Page 792 - War Conflict
Richardson resigns from Rohingya refugee panel
Former New Mexico Gov Bill Richardson has resigned from an advisory panel on the massive Rohingya refugee crisis, calling it a "whitewash and a cheerleading operation" for Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The sudden resignation today of probably the panel's most prominent member, a former senior US politician and diplomat who considered Suu Kyi a close friend, raises serious questions about international efforts to deal with the calamitous fallout of Myanmar military operations since August against the Rohingya Muslims that the United Nations has called "textbook ethnic cleansing." It also offers possible insight into the thinking of Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate once revered as an icon of human rights whose leadership during the Rohingya crisis has shocked many outsiders. Richardson, a former US ambassador to the United Nations and President Bill Clinton's energy secretary, castigated Suu Kyi for blaming outsiders for the crisis instead of looking honestly at ..
Kashmir on high alert, inputs say woman suicide bomber might
A high alert has been sounded in Kashmir following an intelligence input that a non-Kashmiri woman suicide bomber might disrupt the forthcoming Republic Day celebrations in the Valley. According to a message circulated from the office of Inspector General of Police (Kashmir) to all district police heads and chief of security wing in Kashmir, "there is a strong input" that an 18-year-old woman non-Kashmiri woman might "cause a suicide bomb explosion" near or inside the Republic Day parade in Kashmir. "All are directed to please ensure that frisking of ladies at the (venues) is done meticulously and with utmost caution so as to thwart the designs of anti-national elements," reads the message. The suspect is believed to have already arrived in the valley. Director General of Police S P Vaid, however, sought to downplay the reports and assured foolproof security for the Republic Day celebrations. The state police chief said all counter mechanisms were in place. Meanwhile, ..
No 'Padmaavat' screening in Guj, paramilitary called in
A day ahead of the nationwide release of "Padmaavat" and the bandh call given by the Rajput Karni Sena opposing it, theatre owners in Gujarat today said they would not screen the film following the violence outside three multiplexes in the city yesterday. While the state government said most Rajput groups in Gujarat have agreed not to join the nationwide bandh (general strike) tomorrow, a large number of police personnel along with paramilitary forces have been deployed across the state. As many as 118 people have been arrested so far across the state for damaging public property during protests against the film, said in-charge Director General of Police Pramod Kumar. Over 20,000 policemen as well as paramilitary personnel have been deployed across the state, he said. "During protests, 21 state transport buses were either vandalised or set ablaze. Till now, we have arrested 118 persons and detained another 300," the DGP told reporters in Gandhinagar. Sixteen companies of
Militants attack Afghan offices of children's NGO, killing 4
Militants stormed the offices of Save the Children in eastern Afghanistan today, killing four people and triggering a shootout with police that lasted almost 10 hours, provincial officials and the organisation said. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province. Among the four killed were two employees of the NGO, a security guard and an army soldier. The assault started with a suicide bomber who detonated his explosives' vest at the provincial offices of Save the Children, said Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor. Security forces killed four other attackers, he said, adding that at least 26 people, including three members of the Afghan security forces, were wounded. After eight hours the fighting subsided and Khogyani said he initially thought it was over but then the shooting picked up again. Two hours later, it was finally over, he said. "Our primary concern is to secure the safety ..
Four policemen killed in encounter with Naxals in C'garh
Four police personnel were killed and nine others injured in a fierce gun-battle with Naxals, who ambushed their team in a dense forest in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district today, a top official said. The skirmish took place in the forest of Irpanar village in Abhujmad area, considered a Naxal hotbed, when a police team was out on an anti-Naxal operation, Special Director General of Police (anti-Naxal operations) D M Awasthi told PTI. "Sub inspectors Vinod Kaushik and Moolchand Singh Kanwar and constables Devnath Pujari and Raisingh Markam belonging to the DRG (District Reserve Guard of police) were killed and seven other personnel sustained injuries in the encounter," he said. Of the injured, seven are DRG personnel and other two belong to the Special Task Force of the state police. The team of DRG and Special Task Force, comprising around 400 personnel, was carrying out the operation for the past two days in the interior pockets of Abhujmad, around 350 km away from ..
Padmaavat violence: Gurgaon cops arrest 20 persons
The Gurgaon police today arrested 20 persons for allegedly violating prohibitory orders and violence, a senior official said. The city saw violent protests including an attack on a school bus, torching of Haryana Roadways bus and rioting by mobs protesting the release of Bollywood film 'Padmaavat'. "The premier show of movie is being shown on 10 locations in the city. Suspected people have been detained from there by police teams. So far 20 violaters have been arrested in Gurgaon", Commissioner of Police Sandeep Khairwar said. He expressed regret over the attacking on the school bus and directed forces to deployed near schools to provide adequate security to. "The Gurgaon Police is on a high alert and various team are ready to give a rapid response in case of any untoward incident. The teams include tear gas team, water canon team, fire tenders, ambulences, reserve force, traffic police, cranes etc," he said. He said some protestors had set a roadways bus ablaze in ...
2 terrorists killed in Shopian encounter
At least two terrorists were neutralised on Wednesday in an encounter with the security forces in Dairoo's Chaigund area in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir.A local boy was also killed in the crossfire, while two women sustained injuries.Soon after the encounter, Director-General of Jammu and Kashmir SP Vaid took to Twitter and said, "In an encounter today at Saigund Shopian, two terrorists have been neutralised and weapons have been recovered. Unfortunately, one boy was also killed in the cross-fire and two ladies sustained injuries. Search is still going on".Currently, the security forces have launched cordon and search operations in the area.Earlier in the day, Indian Army's 44 Rashtriya Rifles, 14th Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Shopian Police were engaged in a fierce encounter in Dairoo's Chaigund in the district.Further details are awaited.
34 killed in twin Libya car bomb attacks (Third Lead)
At least 34 people have been killed in twin car bombings near a mosque in the Libyan city of Benghazi, a media source said on Wednesday.
795 police personnel to get Republic Day Police Medals
A total of 795 police personnel will be awarded Police Medals on Republic Day this year, a Home Ministry statement said on Wednesday.
NC, Cong create ruckus in J-K Assembly over civilian killing
The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was today rocked by anti-government sloganeering as the opposition National Conference and some members of the Congress protested the killing of a teenager in Shopian district following an encounter between militants and security forces. NC MLA Ali Mohammad Sagar interrupted Relief and rehabilitation minister Javaid Mustafa Mir when he was replying on the demand on grants for disaster management, relief and rehabilitation and reconstruction and floriculture in the house and sought a statement from the government over the Shopian incident. Parliamentary affairs minister A R Veeri sought time and later made a brief statement around 7.25 pm, saying "two civilians Ashiq Hussain and Sabeena were injured in cross firing (between militants and security forces) in a village in Shopian. "Both were rushed to hospital where Ashiq succumbed to injuries, while the condition of Sabeena is stated to be stable," he said, adding that a police vehicle ...
US sanctions N Korean, Chinese firms aiding Pyongyang
The United States slapped new sanctions on North Korean and Chinese firms and individuals that it said support the Pyongyang regime of Kim Jong-Un and his nuclear weapons program. The list issued by the US Treasury included representatives of North Korean companies and banks mostly based in China and Russia, North Korean shipping companies and six specific vessels, and two Chinese trading firms. "Treasury continues to systematically target individuals and entities financing the Kim regime and its weapons programs, including officials complicit in North Korean sanctions evasion schemes," Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said in a statement.
STF jawan killed in pressure bomb explosion in C'garh
A 35-year-old STF constable was killed and a police jawan was injured today when a pressure bomb planted by naxals went off in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Bijapur district, police said. The incident occurred in the forest near Hidmapara village under Basaguda police station limits when a joint team of the Special Task Force (STF) and District Force (DF) was returning after conducting an anti-Maoist operation, a senior police official told PTI. Basaguda is located around 450 kms away from the state capital. As per preliminary information, the explosion occurred after the STF constable, identified as Lakhan Gadbale, unknowingly stepped on the pressure IED connection near Hidmapara. "Gadbale succumbed to injuries while being airlifted to Jagdalpur for treatment," the official said. DF constable Ashish Tiwari who was walking nearby Gadbale sustained minor injuries in the blast and was being airlifted to Raipur for better treatment, he said.
ITBP float returns to R-Day parade after 20 years; to showcase
Twenty years after its tableau rolled down the Rajpath, the ITBP will return with its float in the Republic Day parade showing troops patrolling the China border on their newly-inducted snow scooters. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is the only one among the multiple paramilitary and border guarding forces that will have a tableau in the parade. Armed troops riding snow scooters, provided by the government to the ITBP last year as part of modernising the force, troops patrolling on foot and snow bunkers of the ITBP personnel deployed in the icy heights of the frontier have been showcased on the float. It will also be accompanied by a small marching contingent of personnel wearing winter clothing. The personnel will also be shown negotiating dangerous hilly crevasses and treacherous ice slopes. "The tableau will showcase high-altitude Himalayan borders, snow terrain, achievements in mountaineering, river rafting and adventure sports, latest clothing equipment among
Two militants, civilian killed in Kashmir
Security forces on Wednesday shot dead two militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district in a gun battle that also left a teenager dead.
J-K encounter: 2 militants killed, teenager dies in clashes
Two militants were killed today in an encounterwith security forces while a teenager died in the action by law enforcing agencies against protesters near the scene of gun-battle in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district. An encounter broke out between security forces and militants in the Chaigund area of Shopian after security forces launched a cordon and search operation there. Two militants were killed in the ensuing gun-battle, an Army official said. He said arms and ammunition were seized from the scene of the encounter. Meanwhile,a 17-year-old boy was killed and several others were injured during clashes between protesters and security forces near an encounter site. Shakir Ahmad Mir and several others sustained injuries when security forcesfired pellet guns and tear smoke shells to chase away protesters at Chaigund, near the encounter site, in Shopian, the officials said. They said Mir, a resident of Qalampora in Shopian, was taken to a hospital in Rajpora, where the ..
Delhi Police prepared for 'Padmaavat' release
The Delhi Police on Wednesday said adequate arrangements are in place to maintain law and order as the controversial movie "Padmaavat" releases on Thursday.
Our conviction rate is 95%: NIA DG
National Investigation Agency (NIA) Director General Y.C. Modi on Wednesday said that the conviction rate of his anti-terrorism agency was 95 per cent as it managed to convict 167 accused in the 185 cases registered by it since its inception in 2009.
BSF man, who bravely overpowered armed Naxal, wins gallantry
A BSF inspector, who single- handedly overpowered an armed Maoist in a fair in Chhattisgarh's Naxal violence-hit Kanker district in 2014, is the lone gallantry medal winner from his force this Republic Day. Sushil Kumar Pandey, then a sub-inspector, was part of a Border Security Force (BSF) team that had raided the local 'mela' being held in the foothills of the Raoghat region on April 23, 2014, on a tip-off that Naxals were attending it. He was awarded the Police Medal for Gallantry. Pandey, his bravery citation said, "sprung into action and tried to grab a hardcore" Maoist who took out his gun and aimed at the security personnel as soon as he got a wink of their presence. The BSF trooper got into a fist fight with the Naxal, identified as Sandeep alias Siyaram Salam of Narayanpur district, and overpowered him within minutes in a daring exploit of his bravery and without caring for his life. A loaded US-made pistol was seized from the Maoist who was apprehended and ...
Shopian encounter: Terrorist killed
A terrorist was neutralized on Wednesday by security forces in an encounter in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir.Indian Army's 44 Rashtriya Rifles, 14th Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Shopian Police are engaged in a fierce encounter in Dairoo's Chaigund in the district.The encounter is underway and additional troops have joined the operation.More details are awaited.
6 killed in IS attack on international aid agency office in Afghanistan (Third Lead)
At least six persons, including three attackers, were killed and 20 injured in an attack on the headquarters of a British aid agency in Afghanistan's Jalalabad city on Wednesday. The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the strike.