LIVE! Russia 'has killed 97 children' in air strikes on Syria

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Sun, 22 November 2015

Russia 'has killed 97 children' in air strikes on Syria

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20:49 Russia 'has killed 97 children' in air strikes on Syria

Russian air strikes in Syria have killed 403 civilians, among them 97 children, according to figures from a monitoring group. Vladimir Putin, Russia's president, has stepped up his country's air campaign in Syria in recent weeks, targeting anti-government rebels as well Islamist fighters with Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra.

But the figures from the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights highlight the considerable civilian toll and raises questions about the effectiveness of the strikes. Russia began its air campaign in Syria on September 30. The campaign has intensified following the downing of a Russian passenger jet in Egypt's Sinai peninsula, thought to have been carried out by Islamic State.

19:54

Pakistani boy Ramzan, who is stranded in Bhopal, meets External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Ramzan has been in India for the last two years after he fled from home four years ago after escaping from his allegedly abusive step-mother and father in Bangladesh.

19:34 Terrorism cannot be tackled only through talks: Sri Sri

The problem of terrorism cannot be checked only through dialogue and the "pressure" of armed forces should be simultaneously exerted on terrorists to make them understand that everybody has the right to live, spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has said.

"Terrorists should be given invitation to hold talks, but this alone will not resolve the problem as they don't want to understand that others also have a right to live. Therefore, there is a necessity to keep pressure of armed forces on them," Ravi Shankar said. Responding to a query, he said "narrow mindedness" was the reason behind terrorism. "It (terrorism) will not be able to survive if kids are educated on all religions," he added.

Ravi Shankar said that India has been suffering due to terrorism since long, but the Western countries were unable to accept it. "They used to say that it was a reaction to an action. But when Paris was attacked by terrorists, the entire Europe got shaken and all of them got united to fight against it. Only after the Paris attack they realised that India is badly affected by the menace," he added.

Robert Vadra, whose land deals are being probed in BJP-ruled Haryana and Rajasthan, contended that he was being subjected to a "political witch-hunt" and used as a "political tool".

Son-in-law of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, the controversial businessman, said a distinction should be made between him as an individual conducting business like anyone else and the politics of the family of his wife Priyanka Gandhi Vadra "without constantly attempting to link the two".

Alleging that there was a "sustained political attack" on him, 46-year-old Vadra claimed that BJP was using attacks on him as a "political tool whenever they need to divert public attention".

He said he has always conducted business transparently in accordance with the law but he was being "singled out" and "lies" were spread which made it difficult for him at times to come to terms with the "way I have been portrayed".

18:44 Azam Khan likens Amar Singh to garbage

Senior Uttar Pradesh Minister Azam Khan likened expelled Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh to garbage, saying when there is storm a lot of trash comes along. "A lot of (kuda-karkat) garbage comes along when there is a storm," Khan said in a fresh barb at Singh, a day after the former SP leader prominently attended the mega birthday bash of Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav at Saifai, his native place.

Asked to elaborate, Khan, who had maintained a low profile at the event last night, said, "I have nothing more to say."

Khan and Singh are at loggerheads and reports that the former MP might be reinducted in the party fold has not gone down well with the UP minister.

At the birthday party, Mulayam and Singh offered cake to each other at the main event, snaps of which went viral on the electronic media. During the event, when Singh was asked about absence of Khan, he said, "Who is saying he was not here? I have myself seen him and he has just left with the chief minister."

Accusing the AAP leadership of suspending over 40 members ahead of the National Executive meeting tomorrow, dissident AAP leader Shanti Bhushan today said the action was against the party's constitution and threatened to take legal recourse. Bhushan, who is AAP's founding member and father of the expelled rebel leader Prashant Bhushan, alleged that more than 40 National Council members have been served show-cause notices and some 90 people have not been informed about the meeting.

18:19

JUST IN: Lt Col KS Nath injured in Kupwara encounter in J&K. Search operation underway

17:58 Jaya to direct AIADMK MPs on GST bill on Monday

Jayalalithaa, Tamil Nadu chief minister and AIADMK party leader, has called a meeting on Monday at 11 am to discuss with her 47 MPs about the various bills ahead of the Parliament's winter session.

The party is likely to decide the stand it will take on various bills, including the GST bill. It will be interesting to see if Jaya agrees to the possible amendments and the stand her party will take on this crucial piece of legislation

A young couple engaged to be married in Brussels on Saturday refused to allow the threat of a "serious and imminent" terror attack to ruin their wedding.

In a picture that captured the extraordinary state of military lockdown in the historic city this weekend, the Greek-Flemish newly-weds posed for photos outside a church -- flanked by two heavily-armed soldiers.

The Belgian army was deployed across the city on Friday night amid a manhunt for the Paris attack suspect Salah Abdeslam.

16:47

JUST IN: PM Narendra Modi announces a grant of $1 million to the India-students Trust Fund for financial assistance to Malay-Indian students.

16:28 Malaysia lives up to the image of 'Truly Asia': PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on his three-day visit to Malaysia, ddressing Indian diaspora in Kuala Lumpur, said, "You have contributed to build Malaysia into a vibrant modern nation and an economic power house." Outlining the achievements, he said, "Malaysia's achievements are enornous, just six decades after Malaysia gained independence,this nation has much to be proud of."

Addressing over 15,000 people at the MINES International Exhibition & Convention Center, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute homage to Indians in Malaysia who have played a vital role in India's development. "Tamil people have a big role in India's path of development." The PM added, "Your love for India has not reduced. I see this in colour of your festivals, the strings on the music."

Loud chants of 'Modi, Modi' were heard at the MINES International Exhibition & Convention Center, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ahead of the PM's address to the Indian diaspora. Over 5,000 people have turned up for the event, which comes after he mesmerised people at the Wembley arena in the United Kingdom.

An American who escaped from terrorists at the Eagles of Death Metal gig in the Bataclan the night of the Paris attacks had also survived the 9/11 attacks in New York.

The 36-year-old named Matthew was shot in the leg by attackers in the Bataclan, but pretended to be dead and dragged himself to safety as the killers reloaded their weapons.

Read more HERE

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveils the Swami Vivekananda statue at the Ramakrishna Mission at Petaling Jaya. At the event, Modi said, "VIvekananda is not just a name. He personifies the thousands year old Indian culture and civilisation."

Seeking ideas from Indians based here for his community event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said his visit to the city state will focus on cooperation in areas like ports, urbanisation and skill development.

Modi will be visiting Singapore on November 23-24, during which he would address an Indian community event on the second day. His other engagements include meetings with top leaders of Singapore as also with the business community members.

In a personalised mail sent to those registered for the community event, Modi asked them to give inputs for the programme including through a specially created mobile app. "I will personally meet some of you who share their inputs," he said.

Modi further said, "This visit comes at a special moment when we mark 50 years of strong India-Singapore relations. The importance India attaches to ties with Singapore is immense. Singapore is a leading investor in India and several Indian companies are expanding their operations to Singapore."

Nearly 5,000 officials have been reprimanded in China for violating austerity rules in October, taking the total number of those punished this year to 36,600, the ruling Communist Party's top anti-graft body today said. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said the officials, including two provincial and ministerial level officials, were implicated in over 3,800 cases, about a fourth of which involved unapproved use of public vehicles. Unauthorised allowances and subsidies, lavish weddings and funerals as well as illicit gifts were included in violations.

13:41 Will not relent against Islamic State: Obama

Speaking at the ASEAN Summit, against the backdrop of the terror attacks in Paris and the hotel siege in Mali, US President Barack Obama spoke of the war the United States has waged against the Islamic State and said it would neither relent in that battle or accept terrorism as the new normal. "We will not relent against the Islamic State'. He added, "The hateful vision of IS is no match for people who are united around the world. We have to uphold values of tolerance."

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal drew flak for hugging RJD chief Lalu Prasad during the oath-taking ceremony of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with his former colleague and Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav saying that it was a "shameful" act.

Yadav, who was expelled from Aam Aadmi Party, said it was not mere hugging, but the defeat of ideals to form a bloc against the BJP. "Political capital of the movement sold to symbols of political corruption. Ashamed!"

"This is the same logic which Congress supporters used to use against the Lokpal movement. They would say that they (the Congress) are corrupt, but the Lokpal movement should not be supported as it would help the BJP. Kejriwal used the same logic, but shamed those strove against corruption," Yadav said in a post on his Facebook page.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said terrorism is no longer a peripheral problem of the region but its long shadow stretches across the world."In this forum, we often thought of terrorism as a peripheral problem for this region," said Modi, on the second day of his Malaysia visit at the 10th East Asia Summit that got under way here.

"The barbaric terror strikes in Paris, Ankara, Beirut, Mali and on the Russian aircraft (brought down in Egypt's Sinai last month) is a stark reminder that its shadow stretches across our societies and our world, both in recruitment and choice of targets," he said. "We must build new global resolve and new strategies for combating terrorism, without balancing it against political considerations," the Indian prime minister added.

11:58 JD-U likely to make a U-turn on GST Bill

The massive victory of the grandalliance in Bihar is likely to echo in Parliament when theWinter Session begins with Janata Dal-United indicating that it will go with the larger opposition unity on the GST Bill,which it had earlier supported.

The Centre has argued that consumer states like Bihar will benefit from the rolling out of the Goods and Service Tax and it was the major reason behind the JD-U, which has ruled the state for the last 10 years, lending its support to it. With opposition parties buoyant after NDA's drubbing in Bihar, senior JD-U leaders have said they will take a final call only after consulting other parties. "There are new circumstances. We will take a decision inconsultation with other opposition parties," a JD(U) MP said.

11:12 Delhi to go 'Car-Free' on Jan 22: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today announced that his government will organise 'Car-Free Day' across the national capital on January 22, saying he will also cycle to his office that day. The CM also appealed to people to forego cars and opt for cycle or public transport to go to their offices. "On January 22, we will organise Car-Free Day across Delhi. I appeal people to go to their offices by cycle or public transport on that day. I will also go to my office on cycle on January 22," Kejriwal said.

A Turkish Airlines Airbus A330 jet flying from New York City to Istanbul was sharply diverted mid-air and landed in Halifax, Canada due to a reported bomb threat. Firefighting crews and police are on stand-by on the ground to isolate, evacuate, and search the aircraft.

Canadian emergency services and Royal Canadian Mounted Police are responding to the situation, East Hants Fire Service Dispatches reported on Facebook.

The fire department earlier tweeted that a bomb threat has been made. The flight in question is Turkish Airlines TYH2 / TK2. While the nature of the threat has not been confirmed, plane watchers on social media have speculated it may have been made online.

One militant has been gunned down during a flush out operation by security troops in Kashmir's Handwara area. The encounter, which began last evening, resumed in the morning.

"Acting upon specific information about the presence of some militants, the joint team of army's 21 Rashtriya Rifles, 9 PARA cordoned off the whole Bhawan village in Rajwar, Handwara," a senior police said. As the searches begin militants hiding in the area opened fire upon them resulting in heavy fire exchange between forces and militants.

A mob today torched a place of worship of Pakistan's minority Ahmadi community after a member of the community was accused of blasphemy, prompting deployment of the army to control the situation.

The mob managed to break through the police cordon which was set up to safeguard the Ahmadi places of worship, following last night's unrest when an artificial wood making factory was set on fire after one of its employees was accused of committing blasphemy.

Police resorted to baton charging and tear gassing the protesters to bring the situation under control, but were unable to do so and the mob attacked the Ahmadi place of worship at Kala Gujran in suburbs of Jhelum and burnt it.

Picture for representation only.

Two top Bangladeshi opposition leaders were hanged tonight for war crimes committed during the 1971 war of independence against Pakistan after the country's President rejected their last-ditch mercy petitions

to escape the gallows.

Fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary-General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, 67, and BNP leader Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, 66, were hanged at Dhaka Central Jail at 12.45 AM, a senior jail official who witnessed the execution told PTI.

With Mujahid and Chowdhury's execution, Bangladesh has hanged four war crimes convicts so far.

Jail sources said a seven-member team of hangmen comprising prison inmates carried out the executions.

President Abdul Hamid rejected the mercy petitions of the two top opposition leaders, hours after they had sought presidential clemency in a last-ditch attempt to escape the gallows.

They had sought presidential clemency admitting their guilt.

Russia has bombed the Islamic State group in the heaviest strikes in eastern Syria since the war began, as Moscow's military manoeuvres in the Mediterranean forced Lebanon to reroute flights.

The United Nations meanwhile passed a motion calling for action against IS, a week after 130 people were killed in Paris, sparking international condemnation and fears of similar attacks elsewhere in Europe.

Russian and Syrian warplanes carried out at least 70 strikes in eastern Deir Ezzor province yesterday, killing at least 36 people, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Britain-based group said the raids hit several cities and towns in the province, as well as three oilfields, and were the heaviest bombardment of the region since the conflict began in March 2011.

Most of Deir Ezzor province, including large parts of its capital, is held by IS.

00:22 Top headlines of the last hour

Mulayam b'day bash: Rahman performs, Lalu conspicuous by absence

Tejaswi takes on critics, says don't judge a book by its cover

Brussels on security clampdown as authorities warn of 'imminent' attack

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