Page 82 - War Conflict
Ban the boogie: South Sudan's capital shuts nightclubs
South Sudan's capital Juba will ban all clubs and limit bar hours due to alleged "immoral acts" taking place in night spots, the presidency said Saturday. "Jubek state government has banned all the night clubs, bars and night music shows in Juba city," read a statement from the presidency. The governor of Juba, Augustino Jadalla Wani, said in a video posted on Facebook that while nightclubs would be shut, bars would have their hours limited to early evening, and would be forbidden from operating during the day. "Discos we ban it totally because what is happening there is really very dangerous for the future of this country," he said, adding that girls as young as 13-years old frequented these clubs. "We are serious and we are going to make sure discos are not working in this country." In addition, he said the capital would make it obligatory for couples checking into hotels to produce a marriage certificate. South Sudan is in its sixth year of civil war, with fighting largely halted ..
Curfew continues in Assam town, 1 succumbs to injuries
The curfew continued and mobile internet services remained suspended in Hailakandi town in the Barak Valley of Assam on Saturday, following Friday's clashes between two groups that claimed one life and left several others injured.
Won't runaway, won't be intimidated, won't resign till I crush terrorism: President Sirisena
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Saturday said he won't step down and leave or be intimidated in crushing the terrorism from the country and those responsible for the April 21 bomb blasts, in which over 250 people were killed, would be brought to justice. Speaking at a public event in the eastern district of Ampara, he also said that after receiving the interim report on the lapses by the officials that led to the Easter Sunday blasts, he suspended the police chief and also replaced the Secreatry to the Defence Ministry. Over 250 people, including 44 foreigners 10 of whom were Indians, were killed and 500 others injured in the blasts in three churches and as many hotels on April 21. The Islamic State terror group claimed the attacks, but the government blamed local Islamist extremist group National Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ). Sri Lanka banned the NTJ and arrested over 100 people in connection with the blasts. A state of emergency was imposed in the country since the attacks ..
8 children killed in roadside bomb blast in Afghanistan
At least eight children were killed and two others sustained injuries in a roadside bomb blast in Afghanistan's south-eastern Ghazni province on Saturday.The incident occurred at around 8 am (local time) in Muqer district of the province, when the children playing in the area stepped on an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), reported The Khaama Press.No group, including the Taliban, has claimed the responsibility for the attack yet.However, Taliban militants have been using IED to target security forces. As per official figures, at least 120 civilians in Afghanistan are affected by mines and unexploded ordnance every month.According to figures released by the United Nations, more than 1,690 civilians have been killed and over 3,430 others injured in conflict-related incidents in the first half of the year in the war-torn country, reported Xinhua.
4 killed as armed militants storm 5-star hotel in Pakistan's Gwadar port city: police
Three heavily-armed militants on Saturday stormed a luxury hotel in Pakistan's port city of Gwadar in the restive Balochistan province, leading to a fierce gunbattle in which four persons including the attackers were killed, police said. The armed men entered the upscale Pearl Continental (PC) Hotel and opened random firing, a senior police official said. They shot dead a guard at the entrance, the army's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. A shootout between the militants and the security forces broke out at the hotel as the anti-terrorism force, the Army and the Frontier Corps were called in, Gwadar Station House Officer (SHO) Aslam Bangulzai said. Balochistan Home Minister Ziaullah Langov said that all the three attackers were killed by the security forces. He said that some of the guests in the hotel were also injured but their number was not immediately known. The outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility of the attack which it said was
BJP workers burn effigy of Pitroda for 'hua to hua' remarks
Scores of BJP workers held a protest demonstration Saturday and burnt an effigy of Congress leader Sam Pitroda for his remarks on 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Pitroda, a close aide of Rahul Gandhi and Overseas Congress' head, on Thursday said, 'hua to hua' (So what, it happened) about the anti-Sikh riots. He made this remark in response to a question on the riots by a newsman in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh. He later tendered an apology for the remarks, from which the Congress has distanced itself. Members of the Sikh community led by BJP leader Sardar SP Singh staged protest at 'Hint Chowk' in Rajnagar colony here. Addressing the protesters, Singh said that after the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi, anti-Sikh riots broke out and innumerable members of the community were killed. He alleged that Congress leaders had provoked "the unruly mob against the Sikhs".
British Indian man banned from leaving Sri Lanka after his newly-wed wife dies on honeymoon
A newly-wed British Indian man is stuck in Sri Lanka after his wife died from a mysterious illness at a hotel in the country on their honeymoon. Khilan Chandaria is being barred by the Sri Lankan authorities from leaving the country until an investigation into the death of his 31-year-old wife, Usheila Patel, is concluded. Chandaria, a 33-year-old phone shop owner from north-west London, has not been arrested or charged in connection with his wife's death but is not being permitted to return to his home in the UK. "I don't want to leave without her. I feel like the whole world is against me. It's been hard to do anything," Chandaria told the UK media from Sri Lanka. "I don't think the grieving process has really started yet," he said. The couple were married in London on April 19 before flying off on honeymoon four days later. They had been staying at the five-star beach resort called Amari in the southwestern coastal city of Galle in Sri Lanka. They were scheduled to fly to Maldives .
Houthi rebels begin withdrawing from Yemen ports
Yemen's Houthi rebels on Saturday began a unilateral withdrawal from two strategic ports on the Red Sea coast in the country under a UN-sponsored agreement with the government.
Hundreds of inmates escape after riots break out in Indonesian prison
Hundreds of prisoners escaped from an Indonesian jail on Sumatra island after rioting and fire broke out on Saturday morning at the detention centre.The incident occurred after the police raided the Siak Sri Indrapura prison on Friday evening and found a female prisoner in possession of crystal methamphetamine.Following this, the authorities coordinated with the narcotics division of the Siak police to raid the entire penitentiary, reported The Jakarta Post.The rioting was triggered after a prison guard reportedly hit one of the inmates who was caught using the said drug. The angered prisoners set the guard's office on fire.In a massive manhunt by the authorities following the incident, around 110 prisoners have been recaptured, while an unknown number of others remain at large."We'll check the number [of the prisoners who ran away] later. The officers are trying to negotiate with the other prisoners," said Inspector General Widodo Eko.Widodo claimed there were no casualties, but a ...
Afghan official says female journalist shot dead in capital
An Afghan official says that unidentified gunmen have shot and killed a female journalist and adviser to the country's parliament in the capital Kabul. Nasrat Rahimi, a spokesman for the interior ministry, says that Mena Mangal, a cultural adviser for the lower house of the parliament and former TV presenter, was killed when she was on her way to work Saturday morning. Rahimi said one or possibly more assailants escaped from the scene. Kabul police have launched an investigation. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Kabul police say that it is not clear whether the murder was a terror act or the result of a personal dispute. Both Islamic State group and Taliban militants regularly carry out attacks in the capital.
Sri Lankan authorities directs public to deposit illegal explosives to police by Tuesday
Sri Lankan authorities on Saturday announced a three-day deadline for public to inform and handover all illegal explosives to the nearest police station as part of a crackdown on suspects following the Easter Sunday bombings in which over 250 people were killed. The move came a week after authorities directed people to deposit swords and other sharp-edged weapons to the nearest police station, after police recovered swords and other weapons from mosques during search operations following the April 21 blasts in which over 250 people, including 44 foreigners 10 of whom were Indians, were killed and 500 others injured. "A three-day period has been announced from 6.00 a.m. today (Saturday) to inform and handover all illegal explosives material to the nearest police," Police spokesperson SP Ruwan Gunasekara said. "Individuals in possession of such explosives should inform the nearest police station before 6.00 a.m. on Tuesday (May 14)," he added. On Saturday last, the Sri Lankan police ...
60000 security personnel to be on toes on polling day in Delhi
More than 60,000 security personnel, including Home Guards and paramilitary forces jawans, have been deployed across the city a day before the Lok Sabha elections here. Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik told PTI that elaborate arrangements, according to the instructions of the Election Commission, are in place to ensure no anti-social element causes any trouble. Voting will begin at 7 am on May 12 and scheduled to go on till 6 pm. Security personnel have been deployed at polling booths and special reserve parties and policemen are patrolling vulnerable areas, the police said. The Police Control Room Unit will also stay alert to calls of any complaints being made, especially relating to the election process, they added. "The model code of conduct is being strictly enforced. There is a special watch on border areas to foil any attempt to infiltrate by anti-social elements to cause disruption. There will be strict vigil to ensure malpractices like liquor peddling and movement of ..
Armed militants storm 5-star hotel in Pakistan's Gwadar port city, 1 killed: police
At least three heavily-armed militants on Saturday stormed a five-star hotel in Pakistan's port city of Gwadar in the restive Balochistan province, leading to a shootout with security personnel, police said. Additional police force, anti-terrorism force and army are all present at the Peal Continental (PC) Hotel to handle the situation, Dawn news quoted Gwadar Station House Officer (SHO) Aslam Bangulzai as saying. Three terrorists attempted a forced entry into the hotel. A guard at the entrance challenged them after which the terrorists opened fire and killed him, the army's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. A gunbattle between the militants and the navy and army soldiers was underway, the police said. The hotel, frequented by business as well as leisure travellers, is located on the Koh-e-Batil hill, south of West Bay on Fish Harbour road in Gwadar. Frontier Corps personnel have cordoned off the hotel. All foreign and local guests staying at the hotel have been .
NATO air strike kills 10 militants in Afghanistan
A NATO-led coalition forces' pilot-less aircraft struck a Taliban hideout in Afghanistan and killed 10 militants, police said on Saturday.
ICC charges Sanath Jayasundara with breaching anti-corruption code
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Saturday charged Sri Lanka performance analyst Sanath Jayasundara with two counts of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.Consequently, Jayasundara has been provisionally suspended with immediate effect."Article 2.1.3 - offering a bribe or other Reward to the Sri Lankan Sports Minister to contrive in any way or otherwise influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of an International Match; or Article 2..1.1 - contriving in any way or otherwise influencing improperly the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of an International Match," charges read in a statement released by ICC."Article 2.4.7 - obstructing or delaying an ACU investigation into possible corrupt conduct under the ICC Anti-Corruption Code," it added.Also, ICC has given 14 days to Jayasundra to respond to the charges.
Militants attack hotel in Balochistan province
Heavily-armed militants attacked the five-star Pearl Continental hotel in the port city of Gwadar in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province on Saturday.
Armed militants storm 5-star hotel in Pakistan's Gwadar port city: police
Some heavily-armed militants on Saturday stormed a five-star hotel in Pakistan's port city of Gwadar in the restive Balochistan province, police said. A shootout was underway at the Peal Continental Hotel after three to four armed militants entered into the facility, Dawn news quoted Gwadar Station House Officer Aslam Bangulzai as saying. There was no immediate reports of casualties. All foreign and local guests staying at the hotel have been safely evacuated, Express Tribune quoted Balochistan Information Minister Zahoor Buledi as saying. Navy and army soldiers are carrying out the operation, sources said. "At around 4:50 pm (local time) we got reports that there are three to four armed men in PC Hotel," the officer said. Frontier Corps personnel have cordoned off the hotel, DawnNewsTV reported citing police sources. The hotel, frequented by business and leisure travellers, is located on the Koh-e-Batil hill, south of West Bay on Fish Harbour road in Gwadar. On April 18, unidentified
Landmine explosion kills seven children in Afghanistan
A landmine explosion killed seven children and wounded two others in southern Afghanistan on Saturday, officials said, as war ordnance again claimed civilian lives. The blast occurred in Ghazni province, south of the capital Kabul, when the children stepped on a landmine while playing near a main road, provincial spokesman Aref Noori told AFP. "The mine was planted by the Taliban on a main road to inflict casualties on security forces," he said. The Taliban did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The insurgents often use roadside bombs and landmines to target Afghan security forces, but the lethal weapons also inflict casualties on civilians. Amanullah Kamrani, a member of Ghazni provincial council, said the children were aged between seven and nine and at least four of them belonged to one family. Years of conflict have left Afghanistan strewn with landmines, unexploded mortars, rockets and homemade bombs -- and many are picked up by curious children. Last month, seven .
Ban on NLFT, ATTF to continue for five years
The ban on the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) will continue for five years, a notification of the Ministry of Home Affairs said. The notification issued by the joint secretary to the department, Satyendra Garg, on May 9 which was made available here Saturday said, there is sufficient cause for declaring NLFT and ATTF as unlawful associations with effect from October 3, 2018 for a period of five years. A tribunal was constituted on November 15 last year for adjudicating whether or not there is sufficient cause for declaring the NLFT and ATTF unlawful associations. But none appeared on behalf of either NLFT or ATTF during the proceedings of the tribunal on February 25. The Tripura government, Ministry of Defence, Intelligence Bureau, cabinet secretariat (research and analysis wing) and the CRPF were consulted and recommended for continuance of the ban on the two outfits. The Border Security Force too recommended declaration of NLFT as .
Cricket betting gang busted, 13 held
A 13-member-cricket betting gang has been busted and Rs.1.08 lakh seized, police said here Saturday. Ramagundam police commissioner V.Satyanarayana said police raided some places following a tip that a gang was running an IPL cricket betting racket. Police also seized 20 mobile phones and two laptops and arrested 13 people. Two others are absconding, police said.