US marshals coming soon to local airport

New Delhi - A senior officer from the Ministry of External Affairs said the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) prescribes the minimum parameters for airport security but the airlines make their own assessment based on the level of threat. Though many European countries are contesting the US demand that armed sky marshals be placed on US-bound flights, the Indian government does not have a problem with this requirement. "For our own reasons, we have begun putting sky marshals on certain flights", the MEA official said.

The Times of India - March 3, 2004.

Mossad chief's cell phone stolen

Jerusalem -March 22, 3004 - The cellular telephone of the head of the Mossad, laden with top secret phone numbers, was stolen from his burgled parked car, army radio said. In a big slap to the security provisions, the robbers reportedly broke into the car of Mossad head, Maj. Gen. (res.) Meir Dagan, when it was parked in Tel Aviv.

The Statesman - March 12, 2004.

Japan tightens security

Singapore - March 16, 2004 - Japan today announced that it had raised its anti-terror security alert in view of the dispatch of military personnel to Iraq. The alert had been heightened both in Japan and "other places" of anti-terror concern to the authorities. The Foreign Ministry spokesman said Japan had figured in the suspected hit-lists of terrorist groups even "on previous occasions". Japan believed that the measures already initiated "are adequate to prevent (any) terrorist attack".

The Hindu - March 17, 2004.

Mysterious packages sent to 4 embassies in London

London - Four embassies in London received mysterious packages that are being investigated. Saudi Arabia Embassy staff said an envelope containing white powder had arrived on Monday morning and Scotland Yard officers confirmed three other diplomatic premises here had received packages all thought to contain white powder. The initial tests indicated that the contents were "non-hazardous."

The Asian Age - March 17, 2004.

A.P. Minister's husband shot dead

Paderu (Visakhapatnam District) - March 28, 2004 - M. Venkata Raju, husband of the Andhra Pradesh Minister for Tribal Welfare, M. Manikumari, was shot dead by the banned People's War group of naxalites here today, reports said.

The Hindu - March 19, 2004.

Taiwan President survives bid on life

Singapore - March19, 2004 - Taiwan's President, Chen Shui-bian, and the Vice-President, Annette Hsiu-lien Lu, were injured today, as they were shot at while campaigning together in Tainan city, on the eve of presidential poll. No one was arrested or identified as the possible assailant. China made no immediate comment.

The Hindu - March 19, 2004.

Tattered Ulfa in rebuild mode - 'Paresh Baruah Trying to Build Broader Anti-India Front'

New Delhi - Paresh Baruah, chief of the secessionist United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), is trying to regroup his cadre who were dealt a big blow in a major Bhutanese army operation last December. Intelligence agencies have gathered that Baruah, currently lodged in a Bangladesh Rifles camp at Srimangal, has been actively trying to reorganize ULFA ranks and trying to bring together other insurgent groups from the North-East on an anti-India front for a renewed offensive.

The Times of India - March 20, 2004.

500 Maoists killed: Army

Kathmandu - March 21, 2004 - At least 500 Maoist rebels were killed and 200 injured in a battle with security forces in western Nepal, where the rebels attacked a district headquarters, freed some prisoners from a jail and looted a bank, the Royal Nepal Army claimed today.

The Hindu - March 22, 2004.

Two explosions rock Kathmandu

Kathmandu - March 23, 2004 - Two powerful explosions rocked Nepal's capital today injuring at least two persons even as security forces recovered 112 bodies of the rebels killed during Sunday's clash in Beni Bazaar in the west of the kingdom. Suspected Maoists exploded a pressure-cooker bomb at Kirtipur municipality corporation office in Kathmandu district, injuring a policeman. Another bomb went off at Thamel. A third bomb planted by Maoists in front of a Maruti car showroom at Thapali, was defused, police said.

The Asian Age - March 24, 2004.

Bloodbath in Assam district, 31 tribals killed

Guwahati - March 24, 2004 - 31 people belonging to the Karbi and Kuki tribes were killed in four separate incidents in Assam's Karbi Anglong district on Wednesday. According to Karbi Anglong district police officials, the cycle of violence on Wednesday may have been started by militants of the Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) when they raided Uden Tisso village around 4 a.m. and hacked to death four Karbi men and set a dozen huts on fire in the village.

Hindustan Times - March 25, 2004.

Olympic Security

Athens, March 18, 2004: Greece plans to protect the Olympics against assaults by air. It proposes to deploy a range of anti-aircraft assets against Al Qaida air threats during the Olympic Games later this year. Anti-aircraft umbrella has been configured to defend against unmanned aircraft vehicles, motorized handgliders and other airborne threats. The anti-aircraft missile umbrella has been comprised of a range of mostly U.S.-origin systems. Greek Defense Minister has asked NATO for air and naval assets to help protect the Olympic Games, Middle East Newsline reported. The anti-aircraft umbrella will be bolstered by constant patrols by fighter-jets in the Hellenic Air Force. He said they would include the deployment of airborne early-warning and control aircraft, NATO's naval force in the Mediterranean and the "use of certain high technology systems which NATO has but which Greece does not have." The PAC-2 was deemed as the leading asset in the anti-aircraft umbrella and its radar was expected to detect and track a variety of short-range threats. The PAC-2 will be bolstered by other U.S. systems. They include the improved Hawk anti-aircraft missile and the Stinger man-portable surface-to-air missile.

Contributed by Mr. Mayer Nudell, USA.

Annan fires security chief

United Nations - In a stinging rebuke, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said senior UN staff ignored the security threats in Iraq before the August 19 bombing of its headquarters in Baghdad that killed 22 people. He fired one top official and demoted another. Annan chastised his highly respected deputy, Louise Frechette, who chaired a steering group on Iraq when the United Nations decided last May that UN staff could go back to the country after the US-led war. The action Monday appeared to be unprecedented at the UN, where leaders are never rebuked. Annan also singled out two lower-level UN administrators at the UN's Baghdad headquarters. A statement says the two never made any effort to heed a request to buy and install blast-resistant protective film for the hotel windows.

The Times of India - March 31, 2004.

Delhi Police Advisory: Safeguard your money - Simple safety tips can avoid large cash from being stolen or robbed

If you are carrying huge amounts of cash, safeguard it by keeping an eye on anything suspicious and informing the police for immediate help. Here are a few tips you must follow to avoid being cheated of your hard-earned money.

NEVER

• Discuss anything with strangers about carrying cash and money transactions.

• Carry huge amounts of cash alone, on foot or in a two-wheeler.

• Follow the same route and timings while going to the bank.

• Get distracted by acts of cheats. They pretend as if your money has fallen on the floor, inside or outside your bank.

ASK YOUR BANK TO

• Install CCTV in the banking premises to monitor any suspicious person or movements.

• Install alarm system and check strangers visiting the bank.

• Check the hawkers and vehicles parked outside the bank.

• Instruct security guards to keep a watch on suspicious persons around the premises.

• Maintain direct links with the nearest Police Station.

ALWAYS

• Maintain secrecy about your carrying cash and money transactions.

• Be normal and stay mentally alert.

• Use your own transport to carry cash.

• Keep the doors of your car locked while driving.

• Carry mobile phone for seeking timely help.

• Be alert while doing business in the bank.

• Travel with your security guard or your employee, if possible.

Hindustan Times - March 31, 2004.

Laugh A while

A carpet layer had just finished installing carpet for a lady.
He stepped out for a smoke, only to realize he'd lost his cigarettes. He went back in and in the middle of the room, under the carpet, was a bump.
"No sense pulling up the entire floor for one pack of smokes," he said to himself.
He got out his hammer and flattened the hump.
As he was cleaning up, the lady came in. "Here," she said, handing him his pack of cigarettes. "I found them in the hallway."
"Now," she said, "If only I could find my parakeet."