wednesday's HuJI mail is being pursued with the help of J&K police.
Security agencies including the National Investigation Agency are also looking into the IM email. But most investigators doubt if the mail was genuine.
Investigators on Thursday detained five people, including a cyber cafe owner in Jammu and Kashmir, and questioned another hailing from Bihar as they looked for definite leads into the briefcase bomb blast outside Delhi high court on Wednesday.
The Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami had claimed responsibility for Wednesday's terror attack. But the Indian Mujahideen, in an email purportedly sent by the group to media houses, made a similar claim, perplexing probe agencies which did not rule out a prank. IM claimed HuJI had no role to play in the blast.
Investigators traced Wednesday's email of Bangladesh-based terror outfit HuJI to a cyber cafe in Kishtwar in Kashmir. They have detained its owner Mehmood Khawja, his brother Majid, their domestic help Ashwani and two others for questioning.
The death toll in the blast that ripped through the reception complex at the high court rose to 13 on Thursday night.
Pramod Kumar, 40, a resident of west Delhi's Hari Nagar, breathed his last around 3 am, while P Patra, 58, a resident of South Delhi's Lodhi Colony, died at 8.30 pm at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, police officials said.
Authorities have decided to beef up security at the Delhi high court by installing 49 more CCTV cameras, besides the existing 21, at various strategic locations in and around the court premises within three weeks.
"We are investigating the email link from Kishtwar district in connection with the Delhi blast," J&K Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda said in Jammu.
Tuesday, 6 September 2011
Bollywood to Tihar, Amar's journey into loneliness
High-profile, former Samajwadi Party general secretary, Amar Singh’s journey from star-studded parties to Tihar jail shows how he has been left alone by his friends, who once ranged from politicians and corporate honchos to Bollywood bigwigs. The outspoken Rajput leader, whose meteoric related stories
Court sends Amar to Tihar jail
Top 10 Amar Singh controversies
24x7 medical team for Amar in Tihar
Probe beneficiaries: BJP
rise during the last 15 years, had earned him many rivals, perhaps was aware of the difficult days ahead.
During the last couple of months, he visited many temples and met religious leaders to get rid of his troubles. “The difficult phase would get over, I am a fighter,” he had told reporters last week. It was not to be.
An unconventional politician, controversial in many ways, Singh rode the wave of success between 2004 and 2009, when he enjoyed the confidence of SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav. He was regularly seen in the company of Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan and industrialist Anil Ambani.
Singh never shied away from boasting about his links and would receive and make calls in public to the big names he knew.
Though he was the face of the SP and in many ways indispensable, resentment was building up against him among many party veterans, including Azam Khan and Mohan Singh.
For his part Amar Singh seemed not bothered by this.
Singh continued to be powerful till the 2009 general elections, but the results which gave the Congress and its allies, almost a comfortable majority, left Singh and the SP slightly marginalised.
His problems within the party began, when Khan opposed Singh’s close friend Jayaprada’s nomination from the Rampur Lok Sabha seat.
Singh’s differences kept widening with the party and in January 2010, he finally quit the SP after returning from a kidney transplant surgery in Singapore. Only Jayaprada left SP the party with him.
Singh floated a non-political Rajput manch a few months later, but followers such as Sanjay Dutt made quiet exits. The biggest sign of Singh’s increasing isolation came when he and Bachchan resigned from each other’s companies.
Court sends Amar to Tihar jail
Top 10 Amar Singh controversies
24x7 medical team for Amar in Tihar
Probe beneficiaries: BJP
rise during the last 15 years, had earned him many rivals, perhaps was aware of the difficult days ahead.
During the last couple of months, he visited many temples and met religious leaders to get rid of his troubles. “The difficult phase would get over, I am a fighter,” he had told reporters last week. It was not to be.
An unconventional politician, controversial in many ways, Singh rode the wave of success between 2004 and 2009, when he enjoyed the confidence of SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav. He was regularly seen in the company of Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan and industrialist Anil Ambani.
Singh never shied away from boasting about his links and would receive and make calls in public to the big names he knew.
Though he was the face of the SP and in many ways indispensable, resentment was building up against him among many party veterans, including Azam Khan and Mohan Singh.
For his part Amar Singh seemed not bothered by this.
Singh continued to be powerful till the 2009 general elections, but the results which gave the Congress and its allies, almost a comfortable majority, left Singh and the SP slightly marginalised.
His problems within the party began, when Khan opposed Singh’s close friend Jayaprada’s nomination from the Rampur Lok Sabha seat.
Singh’s differences kept widening with the party and in January 2010, he finally quit the SP after returning from a kidney transplant surgery in Singapore. Only Jayaprada left SP the party with him.
Singh floated a non-political Rajput manch a few months later, but followers such as Sanjay Dutt made quiet exits. The biggest sign of Singh’s increasing isolation came when he and Bachchan resigned from each other’s companies.
Monday, 5 September 2011
‘U.S. officials impressed by Mumbai anti-trafficking court’
Impressed by the high conviction rate at Mumbai’s anti-trafficking court in 2009, the U.S. officials were of view that such courts should also be set up in other Indian cities, according to a secret U.S. diplomatic cable.
“In just over a year of operation, the anti-human trafficking court in Mumbai has disposed of a large backlog of trafficking cases, and improved the conviction rate for traffickers.
“In 2009, the court adjudicated 438 cases, and recorded convictions in 81 cases, with more than one defendant convicted in most cases,” the cable dated February 17, 2010, originating from the U.S. consulate in Mumbai and released by WikiLeaks, stated.
“The court also ordered the closure of 11 brothels. The transfer of many of Mumbai’s trafficking cases to a single court has also helped identify trafficking patterns and repeat offenders, providing key analysis for law enforcement agencies,” it said.
The cable said India would “benefit” from more urban anti-trafficking courts like Mumbai’s which has made an impressive impact on enforcing anti-trafficking legislation in one of India’s biggest cities.
The US State Department has refused to either confirm or deny the authenticity of these cables.
The anti-human trafficking court was established in Mumbai in August 2008 to hear criminal cases under the Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act.
The Act criminalises a number of prostitution and trafficking-relating activities, including living on the proceeds of the prostitution of another person, procuring or taking a person for prostitution, detaining a person in a location where prostitution is carried out and public solicitation.
“A dedicated anti-trafficking court is able to make a significant impact in bringing traffickers to justice. With 81 convictions in one year, Mumbai’s anti-trafficking court has demonstrated its intent to fully prosecute trafficking charges,” the cable stated.
“In an effort to better understand the total number of convictions for trafficking related offenses in Mumbai, post is working to obtain data from the Bombay High Court on the number of appeals filed from convictions under ITPA, other related penal statutes, and the Bonded Labour Act in 2009,” it said.
The cable added: “This data should enable post to assess trafficking convictions involving higher crimes outside Chauhan’s jurisdiction, convictions by other Magistrate Courts across the state, and forced-labour convictions.
“In just over a year of operation, the anti-human trafficking court in Mumbai has disposed of a large backlog of trafficking cases, and improved the conviction rate for traffickers.
“In 2009, the court adjudicated 438 cases, and recorded convictions in 81 cases, with more than one defendant convicted in most cases,” the cable dated February 17, 2010, originating from the U.S. consulate in Mumbai and released by WikiLeaks, stated.
“The court also ordered the closure of 11 brothels. The transfer of many of Mumbai’s trafficking cases to a single court has also helped identify trafficking patterns and repeat offenders, providing key analysis for law enforcement agencies,” it said.
The cable said India would “benefit” from more urban anti-trafficking courts like Mumbai’s which has made an impressive impact on enforcing anti-trafficking legislation in one of India’s biggest cities.
The US State Department has refused to either confirm or deny the authenticity of these cables.
The anti-human trafficking court was established in Mumbai in August 2008 to hear criminal cases under the Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act.
The Act criminalises a number of prostitution and trafficking-relating activities, including living on the proceeds of the prostitution of another person, procuring or taking a person for prostitution, detaining a person in a location where prostitution is carried out and public solicitation.
“A dedicated anti-trafficking court is able to make a significant impact in bringing traffickers to justice. With 81 convictions in one year, Mumbai’s anti-trafficking court has demonstrated its intent to fully prosecute trafficking charges,” the cable stated.
“In an effort to better understand the total number of convictions for trafficking related offenses in Mumbai, post is working to obtain data from the Bombay High Court on the number of appeals filed from convictions under ITPA, other related penal statutes, and the Bonded Labour Act in 2009,” it said.
The cable added: “This data should enable post to assess trafficking convictions involving higher crimes outside Chauhan’s jurisdiction, convictions by other Magistrate Courts across the state, and forced-labour convictions.
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