River spills into Bangkok, floods the Grand Palace

BANGKOK: The main river in Thailand’s capital swelled to a record high on Friday, spilling over its banks and sending water rippling into the grounds of the Grand Palace , a primary historical monument of temples and gilded spires.

The amount of water entering the palace grounds was small, but the breach was symbolically significant as Bangkok enters a crucial period when high tides to the south are pushing back at runoff from the north that has breached the city’s outer defences and is now flooding some outlying districts.

“The crisis we’re facing today is the most critical natural disaster that ever happened in Thai history,” PM Yingluck Shinawatra said.

Chinatown, not far from the palace, was flooded, and concerns grew that floodwaters could reach the commercial center of the city, with its banks and shopping malls and five-star hotels, scene of the “red shirt” protests early last year that were Thailand’s most recent crisis. The commercial center was quiet on Friday as Bangkok residents continued to flee by the thousands after the government warned that there was little more that it could do to stop deluge.

“What we’re doing today is resisting the force of nature ,” the prime minister had said on Thursday. “We cannot resist all of it.” A huge mass of flood water has coursed down over recent weeks from the north, following an unusually heavy monsoon season , taking a steep economic toll as it inundated cities and industrial estates. Several feet of stagnant water continue to paralyse the ancient capital of Ayutthaya, to the north of Bangkok. With bad news continuing , and the prospects for recovery becoming an increasingly steep challenge, the Bank of Thailand cut its economic growth forecast for 2011 to 2.6% from 4.1%.

“The widespread flood, now affecting not only agricultural production but also manufacturing activity, is likely to weigh on the fourth quarter’s growth substantially ,” the central bank said. Floodwater breached the defences of the domestic airport , Don Muang, earlier this week. Airport director, Kanpat Mangkalasiri, said that 90% of the airport was now flooded. The main international airport, Suvarnabhumi , continued to function normally.

©2011 The New York Times News Service

UK grounds stunt team after crash

LONDON: A pilot from British military’s famed Red Arrows aerobatic display team was killed when his aircraft crashed in southern England , prompting authorities to ground the stunt group.

Afghanistan veteran Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging’s Hawk jet crashed on Saturday in a field near Bournemouth airport after taking part in the Bournemouth Air Festival in Dorset.

The 33-year-old Egging, known to colleagues as “Eggman” , was pronounced dead at the scene after he made a dramatic attempt to steer the falling plane away from nearby houses.

The nine-plane stunt team had finished a display over the seafront in Bournemouth and was returning to the airport when the accident took place.

Chief inspector Steve White of Dorset Police said the aircraft had come to a rest on the banks of the River Stour. “The pilot, who had been thrown from the aircraft , was pronounced dead at the scene,” he said.

The Red Arrows are famous for their airborne stunts, red, white and blue vapor trails, dramatic flypasts and trademark diamond formation . Formed in 1965, they have flown more than 4,000 displays in 53 countries. Their red single-engine jet trainers are a familiar sight at air shows and military events.

The pilots are drawn from front-line RAF squadrons, and return to active duty after three years with the Arrows . In 2009, Flight Lt Kirsty Moore became the first female member of the team.

The nine-pilot team last had an accident in 2010, when two jets crashed in training in Crete. Neither pilot was seriously injured.

Other flight demonstration teams, including the United States Air Force’s Thunderbirds and the US Navy’s Blue Angels, have had deaths in training and during displays, although they are relatively rare. In 2007, Blue Angels pilot Lt Cmdr Kevin Davis died at an air show in South Carolina when he briefly lost control of his F/A 18 Hornet jet.

Sun Pictures CEO held

CHENNAI: Chennai police on Sunday arrested W Hansraj Saxena, chief executive officer of Sun Pictures, for allegedly cheating a film distributor to the tune of Rs 82.53 lakh. He was held as he came out of the city airport around 7.05 pm after a visit to Hyderabad.

Based on a complaint by the Kanda Films distribution head TS Selvaraj, K K Nagar police swung into action. Saxena has been charged under sections 406 (punishment for cheating), 420 (cheating), 385 (putting person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion) and 506 (1) (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code.

Saxena was taken to the concerned police station from the airport and later produced before a magistrate who remanded him to police custody.

According to police, RK Reddy films produced the Tamil film ‘Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai’ starring Vishal. The movie was taken over by Sun Pictures.

Selvaraj who has been in the film distribution business submitted before the city police commissioner JK Tripathy, that Sun Pictures failed to give him Rs 82,53,374 lakh for the distribution rights he is owning. When Selvaraj tried to contact Saxena, he allegedly threatened him with dire consequences.

Saxena was named in the FIR registered by police here in 2010 for ransacking the checkers hotel in Saidapet area. However, police didn’t take any further action. While addressing the mediapersons at the his office, city police commissioner Tripathy said the checkers hotel attack case was pending before the court. There had been a buzz across the city for the past few days about Saxena’s imminent arrest.

“As Selvaraj has lodged the complaint against Sun Pictures, after detailed interrogation of Saxena, the other key personnel of the company will also be roped in the FIR,” a senior police officer said.

Over 169 dead in Mangalore air crash

Mangalore, May 22 (ANI): At least 169 people are feared dead after an Air India Express aircraft from Dubai to Mangalore overshot the runway while landing at the Mangalore airport on Saturday morning.

A total of 173 people, including the crew members were on board the flight that crashed around 6: 30 a.m.

At least 20 fire tenders have been rushed to the site as the plane is on fire and smoke was seen coming out of the airport.

The rescue operation is still on with the help of around 150 Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel.

It has been reported that there are six survivors, who have been rushed to the hospital.

Karnataka Home Minister Dr V S Acharya said incident happened near a valley 10 kilometers from the airport.

Meanwhile, the Mangalore airport has been shut for the time being.

There are reports that Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel has rushed to Mangalore to monitor the situation. (ANI)

Colin Farrell to become dad again

London, Sept 14 (ANI): Actor Colin Farrell has finally confirmed that his girlfriend Alicja Bachleda is pregnant.

Rumours started off after Bachleda was spotted sporting a suspicious bump at the Los Angeles LAX airport.

The Irish star confirmed the news at Toronto Film Festival in Canada without divulging any more details.

According to the Daily Express, on being asked about the baby news, the ‘In Bruges’ star said, “Yes”.

The 33-year-old Irish actor and Bachleda began dating earlier this year (09).

He already has a five-year-old son, James, with his ex-girlfriend Kim Bordenave. (ANI)

Boxer Vijender Singh returns home

New Delhi, Sep 14 (ANI): Boxer Vijender Singh, who has won a bronze medal for the first time in the World Boxing Championship, returned to New Delhi on Sunday night.

Vijender made India proud at the World Boxing Championships in Milan on Wednesday by winning a bronze medal. He is the first Indian to win a bronze in the World Championships.

He had defeated Derevyanchenko Sergiy of Ukraine by 12-4 in quarterfinal round but lost to Attoev Abbos by 3-7 in the semi-final round of the 75-kilogram category.

Atoev had earlier lost to Vijender in the Asian Boxing Championship.

Vijender was given a warm welcome in the Indira Gandhi International Airport. Hordes of people gathered outside the airport to take a glimpse of the boxer.

The boxer was euphoric to see such a huge amount of crowd waiting to welcome him.

“It was a wonderful experience and I am quite elated to see such a grand welcome for me. It shows India has many people who love boxing. It feels nice to see that and win the medal,” said Vijender Singh.

Meanwhile, coach G S Sandhu proudly walked with his boxing champs claiming that boxing has started creating history from last year.

“Boxing is creating a history from last year starting from Olympics to Asian Boxing Championship and now in World Boxing Championship,” said G.S Sandhu. (ANI)

Man begs cops at Beijing airport to stop ladylove from boarding a flight!

New Delhi, September 11 (ANI): A man begged cops at the Beijing airport to stop his ladylove from boarding a flight to Shanghai, after they had a terrible quarrel.

The police officers helped the two lovers reconcile, and they are about to get married soon.

After the couple’s fight, the woman headed straight for the airport to catch a plane to her hometown, reports the China Daily.

Her lover followed her to the airport, and requested the police officers to stop her so that he could talk to her.

The cops’ help led to a brief conversation between the lovers, after which they came out of the airport, and shared a taxi back home. (ANI)

Zia, Yahya and Ayub should be exhumed and hanged like Cromwell: PML-N leader

Karachi, Sep.11 (ANI): Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Javed Hashmi has said that all dictators including General Ayub Khan, General Yahya Khan and General Zia-ul-Haq should be tried and their bodies should be exhumed and hanged.

Talking to media persons at the Karachi Airport, Hashmi said the autocratic rulers should be treated in the same way the British treated Oliver Cromwell in 1661 to prevent the emergence of any dictator in future.

“The judiciary should try all the people in the country who had violated the constitution,” The Daily Times quoted Hashmi, as saying.

Oliver Cromwell’s, an English military and political leader,body was exhumed from Westminster Abbey, and was subjected to the ritual of a posthumous execution.

Symbolically, this took place on 30 January 1661 the same date that Charles I was executed. His body was hanged in chains at Tyburn. Finally, his disintegrated body was thrown into a pit, while his severed head was displayed on a pole outside Westminster Hall until 1685.

Afterwards the head changed hands several times, including the sale in 1814 to a man named Josiah Henry Wilkinson, before eventually being buried in the grounds of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, in 1960.(ANI)

India, Nepal agree to review Air Service Agreement

New Delhi, Sep 11 (ANI): India and Nepal signed here a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for review of Air Service Agreement (ASA) and a technical accord.

As per the understanding reached between the delegation from the two countries, the weekly seat capacity has been increased to 30,000 from the existing 6,000. This step can safely be expected to give a whole new boost to tourism as well as trade between the two countries.

Three new points have been granted to Nepal, namely Dehra Dun, Gorakhpur and Bagdogra and for India, Pokhara, Lumbini, Biratnagar, Nepalgunj, Janakpur, Dhangadi and Bhairahawa.

However, within their overall capacity entitlements, the designated airlines of Nepal shall be entitled to operate not exceeding 10,000 seats per week to/from Mumbai and Bangalore each and not exceeding 15,000 seats per week to/from Delhi. This restriction will become null and void from January 1, 2011.

Regarding the revised route schedule, the Nepali delegation stated that barring Kathmandu, there is no other airport in Nepal which is suitable for operation of international flights.

The designated airlines of each party shall be entitled to operate any number of all-cargo services between each other’s territory with any type of aircraft with full 3rd, 4th and 5th freedom traffic rights. Such all-cargo services may also be operated under co-operative marketing arrangements such as code sharing blocked space.

The delegations took note of the Technical Co-operation Agreement signed between the Airports Authority of India and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. Both sides agreed to take further action for implementation of this Agreement.

The Indian side reiterated its request that permission for the deployment of sky marshals on the flights operated by the designated airlines of India to/from Nepal may be expedited.

The Nepal side took note of the request and informed that the matter had already been referred to the appropriate authority of the Government of Nepal. The Nepal side will pursue the matter. This Memorandum of Understanding shall super cede all previous arrangements to the extent applicable and shall come into force with immediate effect.

The Indian delegation was led by M. Madhavan Nambiar, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Nepal side was led by Nagendra Prasad Ghimire, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation. (ANI)

Former Kerala CM Karunakaran hospitalized

Thiruvananthpuram, Sep 11 (ANI): Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Kerala, K. Karunakaran has been admitted to the Sree Chithra Thirunal Hospital here on Friday, as he complained of high fever.

Karunakaran led the state for four times and also was the minister in the Union Cabinet.

Karunakaran, who is almost away from the active politics had turned up at the Thiruvananthapuram airport to meet Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi who made a brief visit to the city on his way to Nagercoil in Tamil Nadu, early this week.

At this age Karunakaran is not leaving any opportunity to meet the party leaders and activists. (ANI)

Indian woman suspected of murdering husband chased back to Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, Sep 10 (ANI): An Indian woman, who is suspected of murdering her husband in Malaysia, was chased back into the arms of Malaysian law by relatives of the victim.

The suspect, a 30-year-old woman, had fled with her 8-year-old daughter late last month after the brutal murder of her husband, Khalid Abdullah, a restaurant owner and moneychanger.

The woman, an Indian national, stayed with relatives in Chennai but unknown to her, her husband’s relatives also lived in the same neighbourhood, The NST Online reports.

The husband’s relatives had been following the murder case closely through online news portals and when reports that the wife might have fled to India appeared, they tracked her down to the house in Chennai.

They contacted their kin here who advised them not to harm the woman but to harass her into leaving India.

The woman is the victim’s second wife. Khalid’s first wife and children are also in India.

Unable to take the constant abuse, the woman gave herself up to the Indian authorities. The woman and her daughter arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 7 a.m. on Wednesday and were immediately arrested by the police.

Ampang district police chief Assistant Commissioner Abdul Jalil Hassan said their Indian counterparts notified about woman’s return to Malaysia.

Jalil said the woman was being held for questioning. They would apply for a remand order at the Ampang magistrate’s court today.

The woman had sought a friend’s help on August 22 to dispose of a suitcase, which she claimed contained a stolen golden statue.

The friend and the woman drove the victim’s Nissan Grand Livina towards Bentong and threw the bag into a secluded spot off the Karak Highway. (ANI)

Pitt enjoys chicken and beer while flying mile high

Melbourne, Sep 10 (ANI): While meeting Hollywood’s hottest hunk remains a dream for some, a passenger on a United Airlines flight was able to not only meet actor Brad Pitt but also film him.

Justin Ross Lee was fortunate enough to be seated alongside Pitt on a recent flight from Los Angeles to New York and he was able to capture the moment on his mobile phone.e has since posted the clip, showing Pitt tucking into his in-flight meal of chicken, enjoying a beer and catching some shut-eye, on brightcove.

“If Brad was any more down to earth, the jet never would have left the ground,” News.com.au quoted Lee as telling Star Magazine.

The New Yorker also enjoyed having a photo taken with the actor in the Los Angeles International Airport’s United Airlines first-class lounge. (ANI)

Pammie’s Peta advert ‘too racy’ for US airports

New York, Sep 10 (ANI): The new campaign by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), which starred Pamela Anderson, has run into trouble after it was considered too racy for CNN Airport Network.

The anti-fur, anti-leather commercial shows the former ‘Baywatch’ babe as a scantily clad airport security guard who strips passengers of animal products.

The ad also features Steve-O, Andy Dick, comic Carol Leifer and punk icon Nina Hagen, reports The New York Post.

PETA planned to debut the spot tomorrow at all three Gotham-area airports, and later this fall in the other 45 major airports serviced by CNN.

However, the network wrote to PETA that it’s “particularly sensitive because children make up part of the demographic in airports.”

And now the animal rights group is thinking of running the ad on in-flight entertainment. (ANI)

Suicide car bomb blast kills two at Kabul airport

Kabul, Sep 8 (ANI): At least two civilians were killed and six others were injured when a suicide car bomb exploded near Kabul’s military airport on Tuesday.

The windows of the city center were rattled due to the blast.

The car bomber rammed the main gate of the airport’s military base and exploded, reports BBC quoting the Afghanistans’s interior ministry sources as saying.

According to an eyewitness, the car bomb exploded near a NATO military convoy.

NATO-led alliance forces fighting the Taliban militia have an Air Force base at the Kabul airport, which is used for both civilian and military purposes.

The BBC also said that there were unconfirmed reports that members of Nato’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) were among the casualties.

“It was a suicide attack outside the main gate of the military base at the airport,” Nato officer Colonel Koziel Bart said.

The airport has been targeted in the past by suspected Taliban militants – in 2007, killing one civilian.

Tuesday’s attack follows a massive suicide car bomb last month on ISAF’s Kabul headquarters that killed seven Afghan civilians on the spot. (ANI)

Gwyneth Paltrow exposes more than intended in Barcelona

London, Sep 8 (ANI): American actress Gwyneth Paltrow is said to have exposed more than she intended during an airport security check in Barcelona on September 7.

Paltrow, 36, was preparing for her flight home after seeing hubby Chris Martin, 32, in concert with Coldplay, when the incident took place, reports the Sun.

She was seen wearing a white baggy vest, which hung loosely on her and exposed her boob.

Luckily the ‘Iron Man’ star, who was accompanied by her two kids Apple and Moses, had her skin-coloured bra on and it prevented further exposure. (ANI)

Pak Qaeda hand in 2006 trans-Atlantic bomb plot revealed

London, Sep.8 (ANI): New evidence put before a British jury during a retrial of three Brit Muslim convicts suggests that the men used code words to discuss their plans with an al-Qaeda fixer based in Pakistan.

The e-mails and conversations suggest that the plot was in its final stages, possibly days away from execution in 2006.

The seven daily flights highlighted by the three plotters were: 14.15 United Airlines Flight 931 to San Francisco; 15.00 Air Canada Flight 849 to Toronto; 15.15 Air Canada Flight 865 to Montreal; 15.40 United Airlines Flight 959 to Chicago; 16.20 United Airlines Flight 925 to Washington; 16.35 American Airlines Flight 131 to New York; 16.50 American Airlines Flight 91 to Chicago.

According to The Telegraph and the Daily Express, the batteries the gang planned to use as part of their detonators were bought in Pakistan.

An ingredient in the bomb mix was the orange soft drink Tang – sold in Pakistan – which had a high sugar content to aid the explosion.

A British intelligence source said: “The use of drink bottles sold in Pakistan and batteries sold in Pakistan underline the plot’s ties to that country. The foot soldiers were from Britain – but the organisers were in Pakistan.”

A security source said of the conspiracy: “It was very clever and the airport scanners would not have picked up the devices at all.”

Prosecutor Peter Wright told the Woolwich Crown Court in South East London how the would-be bombers were “a cell of home-grown terrorists activated and directed by a designated leader in Pakistan.”

That was confirmed by a government source in Pakistan, who said the plot was believed to have originated “with al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.”

Seized e-mails showed the chain of terror stretched from there, across the lawless border to Pakistan, to London and to the woods of High Wycombe where explosives were buried.

The aim was to mirror the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, which killed 259 passengers and 11 in the Scottish town.

Aliases exposed during the trial revealed the terror kingpin in Pakistan was dubbed “Paps” or “Papa”.

Ali called himself Imran and Chacha and also set up email accounts in the bogus names Tippu Khan and Jameel Masood.

His co-conspirators used aliases such as Fatty, Arro and Nigga.

Hydrogen peroxide was known as “aftershave”, police surveillance as “skin problems” and martyrdom videos were referred to as “wedding tapes”.

It is also thought that the bomb makers received training at an al-Qaeda camp in Pakistan.

A mystery Pakistani, thought to be a top al-Qaeda envoy, made contact with the three would-be suicide bombers during a flying visit to Britain in June 2006.

Experts who tested the explosive mix on the aircraft were horrified.

A witness said: “It was absolutely devastating.” (ANI)

Jet Airways pilots defiant, flights cancelled

New Delhi, Sep 8 (ANI): At least ten Jet Airways flights and its subsidiary out of Delhi were cancelled on Tuesday after a large number of pilots did not report to work in protest against the sacking of two of their colleagues.

According to airport sources, at least 10 early morning flights of Jet Airways and JetLite were cancelled, as the pilots failed to report for duty.

In a press statement Jet Airways said some pilots have resorted to a simulated strike by reporting sick.

Jet Airways had last month terminated the services of two of its senior most pilots, saying their services were not required after both formed a trade union body within the company.

A conciliatory meeting was called on August 31 between the Jet Airways management and the union, which claims to have a representation of over 650 pilots. Jet Airways has 1000 pilots on its rolls.

While the National Aviators Guild (NAG) has decided not to go on the proposed strike, its members have decided on an alternate course of protest like going on mass casual leave to hamper operations of the private carrier. (ANI)

UAE plane flies off after being detained in Kolkata for carrying arms

Kolkata, Sep 7 (ANI): A United Arab Emirates Air Force plane was detained at the airport here on Sunday after a large cache of arms and ammunition was discovered. Nine crew members have been detained for questioning.

The plane, bound for Hanyang in China from Abu Dhabi, landed at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport here for refuelling last night.

Airport sources said customs officials found the arms and ammunition inside the plane during a routine check.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has been informed.

Late on Sunday night, a meeting was held with the airport authorities, customs officials, senior airforce officers and the UAE crew about the entire matter.

Finally, permission was granted to the plane to resume its flight this morning, sources said. (ANI)

Indian job seekers cheated in Malaysia return home

Chennai, Sep.6 (ANI): A group of technicians managed to return home here after suffering a raw deal by an unscrupulous labour agent in Malaysia.

The members of the group say they were cheated by an agent, who took them to Malaysia with a promise to get them good jobs and high salaries, but it was only after some time they realised that they he had duped them.

“We demanded our agreement papers from the agent at Chennai Airport. The agent told us that he has already faxed the papers and we would receive them at the Kuala Lumpur Airport. We asked for our papers at the Kuala Lumpur Airport, we were told us that we would get them only when we cleared the qualifying exam of the company…we have already cleared the test, they are cheating us. They hired us for the post of welders but they want us to work on the post of a helper,” said Savanth Kumar Singh, one of the victims.

A social worker proved a major help to the victimised group, as he ensured food and other things of necessities for them.

“We were left with a little money to meet our daily expenses…they (Indian Embassy Officials) made our temporary arrangement at a temple, they provide us with food for two days but the other days we were left unattended…A social worker named Kamal Nathan provide us food, whenever Indian embassy failed to provide the food, then he feed us, he helped us immensely,” said Mahendra Deshmukh, another victim.

Thousands of unemployed Indians are duped by manpower sourcing agents who promise a well-paid job in Malaysia and Gulf countries.

Another batch of 11 technicians was expected to arrive on Sunday (September 06). (ANI)

Pilots of AI flight 829 de-rostered

Mumbai, Sep 5(ANI): The pilots of the Riyadh bound Air India flight (AI-829) whose engine caught fire in the Mumbai International Airport have been de-rostered on Saturday.

According to reports, Director General of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Nazeem Zaldi, has confirmed that the pilots have been de-rostered.

Meanwhile, it has also been reported that preliminary reports of the four-member in-house committee, which has been set up to probe the incident, suggest that there have been lapses on part of the pilots.

Nearly 200 passengers were onboard the flight, when the aircraft’s left engine caught fire while taking off.

Many passengers who had suffered bruises and cuts while sliding down from the chutes, who were immediately taken to the Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL) casualty centre and given first aid. (ANI)