Latest barrel bomb attack in Aleppo leaves 71 dead

#aleppo #barrelbombs #syria I#ISIS Government helicopters have dropped barrel bombs on Syria's northern Aleppo province and at least 71 persons are believed to have been killed as reported in bbc.com dated 30 May 2015.

As per the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), 59 people died in the strike on a busy market in al-Babs - a town which is at present held by Islamic State (IS) militants. Another 12 people were killed in the city of Aleppo. They were killed in Aleppo's rebel-held Shaar area and eight of them were members of a single family.
Syria's government has repeatedly denied using barrel bombs. These are large containers filled with explosives and, when dropped by helicopters, are among the most deadly and inaccurate weapons used by government forces. Reports of dropping of these bombs keep surfacing on a regular basis and are denied by the authorities.
The casualties are expected to increase because the dead were mostly civilians, including women and children – the injuries to many of the injured are reported to be serious.
The SOHR, which collects information through a network of activists in Syria, has termed this attack as one of the worst massacres perpetrated by the government so far during this year.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

A few more must reads -

Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the Mahabharata

Kumbhmela 2015 in Nashik – guided tours to wineries and vineyards

Nashik transforms from a place of pilgrimage to an industrial hub


Kenyan lawyer wants to marry Obama’s elder daughter Malia

Modi’s first year in office – how America sees it

Noise pollution leads to obesity – those living near airports or busy streets are affected

Giant barrel jellyfish 5-ft long, 3-ft diameter and weighing 5-stone each found off Dorset coast

ICU beckons me for a second time

Marriages are made in Heaven

Teen, instigated by his mother, bludgeons a Delhi bus driver to death in broad daylight

Dozens of corpses found in bamboo cages in Thai human trafficking camp

Barbed wires and phone tapping prevent North Koreans from escaping

People of North Korea would like to defect to neighboring countries like China or South Korea but, are unable to do so because ever since Kim Jong-Un has come to power, the barbed wire fencing has been strengthened and phone lines are being tapped.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 22 May 2015.

In 2009, it was 2,914 defections from North Korea to South Korea – it was the biggest influx since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. However, Kim Jong-Un's first year in power in 2012, the figure of defections had dropped to just 1,502. That works out to a 44% drop on the previous year. And, last year, the number fell further to 1,396.
The main motivation of defection 10-years ago was food, it has now shifted to freedom.
In view of increased risks, people who make arrangements for people to escape, have nearly doubled their charges to about $8,000 (£5,100) per person and, this is beyond the reach of most North Koreans.< (Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

A few more must reads -

Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the Mahabharata

Kumbhmela 2015 in Nashik – guided tours to wineries and vineyards

Nashik transforms from a place of pilgrimage to an industrial hub


Activists on kayaks protest against drilling for oil in Alaska

Disenchanted with rosy promises of a life with the ISIS, three British girls escape

Over 600 stranded migrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar rescued by local fishermen

British spy chiefs recruiting computer geeks for £27,913 to help fight terrorists, criminal gangs and hackers

Ancient 2000-year-old city of Palmyra in Syria targeted for destruction by ISIS

I become a detective to trace a missing consignment


Another interesting blog - Citizen Journalist

Another interesting blog - Ramblings

ISIS fanatic behind Tunisian museum massacre had escaped to Italy in a migrant boat

#ISIS #BardoMuseum #Tunisia #Italy The ISIS fanatic who was behind the massacre of 21 tourists in the Tunisian museum was a 21year-old Moroccan man and he has been arrested in Italy after he had escaped on a migrant boat. Tis has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 20 May 2015.

The Islamic State had claimed responsibility for the March attack on the Bardo Museum in the capital Tunis and the man was arrested at the home where he lives with his mother and brothers in Gaggiano, near Milan.
As per the Tunisian arrest warrant, he has been charged with premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit attacks against the internal security of the state, belonging to a terrorist group and recruiting and training others to commit terrorist attacks.
It seems he had arrived in Porto Empedocle in Sicily on a migrant boat on February 17 but was issued an expulsion order demanding that he leave Italy within 15 days. He disappeared only to surface in Tunisia where he was apparently involved in both the planning and the execution of the attacks on the museum. He was also believed to be recruiting jihadis.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

A few more must reads -

Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the Mahabharata

Kumbhmela 2015 in Nashik – guided tours to wineries and vineyards

Nashik transforms from a place of pilgrimage to an industrial hub


Activists on kayaks protest against drilling for oil in Alaska

Disenchanted with rosy promises of a life with the ISIS, three British girls escape

Over 600 stranded migrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar rescued by local fishermen

British spy chiefs recruiting computer geeks for £27,913 to help fight terrorists, criminal gangs and hackers

Ancient 2000-year-old city of Palmyra in Syria targeted for destruction by ISIS

I become a detective to trace a missing consignment


Another interesting blog - Citizen Journalist

Another interesting blog - Ramblings

Suicide blast in Justice Ministry of Kabul kills 5, injures 42 – Taliban claims responsibility

#Kabul #Taliban #suicidebomber #Afghanistan Suicide bomb attacks continues unabated in Afghanistan and in the latest such attack, a suicide bomber exploded his devices in the car park of the Justice Ministry in the diplomatic area of Kabul and killed five people while 42 others have been injured.
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 20 May 2015.

Responsibility of the attack has been claimed by the Taliban – they have vowed to kill more “slave” judges and prosecutors.
As indicated by Deputy Interior Minister Mohammad Ayoub Salangi, four men and one woman were killed in the attack and one of those killed could be the suicide bomber but that is difficult to confirm because the body was torn into pieces.
In the recent past, the number of attacks have gone up. It may be recalled that last week, three people were killed when a suicide bomber attacked a bus that was transporting employees of the Attorney General’s office. Later, on Sunday, a car bomb went off near Kabul airport and struck a vehicle of the European Union’s police advisory mission killing three people. Moreover, the Taliban had also carried out an attack on a Kabul guest house in which 14 people died.
(Image source wikimediacommons.org)

A few more must reads -

Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the Mahabharata

Kumbhmela 2015 in Nashik – guided tours to wineries and vineyards

Nashik transforms from a place of pilgrimage to an industrial hub


Activists on kayaks protest against drilling for oil in Alaska

Disenchanted with rosy promises of a life with the ISIS, three British girls escape

Over 600 stranded migrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar rescued by local fishermen

British spy chiefs recruiting computer geeks for £27,913 to help fight terrorists, criminal gangs and hackers

Ancient 2000-year-old city of Palmyra in Syria targeted for destruction by ISIS

I become a detective to trace a missing consignment


Another interesting blog - Citizen Journalist

Another interesting blog - Ramblings

Woman found unconscious in Pathankot Express in Bhopal was a Bangladeshi from Mumbai

The 20-year-old woman who was found in the Pathankot Express when it arrived in Bhopal was a Bangladeshi woman who had been brought to Mumbai 5-years back and forced into the flesh trade. She was gang raped by some persons at Kalyan station and dumped in the Pathankot Express.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 19 May 2015.

It seems someone had brought her to Mumbai five years back and was allegedly pushed into flesh trade. She hailed from Abhaynagar in Bangladesh and the pe4rson who had brought her had sold her to another person. The woman lived with this man in a slum colony near Kalyan railway station.
On 10 May, she was beaten up and gangraped by some persons near Kalyan railway station and, after committing the heinous crime, the accused dumped her into the train. She was unconscious and some passengers informed the railway police at Bhopal who took her to a hospital. Later, on 13 May, she narrated her ordeal to the police who have booked seven persons in this regard.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

A few more must reads -

Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the Mahabharata

Kumbhmela 2015 in Nashik – guided tours to wineries and vineyards

Nashik transforms from a place of pilgrimage to an industrial hub


Activists on kayaks protest against drilling for oil in Alaska

Disenchanted with rosy promises of a life with the ISIS, three British girls escape

Over 600 stranded migrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar rescued by local fishermen

British spy chiefs recruiting computer geeks for £27,913 to help fight terrorists, criminal gangs and hackers

Ancient 2000-year-old city of Palmyra in Syria targeted for destruction by ISIS

I become a detective to trace a missing consignment


Another interesting blog - Citizen Journalist

Another interesting blog - Ramblings

Iraqi city of Ramadi falls to Islamic State, troops abandon weapons and flee

#ramadi #ISIS #Iraq #johnkerry The Iraqi city of Ramadi has fallen to the Islamic State following days of intense fighting and bombings by the terror group and Iraqi troops have abandoned their weapons and have fled the scene. Black flags have been raised over local government headquarters.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 18 May 2015.
Spokesman for the governor of Anbar province has confirmed that Ramadi has fallen … the military is fleeing. The provincial command center in the city had fallen into the hands of the ISIS – this has been informed by a colonel who is among troops who had withdrawn.

However, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has issued orders for the government forces to "hold their positions" and has called on troops, tribesmen and other elite forces to push the militants out of Ramadi.
US Secretary of State John Kerry is on an official visit to South Korea. He has said that he was confident the loss of Ramadi would be reversed and also re-iterated his warning that the fight against IS would be a long one.
The number of casualties is continuously on the increase and approximately 500 people - militants and civilians - have been killed in Ramadi in the last two days. Moreover, around 8,000 have fled as IS launched a fierce offensive of suicide car bomb attacks.
It has also been reported that 15 Iraqi troops and police died on Sunday in four near-simultaneous car bombings. AS a result, the soldiers retreated leaving behind their vehicles and weapons.
(Image courtesy wikimedia.org)

A few more must reads -

Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the Mahabharata

Kumbhmela 2015 in Nashik – guided tours to wineries and vineyards

Nashik transforms from a place of pilgrimage to an industrial hub


Activists on kayaks protest against drilling for oil in Alaska

Disenchanted with rosy promises of a life with the ISIS, three British girls escape

Over 600 stranded migrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar rescued by local fishermen

British spy chiefs recruiting computer geeks for £27,913 to help fight terrorists, criminal gangs and hackers

Ancient 2000-year-old city of Palmyra in Syria targeted for destruction by ISIS

I become a detective to trace a missing consignment


Another interesting blog - Citizen Journalist

Another interesting blog - Ramblings

Suicide car bomb attack near Kabul’s International Airport kills 3 – two are women

A Taliban suicide bomber drove his explosives-laden Toyota sedan car into a foreign convoy near Kabul's international airport. Three people died in the attack, two of them are young women while the third is a British security contractor who working with alongside the European Union Police force.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 17 May 2015.

Apart from the deaths, at least 18 people, including three children, were wounded in the morning rush hour suicide blast that happened near the office of the Afghan Civil Aviation Authority close to the airport terminal Both the Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and the British Embassy in Kabul have confirmed that the victim was a British security contractor. This was the second attack in a matter of days for which the Taliban have claimed responsibility.
The British contractor had been travelling with officers from European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL). This agency advises Afghan law enforcement authorities.
(Image source wikimediacommons.org)

A few more must reads -

Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the Mahabharata

Kumbhmela 2015 in Nashik – guided tours to wineries and vineyards

Nashik transforms from a place of pilgrimage to an industrial hub


More than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped last year by Boko Haram have vanished

Journey to freedom – 5800 migrants rescued from the Mediterranean

Indonesian smugglers stuff yellow-crested cockatoos into plastic bottles to get past customs

Engineering graduate of Hyderabad goes astray, dies because of links with ISIS

Dozens of corpses found in bamboo cages in Thai human trafficking camp

Quick tour of Delhi by ITDC bus


Another interesting blog - Citizen Journalist

Another interesting blog - Ramblings

Fate of 39 Indians missing in Iraq - Minister of External Affairs insists they are alive

A total of 40 Indians had, reportedly, been kidnapped by the ISIS in Iraq and one of them have managed to escape and return back to India. He has stated that the remaining 39 have been killed by the ISIS. However, Sushma Swaraj, the Minister of External Affairs insists that the 39 Indians are safe and that the man is lying.
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 15 May 2015.

The minister while talking to reporters in New Delhi has confirmed that earlier she had six sources who have confirmed that the 39 Indians ae safe and now she has two more sources who will vouch for the fact.
However, she has not yet disclosed any of the eight sources and that is lading to avoidable confusion.
The incident was first reported in November 2014 by two Bangladeshi workers who had escaped and, even after eight months, there is no clarity on the subject from the external ministry. That is strange because unless some sort of evidence is brought out, the doubt will keep lingering and questions will continue to be asked.
(Image source wikimediacommons.org)

A few more must reads -

Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the Mahabharata

Kumbhmela 2015 in Nashik – guided tours to wineries and vineyards

Nashik transforms from a place of pilgrimage to an industrial hub


More than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped last year by Boko Haram have vanished

Journey to freedom – 5800 migrants rescued from the Mediterranean

Indonesian smugglers stuff yellow-crested cockatoos into plastic bottles to get past customs

Engineering graduate of Hyderabad goes astray, dies because of links with ISIS

Dozens of corpses found in bamboo cages in Thai human trafficking camp

Quick tour of Delhi by ITDC bus


Another interesting blog - Citizen Journalist

Another interesting blog - Ramblings

Ancient 2000-year-old city of Palmyra in Syria targeted for destruction by ISIS

#ISIS #Palmyra #Syria #WorldHeritage #UNESCO Islamic State terrorists have reportedly moved towards the gates of ancient 2000-year-old city of Palmyra and are believed to have targeted it for destruction. There are fears that this Syrian world heritage site could be in for destruction as the jihadists have already done in Iraq. This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 15 May 2015.

As the ISIS militants overran nearby villages, they executed 26 civilians - 10 of them were beheaded because they were 'collaborating with the regime.' This is what the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) have said.
Irina Bokova, head of the UN's cultural body UNESCO, has requested both the Syrian troops and the extremists to spare Palmyra because it 'represents an irreplaceable treasure for the Syrian people, and the world. … Palmyra must be saved.' She made these comments at a two-day conference in Cairo on protecting the region's archeological sites.
Her request was echoed by Syria's head of antiquities who made an appeal for international action saying IS was less than two kilometers from what remained of one of the most important cultural centers of the ancient world.
Incidentally, UNESCO has described Palmyra as a world heritage site of 'outstanding universal value'. This ancient city was on a caravan route at the crossroads of several civilizations and its temples that are of 1st and 2nd century apart from the colonnaded streets mark a unique blend of Graeco-Roman and Persian influences. (Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

A few more must reads -

Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the Mahabharata

Kumbhmela 2015 in Nashik – guided tours to wineries and vineyards

Nashik transforms from a place of pilgrimage to an industrial hub


More than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped last year by Boko Haram have vanished

Journey to freedom – 5800 migrants rescued from the Mediterranean

Indonesian smugglers stuff yellow-crested cockatoos into plastic bottles to get past customs

Engineering graduate of Hyderabad goes astray, dies because of links with ISIS

Dozens of corpses found in bamboo cages in Thai human trafficking camp

Quick tour of Delhi by ITDC bus


Another interesting blog - Citizen Journalist

Another interesting blog - Ramblings

Death toll in Philippines shoe factory fire rises to 72

A fire has destroyed a shoe factory in the Philippine capital and the death toll has risen to 72 – it seems the fire started when sparks from welding work ignited flammable chemicals near the entrance of the building. This has been reported in bbc.com of 14 May 2015.
The police are investigating and have vowed to take swift action against those responsible, amid workers' claims of poor health and safety standards. The safety standards in the Philippines is lax and large fires, especially in slum areas, are quite common.

The fire had spread quickly and very few managed to escape. Many were trapped on the second floor of the building, where iron grills on the windows prevented their escape. Initial investigations reveal that the deaths might have been caused by suffocation and inhaling the thick black smoke from burning rubber and chemicals.
The factory, which is operated by Kentex Manufacturing, manufactures rubber flip flops and sandals and, at the time of the fire, from 200 to 300 people were inside the building. It is located in the rundown district of Valenzuela in the north of the capital.
The mayor of the Valenzuela district has indicated that the death toll would not increase further because the number of bodies retrieved matched with the number of people missing.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

A few more must reads -

Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the Mahabharata

Kumbhmela 2015 in Nashik – guided tours to wineries and vineyards

Nashik transforms from a place of pilgrimage to an industrial hub


More than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped last year by Boko Haram have vanished

Journey to freedom – 5800 migrants rescued from the Mediterranean

Indonesian smugglers stuff yellow-crested cockatoos into plastic bottles to get past customs

Engineering graduate of Hyderabad goes astray, dies because of links with ISIS

Dozens of corpses found in bamboo cages in Thai human trafficking camp

Quick tour of Delhi by ITDC bus


Another interesting blog - Citizen Journalist

Another interesting blog - Ramblings

Motorcycle riding gunmen attack bus in Karachi, 47 dead, 24 injured

Six unidentified motorcycle riding gunmen attacked a bus in Karachi and left behind at least 47 dead and 24 injured as reported in tribune.com.pk dated 13 May 2015.
The bus belonged to the Ismaili community in Karachi’s Safora Chowrangi area near Dow Medical College. As per initial reports it has been revealed that the motorcyclists used 9mm pistols in the attack.
There weew many women and children in the bus and the gunmen attacked it from all sides.

Witnesses have indicated that although the capacity of the bus was 52, it was overloaded and dozens of people were trying to board it. Majority of them belonged to the Ismaili community.
It seems the assailants also got onto the bus to attack passengers who were inside the bus and left leaflets that had militant content.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attack but, Taliban splinter groups are known to have bombed several mosques of religious minorities.
(Image courtesy wikimdiacommons.com)

A few more must reads -

Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the Mahabharata

Kumbhmela 2015 in Nashik – guided tours to wineries and vineyards

Nashik transforms from a place of pilgrimage to an industrial hub


More than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped last year by Boko Haram have vanished

Journey to freedom – 5800 migrants rescued from the Mediterranean

Indonesian smugglers stuff yellow-crested cockatoos into plastic bottles to get past customs

Engineering graduate of Hyderabad goes astray, dies because of links with ISIS

Dozens of corpses found in bamboo cages in Thai human trafficking camp

Quick tour of Delhi by ITDC bus


Another interesting blog - Citizen Journalist

Another interesting blog - Ramblings

Another blogger hacked to death in Sylhet, Bangladesh

#MuktoMona #BangladeshiBlogger #Sylhet #AvijitRoy The murder of the third blogger Ananta Bijoy Das in Bangladesh indicates that a section of the people of that country is opposed to the freedom that bloggers usually enjoy in other countries. In the latest instance, a secular blogger has been hacked to death in north-eastern city of Sylhet in Bangladesh.
This is the third such deadly attack this year as reported in bbc.com dated 12 May 2015.
The individual was attacked by a masked gang who were wielding machetes.

The blogger blogged for Mukto-Mona – this website was, once upon a time, moderated by blogger Avijit Roy who was himself hacked to death in February. He was a Bangladeshi born US blogger and was critical of religious intolerance.
It may be recalled that he was killed in a machete attack while he was visiting the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka. He was returning with his wife from a book fair in the city when he was attacked. His wife suffered head injuries and lost a thumb.
Later, in March, another blogger, Washiqur Rahman, was hacked to death in Dhaka.

A few more must reads -

Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the Mahabharata

Kumbhmela 2015 in Nashik – guided tours to wineries and vineyards

Nashik transforms from a place of pilgrimage to an industrial hub


More than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped last year by Boko Haram have vanished

Journey to freedom – 5800 migrants rescued from the Mediterranean

Indonesian smugglers stuff yellow-crested cockatoos into plastic bottles to get past customs

Engineering graduate of Hyderabad goes astray, dies because of links with ISIS

Dozens of corpses found in bamboo cages in Thai human trafficking camp

Quick tour of Delhi by ITDC bus


Another interesting blog - Citizen Journalist

Another interesting blog - Ramblings

Teen, instigated by his mother, bludgeons a Delhi bus driver to death in broad daylight

#roadrage #Delhi #DTC #Mundka This is a gory incident of a road rage that took place in broad daylight in Delhi, the capital. It was committee by a XII student and he was egged on by his mother. The 42-year-old bus driver was thrashed mercilessly by the teenager as the bus passengers watched – no one resisted.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 11 May 2015.

The incident was triggered when the DTC bus brushed against the bike of the boy near Mundka. His mother was on the pillion and both fell down.
Enraged, the teenager smashed the windshield of the bus, dragged the bus driver out of the bus and hit him with a helmet and fire extinguisher. His mother kept instigating him to teach the driver a lesson.
The duo escaped and left behind the bleeding driver on the road – he was a father of two and had been driving DTC buses for the past eight years. He died on way to hospital.
The police have, since, arrested the teenager.

A few more must reads -

Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the Mahabharata

Kumbhmela 2015 in Nashik – guided tours to wineries and vineyards

Nashik transforms from a place of pilgrimage to an industrial hub


More than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped last year by Boko Haram have vanished

Journey to freedom – 5800 migrants rescued from the Mediterranean

Indonesian smugglers stuff yellow-crested cockatoos into plastic bottles to get past customs

Engineering graduate of Hyderabad goes astray, dies because of links with ISIS

Dozens of corpses found in bamboo cages in Thai human trafficking camp

Quick tour of Delhi by ITDC bus


Another interesting blog - Citizen Journalist

Another interesting blog - Ramblings

Iraq prison breakout – 40 killed, many terrorists escape

#Khalis #ISIS #Iraq #Baghdad #Diyala #PrisonBreak The Khalis prison in Diyala province of Iraq witnessed a prison breakout when nearly forty inmates, some of them convicted of terrorism charges, escaped during a riot in which at least six police officers and 30 prisoners were killed. Khalis is located 50 miles north of Baghdad.
This has been reported in foxnews.com of 9 May 2015.

The figures of toll in the violence is not confirmed because two provincial police officials and a medical official put the toll at death of 51 inmates and 12 policemen and the number of inmates who escape was in the region of 200. The official version as indicated by Brig. Gen. Saad Maan Ibrahim, the Interior Ministry spokesman, is that the death toll is 36, including six police officers and 30 prisoners, and said 40 inmates escaped.
It seems a fight broke out among the inmates of the prison and when guards went to investigate, they were overpowered and their weapons were seized. Some of those who escaped were wanted on terrorism charges.
Security forces had cordoned off the area and were searching out the escaped inmates.
Islamic State group has described the incident as a coordinated operation that involved use of multiple explosives outside the prison. There were 30 Islamic State members among those who escaped.

A few more must reads -

Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the Mahabharata

Kumbhmela 2015 in Nashik – guided tours to wineries and vineyards

Nashik transforms from a place of pilgrimage to an industrial hub


More than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped last year by Boko Haram have vanished

Journey to freedom – 5800 migrants rescued from the Mediterranean

Indonesian smugglers stuff yellow-crested cockatoos into plastic bottles to get past customs

Engineering graduate of Hyderabad goes astray, dies because of links with ISIS

Dozens of corpses found in bamboo cages in Thai human trafficking camp

Quick tour of Delhi by ITDC bus


Another interesting blog - Citizen Journalist

Another interesting blog - Ramblings

Boko Haram unleashes terror in classroom – suicide bomber blows himself up

#bokoharam #Nigeria #Suicidebomber In yet another daytime attack, the Boko Haram has carried an attack on a Nigerian school during classes today and six students have been critically injured as reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 8 May 2015.

As per information, a gunman opened fire on students after walking into a high school in Potiskum, northeast Nigeria. The gunman was caught and beaten by locals. He was accompanied by a suicide bomber, who died after blowing himself up. The incident happened in the car park of the College of Administrative and Business Studies.
Apart from the six students, another 45 people are being treated for injuries they sustained when they jumped out of windows and over walls to escape the attackers.
According to witnesses, the gunmen had arrived around 8am local time and opened fire at the gate of the business school.

A few more must reads -

Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the Mahabharata

Kumbhmela 2015 in Nashik – guided tours to wineries and vineyards

Nashik transforms from a place of pilgrimage to an industrial hub


More than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped last year by Boko Haram have vanished

Journey to freedom – 5800 migrants rescued from the Mediterranean

Indonesian smugglers stuff yellow-crested cockatoos into plastic bottles to get past customs

Engineering graduate of Hyderabad goes astray, dies because of links with ISIS

Dozens of corpses found in bamboo cages in Thai human trafficking camp

Quick tour of Delhi by ITDC bus


Another interesting blog - Citizen Journalist

Another interesting blog - Ramblings

Engineering graduate of Hyderabad goes astray, dies because of links with ISIS

#ISIS #Syria #Hyderabad This is the case of a person of Indian origin who had gone to Syria, joined up with the ISIS and has, now, died in Syria. He was an engineering graduate aged 27-years from Hyderabad from where he completed his engineering degree four years back. Later, he moved out to London where he completed his master’s course and, then, in February this year, he left for Syria from London.
As per reports in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 5 May 2015, he seems to have joined the Islamic State in Syria where he died.

It is not known of how he met his death – it could have been while fighting or in landmine blast or accidental death but, he died in March. This was conveyed to his family around 10 days back. They reside in Rajendra Nagar and they got the news through an SMS send in Arabic language.
It may be recalled that last year, Hyderabad Police had foiled "attempts" by six youths from the city from joining the ISIS. These six included two engineers and a former Google employee. They had been swayed by the propaganda of the ISIS on social networking sites.

A few more must reads -

Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the Mahabharata

Kumbhmela 2015 in Nashik – guided tours to wineries and vineyards

Nashik transforms from a place of pilgrimage to an industrial hub


EU realizes the curse of plastic carry bags – to banish the bags

100 cities in India would turn into Smart Cities

Pet Pomeranians of Surat married off, 500 wedding guests enjoy the feast

Woman kills her husband because of his dark complexion

Baltimore on fire as protest over death of a black youth in police custody spirals out of control

‘Papri’ and ‘Barood’ - collection of Bengali short stories published from Nashik

British Army wants computer whizzkids to counter the growing menace of ISIS propaganda


Another interesting blog - Citizen Journalist

Another interesting blog - Ramblings

Durga Puja - priest dancing with devotee (YouTube video)

Dozens of corpses found in bamboo cages in Thai human trafficking camp

#massgrave #thailand #bangladesh #immigrants #rohingya It was a mass grave in southern Thailand from which 26 dead bodies have been recovered – the site is near to a human trafficking camp deep inside the jungle as reported in dailymial.co.uk dated 2 May 2015.

From initial findings, it is believed that these decaying corpses are of illegal migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh. They had been brought in to the country via vast trafficking networks which are 'out of control'. It seems the numbers could be over 30 people and they are apparently buried in shallow graves at the chilling site in Songkhla province, just 300 meters from Malaysia.
How they died is still a mystery but as per the Thai police chief, the victims met a 'violent death'. The Sadao district is where they were kept prisoners and this is a known stop-off for traffickers. The reason is simple – they can remain under cover in the remote woodland before taking their captives across the border and beyond.
The traffickers would keep their victims captives in cages until they received the money for their transport across the border – if the money was not received, the victims would be left to die in the cages. These were illegal immigrants, mostly Rohingya Muslims, and they undertook the dangerous journey by sea to escape religious persecution at home and find jobs in Malaysia and Thailand.

A few more must reads -

Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the Mahabharata

Kumbhmela 2015 in Nashik – guided tours to wineries and vineyards

Nashik transforms from a place of pilgrimage to an industrial hub


EU realizes the curse of plastic carry bags – to banish the bags

100 cities in India would turn into Smart Cities

Pet Pomeranians of Surat married off, 500 wedding guests enjoy the feast

Woman kills her husband because of his dark complexion

Baltimore on fire as protest over death of a black youth in police custody spirals out of control

‘Papri’ and ‘Barood’ - collection of Bengali short stories published from Nashik

British Army wants computer whizzkids to counter the growing menace of ISIS propaganda


Another interesting blog - Citizen Journalist

Another interesting blog - Ramblings

Durga Puja - priest dancing with devotee (YouTube video)