'Extremely dangerous' radioactive material stolen in Mexico: IAEA

VIENNA: Thieves in Mexico have stolen a truck containing potentially "extremely dangerous" radioactive material used in medical treatment, the UN atomic watchdog said on Wednesday. The truck was transporting a cobalt-60 teletherapy source from a hospital in the northern city of Tijuana to a radioactive waste storage centre when it was stolen in Tepojaco near Mexico City, the International Atomic Energy Agency said.

"At the time the truck was stolen, the source was properly shielded. However, the source could be extremely dangerous to a person if removed from the shielding, or if it was damaged," it said. The IAEA said it was informed about the December 2 theft by Mexico's CNSNS nuclear security authority. "The Mexican authorities are currently conducting a search for the source and have issued a press release to alert the public," the IAEA said in a statement.

The material could not be used in a conventional nuclear weapon but could in theory be put in a so-called "dirty bomb" -- an explosive device spreading the radioactive material over a wide area. Experts have long warned about the danger posed by the large amounts of such material held in hospitals and other locations around the world under insufficient security

'Extremely dangerous' radioactive material stolen in Mexico: IAEA

VIENNA: Thieves in Mexico have stolen a truck containing potentially "extremely dangerous" radioactive material used in medical treatment, the UN atomic watchdog said on Wednesday. The truck was transporting a cobalt-60 teletherapy source from a hospital in the northern city of Tijuana to a radioactive waste storage centre when it was stolen in Tepojaco near Mexico City, the International Atomic Energy Agency said.

"At the time the truck was stolen, the source was properly shielded. However, the source could be extremely dangerous to a person if removed from the shielding, or if it was damaged," it said. The IAEA said it was informed about the December 2 theft by Mexico's CNSNS nuclear security authority. "The Mexican authorities are currently conducting a search for the source and have issued a press release to alert the public," the IAEA said in a statement.

The material could not be used in a conventional nuclear weapon but could in theory be put in a so-called "dirty bomb" -- an explosive device spreading the radioactive material over a wide area. Experts have long warned about the danger posed by the large amounts of such material held in hospitals and other locations around the world under insufficient security

TP case accused in FB: high level meeting held

Kozhikode: Home minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan convened a meeting of high police officials including DGP, Intelligence ADGP and public prosecutor of TP case CK Sreedharan to discuss the new controversy of TP case accused appearing in facebook. After the meeting, the minister will go to Kozhikode to visit the jail the accused are in. 

The new controversy broke out yesterday when some of the accused in T P Chandrashekaran murder case have gone hi tech in jail. Violating all jail norms, several pictures of the accused taken inside the jail were posted in Facebook using their smart phones by the arrested Kirmani Manoj and others.

It is to be noted that majority of the pictures posted were at the important stage of case hearing. Most of the accused are even given a chance to interact with the outside world and this has led to many accused turning hostile in the case.

The posting of these pictures in FB clearly shows that the TP case accused are getting a special treatment in jail. Kirmani Manoj is seen in a bermuda and T shirt in the pictures posted in FB. Ranjith, Shafi, Kodi Sunni, Kirmani Manoj, Sijith, M C Anoop, Shinoj all have a FB account. Their accounts are updated regularly. The pictures posted were also shared among their friends and all their profile pictures bear Che Guevera's image.

TP case accused in FB: high level meeting held

Kozhikode: Home minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan convened a meeting of high police officials including DGP, Intelligence ADGP and public prosecutor of TP case CK Sreedharan to discuss the new controversy of TP case accused appearing in facebook. After the meeting, the minister will go to Kozhikode to visit the jail the accused are in. 

The new controversy broke out yesterday when some of the accused in T P Chandrashekaran murder case have gone hi tech in jail. Violating all jail norms, several pictures of the accused taken inside the jail were posted in Facebook using their smart phones by the arrested Kirmani Manoj and others.

It is to be noted that majority of the pictures posted were at the important stage of case hearing. Most of the accused are even given a chance to interact with the outside world and this has led to many accused turning hostile in the case.

The posting of these pictures in FB clearly shows that the TP case accused are getting a special treatment in jail. Kirmani Manoj is seen in a bermuda and T shirt in the pictures posted in FB. Ranjith, Shafi, Kodi Sunni, Kirmani Manoj, Sijith, M C Anoop, Shinoj all have a FB account. Their accounts are updated regularly. The pictures posted were also shared among their friends and all their profile pictures bear Che Guevera's image.

New York crashed train exceeded speed limit

New York: The commuter train that derailed in New York City borough of Bronx early Sunday morning was travelling at a speed of nearly 82 mph (132 kph) while it entered a 30 mph (48 kph) curve, authorities said.

Two event recorders of the Metro-North train were read out at the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) lab, adding that human error or a mechanical problem might be the likely cause of the crash, though no evidence showed that it was caused by sabotage, Xinhua quoted NTSB Board Member Earl Weener as saying. 

There were nine stops before the derailment occurred near the Spuyten-Duyvil Station Sunday, but the NTSB said that they were not aware of any prior problems with the brakes. Four people were killed in the derailment and more than 60 were injured. Weener said that rail cars and locomotive will be moved to a secure location for a more detailed examination over the next few days.

The train engineer has been interviewed and his cell phone was being reviewed by forensic investigators, according to Weener. More than 100 people were aboard the train heading from Poughkeepsie in upstate New York to Grand Central Terminal in downtown Manhattan. It skipped the tracks 91 meters north of the Spuyten-Duyvil Station in the Bronx on a curved section of the track just before 7.30 a.m. Sunday morning. The accident came four months after a freight train derailed on a nearby stretch of the track

New York crashed train exceeded speed limit

New York: The commuter train that derailed in New York City borough of Bronx early Sunday morning was travelling at a speed of nearly 82 mph (132 kph) while it entered a 30 mph (48 kph) curve, authorities said.

Two event recorders of the Metro-North train were read out at the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) lab, adding that human error or a mechanical problem might be the likely cause of the crash, though no evidence showed that it was caused by sabotage, Xinhua quoted NTSB Board Member Earl Weener as saying. 

There were nine stops before the derailment occurred near the Spuyten-Duyvil Station Sunday, but the NTSB said that they were not aware of any prior problems with the brakes. Four people were killed in the derailment and more than 60 were injured. Weener said that rail cars and locomotive will be moved to a secure location for a more detailed examination over the next few days.

The train engineer has been interviewed and his cell phone was being reviewed by forensic investigators, according to Weener. More than 100 people were aboard the train heading from Poughkeepsie in upstate New York to Grand Central Terminal in downtown Manhattan. It skipped the tracks 91 meters north of the Spuyten-Duyvil Station in the Bronx on a curved section of the track just before 7.30 a.m. Sunday morning. The accident came four months after a freight train derailed on a nearby stretch of the track

Two Bangladeshi ministers escape bomb attacks

Dhaka: Two Bangladeshi ministers escaped unhurt when bombs were thrown at the convoy of one and at the residence of the other, media reports said Monday. 

At least three crude bombs were hurled at the vehicle of Syed Ashraful Islam, the minister of local government, rural development and cooperatives, on the outskirts of Dhaka when he was on way to his constituency in Kishoreganj district, bdnews24.com reported. No one was injured in the attack.

Islam is also the general secretary of the ruling Awami League. 'No one was hurt but some glasses of a few cars in the motorcade were broken,' the report quoted police as saying. At least four bombs were hurled at Commerce Minister Ghulam Muhammad Quader's residence Monday, The Daily Star online reported. The minister was not at his home during the attack.

The Election Commission last week announced that the country's 10th parliamentary elections will be held Jan 5, 2014, triggering widespread protests by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina has said the polls would be held on schedule despite the continuous protests.

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, a former prime minister, has asked Sheikh Hasina to bring back the non-party caretaker system or the opposition would not participate in the next elections because it fears the polls will not be free and fair. Both parties are seeking a dialogue to end the impasse over the formation of a caretaker government to conduct the polls, but no headway has been made so far.

Two Bangladeshi ministers escape bomb attacks

Dhaka: Two Bangladeshi ministers escaped unhurt when bombs were thrown at the convoy of one and at the residence of the other, media reports said Monday. 

At least three crude bombs were hurled at the vehicle of Syed Ashraful Islam, the minister of local government, rural development and cooperatives, on the outskirts of Dhaka when he was on way to his constituency in Kishoreganj district, bdnews24.com reported. No one was injured in the attack.

Islam is also the general secretary of the ruling Awami League. 'No one was hurt but some glasses of a few cars in the motorcade were broken,' the report quoted police as saying. At least four bombs were hurled at Commerce Minister Ghulam Muhammad Quader's residence Monday, The Daily Star online reported. The minister was not at his home during the attack.

The Election Commission last week announced that the country's 10th parliamentary elections will be held Jan 5, 2014, triggering widespread protests by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina has said the polls would be held on schedule despite the continuous protests.

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, a former prime minister, has asked Sheikh Hasina to bring back the non-party caretaker system or the opposition would not participate in the next elections because it fears the polls will not be free and fair. Both parties are seeking a dialogue to end the impasse over the formation of a caretaker government to conduct the polls, but no headway has been made so far.

24 killed in Nigeria attacks

Lagos: At least 24 insurgents have been killed during an exchange of fire between Nigerian security forces and suspected terrorists in the pre-dawn attack on Maiduguri, a military statement said Monday.

Military locations, which included the Nigerian Air Force base in Maiduguri, were targeted during the attack, a statement from Chris Olukolade, director of defence information, said, adding the Nigerian security forces repelled the attack. 

He said three decommissioned military aircraft as well as two helicopters were incapacitated in the course of the attack.

'Security forces are in pursuit of the terrorists in the Djemtillo general area along the Maiduguri and Banishek axis,' the statement said. It added that movements in Maiduguri and environs had been restricted.

It also enjoined citizens to report any of the fleeing insurgents, most of whom could be identified with gunshot wounds.

Olukolade also said that normal flights operation in and out of the Maiduguri Airport which were earlier disrupted temporarily had resumed.

24 killed in Nigeria attacks

Lagos: At least 24 insurgents have been killed during an exchange of fire between Nigerian security forces and suspected terrorists in the pre-dawn attack on Maiduguri, a military statement said Monday.

Military locations, which included the Nigerian Air Force base in Maiduguri, were targeted during the attack, a statement from Chris Olukolade, director of defence information, said, adding the Nigerian security forces repelled the attack. 

He said three decommissioned military aircraft as well as two helicopters were incapacitated in the course of the attack.

'Security forces are in pursuit of the terrorists in the Djemtillo general area along the Maiduguri and Banishek axis,' the statement said. It added that movements in Maiduguri and environs had been restricted.

It also enjoined citizens to report any of the fleeing insurgents, most of whom could be identified with gunshot wounds.

Olukolade also said that normal flights operation in and out of the Maiduguri Airport which were earlier disrupted temporarily had resumed.