Lok Sabha Elections 2014 - MP Candidates List fro...

Punjab News Weekly: Lok Sabha Elections 2014 - MP Candidates List fro...: Chandigarh - There are total 13 parliamentary constituencies in Punjab i.e. there are total 13 lok sabha seats in Punjab. Each parliam...

21 left in fray for Sangrur Lok Sabha seat for 16t...

Punjab News Weekly: 21 left in fray for Sangrur Lok Sabha seat for 16t...: Sangrur is one of the 13 parliamentary constituencies in Punjab. Its constituency number is 12. The next elections in Sangrur will be held ...

ਲੋਕ ਸਭਾ ਚੋਣਾਂ ਲਈ ਤਿਆਰੀਆਂ ਮੁਕੰਮਲ-ਡੀ. ਸੀ. ਸੰਗਰੂਰ

Punjab News Weekly: ਲੋਕ ਸਭਾ ਚੋਣਾਂ ਲਈ ਤਿਆਰੀਆਂ ਮੁਕੰਮਲ-ਡੀ. ਸੀ. ਸੰਗਰੂਰ: ਸੰਗਰੂਰ, 24 ਅਪ੍ਰੈਲ - ਜ਼ਿਲ੍ਹਾ ਜ਼ੋਨ ਰਿਟਰਨਿੰਗ ਅਫ਼ਸਰ ਕਮ ਡਿਪਟੀ ਕਮਿਸ਼ਨਰ ਸੰਗਰੂਰ ਕਵਿਤਾ ਸਿੰਘ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ 30 ਅਪ੍ਰੈਲ ਨੂੰ ਹੋ ਰਹੀਆਂ ਲੋਕ ਸਭਾ ਚੋਣਾਂ ...

Queen Elizabeth releases new portrait for 88th birthday

LONDON - A portrait of Queen Elizabeth by renowned British photographer David Bailey was unveiled today to mark the monarch's 88th birthday.

The black-and-white photograph, taken at Buckingham Palace in March, was released on Twitter, too.

It shows the queen smiling broadly, and captures the "granny" aspect of her often impassive-in-public personna. Bailey described his subject as a "very strong woman" with "very kind eyes with a mischievous glint."

Britain's monarchy and royal history is one of the biggest drivers of its strong tourism industry.

She is pictured wearing pearls, and a dress by Angela Kelly, her personal assistant and senior dresser to her since 2002, according to the BBC. The queen sent Kelly to help granddaughter-in-law Duchess Kate of Cambridge prepare her wardrobe for her three-week tour of Down Under, which has been a huge success so far with one week to go.

The queen's portrait, unveiled today for the queen's birthday on Monday, was commissioned for a government campaign to promote Britain's heritage and tourism to potential visitors abroad.

The queen has been painted or photographed literally countless times, especially around the Diamond Jubilee in 2012 when she celebrated 60 years on her throne.

Her birthday is celebrated twice a year: Her actual one on Apr. 21 is celebrated privately, while a public ceremony in June (when the weather is usually better) marks the occasion with a Trooping the Colour parade in London that is a favourite of the tourists.

Vaisakhi 2014 Surrey Khalsa Parade Draws 240,000 People

ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਡੇਅ ਪਰੇਡ ਮੌਕੇ ਕੇਸਰੀ ਰੰਗ 'ਚ ਰੰਗਿਆ ਸਰੀ 

ਵੈਨਕੂਵਰ/ਸਰੀ, 20 ਅਪ੍ਰੈਲ-ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਦੀ ਧਰਤੀ 'ਤੇ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਦੇ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਸੰਘਣੀ ਵਸੋਂ ਵਾਲੇ ਸ਼ਹਿਰ ਸਰੀ 'ਚ ਅੱਜ 'ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਡੇਅ ਪਰੇਡ' ਦਾ ਵਿਸ਼ਾਲ ਪੱਧਰ 'ਤੇ ਆਯੋਜਨ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ | ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਸਾਜਨਾ ਦਿਹਾੜੇ ਨੂੰ ਸਮਰਪਿਤ ਇਸ ਨਗਰ ਕੀਰਤਨ ਵਿਚ ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਅਤੇ ਅਮਰੀਕਾ ਦੇ ਵੱਖ-ਵੱਖ ਸ਼ਹਿਰਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਇਲਾਵਾ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਤੋਂ ਵੀ ਨਾਮਵਰ ਸਿੱਖ ਸ਼ਖ਼ਸੀਅਤਾਂ ਸ਼ਾਮਿਲ ਹੋਈਆਂ | ਸਰੀ ਰੌਇਲ ਕੈਨੇਡੀਅਨ ਮੌਾਟੇਡ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਜਾਰੀ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਡੇਅ ਪਰੇਡ 'ਚ ਦੋ ਲੱਖ ਚਾਲੀ ਹਜ਼ਾਰ ਦੇ ਕਰੀਬ ਲੋਕ ਪੁੱਜੇ ਅਤੇ ਸੈਂਕੜਿਆਂ ਦੀ ਗਿਣਤੀ 'ਚ ਫੂਡ ਸਟਾਲ ਸੰਗਤਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਲੰਗਰ ਛਕਾਉਣ ਵਾਸਤੇ ਲਾਏ ਗਏ | ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਦਸਮੇਸ਼ ਦਰਬਾਰ ਸਰੀ ਤੋਂ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਦੀ ਛਤਰ-ਛਾਇਆ ਹੇਠ ਸਜਾਏ ਨਗਰ ਕੀਰਤਨ 'ਚ ਕੈਨੇਡੀਅਨ ਫ਼ੌਜ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਸਨਮਾਨ ਉਸ ਵੇਲੇ ਇਤਿਹਾਸਕ ਹੋ ਨਿਬੜਿਆ, ਜਦੋਂ ਤੋਪ ਤੇ ਬਖ਼ਤਰਬੰਦ ਫ਼ੌਜੀ ਗੱਡੀਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਕੈਨੇਡੀਅਨ ਜਰਨੈਲਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਮਾਰਚ ਪਾਸਟ ਕਰਦਿਆਂ ਸਲਾਮੀ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਗਈ | ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਦੇ ਕੇਂਦਰੀ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਟਿਮ ਉੱਪਲ, ਮੰਤਰੀ ਐਡ ਫਾਸਟ, ਬੀ. ਸੀ. ਦੀ ਮੁੱਖ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਕ੍ਰਿਸਟੀ ਕਲਾਰਕ, ਵਿਰੋਧੀ ਧਿਰ ਦੇ ਆਗੂ ਏਡਰੀਅਨ ਡਿਕਸ, ਸ਼ਹਿਰ ਦੀ ਮੇਅਰ ਡਾਇਨਾ ਵਾਟਸ, ਸਾਂਸਦ ਨਰਿੰਦਰ ਕੌਰ ਗਰੇਵਾਲ, ਵਿਰੋਧ ਧਿਰ ਐਮ. ਪੀ. ਜਸਬੀਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਸੰਧੂ, ਜਿੰਨੀ ਸਿਮਜ਼ ਬਹੁਤ ਸਾਰੇ ਸੂਬਾਈ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਅਤੇ ਐਮ. ਐਲ. ਏ., ਅਮਰੀਕ ਸਿੰਘ ਵਿਰਕ, ਹੈਰੀ ਬੈਂਸ, ਰਾਜ ਚੌਹਾਨ ਅਤੇ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਸਾਂਸਦਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਇਲਾਵਾ ਗੁਰਮੰਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਗਰੇਵਾਲ, ਸੁੱਖ ਧਾਲੀਵਾਲ, ਜਗਰੂਪ ਸਿੰਘ ਬਰਾੜ, ਉੱਘੀ ਫ਼ਿਲਮ ਨਿਰਦੇਸ਼ਕਾ ਦੀਪਾ ਮਹਿਤਾ ਵੀ ਕੀਰਤਨ 'ਚ ਸ਼ਾਮਿਲ ਹੋਏ | ਸਰੀ ਦੀਆਂ ਸੜਕਾਂ 'ਤੇ ਕਈ ਕਿਲੋਮੀਟਰ ਤੱਕ ਕੇਸਰੀ ਦਸਤਾਰਾਂ ਤੇ ਦੁਪੱ ਟਿਆਂ ਦੇ ਠਾਠਾਂ ਮਾਰਦੇ ਇਕੱਠ ਨਾਲ ਸ਼ਹਿਰ ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾਈ ਰੰਗ 'ਚ ਰੰਗਿਆ ਪ੍ਰਤੀਤ ਹੋ ਰਿਹਾ ਸੀ | ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ਦਸਮੇਸ਼ ਨਗਰ ਦੀ ਮੁੱਖ ਸਟੇਜ 'ਤ ਸ਼ਹੀਦ ਜਸਵੰਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਖਾਲੜਾ ਦੇ ਸਪੁੱਤਰ ਭਾਈ ਦਮਨਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਨੂੰ ਕੌਮੀ ਸਨਮਾਨ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਗਿਆ | ਇਸ ਤੋਂ ਇਲਾਵਾ ਭਾਈ ਜਗਾ ਸਿੱਘ ਜੋਗੀ ਕਵੀਸ਼ਰ ਦੇ ਦੋ ਪਰਿਵਾਰਕ ਮੈਂਬਰ ਸਿੱਖ ਸੰਘਰਸ਼ 'ਚ ਸ਼ਹੀਦ ਹੋਣ ਕਰਕੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸਨਮਾਨਿਤ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ | ਇਸ ਮੌਕੇ 'ਤੇ ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਡੇਅ ਪਰੇਡ 'ਚ ਵਧੇਰੇ ਫਲੋਟ ਵੀ 1984 ਦੇ ਸ਼ਹੀਦੀ ਸਾਕੇ ਨੂੰ ਸਮਰਪਿਤ ਕੀਤੇ ਗਏ | ਸਿੱਖ ਮੋਟਰਸਾਈਕਲ ਕਲੱਬ, ਸਿੱਖ ਅਕੈਡਮੀ, ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਸਕੂਲ ਸਰੀ, ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਸੈਂਟਰ ਐਬਸਫਰੋਡ, ਗੁਰੂ ਅੰਗਦ ਦੇਵ ਐਲੀਮੈਂਟਰੀ ਸਕੂਲ, ਵਿਕਟੋਰੀਆ ਸਕੂਲ ਅਤੇ ਸ਼ਹੀਦ ਬਾਬਾ ਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ ਗਤਕਾ ਅਖਾੜਾ ਦੇ ਬੱ ਚਿਆਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਗਤਕੇ ਦੇ ਜੌਹਰ ਵਿਖਾਏ ਗਏ, ਜਦ ਕਿ ਐਡਵਾਂਸ ਲਰਨਿੰਗ ਸੈਂਟਰ ਦੇ 'ਦਸਤਾਰ ਸਜਾਉਣ' ਵਾਲੇ ਸਟਾਲ ਉੱਪਰ ਸੈਂਕੜੇ ਵਿਅਕਤੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਪੱਗਾਂ ਬੰਨ੍ਹੀਆਂ ਗਈਆਂ | ਨਗਰ ਕੀਰਤਨ 'ਚ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ ਤੌਰ 'ਤੇ ਪੁੱਜੇ ਸਿੰਘ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਭਾਈ ਰਾਮ ਸਿੰਘ ਮੁਖੀ ਦਮਦਮੀ ਟਕਸਾਲ, ਭਾਈ ਸ਼ਿਵਤੇਗ ਸਿੰਘ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਮੁੱਖ ਗ੍ਰੰਥੀ ਬੰਗਲਾ ਸਾਹਿਬ, ਢਾਡੀ ਗਿ: ਤਰਲੋਚਨ ਸਿੰਘ ਭਮੱਦੀ, ਭਾਈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖ ਸਿੰਘ ਵਲਟੋਹਾ ਅਤੇ ਬਹੁਤ ਸਾਰੇ ਨਾਮਵਰ ਕਵੀਸ਼ਰੀ ਅਤੇ ਕੀਰਤਨੀ ਜਥੇ ਸ਼ਾਮਿਲ ਸਨ | ਗੋਰੇ ਤੋਂ ਸਿੰਘ ਸਜੇ ਭਾਈ ਹਰੀ ਨਾਮ ਸਿੰਘ ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਅੰਗਰੇਜ਼ੀ 'ਚ ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਸਾਜਨਾ ਦਿਹਾੜੇ ਬਾਰੇ ਦਿੱਤੇ ਵਿਚਾਰਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਨੌਜਵਾਨ ਕੈਨੇਡੀਅਨ ਪੀੜ੍ਹੀ ਬੇਹੱਦ ਪ੍ਰਭਾਵਿਤ ਹੋਈ | 21 ਫਲੋਟਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਸਜਾਏ ਸਰੀ ਨਗਰ ਕੀਰਤਨ 'ਚ ਮੌਸਮ ਖ਼ਰਾਬੀ ਦੇ ਬਾਵਜੂਦ ਲਗਾਤਾਰ 7 ਘੰਟੇ ਤੱਕ ਲੱਖਾਂ ਸਿੱਖ ਸੰਗਤਾਂ ਨੇ ਭਰਪੂਰ ਹਾਜ਼ਰੀ ਲੁਆਈ | ਲੋਅਰ ਮੈਨਲੈਂਡ ਦੀਆਂ ਸਾਰੀਆਂ ਪੰਥਕ ਸੁਸਾਇਟੀਆਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਇਕਮੁੱਟ ਹੋ ਕੇ ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਡੇਅ ਪਰੇਡ ਨੂੰ ਸਫ਼ਲ ਬਣਾਇਆ ਗਿਆ | ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਦਸਮੇਸ਼ ਦਰਬਾਰ ਸਰੀ ਦੇ ਮੁੱਖ ਸੇਵਾਦਾਰ ਸ: ਗਿਆਨ ਸਿੰਘ ਗਿੱਲ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਨਗਰ ਕੀਰਤਨ 'ਚ ਪੁੱਜਣ ਅਤੇ ਸਹਿਯੋਗ ਦੇਣ ਵਾਲੀਆਂ ਸਮੂਹ ਸੰਸਥਾਵਾਂ ਦਾ ਧੰਨਵਾਦ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ |

Haryana’s biggest khap panchayat scripts history, allows inter-caste marriages

CHANDIGARH: Scripting history by bringing about changes in the norms pertaining to marriages, Haryana's biggest khap panchayat called by Satrol khap in Hisar on Sunday gave a go-ahead to inter-caste marriages that have in the past triggered bloody killings in the state and surrounding regions.

The khaps, in the name of tradition, have been opposed to inter-caste marriages, inter-village marriages (that is, within a radius of 42 villages) as well as same-gotra marriages. With Sunday's meeting, a substantial swathe under Satrol khap will henceforth allow inter-caste marriages as well as weddings between families from villages within the radius of 42 villages — though marriages within the same village and immediate bordering villages remain banned. Same-gotra marriages too remain barred, and the weddings can take place only with parental consent.

The reform is significant and represents the first moderation in the hitherto unyielding opposition of khaps to inter-caste and inter-village marriages. These rules have led to persecution of couples, suicides, honor killings and caste conflicts in rural belts, and even forced bachelors to get brides from other states. The largest number of killings has occurred owing to inter-caste marriages, followed by same village (42 village radius) marriages, followed by same-gotra marriages.

Satrol panchayat covers 36 castes in 42 villages spread over 250 sq km area of Narnaund village of Hisar district and has 60 per cent population of jats, who would be able to marry into different castes subject to parental approval. Barring members of Petgaon tapa (a cluster of villages), all delegates unanimously approved the resolution redefining jurisdiction and permitting inter-caste marriages.

"This is the only way out to keep our old traditions alive. Instead of getting a bride from outside the state who takes time to adjust, we preferred to prune the jurisdiction of prohibited areas. This will bring revolutionary change in Haryana," said Satrol khap president Inder Singh Subedar.

Bibipur sarpanch and president of Nogama khap Sunil Jaglan, who was a special invitee, termed the step "revolutionary". "Now, khaps will be seen in positive sense. We really appreciate this; it will usher in more changes," said Jaglan, who also represents the voice of youth.

Neelam Jain, a research scholar in Delhi University who has worked in several Haryana villages, termed it a progressive decision and an initiative to weed out social wrongs created by misunderstandings and misconceptions.

Dr Om Parkash Dhankar, Sarv khap panchayat coordinator and Haryana Dhankar khap president welcomed the decision. "This will further strengthen our fight for amendment in Hindu Marriage Act to bar same-gotra and same-village marriages," he said.

India LS Elections: Polling for 121 LS seats in 12 states today

New Delhi, April 16 - Polling for the fifth and the biggest of the nine phases of the 2014 General Election will take place tomorrow covering 121 seats across 12 states. At least 16.61 crore voters are eligible to choose their representatives from the 1,769 candidates in the fray.

Prominent candidates include: Ghulam Nabi Azad (Udhampur), Maneka Gandhi (Pilibhit), Shatrughan Sinha (Patna Sahib), Jaswant Singh (Barmer), M Veerappa Moily (Chikkaballapur), Ananth Kumar and Nandan Nilekani (Bangalore South), Misha Bharti (Patliputra), Sachin Pilot (Ajmer), Sushilkumar Shinde (Solapur), Buta Singh (Jalore), Ashok Chavan (Nanded), Gopinath Munde (Beed), Supriya Sule (Baramati), V Balakrishnan (Banglaore Central), BS Yeddyurappa (Shimoga), and SS Ahluwalia and Bhaichung Bhutia (Darjeeling).

Of the 121 seats up for grabs, the Congress currently holds 36, while its challenger BJP has 40 seats.

Polling will take place in Karnataka (28 seats), Rajasthan (20), Maharashtra (19), Uttar Pradesh (11), Odisha (11), Madhya Pradesh (10), Bihar (7), Jharkhand (6), West Bengal (4), Chhattisgarh (3), Jammu and Kashmir (1) and Manipur (1).

Simultaneous polling will be held for 77 of the 147 Assembly seats in Odisha and two Assembly constituencies in West Bengal. The earlier polling in Odisha took place on April 10.

Polling has so far been held in 111 constituencies in four phases. In the last substantial round, 91 seats went to the polls on April 10.

ਮੈਨੂੰ ਹੁਣ ਪੀ. ਪੀ. ਪੀ. ਦਾ ਉਮੀਦਵਾਰ ਨਾ ਆਖਿਆ ਜਾਵੇ - ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਬਾਦਲ

NRI Sabha Canada: ਮੈਨੂੰ ਹੁਣ ਪੀ. ਪੀ. ਪੀ. ਦਾ ਉਮੀਦਵਾਰ ਨਾ ਆਖਿਆ ਜਾਵੇ-ਮਨਪ੍...: ਚੰਡੀਗੜ੍ਹ, 15 ਅਪ੍ਰੈਲ - ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੇ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਵਿੱਤ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਸ: ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਬਾਦਲ ਨੇ ਸਪੱਸ਼ਟ ਸ਼ਬਦਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਕਿਹਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਪੀਪਲਜ਼ ਪਾਰਟੀ ਆਫ਼ ਪੰਜਾਬ (ਪੀ. ਪੀ. ਪੀ.)...

Manpreet tops in rally code violations

Named in 8 violations by EC
Chandigarh, April 15
At eight code violations, PPP-Congress candidate for Bathinda Manpreet Badal tops the tally among various candidates in Punjab for allegedly holding rallies in an illegal manner. 

The Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has compiled a report of 32 such code violations. Contesting on the Congress symbol, Manpreet Badal along with his son Arjun Badal have been charged for holding rallies without permission, among other places, at Balluana (March 20), Bir Rehman (March 24), Teona (March 25) and Jai Singhwala (April 8).

The father-son duo has also been charged with misuse of vehicles and speakers and also holding a rally before the scheduled time at Khhatra Rice Mill.

Supreet Singh Gulati, Additional CEO, said, “These reports have been forwarded to the Election Commission. We will wait for its orders for further action.”

NRI Sabha Canada: ਸਿੱਖ ਭਾਈਚਾਰੇ ਨੂੰ ਕੈਨੇਡੀਅਨ ਦੂਤਘਰਾਂ 'ਚ ਕਿਰਪਾਨ ਪਹਿਨ ਕ...

NRI Sabha Canada: ਸਿੱਖ ਭਾਈਚਾਰੇ ਨੂੰ ਕੈਨੇਡੀਅਨ ਦੂਤਘਰਾਂ 'ਚ ਕਿਰਪਾਨ ਪਹਿਨ ਕ...: ਟੋਰਾਂਟੋ/ਵੈਨਕੂਵਰ, 15 ਅਪ੍ਰੈਲ - ਖਾਲਸਾ ਸਾਜਨਾ ਦਿਵਸ ਵਾਲੇ ਦਿਨ ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਦੇ ਵਿਦੇਸ਼ ਮੰਤਰਾਲੇ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਵਿਦੇਸ਼ਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਸਥਿਤ ਦੇਸ਼ ਦੇ ਦੂਤਾਵਾਸਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਕੌਾਸਲਖਾਨਿਆਂ ਲ...

5 dead in Calgary stabbings, police say

Apr. 15, 2014: Police investigate the scene of a multiple fatal stabbing in northwest Calgary, Alberta.

CALGARY, Alberta –  Five people were killed and a suspect taken into custody after multiple stabbings at a house party attended by university students near the University of Calgary, the police chief said, calling it the worst mass murder in Calgary's history.
Police Chief Rick Hanson said the suspect is the son of a 33-year veteran of the Calgary police force and a student at the University of Calgary.
"We have never seen five people killed at one scene," Hanson said. "The scene was horrific."
Hanson said the suspect was invited to the party and shortly after arriving picked up a large knife and began stabbing the victims one by one early Tuesday morning. He said about 20 people were at the party when the stabbings occurred.
Hanson said the victims ages range from 22 to 27. He said the dead were all "good kids"
The police chief said they would not release the name of the suspect until first-degree murder charges are announced later Tuesday. He said the suspect left his work at a grocery store before arriving to the party.
Police said three males were found dead at the home. A male and a female died at a local hospital.
Police said the suspect, in his 20s, was arrested with the help of the police canine unit about 40 minutes after the stabbings and that he was taken to hospital for treatment for dog bites.
There was no immediate word on charges or the possible motive. Hanson said the suspect brought a weapon, but used a knife from the house.
Hanson said the father of the suspect is devastated.
Multiple witnesses were taken to the campus and are currently being interviewed by detectives, police said.
The blue-sided house where the stabbings occurred is on a quiet, tree-lined residential street. It was surrounded with yellow police tape as medical examiner staff brought three bodies out on stretchers.
Neighbors in the area say the house was being rented by University of Calgary students and that the party was related to the student union's annual Bermuda Shorts Day, held Monday.
Bermuda Shorts Day, shortened by students to BSD, is an annual outdoor party on campus with live music and beer gardens to celebrate the final day of classes.
The school's student newspaper, The Gauntlet, wrote about the tradition two weeks ago in a story titled "BSD: It'll be a bloodbath."
On Twitter, many students wrote about how they started drinking early in the morning Monday and continued after the campus event at parties elsewhere.
University of Calgary President Elizabeth Cannon said they are "deeply saddened" by the news. Cannon said it was a house party off campus.
"This is a terrible, terrible tragedy," Cannon said. "It's young people who have lost their lives at a very critical point in their lifetimes. It's a huge impact on all of us."
Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi took to Twitter to offer condolences.
"Thoughts and prayers of all Calgarians are with the young people we lost this morning, their families, friends, and university community," the mayor said.
Just outside Toronto, meanwhile, a student was stabbed in a school and two were arrested. Police said the 17-year-old victim has non-life threatening injuries.

Five killed in 'worst mass murder' in Calgary's history:

Matthew de Grood, 23, ID'd as suspect in Calgary's worst mass murder

The man suspected of fatally stabbing five people in their 20s at a northwest Calgary house party is the son of a veteran police officer, according to the chief of police.

• Calgary stabbing: Reactions pour in after 'senseless tragedy'

Matthew de Grood, 23, is in custody after four males and a female died following the early-morning stabbings in the city’s Brentwood neighbourhood, just north of the University of Calgary campus. 

Matthew de Grood, 23, is expected to be charged with five counts of first-degree murder after five people were stabbed to death at a house party early Tuesday morning. (St. Francis High School yearbook)

Calgary Police Services Chief Rick Hanson said de Grood will likely be charged with five counts of first-degree murder later this afternoon.

The stabbings happened around 1:20 a.m. MT on Tuesday at a house party celebrating the end of university classes, police said.

"This is the worst mass murder in Calgary's history," said Hanson at a news conference Tuesday.

De Grood, who attended the University of Calgary, was planning to attend law school, according to multiple sources. 

“We understand the party was for friends and people of the university and the suspect was an invited guest," said Hanson.

The attacks happened shortly after his arrival at the party, he said.

“The suspect arrived at the party, obtained a large knife and targeted the victims one by one, stabbing them,” said Hanson. 

There is nothing to indicate that there was any incident that led up to the event, or that de Grood had consumed drugs or alcohol. It's believed he came to the party directly from work, said Hanson.

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The suspect did have a weapon — which police referred to as "an instrument" — that he carried with him, which police believe he brought from work. 

"Primarily the weapon that was used was one that was obtained in the house," Hanson said. 

The victims were identified as a 22-year-old man from Priddis, Alta., a 23-year-old woman from Calgary, two 23-year-old men from Calgary and a 27-year-old man from Calgary. Police are trying to alert the families of all the victims. 

None of the victims, nor the suspect, have any past history with police, said Hanson.

There will be a vigil at the university's MacEwan Hall from 4:40 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. MT, according to the students' union.

End of classes celebration 

According to neighbours, the people at the house had been celebrating the last day of university classes with a fire in a home's backyard. 

Bermuda Shorts Day festivities to mark the end of the University of Calgary’s winter semester have been a campus tradition since 1960.

Three people were pronounced dead at the scene. A female was found injured on the lawn, while two others were taken to hospital in critical, life-threatening condition, and later died, officials said.

One other person suffered minor injuries.

The three bodies in the house were taken away by officials from the medical examiner’s office around mid-morning. 

No names will be released until autopsies have been completed, police said.

Suspect arrested 

The suspect fled on foot but police arrested him about 40 minutes later with assistance from the K-9 unit. Investigators are not looking for any more suspects. 

The suspect was taken to hospital to be treated for a dog bite.

The homicide unit is leading the investigation with assistance from the forensics team as a heavy police presence remained in the neighbourhood Tuesday. 

Detectives took several witnesses to a police station to be interviewed. 

No previous problems at house

Nearby resident Doug Jones told CBC News he noticed about 12 to 20 university-aged people at the backyard party.

“When it started to get dark, they moved inside and once inside, you wouldn’t even be able to tell there was anything really even going on. It wasn’t loud at all,” he said.

The homicide unit is investigating after five people in their 20s were stabbed to death in Calgary. The stabbings occurred at an address in Brentwood early Tuesday morning. (Kyle Bakx/CBC)

"We’ve never had any problems over there."

Jones, who lives next door, said he thinks there are at least three students who live in the house. He said his bedroom door looks out on their backyard.

“What really touches me about it is how it can happen. I mean, we never heard a thing.”

Jones said Brentwood is an “old-fashioned neighbourhood."

“Nothing ever happens here because we’re in a crescent, we don’t get any other traffic other than people that live here, people that are coming to visit,” he said.

“It’s pretty shocking, it just goes to show it can happen anywhere.” 

"The University of Calgary is mourning the loss of five young people killed early this morning in Brentwood," the school said in a written release, promising to provide further comment once more details are confirmed. 

The university is offering counselling to students, faculty and staff affected by the tragedy. They are encouraged to go to the university's wellness centre in classroom MSC 370 or contact sar@ucalgary.ca.

“Our thoughts and condolences go out to the families and friends of all those affected,” said Raphael Jacob, president of the university's students’ union.

Horrifying tales of Punjabi youths stuck in Texas jail

Chandigarh/Jalandhar, April 13
The well-oiled human trafficking network and business, involving the ferrying of hundreds or thousands of Punjabis to North America, is alive and kicking. Unscrupulous travel agents operating from the USA and New Delhi are minting money from these shady deals.

As many as 64 Punjabi youths, who travelled across more than half the world in search of greener pastures, have been detained in El-Paso processing centre (jail) in Texas, USA.

Forty-two of them are on hunger strike against their prolonged detention and the jail authorities’ “inhuman” action of withdrawing communication and other facilities to them. The startling revelations made by some detainees there and their families in the Doaba region of Punjab has indicated that human smuggling to the USA by travel agents from India is going on unabated.

Speaking to The Tribune from Vancouver, Canada, Jarnail Singh, father of one of the detainees -- Amritpal Singh Aulakh of Kanpur village, said that he has already paid Rs 22 lakh to an agent in instalments. “Amritpal did not get a direct flight to Mexico. He had to pass through Dubai, Ecuador and Guatemala. From Mexico, he crossed over to Texas, USA, on foot,” said Jarnail.
He said that all the detainees have been observing a hunger strike for the past six days to protest against their 10-month-long detention. “I have hired a legal representative in the US for his release and $9000 have already been paid. He has already lost his first appeal,” Jarnail said. Satnam Singh Chahal, executive director of the North American Punjabi Association (NAPA), managed -- after many determined attempts -- to have a conversation with the detainees.
He said that the youngsters -- in the age group of 22 to 27 years -- were determined to continue with their hunger strike till their release.
“There is zero evidence that any of the detainees has a criminal background,” said Chahal speaking to The Tribune from California.
The families back home are so scared that they are not ready to identify the agents involved in trafficking of youths. Ranvijay Singh, father of Harpreet Singh, said that he has already paid Rs 20 lakh to the agent. He said that he had got a call from his son around 20 days ago.
On the reasons behind his son’s illegal migration to the USA, he alleged that the Punjab police were trying to implicate his son in some false cases on the basis of his alleged links with some terrorist organisation.
“I have already suffered as a result of such accusations in the period of militancy. So, I decided to send him abroad.”
Reaching Mexico -- from where the youths would cross over to the US -- is no less than a tough task. The young men had to walk miles through the jungles and difficult terrain in Guatemala. “Some of them told me that they had reached Mexico via Moscow, Suriname in South America and Nicaragua in Central America. They were huddled into a truck that ferried them to Honduras and Guatemala. In Mexico, they were forced to live in a small dingy room for over two months in an undisclosed small township,” said Satnam Singh Chahal.
Sources in the booming “trade” revealed that there were two major routes -- from New Delhi to Moscow and from New Delhi to Istanbul -- by air. Once the youths landed in Moscow or Istanbul, agents ferried them to Mexico via various countries of Europe or South Africa.
At times, youths (mostly from India and Pakistan) were concealed in containers -- having little air or almost no food and water for days -- for the purpose of shipping them to North America.

Human trafficking

• Victims of human trafficking, 64 Punjabi youths have been detained in El-Paso processing centre (jail) in Texas, USA
• 42 of them are on hunger strike against their prolonged detention and the jail authorities’ inhuman treatment

NRI jailed for life for cold-blooded murder of wife

London - Cold and calculated murder of a young bride from Nawanshahr has resulted in her NRI husband being jailed for life by a British court.

Local media reports have focused on how bank employee Jasvir Ram Ginday (29) killed his wife because he was afraid that she would expose his homosexual preferences.

But little has been told about the promising future that beckoned for 24-year-old Varkha Rani, who had a master’s degree in Information Science and Technology and was the pride and joy of her loving family back in Nawanshahr.

Shortly after Ginday was convicted, Varkha’s cousin, Sunil Kumar said, “No words can truly express the sadness and hurt my family and I are experiencing at the loss of Varkha. She was loved dearly by all, she had a great passion for life and doted on her family.

“Varkha attained a master’s degree and was driven to make her life a success. Unfortunately, she fell prey to Ginday, who had ulterior motives which Varkha would not have appreciated.”

During his trial, members of the jury were told how UK-born Ginday had engaged in sexual relations with men long before his betrothal to 24-year-old Varkha whom he married in order to please his parents.

Varkha had no idea what to expect when she married Ginday last year. But a video taken on her wedding day last March, when she is seen dancing cheek-to-cheek with Ginday, shows her with excited, shining eyes as she prepares for a brand new life in the UK.

But the couple’s relationship started to turn sour only weeks after their wedding. Six months later police found Varkha’s skull, including a few teeth, and her wedding ring inside a mini furnace, or incinerator, bought and installed by her husband in the couple’s garden only a few weeks earlier.

It is understood that Ginday first strangled Varkha with the metal hose of a vacuum cleaner before dousing her body with petrol and stuffing it inside the furnace. For the next 48 hours he used a metal rod to poke and prod Varkha’s remains in a bid to facilitate the burning process.

Neighbours were alerted to the tragedy by the odd smell and thick smoke coming from the couple’s garden. When further investigations were carried out by police, Ginday told them he had been burning leaves. Later, in response to more questions about what was inside the furnace, he replied, “Its food.”

A few days earlier in an attempt to cover up his crime, Ginday filed a police report, saying his wife had taken 500 pounds and abandoned him following a furious marital row. This version of events was rejected by Judge John Warner during the trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court. He told Ginday, “It was a very cruel situation in which you put her.

“You have told lie after lie about a number of matters. It is impossible to rely on anything you say.

“I am satisfied that you intended to kill - you are a devious, controlling man and a meticulous planner in a number of aspects of your life. I do not know for sure how you killed her but the rest afterwards we do know.

“Killing her was a dreadful enough thing to have done, but what followed was horrible almost beyond imagining. “You behaved in an unbelievably casual and callous way with a complete lack of any humanity.

“No one who was in court to hear that evidence will easily put out of their minds, the image of her body being poked and prodded by you down into that incinerator.”

Ukraine crisis: More buildings seized in east

Keiv - Armed men have seized a police station and a security services building in eastern Ukraine, according to officials.

Police said the men fired shots and used stun grenades to seize the offices in Sloviansk, near the Russian border.

Meanwhile, a gun battle has erupted in the eastern Ukrainian town of Kramatorsk, according to the Ukrainian acting interior minister.

Pro-Russian activists have seized government buildings elsewhere in east Ukraine in recent days and Kiev has accused Moscow of orchestrating the unrest.

Former finance minister Jim Flaherty dead at 64

Ottawa, ON - Former finance minister Jim Flaherty has died at the age 64, nearly a month after he stepped down from cabinet ahead of a planned move to the private sector.

The cause of death was not immediately available. Paramedics were called to Flaherty’s Ottawa condominium shortly after noon Thursday, and he was pronounced dead not long after, police said.

Flaherty’s wife, Ontario Progressive Conservative MPP Christine Elliott, and the couple’s triplet sons, John, Galen and Quinn, issued a brief statement asking for privacy. The statement said Flaherty “passed away peacefully.”

The House of Commons was suspended after the news of Flaherty’s death broke Thursday afternoon. The Ontario legislature was also adjourned for the day.

The flag on the Peace Tower at Parliament Hill was lowered to half-mast.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said “today is a very sad day for me, for our government and for all of our country.”

“Jim will be sorely missed, not only by his many friends on both side of the House, I know particularly his friends in this caucus, among whom he was held unanimously in a combination of great respect and affection,” Harper said in a statement to the Conservative caucus.

“But he will also be missed by the countless thousands of Canadians that he devoted himself to and whom he helped during his long and successful career in public life.”

Harper said that he will speak more about Flaherty’s legacy and “the special relationship I shared with Jim” in the days ahead. Harper appeared with his wife Laureen, who was wiping tears from her eyes.

Former and current MPs and MPPs of all political stripes paid tribute to Canada’s longest-serving finance minister.

Joe Oliver, who succeeded Flaherty in the finance post, said he was “shocked and very saddened” to learn of Flaherty’s death.

“He was an honourable, dedicated and exceptional man who loved Canada,” Oliver said.

NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair said he and his wife, Catherine, “are very, very sad at the loss of a great Canadian.”

Mulcair, near tears, made a brief statement outside the House of Commons. He paid tribute to Flaherty, calling him an “extraordinarily dedicated public servant.”

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau issued a statement, saying he learned of Flaherty's death "with great shock and sadness."

"Jim was a dedicated Parliamentarian with a strong social conscience and fundamentally committed to the ideal of public service," Trudeau said. "He was a proud Canadian and showed continued devotion and commitment to his country over many years. This is a loss to the entire family in the House of Commons."

Green Party Leader Elizabeth May issued a statement offering her “deepest condolences” to Flaherty’s family.

“He was a rare partisan, able to extend a mischievous twinkle to a rejoinder in Question Period,” May said. “He was a dedicated public servant and a genuinely kind man. He will be missed.”

NDP MP and finance critic Peggy Nash tweeted: “Oh so sorry to learn news about Jim Flaherty. Very very sad.”

Former Ontario premier Mike Harris said Flaherty will be remembered for his political and finance skills. However, Harris told CTV News Channel: “He was an honest, genuine good guy…I loved him because he was an honest, good guy.”

Current Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa tweeted that Flaherty “was a man of great integrity. My thoughts & prayers are with Christine & family. He was a champion for Canada. We’ll miss him.”

Flaherty stepped down from his post as finance minister last month, citing plans to eventually take a job in the private sector.  At the time, Flaherty said he and his family came to the decision that he would resign from cabinet, but did not say whether he would remain an MP until the 2015 election.

He denied that his health had anything to do with the move.

He had been coping with a painful skin condition, Bullous Pemphigoid. The condition required him to take powerful medications that left him appearing bloated, and looking and sounding at times extremely fatigued.

In a statement announcing his resignation from cabinet, Flaherty said that he was “on the road to a full recovery.”

Flaherty was born in Lachine, Que. on Dec. 30, 1949 and, after growing up in Quebec, went on to earn a BA from Princeton University and a law degree from York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School.

He helped found law firm Flaherty Dow Elliott before jumping into provincial politics in the early 1990s.

He lost his first time out, but won the Whitby-Ajax riding in 1995 and held several cabinet posts over the next decade, including labour, finance and deputy premier.

After two unsuccessful attempts to win the leadership of the Ontario Conservatives, he made a successful leap to the federal scene in 2006, winning in Whitby-Oshawa.

As federal finance minister, Flaherty made tax cuts a priority, starting with a one-per-cent cut to the GST, followed by another cut in 2008.

In 2007, Flaherty introduced the Registered Disability Savings Plan to help Canadians with disabilities save for retirement, and in 2008 introduced the Tax-Free Savings Account.

He also raised the base deduction rate, cut a point from the lowest personal tax rate and raised the limits of the two lowest tax categories.

Flaherty wasn’t afraid to spend, however, once the 2009 recession hit, pouring billions of stimulus into the economy via the Economic Action Plan.

When he stepped down last month, Flaherty thanked his constituents, his House colleagues, his wife, who represents her husband’s former provincial riding, and their sons.

“We live in the greatest country in the world, and I want Canadians to know that it has been my honour and my privilege to serve them,” Flaherty said.

About Jim Flaherty, 

James Michael foundly known as Jim Flaherty (Born December 30, 1949) was Canada's federal Minister of Finance (2006–2014) and also a former provincial Minister of Finance for Ontario (2001–2002). From 1995 until 2005, he was the Member of Provincial Parliament for Whitby—Ajax, and a member of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party caucus and unsuccessfully sought the leadership of the provincial party on two occasions.

Flaherty won the riding of Whitby—Oshawa in the federal election held January 23, 2006 as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada narrowly beating Liberalincumbent Judi Longfield. He was re-elected in 2008 and 2011. Flaherty's widow, Christine Elliott, represents Whitby—Oshawa in the Ontario legislature.

Facebook user base crosses 100m in India

New Delhi, April 8 - Social media giant Facebook has crossed 100 million active users in India, its largest base outside the US. "Today, we have more than 100 million people who access Facebook actively in India each month," Facebook India Head of Growth & Mobile Partnerships Kevin D'Souza said. Facebook's mission is to give people the power to share and to make the world more open and connected, he said. On the outlook, D'Souza said: "We recently announced Internet.org, a global partnership with the goal of connecting the next 5 billion people around the world, to make the same access and opportunity available to everyone."

Wal-Mart to expand business in India

New Delhi, April 8 - The world’s biggest retailer, Wal-Mart, today announced that it will expand its business of wholesale or cash and carry stores in India but there was no mention of an entry into the multi-brand retail segment. The Wal-Mart announcement comes just a day after the BJP released its manifesto opposing FDI into multi-brand retail.

After facing corruption allegations in India, Wal-Mart also said it would strengthen its systems. It will also launch an online platform to sell to traders.

Wal-Mart is now going solo in India after its joint venture with Bharti Enterprises broke six months ago.

Wal-Mart India will continue to invest and expand this established business of cash and carry. As part of the growth plans, it plans to open 50 cash-and-carry outlets in the next four to five years even as it continues to invest in its supply chain infrastructure and supplier development.

Wal-Mart India is also extending the B2B e-commerce platform to its Best Price Modern Wholesale store members, providing them with a convenient online shopping opportunity. As an exclusive virtual store for its members, the e-commerce platform will provide a similar assortment of products, as well as special items.

Scott Price, president & CEO, Wal-Mart Asia, said, “Wal-Mart is committed to India and we are excited about our growth plans. We will continue to focus on the Cash and Carry format as we are very happy with the way it has shaped up in the past few years. The format is also poised to grow in India and we would like to serve the growing customer base by opening 50 new cash-and-carry stores over the next four-five years and extend the e-commerce platform to our Cash and Carry members with a virtual shopping opportunity”.

Wal-Mart, which had investigated violations of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in its Indian arm, is ensuring they are not repeated.

Price emphasised that Wal-Mart was committed to follow compliance norms. “Along with our growth, we are taking a number of important steps to strengthen compliance so that we do the right thing everyday. We are evaluating and reinforcing procedures and programs relating to all compliance areas, including licensing and permits, food safety, and responsible sourcing among others”, he said.

ਸਿਡਨੀ 'ਚ ਪੰਜਾਬਣ ਦੀ ਲਾਸ਼ ਬਰਾਮਦ

ਸਿਡਨੀ, 8 ਅਪ੍ਰੈਲ - ਪਿਛਲੇ ਦਿਨੀਂ ਰਾਈਡਮੇਅਰ ਲਾਗਿਓਾ ਮਿਲੀ ਲੜਕੀ ਦੀ ਲਾਸ਼ ਦੀ ਪੰਜਾਬਣ ਕੁੜੀ ਵਜੋਂ ਸ਼ਨਾਖਤ ਹੋਈ ਹੈ | ਪੈਰਾਮੈਂਟਾ ਦੇ ਵਸਨੀਕ ਪ੍ਰਦੀਪ ਕੁਮਾਰ ਨੇ ਲਾਸ਼ ਦੀ ਸ਼ਨਾਖਤ ਕਰਦਿਆਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਇਹ ਉਸ ਦੀ ਪਤਨੀ ਅਮਨ ਦੀ ਲਾਸ਼ ਹੈ | ਪ੍ਰਦੀਪ ਨੇ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਕਿ ਅਸੀਂ ਜ਼ਿਲ੍ਹਾ ਲੁਧਿਆਣਾ ਤੋਂ ਸੰਬੰਧਿਤ ਹਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਵਿਦਿਆਰਥੀ ਵੀਜ਼ੇ 'ਤੇ ਇਥੇ ਰਹਿ ਰਹੇ ਹਾਂ | ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਮੁਤਾਬਿਕ ਪ੍ਰਦੀਪ ਭਾਰਤ ਗਿਆ ਸੀ, ਜਿਸ ਦੌਰਾਨ ਉਸ ਦੀ ਪਤਨੀ ਦੀ ਮੌਤ ਹੋ ਗਈ | ਅਸਲੀ ਕਾਰਨਾਂ ਦਾ ਅਜੇ ਕੁਝ ਪਤਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਲੱਗ ਸਕਿਆ | ਪੁਲਿਸ ਇਸ ਪ੍ਰਤੀ ਹੋਰ ਤਫਤੀਸ਼ ਕਰ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ | ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਇਹ ਕਹਿਣਾ ਮੁਸ਼ਕਿਲ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਇਹ ਖੁਦਕੁਸ਼ੀ ਹੈ ਜਾਂ ਕਤਲ | ਇਸ ਮਾਮਲੇ 'ਚ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਸਹਿਯੋਗ ਦੀ ਮੰਗ ਕੀਤੀ ਹੈ |

So what Casey Anthony 'America's most hated mom' doin' these days?

Florida - Casey Anthony 26-year-old was forced to come out of seclusion and publicly answer questions for the first time today when she appeared in Florida bankruptcy court.

"I don't pay rent. I don't pay utilities," Anthony said, according to the Associated Press. "I guess you could say I'm living free off the kindness of others."

Anthony, 26, has gone into hiding since 2011 when she was acquitted of murdering her toddler Caylee. She was the victim of a barrage of threats and was dubbed the most hated woman in America. Aside from a few stray photos, Anthony has succeeded in staying out of sight.

Anthony has been unemployed for the past four years and filed for bankruptcy in January. She's almost $800,000 in debt and has less than $1,100 worth of assets, according to her bankruptcy filing.

She said at the meeting that she lives with friends. When a federal bankruptcy trustee asked her if she bought her own food, she said, "I try to contribute when I can."

Anthony also repeated what her lawyers have said since she was acquitted that she has not received any offers for book, movie or television deals.

Anthony spoke calmly in court, the AP reported, and said she has been living off of money given to her by former attorney Jose Baez as well as unsolicited cash and gift cards.

Baez denied that he personally supported Anthony.

"All monies testified to at today's hearing were obtained during the course of legal representation," Baez told ABC News. "The media reports or interpretation that I personally provided financial support to Ms. Anthony are false."

It was the first time Anthony has been forced to answer questions in public. She never took the stand to testify in her own defense during her murder trial. And efforts to get her on the stand in a lawsuit by a woman named Zenaida Gonzales have been delayed be the bankruptcy hearing.

Anthony insisted for months that her daughter Caylee had been stolen by a fictitious nanny named Zenaida Gonzales. The real Zenaida Gonzales has sued claiming she lost her job and her home because of Anthony's lies.

A rattled Casey Anthony tried to hide her face today as she waded through a mob of photographers and reporters when she arrived at federal court in Tampa for a meeting in her bankruptcy case, her first public appearance since she was acquitted of killing her 2-year-old daughter Caylee in 2011.

Anthony clung to attorney Cheney Mason who exited the car with her as someone shouted repeatedly, "Did you get away with murder?"

She clutched a black floppy hat and a pair of sunglasses near her face and looked shaken up as she was surrounded. Her brown hair was loose, just below her shoulders and she wore a long black sweater, black pants and a printed blouse.

The few glimpses of Anthony since her July 2011 release from jail have been a few leaked video diaries and some photos of her in Florida.

Anthony was convicted on four counts of providing false information to law enforcement, stemming from her initial statements to detectives. Two of the lying convictions were overturned in January, the same day she filed for bankruptcy.

The bankruptcy filing includes 15 pages of people who have made claims, including legal consultants, media consultants, authorities, the IRS and Anthony's parents. The most sizeable claim is from Anthony's former defense attorney Jose Baez who says she owes him $500,000.

The filing details Anthony's personal property, which includes some 10-year-old furniture at her family home, a laptop, some clothing, a pearl necklace, family photos, books, a sapphire and opal ring, two digital cameras and a bike. The total value of the items is just over $1,000.

Anthony's attorney Charles Greene did not immediately respond to request for comment today, but told ABCNews.com in January that it will be a while before Anthony can take any kind of job, saying that life will "never be normal" for the woman who still breaks down in tears at times.

"You don't go from the most hated woman in the world, according to some media outlets, to being a normal person or being able to live a normal life," Greene said. "I'm not saying she's not a normal person, but people do not perceive her as a normal person."

Greene said that Anthony still receives threats and lives in hiding, despite the fact that both her prison time and probation have been served.

She is the target of a number of civil lawsuits, which also prevents her from moving, Greene said.

He will not comment on Anthony's whereabouts, but her last known location was in Florida and it is likely she is still in the area, due to her ongoing legal matters.

Fiji ex-PM convicted for tax evasion

Suva, April 4

The leader of one of Fiji's main opposition parties, former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry, was convicted on tax charges today, ruling him out of this year's election in the coup-plagued Pacific nation.

Chaudhry, who became Fiji's first ethnic Indian prime minister in 1999 but was ousted in a coup a year later, was found guilty on three counts of giving false information to tax authorities about bank accounts in Australia.

The conviction means the Fiji Labour Party leader cannot run in Fiji's general election in September, the first to be held in the country since acting prime minister Frank Bainimarama seized power in a bloodless coup in 2006. Under Fiji's constitution, anyone who has been convicted of a criminal offence in the past eight years cannot stand in the election. 

OBAMA nominates Indian-American to key post

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama has nominated Sunil Sabharwal, an independent Indian-American investor, to a key administration post as Alternate Executive Director at the IMF. Sabharwal has been nominated as the US Alternate Executive Director, International Monetary Fund, the White House said. 

Underwater search begins to locate MH370 black box

Perth, April 4 - The arduous hunt for the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 today entered a new phase with two hi-tech ships scouring a large area in the Indian Ocean for the black box of the jet before pings from it fall silent.

Two naval ships with locator capabilities are searching a 240 km underwater path, in the hope of recovering the plane's data recorder that could help investigators unravel the mystery of what happened on March 8, the day the Beijing-bound plane dropped off radar.

Up to 14 planes and nine ships are participating in today's search for the Boeing 777-200. The British Royal Navy survey ship HMS Echo and the Australian naval supply ship Ocean Shield began searching the ocean's depths today, said retired Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, the head of the Perth-based Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC), said. The Ocean Shield is equipped with high-tech gear borrowed from the United States: the TPL-25, a giant underwater microphone that will listen for the pings from the flight data recorders, and the Bluefin-21, an underwater robot that can scour the ocean bed for signs of wreckage. The HMS Echo also has advanced sensor equipment.

But the area of the southern Indian Ocean where British and Australian naval ships are deploying sophisticated listening technology remains nothing more than a guess at where the plane may have hit the water, the CNN said.

Time is running out in the efforts to detect the pings as the batteries that power the recorders' beacons are expected to expire in the next four days.

Nearly four weeks have passed since the jetliner vanished with 239 persons, including five Indians on board. Investigators are still stumped by the case as there are no signs of debris. The area chosen for the search operation is based on the analysis of radar, satellite and other data that led the investigators to conclude that the flight ended in the southern Indian Ocean. "The area of highest probability as to where the aircraft might have entered the water is the area where the underwater search will commence," Houston said at a news conference.

"It's on the basis of data that arrived only recently, and it's the best data that is available." "On best advice, the locator beacon will last about a month before it ceases its transmissions, so we're now getting pretty close to the time when it might expire," he said. Until searchers can find a confirmed piece of debris from the plane, which would give them a clearer idea of where the main bits of wreckage might be located, there is no certainty of finding the black box.

Afghan cop kills AP photographer

Kabul, April 4 - A veteran Associated Press (AP) photographer was killed and an AP reporter was wounded today when an Afghan policeman opened fire while they were sitting in their car in eastern Afghanistan.

Anja Niedringhaus, 48, an internationally acclaimed German photographer, was killed instantly, according to an AP Television News freelancer who witnessed the shooting.

Kathy Gannon, the AP correspondent who for many years was the news organisation's Afghanistan bureau chief and more recently was a senior writer for the region, was shot twice and is receiving medical attention. She was described as being in stable condition and talking to medical personnel.

"Anja and Kathy together have spent years in Afghanistan covering the conflict and the people there. Anja was a vibrant, dynamic journalist well-loved for her insightful photographs, her warm heart and joy for life. We are heartbroken at her loss," said AP Executive Editor Kathleen Carroll, speaking in New York.

The two were travelling in a convoy of election workers delivering ballots from the centre of Khost city to the outskirts, in Tani district. The convoy was protected by the Afghan National Army and Afghan police. They were in their own car with a freelancer and a driver.

According to the freelancer, they had arrived in the heavily guarded district compound shortly before the incident.

As they were sitting in the car waiting for the convoy to move, a unit commander named Naqibullah walked up to the car, opened fire on them in the back seat with his AK-47. He then surrendered to the other police and was arrested.

Medical officials in Khost confirmed that Niedringhaus died. 

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