Sri Lankan police arrested their top commander and a former defence chief Tuesday over their alleged failures to prevent the Easter Sunday bombings that killed 258 people, spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said.
He said Inspector-General Pujith Jayasundara and former defence secretary Hemasiri Fernando were arrested a day after the attorney general said their failure to heed security warnings amounted to a crime against humanity.
Both men were at different hospitals undergoing treatment when detectives arrested them, Gunasekera said, adding the move followed instructions from Attorney General Dappula de Livera who said they could press murder charges.
De Livera said Monday that they failed to act on advance warnings of the deadly Easter Sunday attacks, which were blamed on a local terror group.
They should be brought before a magistrate for their "criminal negligence" de Livera said in a letter to the acting police chief.
"Their negligence amounts to what is known under international law to be grave crimes against humanity," he wrote.
Another nine senior police officers have been named by the attorney-general as suspects who should be prosecuted for their role in the security lapses.
Jayasundara and Fernando have testified before a parliamentary inquiry and accused President Maithripala Sirisena of failing to follow established protocols in assessing threats to national security.
Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam condemned the protests, calling it ‘extreme use of violence’.
Hong Kong police on Tuesday fired tear gas and retook control of the city’s Parliament after thousands of demonstrators occupied and ransacked it, AFP reported. The protests began on Monday during the 22nd anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover from British to Chinese rule.
Thousands of people in Hong Kong took to the streets on Monday. This was the latest in a series of protests against an extradition bill that could send Hong Kong citizens to China for trials. The Hong Kong government has agreed to suspend the bill indefinitely, but rallies have continued amid calls for Chief Executive Carrie Lam to resign.
Lam condemned the demonstrations on Tuesday, calling them “extreme use of violence”. “I hope the community at-large will agree with us that with these violent acts that we have seen, it is right for us to condemn it, and hope society will return to normal as soon as possible,” BBC quoted her as saying.
Anti-government protestors in Hong Kong had stormed the Legislative Council building on Monday and painted the walls of the main debating chamber with graffiti. The protestors also hung a British colonial-era flag on the main podium. Demonstrators also broke through the glass door of the building, shouting slogans.
Legislative Council President Andrew Leung on Tuesday called the vandalism a “big crime scene”. “Right now, LegCo [Legislative Council] is a big crime scene,” CNN quoted Leung as saying. “The priority of LegCo is to get in shape to have meetings. It will be very difficult to use this venue for LegCo.” He added that the police were in control of the building and were carrying out investigative work.
The Chinese government also criticised the protestors. “Some extreme elements used excessive violence to storm the legislature building and carried out a series of large-scale assaults,” The Guardian quoted a statement from the government. “This is shocking, heart-breaking and angering. Their violent acts are an extreme challenge to Hong Kong’s rule of law and seriously undermined Hong Kong’s peace and stability. It is totally intolerable.”
The statement added that the China liaison office supports the Hong Kong authorities in their investigation of the violence. Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council also issued a similar statement saying that it supports authorities in inquiries on the “violent offenders’ criminal responsibility”.
It has been nearly 6 years since GTA 5 dropped on PCs and consoles and broke all kinds of sales records. Since then there has been a lot of anticipation for what the developer Rockstar plans on doing for the GTA 6. While the company's latest project, Red Dead Redemption 2 has received all kinds of praise, fans are desperate for news regarding the next instalment in the GTA franchise and today it appears that prayers have been answered.
As per a post byReddit user JackOLantern1982, who has posted a lengthy list of things to expect from the game, GTA 6 will be set partly in the GTA Vice City universe and the story is spread over several decades. He says that GTA 6 has been in development since 2012 but Rockstar had its eyes set for Red Dead Redemption 2.
The game is going to be set in the 1970s and 1980s era Rio de Janeiro along with parts of the game set in the Vice City's fictional Liberty City map. The game will have a single male protagonist as opposed to the three main characters in GTA V. Another important thing to note here is that the game will only be released on the next-gen gaming consoles which are the PS5 and Xbox Project Scarlette.
Here's the complete list of expected updates, storylines, gameplay, maps and more in GTA 6.
Codename is PROJECT AMERICAS.
Set in both Vice City and a new fictional location based on Rio de Janeiro.
Some linear missions take place in Liberty City, but it isn't an open world (think Ludendorff in GTA 5).
Game will balance realism and arcade and it won't be as realistic as Red Dead Redemption 2.
One playable protagonist: male, not female, despite supposed leaks.
Set in 1970s-1980s.
You play as an up and coming drug lord-wannabe named "Ricardo". Another key character called “Kacey” is a part of the narrative. You start off as a grunt doing runs as a cocaine smuggler from Vice City to the new large South American area before making connections with big-time drug lords and making your way up. Multiple cities.
There will also be a giant prison which will play a part in the game.
Will feature a 'chapter' system similar to a Tarantino flick or Red Dead Redemption 2.
Weather is a heavy focus (hurricanes, floods, etc).
Buildings change over the eras, vehicles too. So older, rare classic cars get more expensive as time progresses etc. Full economy.
Heavily inspired by Netflix's Narcos.
They want to have an incredible 70s/80s soundtrack.
A younger Martin Madrazo will make an appearance as will his father who is a big drug lord at the time. You do some missions for the Madrazo family involving hits on other gangs.
Drug empire building is a mechanic similar to Vice City Stories but bigger. Think the GTA Online system and dial it up to 10.
You can only have weapons on your person. No arsenal in your back pocket, like Red Dead Redemption 2.
Your personal vehicle will be like your horse saddle in Red Dead Redemption 2. All your equipment is stored in the trunk. You also store your body armour in the car. If you wear it, it appears, no longer just an invisible thing.
There will be tons of subtitle reading. Think Max Payne 3 amounts, very immersive, like watching an episode of Narcos. Whenever you're in South America, don't expect to hear much English. Vice City, however, is a mix of everything, but mostly English.
Last bit of narrative info, it will discuss topics such as HIV and the immigration crisis of the time. A fictional version of Fidel Castro etc.
Next-gen only, not PS4 or Xbox One [aka PS5 and Xbox Project Scarlett]
GTA 6 is now their primary focus, alongside another title (which might be Bully 2).
Game is still in Pre-Alpha so names, locations, details could and probably will change.
Mumbai airport's main runway likely to be operational by Thursday
In more woes for airlines, the main runway of the Mumbai airport is likely to remain closed for flight operations till Thursday as it will take more time to remove the SpiceJet plane that was stuck partially on the runway on Monday, according to officials.
A SpiceJet flight from Jaipur carrying 167 passengers and crew overshot the runway after landing amid heavy rains. The aircraft is stuck partially on the runway and the nearby grass area.
A team of engineers and technicians from Air India has started work to remove the stuck plane with the Disabled Aircraft Recovery Kit (DARK). "A 150-metre long ramp is being prepared to enable push the aircraft out of the grassy area. Air India's disable aircraft removal kit has been mobilised," an official of the Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) said.
Mumbai records second highest rainfall in 45 years
Mumbai recorded the second highest rainfall in the last 45 years causing accidents that claimed the lives of 21 people in a wall collapse in Malad in the city with several areas of the city waterlogged and throwing traffic out of gear.
More rain is predicted between 3 and 5 July with close to 200 mm or more rain expected per day, according to the IMD.
"Second highest rainfall in 45 years. Entire June month's average rainfall was recorded in just three days in Mumbai," Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said in a statement to the Maharashtra Assembly, according to a tweet put out by the CMO Maharashtra.
BMC says over 14,000 million litres water pumped out into sea
Six pumping stations of BMC pumped out more than 14,000 million litres of water and discharged it into the sea. The volume is more than combined capacity of Tulsi and Vihar lake.
Most localities in Mumbai record over 400 mm of rainfall
Several localities in Mumbai’s suburbs received over or around 400 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending 8 am on Tuesday, according to reports. The Met Department’s rain gauges at their Colaba observatory and at Santacruz showed overall average rainfall received at 137.88 mm and 375.2 mm in 24 hours ending 8.30 am Tuesday. BMC's weather apparatus at the Dindoshi fire station recording 479.56 mm rain in 24 hours ending 8 am Tuesday.
Other areas that also received very heavy rainfall included Kandivali fire station (455.91 mm), Malad fire station (451.32 mm), Chincholi fire station (447.54 mm), Malvani fire station (447.52 mm) and Goregaon fire station (412.25 mm).
In the eastern suburbs, very heavy localised rainfall was received at Vikhroli fire station (403.55 mm) and Kurla fire station (399.49 mm), the report said.
Guava for hypertension: Here's why the tropical fruit is particularly healthy for people who are at risk of heart diseases, including hypertension or high blood pressure patients.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a condition where the measured force of the blood against the walls of arteries is too high. It is a long-time medical condition, wherein the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently raised, but what makes it dangerous is that a person may have high blood pressure for years together without any visible symptoms of the condition. Long-term elevated high blood pressure, or hypertension, may result in a number of health complications like coronary artery disease, stroke, chronic kidney disease and even heart failure. Usually hypertension is defined by blood pressure above 140/90 and may be called severe if it goes above 180/90. Hypertension can be medically diagnosed, and is largely treatable through medication and by switching to a healthy lifestyle and a healthy diet. One of the fruits that is said to be healthy for hypertension patients is guava.
Native to Mexico and some parts of America, the tropical fruit has wide ranging culinary uses and has some incredible health benefits as well. It is particularly healthy for people who are at risk of heart diseases, including hypertension patients. Here's how guava is helpful in managing hypertension.
Guava For Hypertension
Diets low in potassium may increase a risk of developing hypertension (or high blood pressure), stroke and other cardiovascular diseases; therefore, increasing your potassium intake may help regulate blood pressure. Guava is a fruit that is incredibly rich in potassium. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a 100-gm serving of guava has 417mg of potassium, which is roughly 9 percent of the daily value of the recommended dietary allowances as per the US guidelines. Apart from this, guava also contains high levels of antioxidants in the form of carotenoids and polyphenols, which may protect the heart from free radical damage.
Another reason why health experts may recommend guava for hypertension is that it is chock-full of vitamin C. Guava has four times the amount of vitamin C present in oranges, making it healthy for the heart. Some studies have linked vitamin C with reduced risk of stroke and myocardial infarction (heart attack). Additionally, the vitamin C in guava is helpful in maintaining the health of the inner lining of blood vessels and improving their function. Healthy inner lining of blood vessel walls is crucial for maintaining heart health. It is said that consuming guava or guava juice every day before your meals, may help hypertension patients.
Hypertension patients need to have an expert diet chart and must monitor their blood pressure frequently. It is recommended that you consult your doctor before adding any food to your diet.
Wintermornings are beautiful; the dewy grass, foggy sky and piping hot masala chai. But as much as I love the season, I dread it for the beauty woes it brings along with it, particularly hair fall. It’s hard to put in words my struggle with hair fall over the years. From undergoing various salon treatments to using expensive hair products claiming to bring respite, I have tried it all. Yet none of them have brought me any luck. And just when I was giving up, I discovered a miraculous natural ingredient that seemed promising to bring back my crowning glory.
Guavaleaves, yes, that’s right! Growing in abundance around you, these leaves have the ability to stop hair loss and make it grow back with vigour. Even if you are suffering from minor hair loss at the moment, you must not neglect it. Having to deal with it when it gets severe is not only stressful but expensive as well. So why not opt for a natural remedy that work’s great and is cheap at the same time? Like they say, prevention is better than cure.
Benefits of Guava Leaves
Guava leaves are as great as the fruit, which is credited for being a powerhouse of nutrientsand is widely popular too. Just like the fruit, the leaves too contain vitamin B and C, which help boost collagen activity required for hair growth.
Dr. Sapna V Roshni, Cosmetic Surgeon and Hair Specialist, Cocoona Centre for Aesthetic Transformation, says, “Its benefits are many fold. It has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties which help to maintain a healthy scalp. The vitamin C content improves collagen activity aiding in hair growth and the lycopene content gives protection from sun's UV rays. In short, guava leaves helps one to have a good hair growth solution without burning one's pocket.”
Dr. Anshul Jaibharat, a Delhi-based Nutritionist, says, "guava leaves are a powerhouse of antioxidants like vitamin C, and flavonoids such as quercetin that are known to bring about various benefits for our health and beauty."
How to Use Guava Leaves
While most of us are unaware about the health benefits of guava leaves, it has been traditional medicine for centuries in Mexicoand parts of South America. Including guava leaves in your regular hair care regime can help you see substantial hair growth. Besides its 100% natural, which mean that you needn’t worry about any harmful reaction.
You can use guava leaves to make a cup of tea and drink it regularly or make a lotion to apply it on your hair and scalp. Follow the steps below to make your very own guava leaf hair care solution that will battle hair fall and promote hair growth.
All you require is a handful of guava leaves, one litre of water and a pot for boiling the ingredients.
1. Start by boiling guava leaves in water for 20 minutes, strain the concoction and let it cool down to the room temperature. You must ensure that your hair is product free, so it might be best to use this solution after showering.
2. Once your hair is almost dry, section it and start applying the guava leaf solution. Massage the solution into your scalpfor at least 10 minutes and ensure that it’s well spread. Massaging improves blood pressure, which helps the follicles receive more nutrition.
3. Pay extra attention to the roots and tips while you apply the solution. You can leave this solution on for up to two hours. Optionally, you can wrap your hair with a towel and sleep with it.
4. Rinse your hair with lukewarm water, and not hot water as it dries out your hair and scalp.
If you are facing a hair fall problem, use this guava leaf solution thrice a week. If you are using it to speed up hair growth and keep your hair shiny, use it twice a week.
Apart from this amazing remedy, eating guava supplies a number of vitamins and minerals to the body, and the unique constituent of this fruit also promotes better absorption of nutrients from the food, which helps in treating hair and scalp problems.
Embattled liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya arrived at the UK High Court on Tuesday as he seeks permission to appeal against an extradition order signed off by UK home secretary Sajid Javid for him to be extradited to India to face alleged fraud and money laundering charges amounting to Rs. 9,000 crore.
The 63-year-old former Kingfisher Airlines boss said he was feeling "positive" as he entered the Royal Courts of Justice.
He has already lost a UK High Court "leave to appeal" on paper, leading to an oral hearing of his renewal application this week.
A two-judge bench of the Administrative Court division of the Royal Courts of Justice in London will hear the application, filed in April.
During the day-long hearing, listed before Justices George Leggatt and Andrew Popplewell, Vijay Mallya's legal team and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) - arguing on behalf of the Indian government - will go head to head to reiterate factors for and against the businessman's extradition to Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai.
The judges are likely to reserve their judgment in the case and hand down their ruling in the coming weeks.
In the scenario that Vijay Mallya is unsuccessful in his appeal, he must be extradited within 28 days from the appeal decision becoming final. However, if he is granted permission to appeal, the case will then proceed to a full hearing stage at the UK High Court.
The appeal will mark one of the final stages of the appeals process, as the chances of permission to appeal to the Supreme Court are unlikely if such permission is already denied at the High Court stage.
"It is not for me to prejudge the outcome of the appeal, but he [Mallya] does face serious challenges in overturning the order for extradition," said Toby Cadman, co-founder of Guernica 37 International Justice Chambers.
"The right to appeal against an extradition order is not straightforward. His defence will have to prove fairly strong grounds to convince the judges to grant an appeal," explained Cadman, a UK-based barrister who handles high-profile extradition cases.
An appeal to the UK's Supreme Court is quite a rare prospect in extradition cases such as this one, as Mallya's defence team would need to have a "point of law of general public importance" certified by the Administrative Court of the High Court.
There is a final recourse for Vijay Mallya to approach the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) based in Strasbourg, France, to argue against his extradition to India on human rights grounds by trying to prove a real threat of harm or torture or that he would not receive a fair trial.
"The likelihood of the ECHR intervening in a case such as this is slim indeed as the threshold is very high," said Cadman, who explained that the European court would take into account that the human rights related arguments had already been taken into account at different levels during the UK court process and that India is democratic country with an established rule of law.
Meanwhile, Vijay Mallya has continued to make a series of interventions on social media to offer "100 per cent payback" to state-owned Indian banks to cover his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines' debt. He remains on bail on an extradition warrant executed by Scotland Yard in April 2017, involving a bail bond worth 650,000 pounds and other restrictions on his travel.
At the end of a year-long extradition trial at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London last December, Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot had found "clear evidence of dispersal and misapplication of the loan funds" and accepted a prima facie case of fraud and a conspiracy to launder money against Vijay Mallya, as presented by the CPS on behalf of the Indian government.
The court had also dismissed any bars to extradition on the grounds of the prison conditions under which the businessman would be held, as the judge accepted the Indian government's assurances that he would receive all necessary medical care at Barrack 12 in Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail.
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