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Tuesday, February 23, 2010 BANGALORE: At least nine people were killed, some as they jumped from windows, when flames engulfed a multi-storey building Tuesday in India's software capital of Bangalore, fire officials said. Fifty others were injured, some critically, in the blaze which broke out in the seven-storey Carlton Towers in the afternoon, Bangalore city's fire chief D.G. Chengappa told a foreign news agency. "The dead include three women," Chengappa said. Some of the victims died after leaping from upper stories of the building, the officer said, and added that others died of smoke inhalation. People trapped in the fire smashed windows for fresh air as smoke billowed through the upscale office complex which housed restaurants and several small software companies. Some office workers fled the building by sliding down makeshift ropes. The blaze was doused after several hours. Officials could give no immediate reason for the fire but some televisio...

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 SEVILLE: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been attending bilateral talks with Spain, became the target of a shoe-throwing attack on Monday night in the city of Seville. Erdogan had been attending a ceremony where he was awarded by the NODO Foundation for his "contribution to the development of intercultural relations". On leaving the venue, the local mayoral residence, the Turkish Prime Minister was approached by an unidentified man shouting: "Long live an independent Kurdistan!" The man then threw a shoe at Erdogan, which missed its target, hitting a nearby car instead. The assailant was promptly arrested. He is reported to be a Syrian national living illegally in Spain, and, as such, now faces the prospect of deportation. In many Muslim countries, to throw a shoe at a person is considered a gesture of contempt and hatred. The political precedent for this type of protest was set by the Iraqi journalist, M...

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 JAKARTA: Police say at least 60 tea plantation workers have been buried by a landslide in Indonesia. Bandung District Police Chief Lt. Col. Imron Yunus says the landslide Tuesday was triggered by heavy rain in the mountainous village of Ciwidey in West Java province. He could not say whether any deaths have been confirmed. Media reports say five people have been confirmed dead and 50others are missing.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 NEW DELHI: Last week's MiG accident in West Bengal has reportedly prompted the Indian Air Force (IAF) to ground a fleet of over 100 MiG-27s. As per various media reports, an engine snag is suspected behind the accident and the IAF has grounded the fleet in order to carry out checks. The fleet will be allowed to fly again only after the checks have been completed. Since Jan 2001, India has lost about 12 Russian-made MiG-27 fighter planes. The R-29 engines of the aircraft is seen as the main reason behind the ever increasing number of accidents.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 MUMBAI: It must be the World's most bizarre selection of vehicles. The snooker table, tennis ball and cricket bat are guaranteed to turn heads as they speed you home at up to 50km per hour. Designer Kanyaboyina Sudhakar made this life-size snooker table-styled motorcar to measure for the world's finest players. The 48-year-old designed the vehicle to the exact dimensions of a standard International snooker table and fitted it with a 150cc engine. Complete with head lights, indicators, suspension and steering the radical vehicle can drive at speeds of up to 50km an hour. 'I designed this to commemorate the World Snooker Championships and when I took it there all the players used it,' said Kanyaboyina. 'I like to make cars for occasions, like the cricket bat to cheer on our team in the world cup.' Kanyaboyina started designing outrageous vehicles as a student 25 years ago. He scours scrap yards for all his materials, in...

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 TEHRAN: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned on Tuesday Iran would "cut off the hands" of anyone who attacked the country. "No power can harm Iran ... The Iranian nation will chop off the hands from the arm of any attacker from any part of the world," Ahmadinejad said in a televised speech in eastern Khorasan-e Jonubi province. The United States and its allies are seeking to intensify U.N. sanctions on Iran over the country's disputed nuclear programme, which the West fears is intended to build nuclear weapons. Iran has denied this. Iran has repeatedly condemned the military presence of the U.S. and its allies in neighbouring countries. Washington and Israel do not rule out military action against Iran over the nuclear issue.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has warned that his country is now under a permanent and increased threat of militant attack. He also announced plans to fingerprint and face-scan visitors from 10 high-risk countries. Mr Rudd said there was a growing threat from Islamist radicals born or raised in Australia. Last week, five Australians of foreign origin received heavy sentences for conspiring to launch a jihadist attack. Mr Rudd said that many "home-grown terrorists" were inspired by what he called international jihadist narratives, as he released a new report compiled by intelligence agencies. "The threat of home-grown terrorism is now increasing," he said. "This white paper is clear: some of the threat we now face comes from the Australian-born, Australian-educated and Australian residents." "Terrorism continues to pose a serious threat and a serious challenge to Australia's security interes...