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Disease outbreak threatens Nepal's earthquake survivors

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Medical workers try to prevent spread of disease in quake’s aftermath, with clean water and toilets in short supply.

Disease Nepal earthquake

by Al Jazeera

Survivors of Nepal’s major earthquake are facing the threat of a disease outbreak due to a severe shortage of clean water and toilets.

Al Jazeera’s Subina Shrestha, reporting from the village of Dukuchap in Lalitpur area, said on Friday that locals were suffering from diarrhoea, stomach cramps and other diseases that could turn into epidemics if the cause of the problem was not stopped in time.

“The water is thick and smelly, but we have to drink it,” Kalpana Tamang, a Dukuchap village resident, told Al Jazeera.

Dr Kishore Rana, a major general in the Nepalese army, said that in a number of villages the health centres and hospitals have been ruined and the areas depended on mobile medical teams – often foreigners.

“Our plan is for other medical teams that can come here and stay here for a longer duration – three to six months,” he said.

“We’ll be sending these teams to the areas were health posts and hospitals have been destroyed.”

Shrestha reported that “even at the best of times, the health system in Nepal has been rather poor”.

“For this village of Dukchap, the only health post is half an hour further up and the only thing they have is paracetamol.”

Essential medicines

The World Health Organization (WHO) said that a quick assessment of Nepal’s worst-hit districts has found some hospitals damaged or destroyed, but most were coping well with no extra staff or beds required.

According to the WHO, there was a need for essential medicines, equipment and materials.

The organisation said it was focused on preventing the possible spread of diarrhoeal diseases among at least 2.8 million displaced people, especially those living in 16 makeshift camps in the capital, Kathmandu.

The death toll from Saturday’s earthquake has reached more than 6,200 people. Almost 14,000 have been injured and thousands are still missing.

Many of the monuments and temples in Kathmandu Valley, which was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, for seven distinct locations, were destroyed in the earthquake.

Search and rescue teams continue their operation, clearing debris from crushed buildings and the centuries-old temples as well as getting aid to remote locations.

The government has announced it will give every family, which has had a member killed in the earthquake, about $1,000 in compensation.

Baltimore set for 'victory rally' as officers charged

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Thousands expected to attend march, celebrating charges against six police officers over custodial death of a black man.

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

by Al Jazeera

A march planned by activists to protest the death of a black man in police custody is now being dubbed as a “victory rally” after criminal charges were slapped against the officers involved.

The march on Saturday follows a decision by Baltimore’s top prosecutor to file criminal charges against the six police officers involved in Freddie Gray’s death.

The officers turned themselves in at the city jail on Friday afternoon. All were later released on bonds of between $250,000 and $350,000.

Maryland State Attorney Marilyn Mosby said on Friday that Gray’s arrest was illegal and unjustified, and that his neck was broken because he was handcuffed, shackled and placed head-first into a police van.

Mosby’s announcement triggered celebrations across the same Baltimore streets that were hit with unrest just four days earlier, when Gray’s funeral led to riots and looting.

People danced in the streets, chanting “Freddie” to celebrate the charges. Some were later arrested by police, however, for refusing to disperse after a curfew went into effect at 10pm for the fourth night.

The thousands of protesters who are expected to attend over the weekend will now do so to celebrate the decision by Mosby to charge the officers with felonies ranging from assault to murder.

Gray’s death from spinal injuries a week after his April 12 arrest became a rallying cry against brutality and social inequality in the city.

Swift decision

The swift decision by Mosby, who has been in the position only since January, to charge the six officers caught many by surprise in a city hit on Monday night by its worst civil unrest in decades.

The police had no reason to stop or chase after Gray, Mosby said. “They falsely accused him of having an illegal switchblade when in fact it was a legal pocketknife.”

The officer who drove the police vehicle in which Gray was taken after his arrest was charged with second-degree murder, which could put him in prison for 30 years if convicted.

Mosby, who rejected the police union’s call for a special prosecutor, earned praise from protesters and Gray’s family.

“We are satisfied with today’s charges,” Gray’s stepfather, Richard Shipley, told a news conference. “These charges are an important step in getting justice for Freddie.”

But a lawyer hired by the union insisted the officers did nothing wrong. Attorney Michael Davey said that Mosby has committed “an egregious rush to judgment”.

“We have grave concerns about the fairness and integrity of the prosecution of our officers,” Davey said.

Dawood Ibrahim wanted to surrender: former Delhi Police chief

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Neeraj-Kumar-Dawood-Ibrahim

New Delhi: Former Delhi police commissioner Neeraj Kumar has claimed that underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, the mastermind of the 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai that claimed around 300 lives, wanted to surrender but the CBI did not agree to it.

Neeraj Kumar also claimed to have spoken to Dawood Ibrahim three times in June 1994.

“I spoke to a jittery Dawood three times in June 1994… He seemed to be toying with the idea of surrendering but had one worry – his rival gangs could finish him off if he returned to India. I told him his safety would be the responsibility of the CBI,” Neeraj Kumar has told Hindustan Times.

“Dawood was worried that his rivals may kill him if he would come back. I played along and told him that the CBI would take care of his safety if he were to return but before we could actually talk terms of surrender, my bosses in the CBI told me to back off,” Neeraj Kumar says in the HT interview.

In June 1994, Neeraj Kumar was with the CBI and he was leading the agency’s probe into 1993 Mumbai blasts.

Reacting to Neeraj Kumar’s claims, former CBI director Vijay Rama Rao said, “No such offer of surrender came from Dawood Ibrahim. If it’s the case, it was not brought to my knowledge.”

“Let all facts come out. Without entire facts be known, it would be premature and incorrect to say anything,” BJP leader Nalin Kohli said.

Last December, the Modi government, in bilateral talks with Pakistan, had sought custody of Dawood Dawood Ibrahim.

Intelligence sources also said that Dawood is a special guest staying in Pakistan’s much guarded defence area and so much is the secrecy that Pakistan sees that Dawood and his kin fly to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage in charter flights.

(Agencies)

Zaheer Khan returns with Virender Sehwag's scalp as Delhi Daredevils spank Kings XI Punjab

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Zaheer_Khan

New Delhi: Zaheer Khan made an impressive comeback from a year-long hiatus complementing Nathan Coulter-Nile brilliantly as Delhi Daredevils spanked Kings XI Punjab by 9 wickets at the Ferozeshah Kotla on Friday.

Chasing a paltry target of 119, Daredevils romped home with 6.1 overs to spare as openers Mayank Agarwal (52 not out) and Shreyas Iyer (54) put on a comfortable 106-run partnership for the first wicket to seal the issue in style.

The home team could not have asked for a better performance from their bowlers in their last home match as they restricted Punjab to 118 for eight after winning the toss.

Coming into bowl in a competitive match after 363 days, Zaheer removed Virender Sehwag (1) off the second ball and Manan Vohra (1) in his very next over as he finished with figures of 2/17 from four overs. After Zaheer blew the top two away, Coulter-Nile caused a lot of damage in the middle and lower order with figures of 4/20 in four overs as it deservingly earned him man-of-the match award.

There was not much KXIP could have done after putting on board such a total and Delhi easily crossed the finishing line without much fuss.

(Agencies)

Punjab Minister kicks up row, says Moga victim's death God's will

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MOGA-RAPE

Moga: Punjab Education Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra today triggered a controversy by making an insensitive comment that the death of the teenage girl, who was molested and thrown off a bus belonging to the ruling Badal family, was God’s will. ‘Nobody can stop accidents. Whatever happens does so by God’s will.

“We can always meet with an accident. We will do more for the people….What has happened is unfortunate. You cannot go against nature’s will,” he said.

Rejecting government compensation and demanding action against the owners of the vehicle, family members of the girl have refused to perform her last rites.”There is no headway on this issue (on the cremation),” Moga SSP Jatinder Singh Khehra said.

The body of girl has been kept in a mortuary at Singhawala village here.All attempts by the state authorities to persuade the bereaved family to cremate her proved futile after they rejected a compensation of Rs 20 lakh, a government job for her mother, her free treatment and holding trial of the case in a fast track court.

The family was insisting that the owners of the bus, Orbit Aviation, be booked in connection with the offence and its road permits be cancelled, a demand vociferously supported by AAP.

“I want justice. I want justice for my daughter. FIR should be registered against those whom the bus belonged to,” victim’s father had said yesterday.

When he was asked whether he wanted registration of FIR against Sukhbir Badal, he had said, “FIR can be lodged against him (Sukhbir) after all he is a human being.””Is there nobody in the world who can lodge FIR against him (Sukhbir),” he had questioned yesterday.

The 13-year-old victim and her mother were thrown off the moving bus by a group of men, including the conductor, after they resisted molestation attempts on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Punjab Congress led by its chief Partap Singh Bajwa has given a call for ‘Rail Roko’ agitation for an hour starting at noon to protest against the “deteriorating” law and order situation in the state and to draw attention to the farmers’ problems.

“The deteriorating law and order situation will be part of the ‘Rail Roko’ agitation whose main focus will be the demands of the farmers,” he said.

Congress Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala charged that the family has refused to cremate the victim as the police is pressuring them to arrive at a compromise.

“Ministers of Akali Dal-BJP government are giving out insensitive statements. This is inhuman and completely reflects the arrogance of power that has surpassed the basic tenets of humanity,” he said.

SAD MLA Joginder Singh Jain accused the opposition parties of adding fuel to the fire.

“The government has taken all action possible within its limits till now. The opposition parties including AAP and Congress are simply adding fuel to the fire.

They are misleading the family and bringing disrepute to the girl’s modesty,” he said.

As far as the compensation issue is concerned, he said “It has been given as ex-gratia and not as a bribe. The opposition is watching the drama        and doing nothing. They (family) have not refused to take compensation from us. Infact they were the ones who demanded money and a job.”

“We got a special exemption from the government to give a job in the corporation to their 16-year-old son,” he said.

(PTI)

Agra Muslims who were lured to convert to Hinduism, revert to Islam

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Conversion_Agra

Meerut: A group of Muslims in Agra, who converted to Hinduism on Christmas last year became Muslim again on Friday.

About 17 members of ‘Nat’ community, an extremely backward community in Mahuar Lathiya village in Achnera block, who became Muslim, alleged that a Hindutva group leader had pressured them to become Hindu and had promised them a piece of land.

All those who reconverted belong to the same family and used to live in a settlement of fellow ‘Nat’ community on a public land.

Fifty-year-old Rahmat, the eldest of the group, told the media that Ali Mohammad had pressured the rest of the family members after the Hindutva leader had allegedly promised them a piece of land. After they had become Hindu last year, they faced boycott by their fellow community members.

They didn’t get invitation for marriages and other community functions of the closely knit Nat community in the village.

(Agencies)

19th Federation Cup National Senior Athletics Championship kicks off with all grandeur

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Federation Cup National Senior Athletics Championship

Mangaluru: The much awaited 19th Federation Cup National Senior Athletics Championship witnessed a grand opening in a colourful ceremony held at the fully refurbished Mangala Stadium here on Thursday, April 30 evening.

The four day event jointly organised by Athletics Federation of India (AFI), Karnataka Amateur Athletics Association (KAAA) and Dakshina Kannada District Athletics Association (DKDAA) witnessed the participation of various state ministers, members of legislative assembly as guests and welcomed nearly 1,000 athletes representing various states of the country.

The event was inaugurated by Higher Education Minister R V Deshpande who was also the chief guest on the occasion. Bollywood star Sunil Shetty, who hails from Mangaluru was also part of the inaugural ceremony.

(Agencies)

7.1 Magnitude Earthquake Rocks Papua New Guinea

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The epicenter was located south-west of Rabaul, which was destroyed in 1994 after the Mount Tavurvur volcano erupted.

An alert has been issued after a major quake hit off the coast of Papua New Guinea Friday. Photo: Reuters

An alert has been issued after a major quake hit off the coast of Papua New Guinea Friday. Photo: Reuters

by teleSUR

On Friday, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake was registered off the coast of the Pacific Island of Papua New Guinea, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported.

Authorities have not reported any damages or casualties as of yet.

The epicenter of the earthquake was located 128 km south-south-west of Rabaul, a town on East New Britain Island which was also struck by a 6.9 quake Thursday. The town, located at the foot of the Mount Tavurvur volcano, was destroyed in a 1994 eruption.

Papua New Guinea is located in the Pacific ring of fire, the most active seismic region in the World. An earthquake in 1994 left more than 2,000 people in the country dead after a Tsunami devastated the island.

US panel slams Modi government over attacks on minority communities

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riots-india

Washington: Religious minorities in India have been subjected to “violent attacks, forced conversions” and “Ghar Wapsi” campaigns by groups like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) after the Modi government assumed power in 2014, a US Congress-established panel has said.

In its 2015 annual report, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) asked the Obama administration to press the Indian government to publicly rebuke officials and religious leaders who make derogatory remarks about communities and to boost religious freedom standards in India.

The panel said that despite the country’s status as a pluralistic, secular democracy, India has long struggled to protect minority religious communities or provide justice when crimes occur, which perpetuates a climate of impunity.

Incidents of religiously-motivated and communal violence reportedly have increased for three consecutive years, the panel said in its key findings.

The government on Thursday dismissed the latest report of the USCIRF, which noted that religious minority communities in India had been subject to derogatory comments by politicians linked to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party since the parliamentary elections in 2014.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement dismissing the report and stating that it was based on limited understanding of India.

“Our attention has been drawn to a report of the USCIRF which has passed judgment on religious freedom in India. It appears to be based on limited understanding of India, its constitution and its society,” said Vikas Swaroop, official spokesperson of the MEA. “We take no cognizance of this report,” added Swaroop.

(Agencies)

Germany accused of spying on France and engaging in industrial espionage on behalf of NSA

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germany-accused-of-eavesdropping-on-top-french-officials-and-engaging-in-industrial-espionage-on-behalf-of-the-nsa

by Melodie Bouchaud, Vice

Remember German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s outrage at having her cell phone tapped by the NSA, after whistleblower Edward Snowden leaked the evidence? She accused the NSA of being “like the Stasi.”

Now, it’s been revealed that Germany’s foreign intelligence agency BND spied on senior French and European officials on behalf of the US’s National Security Agency (NSA), according to the German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ).

SZ reports that the BND used its satellite tracking station in Bavaria — which famously resembles a field of oversized golf balls — to eavesdrop on members of the French foreign affairs ministry, the office of the French presidency, and the European Commission.

But leaked reports that surfaced in the German media this week indicate that the NSA also relied on Germany to conduct industrial espionage on a number of European firms, as early as 2008. According to the BBC, Washington was checking for violations of trade agreements.

Germany first started sharing data with the US in 2002 under Frank-Walter Steinmeier, then chief of staff to former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. The aim of the 2002 Memorandum of Agreement between Germany and the US was to strengthen cooperation on intelligence in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks and to combat global terrorism.

Asked to spy on companies like European aerospace and defense corporation EADS or helicopter manufacturer Eurocopter, BND employees apparently didn’t take long to figure out they were engaging in industrial espionage rather than the war on terror.

According to German news weekly Der Spiegel, BND employees alerted German higher-ups as early as 2008, and again in 2010, that the NSA’s intelligence requests exceeded the counterterrorism mandate of the original agreement.

Der Spiegel claims that, of the 690,000 phone numbers and 7.8 million IP addresses cleared for surveillance, 40,000 fell outside of the counterterrorism remit of the German-American intelligence pact. The US was not “solely interested in terrorism,” wrote the German weekly, but “used [Germany’s] technological resources to spy on western European companies and firms.”

German media has reported that the government turned a blind eye to NSA spying so that it might continue to receive US counterterrorism information.

On Wednesday, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere — who was responsible for the BND at the time — denied the government had lied to the German parliament about supposedly known breaches to the agreement. De Maiziere, who has been accused of lying by the German media, was pictured Wednesday on the cover of German tabloid newspaper Bild with an elongated Pinocchio nose.

The spying allegations are particularly embarrassing for Merkel, who commented at the time it was revealed that her cell phone was tapped that “spying between friends is simply unacceptable.” She’s been branded hypocritical, particularly in light of Germany’s political collaboration with France, which is also known as the “Franco-German Friendship.” Merkelhas vowed to “bring everything out into the open.”

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