Pilgrims Die At Holy Site In Bangladesh After Stampede

March 30, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

At least 10 Hindu pilgrims have been killed in a stampede during a bathing ritual at a holy site in Narayanganj, Bangladesh.

Police inspector Nasir Ahmed told AFP news agency the crush had involved "huge numbers of people".

The 16 quays used for the ritual bathing were unable to cope with so many devotees, police told bdnews 24.

The incident happened during the Astami Snan, one of the largest annual Hindu ceremonies in Bangladesh.

Air Strikes By Saudi-Led Coalition Target Shia Houthi In Yemen

March 30, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Warplanes from a Saudi-led coalition are bombing Yemen for a third night, targeting Shia Houthi rebels as they advance in and around the port of Aden.

The rebel advance has sparked street battles with forces loyal to President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, who fled Aden and is now at an Arab League summit.

Former President Ali Abdullah Saleh - whose supporters are fighting alongside the rebels - has called for a truce.

But Saudi Arabia has vowed to defend Mr Hadi's government from the rebels.

The Sunni kingdom has accused its regional rival, Shia-led Iran, of backing the Houthis.

Brother Of Sri Lankan President Dies In Hospital

March 30, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

A brother of Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has died in hospital after being attacked with an axe on Thursday, police have said.

Priyantha Sirisena suffered severe head injuries in his hometown of Polonnaruwa, north-east of the capital Colombo, AFP news agency reports.

Colombo Gazette reports there was a "private dispute" and a man has been arrested.

The president is out of the country on a state visit to China.

His youngest brother, a businessman and father of three, was attacked on Thursday evening "during an altercation with a friend" said a government statement.

Ten Minutes Grace For Parked Cars In Council Car Parks

March 6, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Drivers in England will get 10 minutes' grace before being fined if they stay too long in council-owned car parking spaces, the government has announced.

It is one of several changes, expected to take effect later this month, which include new restrictions on the use of CCTV cars issuing automatic fines.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said he wanted to end the "war on drivers".

But councils said many already allowed 10 minutes' leeway and raised concerns about the safety of other changes.

The changes include:

Funeral Of Boris Nemtsov To Take Place

March 3, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Several EU politicians and Russia's opposition leader have been barred from attending the funeral of murdered Russian politician Boris Nemtsov.

A Polish politician was denied a visa under existing Russian sanctions while a Latvian MEP was turned back after arriving at a Moscow airport.

Opposition leader Alexei Navalny was denied permission to leave jail, where he is serving a 15-day sentence.

Mourners are filing past Nemtsov's coffin at Moscow's Sakharov centre.

Boris Nemtsov: Questions Over Who Killed Him

March 3, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

In the absence of any arrest or claim of responsibility, there are multiple theories for the murder of Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov.

Was he killed because he opposed the policies of President Vladimir Putin and Russia's alleged covert war in Ukraine? Was he cut down in full view of the Kremlin in an attempt to discredit Russia's leaders or even intimidate them, or incite a rebellion against them? Perhaps it was an opportunistic attack by someone harbouring a grudge?

Here are some of the principal theories about how might be behind the killing.

President Vladimir Putin

The Spy From al-Qaeda To British Intelligence Service

March 3, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Aimen Dean is a founder member of al-Qaeda, who changed tack in 1998 and became a spy for Britain's security and intelligence services, MI5 and MI6. Interviewed by Peter Marshall, he describes his years working in Afghanistan and London as one of the West's most valuable assets in the fight against militant Islam.

Bosnia

Obama: Iran Should Freeze Nuclear Activity

March 3, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Iran should agree to freeze sensitive nuclear activity for at least a decade if it wants to strike a deal with the US, President Barack Obama has said.

However, the odds are against talks with Iran ending with an agreement, Mr Obama told Reuters news agency.

Negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme are at a critical stage, with an outline agreement due on 31 March.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to urge the US Congress on Tuesday to oppose a deal.

He was invited to speak at the US Capitol by Republican House Speaker John Boehner, angering Democrats.

Coffee Good For The Heart

March 3, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Drinking a few cups of coffee a day may help people avoid clogged arteries - a known risk factor for heart disease - Korean researchers believe.

They studied more than 25,000 male and female employees who underwent routine health checks at their workplace.

Employees who drank a moderate amount of coffee - three to five cups a day - were less likely to have early signs of heart disease on their medical scans.

Research Shows Singapore As Most Expensive City

March 3, 2015 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Singapore has retained its position as the world's most expensive city, according to research by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).

The top five most expensive cities in the world remain unchanged from a year earlier and include, in descending order, Paris, Oslo, Zurich and Sydney.

The EIU's survey comprises 133 cities worldwide and uses New York as a base.

It compares the cost of more than 160 services and products including food, clothing and utility bills.

Singapore was found to be 11% more expensive than New York for basic groceries.