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Palanisamy to be new Tamil Nadu CM

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palanisamy

Chennai: E. Palanisamy, AIADMK General Secretary V.K. Sasikala’s backer, was on Thursday invited by Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao to take oath as the new Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.

The Governor told the minister, who was earlier elected leader of the AIADMK legislature party after Sasikala’s legal troubles, to take oath on Thursday evening, the Raj Bhavan said.

Palanisamy will have to prove his majority in the assembly within 15 days, the Governor’s office said.

The decision was conveyed to Palanisamy when he called on the Governor earlier in the day.

The news triggered wild celebrations at a resort near here where AIADMK MLAs backing the now jailed Sasikala are holed up.

Palanisamy’s supporters claimed on Wednesday night that he had the backing of 124 of the 135 party legislators as opposed to acting Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam.

AIADMK sources said Panneerselvam, who had wanted to remain the Chief Minister, went into a huddle with his supporters after the Governor told Palanisamy to take oath.

(IANS)

Suicide attack targets government officials in Peshawar in Pakistan

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At least one killed and several wounded in blast claimed by Pakistani Taliban as violence across country rises.

by Asad Hashim, Al Jazeera

Peshawar, Pakistan – A suicide bomber targeted a government van in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, killing at least one person and wounding several others, officials said.

Pakistani Taliban, Tehreek e-Taliban, claimed Wednesday’s attack which follows a recent surge in violence across the country.

“We claim responsibility for the suicide attack on the vehicle of the judiciary. The man who carried out the suicide attack was the brave warrior Sabir Swati,” the group said in a statement, as it warned of further attacks.

“Remember that the Pakistani judiciary and those […] who work for it are an obstacle to the imposition of an Islamic system. These people are the reason for mujahideen [fighters] being imprisoned or executed.”

The attacker, who rammed his motorcycle into the van, appeared to be targeting government judicial employees in the Hayatabad area, police officials said.

“There was a suicide bomber on a motorcycle … the driver of the van has been killed, and four others have been wounded,” said senior police official Sajjad Ahmed, speaking to media at the site of the explosion.

Tauheed Zulfiqar, a spokesperson for the nearby Hayatabad Medical Complex where the wounded were being treated, confirmed the death toll.

Images of the blast showed the mangled wreckage of the van crashed into a low wall, with its windows and doors badly damaged.

Police cordoned off the site and deployed a security perimeter.

“We have found body parts of the bomber as well as his motorcycle, which hit the van,” said Ahmed. “We have started a search operation, we will be able to share more information after it is completed.”

Muhammad Tahir, Peshawar’s police chief, said: “The initial analysis shows that at least 15kg of explosives were used in this attack.”

Prominent opposition politician Imran Khan was due to visit the nearby Hayatabad Medical Complex later in the day, and police had been directed to secure the area.

A bomb disposal unit team and additional security had been dispatched to the area hours earlier, police sources said.

“Security was on high alert, because [Imran Khan] had to go to this hospital,” provincial Information Minister Mushtaq Ghani told local television channel Dawn.

The attack came hours after a suicide bombing at a government office in the nearby Mohmand tribal area, which killed at least five people, including three policemen and two civilians.

On Monday, at least 13 people were killed when a suicide blast targeted police officers at a protest in the eastern city of Lahore.

Sasikala in Bengaluru to surrender

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sasikala

Bengaluru: Former AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala Natarajan on Wednesday reached Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara jail to surrender after being convicted in a Disproportionate Assets (DA) case by the Supreme Court.

Sasikala’s husband M Natarajan and supporters were present at Bengaluru jail. Trial court has also been shifted to jail for Sasikala’s surrender.

Before heading to jail, Sasikala paid a floral tribute to late Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa and sought her blessings. She travelled to the Karnataka capital by road.

Sasikala was on Tuesday sentenced to 4 years in prison by the apex court, in Rs 66 crore DA case.

The former AIADMK chief appointed Edappadi K. Palanisamy as leader of the legislature party and her nephew Dinakaran as the deputy general secretary of the party, as her final official act before heading to Bengaluru.

Sasikala’s lawyer had on Wednesday asked the apex court for more time for her to surrender, but this was rejected.

Before she left Golden Bay resort on Tuesday, Sasikala addressed the MLAs who have been staying inside the luxurious resort since last week and asked them to ensure that the AIADMK remains united. “I may go to jail, but my heart will always here. I will continue to perform my duties as the AIADMK General Secretary from wherever I am,” Sasikala told her legislators.

She also launched a veiled attack against Governor CH Vidyasagar Rao asking why he has not invited Mr Palanisamy to form the government as yet. “They can’t jail my thoughts. Whether I’m here or in another state, I will work for the party 24 hours a day. Our enemy Karunanidhi lodged this case and we should ensure that his party DMK does not come to power again in Tamil Nadu,” she said.

“There is no need for anyone to be afraid. We must do good for the people and we must only think about how to help the people. I request you to smile and not cry,” Sasikala said.

She also sacked acting CM O Panneerselvam from the party and appointed E Palanisamy as the new AIADMK Legislature Party leader.

(Agencies)

Stakes high for SP in UP as voting begins in 2nd phase

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(AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

(AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Lucknow: As voting for 67 seats in 11 districts of Uttar Pradesh began on Wednesday, the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) is hoping to repeat its 2012 performance in the region.

The SP had won 34 of the 67 seats, while the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) had come a distant second with 17 seats in the last election.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is making a strong pitch to make inroads in the region had won 10 seats while the Congress, which is now contesting the polls in alliance with the SP, had barely managed 4 seats.

Regional parties like the Ittehadul-E-Millat Council and the Peace Party had won one seat each.

Muslim population is sizeable in 40 constituencies in the second phase and they could hold the key to victory.

In all 721 candidates are in the fray. The key seats are Sambhal, Moradabad, Rampur, Bareilly, Amroha, Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Shahjahanpur, Bijnore, Saharanpur and Budayun.

(IANS)

Caught on Camera: Congress corporator shot dead in Bhiwandi by masked assailants

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corporator Manoj Mhatre

Mumbai: Bhiwandi corporator Manoj Mhatre (Congress) was killed last night by masked assailants who shot at him and assaulted him with sharp knives. Narpoli police registered a murder case late in the night after he succumbed to his injuries.

The assailants ambushed Mhatre when he got home around 9 pm. “Mhatre’s driver had dropped him near his house at Oswal Wadi. He was walking home when at least five persons attacked him with sharp knives and fired two rounds,” said a cop. Mhatre breathed his last at Jupiter Hospital.

“One of the fired rounds hit his back and he succumbed to the injuries,” said DCP Manoj Patil, Bhiwandi.

Mhatre was in his early 40s and was the leader of Congress in the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation. Sources said he had a construction and infrastructure business, and an internal dispute might have led to the murder. Narpoli police and the Crime Branch put a city-wide nakabandi in place to catch the accused.

(Agencies)

PSLV-C37 carrying record 104 satellites lifts off from Sriharikota

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PSLV-C37

Sriharikota: Indian rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) on Wednesday morning lifted off successfully with a record 104 satellites, including the country’s earth observation satellite Cartosat-2 series.

The PSLV-XL variant rocket standing 44.4 metre tall and weighing 320 ton tore into the morning skies at 9.28 a.m. with a deep throated growl breaking free of the earth’s gravitational pull.

The earth observation satellite Cartosat-2 series weighs 714 kg.

The co-passenger satellites comprise 101 nano satellites, one each from Israel, Kazakhstan, The Netherlands, Switzerland, the UAE and 96 from the US, as well as two nano satellites from India.

The total weight of all the satellites carried on-board is about 1,378 kg.

By the 28th minute of the rocket’s mission all the 104 satellites would be put into orbit.

The PSLV rocket is a four stage/engine rocket powered by solid and liquid fuel alternatively.

“The Cartosat satellite is the fourth one in the Cartosat-2 series of earth observation satellites. Already three are in the orbit and two more will be launched. Once all the six Cartosat-2 series satellites are launched the Cartosat-3 series would begin,” an ISRO official told IANS preferring anonymity.

(IANS)

Jignesh Mevani announces setting up of SSS to counter RSS

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jignesh mevani

Mangaluru: Jignesh Mevani, a prominent social activist from Gujarat, on Tuesday announced the setting up of Samvidhan Suraksha Samiti (SSS) to counter the influence of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha (RSS) in the country.

Mevani, an advocate by profession, was addressing the cadres of the Campus Front of India (CFI) during its students vigil conference organised at Town Hall in the city.

The conference titled ‘Mothers Cry for Justice’ aimed at ensuring justice for Radhika Vemula, mother of Rohit Vemula, and Nafeesath, mother of Najeeb Ahmed. Vemula, a research scholar at the Central University of Hyderabad (CUH) committed suicide allegedly due to some issues with the university authorities, a year ago. Najeeb Ahmed, a student of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, went missing mysteriously from the campus on October last.

The activist also announced that it was for the first time that he was disclosing before the media about the Samiti that will have its branches in every state and district in the country. Wherever the RSS has a branch, the SSS will set up a branch, said Mevani, with the sole intention of checking the recurrence of Rohit Vemula and Najeeb Ahmed-like incidents henceforth.

Mevani launched a tirade against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and dared the latter to bring back Najeeb and also Vemula, as he often called himself as a man with ‘Chappan Inch Ka Seena’ (man with 56-inch chest).

Mincing no words, Mevani who called the RSS and other right wing organisations as emerging threats to the internal security of the country, especially after Modi became the prime minister, reminded the gathering that ‘Note Bandhi’ (demonetisation of notes), ‘Manuvad’ (proposition of religion) and the Gujarat model are three dangerous developments in the country.

Mevani termed the Gujarat model as nothing but a combination of fascism and communalism that claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent Muslims in the Godhra pogrom.

Prof P Koya, national general secretary of the National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations (NCHRO) from Kerala, appealed to the gathering to remove the wet blanket of fear that has enveloped the country.

Koya said, such is the fret among the people that they have accepted demonetisation of currency notes without any protest. The judiciary and media have turned mute without mustering courage to raise the voice fearing loss of benefits in the future.

He complimented the judiciary in the United States of America (US) where a judge was pugnacious in opposing the ban on immigrants from seven Islamic nations imposed by new US President Donald Trump.

National president of CFI Shuhaid P V gave a clarion call to weed out fascism that is the enemy of not just the society but all individuals.

Shuhaid, who claimed that CFI was the first to call the suicide of Vemula as ‘institutional murder’, wanted the gathering to consider the issue of demonetisation, national education policy and also attempts to scuttle students movement as the issue of every Indian.

Former chairman of Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission C S Dwarakanath, national general secretary of CFI T Abdul Nasar, Rohit Vemula’s friend Sunganna Velpula, writer Yogesh Master and general secretary of national women’s front Lubna Minaaz were also present.

 

(Agencies)

Police book Sasikala, Palaniswamy for alleged detention of AIADMK MLAs

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Sasikala

Kancheepuram: Police today booked AIADMK General Secretary V K Sasikala and its Legislature Party Leader Edappadi K Palaniswamy in connection with the alleged detention of party MLAs at a resort in this district.

The two were booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) pertaining to abduction and wrongful confinement.

The case was filed at Koovathur police station on a complaint from Madurai (South) MLA S S Saravanan, who has since joined the rebel O Panneerselvam camp.

Last week, while extending his support to Chief Minister Panneerselvam, Saravanan claimed that he had managed to flee from the resort by changing into a t-shirt and bermuda shorts.
On February 5, Sasikala was elected as the Legislature Party Leader.

However, two days later, Panneerselvam had raised a banner of revolt against her, alleging he was forced to step down for her.

The AIADMK MLAs have been put up at the luxury resort for the past one week, and many of those who swear allegiance to Sasikala have been insisting they were staying on their own volition. Sasikala herself had visited the resort thrice to hold discussions with her party legislators.

(Agencies)

Aero India 2017 starts in Bengaluru

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Aero India 2017

Bengaluru: A breathtaking display of thrilling manoeuvres by military aircraft and aerobatic teams left the audience spell-bound at the 11th edition of Aero India air show that started here today.

The Bengaluru skies over the Yelahanka airbase were dazzled with somersaults and stunts by metal birds with the daredevilry of world famous aerobatics teams in full flow.

Billed as Asia’s premier air show, the biennial edition of International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition – Aero India 2017 was inaugurated by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

Betting high on the Defence market in India, global aerospace giants are hard selling their wares with potential deals worth billions of Dollars on offer.

Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat, Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa and Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba were also present.

Enthralling stunts were performed by helicopter display team “Sarang”, Indian Air Force’s “Surya Kiran” and ‘SKYCATS- Scandinavian Air Show’ aerobatics teams.
It was a special occasion for Surya Kiran Aerobatics Team (SKAT) as they marked their 500th public display since formation in 1996.

SKAT, with a fleet of brand new single engine, jet powered advanced Hawk aircraft and redefined manoeuvres was back after having skipped two editions of the Aero India.

Hawk aircraft are faster and more manoeuvrable than the Kiran aircraft SKAT used earlier.

Embraer 145 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft equipped with the first ever Active Electronic Scanning Array (AESA) radar, and LUH were displayed for the very first time at the Aero show.

The air display began with Mi-17 helicopters trooping in the Indian tricolour, Indian Air Force and Aero India flags.

It was followed by indigenously built HAL products comprising Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) flanked by Cheetal helicopter, Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) and the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH).

A formation comprising Dornier Do 228, Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, HTT-40 (Basic Trainer Aircraft) and Hawk then followed.

A total of 549 companies are taking part in the event, of which 270 are Indian and 279 foreign. About two lakh business visitors are expected to attend the show, in which 72 aircraft are participating, according to the organisers.

Enthralling manoeuvres were performed by HTT-40, LCH, LUH, Tiger Moth, homegrown LCA (Tejas), Sukhoi Su-30MKI, Gripen fighter, Rafale fighter, F16, Pilatus PC-7 aircrafts.

Also there is a static display of HTT-40, upgraded Jaguar and Mirage 2000, LCH and LUH at the air show.

(Agencies)

UN: ‘Looming catastrophe’ in four besieged Syrian towns

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UN official pleads with Assad government to allow life-saving aid deliveries to 60,000 civilians trapped in four towns.

According to monitoring group Siege Watch, more than a million people live under siege across Syria [Reuters]

According to monitoring group Siege Watch, more than a million people live under siege across Syria [Reuters]

by Al Jazeera

A senior UN official in Syria has warned of a “looming humanitarian catastrophe” in four besieged towns and called on President Bashar al-Assad to allow safe passage for life-saving aid to some 60,000 trapped civilians.

Ali al-Zaatari, the UN humanitarian coordinator for Syria, warned of dire conditions in Zabadani, Madaya, Fua and Kefraya; towns besieged by government troops and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

“Sixty-thousand innocent people are trapped there in a cycle of daily violence and deprivation, where malnutrition and lack of proper medical care prevail,” he said in a statement released late on Monday.

“The situation is a looming humanitarian catastrophe. The principle of free access to people in need must be implemented now and without repeated requests.”

Zaatari added that the situation was complicated by the “tit-for-tat arrangement” between the towns, whereby no aid can be provided to Madaya and Zabadani without similar access to Fua and Kefraya, and vice versa.

The linkage “makes humanitarian access prone to painstaking negotiations that are not based on humanitarian principles,” he said.

“This has prevented medical cases from receiving proper treatment and evacuation. People are in need, and they cannot wait any longer. We need to act now.”

Fua and Kefraya, the last two government-held villages in Idlib province, are surrounded by a rebel alliance including Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (formerly al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch).

The UN’s last humanitarian access to the four towns was in November, the statement said, without directing blame for the lack of access on one side or the other.

‘One million under siege’

Earlier this month, the UN said it had been able to deliver aid to just 40,000 people in besieged and hard-to-reach areas in January, despite requesting access to more than 900,000 people.

That made January the worst month for humanitarian deliveries in nearly a year, with approval received for just one of 21 humanitarian convoys proposed by the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent.

According to Siege Watch, a monitoring group that tracks besieged communities, more than one million Syrians live under siege in Damascus governorate, Idlib governorate, Homs and Deir Az Zor.

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