Tamil newspaper’s office attacked in Sri lanka
Colombo: An unidentified group on Wednesday attacked a distribution office of a Tamil newspaper in northern Sri lanka, leaving at least three employees injured. Uthayan, a Jaffna-based Tamil daily’s distribution office in Kilinochchi — the former lTTE stronghold — came to be attacked in the wee hours of Wednesday, police said. The victims included its office manager. A distribution van and a motorcycle parked at the premises also suffered damages.
‘Gaddafi’s daughter thrown out of Algeria’
london: Muammar Gaddafi’s only daughter has been granted asylum in Oman after being thrown out of Algeria last year for repeatedly setting her safe-house on fire in fits of anger, according to a media report. Aisha Gaddafi, 37, who gave birth to a daughter just days after fleeing to Algeria in 2011, has been granted asylum in Oman along with some other family members, The Telegraph reported.
Voting for Italy prez possible from April 18
Rome: Italy’s Parliament could begin voting on April 18 for a successor to President Giorgio Napolitano — a key part in the political puzzle as the country tries to form a new Government following inconclusive elections more than a month ago. lower House Speaker laura Boldrini said in a statement on Wednesday that the two chambers of the Italian Parliament would meet for a joint session starting on Monday, April 15, and regional representatives could join from April 18.
Prominent atheist blogger helD in Bangladesh
Dhaka: An atheist blogger was arrested on Wednesday in Bangladesh on charges of defaming Islam, a day after three others were held for anti-religious writings as part of a crackdown to prevent exploitation of religion on the Internet. A team of Detective Branch (DB) of police arrested blogger Asif Mohiuddin at Segunbagicha in the capital, Dhaka.
parents to be jailed for killing 6 kids in fire
london: A British couple have been found guilty of starting a fire that killed their six children in what the prosecution described as an “attention-grabbing stunt that went tragically wrong”. Mick Philpott, 56, and Mairead Philpott, 31, and their friend Paul Mosley, 46, now face lengthy jail terms for triggering the blaze on May 11 last year at the couple’s home in Derby, in the East Midlands region of England.
They will be sentenced for manslaughter at Nottingham Crown Court later.
66 Tibet landslide bodies recovered
Beijing: Chinese rescue crews have recovered a total of 66 bodies in the aftermath of a huge landslide in Tibet that buried more than 80 mine workers, State media said on Wednesday. A total of 83 people were buried on Friday when a vast volume of rock crashed down a mountainside east of the Tibetan capital lhasa, burying a mineworkers’ camp.
WWII bomb found near Berlin’s train station
Berlin: An unexploded World War II bomb has been unearthed near Berlin’s main train station, risking possible disruptions to rail and road traffic, authorities said on Wednesday. “The bomb was found on Tuesday afternoon on property belonging to the rail company,” a police spokesman told AFP, adding that the 100-kilogramme (220-pound) explosive was dropped by the Allies during the Second World War.
The site lies about 1.5 kilometres north of the main train station and the spokesman said police were still determining how to re-route road traffic around the area.
Mandela ‘much better’, making ‘steady progress’
Johannesburg: Anti-apartheid icon and former South African President Nelson Mandela is responding “satisfactorily” to treatment and is “much better” after spending a week in a hospital for pneumonia, the presidency said on Wednesday. “President Nelson Mandela continues to make steady improvement in hospital.
Dog’s heroics saves 2 girls from drowning
Toronto: A dog in Canada has emerged as an unlikely hero along with his master after they saved two girls from drowning in an icy river.
Rocky, an 8-year-old labrador retriever-husky mix, and his master Adam Shaw were being hailed for their heroics to save the girls from icy North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton, Alberta, on Easter Sunday. “If that man and dog weren’t there — I just try not to think of it,” Miranda Wagner, the mother of Samara, 9, and her 10-year-old sister, Krymzen, told CNN affiliate CTV.
Queen Elizabeth II gets £5 million pay hike
london: Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II has been given a hefty pay hike of 5 million pounds for the current financial year to carry out her official duties. The 86-year-old Queen received 31 million pounds last year, but that will be increased to 36.1 million pounds in 2013-2014 financial year.
Under the new arrangement, the Queen receives a grant equal to 15 per cent of the profits from the Crown Estate, calculated two years in arrears.