TN govt appeals against clearance for Vishwaroopam

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu government today filed an appeal against the interim order of a single judge of Madras High Court giving clearance for screening of Kamal Haasan's controversial Tamil movie Vishwaroopam. The government sought immediate hearing of the appeal on the issue, which is likely to be heard this afternoon. The decks were cleared late last night by Justice K Venkataraman, who granted the interim stay of operation of the order made under Section 144 of the CrPC by District Collectors across the state that had prevented release of the movie made with a nearly Rs 100 crore budget. Advocate General A Navaneethakrishnan had said yesterday that the court's order was not final and would be challenged. Justice Venkataraman, who had viewed the spy-thriller on Saturday, had passed the order considering the prima facie case established by Haasan, who questioned the two week ban, imposed after Muslim outfits were up in arms against its release claiming it portrayed their community in a bad light. In his order, the court had said it was surprising that all District Magistrates/District Collectors of 31 districts, had taken a common decision and passed an order under Section 144 of CrPC "which appears to be strange." The court had also noted that no independent reason had been given by Collectors and they solely relied on the statement of Muslim organisations. The court's order yesterday had come as a big relief for Haasan, with estimates that he could have incurred a loss of Rs 30-80 crore due to non-release of the film in the state. The film, made in Tamil, Telegu and Hindi, had encountered problems in Karnataka also, but is now being screened across the state after police provided adequate security.

TN govt appeals against clearance for Vishwaroopam

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu government today filed an appeal against the interim order of a single judge of Madras High Court giving clearance for screening of Kamal Haasan's controversial Tamil movie Vishwaroopam. The government sought immediate hearing of the appeal on the issue, which is likely to be heard this afternoon. The decks were cleared late last night by Justice K Venkataraman, who granted the interim stay of operation of the order made under Section 144 of the CrPC by District Collectors across the state that had prevented release of the movie made with a nearly Rs 100 crore budget. Advocate General A Navaneethakrishnan had said yesterday that the court's order was not final and would be challenged. Justice Venkataraman, who had viewed the spy-thriller on Saturday, had passed the order considering the prima facie case established by Haasan, who questioned the two week ban, imposed after Muslim outfits were up in arms against its release claiming it portrayed their community in a bad light. In his order, the court had said it was surprising that all District Magistrates/District Collectors of 31 districts, had taken a common decision and passed an order under Section 144 of CrPC "which appears to be strange." The court had also noted that no independent reason had been given by Collectors and they solely relied on the statement of Muslim organisations. The court's order yesterday had come as a big relief for Haasan, with estimates that he could have incurred a loss of Rs 30-80 crore due to non-release of the film in the state. The film, made in Tamil, Telegu and Hindi, had encountered problems in Karnataka also, but is now being screened across the state after police provided adequate security.

Indian-origin woman selected for Order of Australia Medal

MELBOURNE: An Indian-origin woman is all set to figure in the prestigious list of people who have received the Order of Australia Medal (OAM). 85-year old Krishna Arora, who has been running a community service, was selected for this year's awards for her contribution to the Indian community. "When I came here, I found the only thing that needed attention was loneliness of new migrants. Someone said to me Australians pass their time by doing community work. I thought it was a great idea and then there was no looking back," said Arora, former principal of a Delhi-based catering college. Arora, also popularly known as 'Auntieji', runs a hotline tele service offering cooking tips. "For a newly arrived person, it is very, very important they get in contact with the right type of people who will be able to tell them the little customs and traditions of Australia and get on with life" said Arora. She has also been teaching Asian cooking to Australians for two years at one of the Community Centre in Western suburb of Victoria. "I feel extremely pleased and encouraged to work more for the community" she said. The other Indian-origin women who had earlier received the honour include Joyce Westrip (2000), Mala Mehta (2006) and Vettath Rajkumar (2009). In November last year, iconic Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar was also conferred with the prestigious award.

Indian-origin woman selected for Order of Australia Medal

MELBOURNE: An Indian-origin woman is all set to figure in the prestigious list of people who have received the Order of Australia Medal (OAM). 85-year old Krishna Arora, who has been running a community service, was selected for this year's awards for her contribution to the Indian community. "When I came here, I found the only thing that needed attention was loneliness of new migrants. Someone said to me Australians pass their time by doing community work. I thought it was a great idea and then there was no looking back," said Arora, former principal of a Delhi-based catering college. Arora, also popularly known as 'Auntieji', runs a hotline tele service offering cooking tips. "For a newly arrived person, it is very, very important they get in contact with the right type of people who will be able to tell them the little customs and traditions of Australia and get on with life" said Arora. She has also been teaching Asian cooking to Australians for two years at one of the Community Centre in Western suburb of Victoria. "I feel extremely pleased and encouraged to work more for the community" she said. The other Indian-origin women who had earlier received the honour include Joyce Westrip (2000), Mala Mehta (2006) and Vettath Rajkumar (2009). In November last year, iconic Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar was also conferred with the prestigious award.

18 reportedly killed as Yemen military attacks kidnappers

SANAA: Two soldiers and 16 al-Qaida militants were killed in a Yemeni military offensive against the jihadists who are suspected of holding Western hostages, sources said.

"Sixteen al-Qaida fighters were killed in four raids when the Yemeni aviation targeted positions near Manaseh," a stronghold of the terror network in the province of Bayda, a tribal source said today.

An official in the region reported the death of two soldiers in a car bomb explosion targeting an army position near the town of Radah, 30 kilometres (18 miles) to the west.

A suicide car bomb at a checkpoint in the same area killed 11 soldiers and wounded 17 others on Monday, in an attack blamed on al-Qaida.

Another three people were killed in an army operation launched late on Sunday against al-Qaida-linked militants suspected of holding an Austrian and two Finns hostage in Manaseh, in Bayda province, tribal sources said.

The army is hunting three militants accused of holding the European hostages and who have refused to surrender despite mediation efforts.

The three men -- brothers of Tarek al-Dahab, an al-Qaida leader killed in a February 2012 attack -- deny they are holding the hostages.

18 reportedly killed as Yemen military attacks kidnappers

SANAA: Two soldiers and 16 al-Qaida militants were killed in a Yemeni military offensive against the jihadists who are suspected of holding Western hostages, sources said.

"Sixteen al-Qaida fighters were killed in four raids when the Yemeni aviation targeted positions near Manaseh," a stronghold of the terror network in the province of Bayda, a tribal source said today.

An official in the region reported the death of two soldiers in a car bomb explosion targeting an army position near the town of Radah, 30 kilometres (18 miles) to the west.

A suicide car bomb at a checkpoint in the same area killed 11 soldiers and wounded 17 others on Monday, in an attack blamed on al-Qaida.

Another three people were killed in an army operation launched late on Sunday against al-Qaida-linked militants suspected of holding an Austrian and two Finns hostage in Manaseh, in Bayda province, tribal sources said.

The army is hunting three militants accused of holding the European hostages and who have refused to surrender despite mediation efforts.

The three men -- brothers of Tarek al-Dahab, an al-Qaida leader killed in a February 2012 attack -- deny they are holding the hostages.

At least 65 bodies found 'executed' in Syria river

ALEPPO (SYRIA): The bodies of at least 65 young men and boys, all executed with a single gunshot to the head or neck, were found on Tuesday in a river in the Syrian city of Aleppo, a watchdog and rebels said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 65 bodies were found in the Quweiq River, which separates the Bustan al-Qasr district from Ansari in the southwest of the city, but that the toll could rise significantly. A Free Syrian Army officer at the scene said at least 68 bodies had been recovered and that many more were still being dragged from the water, in a rebel-held area. "Until now we have recovered 68 bodies, some of them just teens," said Captain Abu Sada, adding that all of them had been "executed by the regime." "But there must be more than 100. There are still many in the water, and we are trying to recover them." A senior government security source said many of the victims were from Bustan al-Qasr and had been reported kidnapped earlier. He accused "terrorists," the standard regime term for people fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad, of carrying out the executions and spreading propaganda to deflect responsibility. "They were kidnapped by terrorist groups, who some are accusing of being pro-regime, and executed last night in a park in Bustan al-Qasr under their control," the source told AFP by telephone. "Now these terrorist groups are creating a media campaign, showing the bodies being recovered from the Quweiq River in an area under their control. "It has been confirmed that a number of the victims had been abducted by armed terrorist groups and their families had made repeated attempts to negotiate their releases. "We will disclose the identities of those killed as soon as we are able to secure the bodies, which is a difficult process since the area is in the hands of terrorist groups," the source said. A volunteer said as he helped load one of the bodies on a truck: "We don't know who they are because there was no ID on them. At least 15 bodies could already be seen on the truck, an AFP correspondent said, with other continuing to arrive. Abu Sada said they would be taken to the hospital at Zarzur where relatives could seek to identify them. "Those who are not identified will be buried in a common grave," noting that some were unrecognisable because of the impact of the bullet." Meanwhile, people were gathering at the bank seeking lost relatives.

At least 65 bodies found 'executed' in Syria river

ALEPPO (SYRIA): The bodies of at least 65 young men and boys, all executed with a single gunshot to the head or neck, were found on Tuesday in a river in the Syrian city of Aleppo, a watchdog and rebels said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 65 bodies were found in the Quweiq River, which separates the Bustan al-Qasr district from Ansari in the southwest of the city, but that the toll could rise significantly. A Free Syrian Army officer at the scene said at least 68 bodies had been recovered and that many more were still being dragged from the water, in a rebel-held area. "Until now we have recovered 68 bodies, some of them just teens," said Captain Abu Sada, adding that all of them had been "executed by the regime." "But there must be more than 100. There are still many in the water, and we are trying to recover them." A senior government security source said many of the victims were from Bustan al-Qasr and had been reported kidnapped earlier. He accused "terrorists," the standard regime term for people fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad, of carrying out the executions and spreading propaganda to deflect responsibility. "They were kidnapped by terrorist groups, who some are accusing of being pro-regime, and executed last night in a park in Bustan al-Qasr under their control," the source told AFP by telephone. "Now these terrorist groups are creating a media campaign, showing the bodies being recovered from the Quweiq River in an area under their control. "It has been confirmed that a number of the victims had been abducted by armed terrorist groups and their families had made repeated attempts to negotiate their releases. "We will disclose the identities of those killed as soon as we are able to secure the bodies, which is a difficult process since the area is in the hands of terrorist groups," the source said. A volunteer said as he helped load one of the bodies on a truck: "We don't know who they are because there was no ID on them. At least 15 bodies could already be seen on the truck, an AFP correspondent said, with other continuing to arrive. Abu Sada said they would be taken to the hospital at Zarzur where relatives could seek to identify them. "Those who are not identified will be buried in a common grave," noting that some were unrecognisable because of the impact of the bullet." Meanwhile, people were gathering at the bank seeking lost relatives.

21 people killed as passenger plane crashes in Kazakhstan

KYZYL TU, KAZAKHSTAN: A passenger plane crashed in thick fog near Kazakhstan's commercial capital Almaty on Tuesday and broke into pieces when it hit the ground, killing all 21 people on board.  After several hours, rescue teams recovered the plane's flight recorder, the central communications service for Kazakhstan's president said on its Twitter page.  A list published by the prosecutor-general's office showed there had been 16 passengers and five crew members on board.  The Canadian-built Bombardier Challenger CRJ-200 belonged to private Kazakh airline SCAT. It came down near the village of Kyzyl Tu about 5 km (3 miles) from Almaty's airport.  "There was no fire, no explosion. The plane just plunged to the earth," Yuri Ilyin, deputy head of the city's emergencies department, told Reuters near the scene.  Parts of the plane could be seen in the thick snow. Tractors and other heavy vehicles were being used cut paths through the snow to the wreckage but journalists were kept at a distance from the crash site.  It was the second fatal plane crash in the former Soviet republic in just a over a month.  Visibility at Kyzyl Tu was only about 20 to 30 metres (yards), and much of the area around Almaty was veiled in fog when the plane crashed at around 1pm (0700 GMT).  "The preliminary cause of the accident is bad weather," deputy Almaty mayor Maulen Mukashev told reporters. "Not a single part of the plane was left intact after it came down."  The plane had been on its way from the city of Kokshetau in northern Kazakhstan to Almaty in the southeast, Mukashev said.  SCAT, which has been operating since 1997, runs an extensive domestic service and has some international flights.  Alexander Gordeyev, deputy head of Almaty's airport, said the weather had been bad but planes were being allowed to land.  A military transport airplane crashed in bad weather on Dec. 25 near the southern Kazakh city of Shymkent, killing all 27 on board. Prosecutors have said a combination of technical problems, bad weather and human error caused that accident.

21 people killed as passenger plane crashes in Kazakhstan

KYZYL TU, KAZAKHSTAN: A passenger plane crashed in thick fog near Kazakhstan's commercial capital Almaty on Tuesday and broke into pieces when it hit the ground, killing all 21 people on board.  After several hours, rescue teams recovered the plane's flight recorder, the central communications service for Kazakhstan's president said on its Twitter page.  A list published by the prosecutor-general's office showed there had been 16 passengers and five crew members on board.  The Canadian-built Bombardier Challenger CRJ-200 belonged to private Kazakh airline SCAT. It came down near the village of Kyzyl Tu about 5 km (3 miles) from Almaty's airport.  "There was no fire, no explosion. The plane just plunged to the earth," Yuri Ilyin, deputy head of the city's emergencies department, told Reuters near the scene.  Parts of the plane could be seen in the thick snow. Tractors and other heavy vehicles were being used cut paths through the snow to the wreckage but journalists were kept at a distance from the crash site.  It was the second fatal plane crash in the former Soviet republic in just a over a month.  Visibility at Kyzyl Tu was only about 20 to 30 metres (yards), and much of the area around Almaty was veiled in fog when the plane crashed at around 1pm (0700 GMT).  "The preliminary cause of the accident is bad weather," deputy Almaty mayor Maulen Mukashev told reporters. "Not a single part of the plane was left intact after it came down."  The plane had been on its way from the city of Kokshetau in northern Kazakhstan to Almaty in the southeast, Mukashev said.  SCAT, which has been operating since 1997, runs an extensive domestic service and has some international flights.  Alexander Gordeyev, deputy head of Almaty's airport, said the weather had been bad but planes were being allowed to land.  A military transport airplane crashed in bad weather on Dec. 25 near the southern Kazakh city of Shymkent, killing all 27 on board. Prosecutors have said a combination of technical problems, bad weather and human error caused that accident.