The Tribune – 5 Nihangs injured in clash

Gurdeep Singh Mann, Tribune News Service

Bathinda, April 17. In yet another clash between two groups fighting over the headship of the Budha Dal, five Nihangs were injured at Talwandi Sabo this morning. Heavy police force was deployed at Talwandi Sabo and the Civil Hospital, Bathinda, where the injured were brought. A case has been registered against eight persons.

Talwandi Sabo SHO Paramjit Singh said those hospitalised were being treated for splinter injuries. They were identified as Jeet Singh of Karnal, Mehal Singh of Sangrur, Sukhwinder Singh of Nagra village near Sunam, Baba Bahadur Singh of Boparai village near Ludhiana and Harjinder Singh of Amritsar.

Those booked are Jaspal Jassa of Talwandi Sabo, his brother Sukhwinder, their father Jugraj Singh, Baldev Singh of Dhoti village near Amritsar, Darshan Singh of Patiala, Arjun Dev of Mehma Sirja village in Bathinda, Chamkaur Singh of Seka village in Barnala and Dinesh Rai of Rewari in Haryana.The incident occurred near Gill Dhaba that is owned by a Nihang.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120418/punjab.htm#8

The Tribune – Akali sarpanch among 9 booked for murder; Victim was beaten up after a road rage incident

Aman Sood, Tribune News Service

Patiala, April 17. A young property dealer had died after he was mercilessly beaten up allegedly by a former SAD sarpanch and his nine associates, including the sarpanch’s son, following a minor road rage incident here on Sunday night.

Before kidnapping, the sarpanch and his son openly fired in the air to scare onlookers.

The police was unaware of the incident till Monday morning when the victim was found abandoned near Baran village in a critically condition by his relatives. He was rushed to a private hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

The deceased has been identified as Tejinder Singh (30), a resident of Ranjit Nagar here. He is survived by his wife and a two-year-old daughter.

Victim’s cousin Jagjit Singh said, “When I was going to drop Tejinder at his home, a motorcycle hit my car near Seona road and we had a verbal spat with the biker. Suddenly, some of his friends reached the spot and started hitting us. A little later, Harbans Singh accompanied by his son and others also reached the spot in two cars and fired in the air twice. They started hitting us and forcibly put Tejinder in their car. I managed to escape from the spot.”

Tripuri SHO Karan Sher Singh said that the victim died due to injuries inflicted using a screwdriver or a poker. “We are yet to arrest the accused”, he said.

Family members and relatives of the victim alleged that the police had failed to act even after kidnappers fired shots and openly kidnapped Tejinder. “Police is shielding the accused as the main accused is very close to a former MLA and with his connivance the accused are absconding along with their weapons,” alleged relatives of Tejinder, who was the only son of his parents.

The police has registered a case under Sections 302, 364, 309, 148, 149 and the Arms Act against Jatinder Singh, his brother Sapinder Singh, Gurdeep Singh, Bhajan Singh, Harpreet Singh, Harbans Singh Lang, Amritpal Singh, Gursewak Singh, Dharampal Singh and Harpreet Singh.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120418/punjab.htm#13

The Hindu – Withdraw troops from Siachen: Sharif

‘Pakistan should take the initiative even if India is not flexible’ 

Anita Joshua  Islamabad, April 17, 2012. The former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, urged India and Pakistan on Tuesday to withdraw their troops from the Siachen glacier, the world’s highest battlefield where the vagaries of nature claimed more lives than actual fighting.

Mr. Sharif also made out a case for Pakistan taking the initiative after visiting the Gayari sector of the glacier where round-the-clock efforts are on to dig out the bodies of the 124 soldiers of 6 Northern Light Infantry and 11 civilians buried under 80 feet of snow dislodged by an avalanche on April 7.

He is the first politician to make it to the site of the natural calamity that has left the nation pondering over the futility of manning the glacier, where not a blade of grass grows but billions have been spent by both countries to secure their northern-most frontiers. President Asif Ali Zardari was to have visited Gayari on Monday, but aborted his plans because of bad weather.

Speaking to journalists at Skardu after returning from Gayari, Mr. Sharif said the two countries should resolve the differences over Siachen and use the money more productively, for the development of the people.

Asked who should take the first step, he said Pakistan should take the initiative even if India was not flexible. Islamabad has long held that the Siachen dispute is a low-hanging fruit on the list of issues that need to be resolved between the two countries. Members of the security establishment argue that it is unfortunate that India is not agreeing to go back to the pre-1984 position first and then discuss the border demarcation further north of NJ 9842.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article3325261.ece?homepage=true

Sint-Truiden – Antwerpen – Den Haag 24 March 2012

I was meant to attend a meeting in Den Haag on Saturday 24 March, but it was cancelled at the last moment. I decided to go to Den Haag anyway to pay a quick visit to my family members there.

Brussel Zuid – Thalys
The two Highspeed EMUs on the foreground are for Bourg-St-Maurice
The Thalys train behind it is for Paris

Brussel Zuid – Thalys
Ski train to Bourg-St-Maurice

Brussel Zuid – Thalys
Two Thalys Highspeed EMUs to Bourg-St-Maurice
Thalys Highspeed EMU to Paris behind it

Brussel Zuid – Thalys
Thalys Highspeed EMU Province de Liège

Brussel Zuid – Thalys
Ski train to Bourg-St-Maurice

To see more Belgium and Netherlands public transport pictures :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157622685920411/

More Belgium pictures to follow
Harjinder Singh
Man in Blue

The Tribune – Death toll rises to 10; Rescue operation may continue for three more days

Dharmendra Joshi, Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, April 17. The death toll in the Jalandhar building collapse incident has risen to 10 while the count of those rescued from the rubble has touched 60. A number of workers were still feared trapped inside even as rescue operations were on.

The rescue operation for removing debris from the site gained momentum today morning, a few hours ahead of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s visit to the site at 2.15 pm. While six bodies had been extricated so far, four had been spotted under the collapsed building by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel. Efforts were on to extricate them.

Two bodies were extricated on Monday while four were pulled out from the debris today.

The Army and NDRF teams also succeeded in rescuing three workers alive from the debris between 10.30 pm on Monday and 6.58 am on Tuesday.

Satinder Kumar, a labourer, was rescued at 10.30 pm yesterday after remaining trapped for about 23 hours. Two more migrants, Vinod and Vir Davinder, were brought out at 5.40 am and 6.58 am, respectively, today.

The rescue work continued entire Monday night but for two hours when it was halted at 2 pm due to rain.

As many as six JCB machines, 14 tippers and 150 Jalandhar Municipal Corporation men are engaged in removing the rubble.

Municipal Commissioner BS Dhaliwal said, “It will take at least three more days to remove the debris.”

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120418/punjab.htm#1

BBC News – US to ease some Burma sanctions to encourage reforms

Tuesday 17 April 2012. The United States is to relax some financial sanctions against Burma.

It will now allow financial transactions in support of certain humanitarian and non-profit activities.

The US treasury department made the announcement on Tuesday, as part of attempts to reward democratic reforms that are under way in the country.

Financial restrictions on sporting ties and “non-commercial development projects directly benefiting the Burmese people” will also be lifted.

It is the latest stage in a gradual easing of international pressure on Burma.

The process of reform began with the election of a military-backed but nominally civilian government in November 2010 that ended decades of military rule.

That was followed by 1 April by-elections which returned a number of opposition politicians to the country’s parliament.

Earlier this month US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who visited Burma in December last year, said some travel and financial restrictions would be relaxed, with Burmese leaders allowed to visit the US.

Under the moves, the US will name an ambassador to Burma and establish an office for its US Agency for International Development (USAID) in the country.

Reformers ‘strengthened’

On Monday Australia announced it would ease travel and financial restrictions on about 260 Burmese nationals, including President Thein Sein.

Australia’s announcement came after the British Prime Minister David Cameron said in Burma on Friday that the UK was considering suspending sanctions.

Mr Cameron said economic sanctions against Burma should be suspended in recognition of the changes taking place there, after meeting both the president and pro-democracy leader Aung Sung Suu Kyi.

Ms Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy (NLD) party won 43 seats in this month’s by-elections, welcomed his call and said the suspension of sanctions would “strengthen the hand of the reformers”.

Mr Cameron was the first UK prime minister to visit Burma since it gained independence in 1948.

Later this month the European Union will discuss easing some of the sanctions it has in place against the Burmese government – although there is no suggestion at this point that restrictions on arms sales will be lifted.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-17749400