March 21st, 2010
Nine persons were killed and 45 others injured when two vehicles collided in southern India, an Indian news agency reported on Sunday morning.
The accident occurred near Shantigram in Hassan of the southern Indian state of Karnataka, as a traveling vehicle suddenly collided with a bus, Press Trust of India quoted the local police as saying.
Firefighters rushed to the scene for rescuing, and the injured were rushed to the nearby hospitals.
The accident was being probed by local police.
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March 21st, 2010
A security alarm was triggered Sunday when an explosive, suspected to be a crude bomb, was found on board a private airlines’ flight in the southern state of Kerala’s capital Thiruvananthapuram, a senior police official said.
“The crude bomb was inside a ball-shaped package found wrapped in a newspaper in the cargo compartment of Kingfisher flight IT 4731 which arrived from the neighboring city of Bangalore. Airlines staff spotted the explosive during a routine security check-up after all the 27 passengers on the small aircraft had deboarded,” the official said.
He said that the aircraft was immediately moved to the isolation bay and the bomb disposal squad was called in which defused the crude bomb by putting it in water.
A statement from Kingfisher Airlines said that the unclaimed package was found during a routine security check.
“The matter was immediately reported to the authorities who removed the package from the aircraft. As precautionary measure the aircraft is being checked by the security agencies,” it added.
Meanwhile, the Indian Civil Aviation has ordered a probe into the “bomb scare” case, which came just days after intelligence agencies issued a high terror alert in Kerala, along with a couple of more states.
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March 21st, 2010
Political leaders including Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and Constituent Assembly chair Subas Nemwang have paid their last respects to the remains of late Nepali Congress President and former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala at the National Stadium in capital Kathmandu on Sunday morning.
Prime Minister Nepal covered the body of late Koirala with national flag as the Nepal Army provided guard of honor.
Leaders, government officials, ambassadors of several countries, industrialists and people of different walks of life were present in the stadium to pay their tribute to late Koirala. Thousands of people have lined up outside the stadium waiting for their turn.
Earlier, the convoy carrying the remains of the late Koirala had reached the stadium after it was kept at the Nepali Congress central office for a short time.
As per previously announced schedule, the remains will be kept at the stadium until 2 p.m. local time.
The remains was moved earlier Sunday to the Nepali Congress party headquarters at Sanepa from Mandikhatar, Koirala’s daughter Sujata Koirala’s residence, where Koirala, 86, breathed his last Saturday afternoon.
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March 21st, 2010
At least four was killed and about a dozen others were injured Sunday when a suicide bomber riding on a bicycle hit a police van in Quetta, capital of southwestern Pakistani province of Balochistan.
The bomb exploded near the residence of a senior political leader at the Quari road.
Chief of Pakhtoonkhawa Milli Awami Party, Mehmood Khan Achakzau, was not at home when the bomb ripped through the busy area, his family said.
The injured, including several policemen, were taken to Civil Hospital. Doctors said five injured are registered as critical.
No group claimed responsibility for the attack.
Quetta has seen wave of targeted killings in recent days, police said.
On Saturday, gunmen shot dead at least four people belonging to ethnic Harzara Shiite community in Quetta.
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March 21st, 2010
Indian Navy Sunday successfully testfired a new vertical version of the supersonic BrahMos cruise missile from a ship in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of the eastern state of Orissa, a senior Defense Ministry official said.
“The missile was launched at 11:30 a.m. today from an Indian Navy ship INS Ranvir and it maneuvered successfully hitting the target ship successfully. It was a perfect hit and a perfect mission. After today’s test, India has become the first and only country in the world to have a maneuvering supersonic cruise missile in its inventory,” head of BrahMos Aerospace A. Sivathanu told the media in the national capital.
This would mean that the missile, which has a range of 290 km and flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach, can take on a target lying anywhere in the 360-degree range of the ship, sources said, adding that the Indian Army has plans to induct three regiments of BrahMos in future to use the missile as a “precision first strike weapon”.
BrahMos can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or land. It is a joint venture between India’s Defense Research and Development Organization and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroeyenia who have together formed the BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited.
BrahMos claims to have the capability of attacking surface targets as low as 10 meters in altitude. The missiles can carry a 200 kg warhead, whereas the aircraft-launched variant can carry a 300 kg warhead.
Since late 2004, the missile has undergone several tests from variety of platforms including a land based test from Pokhran desert, in which the “S” maneuver at Mach 2.8 was demonstrated for the Indian Army and a launch in which the land attack capability from sea was demonstrated.
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March 21st, 2010
A policeman was killed and four people, including a senior official, were wounded in bomb and gunfire attacks in Baghdad on Sunday, an Interior Ministry source said.
A roadside bomb went off in the morning near a police patrol on a bridge which links Baghdad’s southern districts of Doura and Karradah, destroying a police vehicle and killing a policeman and wounding two others aboard, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
In a separate incident, gunmen opened fire on a government vehicle, wounding Husam Abdul Latif, director general of the social care department, on a highway in eastern Baghdad in the morning, wounding him and his driver, the source said.
The attacks came as Iraqis across the country are busy with the partial results of the country’s March 7 parliamentary elections which will shape the future of the country.
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March 21st, 2010
A bomb explosion rocked Khost province in east Afghanistan Sunday, killing two persons and wounding four others, all of them civilians, an official said.
“The people were gathered to celebrate Nawruz or New Year of Afghanistan in Kokarak village outside Khost city, the capital of Khost province, when a bomb went off, killing two persons and injuring four others,” spokesman for provincial administration Mubariz Zadran told Xinhua.
All the victims are innocent civilians, he further said.
He put the attack on the enemies of peace, a term used against Taliban militants, saying insurgents by carrying out such attacks want to disrupt the happiness of people.
Taliban militants who had banned Nawruz celebration during their six-year rule collapsed in late 2001 have yet to make comment.
Afghanistan’s new year falls on March 21 and the day is celebrated nationwide. Sunday is the first day of the year 1389 in Afghanistan.
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March 21st, 2010
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Sunday he is ready to send two senior officials as his representatives to confer with the anti-government protesters on ways to break the deadlock.
Speaking during his weekly TV and radio address, Abhisit thanked supporters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) for holding a peaceful mobile rally on Bangkok streets Saturday, saying that he would initially send Education Minister Chinnaworn Boonyakiat and Korbsak Sabhavasu, secretary- general to the prime minister, to discuss with the UDD leaders ways to end the political crisis.
Members of the National Human Rights Commission and some senators would coordinate preparations for the talks, he said.
But, Abhisit said there will be no talks with the UDD leaders if they demand the government to dissolve the lower House first.
Meanwhile, the UDD announced that they will only hold talks with Prime Minister Abhisit and not anyone else from the government.
Jatuporn Promphan, a UDD leader, insisted Sunday that he will hold a talk only with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.
Jatuporn said the prime minister has the power to dissolve the House, so he will talk only with the prime minister.
He said if Abhisit was too “arrogant” to talk with the protesters, negotiation would never take place.
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March 21st, 2010
Thousands of people in the capital Kathmandu have thronged Dasharath Stadium to pay tributes to late Nepali Congress President and former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala on Sunday.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, ministers, leaders of political parties, representatives of foreign diplomatic missions and others have assembled at the stadium.
Koirala died Saturday at the age of 86. He was suffering from respiratory diseases.
A large number of people assembled at the stadium in advance for the last glimpse of Koirala.
The government has already declared a public holiday, and the national flag is kept at half-mast for three days to mourn Koirala ‘s death.
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March 21st, 2010
A motorbike bomb rocked Afghanistan ‘s southern Helmand province Sunday killing 10 people and wounding seven others, a local official said.
“The terrorist attack targeted a crowd of people who gathered to celebrate Nawruz or New Year in Gereshk district killing 10 civilians and wounding seven others,” governor of Gereshk Abdul Ahad Khan told Xinhua.
He also said that it was a suicide attack and the attacker was also killed in the blast.
Meanwhile, spokesman for provincial administration Daud Ahmadi said that the casualties could be higher as some families prefer to take their dead bodies to home before taking to hospital.
This is the second attack targeting New Year celebration in Afghanistan on Sunday.
In the previous attack against celebrating people in the eastern Khost province two civilians were killed and four others got wounded.
Nawruz or New Year falls on March 21 in Afghanistan. And Sunday is the first day of year 1389 in Afghanistan and Iran.
Taliban militants outlawed Nawruz festival during their six- year reign collapsed in late 2001.
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March 21st, 2010
Suspected Taliban militants shot dead six people in Pakistan’s North Waziristan tribal region after accusing them of being U.S. spies, a local tribal elder said Sunday.
The tribal leader said that bodies of four executed persons were thrown along a road near Mir Ali, a main town in North Waziristan, and two bodies were found near Miranshash.
Locals said that the slain men were kidnapped two weeks ago and believed to be killed late Saturday night.
A note was found near the bullet-riddled bodies, saying “all traitors would meet the same fate”, an official said.
Taliban militants frequently kill people on espionage charges.
Militants claim that the U.S. has hired people in the region to target Taliban hideout for drone strikes.
The U.S. has stepped up drone strikes in North Waziristan since a suicide bomber struck a CIA Forward Operating Base in Khost Province in late December, killing seven agents.
The bomber was later shown in a recorded video sitting next to then chief of Pakistani Taliban Hakimullah Mehsood.
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March 21st, 2010
U.S. President Barack Obama said on Saturday that his administration still seeks dialogue with Iran over its nuclear issue but the Iran government has chosen isolation.
Obama made the remarks in a special video message in celebration of Nowruz, or “New Day,” which marks the arrival of spring and the beginning of the New Year for millions in Iran and other communities around the world.
“We are working with the international community to hold the Iranian government accountable because they refuse to live up to their international obligations,” Obama said in the message.
“But our offer of comprehensive diplomatic contacts and dialogue stands,” Obama stressed.
The U.S. president accused Tehran of having chosen to isolate itself and focus on the past over a commitment to build a better future.
Despite its differences with Tehran, Obama said, the United States is still committed to helping build a better future for the Iranians.
“Even as we continue to have differences with the Iranian government, we will sustain our commitment to a more hopeful future for the Iranian people,” he said.
Obama delivered a similar video message on the occasion of Nowruz last year in which he said his administration sought “the promise of a new beginning” in its relationship with Iran.
The United States has been accusing Tehran of attempting to build nuclear weapons. Tehran has rejected the accusation and insisted that the Islamic republic has the right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purpose.
Over the past few months, the Obama administration has pledged to pursue tough sanctions against Iran in a bid to prevent the Islamic republic from acquiring nuclear weapons.
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