SYDNEY: Retired Australian spin bowler, Shane Warne suffered a snakebite after dipping his head into a box full of reptiles, in a reality show. A promo clip for the show 'I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!' shows the 46 year old being nipped on his head by an anaconda. A Network Ten spokesperson said, “The juvenile anaconda is the one that actually struck Shane. It's non-venomous but very aggressive. Anacondas have 100 rear-facing teeth. Being bitten by one is like getting 100 hypodermic needles at once.” Executive producer Stephen Tate said, “Shane has made no secret that snakes are one of his greatest fears so it's amazing that after being bitten he bravely continued with the trial.”
Indian-origin student’s charity honoured in US
NEW YORK: An eighth-grade student of Indian-origin has been honoured in Hartford, US, for his efforts to help underprivileged students in the US and around the world with his charity organisation. Ishaan Patel, founder of Planting Pencils, was recently honoured by the Milan Cultural Organisation during the Republic Day celebration in the legislative office building in downtown Hartford. President of Milan Cultural Organisation, Suresh Sharma said, “The goals of our organisation are to let the values of our culture and heritage contribute to the strength of America, and for us to all be productive participants in the civic and social issues of the bigger community.” Sharma and directors of the organisation were impressed with the teenager's efforts to tackle global education problems.
Hindu head priest hacked to death in Bangladesh
DHAKA: A Hindu head priest in Bangladesh was hacked to death by suspected Islamists wielding a gun and a cleaver at a temple, in the latest attack on religious minorities in the country. Over three motorbike-borne unidentified assailants pelted stones at the house of 50-year-old Jajneshwar Roy in the Santagourhiyo Temple in northern Panchagarh district. “They first hurled stones at the temple which prompted him to come out to see what actually happened. The killers then pounced on him and slit his throat,” said a devotee. Two devotees were also injured as the suspects fled the scene, firing gunshots and hurling crude bombs to avoid being chased.
Baghdadi surfaces after 18 months
LONDON: Fresh footage of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has come to light, showing the IS leader making a rare public appearance and talking to children at a mosque in Iraqi city of Fallujah. Broadcast on a local Iraqi channel, the images are yet to be verified. Analysts at the Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium said one of the other men in the footage is Baghdadi's “body double”. The IS supremo's well-being has always been under speculation. In October, last year, it was believed that he had been seriously wounded in an Iraqi airstrike on his convoy. The United States has put a $10 million bounty on his head.
Indian goes missing from daughter's US wedding
CALIFORNIA: Sacramento Sheriff's Department said they have indefinitely suspended their search for a man who travelled from India to Northern California to attend his daughter's wedding celebration, and went missing during the reception. Family members reported 55 year old Prasad Moparti missing after he left on foot from the reception and never returned. Deputies searched by ground and air, and in the water in the area surrounding the event hall in the Sacramento Delta where the reception took place. Family members informed authorities that Moparti suffered from depression and had seemed depressed leading up to the wedding. The Department said there's no evidence of foul play.
Sharif, Modi likely to meet in Washington next month
Islamabad: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Washington next month, on the sidelines of a nuclear summit hosted by US President Barack Obama, said a media report. Both the leaders have accepted the US president's invitation for the summit to be held on March 31 and April 1. “The chances are strong, very strong. But you know the history of India-Pakistan talks, you cannot be certain about an event until it has happened,” an official said. It will be the first time both, Indian and Pakistani premiers will attend the nuclear security summit, which President Obama initiated in 2010.
Harvard sued for forcing pupil to live with her sexual assaulter
NEW YORK: A lawsuit has been filed against Harvard University, by a graduate who claims to have been sexually assaulted by a fellow student and then forced by the administration to live in the same dorm as her attacker. She has accused the institution of failing to protect her and of creating a culture of silence about sexual violence. Former student Alyssa Leader filed a lawsuit in United States district court in Massachusetts, seeking a jury trial for unspecified damages. In a telephone interview she said she was trying to raise awareness about what she described as Harvard's inadequacy in handling sexual assault cases. “The main thing that I want to see is accountability. No one should have to live in fear of their safety. I should not have had to live with my abuser. They should have done something to separate us,” she said.
Indian-origin Sikh appointed Kuala Lumpur police chief
KUALA LUMPUR: In the highest police rank achieved by a Sikh in Malaysia, an Indian-origin Sikh officer has been appointed Kuala Lumpur's Commissioner of Police. Amar Singh will replace Tajuddin Mohamed, who will take up as the deputy director of commercial CID, on March 14. Singh was deputy director of CID when his new appointment was announced.
Virat Kohli's Pakistani fan's bail plea dismissed
LAHORE: A Pakistani court has dismissed the bail plea of 22 year old Umar Draz, who was arrested on treason charges for hoisting the Indian flag atop his house. An avid fan of ace Indian cricketer Virat Kohli, Draz now faces an imprisonment of up to 10 years for hoisting the Indian flag at his house in Okara district in Punjab province. The accused's counsel Aamir Bhatti said, “We are disappointed and will challenge the decision in the session's court.” Police officer Aziz Cheema had said in his report that no evidence was found that Draz had committed “treason”, yet, district court judge Anique Anwar dismissed his bail plea. Bhatti said his client was innocent and had committed the mistake without knowing the implications. “This is not a case in which someone was hoisting the flag of any country for its love. During football World Cup matches people here used to hoist Brazil and Argentina flags and nobody minds it because the gesture is seen in a sports perspective. This is a similar case,” he said.
Six killed in random shootings in US, suspect in custody
KALAMAZOO: Yet another gunman went on a shooting spree, killing six people and wounding two, this time, in Kalamazoo county, Michigan. Suspect Jason Dalton, 45, opened fire outside an apartment complex, a Kia car dealership and a Cracker Barrel restaurant for over a little more than four hours. The police said Dalton, who has no criminal record, is in custody, and was “even tempered” when he was arrested. They also mentioned that the victims were selected at random. A semi-automatic pistol was found inside Dalton's vehicle. The police also said surveillance video from businesses let to a description of his vehicle.
