Suicide bomber kills at least 15 in Mosul

The ISIS is striking back and using suicide bombers as Iraqi forces appear to be gaining ground in Mosul while the militants are losing hold. At least 15 people killed in the latest assaults and more than 20 are injured. The attacks reveal the intense violence that is still a matter of worry in the country and the perils that remain as the battle for Iraq's second largest city nears its end.
This has been reported in timesofndia.com dated 3 July 2017.

It seems a suicide bomber in the disguise of a woman killed 14 at a camp for displaced people in Iraq's western Anbar province . The incident happened in the al-Nuri Mosque and at least 20 were wounded in the explosion. Using women as suicide bombers is one of the latest tactic used by the militants. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

New nesting sites for crocodiles in Gahirmatha Wildlife Sanctuary

Patna-Delhi Rajdhani Express to get a new look

Goa expects a flood of tourists


The teacher who taught me Bengali

He taught me to ride a scooter

He was one of the wittiest persons I have ever met


'Spider-Man: Homecoming' brings back the teenage crime fighter

Adele calls a halt to her tour, London will be her final stop

Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk set for release in India in July


Six Afghanistan policemen killed in Taliban attack

Cable car kills seven tourists in Gulmarg

More than 150 killed in explosion of oil tanker in Pakistan

ISIS had plans to launch chemical warfare - evidence unearthed in Mosul

Iraqi special forces have unearthed evidence that tends to indicate that Islamic State were planning to launch a chemical warfare from western Mosul by using long and short-range missiles tipped with chemical or biological war heads. This assumption is based on analysis of material that have been taken by French special forces working with Iraqi units in the city.
It seems there is a warehouse and unloading area near the Tigris River where dozens of missiles were stored alongside makeshift launchers. These weapons had Russian markings and are thought to have come from Syria. Most of the missiles were designed to be fired by jets but one, a 10ft-long missile, is a type of Scud. Even if it was released from a makeshift launcher, it could carry its lethal payload quite far.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 28 January 2017.

Islamic State fighters had been working on the Scud and the area smelt strongly of chemicals. The French soldiers advised the Iraqi team to observe all precautions since the whole area was contaminated and necessary tests were being carried out to determine the nature of the chemicals.
There were large refrigerated cargo carriers and these were loaded with coking coal but, buried inside, there were containers with the unidentified substance. There have been allegations of the use of chemical weapons, particularly chlorine, in the Syrian conflict. However, the latest discovery of a substance probably more lethal than chlorine, is a new development.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to debut at the 2017 Republic Day parade

Many of the Trump hats are not made in America but in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh

Chinese firm to invest over Rs 1300 crore in Toto rickshaw manufacture in Howrah


Didi visualizes industrial revival via nalen gur (satire)

Lord Shiva and the sight of potbellied policemen (satire)

In the wonderland of health drinks


Shah Rukh Khan's movie Raees to release in Dubai on January 25

James Cameron plans to resurrect his Terminator franchise in 2019

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan wants more power to women in 2017


ISIS destroys portions of Roman amphitheatre in the ancient city of Palmyra

Kim Jong-Un plans to send a message to Donald Trump by launching a missile

Bomb blast in a vegetable market in Parachinar kills at least 20

Two suicide bombers kill at least 27 in Baghdad market

Two suicide bombers attacked a market in Baghdad and killed at least 27 people and left another 50 injured - many of the victims were shopkeepers who had gathered around a cart that was selling breakfast when the explosions took place.
The market is located in the al Sinek neighborhood on Rasheed Street, which is one of the main thoroughfares in the Iraqi capital. The area is packed with shops and markets and was targeted at a time when it was crowded.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 31 December 2016.

This attack is believed to be the deadliest attack on the city since mid-October when a man blew himself up at a funeral, killing more than 30 people. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for that attack.
It is known that the city of Baghdad has been on alert ever since the beginning of the offensive to re-take the city of Mosul in the north from IS. Prime Minister Haider al Abadi had indicated that the Mosul operation would take at least three months more - he had earlier promised that it would be completed before 2017.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Drone delivers hot food items and cold beverages to customers' homes in the US

18th rhino killed in Kaziranga - this exceeds the figures of last year

Christmas in Delhi - fancy Santa hats from China sell for Rs 400 a piece


Moody in silent mode over black money (satire)

Didi upbeat about Christmas tourism (satire)

Lord Shiva and Goddess Durga discuss swipe machines (satire)


London Police deputes anti-terrorism patrol units under Operation Servator

Australian police foil a IS terror plot targeting Melbourne during Christmas

12 persons killed as truck ploughs into Christmas shoppers in Berlin


Carrie Fisher of Star Wars fame stops breathing on board a non-stop London-Los Angeles flight

Aamir Khan's Dangal expected to cross Rs 100 crore in first weekend

Glastonbury Festival could shift from Somerset to a new location towards the Midlands

Truck bomb in a petrol station kills at least 70 in Iraq

At least 70 people, most of them Iranians, have been killed and another 45 wounded when a truck bomb ripped through a petrol station south of Baghdad. The incident happened in the village of Shomali near the city of Hilla which is located some 75 miles southeast of the capital Baghdad.
The target appeared to have been buses that were ferrying Iranian pilgrims heading home after participating in Arbaeen, a major Shia holiday in the holy city of Karbala.
This has been reported in news.sky,com dated 24 November 2016.

Head of the provincial security committee for Babylon, the province where the bombing happened, has revealed that several buses were targeted and that it was a suicide attack. There are at least 70 dead and fewer than 10 were Iraqis, remaining were Iranians.
ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack.
As per reports, more than 20 million people visited Karbala this year, and the Iraqi authorities have indicated that around three million of them were Iranians. Iraq had positioned nearly 25,000 members of the security forces in and around the shrine city to protect the pilgrims from a feared IS attack.
Iraqi forces are at present engaged in driving out militants from the northern city of Mosul which had been captured by the ISIS in 2014. This Iraqi city is the last major urban centre still held by the extremist group.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


Some more interesting links -

President Pranab Mukherjee to be present for Vikramshila Mahotsav

Baliyatra fair on the banks of the Mahanadi sees over one lakh visitors on opening day

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to bury the hatchet and work together to fight terrorism


Lord Shiva and long ATM queues - bullock carts and ATM don't gel (satire)

Moody fires cannons to eliminate mosquitoes (satire)

Fuchka Festival in Kolkata and selfies (satire)


Spanish police arrest two suspected ISIS terrorists in Barcelona and Madrid

At least 52 killed and more than 100 injured in a bomb blast at a remote Sufi shrine in Pakistan

Joint action by RFA, Royal Navy and US Coast Guard nets huge haul of cocaine from the sea


La La Land to have its Indian premiere at the Jio MAMI Film Club

Jackie Chan gets an Oscar after a 56-year career

Spider-Man: Homecoming will see Michael Keaton as Spider-Man's main adversary Vulture

Iraq special forces advanced into Mosul while ISIS militants killed 20

The battle to regain control of Mosul is continuing and Iraq's special forces are working to fully clear neighborhoods on Mosul's eastern edge of Islamic State (ISIS) militants. This is a slow-paced work because the advancing troops have to penetrate into populated areas deeper inside Mosul. In view of the presence of a large number of civilians, they cannot resort to airstrikes.
Meanwhile suspected ISIS militants had struck far from the front lines. They resorted to two bombings that killed at least 20 people. One of these was a suicide attack directed against Shiite pilgrims north of Baghdad which killed at least 11 people.
This has been reported in foxnews.com dated 6 November 2016.

There are reports of some civilians fleeing from the combat zone, while ISIS militants are holding others back for use as human shields. This is making it harder for Iraqi commanders on the ground to get approval for requests for U.S.-led coalition air strikes.
Incidentally, Iraq's special forces are some of the country's best troops, but they depend to a great extent on air support to clear the terrain.
It may be recalled that ISIS had captured the city of Mosul in 2014, and have erected fortifications like trenches and berms that have converted the streets and alleyways of a neighborhood into a maze. In addition, concrete blast walls have blocked off access to other areas.
In April 2015, Iraqi security forces had succeeded in driving out ISIS militants from Tikrit which is located about 80 miles north of Baghdad.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


Some more interesting links -

Pine needles to produce electricity in Uttarakhand

Lost £250 wedding ring retrieved after the eight million gallon lake was drained

Jakarta to pay $1.5 for every rat caught to contain rat menace


Fuchka Festival in Kolkata and selfies (satire)

Moody fires cannons to eliminate mosquitoes (satire)

Lord Shiva’s Durga puja is about selfish people and selfies (satire)


Carey Mulligan leaves teddy bears outside gates of 10 Downing Street to protest attacks on Aleppo

Battle to liberate Mosul rages and ISIS fighters flee the city dressed as women

Group clashes in prisons in Brazil kill at least 18 inmates


The Guardians of the Galaxy 2 trailer released

Trailer of xXx: Return of Xander Cage starring Deepika Padukone launched in four Indian languages

Jackie Chan's Kung Fu Yoga to release on 28th January 2017

ISIS kills over 200 and abducts 8000 families to use as human shields in Mosul

ISIS is feeling the heat and is realizing that its days are numbered as troops are closing in on Mosul. Therefore, ISIS has killed more than 200 people and abducted nearly 8,000 families from their homes around Mosul and shifted them to the center of the city to be used as human shields.
Those killed included 190 former Iraqi Security Forces officers.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 28 October 2016.

The United Nations Human Rights Office has indicated that at least 232 people in and around the city were shot dead because they refused to follow their orders as Iraqi forces advanced and jihadis retreated. The reports of the dead are not corroborated and the number could be higher.
Inside the small, sparsely populated villages that ring Mosul, Iraqi forces have to deal with explosive booby-traps and hidden snipers.
It may be recalled that the jihadists had captured the city in a matter of days in 2014, and have been holding fort for more than two years to build up its defenses and brutally root out any internal opposition. Therefore, the operation to retake Mosul is expected to be a long drawn out affair.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


Some more interesting links -

Pine needles to produce electricity in Uttarakhand

Lost £250 wedding ring retrieved after the eight million gallon lake was drained

Jakarta to pay $1.5 for every rat caught to contain rat menace


Fuchka Festival in Kolkata and selfies (satire)

Moody fires cannons to eliminate mosquitoes (satire)

Lord Shiva’s Durga puja is about selfish people and selfies (satire)


Carey Mulligan leaves teddy bears outside gates of 10 Downing Street to protest attacks on Aleppo

Battle to liberate Mosul rages and ISIS fighters flee the city dressed as women

Group clashes in prisons in Brazil kill at least 18 inmates


The Guardians of the Galaxy 2 trailer released

Trailer of xXx: Return of Xander Cage starring Deepika Padukone launched in four Indian languages

Jackie Chan's Kung Fu Yoga to release on 28th January 2017

Battle to liberate Mosul rages and ISIS fighters flee the city dressed as women

ISIS fighters who do not have the courage to stand up and fight are believed to be fleeing Mosul, some of them dressed in women's clothing after orders had been given for wives and girlfriends to evacuate the city. Even as the battle to liberate Mosul enters the fourth day in Iraq, the terror group's commander Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has apparently issued orders to women affiliated with the group's leaders to get themselves out of the firing line.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 20 October 2016.

It is evident that Baghdadi is cornered in Mosul and his band of spineless terrorists have used his orders as an opportunity to escape the war by dressing as women. Two men, presumed to be ISIS fighters, were caught by Kurdish Peshmerga troops near Mosul as per media reports.
A Major General of the US Army, who is in-charge of the anti-IS coalition's land component has indicated that ISIS commanders are 'fleeing the city' ahead of 'multiple assaults' that have been planned. In his opinion, many foreigners among the 6,000 IS fighters would likely end up forming the core of the holdout jihadist force.
The women were evacuated by orders from Baghdadi to avoid being captured by the security forces or rebellious people of Mosul after Mosul was liberated.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


Some more interesting links -

Calcutta Tramways Company to increase frequency of tram service at night from November

Tampara wetland, a tourist spot in Ganjam district, to get a facelift

Durga idol of 2016 to be preserved in Park Street metro station


Moody becomes moody after surgical strike (satire)

Lord Shiva in the world of deodorants (satire)

Three cheers for Didi – the Jill of all trades (satire)


Terrorist attacks and suicide bombing kill at least 46 in Iraq

21 school girls of Chibok, abducted by Boko Haram in 2014, return home

Indications are there that both United States and Russia are preparing for war


Power Rangers to return after a decade and hit the screens on March 24 next year

Bob Dylan, the 75-year-old American folk singer, wins Nobel Prize for literature

Antonio Banderas gifted a pair of monkeys to Salma Hayek on her birthday

Battle to retake Mosul from ISIS has begun

The battle has been launched to retake control of the Iraqi city of Mosul from Islamic State and convoys of Iraqi and Kurdish forces were moving towards the east of the city. Simultaneously, the US-led coalition airstrikes are extending aerial support.
The bid to regain control of the city of Mosul is seen as the biggest military operation in Iraq since American troops left in 2011.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 17 October 2016.

It is estimated that nearly 2,000 Iraqi special forces are in action with support of four brigades of the regular Iraqi Army, 15,000 Sunni militia, 15,000 Kurdish Peshmerga and a few thousand Shia militia. Their objective is to take the fight to an estimated 3,000 IS fighters in the city and snipers will be sent in first to fight street-by-street.
There are genuine fears that Mosul will be rigged with explosives. Moreover, the fear of chemical weapons cannot be ruled out. Islamic State does have the capability and it is quite possible that they have been saving the weapons for 'D-Day'. Mosul is the last city in Iraq that is still held by IS.
The UN has cautioned that up to one million people could be displaced from Mosul during the operation. The families are at "extreme risk" of not only being caught in crossfire, but tens of thousands may end up besieged or held as human shields and thousands could be forcibly expelled.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


Some more interesting links -

Calcutta Tramways Company to increase frequency of tram service at night from November

Tampara wetland, a tourist spot in Ganjam district, to get a facelift

Durga idol of 2016 to be preserved in Park Street metro station


Moody becomes moody after surgical strike (satire)

Lord Shiva in the world of deodorants (satire)

Three cheers for Didi – the Jill of all trades (satire)


Terrorist attacks and suicide bombing kill at least 46 in Iraq

21 school girls of Chibok, abducted by Boko Haram in 2014, return home

Indications are there that both United States and Russia are preparing for war


Power Rangers to return after a decade and hit the screens on March 24 next year

Bob Dylan, the 75-year-old American folk singer, wins Nobel Prize for literature

Antonio Banderas gifted a pair of monkeys to Salma Hayek on her birthday

Terrorist attacks and suicide bombing kill at least 46 in Iraq

Terrorist attacks in Iraq have killed at least 46 people - the attacks included a suicide bombing and its responsibility has been claimed by the Islamic State group. This attack was the deadliest to hit Baghdad in months.
The violence has been unleashed as Iraqi forces get ready for an operation to retake Mosul which is the last IS-held city in the country. This will be a key battle, but it will not put an end to the threat of attacks as was witnessed.
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 15 October 2016.

It seems in the deadliest attack, a suicide bomber targeted a funeral tent where mourners had assembled to pay their respects in the Shiite-majority Shaab area of north Baghdad - the blast killed at least 34 people and wounded at least 36. The suicide bomber entered the funeral tent and blew himself up as lunch was being served. ISIS issued an online statement claiming the attack and saying it was carried out by a man who detonated an explosive vest.
ISIS is a Sunni extremist group and it considers Shiites to be heretics. Therefore, they frequently carry out suicide bombings and other attacks against them in Baghdad and other parts of the country.
The latest bombing is the deadliest to hit the Iraqi capital since early July. At that time a suicide bombing in central Baghdad sparked infernos in a crowded shopping area and more than 300 people were killed.
Apart from the Baghdad attack, militants attacked two areas north of Baghdad, killing another 12 people.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


Some more interesting links -

Taiwan struck by Typhoon Megi, third typhoon in two weeks

Terrorist alarm in Uran was the figment of a 12-year-old schoolgirl's imagination

Tourist season in Kaziranga National Park to start from October 1 instead of November 1


Moody is off mood – Na Buzz had fooled him again (satire)

Didi’s version of ABCD - cycle to work to bypass potholes (satire)

Goddess Durga and her kids wait for the annual bash (satire)


9300 people killed in Russian airstrikes in Syria during last year

MH17 flight shot down by rocket over Ukraine in 2014 was work of pro-Moscow rebels

Shooting in Burlington - gunman on the run after shooting dead four women in a shopping center


Mark Wahlberg talks about movie on Deepwater Horizon explosion in the Gulf of Mexico

Adele creates a record - her latest album 25 has gone platinum in the US

Movie memorabilia go under the hammer - Batman's batpod fetches £312,000

War waged on ISIS by the US and UK has destroyed 26000 targets

When the US-led coalition began its airstrikes on Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria, it had been predicted that it would be a long drawn-out one. And, from existing statistics, it is evident that even though the combined efforts of the US and UK have destroyed 26000 ISIS targets, much more needs to be done.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 9 August 2016.

Till now, more than 14,000 strikes have been launched at a cost of $8.4bn to the United States and $365m to the UK and nearly 26,000 targets have been either destroyed or damaged. The campaign has stepped in its second year an additional 2,336 airstrikes and there have been twice as many civilian deaths. Figures indicate 1,080 according to data furnished by a London-based monitor called Airwars.
However, the Pentagon says that only 55 civilians have been killed by US aircraft while the UK Ministry of Defence says British strikes have not resulted in death of any innocents. The fact is that nearly 3.2 million Iraqis have been displaced and the number of Syrians is much more. The mass exodus has had a devastating all round effect because it has not only changed borders, but has swelled towns, and emptied cities.
Incidentally, in 2014, President Barack Obama had said that he did not want the United States to be dragged into another war in Iraq - but, events have proved otherwise - right now, there are some 3,800 US soldiers in Iraq. And, the US plans to send another 400 American troops to an airbase south of Mosul which is a strategic city.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


Some more interesting links -

Theresa May to pay upto £13,000 to families who stay on sources of shale gas

Vadodara museum bans entry of Pokemon GO players in its premises

India in 2016 Rio Olympics - both Sania Mirza and Leander Paes bow out in first stage itself


Moody’s solution for dental care – eat drumsticks (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)

Didi to gift pepper spray to all girls (satire)


Syrian city of Aleppo falls into hands of rebels and jihadists

North Korea plans to conquer the Moon in 10-year's time

One ISIS suicide bomber of Brussels attack was a cleaner at the European Parliament


Rajinikanth’s Kabali sets a box office record with Rs 600-crore collection

Edinburgh Festival 2016 will have programs on current politics from Brexit to Trump

Shah Rukh Khan could make a movie on tennis star Sania Mirza

At least 39 killed in ISIS suicide attacks in Baghdad to divert attention from Fallujah

Islamic State has carried out a number of suicide bombings in Baghdad that have left 39 people dead. The deadliest of these was in a commercial area of a majority Shia neighborhood where at least 15 civilians were killed and 35 wounded.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 10 June 2016.

There was a second blast when a suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into an Iraqi army checkpoint north of Baghdad killing at least 12 people. The third attack was in the town of Taji 12 miles north of Baghdad. The dead in this were seven civilians and five troops with another 30 injured.
ISIS has claimed responsibility for these attacks but the information could not be independently verified. Baghdad has been the target of near-daily attacks in recent weeks by the Sunni militant group and these are believed to be attempts to distract the attention of the security forces from the fighting taking place on the front line.
Iraqi special forces have pushed into the IS-held city of Fallujah as part of a large-scale military operation launched last month. This city located about 40 miles west of Baghdad, is one of the last major IS strongholds in western Iraq. ISIS is still in control of territory in the country's north, including Mosul, which is Iraq's second largest city.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Some more interesting links -

Switzerland builds the 57-Km long Gotthard Railway Tunnel under the Swiss Alps

Shocking discovery of carcasses of 40 tiger cubs in Tiger Temple of Thailand

WWII bomb in London bound Eurostar in Paris creates panic


All about chest size and happy days (satire)

Lord Shiva unable to fathom IPL T20 cricket (satire)

Monsoons and Didi’s flipflops aka Hawaii chappals (satire)


Rock music festival in Germany suspended due to lightning strike in which more than 70 injured

Arnold Schwarzenegger was chased by an elephant in South Africa

Kavita Kaushik to play the role of an Army doctor in TV show “Dr. Bhanumati on Duty”


ISIS using human shields to counter attacks by Iraq military

ISIS cornered as Russian-backed Syrian army enters ISIS stronghold in Raqqa

Germany arrests three ISIS men who planned an attack on Duesseldorf

ISIS struggling to survive - selling body organs of their own wounded soldiers to make money

Hemmed in from all quarters by airstrikes of the US and its allies, the ISIS is struggling to survive and, if reports are to be believed, they are running out of funds. Therefore, the have taken steps to sell organs of their own wounded fighters in the black market in Iraq. These soldiers are killed, their organs removed and sold to raise money.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 20 April 2016.

These shocking claims originated from an Arabic-language al-Sabah newspaper and it quoted an unnamed source in Mosul. As per the report, doctors were threatened and forced to extract the body organs of a wounded ISIL militant. The jihadi group were allegedly removing vital organs from their wounded fighters and selling them abroad to raise much needed funds for their fighters dreadful salary. Even prisoners held by ISIS have also been forced to give blood to the jihadi group.
The news coming on the heels of the initial contingent of 170 U.S. soldiers entering Baghdad as advisers in June 2014. Right now, there are 3,000 American security workers involved in Iraq with Defense Secretary Ash Carter authorizing a total above 4,000. The figure could increase.
In the words of the Pentagon this is 'tightening the noose' on the militants. Of course, critics feel these are indecisive steps with limited chance of success.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Some more interesting links -

Didi wants to move around fast and wants a solution (satire)

Lord Shiva intrigued by the writing on the walls (satire)

Moody hates hotels and feels more at home in his aircraft (satire)


Taj Mumbai welcomes Prince William and Kate, the fourth generation of British monarchy

Huge 26ft python found in Penang - could become a new a Guinness Record holder

Lok Sabha ethics committee probing Narada sting feels the videos are genuine


ISIS still holding 30 workers out of 300 kidnapped from cement factory in Dumeir

Another Bangladeshi blogger killed in Dhaka because of his views on religion

Florida hunters bag a 15-foot 800-pound massive alligator


James Cameron, writer director of Avatar, promises his fans four sequels

'Deadpool' sequel planned and in the pipeline with Ryan Reynolds

Indonesian pop star dies after being bitten by a cobra on stage

Syrian forces have entered Palmyra held by ISIS for last one year

ISIS has held the city of Palmyra ever since May last year and the Syrian government forces have now entered the city. IS had demolished several historic landmarks and ancient structures and had also carried out a series of beheading in the iconic amphitheater.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 24 March 2016.

In advance of the latest assault, IS has apparently used loudspeakers to announce to the 15,000 odd civilians still living in Palmyra to leave the city. The fighting is reportedly concentrated near the archaeological site on the southwestern edge of the town and, the Syrian forces are less than a mile from the heart of the city, and roads are being cleared of mines and explosives.
Simultaneously, in Iraq, armed forces are bearing down on the IS-held city of Mosul and it is the first stage of an operation aimed at liberating Mosul - it took off with an offensive against IS in the northerly Nineveh province launched from the Makhmour area where Iraqi troops have been deployed in recent weeks.
The troops are backed by air power from a US-led coalition and Kurdish peshmerga forces and several villages have already been recaptured. Mosul was home to two million people before it was taken over by IS. Mosul is, now, the largest city controlled by the group and is still heavily populated - this makes it more complicated to retake.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Some more interesting links -

Lord Shiva wants to be the King of good times (satire)

Moody gets a call from Uncle Sam and takes a trip to Mars (satire)

Narad queers the pitch for Didi & Co (satire)


Budget airline from Dubai crashes during landing in Russia - 62 killed

A 1939 Japanese Lilliput robot and Flash Gordon spaceship up for auction

Gujarat Police learn the finer points of crime from hardened criminals


Star Wars Episode VIII to get delayed till December 2017

Antonio Banderas gifted a pair of monkeys to Salma Hayek on her birthday

Frieda Pinto talks about 'Jungle Book - Origins'


Clash between people of a Roma settlement of Tula and Russian riot police

President Obama imposes tough sanctions on North Korea

Terror attack in Ankara kills at least 37 - one suicide bomber was a 22-year-old woman

Britain to deploy extra troops to Iraq to fight ISIS

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has indicated that the UK would deploy more troops to Iraq to help train the country's armed forces in preparation of a fresh offensive against Islamic State. Michael Fallon has offered to send 30 extra troops and they would provide training in logistics and bridge-building apart from act as specialist medical staff. They would most likely be stationed in training camps at Besmayah and Taji in the Baghdad area. This deployment would bring the number of UK military personnel involved in training in Iraq to 300.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 12 March 2016.

Michael Fallon has remarked that the deployment is against the background of "solid progress" made against IS in recent months. He has also said that the time has come to to step up the training of Iraqi Forces, as they prepare for operations in key cities such as Fallujah and Mosul.
The UK government has continuously insisted that training missions does not constitute 'boots-on-the-ground' even though the British Special Forces are operating in the region. Rather, the UK contribution fits into a wider mission involving a number of nations.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Some more interesting links -

Didi knows that ghosts have their uses (satire)

‘Make in India’ concept to market Ganga water (satire)

Moody throws light on conversion and smartness (satire)


Loss of bees and butterflies is disturbing the ecological balance

Madhya Pradesh to promote tiger tourism

China wants to fight terrorism in Xinjiang with entertainment, singing and dancing


Quantum jump for Priyanka Chopra from Quantico to Baywatch

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

British actor Tom Hardy could become the new face of James Bond after Daniel Craig


Airstrikes in Syria target schools and hospitals - nearly 50 children killed

F-22 Stealth Bombers of the US fly low over South Korea skies

North Korea plans to carry out terror attacks on South Korea

Twin suicide bombings in Baghdad kill at least 70, more than 100 wounded

At least 70 people have been killed and more than 100 wounded in twin suicide bombings in Baghdad. The bombings happened in a Shi'ite district of the Iraqi capital - Sadr City - and responsibility for the same have been claimed by Islamic State. As per police statements, two suicide bombers on motorcycles blew themselves up in a crowded mobile phone market.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 28 February 2016.

The ISIS has, in a statement circulated online, indicated that the bombers had killed and wounded "hundreds of polytheist rejectionists" - this is how they refer to Shi'ite Muslims.
Earlier, the militants had attacked Iraqi security forces on the western outskirts of Baghdad, killing at least 17 people. Suicide bombers and gunmen in vehicles and on foot had launched the attack on Abu Ghraib at dawn, seizing positions in a grain silo and a cemetery.
Iraqi forces, backed by US-led coalition airstrikes, have driven IS back recently in western Anbar province and are also getting ready to launch an offensive to retake the northern city of Mosul. But, in spite of these, the militants are still able to strike in Baghdad and other cities outside their main areas of control. In the opinion of experts, it would be premature to say that IS was losing the initiative in Iraq.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Some more interesting links -

Didi knows that ghosts have their uses (satire)

‘Make in India’ concept to market Ganga water (satire)

Moody throws light on conversion and smartness (satire)


Loss of bees and butterflies is disturbing the ecological balance

Madhya Pradesh to promote tiger tourism

China wants to fight terrorism in Xinjiang with entertainment, singing and dancing


Quantum jump for Priyanka Chopra from Quantico to Baywatch

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

British actor Tom Hardy could become the new face of James Bond after Daniel Craig


Airstrikes in Syria target schools and hospitals - nearly 50 children killed

F-22 Stealth Bombers of the US fly low over South Korea skies

North Korea plans to carry out terror attacks on South Korea

USAF prepares to strike secret targets of ISIS in Persian Gulf

#ISIS #predatordrone #hellfiremissiles #Mosul The Unites States Air Force is getting ready to launch air strikes on ISIS targets at a secret military base in the Persian Gulf even as news emerged that a leader of the extremist group has been injured in an attack.
Right now, the United States is leading a 60-plus member coalition and targeting the terrorist group in Iraq and Syria. In order to meet its objective, it has been carrying out frequent warplane and drone raids for more than a year.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 8 January 2016.

The MQ-1B Predator armed drones loaded with Hellfire air-to-surface missiles have been one of the most powerful weapons used by the USAF in the airstrikes against ISIS jihadists. In one of the latest casualties, ISIS leader and chief spokesman was injured in an airstrike in the Iraqi town of Barwanah, in Anbar province. This has been revealed by Iraq's Joint Operations Command.
This individual was being chased by the USAF for more than a month before the attack was launched. The injured ISIS leader was taken for medical treatment in the city of Hit after losing 'a large amount of blood' before he was shifted to Mosul amidst tight security.
Earlier, on January 5, the U.S. led coalition had carried out 36 strikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria in its latest series of attacks against the extremist groups. A bomb factory was one of the successful targets in Iraq while 14 strikes near Manbij in Syria hit multiple targets. On the same day, construction diggers used by Islamic State terrorists to build defences were destroyed in airstrikes.
On January 1, among the targets destroyed were ISIS machine-gun positions and a team of jihadis armed with RPGs. Subsequently, two days later, British RAF Typhoon fighter jets bombed more mortar teams, snipers and machine-gunners, while Tornado jets dropped missiles on a truck-bomb and ISIS mortar and machine guns.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Some more interesting links -

Moody gifts his neighbor a turban on his birthday (satire)

Lord Shiva’s solution for global warming – go under water (satire)

Didi discusses industries with Moo Cool and Omit Misra (satire)


Use online honey trappers to test the fidelity of the spouse

NASA developing hopping drones to explore Martian caves for human settlement

Cleanliness drive by Railways - collects Rs 58 lakhs in fine from Delhi Railway station


Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

All female pop-group Moranbong Band cancels China goodwill tour

“The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar” - Disney’s upcoming television movie


Christmas Day bushfire destroys 100 homes in popular tourist spot of Lorne in Victoria

Migrants ready to pay £1,200 to people smugglers for trip across Channel in UK-registered car

US airdrops 50-tons of ammunition for M-16s and AK-47 to Syrian fighters

Sniper kills five ISIS jhadists with only three bullets in Iraq

#ISIS #jihadists #Mosul #iraq An SAS sniper in Iraq killed five ISIS jihadists with only three bullets and succeeded in preventing a group of jihadists launching a suicide bomb attack in a dramatic shoot-out in an ISIS-held part of Iraq. The operation happened two weeks ago about 10-Km outside the ISIS stronghold of Mosul and is termed as a 'classic SAS mission'.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 14 December 2015.

The marksman, who had joined the SAS a decade ago had saved the lives of hundreds of innocent people - he fired three well-aimed shots at the jihadists as they left a bomb factory near Mosul. He got the go-ahead after the men were seen leaving the bomb factory wearing heavy coats in hot weather – it was a sign that they were trying to hide their suicide vests.
They were believed to be on their way to carry out a terror attack at a nearby town and had plans to detonate their suicide vests amongst hundreds of civilians that would lead to mass deaths.
The SAS veteran managed to eliminate all three of the extremists, as well as two 'guards' who were supposedly in place to keep a look-out and protect them from military forces. The sniper shot the first jihadi in the chest as he walked out of the factory - that resulted in his suicide vest to detonate. He was killed instantly and took with him the two ISIS 'guards' who were in a nearby car.
The second ISIS militant was shot in the head and the third was killed when the sniper's bullet struck his suicide vest and caused it to detonate.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Moody and the mystery of Didi in Delhi (satire)

Kartika wants to become a Bollywood hero (satire)

Momo and sushi gear up to dislodge jilebi and pedhas (satire)


Be careful of six things that can reduce your lifespan

Monkey business in Uttarakhand - Uttar Pradesh dumping its monkeys in Uttarakhand

Japan to give India her first Bullet Train from Mumbai to Ahmedabad


Quentin Tarantino wants to do 'Kill Bill 3'

Bangladeshi singer Runa Laila to perform in Kolkata to mark Vijay Diwas

Shah Rukh Khan to address alumni of Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore


Two men of Syrian origin caught in Geneva with explosives

President Obama cautions Americans on new type of terror threat

USS Zumwalt, largest destroyer ever built, sets out for sea trials

White House discloses – 2nd in command of ISIS killed in drone strike in Mosul

#ISIS #Mosul #WhiteHouse #airstrikes As per the White House, the second-in-command of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group was killed in a US air strike in Iraq while travelling in a vehicle near Mosul, Iraq. It was a result of regular air strikes carried out by the US and its allies on ISIL targets in the group's self-declared caliphate in Iraq and Syria.
This has been reported in aljazeeara.com dated 22 August 2015.

The name has been given as Fadhil Ahmad al-Hayali, aka Hajji Mutazz ... he was killed in a US military air strike on August 18 along with an ISIL media operative known as Abu Abdullah.
In the opinion of the White House, the death of the 2nd in command would adversely impact ISIL's operations because he had great influence over ISIL's finance, media, operations, and logistics.
Hayali was a believed to be a "primary coordinator" for moving weapons, explosives, vehicles, and people between Iraq and Syria and looked after operations in Iraq and helped plan the group's offensive in Mosul in June of last year.
It may be recalled that last month, a drone strike had killed a senior leader in its Syrian stronghold of Raqqa. And, there is now only one top man [Abu Bakr] al-Baghdadi and he has already got a price on his head.
(Image courtesy wikmediacommons.org)

Some more interesting 'must reads'-

Britain battered by heavy rains - parts of England saw 40mm rain in an hour

Sri Lanka get the better of a star studded India – Rangana Herath wreaks havoc

Controversy around Maggi, the 2-minute noodle: Bombay HC lifts ban, orders fresh tests


60-years of Pather Panchali – the Bengali movie of Satyajit Ray that was a pathbreaker

Spider-Man will be seen in his traditional costume in ‘Captain America: Civil War’

Big-B and Deepika Padukone’s ‘Piku’ gets best movie award at Indian Film Festival, Melbourne


ISIS planned to carry out ‘lone wolf’ terror attacks, target the Queen and the Royal family

Terrorism a family affair in London – 5 of a family arrested by counter-terror police

At least 60 killed in truck bomb explosion by ISIS in a Baghdad food market


Independence Day as I have seen it

The days of mughlai parathas

Khichudi – the favorite monsoon recipe for Bengalis

ISIS shoots dead 10 doctors who refused to treat wounded jihadists

#ISIS #jihadists #Mosul #Tikrit #AshCarter #SouthKorea That the ISIS hates refusal has once again come to light when they shot dead 10 doctors who did not agree to treat wounded jihadists in Iraq. This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 9 April 2015.
The summary execution by the bloodthirsty militants happened in a location near Mosul when the militants fighting for the Islamic State in Iraq savagely executed the doctors who refused to treat wounded members of the terrorist organization. The location was the battle-ravaged area 15 miles south of the extremists' northern Iraqi stronghold Mosul. Video released has captured the moment the fighters killed the doctors with a bullet to the head.

As per information, the ISIS jihadists had been fighting local groups in the Hammam al-Alil area and a number of them sustained injuries that necessitated medical treatment. But, the doctors refused saying that they do not support the terror group's activities. That led to their execution.
Observers have described the city of Mosul as being a massive open-air prison. The residents here are subjected to barbaric torture at the hands of the ISIS terrorists. The jihadists had, reportedly, executed 60 Sunni tribal fighters in Anbar province of Iraq on charges of collaborating with the Iraqi security forces.
Iraqi Army soldiers and the Iran-backed volunteer Shiite militias have joined up with the Iraqi regime to have successfully pushed back the ISIS from important towns and villages. The liberation of Tikrit was an example. Tikrit was the birthplace of Saddam Hussein and a strategically important location and the Iraqi Army will now try to regain control of Mosul and eventually force ISIS out of the country.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter has indicated that the U.S. has made progress against ISIS in Iraq but was unable to make any prediction on how long the fight will take. He was interacting at a joint news conference with his South Korean counterpart and admitted that he could not say with confidence that it was the beginning of the end for ISIS in Iraq.

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


Pattern of death changing in India – heart and lung related diseases are top killers

Stray dogs attend funeral of Mexican woman who fed them

Nationwide ban on cow slaughter on the cards says Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh

Health tips – lose weight without dieting

Auckland girl sweet talks thief to return stolen mobile phone

Anchovies can boost good cholesterol and reduce risk factors of the heart


Another interesting blog - Citizen Journalist

Another interesting blog - Ramblings

IS bent upon destroying Iraq’s heritage in Nimrud

#Nimrud #ISIS #Ashurnasirpal #Assyria #Mosul IS militants are behaving like a bull in a China shop and want to rewrite history by destroying existing monuments in ancient Iraq – in their latest attack, they have made use of heavy military vehicles to bulldoze the country's historical heritage. This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 6 March 2015.
It seems the jihadists have gone on the rampage in the city of Nimrud in northern Iraq and have smashed up 3,000 year-old winged statues that are placed at the gates of the Palace of Ashurnasirpal. Nimrud is an ancient city and the second capital of Assyria which was an ancient kingdom that began in 900BC. It is partially in modern-day Iraq. The city on the Tigris River had been destroyed in 612 BC and is located just south of Mosul, which had been captured by ISIS last June.
It may be recalled that in the late 1980s treasures had been discovered in Nimrud's royal tombs and it was hailed as one of the 20th century's most significant archaeological finds.
The attack on Nimrud has come soon after the ISIS had targeted a museum in Mosul where they used power drills and sledgehammers to destroy artefacts.
The militants have already destroyed the Mosque of the Prophet Younis - or Jonah - and the Mosque of the Prophet Jirjis, two revered ancient shrines in Mosul. This they had done last year. They had also threatened to destroy Mosul's 850-year old Crooked Minaret, but did not succeed because the residents rose as one to surround the structure in order to prevent the militants.
Their actions of the ISIS have sparked a global outrage.

Another interesting blog - Citizen Journalist

Another interesting blog - Ramblings