28 killed in wedding party blaze in Saudi Arabia

RIYADH: Twenty-eight people were killed and 37 injured in a blaze that hit a wedding party in Saudi Arabia’s eastern town of Abqaiq, a senior security official said on Wednesday. The fire was sparked on Tuesday night by a falling power cable, added General Abdullah Khushaiman, the director of civil defence in the kingdom’s eastern region. Witnesses said that the power cable snapped and came down due to celebratory bullets shot in the air by some guests.

28 killed in wedding party blaze in Saudi Arabia

RIYADH: Twenty-eight people were killed and 37 injured in a blaze that hit a wedding party in Saudi Arabia’s eastern town of Abqaiq, a senior security official said on Wednesday. The fire was sparked on Tuesday night by a falling power cable, added General Abdullah Khushaiman, the director of civil defence in the kingdom’s eastern region. Witnesses said that the power cable snapped and came down due to celebratory bullets shot in the air by some guests.

Fuel tanker explosion kills 14 in Riyadh

Tags: Fuel truck blast, Riyadh
RIYADH: A fuel truck exploded in an apparent roadway accident on Thursday in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, engulfing buildings and cars in flames and killing at least 14 people and injuring 60, witnesses and officials said. The death toll could rise as rescue crews picked through the charred vehicles and rubble near the Saudi National Guard building in an industrial area in the city’s eastern district. Columns of smoke could be seen rising from scene. A security official told The Associated Press at least 14 people were killed and 60 were injured. There was no immediate suspicion of terrorist links based on witness accounts, which suggested the fuel tanker exploded after striking part of a highway underpass. The official and witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

Fuel tanker explosion kills 14 in Riyadh

Tags: Fuel truck blast, Riyadh
RIYADH: A fuel truck exploded in an apparent roadway accident on Thursday in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, engulfing buildings and cars in flames and killing at least 14 people and injuring 60, witnesses and officials said. The death toll could rise as rescue crews picked through the charred vehicles and rubble near the Saudi National Guard building in an industrial area in the city’s eastern district. Columns of smoke could be seen rising from scene. A security official told The Associated Press at least 14 people were killed and 60 were injured. There was no immediate suspicion of terrorist links based on witness accounts, which suggested the fuel tanker exploded after striking part of a highway underpass. The official and witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

US dismisses Hafeez Saeed's aid offer for Sandy victims as 'hollow’

Tags: US, dismiss, Saeed, aid
WASHINGTON: US on Thursday dismissed as "hollow" the offer of humanitarian aid for super storm Sandy victims from Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafeez Muhammad Saeed, the 2008 Mumbai attacks mastermind and for whom the US has offered a bounty of USD 10 million. "As you all well know, Saeed is believed to be behind organising the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack in which 166 people were killed, including six Americans. That is why he is actually now the subject of a rewards for justice programme," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters. "Furthermore, both the United States and the United Nations have designated his organisation, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, a terrorist organisation," he said. "So while we have great respect, obviously, for the Islamic tradition of social assistance to those who are in need, no matter where they might be, this particular offer strikes us as very hollow," Toner said in response to a question on the offer of humanitarian assistance from Saeed for the victims of the hurricane Sandy. On October 30, Hafiz Saeed said his organisation was ready to help Americans affected by the super storm Sandy. "We are ready to send food items, medicines and doctors to the US for the people affected by the storm," Saeed said. He said that though the US had put a bounty on his head, it was the duty of Muslims to help fellow human beings, irrespective of their faith, during a natural catastrophe. Saeed was placed under house arrest for less than six months after the Mumbai attacks, largely due to pressure from the world community. He was freed in 2009 on the orders of the Lahore high court. Despite the bounty offered by the US for Saeed, he has been freely holding public meetings across Pakistan, especially in Punjab province. Pakistan has so far refused to take action against Saeed on the basis of material provided by India about his role in masterminding the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

US dismisses Hafeez Saeed's aid offer for Sandy victims as 'hollow’

Tags: US, dismiss, Saeed, aid
WASHINGTON: US on Thursday dismissed as "hollow" the offer of humanitarian aid for super storm Sandy victims from Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafeez Muhammad Saeed, the 2008 Mumbai attacks mastermind and for whom the US has offered a bounty of USD 10 million. "As you all well know, Saeed is believed to be behind organising the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack in which 166 people were killed, including six Americans. That is why he is actually now the subject of a rewards for justice programme," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters. "Furthermore, both the United States and the United Nations have designated his organisation, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, a terrorist organisation," he said. "So while we have great respect, obviously, for the Islamic tradition of social assistance to those who are in need, no matter where they might be, this particular offer strikes us as very hollow," Toner said in response to a question on the offer of humanitarian assistance from Saeed for the victims of the hurricane Sandy. On October 30, Hafiz Saeed said his organisation was ready to help Americans affected by the super storm Sandy. "We are ready to send food items, medicines and doctors to the US for the people affected by the storm," Saeed said. He said that though the US had put a bounty on his head, it was the duty of Muslims to help fellow human beings, irrespective of their faith, during a natural catastrophe. Saeed was placed under house arrest for less than six months after the Mumbai attacks, largely due to pressure from the world community. He was freed in 2009 on the orders of the Lahore high court. Despite the bounty offered by the US for Saeed, he has been freely holding public meetings across Pakistan, especially in Punjab province. Pakistan has so far refused to take action against Saeed on the basis of material provided by India about his role in masterminding the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

KSEB imposes load shedding from 5 am in four districts

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) on Wednesday decided to impose load shedding in four districts—Malappuram, Thrissur, Ernakulam and Kottayam—from 5 O’ clock in the morning. Presently, the half-hour load shedding starts alternately from 6 am to 9 am.

KSEB imposes load shedding from 5 am in four districts

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) on Wednesday decided to impose load shedding in four districts—Malappuram, Thrissur, Ernakulam and Kottayam—from 5 O’ clock in the morning. Presently, the half-hour load shedding starts alternately from 6 am to 9 am.

Malayalam to be made mandatory in schools, says Chandy

Tags: Malayalam, mandatory, schools, Chandy
TIRUR: The state government will go ahead with its proposal to make Malayalam language mandatory in all schools in the state, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Thursday. Inaugurating the Thuchathezhuthachhan Malayala University here he said in this connection an order has already been issued and the government was firm to implement it. He said the government was of the view that students should learn Malayalam irrespective of the medium of instructions in schools in the state. The government will take on the court cases filed by certain people against the decision, he said. Kerala, which was the only state without a varsity in its mother tongue in the South, fullfilled it with the inauguration, he said. The government would also make all out efforts to get classical status to the Malayalam language, he said.

Malayalam to be made mandatory in schools, says Chandy

Tags: Malayalam, mandatory, schools, Chandy
TIRUR: The state government will go ahead with its proposal to make Malayalam language mandatory in all schools in the state, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Thursday. Inaugurating the Thuchathezhuthachhan Malayala University here he said in this connection an order has already been issued and the government was firm to implement it. He said the government was of the view that students should learn Malayalam irrespective of the medium of instructions in schools in the state. The government will take on the court cases filed by certain people against the decision, he said. Kerala, which was the only state without a varsity in its mother tongue in the South, fullfilled it with the inauguration, he said. The government would also make all out efforts to get classical status to the Malayalam language, he said.