LIVE! Russia intensifying Syria airstrikes

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Sun, 04 October 2015

Russia intensifying Syria airstrikes

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23:36 Russia intensifying Syria airstrikes

Russia is intensifying its airstrikes in Syria, which it says have "considerably reduced" the combat potential of militants.

The Russian air force began strikes in Syria on Wednesday. In the past 24 hours, it has carried out 20 flights targeting 10 ISIS positions in Idlib province, the Russian Defense Ministry announced in a statement Sunday.

Since 2011, Syria has been torn apart by a brutal civil war that has seen the rise of extremist groups including ISIS. Moscow supports the regime of President Bashar al-Assad and says it is targeting ISIS, al Nusra and "other terrorist groups."

But the US-backed coalition against ISIS -- comprising the United States, Britain, Turkey, France, Germany, Qatar and Saudi Arabia -- accuses Russia of attacking civilians and Syrian groups opposing al-Assad.

Read more HERE.

Doctors Without Borders is calling for an independent investigation of the deadly bombing of its hospital in the Afghan city of Kunduz, which it says is no longer operational.

Aerial bombardments blew apart the medical facility about the time of a U.S. airstrike early Saturday, killing at least 22 people, officials said.

The blasts left part of the hospital in flames and rubble, killing 12 staffers and 10 patients -- including three children -- and injuring 37 other people, the charity said.

As the United States said it was investigating what struck the hospital during the night, the charity expressed shock and demanded answers, stressing that all combatants had been told long ago where the hospital was.

Read more HERE.

Tens of thousands of people were evacuated and 500 tourists stranded today as typhoon Mujigae, the 22nd typhoon of the year, hit China's western Guangdong Province with heavy rain and winds toppling vehicles.

The typhoon, bringing gales and downpour, made the land fall in the coastal city of Zhanjiang this afternoon, packing winds of up to 50 meters per second, officials said.

It is forecast to move northwest at a speed of about 20 km per hour and arrive in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in evening. Storms are predicted to last until tomorrow in west Guangdong and the Pearl River delta.

Close to 200,000 people in southern China were evacuated before Typhoon Mujigae roared into Guangdong province, officials said.

Guangdong's flood control and drought relief headquarters elevated its typhoon emergency response to the highest level. Maritime safety authorities of Zhanjiang told state-run Xinhua news agency that some vessels were stranded at sea, while no casualties have been reported.

State television showed several parked cars topped and windscreens damaged due to heavy winds.

More than 500 tourists were stranded on Fangji Island, a popular scenic spot administered by Maoming City, the news agency said.

Authorities began evacuating tourists from the island yesterday but the operation was interrupted by strong winds. The remaining tourists were taken to hotels for free accommodation. Water, power supply and telecommunications at the hotels are unaffected.

More than 130 emergency workers and a 12 police officers

are caring for the tourists.

A right-wing group today said it had issued a "diktat" barring entry of Muslims at Garba events during the upcoming Navratri festival at Mandvi town in Gujarat's Kutch district to prevent "love jihad" incidents.

"We have issued a diktat barring the entry of Muslims at Garba events in Mandvi," said president of Hindu Yuva Sangthan, Raghuvirsinh Jadeja, who is also chief of Vishwa Hindu Parishad of the Mandvi tehsil unit.

"Incidents of love jihad where Muslim boys lure and marry our Hindu girls happen at Garba. Our only aim is to protect our girls," Jadeja told PTI.

"We are getting a good response from the people and if the people from other regions respond to this movement, then we will spread it to their regions as well," he said.

The organisation will ensure that any person entering the Garba pandal has a tilak on his forehead, and 'Gaumutra' (cow-urine) will be sprayed on him, he said.

"If a person does not apply tilak and hesitates to be sprayed with Gaumutra, he will not be allowed to go inside.

"My people would do patrolling outside and inside Garba events and if they find any non-Hindus, they would exclude them," he said.

When asked how will they identify non-Hindus, he said, "We can identify such elements."

18:49 3 dead after house collapsed in Muzaffarnagar

Just in: 3 people died and over 5 were injured after a house collapsed due to cylinder blast in Muzaffarnagar.

More details awaited.

Horrific accounts of people drowning in a retirement home and being trapped in a road tunnel by floodwater have emerged after the French Riviera was hit by extreme downpours.

Rainfall on an "exceptional scale" set off flash floods that wreaked havoc along France's southeastern Mediterranean coast late Saturday, killing at least 16 people and leaving three more missing, authorities said.

"The assessment isn't yet complete, which just goes to show the intensity of what happened," the French presidency said on its official Twitter account.

As much as 180 millimeters (7 inches) of rain in a span of three hours inundated parts of the Alpes-Maritimes district late Saturday, authorities said. The area is home to famous seaside resorts such as Nice, Cannes and Antibes.

Read more HERE.

Two JeM militants were killed in an ongoing gunfight in south Kashmir Pulwama district this afternoon.

A senior police officer said troops of counter insurgency Rashtriya Rifles and special operations group surrounded Ganchi Hari Tral in Pulwama district this afternoon.

"Two militants have been killed in the ongoing gunfight so far,* the officer said.

More reinforcements were rushed to the area.

More details to follow

Just in: Former Delhi law minister Somnath Bharti has been sent into judicial custody till Monday.

Bharti's application seeking directions to the Jail authorities to take him to SC for tomorrow's hearing was also rejected.

Indrani Mukerjea who had been rushed to J J Hospital on Saturday is semi-conscious say doctors and is, for the moment, out of danger .

"Indrani Mukherjea is conscious, but drowsy right now; She is out of danger," TP Lahane, Dean of J J Hospital said.

Indrani, 43, the prime accused in the sensational murder of 24-year-old Sheena, was rushed from the Arthur Road jail and admitted to the state-run J J Hospital in Mumbai after she collapsed on Friday leading to speculation that she might have attempted suicide in a suspected drug overdose.

Russian forces bombed targets in Syria for a fourth day despite international concerns over Moscow's intentions in the war-torn nation.

The Russian defense ministry said its soldiers bombed nine ISIS positions Saturday near the terror group's de facto capital in Raqqa.

In the past 24 hours, the air force conducted 20 airstrikes near Raqqa, the ministry said.

Tactical bombers destroyed various militant facilities, including ammunition and oil depots, and all-terrain vehicles, the defense ministry said in a statement.

At least 11 people were killed in an alleged double strike by Russia in Syria's Idlib province, according to opposition groups.

Read more HERE.

Shashank Manohar is unanimously elected as President of BCCI. Manohar was the unanimous choice as BCCI President and this was confirmed in the Special General Meeting of the BCCI in Mumbai on Sunday.

This will be Manohar's second stint as BCCI President, having taken over from Sharad Pawar in 2008/09. It lasted for three years and it ended in 2011 when N. Srinivasan was appointed as the BCCI President.

Manohar will officially take over the post at the Board's Special General Meeeting in Mumbai today as he was the only candidate left in the fray for the election whose deadline for nomination ended on Saturday. Manohar's earlier stint was three years between 2008-09 and 2010-11.

The 26-year-old killer who gunned down classmates at an Oregon college spared a student and gave the "lucky one" something to deliver to authorities, according to the mother of a student who witnessed the

rampage.

Others weren't as fortunate. Parents of students in the classroom said the gunman shot one after saying she could save her life by begging. Others were killed after being told to crawl across the floor.

Shooter Christopher Sean Harper-Mercer later killed himself as officers arrived, Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin said yesterday.

Authorities have not disclosed whether they have an envelope or package from Harper-Mercer. However, a law enforcement official said a manifesto of several pages had been recovered.

Bonnie Schaan, the mother of 16-year-old Cheyeanne Fitzgerald, said she was told by her daughter that the gunman gave someone an envelope and told him to go to a corner of the classroom.

Harper-Mercer said the person "'was going to be the lucky one,'" Schaan told reporters outside a hospital where her daughter's kidney was removed after she was shot.

The mystery over whether Indrani Mukerjea, prime accused in the murder of her daughter Sheena Bora, attempted suicide deepened on Saturday amid conflicting forensic findings on suspected drug overdose even as she remained critical with next 48 hours being crucial for her.

43-year-old Ms Mukerjea, the prime accused in the murder of 24-year-old Sheena Bora, was rushed from the Byculla Women's Jail and admitted to the state-run JJ Hospital in Mumbai after she collapsed on Friday leading to speculation that she might have attempted suicide in a suspected drug overdose.

Principal Home Secretary (Prisons) Vijay Satbir Singh said the probe would cover all aspects, including whether the medicines or any other thing she consumed were prescribed by doctors and if there was an overdose and how it happened.

The probe will also ascertain if there was any negligence or foul play, he said.

Read more HERE.

A total of 130 candidates with serious criminal cases against them including related to murder will contest in the first phase of Bihar Assembly polls on October 12.

Polling will be held in 49 out of 243 seats in this phase with 583 candidates in the fray.

The Association for Democratic Reforms, which has prepared a report through the candidates' affidavits obtained from Election Commission (ECI) website, said 170 candidates have criminal cases against them while 130 of them contesting from 37 seats have been booked for serious non-bailable offences.

There are 16 candidates with cases related to murder, including Pradeep Kumar of JD(U) from Warsaliganj constituency who has declared four cases related to murder. Seven independent candidates too have cases of murder against them, the report said

A total of 37 candidates face cases of attempt to murder. Ramswarup Yadav, an Independent from Hisua constituency, faces five charges related to attempt to murder, while one each from BSP, BJP and Jan Adhikar Party (Loktantrik) and three candidates from JD(U) have declared attempt to murder cases.

"Modi has cheated the people, he must suffer a defeat. He must be punished,"

Ram Jethmalani said on Sunday.

"I will appeal voters to vote for Nitish Kumar," the veteran lawyer added.

13:24 Scribe shot dead in UP

A local scribe was shot dead by motorcycle-borne miscreants in Dheena area, police said today.

Hemant Yadav (45) who worked with a news channel was shot by bike-borne miscreants last night, Superintendent of police Amit Verma said.

He was rushed to the government hospital where he died.

The body has been sent for post-mortem and following a complaint by the deceased's wife, an FIR has been registered against unidentified persons at Chandauli police station here, Verma said.

Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav, whilst making a press conference with the family of the Dadri murder vicitm, said, "We are with them in their sorrow. They will receive justice and the guilty will be punished."

"Samajwadi's never do politics on these issues," Akhilesh added.

"We will help them, will also provide them with job if required," he promised.

"We thank CM Akhilesh Yadav who supported us. We hope that justice will be done," Ikhlaq's family said, responding to the CM's statement.

"One sided investigation being done," BJP leader and Muzaffarnagar Nagar riots key accused Sangeet Som said, courting controversy, during his visit Dadri, where a man was killed, allegedly for eating beef.

Alleging police atrocities, he said he would visit the families of those against whom the Uttar Pradesh Police has acted against. He also said he would not visit the family of Iqlakh, who had been lynched.

"If 20 lakh is given to Ikhlakh's family, then the injured Rahul Yadav's family should also be given 5-7 lakhs," Som said.

Israeli police announced today that Palestinians will be banned from entering Jerusalem's Old City for two days after twin attacks on Israelis that also left the perpetrators dead.

The move will affect Palestinians in annexed east Jerusalem who do not live inside the Old City, with only Israelis, tourists, residents of the area, business owners and schoolchildren able to enter, they said.

Worship at the sensitive Al-Aqsa mosque compound will be limited to men aged 50 and above, while there will be no age restrictions on women. They will be allowed to enter through one specific gate.

Last night, a Palestinian said to be an Islamist militant killed two Israeli men and wounded a woman and a toddler in a knife and gun attack in the Old City. Police shot dead the attacker.

In a separate incident yesterday, a Palestinian man stabbed a passerby in west Jerusalem before being shot dead by police while he was fleeing the scene. The victim was wounded, police said.

The Uttar Pradesh police have detained a homeguard constable named Vinay in connection with the Dadri killing.

According to the police Vinay is a key conspirator.

Vinay, a resident of Bisara, was posted at the Jarcha police station.

According to the police, Vinay, said to be in his late twenties, forced the temple priest to make the announcement about a Muslim family storing and consuming beef.

Picture for representation only.

Aerial bombardments blew apart a Doctors Without Borders hospital in the battleground Afghan city of Kunduz about the time of a US airstrike early Saturday, killing at least 19 people, officials said.

The blasts left part of the hospital in flames and rubble, killing 12 staffers and seven patients -- including three children -- and injuring 37 other people, the charity said.

"(The bombing) constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law," Doctors Without Borders, known internationally as Medecins Sans Frontieres, or MSF, said.

Read more HERE.

India has lost 58 nationals in the Haj stampede in Saudia Arabia last month while 78 are still missing, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said today.

The Minister said the government was making every effort to locate its people.

"Haj stampede- We have lost 58 Indians. As many as 78 are missing. We are doing everything to locate our people," Swaraj tweeted.

According to Saudi authorities, 769 Muslim pilgrims were killed in a stampede at the annual Haj near the holy city of Mecca on September 24.

According to reports, tallies of the dead from foreign officials and media put the toll at 1,036.

The stampede broke out after two massive lines of

pilgrims converged on each other from different directions at

an intersection close to the five-storey Jamarat Bridge in

Mina for symbolic stoning of the devil.

It was the second major accident this year for pilgrims,

after a construction crane collapsed on September 11 at

Mecca's Grand Mosque, killing over 100 people, including 11

Indians.

A Danish travel company has come up with a novel solution for reversing the country's declining birth rates.

The hot-blooded new ad campaign by Spies Rejser suggests wannabe grandmas buy their adult kids an active sun and sex vacation, then be rewarded nine months later with a grandchild.

"You can't buy love. Or can you?" is the opening gambit of the tongue-in-cheek video, as the camera lingers over a sweat-drenched young woman clearly having the vacation of her life.

Targeting mothers only (Danish fathers perhaps being less interested in grandchildren?), the ad explains that, having been there when her son learned to walk, read and ride a bike, it's only natural a mom might want to help her son make grandkids -- from an appropriate distance.

Read more HERE.

Donald Trump has said that had teachers been armed at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, the deadly shooting there this week would not have been as tragic.

Trump has previously cited mental health issues, not guns, as the biggest cause of shootings in the US. But his comments on Saturday are his most extensive and emotionally charged about firearms since he launched his campaign in June, as he spoke about his personal gun ownership and elicited his biggest applause of the afternoon in discussing gun rights.

"By the way, it was a gun-free zone," he said at a campaign event in Franklin, Tennessee. "Let me tell you, if you had a couple teachers with guns in that room, you would have been a hell of a lot better off."

Trump went on to say he has a license to carry a gun in New York, and if someone attacks him, he will respond.

"In fact, I have a license to carry in New York, can you believe that? Nobody knows that," he said.

"Can you imagine? Somebody says, 'There's Trump, he's easy pickings.' What'd you'd say?" Trump said, mimicking holding a gun with his hand.

Read more HERE.

The Home Ministry is likely to reject Law Commission's recommendation for abolition of death penalty, maintaining that time was not ripe yet to remove it completely from the statute book keeping in mind the threat

from terrorism.

Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and other senior officials had detailed discussions on the Law Commission's report supporting abolition of death penalty except in terror-related cases.

"Discussions within the Ministry as well as with the Law Ministry are continuing and a final decision is expected to be taken this week. In all probability, the recommendation for abolition of death penalty will be rejected," a senior Home Ministry official said.

Officials are of the opinion that time has not come yet to do away with capital punishment as threat of terrorism to India continues.

A suspected US air strike on a hospital killed 19 people on Saturdayin the Afghan city of Kunduz, medical charity MSF said, a bombardment that the UN condemned as "inexcusable, and possibly even criminal".

Dozens more were seriously wounded at the facility, a key lifeline that has been running "beyond capacity" during fighting that saw the Taliban seize control of the northern provincial capital for several days. The charity said the bombing continued for more than 30 minutes after American and Afghan military officials were first alerted they were being hit.

NATO conceded US forces may have been behind the strike but has not so far commented on the specific claims of MSF, which has long treated the war-wounded from all sides of the conflict.

The incident has renewed concerns about the use of US air strikes in Afghanistan, a deeply contentious issue in the 14-year campaign against Taliban insurgents. UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein called for a full and transparent probe, noting that, "if established as deliberate in a court of law, an air strike on a hospital may amount to a war crime."

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