There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved...

വടക്കൻ ഇസ്രായേലിൽ ടാങ്ക് വേധ മിസൈൽ ആക്രമണത്തിൽ ഒരു ഇന്ത്യക്കാരൻ കൊല്ലപ്പെടുകയും രണ്ട് പേർക്ക് പരിക്കേൽക്കുകയും ചെയ്

2024-03-04T19:16:00.000-08:00

തിങ്കളാഴ്ച ലെബനനിൽ നിന്ന് തൊടുത്തുവിട്ട ടാങ്ക് വേധ മിസൈൽ ഇസ്രായേലിൻ്റെ വടക്കൻ അതിർത്തി സമൂഹമായ മാർഗലിയോട്ടിന് സമീപമുള്ള തോട്ടത്തിൽ ഇടിച്ചപ്പോൾ ഒരു ഇന്ത്യൻ പൗരൻ കൊല്ലപ്പെടുകയും രണ്ട് പേർക്ക് പരിക്കേൽക്കുകയും ചെയ്തതായി അധികൃതർ അറിയിച്ചു.

(PAT NIBIN MAXWELL)

തിങ്കളാഴ്ച രാവിലെ 11 മണിയോടെ ഇസ്രായേലിൻ്റെ വടക്കൻ ഗലീലി മേഖലയിലെ മൊഷവ് (കൂട്ടായ കാർഷിക സമൂഹം) എന്ന സ്ഥലത്താണ് മിസൈൽ പതിച്ചതെന്ന് രക്ഷാപ്രവർത്തന സേവനങ്ങളുടെ വക്താവ് മഗൻ ഡേവിഡ് അഡോം (എംഡിഎ) സാക്കി ഹെല്ലർ പിടിഐയോട് പറഞ്ഞു.

Absconding farmer Biju found in Israel; will return on Monday, says minister...

2023-02-26T21:39:00.000-08:00

Kerala: Biju Kurian, who went missing in Israel after reaching there with a state agriculture department delegation, has been tracked down. He will be sent back on today and will reach India on Monday, said Kerala Agriculture Minister P Prasad.

He said Biju's brother told him that the Kannur farmer would reach Kozhikode in a Gulf Air flight at 4 am. Biju went to Israel with a 27-member delegation to study modern farming techniques. However, he went missing from the hotel where the delegates were put up on February 17. He had informed his family over WhatsApp that he was safe and they need not search for him. He had also stopped responding to calls or texts.

South Korea, US and Japan hold trilateral talks on North Korea

2023-02-19T06:18:00.001-08:00

South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin said Pyongyang will face "more severe sanctions" by the international community following a trilateral meeting with his US and Japanese counterparts Antony Blinken and Yoshimasa Hayashi respectively in Munich, Germany.

"North Korea once again has launched a ballistic missile - this one apparently falling in the exclusive economic zone of Japan," Blinken told a joint press conference.

"We call on others to condemn this action, to take appropriate steps, including the effective enforcement of sanctions, and countries that have influence with North Korea should use it to try to move it from the course that it's been on now for the last couple of years," Blinken added.

The Japanese foreign minister said the three countries, along with other Group of 7 countries, have agreed to "take a robust response, including at the UN Security Council."

North Korea fired a Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) early Saturday (Korea time), marking its first ICBM launch since November.

Indian athlete eyes new record in Qatar

2023-02-19T06:14:00.000-08:00

Indian athlete Shakeer Cheerayi will undertake a solo run from the Abu Samra border in the south to Al Ruwais in the north later this week, in an attempt to set a new Guinness World Record for the fastest crossing of Qatar on foot (male).

The Indian ultra-marathon athlete is hoping to break the current record of 34 hours and 19 minutes during the Wellness Happiness Run.

The existing record was set by Tunisian athlete Sadok Kochbati on February 4 last year.

Addressing a press conference Saturday, Cheerayi said he will cover around 200km while making the solo run.

Confident about setting a new record, he said he will achieve the target in 28 hours.

The flag-off ceremony at Abu Samra will start at 6am on February 17, and will be attended by dignitaries.

Another ceremony will mark the culmination on February 18 at Al Ruwais Port.

Wellness Challengers officials said that all preparations have been made to support Cheerayi during the run, and the athlete will be accompanied by a special vehicle on the road.

The event is aimed at raising awareness among the residents in Qatar while leaving a message of healthy living.

The press conference was attended by Noufa C C, City Exchange head of operations Shanib Shamsudheen, Abey Abraham George, and Adhil Abdul Khader.

Tokyo Olympics 2021: List of Indian athletes, officials

2021-07-26T08:32:00.001-07:00

The names of Indian athletes qualified for the Olympics in Tokyo:

Archery

Tarundeep Rai, Men’s Recurve
Atanu Das, Men’s Recurve
Pravin Jadhav, Men’s Recurve
Deepika Kumari, Women's Recurve

The men's trio will also compete as a team at Tokyo 2020.

Archery’s support staffs

Coach: Mim Bahdur Gurung
Physiotherapist: Chinmay Shrirang Bhide

Check India's archery events full schedule and live telecast details here

Athletics

KT Irfan, Men's 20km race walking
Sandeep Kumar, Men's 20km race walking
Rahul Rohilla, Men's 20km race walking
Bhawna Jat, Women's 20km race walking
Priyanka Goswami, Women's 20km race walking
Avinash Sable, Men's 3000m steeplechase
Murali Sreeshankar, Men's long jump
MP Jabir, Men's 400m hurdles
Neeraj Chopra, Men's javelin throw
Shivpal Singh, Men's javelin throw
Annu Rani, Women's javelin throw
Tajinderpal Singh Toor, Men's shot put
Dutee Chand, Women's 100m and 200m
Kamalpreet Kaur, Women's discus throw
Seema Punia, Women's discus throw
4x400 Mixed Relay
Men's 4x400m Relay

Athletics support staffs

Coaches: P Radhakrishnan Nair, Galina Bukharina, Dr Klaus, Mohinder Singh, Uwe Hohn, Rajmohan K, Amrish Kumar, Alexander Artsybashev, S Murali, N Ramesh, Alexander Sinitsyn, Rakhi Tyagi and Gurmeet Singh.

Support staff: Elmira Kiseleva, Abhishek Pandey, Ishaan Marwaha, Dr Andrei, Simoni Shah, Chandre, Pawan Kumar, Ketan Hulawale; Team Doctor: Dr Brajesh Koushle; Team Leader: Dr Madhukant Pathak.

Badminton

PV Sindhu, Women’s singles
B Sai Praneeth, Men’s singles
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, Men’s doubles

Badminton support staffs

Coaches: Tae Seng Park, Mathias Boe.

Physiotherapist: Evangeline Baddam, Sumansh Sivalanka, Dwi Santosa Agus

Boxing

Vikas Krishan (Men's, 69kg)
Lovlina Borgohain (Women's, 69kg)
Ashish Kumar (Men's, 75kg)
Pooja Rani (Women's, 75kg)
Satish Kumar (Men's, 91kg)
Mary Kom (Women's, 51kg)
Amit Panghal (Men's, 52kg)
Manish Kaushik (Men's, 63kg)
Simranjit Kaur (Women's, 60kg)

Boxing support staff:

Coach: Santiago Nieva, Raffaele Bergamasco, CA Kuttappa, Mohammad Ali Qamar, Chhote Lal

Physiotherapist: Aayush Yekhande

Doctor: Karanjeet Singh

Equestrian

Fouaad Mirza is the first Indian equestrian to qualify for the Games in 20 years.

Veterinary Doctor: Grigorios Maleas
Groom: Johana Pohjonen
Physiotherapist: Veronia Sinz

Fencing

Bhavani Devi became the first Indian fencer to qualify for the Olympics.

Golf

Anirban Lahiri
Udayan Mane
Aditi Ashok

Gymnastics

Pranati Nayak is only the second Indian woman gymnast to qualify for the Olympics.

Coach: Lakhan Sharma

Hockey

Men’s National Team

Goalkeepers: P. R. Sreejesh
Defenders: Harmanpreet Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, Surender Kumar, Amit Rohidas, Birendra Lakra
Midfielders: Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Nilakanta Sharma, Sumit
Forwards: Shamsher Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Gurjant Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Mandeep Singh

Women’s National Team

Goalkeepers: Savita
Defenders: Deep Grace Ekka, Nikki Pradhan, Gurjit Kaur, Udita.
Midfielders: Nisha, Neha, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Monika, Nanjot Kaur, Salima Tete.
Forwards: Rani, Navneet Kaur, Lalremsiami, Vandana Katariya, Sharmila, Devi.

Judo

Sushila Devi Likmabam will be India's only participant in Judo at Tokyo 2020.

Rowing

Arjun Jat
Arvind Singh

Sailing

For the first time, India will have more than two sailors at the Olympics, including Nethra Kumanan, the first Indian woman sailor. For the first time India will be competing in more than one sailing event - Laser Radial, Laser Standard and 49er.

Nethra Kumanan, Laser Radial
Vishnu Saravanan, Laser Standard
KC Ganapathy and Varun Thakkar, 49er

Shooting

India will have its largest Shooting contingent with 15 shooters.

Anjum Moudgil, 10m Women’s Air Rifle
Apurvi Chandela, 10m Women’s Air Rifle
Divyansh Singh Panwar, 10m Men’s Air Rifle
Deepak Kumar, 10m Men’s Air Rifle
Tejaswini Sawant, 50m Women’s Rifle 3 Position
Sanjeev Rajput, 50m Men’s Rifle 3 Position
Aishwarya Pratap Singh Tomar, 50m Men’s Rifle 3 Position
Manu Bhaker, 10m Women’s Air Pistol
Yashaswini Singh Deswal, 10m Women’s Air Pistol
Saurabh Chaudhary, 10m Men’s Air Pistol
Abhishek Verma, 10m Men’s Air Pistol
Rahi Sarnobat, 25m Women’s Pistol
Chinki Yadav, 25m Women’s Pistol
Angad Veer Singh Bajwa, Men’s Skeet
Mairaj Ahmad Khan, Men’s Skeet

Swimming

Sajan Prakash
Srihari Nataraj
Maana Patel

Table Tennis

Four Indian table tennis players qualified for the Olympics at the Asian qualifiers in Doha in March, including Sharath Kamal, who will be making his fourth appearance at the Games.

Sharath Kamal
Sathiyan Gnanasekaran
Sutirtha Mukherjee
Manika Batra

Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra will also compete together in the mixed doubles after earning their Olympic berths at the Asian qualifiers.

Tennis

Sumit Nagal gets last minute entry in the Tokyo Olympics 2021 after some players withdraw their names. Sania Mirza qualified for Tokyo 2020 via her protected ranking and she will partner with Ankita Raina in the women's doubles.

Sania Mirza and Ankita Raina, Women's Doubles
Sumit Nagal, Men's singles

Weightlifting

Mirabai Chanu will be India's only representative in weightlifting at Tokyo 2020. Ranked second in the world, the former world champion is among the favourites for a medal in the women's 49kg weight division.

Wrestling

India is sending seven wrestlers to Tokyo. With Sonam Malik winning the quota in the 62kg category, Rio 2016 bronze medallist Sakshi Malik will not be wrestling at the Tokyo Olympics.

Seema Bisla, Women's Freestyle, 50kg
Vinesh Phogat, Women’s Freestyle 53kg
Anshu Malik, Women's Freestyle 57kg
Sonam Malik, Women's Freestyle 62kg
Ravi Kumar Dahiya, Men’s Freestyle 57kg
Bajrang Punia, Men’s Freestyle 65kg
Deepak Punia, Men’s Freestyle 86 kg

Who was Qassem Soleimani, Iran's IRGC's Quds Force leader?

2020-01-07T00:05:00.001-08:00

General Qassem Soleimani was killed alongside six others following a US air raid at Baghdad's international airport.

General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC's) Quds Force has been killed early on Friday alongside several others following a US air raid at Baghdad's international airport.

Soleimani acquired celebrity status at home and abroad as leader of the Quds Force, the foreign arm of the IRGC, and for his key role in fighting in Syria and Iraq and spreading Iranian influence in the Middle East, which the United States and Tehran's regional foes Saudi Arabia and Israel have struggled to keep in check.

He survived several assassination attempts against him by Western, Israeli and Arab agencies over the past 20 years.

Soleimani's Quds Force, tasked with carrying out operations beyond Iran's borders, shored up support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad when he looked close to defeat in the civil war raging since 2011, and also helped armed groups defeat the ISIL (ISIS) group.

Ascent to power

Soleimani became head of the Quds Force in 1998 and kept a low profile for years while he strengthened Iran's ties with Hezbollah in Lebanon, Syria's al-Assad and Shia militia groups in Iraq.

He stepped into the limelight in recent years, appearing alongside Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other Shia leaders.

Under Soleimani's leadership, the Quds Force vastly expanded its capabilities, becoming a significant influence in intelligence, financial, and political spheres beyond Iran's borders.

Soleimani was born into a poor family in southeastern Iran's Kerman Province.

He started working as a 13-year-old to help support his family, spending his free time lifting weights and attending sermons by the founder of the Islamic Republic Ayatollah Khomeini.

As a young man during the Iranian revolution in 1979, Soleimani began his ascent through the Iranian military, reportedly receiving just six weeks of tactical training before seeing combat for the first time in Iran's West Azerbaijan province, according to Foreign Policy magazine.

Soleimani emerged from the Iran-Iraq war a national hero for the missions he led across Iraq's border.

Arms in Iraq and Syria

Following the re-establishment of government in Iraq in 2005, Soleimani's influence extended into Iraqi politics under the leadership of former Prime Ministers Ibrahim al-Jaafari and Nouri al-Maliki.

During that time, the Badr Organisation, a Shia political party and paramilitary force that has been described as "Iran's oldest proxy in Iraq", became an arm of the state after the interior and transport ministries came under the control of the armed group's political wing.

Following the outbreak of civil war in Syria in 2011, Soleimani ordered some of his Iraqi militias into Syria to defend the Assad government.

During Iraq's fight against ISIL, the Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation Forces) - Iran-backed Shia paramilitary units, some of which fell under Soleimani's control - fought alongside the Iraqi military to defeat the armed group.

Mohammad Marandi, head of American Studies at the University of Tehran, said Soleimani's role in helping defeat ISIL made him a "national hero" and a "martyr" among the Iranian people and other Middle Eastern countries.

"If it wasn't for people like him, this region would have seen black flags flying across the region."

Threats to Soleimani

Soleimani was rumoured to be dead on several occasions, including in a 2006 aircraft crash that killed other military officials in northwestern Iran and following a 2012 bombing in Damascus that killed top aides of embattled Syrian President al-Assad.

In November 2015, rumours circulated that Soleimani had been killed or seriously wounded leading forces loyal to al-Assad as they fought around Syria's Aleppo.

More recently in October, Tehran said it had foiled a plot by Israeli and Arab agencies to kill Soleimani.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in August that his country was working to "uproot" Soleimani, according to Israeli media.

Copied

US-Iran tensions after Soleimani killing: All the latest updates

2020-01-06T23:50:00.002-08:00

The remains of Qassem Soleimani , a top Iranian military commander who was assassinated last week in an air strike in Baghdad by the United States, have arrived in his hometown of Kerman for burial later on Tuesday.

Soleimani's remains return to his hometown to be greeted by housands of mourners ahead of a burial later on Tuesday.

State television broadcast live images of thousands of people in the streets of Kerman, many dressed in black, to mourn Soleimani's death.

Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force, was killed along with Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi), an Iran-backed umbrella organisation comprising several militias. Several other people were also killed in Friday's attack.

Copied

Why Chandrayaan Mission 2?

2019-07-17T01:07:00.000-07:00

The $142 million Chandrayaan-2 is India's second lunar mission after the country's success with Chandrayaan-1, an orbiter launched 2008 that helped discovery the presence of water molecules on the moon. The new mission will also use an orbiter to study the moon from above, but will also drop a lander and rover to touch down at the south pole of the moon something no spacefaring nation has ever done before. If successful, India would become the fourth country (after the United States, Russia and China) to successfully soft-land a spacecraft on the moon, and the first to reach the lunar south pole. The moon's south pole is a tantalizing target for scientists as the region's permanently shadowed craters can host water ice, a vital resource for future astronauts.

Fight against terrorism is not confrontation against any religion, says Sushma at OIC meet

2019-03-01T00:57:00.000-08:00

The fight against terrorism is not a confrontation against any religion. It cannot be. Just as Islam literally means peace,none of the 99 names of Allah mean violence. Similarly, every religion in the world stands for peace, compassion & brotherhood: Sushma

Human-like statues dating back to year 1,100 unearthed in Peru

2018-10-28T21:13:00.000-07:00

Researchers have discovered twenty wooden, human-like sculptures along with an intricate adobe wall in northern Peru, according to government officials.

The figures, 19 of which are in good condition, are thought to have been buried over 800 years ago.

Measuring 70 centimetres in height, the sculptures are the oldest idols discovered at the Chan Chan archaeological complex, located in the Moche valley, around 480 kilometres north of the Peruvian capital, Lima.

However, researchers believe they were created before the Chan Chan culture, possibly around the year 1,100 AD.

Peru's Minister of Culture Patricia Balbuena said the figures appear to be at the entrance of an important ceremonial centre or plaza.

https://www.euronews.com/

By 2020, India should be fully 4G, ready for 5G .

2018-10-25T09:37:00.001-07:00

Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries said that India will be fully covered 4G by 2020 and should be ready for 5G by that time as well.

“India has moved from 155th rank in mobile broadband penetration to being the number 1 nation in mobile data consumption in the world… in less than two years. This is the fastest transition anywhere in the world from 2G/3G to 4G,” said Ambani, whose telecom firm Reliance Jio has been the fastest growing since its start in 2016.

Kuldhara, India is a cursed ‘village of death’

2015-03-03T06:19:00.004-08:00

Two hundred years ago, an entire community vanished overnight.

Nobody saw them leave, or figured out where they went. But as the 1500 villagers abandoned the town of Kuldhara, India, it’s believed they left behind a curse bringing death to anyone who tried to inhabit it.

So to this day, few dare to tread here, and even fewer dare to stay the night. Just why the residents left remains a mystery. Legend has it that Salim Singh, the minister of the state of Jaisalmer, fell in love with a beautiful girl upon visiting the village and wanted to marry her, threatening the locals if this was denied.

So the girl’s father, the chief of the village, abandoned the town along with people from 84 adjoining villages. Another theory has it that a war erupted, forcing the evacuation. Either way, what remains is a fascinating glimpse of the past, with crumbling homes and underground structures remaining. Last year Delhi’s Paranormal Society sent a team of 30 people to stay the night in the eerie abandoned village. They claim (somewhat unsurprisingly) that they detected mysterious moving shadows, haunting voices, hand imprints of children on cars and one even claims he felt someone touching his shoulder from behind, but nobody was there.

They also claim they detected a sudden rise and drop in temperature. So would you dare to visit?

Egyptian city found under water after 1200 years

2014-06-08T07:16:00.001-07:00

1.200 years ago the ancient Egyptian city of Heraklion has disappeared in the waters of the Mediterranean. Founded around 8-7th century BC, long before the founding of Alexandria in 331 BC, the City served as the main port for smuggling in Egypt all supplies coming from the Greek world. Prior to its opening in 2000 the archaeologist Frank Goddio and IEASM (European Institute of underwater archaeology), no mention of Tonise-Heraklion were found (the city was known to the Greeks as the Tonys). His name was erased from the memory of mankind, saved only in the ancient classical texts and inscriptions found by archaeologists.

With unique isledovatel′skim approach, using sophisticated technical equipment, Franck Goddio and his team from IEASM were able to determine the location, display and dig out of Tonys-Gerklion, which is 4 km from today’s coastline, approximately 50 metres under water. The city covers an area of 11 to 15 kilometers in the western part of the Bay of Abukir.

The finds so far include the remains of 64 ships on the sea bottom, gold coins and scales, made of bronze and stone, 5-meter giant statues along with hundreds of smaller statues of minor gods, slabs of stone with inscriptions in ancient Greek and ancient Egyptian, dozens of small sarcophagi, which most likely contained the mummified animals, as well as more than 700 ancient ship anchors.

Study suggests that the town was flooded as a result of geological and natural disasters. Slow movement of soil affect this part of the South-Eastern Mediterranean basin. Rising sea levels also led to significant flooding. IEASM conducted geological observations, detecting the seismic effects of underground layers.

Analysis of various factors in these places also offers soil liquefaction. These localized phenomena can be initiated by a large pressure on soil with a high content of clay and water. Pressure from large buildings, combined with overloading due to unusually high tidal wave can substantially compress the soil and cause the popping of water contained in the structure of the clay. Clay quickly loses volume, which creates a sudden demotion. Another version of the causes of the flooding could also become an earthquake. These factors, together or independently, possibly caused withdrawal of Heraklion in the depths of the sea.

www.lentoeluvathingal.blogspot.com

India protests over 'tribal' Virgin Mary and baby Jesus

2013-07-13T03:27:00.000-07:00

A new statue which shows Virgin Mary and baby Jesus as tribals has been installed in a church in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, sparking off protests from non-Christian tribal groups. Amarnath Tewary reports on the controversy.

The 'tribal' statue of Virgin Mary and baby Jesus was installed on 26 May

Wearing a red-bordered white sari, red blouse, necklace and bangles and holding baby Jesus in a cloth sling, the statue has invited both anger and astonishment. Unveiled by Cardinal Telesphor P Toppo on 26 May, the statue stands tall in the local church in Singhpur village, 15km (nine miles) from the state capital, Ranchi. But ever since its installation, the statue has attracted the ire of some non-Christian tribal groups who are demanding its immediate removal. Some of them even took out a protest march on 17 June in Ranchi in support of their demand.

"It is for the first time in the state that Mother Mary and baby Jesus have been portrayed as tribals. What was the need for it?" asks Bandhan Tigga, head priest of Sarna Society, which represents non-Christian tribal population of the state. In Jharkhand, 27% of the population or 8.6 million people are tribals and only 3% of the tribal population is Christian.

"Showing Mother Mary as a tribal is a part of the larger design to make the tribal population believe that she was from their community and confuse them," says Mr Tigga.

"A 100 years from now, people here would start believing that Mother Mary was actually our tribal goddess. It's an attempt to convert Sarna tribals to Christianity."

Some tribal groups have protested demanding the removal of the statue

"It happens everywhere as part of enculturation of the local tradition." Cardinal Telesphor P Toppo is away in Rome and in his absence, Father Augustine has been nominated to negotiate with the non-Christian tribals over the controversial statue. Father Augustine downplays the protests saying only a section of the non-Christian tribal population took part in them. He says the charges levelled by the Sarna Society are "without any substance" and accuses some politicians of being behind the protests.

"General elections are due early next year and some people may wish to divide the Christian and non-Christian tribal populations for political gains," he says. Nevertheless, he hopes to resolve the issue at their next meeting scheduled for 14 July. But leaders of the Sarna Society say they do not expect much to come out of the meeting unless the statue is removed.

UK military picks Glock as replacement pistol for armed forces

2013-01-12T05:42:00.000-08:00

LONDON – Britain's army is bidding goodbye to the Browning pistol it's used for more than 40 years, opting for faster and lighter Glock 17 pistols for its secondary sidearm. The defense ministry said Friday it has signed an 8.5 million pound ($13.6 million) contract for more than 25,000 of the Austrian-made pistols. It joins a host of law enforcement agencies and other militaries, including the Dutch, Norwegian and Austrian armies, opting for a Glock 17, which has a larger magazine than the Browning currently in use by the U.K. armed forces. Britain's defense ministry said the decision to abandon the Browning came after it became increasingly expensive to maintain the steel-framed pistol as its parts — from barrels and slides to trigger mechanisms and springs — wore out.

"When it came out in the 1960s, it was a fantastic pistol, but technology advances," said Warrant Officer 1 Mark Anderson, who tested the sidearms competing for the U.K. contract after the defense ministry put out a tender for a replacement pistol two years ago. The faster and more accurate Glocks are considered a boon for troops increasingly facing threats in close quarters, like in Afghanistan where soldiers are clearing compounds and also dealing with the risks of insider attacks. Anderson said the Glock earned the confidence of the troops and passed tests of extreme temperatures and climates "with flying colors." In addition to their durability and extra firepower — the Glock magazine capacity is 17 rounds, compared with the Browning's 13 — the new pistols are quicker on the draw.

While the Browning had a manual safety catch that needed to be switched off, with the Glock "you just draw it and engage," Col. Peter Walden told reporters gathered at a London military barracks to see the new weapons. That's because the Glock has three internal safeties and can be kept loaded in a holster, unlike the Browning, Walden said. Saving those vital one or two seconds could be the difference between life and death, according to Walden. "If you're in a panic situation and it's the last thing you're going to do to save your life, you don't want to have to start thinking about too many steps," he explained. The faster system "does improve the ability of the guys to fire back" in potential insider attacks, he added. The defense ministry said the Glocks should be deployed in Afghanistan by the latter part of 2013.

The Glocks are being issued as secondary weapons mostly for personal protection in case the primary firearm fails or soldiers are in close environments, like compound-clearing operations, where short-barreled weapons are considered a smarter choice. Beyond Afghanistan, Walden expects the Glocks will be used more than Brownings were because the need for a fast-reaction capability — or even a pistol at all in addition to a standard rifle — has increased as warfare has changed over the years. While soldiers in the Cold War were engaging enemy troops from 400 yards away, U.K. servicemen now are seeing threats in much closer quarters.

"Since Iraq and Afghanistan, we're not in a position where we're going to have to look at having a secondary weapon as an alternative," Walden said. "If you're in a close quarter area in a certain area and your rifle fails, you need to have some other way of defending yourself." The Glock's polymer frame also lends itself to customizations that weren't available with the Browning, like three different grip sizes. That's of increasing importance given the variety of shapes and sizes of soldiers in the modern armed forces. Plus, flashlights and laser sights can be added to its rail. Soldiers have already taken note.

"The easiest way to say it is we've been driving around in a Fiesta and now we've got a Ferrari," Sgt. Steve Lord, a weapons inspector, shouted over the sound of bullets at the London media event. While the Browning "got the job done," he explained, "now we're going to work in style."

Subway work unearths ancient road in Greece

2012-07-05T22:10:00.002-07:00

THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — Archaeologists in Greece's second-largest city have uncovered a 70-meter (230-foot) section of an ancient road built by the Romans that was the city's main travel artery nearly 2,000 years ago. The marble-paved road was unearthed during excavations for Thessaloniki's new subway system, which is due to be completed in four years. The road in the northern port city will be raised to be put on permanent display when the metro opens in 2016.

The excavation site was shown to the public on Monday, when details of the permanent display project were also announced. Several of the large marble paving stones were etched with children's board games, while others were marked by horse-drawn cart wheels. Also discovered at the site were remains of tools and lamps, as well as the bases of marble columns.

Viki Tzanakouli, an archaeologist working on the project, told The Associated Press the Roman road was about 1,800 years old, while remains of an older road built by the ancient Greeks 500 years earlier were found underneath it. "We have found roads on top of each other, revealing the city's history over the centuries," Tzanakouli said. "The ancient road, and side roads perpendicular to it appear to closely follow modern roads in the city today."
About 7 meters (23 feet) below ground in the center of the city, the ancient road follows in roughly the same direction as the city's modern Egnatia Avenue.

The subway works, started in 2006, present a rare opportunity for archaeologists to explore under the densely populated city — but have also caused years of delays for the project. In 2008, workers on the Thessaloniki metro discovered more than 1,000 graves, some filled with treasure. The graves were of different shapes and sizes, and some contained jewelry, coins or other pieces of art. A massive excavation project also took place during the 1990s in the capital, Athens, before the city's new metro system opened in 2000. Thessaloniki's new subway is already four years behind schedule, due to the excavation work as well as Greece's financial crisis. Thirteen stations will operate initially, before a 10-station extension is added later.
www.lentoeluvathingal.blogspot.com

Beautiful girls of the Israeli Army

2012-06-26T21:35:00.002-07:00

www.lentoeluvathingal.blogspot.com

Plane crashes in Nigeria, all 153 aboard dead

2012-06-03T21:50:00.001-07:00

LAGOS, Nigeria - An aviation official says that all passengers on board the plane that crashed in Nigeria's largest city have been killed.

Nigeria's Civil Aviation Authority Harold Denuren confirmed that all the passengers on Sunday's Dana Air flight died. He did not say how many were on the flight. However, the Lagos state government said in a statement that 153 people were on the flight going from Abuja to Lagos.

The plane crashed in a densely-populated neighborhood near the airport.

Mohammed Sani Sidi, director general of the West African nation's National Emergency Management Agency, said early Monday that at least 10 individuals in the Lagos neighborhood where the jet hit also had died, CNN reports.

Military Moms Breastfeeding in Uniform Stir Controversy

2012-05-30T23:01:00.000-07:00

At a time when breastfeeding in public is already controversial, pictures of two military moms doing so while wearing their uniforms is sparking outrage. The photo is part of a local breastfeeding awareness campaign by Mom2Mom of Fairchild Air Force Base, a support group launched in January by Crystal Scott, a military spouse and mother of three. Among the intimate close-ups of smiling young mothers cuddling their adorable babies, the images of the two airmen stand out. Related: Moms react to the "Time" magazine's "Are You Mom enough?" breastfeeding cover "People are comparing breastfeeding in uniform to urinating and defecating in uniform. They're comparing it to the woman who posed in "Playboy" in uniform [in 2007]" Scott told Yahoo! Shine in an interview. "We never expected it to be like this." "I'm an X-ray tech and I breastfeed in my uniform all the time," Scott says. "Granted they're scrubs. But people do it all the time in their uniforms. If you have a hungry baby, why would you take the time to change completely.

Suu Kyi to visit Britain, address parliament

2012-05-21T21:42:00.001-07:00

Yangon: In a historic first trip outside the country in 24 years, Myanmar's pro-democracy leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi will visit Britain and address both the houses of parliament next month. British Prime Minister David Cameron invited the Nobel Peace Prize winner to come to Britain when he visited her in Myanmar in April, mizzima.com reported. Suu Kyi has been given the rare honour of addressing parliament, even though she is not a head of state.

She is scheduled to begin her week-long trip to Britain June 18. She is also expected to visit Norway too. Suu Kyi lived for many years in Britain with her now deceased husband and their two sons, until returning to her homeland in 1988, when she was required to turn in her passport. She has not travelled outside Myanmar since then, fearing the military junta that held on to power until 2011 would not permit her to return. Her trip to Europe follows months of dramatic change in Myanmar, including a historic election in April that won her a seat in parliament.

Shilpa delivers baby boy

2012-05-21T21:32:00.001-07:00

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty gave birth to a baby boy at Hinduja Healthcare Surgical Hospital in suburban Khar this morning. Husband Raj Kundra said on Twitter: 'God has blessed us with a beautiful baby boy.

Both mother and baby are fine. I am thrilled to bits.' Shilpa and Raj have been married for three years, and this is the couple's first baby. 'A big thank you to my wife @TheShilpaShetty for the bestest gift ever, DR Kiran Cohelo and all the staff at Hinduja Hospital,' Raj added.

9 killed, 30 injured as trains collide in Andhra Pradesh

2012-05-21T21:21:00.003-07:00

Atleast nine persons were killed and around 30 injured when Bangalore-bound Hampi Express collided with a stationary goods train at Penneconda station of Andhra Pradesh's Anantapur district early this morning. 'Nine persons have been killed and 30 others are injured when the train, travelling from Hubli to Bangalore, collided with a goods train at Penneconda station at around 3.15 AM,' a Railway spokesperson said. The injured have been admitted to nearby hospitals.

Three bogies, one SLR and two ordinary second class coaches, were derailed due to the collision. One of the coaches also caught fire. The fire has been brought under control and rescue and relief operations were going on, he said. 'The reason of the accident is yet to be ascertained but prima facie it seems that the driver of Hampi Express overshot the signal,' the spokesperson said, adding senior railway officials have rushed to the spot. Railway Minister Mukul Roy, who is in Kolkata, is rushing to the spot. Railway Board Member (Traffic) and Member (Mechanic) are also going to the accident site, Railway spokesperson said PTI.

www.lentoeluvathingal.blogspot.com

Israeli diplomats world over use taxis after bomb attacks

2012-02-13T22:39:00.000-08:00

Israeli diplomats across the world used taxis or public transport after twin attacks in India and Georgia, a media report said here. Israeli institutions have been placed on high alert following the attacks on Israeli personnel in India and Georgia on Monday, reported israelnationalnews.com. Citing a report on channel 10, it said that Israel's security agencies, including Mossad, have directed all Israeli diplomats not to use their vehicles until these can be inspected. Officials were being sent home by taxi out of fear that their vehicles may be booby-trapped, the report said. An Israeli embassy car carrying the wife of a defence attache was targeted in a terror attack in New Delhi while in Georgian capital Tbilisi, police defused a car bombing device attached to a vehicle belonging to a Georgian national working for the Israeli embassy.

www.lentoeluvathingal.blogspot.com

‘Mullaperiyar is a water bomb waiting to explode’

2011-12-02T00:50:00.001-08:00

Graphics : Lento Jose. E

The 116-year-old Mullaperiyar dam spells a risk to 3.5 million lives in Kerala if high-intensity tremors were to strike the region. Unless the Centre takes concrete measures to improve the situation, disaster is waiting to happen. Talking to Jeemon Jacob, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee chief Ramesh Chennithala assesses the impending catastrophe

Photo : Lento Jose. E

Why is the Mullaperiyar dam a threat to Kerala?
After heavy rainfall, the water level has risen above the 136 ft mark. The dam was built 116 years ago and may collapse if high-intensity tremors rock the region. Residents of Idukki, Kottayam, Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts are living in fear. The dam is leaking in many places and tremors have weakened it. No government can afford to sit idle when a water bomb is waiting to explode.

What is the Congress party’s stand on the issue?
Not only the Congress, all political parties in Kerala are united on this issue. We want to build a new dam. We have made it clear that Kerala would provide water to Tamil Nadu from Mullaperiyar. We have no intention of blocking water. We just want to protect the lives and property of our people. This is our appeal to Tamil Nadu: Please allow us to build a new dam to save our people.

How can Kerala build a new dam without getting a nod from the Union environment ministry?
We have already made a submission before the ministry. I have personally spoken to Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan and briefed her about the volatile situation. I have requested all Union ministers from Kerala to make constant efforts to find an amicable settlement. But, the Centre can’t sit idle forever. I hope that it has taken note of the ground realities and would issue the clearance at the earliest. We are not requesting any favours but a constitutional obligation to save our people. When it comes to death, only survival matters.

Why is the Congress-led UPA government shying away from intervening in the issue?
The UPA government has limitations in intervening as the case was pending before the Supreme Court. The apex court had appointed an expert panel but it’s yet to submit its final report. So any intervention in the matter would have invited the wrath of the judiciary.

Is the Congress afraid of taking sides because of fears that it could weaken the party in Tamil Nadu?
The Mullaperiyar issue concerns 3.5 million people of Kerala. In such a situation, the Congress is least bothered about politics. If 3.5 million people die after the dam collapses, what will be the future of any party in Kerala?

Do you foresee any confrontation between Kerala and Tamil Nadu over the dam issue?
I don’t think so. The people of Kerala and Tamil Nadu have common roots and share common concerns. We have been living in harmony and peace for many centuries. We are constructing a dam not to trouble the people of Tamil Nadu. In fact, a large number of Tamil people are living in Idukki district. So linguistic differences don’t count on this issue.

If negotiations with Tamil Nadu fail, what will Kerala do?
Kerala could lower the water storage level to 120 ft. We may take it as an extreme step because we don’t have too many options before us. We will always look for means to protect our people’s lives. I visited Mullaperiyar just three days ago. The entire region is living in fear.

Do you have any alternative solutions?
I have already written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and leaders of all political parties seeking their help. We want an amicable settlement. I hope that Tamil Nadu will understand the gravity of the situation and help us resolve the issue. We have discussed alternative strategies but I can’t disclose them now.

www.lentoeluvathingal.blogspot.com

German satellite re-enters earth's atmosphere

2011-10-23T03:36:00.000-07:00

BERLIN — A German satellite the size of a car re-entered the Earth's atmosphere early Sunday, officials said, adding they did not know yet if any debris had hit the Earth. The Roentgen Satellite (ROSAT), an x-ray observatory, made its re-entry between 0145 GMT and 0215 GMT on Sunday, the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) said in a statement. "There is currently no confirmation if pieces of debris have reached Earth's surface," the statement added. According to estimates cited last week, as many as 30 individual pieces weighing a total of 1.7 tonnes could reach the surface of the Earth. But Andreas Schuetz, spokesman for the DLR, said they would have to "wait for data in the next days" to know when and where the debris could fall. He said they did not currently know how far it was from the Earth. Last week, DLR officials said ROSAT was expected to return to Earth between October 22 and 23, travelling at a speed of around 28,000 kilometres (17,000 miles) per hour. Solar radiation, which heats up the Earth's atmosphere, increases the atmospheric drag and makes it hard to estimate the date of re-entry. As the spacecraft re-enters the atmosphere, the x-ray observatory would break up into pieces, some of which will burn up, they said. "The largest single fragment will probably be the telescope's mirror, which is very heat resistant," it added. However, statistically speaking, there is very little danger to humans from space junk, the experts have said. The debris will almost certainly fall in the sea or on an uninhabited piece of land. During its mission, ROSAT operated at distances of up to 585 kilometres above Earth's surface, but it has lost altitude since its decommissioning, and in June 2011 it was about 327 kilometres above the ground. A controlled re-entry was not possible at the end of its mission in 1999 because the spacecraft does not have a propulsion system on board, the officials said. ROSAT was launched in June 1990 to allow researchers to perform an all-sky survey of X-ray sources with an imaging telescope for the first time. Last month, a bus-sized US satellite that hurtled unpredictably toward Earth crossed over Africa and the northern Atlantic before plunging into the Pacific Ocean off California, NASA said. There were no sightings or reliable accounts of damage as the six-tonne Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) fell from the sky. (AFP)