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20 students killed as train hits bus in Telangana
HYDERABAD: At least 20 students were killed and 10 injured when a school
bus carrying them collided with a train at a railway crossing in Medak
district of Telangana on Thursday, the police said.
The accident occurred at Masayipet in Veldurthi mandal of Medak
district, about 70 km from here, when the bus of a private school was
taking the students to the school located at Toopran.
As the bus was crossing the unmanned gate, Nanded-Secunderabad passenger
train hit the vehicle.
Driver of the bus was also killed. The toll could rise as many of the
injured are in a critical condition.
There were 30 children in the bus and it was proceeding to Toopran from
Islampur.
Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao expressed shock over the
accident. He directed officials to provide immediate and best treatment
to the injured.
Senior officials of South Central Railway have rushed to the scene.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu also expressed grief
over the tragic accident and asked Telugu Desam Party (TDP) cadre in
Telangana to participate in relief work. — IANS
China plans railway to India, Nepal borders by 2020
BEIJING: China plans to extend a railway line linking Tibet with the rest of the country to the
borders of India, Nepal and Bhutan by 2020 once an extension to a key site in
Tibetan Buddhism opens, a state-run newspaper reported
on Thursday.
China opened the railway to Tibet's capital Lhasa in 2006, which passes spectacular icy peaks on the Tibetan
highlands, touching altitudes as high as 5,000 metres (16,400 feet) above
sea level, as part of government efforts to boost development.
Critics of the railway, including exiled Tibetans and rights groups, say it has spurred an influx of
long-term migrants who threaten Tibetans' cultural integrity, which rests on Buddhist beliefs and a
traditional herding lifestyle.
The Global Times, published by the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily,
said that an extention to Shigatse, the traditional seat of Tibetan Buddhism's second-highest figure,
the Panchen Lama, would formally open next month.
That link is scheduled for its own extension during the 2016-2020 period to two separate points, one on the border
of Nepal and the other on the border with India and Bhutan, the newspaper cited Yang Yulin, deputy head of Tibet's
railways, assaying, without providing details. China has long mooted this plan, but the difficulty and
expense of building in such a rugged and remote region has
slowed efforts.
Tibet is a highly sensitive region, not just because of continued Tibetan opposition to Chinese control, but
because of its strategic position next to India, Nepal and Myanmar.
The Chinese announcement coincides with a drive by India, under its new prime minister Narendra Modi, to consolidate
its influence with its smaller neighbours.
Modi's foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, heads to Nepal on Friday with a proposed pact to help develop the Himalayan
country's hydro-electric power potential high on theagenda. Modi, who made his first foreign trip as prime
minister to Bhutan, is to visit Nepal next month.
But Nepal's opposition Maoists are uneasy about the hydro-electric plan and say it
could lock out China to the benefit of Indian companies. India and China fought a brief border war in 1962 over the
region at the eastern end of the Himalayas. The
nuclear-armed neighbours signed a pact in October to ensure that differences
on their shared border do not spark a confrontation.
India and China have competing claims over what India calls Arunachal Pradesh, which has been administered by India for
decades and what China calls South Tibet. China's Communist army occupied Tibet in 1950. Nine years
later, Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, fled to India after a failed uprising.-
Agencies
Army foils infiltration bid
at LoC in Jammu
JAMMU: An infiltration bid by heavily armed militants along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir has been foiled,
the police
said on Thursday.
Police sources told IANS here that a group of six to eight heavily armed militants tried to sneak into the Indian side
of the Line of Control (LoC) in Tarkundi area of Poonch district late Wednesday.
"Alert troops opened fire at the intruding militants, forcing them to flee back into the Pakistan side. The
firing continued for over half an hour," a police source said.
Searches are on in the area, the source added. – IANS
Commonwealth Games declared open after colourful but
touching ceremony
GLASGOW: The 2014 Commonwealth Games got off to a colourful start with some enthralling performances by singers Rod
Stewart, Susan Boyle and violinist Nicola Benedetti at the Celtic Park and a minute's silence for the victims of the
Malaysian Airlines crash here Wednesday.
The British Queen Elizabeth II declared the Games open after more than two hours of colourful ceremony that was
participated by some 2,000 cast members and 4,500 athletes from 71 nations and territories.
"The baton relay represents a calling together of people from every part of the Commonwealth and serves as a
reminder of our shared ideals and ambitions as a diverse, resourceful and cohesive family.
"And now, that baton has arrived here in Glasgow, a city renowned for its dynamic cultural and sporting achievements
and for the warmth of its people, for this opening ceremony of the Friendly Games," the Queen said in her speech.
During the ceremony, Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond called the crowd and athletes together to observe a
minute's silence in memory of the 298 people who died when flight MH17 crashed in the Ukraine.
The crowd also became emotional when comedian Billy Connolly via a video message reminded that this is the
first Commonwealth Games since the death of former South
African president Nelson Mandela.
Conolly also recounted how Mandela was awarded the the Freedom of the City by Glasgow in 1981 while he was still
in prison on Robben Island. In 1986 Glasgow renamed St George's Place - the street on which the South African
consulate-general was based - after Mandela.
The ceremony started with Star Wars actor Ewan McGregor opening proceedings with a pre-recorded video message
followed by jigs from Scottish actor John Barrowman and comedian Karen Dunbar.
Dunbar appeared in the crowd and marched down to stadium centre telling the crowd and the world that "we're a land
of inventors and poets and dreamers, we're enlightened, creative and fun."
Fittingly, Barrowman appeared from beneath a giant kilt aboard a tartan jeep decorated with some highland cow
horns.
The ceremony celebrated the diversity of Glasgow and what the city and Scotland have in common with the 70 other
competing nations.
From whisky, golf, Dolly the Sheep, marmalade, fountain pens and the Kelvin Scale, some of Scotland's finest
exports werr exhibited during the opening ceremony at the
Celtic Park, which is the home of Celtic Football Club.
The players' parade was led by India, by the virtue of being the previous hosts. London Olympics silver medallist Vijay Kumar proudly carried the tri-colour.
India's female atheltes were dressed in green sarees and sported the team blazer, the males proudly flaunted the red
turbans. India were followed by Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Malaysia, Pakistan and Brunei.
The Malaysian athletes sported black armbands and their nation's flag was at half mast in honour of the victims of
the national airline's two recent tragedies.
The contingents were led by a Scots representative wearing tweeds and walking a Scottie terrier in a jacket and
sporting the name of each country.
The parade ended with the current host, Team Scotland. At the end of the parade, athletes and team officials were
seated on the field of play, in the centre of the live show that followed.
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar from India, and a UNICEF goodwill star, in a pre-recorded message urged people to
donate generously for the development of the children of the world.
More than 4,500 sports persons from 71 Commonwealth nations will participated in the parade for the Games that will
showcase 17 disciplines over 11 days of competition. The closing ceremony will take place at Hampden Stadium Aug 3.
-IANS
Air Algerie plane with 116 people on board goes missing
ALGIERS: Authorities have lost contact with an Air Algerie flight en route from Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso to Algiers with 110 passengers
and six crew on board, Algeria's APS state news agency and a Spanish airline company said on Thursday.
APS said authorities lost contact with flight AH 5017 an hour after it took off from Burkina Faso, although other officials gave other timings, adding to confusion about the fate of the flight and where it might be.
Spanish private airline company Swiftair confirmed it had no contact with its MD-83 aircraft operated by Air Algerie, which it said was carrying 110 passengers and six crew.
The company said in a notice posted on its website that the aircraft took off from Burkina Faso at 0117 GMT and was supposed to land in Algiers at 0510 GMT but never reached its destination.
An Algerian aviation official said the last contact Algerian authorities had with a missing Air Algerie aircraft carrying 116 people from Burkina Faso to Algiers was at 0155 GMT, when it was flying over Gao, Mali.
Aviation authorities in Burkina say they handed the flight to the control tower in Niamey, Niger, at 1:38 am (0138 GMT). They said last contact with the flight was just after 4:30
am (0330 GMT).
Burkinabe authorities have set up a crisis unit in Ouagadougou airport to provide information to families of people on the flight.
A diplomat in the Malian capital Bamako said that the north of the country, which lies on the plane's likely flight path, was struck by a powerful sandstorm overnight.
Issa Saly Maiga, head of Mali's National Civil Aviation Agency, said that a search was underway for the missing flight.
"We do not know if the plane is in Malian territory," he told Reuters. "Aviation authorities are mobilised in all the countries concerned, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Algeria and even Spain."
Whatever is the fate of the flight, the loss of contact is likely to add the to jitters in the airline industry after a Malaysia Airlines plane was downed over Ukraine last week, a TransAsia Airways crashed off Taiwan during a thunderstorm on Wednesday and airlines cancelled flights into Tel Aviv due to the conflict in Gaza. — Reuters
Pak's 'daughter-in-law' Sania Mirza lacks credentials to be Telangana brand ambassador: BJP
HYDERABAD: Telangana BJP leader K Laxman on Thursday flayed the TRS government's decision to appoint tennis star Sania Mirza as brand ambassador of the newly carved-out state, terming her as "daughter-in-law" of Pakistan and questioning her credentials for the
honour.
Sania was born in Maharashtra and settled in Hyderabad only later and, hence, is a "non-local", he told reporters here and sought to dub her as "daughter-in-law" of Pakistan, pointing out that she was married to that country's cricketer Shoaib
Malik.
The 27-year-old tennis player had never participated in agitation for a separate state of
Telangana, said Laxman who is the leader of BJP in Telangana legislative Assembly.
Laxman accused the government of taking the step with an eye on the minority community votes in upcoming elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.
Handing over a grant of Rs 1 crore on Wednesday, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao appointed Sania as brand ambassador of Telangana and described her as a daughter of
Hyderabad.
"Telangana is proud of Sania who is a true Hyderabadi. She's now ranked number five in international tennis and we wish she becomes the number one," the Chief Minister had said on the occasion. — PTI
I am an Indian: Sania Mirza
HYDERABAD: Tennis star Sania Mirza Thursday insisted she was an Indian and will "remain an Indian until the end" after a BJP leader attacked the Telangana government for naming her the state's ambassador.
"I'm an Indian, who will remain an Indian until the end of my life. My family belongs to Hyderabad for more than a century and I strongly condemn any attempts by any person to brand me an outsider," Mirza said.
Mirza's statement came a day after Telangana BJP leader K. Laxman accused the state government of appointing Mirza its brand ambassador and giving her a grant.
Yatra to Kedarnath remains suspended
DEHRADUN: With the Rishikesh-Kedarnath National Highway blocked at Doliyadevi near Fata and intermittent rains continuing, district authorities today decided to keep the Kedarnath yatra suspended till July 26.
The highway to Kedarnath as well as the Guptkashi-Kalimath motor road is blocked by boulders following landslips and nearly half a dozen places in Kedar valley are being lashed by moderate showers.
In view of the weather situation, the district administration has decided to keep the yatra suspended till July 26, an official release here said.
Moderate rains are lashing Kedarnath, Linchauli, Bhimbali, Junglechatti and Gaurikund in the valley, it said.
However, the water levels of Alaknanda and Mandakini in Rudraprayag district are showing a receding trend with both of them flowing nearly five metres down the danger mark.
Yatra to Kedarnath had been suspended on July 16 amid a MeT department warning of heavy rains in the area.
Though suspended initially for three days only it has not been opened till now. However, yatra to Badrinath which resumed yesterday after nearly a week-long suspension continued with another batch of 140 pilgirms leaving Joshimath for the temple this morning.
The highway to the famous Himalayan shrine is open for both small and big vehicles, it said.
Yatra to Gangotri shrine is also going on uninterrupted with NH 108 which leads to the temple open for both big and small vehicles.
However, pilgrimage to Yamunotri was partially affected today with the highway to the temple open for vehicles only till
Janakichatti, the release
said. — PTI
US lawmakers ask FIBA to review its policy on Sikh turbans
WASHINGTON: Appalled by reports that Sikh players from India were asked to remove their turbans at an
international basketball match, top US lawmakers have
launched a campaign asking FIBA to review the discriminatory policy.
"We are concerned about recent reports indicating that Sikhs are not able to participate in International
Basketball Federation (FIBA) games while wearing a turban, which is essential to their faith, and ask you to change
this discriminatory policy," said a letter addressed to Yvan Mainini, FIBA president.
Led by Congressman Joe Crowley, the letter began circulating at the US Congress yesterday. Indian-American
Congressman Ami Bera has signed the letter as co-lead.
"We hope that you will carefully re-examine the existing policy with respect to Sikh turbans and support a change
when FIBA's Central Board next meets," the letter said. It would soon be sent to FIBA headquarters in Switzerland.
The letter says Sikh players participating within FIBA were told that their turbans violate Article 4.4.2 of FIBA's
official rules, which states that "Players shall not wear equipment (objects) that may cause injury to other
players." There is no evidence showing that a turban has been dangerous during basketball games or other popular
sports events, the Congressmen argue.
"In fact, there are many examples of Sikhs who have safely competed in basketball at many levels with their articles
of faith intact," the letter says.
The letter cited the example of Darsh Preet Singh who captained the basketball team at Trinity University while
maintaining his turban throughout a successful career at
the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
Singh has become a model of success for Sikhs across America and the world, and has shown that a Sikh turban
neither hinders nor endangers NCAA competitors, it said.
Federation International de Football Association (FIFA) recently changed its policies to allow Sikhs to wear
turbans while playing soccer.
Secretary General Jerome Valcke said in announcing the decision: "You cannot have discrimination," the letter
noted.
"Basketball is a beloved team sport that has the ability to bring people of all backgrounds together, regardless of
history, culture, language, and religion.
"In addition to becoming one of the most popular sports in many countries, basketball has come to exemplify how those
of diverse backgrounds can communicate, coordinate, and work together in pursuit of a shared goal," the letter
said.
"We believe that makes the basketball court the perfect venue to showcase the diversity of our world and the ways
in which sports bring people together," the Congressmen said. — PTI
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