Rs 55 lakh worth gold recovered from Keralite

CHENNAI: Customs officials today recovered 1.5 kg of gold valued at Rs 55 lakh from a passenger who had arrived from Dubai on Saturday. Abdul Rasheed (40) of Ernakulam in Kerala was arrested for allegedly smuggling the gold hidden in a registered package. Though he had arrived from Dubai yesterday, his package had arrived today and he was apprehended when he came to claim it, airport officials said. The seized gold was valued at Rs 55 lakh, they added.

Rs 55 lakh worth gold recovered from Keralite

CHENNAI: Customs officials today recovered 1.5 kg of gold valued at Rs 55 lakh from a passenger who had arrived from Dubai on Saturday. Abdul Rasheed (40) of Ernakulam in Kerala was arrested for allegedly smuggling the gold hidden in a registered package. Though he had arrived from Dubai yesterday, his package had arrived today and he was apprehended when he came to claim it, airport officials said. The seized gold was valued at Rs 55 lakh, they added.

Student killed in accident

THODUPUZHA: A college student was fatally knocked down by a private bus in Thodupuzha. The dead has been identified as Jyothish, a graduate student of Newman College in Thodupuzha. The incident happened when the bus was trying to overtake the bike. The students furious over the incident damaged the bus.

Student killed in accident

THODUPUZHA: A college student was fatally knocked down by a private bus in Thodupuzha. The dead has been identified as Jyothish, a graduate student of Newman College in Thodupuzha. The incident happened when the bus was trying to overtake the bike. The students furious over the incident damaged the bus.

Flood situation in Odisha, Andhra grim, toll mounts

Bhubaneswar/Hyderabad: The flood situation in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh turned grim Friday, taking the toll in both states to 47 and 20 respectively and leaving thousands homeless, officials said.

The floods triggered by heavy rains under the influence of a low pressure area over the Bay of Bengal and vigorous northeast monsoon wrecked havoc in the two states, inundating hundreds of villages, damaged houses and crops over lakhs of acres.

Floods in Odisha have killed four more people, taking the toll to 47, and left thousands homeless, officials said Friday. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Surya Narayan Patro said several rivers were overflowing in Ganjam district, which was hit by Phailin cyclone on Oct 12.

As more than two lakh people were cut off from the rest of the state, three choppers were pressed into service for relief and rescue operations, Patro told IANS. Four members of a family, including two minors, died in Jagatsinghpur district after the house in which they were sleeping collapsed Thursday night, Special Relief Commissioner P.K. Mohapatra said.

'The situation is serious. We are asking people to stay on rooftops. We will rescue them,' he told reporters. The government also ordered all schools and colleges in 12 districts closed till Monday.

Apart from Ganjam, the other districts affected by the latest round of rains and floods include Gajapati, Kandhamal, Khurda, Puri, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj and Nayagarh. More rains are expected in the next two days.

The Bhubaneswar-headquartered East Coast Railway said train services remained disrupted between Khurda Road in Odisha and Vijayanagaram in Andhra Pradesh after flood waters submerged rail tracks in some places. As a result, long-distance trains have been diverted.

The heavy rains have also cast a shadow over the One-Day International cricket match between India and Australia to be played at Cuttack's Barabati Stadium Saturday. About 1.2 crore people in 17 of the state's 30 districts have affected, the government said. In Andhra Pradesh, eight more deaths were reported Friday, taking the toll to 20. Hundreds of villages and several towns were inundated as torrential rains lashed large parts of the state.

Heavy rains hit coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema and Telangana regions, damaging houses and crops over lakhs of acres and throwing normal life out of gear. 
The swollen rivulets cut road links to hundreds of villages in coastal Andhra and parts of Telangana. Road and rail transport was affected due to flooding of roads and railway tracks in Srikakulam and Nalgonda districts.

About 68,000 people were evacuated from low-lying areas and moved to 135 relief camps in seven districts. Thousands of people were stranded in marooned villages without food and drinking water. Over 4,600 houses were damaged in the rains, which inundated not only hundreds of villages in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, East Godavari, West Godavari, Prakasam, Guntur, Krishna, Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar districts but also low-lying areas in Hyderabad and in Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Guntur, Ongole and Eluru towns.

Normal life was hit in Hyderabad due to incessant rains, which inundated low-lying areas. Hussainsagar Lake in the heart of the city was almost full and the authorities alerted the people living in areas near the lake and abutting its discharge outlet.

Water logging on roads led to massive traffic jams in the busy areas of the state capital. Hundreds of vehicles were caught in the jams during the peak hours Friday evening. Twelve teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) reached the affected districts and were engaged in relief work.

The rains have inundated crops over 4.34 lakh hectares including cotton crops over two lakh hectares and paddy over 2.06 lakh hectares. Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy reviewed the situation in Hyderabad and directed officials to launch rescue and relief operations. With the met office warning of heavy rains over the next two days, the district collectors were asked to be on high alert and evacuate people from low-lying areas.

Flood situation in Odisha, Andhra grim, toll mounts

Bhubaneswar/Hyderabad: The flood situation in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh turned grim Friday, taking the toll in both states to 47 and 20 respectively and leaving thousands homeless, officials said.

The floods triggered by heavy rains under the influence of a low pressure area over the Bay of Bengal and vigorous northeast monsoon wrecked havoc in the two states, inundating hundreds of villages, damaged houses and crops over lakhs of acres.

Floods in Odisha have killed four more people, taking the toll to 47, and left thousands homeless, officials said Friday. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Surya Narayan Patro said several rivers were overflowing in Ganjam district, which was hit by Phailin cyclone on Oct 12.

As more than two lakh people were cut off from the rest of the state, three choppers were pressed into service for relief and rescue operations, Patro told IANS. Four members of a family, including two minors, died in Jagatsinghpur district after the house in which they were sleeping collapsed Thursday night, Special Relief Commissioner P.K. Mohapatra said.

'The situation is serious. We are asking people to stay on rooftops. We will rescue them,' he told reporters. The government also ordered all schools and colleges in 12 districts closed till Monday.

Apart from Ganjam, the other districts affected by the latest round of rains and floods include Gajapati, Kandhamal, Khurda, Puri, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj and Nayagarh. More rains are expected in the next two days.

The Bhubaneswar-headquartered East Coast Railway said train services remained disrupted between Khurda Road in Odisha and Vijayanagaram in Andhra Pradesh after flood waters submerged rail tracks in some places. As a result, long-distance trains have been diverted.

The heavy rains have also cast a shadow over the One-Day International cricket match between India and Australia to be played at Cuttack's Barabati Stadium Saturday. About 1.2 crore people in 17 of the state's 30 districts have affected, the government said. In Andhra Pradesh, eight more deaths were reported Friday, taking the toll to 20. Hundreds of villages and several towns were inundated as torrential rains lashed large parts of the state.

Heavy rains hit coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema and Telangana regions, damaging houses and crops over lakhs of acres and throwing normal life out of gear. 
The swollen rivulets cut road links to hundreds of villages in coastal Andhra and parts of Telangana. Road and rail transport was affected due to flooding of roads and railway tracks in Srikakulam and Nalgonda districts.

About 68,000 people were evacuated from low-lying areas and moved to 135 relief camps in seven districts. Thousands of people were stranded in marooned villages without food and drinking water. Over 4,600 houses were damaged in the rains, which inundated not only hundreds of villages in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, East Godavari, West Godavari, Prakasam, Guntur, Krishna, Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar districts but also low-lying areas in Hyderabad and in Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Guntur, Ongole and Eluru towns.

Normal life was hit in Hyderabad due to incessant rains, which inundated low-lying areas. Hussainsagar Lake in the heart of the city was almost full and the authorities alerted the people living in areas near the lake and abutting its discharge outlet.

Water logging on roads led to massive traffic jams in the busy areas of the state capital. Hundreds of vehicles were caught in the jams during the peak hours Friday evening. Twelve teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) reached the affected districts and were engaged in relief work.

The rains have inundated crops over 4.34 lakh hectares including cotton crops over two lakh hectares and paddy over 2.06 lakh hectares. Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy reviewed the situation in Hyderabad and directed officials to launch rescue and relief operations. With the met office warning of heavy rains over the next two days, the district collectors were asked to be on high alert and evacuate people from low-lying areas.

95 killed in operations against Boko Haram in Nigeria

Abuja:The face-off between Nigeria's Joint Task Force (JTF) in the country'S restive northern region and Boko Haram militants witnessed a bloody encounter in Borno and Yobe states with about 95 militants killed, military said Friday.

Heavy gun battle continued as the JTF troops attacked the militants in different locations around Maiduguri and Damaturu, two strongholds of the deadly sect since 2009, Xinhua reported.

This development came on the heels of security reports that the Boko Haram sect was planning a massive counterattack on strategic economic interests and JTF positions in Nigeria's northeast region.

Borno and Yobe states are flash points of attacks by Boko Haram since 2009 when the sect launched its insurgency targeting churches, security facilities, schools and villages. The Nigerian military has been repelling the insurgents' attempts to launch coordinated attacks.

Nigerian troops in Maiduguri, capital of the Borno state, said they destroyed more camps of Boko Haram Thursday during the ongoing offensive against the group.
The camps were in Galangi and Lawanti villages within Mainok General Area of Borno. The troops raided the camps and killed 74 suspected Boko Haram militants.

Lt-Col Mohammed Dole, the new military spokesman, said the operations which involved ground and aerial assault by the Air Force destroyed identified terrorist camps, killing 74 suspected militants, while others fled with serious injuries.
Two Isuzu tiger pick-up vehicle and five Hilux belonging to the militants were destroyed, he added.

In another operation, the 3 Division Special Operation Battalion in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital, confirmed Friday the killing of 21 insurgents in the state. 
A statement signed by Captain Eli Lazarus, spokesman of the battalion, said the insurgents were killed Thursday, while some weapons and ammunition were recovered during the operation.

He said the insurgents attacked a military check point close to the NNPC mega petrol station on Damaturu-Maiduguri road. A 24-hour curfew was imposed across the state to enable troops pursue the fleeing terrorists. Damaturu streets had remained empty with all business premises closed as residents stayed indoors.

Boko Haram has caused thousands of casualties in Nigeria's northern states since 2009. In the escalation of conflicts between its fighters and the military, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan declared in May a state of emergency in the northern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. In April, the Nigerian government tried to broker a ceasefire with the group but failed. 

95 killed in operations against Boko Haram in Nigeria

Abuja:The face-off between Nigeria's Joint Task Force (JTF) in the country'S restive northern region and Boko Haram militants witnessed a bloody encounter in Borno and Yobe states with about 95 militants killed, military said Friday.

Heavy gun battle continued as the JTF troops attacked the militants in different locations around Maiduguri and Damaturu, two strongholds of the deadly sect since 2009, Xinhua reported.

This development came on the heels of security reports that the Boko Haram sect was planning a massive counterattack on strategic economic interests and JTF positions in Nigeria's northeast region.

Borno and Yobe states are flash points of attacks by Boko Haram since 2009 when the sect launched its insurgency targeting churches, security facilities, schools and villages. The Nigerian military has been repelling the insurgents' attempts to launch coordinated attacks.

Nigerian troops in Maiduguri, capital of the Borno state, said they destroyed more camps of Boko Haram Thursday during the ongoing offensive against the group.
The camps were in Galangi and Lawanti villages within Mainok General Area of Borno. The troops raided the camps and killed 74 suspected Boko Haram militants.

Lt-Col Mohammed Dole, the new military spokesman, said the operations which involved ground and aerial assault by the Air Force destroyed identified terrorist camps, killing 74 suspected militants, while others fled with serious injuries.
Two Isuzu tiger pick-up vehicle and five Hilux belonging to the militants were destroyed, he added.

In another operation, the 3 Division Special Operation Battalion in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital, confirmed Friday the killing of 21 insurgents in the state. 
A statement signed by Captain Eli Lazarus, spokesman of the battalion, said the insurgents were killed Thursday, while some weapons and ammunition were recovered during the operation.

He said the insurgents attacked a military check point close to the NNPC mega petrol station on Damaturu-Maiduguri road. A 24-hour curfew was imposed across the state to enable troops pursue the fleeing terrorists. Damaturu streets had remained empty with all business premises closed as residents stayed indoors.

Boko Haram has caused thousands of casualties in Nigeria's northern states since 2009. In the escalation of conflicts between its fighters and the military, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan declared in May a state of emergency in the northern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. In April, the Nigerian government tried to broker a ceasefire with the group but failed. 

Ditch five food habits to keep obesity away

New Delhi: Trying to slash the extra fat? Say no to unhealthy foods itmes such as red meat, fast food and more, says an expert. Ashish Krishna, minimally invasive and obesity surgeon at Sunrise Hospital, shares a list of foods that you need to cut down on: 

- Fast foods: Burgers, pizzas, carbonated beverages, noodles and many more are junk foods low in nutritional values and high in sodium, sugar and preservatives. They disturb your body's metabolism, digestion, liver and heart functions.

- Sugary foods: Young people especially children have a weakness for sugary soft drinks, chocolates, ice creams and other items that have absolute high calorie content. They contribute drastically in embracing diabetes and blocking arteries.

- Red meat: If you can't live without non-vegetarian food and it is hard to resist yourself to change your main course, then shift from red meat to white in order to control cholesterol level.  - Refined grains: Our body requires a substantial amount of fiber which one can derive from grains' covering or husk. Consuming refined grains especially white rice and wheat flour increases obesity and health problems. - Oil and ghee: Harmful effects of unsaturated fats are obvious for those who are already overweight or one who gives little or no time for physical activities due to busy work schedule and other problems.

Ditch five food habits to keep obesity away

New Delhi: Trying to slash the extra fat? Say no to unhealthy foods itmes such as red meat, fast food and more, says an expert. Ashish Krishna, minimally invasive and obesity surgeon at Sunrise Hospital, shares a list of foods that you need to cut down on: 

- Fast foods: Burgers, pizzas, carbonated beverages, noodles and many more are junk foods low in nutritional values and high in sodium, sugar and preservatives. They disturb your body's metabolism, digestion, liver and heart functions.

- Sugary foods: Young people especially children have a weakness for sugary soft drinks, chocolates, ice creams and other items that have absolute high calorie content. They contribute drastically in embracing diabetes and blocking arteries.

- Red meat: If you can't live without non-vegetarian food and it is hard to resist yourself to change your main course, then shift from red meat to white in order to control cholesterol level.  - Refined grains: Our body requires a substantial amount of fiber which one can derive from grains' covering or husk. Consuming refined grains especially white rice and wheat flour increases obesity and health problems. - Oil and ghee: Harmful effects of unsaturated fats are obvious for those who are already overweight or one who gives little or no time for physical activities due to busy work schedule and other problems.