Current News

[minisoji]

PUNE: President Pratibha Patil, who made history Wednesday by becoming the first woman president to fly in a fighter jet, alighted from an Indian Air Force (IAF) Sukhoi-30 MKI in a G-suit after successfully completing her 30-minute sortie.

The flight commanded by Wing Commander S. Sajan went off smoothly in the slightly chilly but sunny winter morning from the Lohegaon Air Force base in Pune.

During the approximately 30-minute sortie, the aircraft flew at an altitude of 10,000 feet at a speed of around 800 kmph or 0.9 Mach (speed of sound), but did not go up to the supersonic levels of around 1,100 kmph, an IAF spokesman said.

The Su-30 MKI carrying Patil, 74, took off at around 10.55 a.m. after the president was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour by a smartly-turned out contingent of air-warriors donning the IAF colours of sky-blue shirts and black trousers.

Prior to the flight Patil had breakfast and underwent a mandatory pre-flight medical test and was found fit to undertake the flight.

After the medical test, she donned a G-Suit (anti-gravity suit) which helps the flier withstand high gravitational pressure by preventing excessive blood from flowing to the brain.

Besides the aircraft in which Patil travelled in the rear seat, two other Sukhois flew alongside to enable her to experience what fighter jets look like in flight at that altitude and at such high speeds.

Just before the flight, the president asked for a glass of water, but later declined to drink, indicating her state of nervous excitement.

She stepped inside the aircraft at 10.35 a.m., assisted by some airmen, even as the national and international media was present in large numbers to cover the historic event.

Present to witness the epoch-making occasion were Maharashtra Governor S.C. Jamir and Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik.

[minisoji]

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State is getting ready for yet another season of the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival (GKSF). The 45-day event will open on December 1 (today) and wil end on 15 January 2010. State Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, who is also in charge of Tourism, said that there was greater enthusiasm in organising the festival this year because of the success of the first two seasons. He described the shopping festival as a good step forward in reclaiming the position that Kerala had held once in the global trade map.




Kerala, an international super brand in tourism, generated revenue to the tune of Rs. 12,000 crore from this sector in 2008-09. Around six lakh international tourists and 76 lakh domestic tourists visited the State last year alone.

The aim of the shopping festival was not limited to encouraging tourists to buy products but to make them combine tourism with trade. If a large number of such tourists visited the State, it would help generate interest in the State’s traditional products like cashew and coir in the foreign market. He wanted foreign traders to be brought to the production centres in the State so that they could view the manufacturing process for themselves and sign commercial agreements.

The traders in the State should be able to innovate for the foreign buyers.

For all that to happen, the infrastructure of production centres should become more developed, the surroundings of the marketing centres should be made more attractive and thoroughly clean. The workers should rise above standards to understand the new designs and ideas quickly enough and be able to communicate at least on a basic level with foreigners.

He realised that the rekindling of the traditional manufacturing sectors in Kerala could not be achieved overnight. He felt that the GKSF would need a minimum of five years to accomplish the target.

He pointed out that the State’s shopping festival was entirely different from the shopping festivals being held in other places like Dubai and Singapore.

Instead of being limited to a centralised exhibition or stall, the GKSF was spread across the State.

[minisoji]

ISLAMABAD: Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, a vocal critic of Islamist militancy in Pakistan and a confidant of President Asif Ali Zardari, was shot dead in a posh area here by one of his guards who said he killed him for opposing blasphemy laws.

Guard Mumtaz Quadri, who belonged to an elite security agency, gave himself up to the authorities after gunning down the politician he was supposed to protect as the victim walked towards his car from a cafe in F6 sector frequented by foreigners and wealthy Pakistanis.

Taseer, who married and divorced Indian journalist Tavleen Singh after fathering a son, collapsed as nine bullets tore into him, including some which pierced his chest and neck.

The shooting sparked counter firing by other guards, reportedly wounding five people, the Dawn newspaper said.

The profusely bleeding governor was rushed to the nearby Poly Clinic but succumbed to his injuries, his spokesman Ishtiaq Amin said.

Dawn quoted witnesses as saying that a man from the security squad fired at him from close range. He was later identified as Quadri, who had been recruited into the elite force in 2002.

The unrepentant killer told police that he shot the governor because he had called Pakistan's blasphemy laws as "black law".

Taseer, who was close to the Bhutto family, was already married when he met Tavleen Singh in 1980 in New Delhi.

On Tuesday, the journalist told IANS: "You should not be calling me on a day like this."

Interior Minister Rehman Malik confirmed that the killer guard had been arrested and the man had confessed that he carried out the assassination over Taseer's support to Aasia Bibi, a woman charged with blasphemy.

Aasia Bibi had been sentenced to death for allegedly passing derogatory remarks about a Muslim prophet. The governor had urged President Zardari to pardon her.

A leader of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Taseer was a strong supporter of Zardari.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani announced three days of state mourning. The PPP cancelled all party functions and said it would mourn the death for 15 days.

Taseer's outspoken defence of Aasia Bibi had earned him death threats. Pakistani officials said they were trying to find out if the guard acted on his own or was backed by others.

Taseer's body is to be flown to Lahore, capital of the Punjab province, after post-mortem.

Police sources said that security had been heightened at sensitive locations in Islamabad and that profiles of those protecting VIPs were being scanned again.

Taseer was appointed the governor of Punjab province in what was widely viewed as a move to destabilize Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, brother of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

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[minisoji]

PATHANAMTHITTA: About 100 pilgrims were feared dead in a stampede at Uppupara, between Pullumedu and Pandithavalam, in Idukki district on Friday night. Official reports put the death toll at 86, majority of them from neighbouring states. The mishap occurred around 8.15 pm. More than 70 were injured.

The toll is likely to go up as full-fledged rescue operation is yet to start in the hilly region. Darkness, traffic jams and lack of communication facilities also hamper rescue operations. The place is beyond the reach of mobile services.

The dead include Korukkutty (60), from Vengara in Malappuram district. It has been learnt that there were about 3 lakh pilgrims at Pullumedu. Those dead belong to Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

The pilgrims were returning home after viewing Makara Jyoti at famous Sabarimala Sree Ayyappa Temple. Many of the injured has been taken to hospital at Vandipperiyar. The dead bodies have been brought to Vandiperiyar hospital and Kottayam Medial College Hospital.

The tragedy occurred when a jeep carrying some pilgrims waded into a crowd of devotees, who were returning from the Makara Samkrama Pooja, through a narrow trekking path in a forest, district administration sources said.

When the jeep turned turtle, it triggered the stampede as the pilgrims ran helter-skelter, the police said. Many injured persons have been admitted to nearby hospitals.

Most of the pilgrims involved in the tragedy were from Tamil Nadu who were returning to their homes to celebrate Pongal after having a darshan of the deity at the hill shrine.

The accident spot was identified at about 50 km away from Sabarimala. As per initial estimates, nearly 1.5 lakh pilgrims had left by this route for home.

Thousands of devotees had turned up for worship at the hill shrine during the Makara Samkrama Pooja on Friday evening, marking the finale of two-month pilgrimage to the famous Lord Ayyappa temple.

They were returning after witnessing Makara Jyoti, held as a divine light by the devotees, which flickered across the eastern horizon above the Ponnambalamedu after the pooja. State Dewasom minister, Kadannappalli Ramachandran said poor light and the huge mass of people at the site were hampering rescue efforts.

State Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said he had asked the DGP to rush to the scene. "Home secretary is already in Pampa and I have asked the SPs and District Collectors of Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts to help with rescue efforts," Balakrishnan said.

Defence Minister A.K Antony said army would be sent for rescue operations. The incident has been declared as a National Tragedy.

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[minisoji]

MOSCOW: An explosion ripped through the arrivals hall at Moscow's busiest airport on Monday, killing 31 people and wounding about 130, health ministry officials said.

The state RIA Novosti said the explosion may have been caused by a suicide bomber.

The Russkaya Sluzhba Novostei radio station cited a traveler, identified as Viktor, as saying he heard the bang outside the airport, where he was waiting for a car.

"There was an explosion, a bang. Then I saw a policeman covered in fragments of flesh and all bloody. He was shouting 'I've survived! I've survived!'"

Domodedovo is generally regarded as Moscow's most up-to-date airport, but its security procedures have been called into question.

In 2004, two suicide bombers were able to board planes at Domodedovo by buying tickets illegally from airport personnel. The bombers blew themselves up in mid-air, killing all 90 people aboard the two flights.

In more recent suicide bombings in Moscow, twin blasts in the subway last March killed 39 people and wounded more than 60 people.

In December 2009, Chechen rebels claimed responsibility for blowing up a high-speed train between Moscow and St. Petersburg, an attack that killed 26 people and injured scores.

Keywords: Latest news, indian news, world news, kerala news

[minisoji]

Kerala Assembly elections on April 13

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Tuesday announced the schedule for Assembly Elections to be held in Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Puducherry. Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will all have one-day polls on April 13. Kerala have altogether 20,758 polling stations.

While elections in the crucial West Bengal state will be held in six phases, Assam will see balloting on April 4 and 11. Polling in West Bengal will be spread over six phases -- April 18, 23 and 27 and May 3, 7 and 10.

The last date of filing nomination papers in Kerala will be on March 26. The nomination papers will be examined on March 28. The last date of withdrawing the papers will be on March 30. This time, the Election Commission will itself distribute the voting slips on which the photographs of the candidates will be affixed. Hitherto, voting slips have been distributed by the political parties.

Counting of votes for all the states will be held on May 13. The schedule was announced by Chief Election Commissioner SY Qureshi at a press conference at the Election Commission office here. The model code of conduct has come into force with immediate effect.

Kerala

(All 140 constituencies in single phase)

Date of Notification – March 19
Date of Election - April 13

West Bengal

Phase 1 (54 constituencies):

Date of Notification – March 24
Date of Election - April 18

Phase 2 (50 constituencies):

Date of Notification – March 30
Date of Election - April 23

Phase 3 (75 constituencies):

Date of Notification – April 2
Date of Election - April 27

Phase 4 (63 constituencies):

Date of Notification – April 7
Date of Election – May 3

Phase 5 (38 constituencies):

Date of Notification – April 11
Date of Election – May 7

Phase 6 (14 constituencies):

Date of Notification – April 14
Date of Election – May 10

Tamil Nadu

(All 234 constituencies in single phase)

Date of Notification – March 19
Date of Election - April 13

Assam

Phase 1 (62 constituencies):

Date of Notification – March 10
Date of Election - April 4

Phase 2 (64 constituencies):

Date of Notification – March 18
Date of Election - April 11

Puducherry

(All 30 constituencies in single phase)

Date of Notification – March 19
Date of Election - April 13

The number of voters in each state is as follows: Tamil Nadu (4.59 crores), Kerala (2.29 crores), Assam (1.81 crores), West Bengal (5.60 crores) and Puducherry (80 lakh).

The number of polling stations is as follows: Tamil Nadu (54,016), Kerala (20,758), Assam (23,113), West Bengal (51,919) and Puducherry (851).

The term of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly expires on May 16. And that of Kerala on May 23, Assam and Puducherry on May 28, and West Bengal Assembly’s term ends on June 11

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[minisoji]

TOKYO: A massive earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale hit Japan and triggered tsunamis as high as 10 metres that slammed coastal areas. There was no immediate estimate of casualties.

The massive earthquake struck off Japan's north-eastern coast, forcing people to flee out of their homes.

The quake that struck Honshu island at 2.46 p.m. (0546 GMT) was felt in almost all areas in Japan's Pacific coast, including Tokyo and Osaka. The powerful quake hit 382 km northeast of Tokyo with a depth of 10 km under the seabed.

Numerous people were reported to be injured and black smoke was seen rising from buildings in Tokyo's Odaiba waterfront area. There was blackout throughout Yamagata Prefecture, Kyodo news agency quoted police as saying.

TV pictures showed wave crashing into the coast and a massive body of water surging through the area that carried away cars.

The quake generated a tsunami as high as 10 metres that hit the coast of Miyagi, DPA quoted officials as saying.

NHK public broadcaster showed footage of many submerged vehicles in Kamaishi, Iwate prefecture, as a 4.20-metre tsunami hit the city's coast.

The 8.8-magnitude earthquake, one of the biggest in recent times, hit Japan, generating a six-metre tsunami and injuring several people, Xinhua reported.

Japan Meteorological Agency said earlier that the quake was measured at 7.9 magnitude but the US Geological Survey upgraded later said the quake was 8.8 magnitude on the Richter scale.

A nuclear plant on the Pacific coast in Miyagi Prefecture was automatically shut down Friday following the quake.

Tsunami alerts were issued in the Philippines, Taiwan, Guam and Russia as well as islands in the Pacific.

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