Osama’s son killed in Pakistan

Islamabad, May 2 (IANS) A son of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has been killed in Pakistan, a media report said.

Xinhua quoted Duniya TV as saying that one of bin Laden’s sons was killed in an operation. The report didn’t name him.

Osama bin Laden was killed Monday in a security operation in Pakistan’s Abbotabad city, less than 100 km from the Pakistan capital.

US President Barack Obama said that the US launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad.

“A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body,” said Obama.

Four Nepali women being sent to Muscat detained at Gorakhpur

Gorakhpur, Sept 19 (ANI): Volunteers of a social service organisation and the personnel of the Anti-Human Trafficking Cell of Uttar Pradesh Police at Gorakhpur detained four Nepalese women.

Reportedly, as per the statement of the women who were taken into custody at the Gorakhpur Railway Station, they were intending to go to Muscat.

These women had entered India through the Sanauli border post.

Although all the four women had their respective passports with them, only two of them could show their endorsed visas for Muscat.

“Our team visited the railway station along with a Nepali counsellor. When she saw these women and spoke to them, they gave some wrong information, which in turn sounded fishy and made us to suspect something was amiss. When we asked them where they were heading, initially they said Oman and again changed their statement saying, New Delhi. When our counsellor asked them for their passports, some said they had it while others said they didn’t. So, we found them suspicious,” said Gyan Kumar, co-ordinator, Maanava Sewa Sansthan, Gorakhpur.

Amidst such confusing utterances by the women, the police believe that one of the women named Dilmaya was trying to send the other three to Muscat by bringing them from Nepal.

She claimed that they were going to Muscat because they had their relatives residing and working there.

“These people held us for interrogation. We asked them either to let us go to Nepal or else allow us to go to Muscat. We have our relatives there,” said Dilmaya.

A couple of months ago, police officials of Gorakhpur had detained five women who were allegedly being trafficked to Gulf countries for flesh trade.

Reportedly, a pimp was escorting these women to Mumbai from where they were to be sent to certain destinations in the Middle East. (ANI)

Police swoop on sellers of Jaswant Singh’s pirated book in Pak

Lahore, Sep.18 (ANI): Expelled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jaswant Singh’s book on Mohammad Ali Jinnah has sent the Pakistani book piracy nexus working overtime, but it has also landed people in police custody.

Pakistani security agencies have arrested three people for selling pirated editions of the book ‘Jinnah: India, Partition, Independence,’ following a countrywide crackdown on publishers and sellers of counterfeit editions of the controversial yet popular book.

Several fake copies of the book have also been recovered and cases have been registered in Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi and Lahore, The Daily Times reported.

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials said the action was taken on a complaint filed by Tariq Haq, regional sales head of the Oxford University Press (OUP).

Tariq said the OUP had the sole rights of publication and distribution of the book and the company is facing heavy losses due to large scale piracy of the book.

Singh’s book which has created a furor in India, has received an overwhelming response in Pakistan.

Not only intellectuals, but people from different strata of the society have also shown interest in the book, in which Singh has praised Muhammad Ali Jinnah and described him as a leader who had strong faith in united India, while blaming Sardar Patel for the partition in 1947. (ANI)

Tripura police arrest a juvenile with three American made pistols

Agartala, Sep, 16 (ANI): A 16- year- old juvenile, who fled from custody with five other Bangladesh nationals, was arrested by Agartala Police on Wednesday.

Police have recovered three American pistols and ammunition from him.

West Tripura District Superintendent of Police K V Sreejesh said: “Based on the information last night we arrested one person from the Battala area and recovered two loaded pistols from his position.”

“During the interrogation, he informed about another pistol hidden in a temple near the Agartala railway station which also we have found along with eight live cartridges and six magazines,” Sreejesh added.

The juvenile arms carrier has been identified as Shiva Das and is suspected to have received the pistols from Bangladesh.

Police suspect an arms racket is on ahead of Durga Puja in Tripura.

A case has been registered under the Arms Possession and Using of Fire Arms Act. By Pinaki Das (ANI)

Katona’s ‘hubby wants to leak couple’s sex tape on net to ease cash crisis’

London, Sept 16 (ANI): Already troubled Kerry Katona fears getting into more mess as hubby Mark Croft wants to sell off a steamy sex tape of the couple to alleviate their cash crunch, it has emerged.

Pals say Katona’s former taxi driver hubby tried to sell the idea to her, which has made the ex-Atomic Kitten even more anxious about losing the custody of her two daughters, Molly and Lilly Sue, to their father and divorced hubby Brian Nicholas McFadden.

“Mark’s not given up hope by any means. He thinks it’s a guaranteed earner, which could make them anything up to half-a-million,” a pal was quoted by the Daily Star, as saying.

Friends say the 39-year old Croft has no plans to change his mind and he intends to use the cash from the tape’s sale to fund his extravagant lifestyle.

A friend said: “Mark thinks he knows it all and is determined to take over every aspect of Kerry’s life. He thinks that a sex tape of them, which somehow found its way on to the internet, would earn them a lot of cash – at least 250,000 pounds and possibly as much as 500,000 pounds.

“Mark is absolutely obsessed with money and has told Kerry that it could be a life-saver for them, but at the moment she’s having nothing to do with it.

“She’s scared stiff of anything so tacky being the last stop in her attempts to hold on to her two little girls by Brian McFadden.” (ANI)

CPI-M leader Brinda Karat released on bail

Madurai (Tamil Nadu), Sep 12 (ANI): Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Brinda Karat was released on bail on Saturday.

On Saturday morning, she was taken into custody along with some All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) activists at the Tirupuragundram police station when they were on their way to Uthaopuram village.

Police said that Karat and AIDWA activists were not permitted to hold a meeting in the village and when they tried to enter the village police had to stop and arrest them.

“The leader through her representation had already asked for holding a meeting in a sensitive village, but the permission was turned down citing reason for law and order situation,”

“But, in spite of that the concerned had tried to enter the village and during which she was stopped and arrested and taken to Tirupuragundram women police station. But, now she has been released on bail,” said Manoharan, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of Madurai.

Karat was later released on bail, but she termed her arrest as illegal and said that she wasn’t visiting the village to cause any trouble.

“When I asked them (police authorities) the reason for my detention, they said they have got news that there are trouble makers in the village. So, I said who are these troublemakers. If there are troublemakers in the village you detain and arrest the troublemakers. Why are you arresting us? We are not going there to cause any trouble,” Brinda Karat said. (ANI)

Arrest warrant issued against ex-Pak diplomat for issuing fake passport to Indian

Islamabad, Sep.11 (ANI): An arrest warrant has been issued against Pakistan’s former Consul General in Houston (US) on charges of issuing a Pakistani passport to an Indian national.

Assistant Consul General Muhammad Naeem, who is under the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) custody for the last 17 months, told a three member Supreme Court bench that former Pakistani Consul General, Ghulam Rasool, has been asked to appear before the court while issuing an arrest warrant against him.

It may be recalled that Naeem was also arrested for issuing a forged Pakistani passport to an Indian national named Aziz Moosa.

The passport issued by Naeem was in the name of Sayyed Ali.

After the hearing the court rejected Naeem’s bail plea and disposed of the case with directions to the NAB to decide the case within three months, The Daily Times reported. (ANI)

Syringe attacks continue in Urumqi despite death penalty warning

Urumqi (China), Sep. 9 (ANI): Despite a death penalty warning, 77 cases of needle attack were reported between Sunday and Monday evenings in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, police say.

So far, police have caught 45 suspects during the syringe scare, of whom 12 remain in police custody.

The procuratorate has approved the arrests of four. Eight people have been sent to drug rehab, according to Urumqi police authorities.

Despite signs of recovery in the city after assaults caused fear among residents and triggered mass protests, the Urumqi municipal government implemented traffic control Monday night on the city’s main streets.

Shops and businesses in the city center were ordered to close early. The control lasted from 9 pm Monday to 9 am Tuesday.

The Public Security Department of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region reiterated syringe attackers must be given punishment in order to protect residents and maintain social order.

The pledge followed a joint notice on Sunday of the court, the prosecutor’s office and the police bureau of Urumqi, which said an attacker may face a life sentence or even the death penalty.he department emphasized that those who stab others, no matter what means they use, are considered to have committed crimes and must be punished according to law.

Those who pretend to suffer syringe attacks and cause fear among the public will also face punishment, according to the public notice. (ANI)

Pak intelligence’s severe ‘torture’ saved Rauf from being extradited to UK

London, Sep.9 (ANI): The Pakistani intelligence had tortured Rashid Rauf, the alleged mastermind of the airliner bombing plot, so badly that Britain had to abandon its plan to prosecute him.

According to the Guardian, Rauf was treated so badly that he could not be extradited.

Rauf, who was born in Pakistan in January 1981 and raised in Birmingham, is described as a key figure in Al-Qaida’s most ambitious conspiracy against the western world since the 9/11 carnage.

Rauf has also been named as a possible ‘facilitator’ of the July 7, 2005 London terror attacks by MI5 and MI6.

Rauf, wanted in London for murder, was arrested in Pakistan in August 2006, but he later escaped from police custody in Rawalpindi in broad daylight just two weeks before the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

His escape also aborted an alleged plan said to be mutually agreed between Islamabad and London to exchange Rauf for two high-profile Baloch leaders wanted for allegedly waging war against the Pakistan army.

The Baloch leaders seeking sanctuary in the UK were arrested for the exchange purpose but after Rauf’s escape the court apparently released them for want of evidence. (ANI)

Jordan, Peter Andre file divorce papers

London, September 8 (ANI): Jordan, a.k.a Katie Price, and singer Peter Andre have officially put an end to their four-year marriage by filing papers for divorce.

Peter was said to have made the move first. But when the glamour girl found out she reportedly wanted to beat the ‘Mysterious Girl’ hitmaker to court and allegedly called her team of attorneys to take action as well.

“It’s quite sad really and nothing more than a petty snipe from Ms Price,” the Sun quoted a family lawyer as saying.

“It’s her way of saying, ‘I am not allowing you to divorce me – instead I am going to divorce you.’

“It’s just a way of sticking your fingers up at your ex through legal process. It’s about emotion – nothing else,” the lawyer added.

A pal of Peter said: “Peter isn’t really asking for any money or property from Katie, but there are a few pieces of furniture that he wants back. What he wants most is his gym equipment.

“The financial agreement is almost there, but they’ve still got to thrash out custody issues.” (ANI)

Satyam founder Raju placed under medial observation for 48 hours

Hyderabad, Sep 8 (ANI): Satyam Computers founder B Ramalinga Raju, who suffered a massive heart attack on Monday, has been put under observation for next 48 hours in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) hospital.

According to hospital sources, Raju has also been diagnosed with the Hepatitis C.

Doctors said, Raju’s condition is stable and that he needed rest for a long period.

According to jail sources, Raju suffered a cardiac arrest at around 8 p.m, was initially attended by the jail doctors before being shifted to NIMS hospital.

Raju, who has been under judicial custody at the Chanchalguda jail for the past eight months in connection with Rs 8,000 crore corporate fraud, facing criminal charges including fraud, forgery, cheating, embezzlement and insider trading along with his brother and Satyam’s former managing director Rama Raju and others.

Raju, will turn 55 on September 16.

Raju was Satyam’s Chairman until January 7, 2009 when he resigned from the company’s board after admitting to corporate fraud. The Andhra Pradesh Police arrested him on January 9.

Satyam was created by Raju and others and was until recently perceived to be among the top Indian IT companies. (ANI)

Andhra interim government orders CBI probe into chopper crash

Hyderabad, Sep 7 (ANI): The Andhra Pradesh Government on Monday recommended for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the chopper crash that killed Chief Minister Y.S.Rajasekhar Reddy on September 2.

The recommendation comes even as the Andhra Pradesh police began its own probe into the shocking incident.

Along with YSR, his principal secretary, chief security officer and two pilots of the chopper were also killed in the crash in Nallamala forest area.

The state Crime Investigation Department (CID) has gathered the mangled pieces of chopper from the spot of the crash.

Kurnool district collector Mukesh Kumar Meena, who is holding the custody of the mangled pieces of the chopper, said the pieces and instruments would be handed over to a special investigation team of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

A team of the DGCA is expected to visit the spot in a couple of days for further investigation.

The DGCA is examining the details stored in the block box of the chopper.

“They have taken the CVR (Black Box) to Delhi to retrieve data and examine the same. The CVR along with ELT (Emergency Locator Transmitter) are the important instruments for the investigators,” Meena said. (ANI)

Katie Price’s hellraiser lifestyle could make her lose kids and £5m

London, September 6 (ANI): Hottie Katie Price could lose custody of her kids as well as 5 million pounds to her estranged husband/singer Peter Andre due to her hellraiser lifestyle, according to a top showbiz lawyer.

Ambi Sitham has said that the reality star’s boozy jaunts to Ibiza may do her harm during the divorce procedures at court.

“Price’s behaviour over the last four months is probably going to contribute to the custody arrangements, especially her well-publicised trips to Ibiza,” the Daily Star quoted her as saying.

Price’s explicit relationship with boyfriend Alex Reid, who has acted in an X-rated movie, may become a problem too.

She added: “She was obviously getting very drunk. In addition she has exposed her children at a very young age to a new relationship with Alex Reid.

“They will look into his background and at his suitability as a potential stepfather to Price’s children.

“The courts will not look favourably on anyone they deem a bad role model.

“I should think the least the judge would decide is to grant joint custody of the children to Price and Andre. He might even get sole custody.

“Andre, coming from a strong Greek-Cypriot family ­background, has conducted himself as the model father.”

The lawyer believes that Price could lose out on at least a quarter of the 20million pounds she has made since her wedding to the ‘Mysterious Girl’ singer during the settlement.

Ambi said: “The courts will look at what role was played in emotional support as well as financial.

“Andre will be able to show he ­contributed to the Katie Price brand. Before they met she was purely known as Jordan the glamour model.

“As a result of marrying Andre she was able to create an alter ego. I think she is in line for a bit of a shock.

“She will not be walking away from this without making a substantial payout.” (ANI)

First prisoner abuse death in Iran’s post-election turmoil

Tehran, Sep 1(ANI): If reports are to be believed it is being claimed that Mohsen Rouhalamini, the son of an adviser to defeated presidential candidate Mohsen Rezaei, is the first official confirmation of a prisoner abuse death following Iran’s post-election turmoil.

A medical examiner has confirmed the Rouhalamini died from beatings and poor prison conditions.

The claims have outraged many conservatives, as well as the pro-reform opposition that believes hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stole the June election through massive vote fraud.

Police had initially suggested that Rouhalamini’s death while in custody was caused by meningitis, however, according to reports, a state forensic doctor has denied the suggestions in a report handed over to judicial authorities.

The report states that Rouhalamini died of “physical stress, the effects of being held in bad conditions, multiple blows and severe injuries to the body.”

Earlier, Iran’s hardliner regime had decided to prosecute 30 people arrested in the turbulent aftermath of the presidential election for offences against the State.

The defendants, who include former ministers in the 1997-2005 Khatami government, are accused of conspiring with foreign powers to organise unrest. (ANI)

Three policemen suspended, probe ordered into custodial death in J-K

Srinagar, Aug 31(ANI): Three policemen were suspended and a magisterial probe was ordered on Monday, following the death of a 17-year-old boy in police custody in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district.

According to reports, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Adhkunwari police post Suram Chand, Munshi Deepak Ram and Selection Grade Constable Bishan Dass were suspended.

Sub Divisional Magistrate Katra Rashpal Singh has been directed to conduct a magisterial inquiry into the death and submit the report to the government.

Earlier, protests were held in the region after death of Billoo, a native of Ludhiana in Punjab, who police claimed had committed suicide by hanging himself in the lock-up.

Billoo was picked in connection with a theft and pick-pocketing case and was taken to Adhkuwari police station for questioning. (ANI)

Pakistani actress Meera denies being married

Islamabad, August 31 (ANI): Pakistani actress Meera has denied being married to Attiqur Rehman.

Defence-A Police Station House Officer (SHO) Inspector Abid Rasheed had alleged that he had seen the marriage certificate that showed that the wedding was solemnised on September 2, 2007.

The SHO said that the marriage was registered with the local union council, and the nikah khawan in Makkah Colony also confirmed the nuptials, reports the Daily Times.

The allegation emerged after Meera’s mother shifted antique furniture belonging to Attiqur, who accused her of secretly shifting the items without his knowledge.

Attiqur also claimed being beaten by his father-in-law, mother-in-law, and their other son-in-law Raheel.

Cops were subsequently called in and five men of each party were taken into custody.

Meera, however, has slammed these claims, saying that her association with Attique was restricted to business dealings.

She further accused Attiqur of blackmailing her.

She even alleged that Attique recently attacked her house with the intention of killing her, but she was not there at the time. (ANI)

ISRO formally calls off India’s first moon mission

Panaji. Aug 31 (ANI): Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has formally called off Chandrayaan-1, India’s first moon mission, after it lost contact with the craft. ink with the Chandrayaan-1 craft broke down early on Saturday.

Talking to reporters here on Sunday, ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair said, “The net result is that the lunar has lost radio contact with the craft and we are not receiving any signal. So we had to terminate the mission with this sequence…we made all attempts but our attempts were not succeed.”

Nair claimed that though the moon mission terminated much before its two-year lifetime it was a great success.

“About 95 percent of the objectives of the scientific experiments have been completed and we have more than 70,000 images of the moon, especially the most critical regions are in our custody,” he added.

The 79-million dollar mission was launched amid national euphoria last October, putting India in the Asian space race alongside China.

A probe vehicle landed on the moon a month later and sent back images of the lunar surface.

But a critical sensor in the main craft, orbiting the moon, malfunctioned in July, raising fears that the two-year mission might have to be curtailed.

One of the mission’s main aims was to look for Helium 3, an isotope which is very rare on earth but could be an energy source in the future in nuclear fusion.

ISRO has plans to send a manned mission to space in four years’ time and eventually on to Mars. (ANI)

Miley Cyrus stalker allegedly threatens to return to ‘finish things’

London, Aug 26 (ANI): ‘Hannah Montana’ star Miley Cyrus’ stalker allegedly threatened to return to her movie set to “finish things” off.

Mark McLeod was remanded in custody after a judge ruled he was potentially dangerous, and there was enough evidence to send the case to trial, reports Sky News.

Cyrus’ security guard revealed that McLeod, arrested earlier this month after trying to contact the star while on a film set on Tybee Island, on Georgia’s coast, had confided to police that he planned to return.

But Municipal Court Judge Steven Scheer said that he felt McLeod had no chance of getting to the 16-year-old singer “because she can afford the best protection money can buy.”

Though he did say that he feared McLeod might be a threat to others, even if he is not a threat to Cyrus.

Cyrus embarks on her first UK tour later this year, beginning at London’s O2 Arena in December. (ANI)

Drug scandal hit Kerry Katona ‘admits she’ll die young’

London, Aug 23 (ANI): Kerry Katona’s stepsister and closest confidante Pat Ferrier says that the reality TV star has admitted that she’ll die young.

Ferrier also says that Katona’s got a hole in her nose because of drugs.

“Kerry’s life is out of control now. She is a drug addict. Her nose is caving in – I’ve seen it with my own eyes. She needs to get help or she’ll die,” the News of the World quoted Ferrier as saying.

“If she doesn’t change her ways and keeps on going like this she’ll be dead before she’s 30. She’ll kill herself. And I’ve told her that. Shockingly, Kerry agreed with me. She just turned around and said, ‘I’m going to tell you something Pat. My mum will outlive me. I’ll die young,’ ” she added.

Katona’s life is in shambles ever since her coke snorting tape went public.

She lost out on her major source of income, a lucrative 250,000 pounds deal from frozen food giant Iceland.

To add to her problems is a police probe and the fear of going bankrupt.

And now she’s afraid she may lose the custody of her daughters to ex hubby Brian McFadden. (ANI)

Katona ‘sniffed up more coke after drug video went public’

London, Aug 23 (ANI): Drug shamed Kerry Katona indulged herself in more cocaine after learning that her shocking snorting video was made public, it has emerged.t is reported that Katona was sniffing up more cocaine and repeating: “I’ve lost everything. I’m going to lose my kids – the lot!”

The News of the World quoted an insider as saying: “It’s unbelievable, but she was still taking cocaine to try to numb the pain, even after she was rumbled. All she wanted to do was get completely out of her mind.

“She was crying and saying she was going to lose her advert contract with Iceland and was terrified her ex, Brian McFadden, would get custody of their daughters Molly and Lilly-Sue.

“And she kept repeating how social services would take away her youngest two, Heidi and Max. But never, at any stage, did she say she was actually going to DO something about her problem and STOP taking the cocaine.

“It was the opposite, she was just wanting to get more and more drugs to get wasted. She was up all night Saturday (after the News of the World told her about the video) and couldn’t string a sentence together by Sunday lunchtime, she was a total mess.

“And her husband Mark kept whining over and over, ‘We’ve lost the f***ing lot, Kez!’ And he was taking cocaine, too. He’s no better than her.”

Katona has publicly admitted her fear of losing her children after she returned from a holiday in Tenerife.

Katona said: “I’ve let my children down. I’m so sorry and so ashamed. I know I let everyone down – my fans, my family and people I work with.”

She also said her latest cocaine snort was “a moment of weakness” due to hubby Mark’s escapades with strippers in Majorca.

“I did it because I was very unhappy at the time and thought it might make me feel better about myself,” she added. (ANI)