Pakistan arrests 38 Indian fishermen for violating its waters

Karachi, Jan 23 (ANI): Pakistan maritime authorities arrested thirty eight Indian fishermen and took into custody their seven boats for illegal fishing in the country's territorial waters, police said. The fishermen, who were arrested on Wednesday, had been handed over to Docks Police Station in the port city of Karachi on Thursday for necessary legal action. The arrested fishermen have been charged under Foreign Act and Fisheries Act. Police will present them before a magistrate on Friday, who will send them to jail. The South Asian rivals frequently arrest each other's fishermen for encroachment. Fishermen from both the countries frequently stray into each other territory and end up spending years in their jails. Jan 23, 2015
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Court extends police custody of Beant Singh's assassin

Patiala, Jan 23 (ANI): A local court in Patiala city extended police custody of assassin of former Chief Minister of Punjab, Beant Singh. On January 06, Thai police arrested Gurmeet Singh, also known as Jagtar Singh Tara, a former member of the Babbar Khalsa International Sikh separatist group, convicted of involvement in a bomb attack in India two decades ago that killed 18 people, including Beant Singh. Tara's lawyer Baljinder Sodhi critcised the court's decision. Meanwhile, President of Shiromani Akali Dal, Simranjit Singh Mann and his party members protested against the extended police remand and shouted slogans outside the court premises. Tara was jailed for life in 2007 for his involvement in the 1995 attack outside a government complex in Chandigarh city. Jan 23, 2015
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Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah dies, Salman to take over charge

Saudi Arabia, Jan 23 (ANI): Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah died early on Friday at the age of 90, state television reported. According to a Royal Court statement carried on the Saudi Press Agency, Abdullah's successor was announced as 79 year old half brother, Prince Salman. Salman was Abdullah's crown prince and had recently taken on some of the ailing king's responsibilities. In late December, Abdullah was admitted to the hospital for medical tests. He had appeared during 2014 in a wheelchair and with an oxygen tube. King Salman has named his half brother Muqrin as his crown prince and heir. "His Highness Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and all members of the family and the nation mourn the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who passed away at exactly 1 a.m. this morning," said the statement. Jan 23, 2015
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Saudi King Abdullah dies, Salman is new ruler

Saudi Arabia's elderly King Abdullah dies and is replaced by his half-brother Salman as the absolute ruler of the world's top oil exporter and the spiritual home of Islam. Duration: 01:05 Jan 23, 2015

Court drops suicide charges against Irom Sharmila in Manipur

Imphal, Jan 23 (ANI): A court in Manipur dropped suicide charges against fasting human rights activist, Irom Sharmila who is on hunger strike for the last 14 years in protest against alleged army atrocities. In August last year, Sharmila, also known as the Iron Lady of Manipur, walked free from a prison hospital where doctors had force fed her to keep her alive after a trial judge found no evidence to support earlier charges filed by state prosecutors that she was trying to commit suicide by refusing food. However, within two days of release, she was arrested again. As soon as the news of Sharmila's release broke out, her supporters gathered outside the prison hospital where she was kept in custody. Jan 23, 2015

Cricket fraternity welcomes SC's verdict on IPL spot fixing case

Mumbai/ New Delhi, Jan 23 (ANI): Former Indian cricket board Chief Sharad Pawar hailed Supreme Court's verdict to debar incumbent board Chairman N Srinivasan, from re-contesting for the post on grounds of conflict of interest after delivering judgment in the spot fixing scam.Earlier, the court had relieved Srinivasan of his duties as president of the BCCI to ensure a fair probe into the scam, in which his son-in-law, Gurunath Meiyappan, was indicted for illegal betting in 2013. The BCCI said it would implement the court's verdict and elect a new president within six weeks. Former Cricketer Kirti Azad lauded the judgment, adding that he would move court against state units for alleged financial bungling. Jan 23, 2015
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Villagers in Jharkhand bear the brunt of Maoists' internecine fights

Palamu, Jan 23 (ANI): Residents of Kauria village in Palamu district of Jharkhand face social boycott after two Maoist rebel groups fought pitched battles last August. Kauria villagers are being ostracised by the neighbouring villages on suspicion of sheltering Maoist rebels, a charge they vehemently deny. Villagers claim that it is hard to find suitors and brides for the youth as nobody is willing to maintain relations with them. An encounter between two Maoist outfits -- Communist Party of India (Maoist) (CPI-M) and its splinter group Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC) -- left 16 people dead. The village also lacks basic necessary infrastructure like schools etc, she added. Residents of Kauria live in a perpetual fear as they feel that the police have been lax in conducting patrolling in the area and have not come to check on the people ever since the last encounter took place. Jan 23, 2015
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No date set to reopen US, Cuba embassies

US and Cuban officials did not set dates to reopen their embassies during historic talks but agreed to meet again on the issue, officials say. Duration: 00:42 Jan 23, 2015
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Cameroon raid frees German hostage held by Boko Haram

Cameroon said its forces have freed a German hostage kidnapped six months ago in Nigeria by Boko Haram, as African leaders appealed to the United Nations for support in fighting the Islamist militants. Duration: 00:37 Jan 23, 2015
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Doomsday Clock moves two minutes closer to midnight

A group of prominent scientists and Nobel laureates say climate change and the danger of nuclear war pose an ever-growing threat to civilization and are bringing the world closer to doomsday. Duration: 00:46 Jan 23, 2015

Heavily-indebted Air France confirms fresh job cuts

Air France confirmed Thursday it plans to offer new voluntary departure incentives to 800 ground personnel and cabin crew as the heavily-indebted French airline moves forward with new restructuring measures. Duration: 00:58 Jan 23, 2015
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Bloody bus attack in Donetsk as troops abandon airport

At least 41 people were killed in Ukraine's east Thursday, one of the deadliest days in the separatist war, with a bloody bus shelling in Donetsk as government forces abandoned their defence of the city's strategic airport. Duration: 00:40 Jan 23, 2015