Andhra CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy dies

Kurnool: Prime Minister's office on Thursday confirmed that Andhra Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy has died in the helicopter crash. Five dead bodies were in the mangled remains of the helicopter.

From Wednesday till now -

- The chopper took off at 8.45 am for Chittoor and was scheduled to arrive at 10.45 am. Earlier reports suggested that the chopper had landed in the middle of thick forest, said to be affected by the Maoist activities.

- Air Traffic Control (ATC) sources said the chopper went off the radar due to heavy rains. The helicopter lost contact with Air Traffic Controller at the Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad and since then there has not been any contact with the Chief Minister.

- There has been no contact with the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, whose helicopter has been missing since 9:30 am after he took off from Hyderabad Wednesday monring, Home Ministry sources said earlier. "There has been no contact established with the helicopter," sources in the ministry said. Helicopters involved in the search had been called back due to bad weather but foot search will continue. 600 CRPF jawans were deployed for the search operation.

- Massive search operations were launched with seven Air Force helicopters and 5000 CRPF personnel pressed to find the Chief Minister and others aboard the chopper.

- Search operations were aborted because of bad weather in the area, which in any case is a challenge due to dense forest. The area is said to be infested with Naxals and Tigers.

- The air-search operations began at 6.00 to 6.30 on Thursday morning and there are reports of YSR's chopper being located. There is no news of survivors yet.

(With PTI Inputs)

American Pie actor Jason Biggs attacked by Gibraltar ape

The American Pie actor Jason Biggs has cut short his holiday in Europe after being attacked by one of Gibraltar's famous monkeys.

American Pie actor Jason Biggs Photo: GETTY

In a scene that could have come from the comedy films that have made him famous, the 31-year-old star fought off the wild animal when he was attacked while sightseeing on the British colony.

He was visiting the disputed territory at the foot of Spain with friend and American Pie co-star Eddie Kaye Thomas when the pair came face to face with one of Gibraltar's mascots.

"Jason and Eddie decided to go on the trip to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of Pie," a source told US media.

"They were hiking in the woods when this monkey suddenly leapt on Jason from a tree and tried to bite his face off.

"Jason's travelling companions managed to fend the beast off and Jason thankfully wasn't seriously hurt, just shaken up."

The actor abruptly ended his holiday as a result of the attack and returned to the US early.

The Gibraltar population of the Barbary macaque - a monkey commonly referred to as the Barbary ape because of its stubby tail - numbers more than 200.

They attract hundreds of tourists every day to the areas around Apes Den and the Siege Tunnels at the top of the Rock.

But signs warn of the dangers of approaching the animals and the threat of attacks on humans and the possibility of the spread of disease has led to authorities ordering regular culls.

British soldiers are thought to have introduced the apes, natives of north Africa, into Gibraltar in the mid-18th century to use for shooting practice.

Local folklore has it that the colony would cease to be British if the monkeys were to leave.

Winston Churchill took it seriously enough to ship extra monkeys from north Africa to Gibraltar during the Second World War.

Kidnap girl 'bonded with captor'

Jaycee Lee Dugard reportedly bonded with her alleged capt A US woman, kidnapped as a child and held for 18 years, bonded with her alleged captor and helped to run his printing firm, according to reports. Customers knew Jaycee Lee Dugard as Allissa and believed her to be kidnap suspect Phillip Garrido's daughter, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Police in California are searching the property where Ms Dugard was held, and a neighbouring house. Mr Garrido and his wife Nancy deny 29 charges in connection with the case. They are accused of abducting Ms Dugard when she was 11 years old from near her home in South Lake Tahoe, 200 miles (320km) away from Antioch, where they lived. 'Little family' It is believed Mr Garrido fathered Ms Dugard's two children, the first when she was just 14. "It was almost like a little family," said Ms Dugard's step-father, Carl Probyn, in a TV interview. "That's probably what kept her alive - the fact that they all bonded." Ms Dugard regularly interacted with clients of Mr Garrido's printing company, and was responsible for the graphic design side of the business, the San Francisco Chronicle quoted customers as saying. CHARGES AGAINST THE GARRIDOS Kidnapping a child under 14 Kidnapping for sexual purposes False imprisonment by violence Six counts each of forcible rape Seven counts each of "forcible lewd act on a child" "[Mr Garrido] told us up-front he works with his daughter. He said Allissa did all of the graphic design and he did all of the printing," said JP Miller, who hired the firm to print advertising for his haulage company. "She was very professional, very polite, just like any other secretary or anyone you'd meet at a place of business," said Ben Daughdrill, another customer. Ms Dugard and the children are believed to have been living in tents and sheds in the backyard of the Garridos' Antioch home for 18 years. Her identity was rediscovered last week, after Mr Garrido was ordered to a parole meeting by police officers whose suspicions had been aroused by the behaviour of two girls with him. The Contra Costa County sheriff's office spokesman, Jimmy Lee, said the house next door to Mr Garrido's property was also being treated as a crime scene. He said Mr Garrido had access to the property before the current occupant moved in in 2006. He said dogs were being used to search the properties, including those trained to look for bodies. However, he said it was too early to say if there were any links to other "open cases". Media have said police have been searching for clues to a number of prostitute murders in the 1990s. Several bodies in the unsolved murders were dumped near an industrial park where Mr Garrido worked. Mr and Mrs Garrido are being held without bail and a further court hearing has been scheduled for 14 September.

COURTESY BBC NEWS