NEW DELHI, July 25 (UPI) -- NEWSTRACK
Major quake rocks coastal South India
New Delhi, July 25 (UPI): A major earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale rocked the Andaman and Nicobar Island and parts of coastal south India early Sunday Morning, said The Hindu newspaper Monday.
"There were no reports of loss of life or damage to property," the newspaper said.
Quoting Indian Meteorological Department, the newspaper said the epicenter of the earthquake was in the seabed 420 kilometer south of Port Blair in the southern Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
In Nicobar group of islands, people felt the temblor for about 15 seconds. There was no rise in the sea level, which is an indication of a tsunami. India's Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said current situation did not justify a tsunami warning, the newspaper said quoting the Minister.
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India to look out for Korean arms ship
New Delhi, July 25 (UPI): Indian Naval Intelligence has sent a classified and specific alert to the customs officials to be on the look out for North Korean ship that is carrying arms and heading towards India, The Indian Express newspapers reported Monday.
The newspaper said the alert also mentioned that the ship is likely to drop its consignment somewhere along the western coast. Commissioner of Police (Preventive) K B Mishra said security and vigil has been intensified.
"Middle-ranking Naval officials personally passed on the evaluated intelligence late Sunday night to the superintendents of Customs attached to the Marine and Preventive wing", the newspaper said.
Naval intelligence has identified the North Korean ship as MV Shangdok and has information indicating that the ship may dock at one of the minor ports that dot the coastlines of western Maharashtra and Gujarat.
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Indian Navy keen to enter S-E Asia arms market
New Delhi, July 25: Indian Navy has shown its keenness for selling weapons and warships to Indian Ocean Countries that include Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam, The Indian Express newspaper reported Monday.
The Navy is seeking to secure early permission from federal government and hopes the lower cost of buying from India will attract South-East Asian countries, which buy most of their arms from the US and European countries, the newspaper said quoting Indian Naval Chief Arun Prakash.
"A lot of our neighbors want weapons, sensors, patrol boats and ships which we make in India, "Prakash said. He said Indian Navy is working with the government to ensure that India becomes a supplier before someone else steps in.
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Opposition NDA to move censor motion against PM in Indian Parliament
New Delhi, July 25: The Opposition parties have planned to move a censor motion against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Indian Parliament for his speech in Oxford in which he praised British colonial rule in India, The Hindustan Times said Monday.
Opposition National Democratic Alliance meeting -- presided over by former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee decided the alliance should play an aggressive role during the monsoon session that begins Monday.
The rise in terrorist acts in Jammu and Kashmir, the Ayodhya attack and Naxalite violence will also get priority of the Opposition, the newspaper said.
Prime Minister Singh will also be under pressure to explain the Indo-US nuclear deal. Quoting opposition leader George Fernandes the newspaper said NDA would "fiercely fight" the proposed disinvestments of BHEL.
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Indian troops kill four innocent in Kashmir
New Delhi, July 25: Mistaking them for militants, the Indian security forces killed four innocent boys in Kupwara district of northern Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, The Times of India newspaper said Monday.
The incident that took place early Sunday sparked widespread protests. Scores of people from Wilgam, Bagargund and other adjoining areas took to the streets to express their resentment. They also pelted stones on Tregham and Wilgam police stations, the newspaper reported. The situation remained tense as people refused to bury the bodies of victims.
"The state government ordered a magisterial probe", the newspaper said.
A petroleum party of Rashtriya Rifles, which had laid an ambush under a bridge, suspected the boys to be militants and opened fire.
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