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Five of a family killed in gun attack in Pakistan

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At least five people were killed and eight wounded Friday when unidentified gunmen opened fire at a vehicle in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The victims of the attack in Swabi district belonged to the same family, the Dawn online reported.

Police officer Aijaz Khan confirmed the number of deaths in the incident.

He added that the deceased and the injured persons were going from Swabi to Peshawar airport to bid farewell to a relative who was leaving for Saudi Arabia when the attack occurred.

Underwater search area for MH370 to widen

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As the 13th-day of the underwater search for the missing Malaysia Airline flight MH370 begins Friday, the hunt is all set to widen as the sonar scan of the depths of the Indian Ocean nears completion.

The autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) Bluefin-21 has so far searched 95 percent of a 310 sq km area, 10 km in radius and 4.5 km deep off the west Australian coast around the second towed pinger locator detection from April 8, without yielding a single result, Xinhua reported.

Up to eight planes and 10 ships are assisting in Friday’s search.

Pakistan violates ceasefire in Jammu

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Pakistani troops opened unprovoked firing at Indian positions along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district Friday, an officer said.

“Pakistan Army started unprovoked firing at our positions using small arms and automatics at Shahpur area of Poonch sector. The firing started at 9.15 a.m. Our troops have responded with equal calibre weapons,” defence spokesman Col. Manish Mehta told IANS.

India has on several occasions accused Pakistan of violating the bilateral ceasefire.

Trooper shot at in Delhi

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A paramilitary trooper was shot at by two people near his house here while he was on morning walk, police said Friday.

Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Inspector Vikas, 34, who is posted in Delhi, was shot at by two motorcycle-borne people – one of whom has been identified as his brother-in-law – in south Delhi’s R.K. Puram area.

“He has received a bullet wound in his abdomen and has been admitted to AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences). His condition is critical,” police said.

The assailants are on the run.

Kazakh-India Inter Governmental Commission meeting begins in Astana

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The 11th meeting of the Kazakh-India Inter Governmental Commission (IGC) started here today.

Kazakhstan and India held discussions on trade, economic, scientific, technological, industrial and cultural cooperation.

The Indian delegation is headed Petroleum and Natural Gas Secretary Mr.Saurabh Chandra. A meeting with Kazakhstan’s Minister for Oil and Gas, Mr. Uzakbay Karabalin, and the President of KazMunaiGas, Mr. Sauat Mynbayev, is scheduled for tomorrow as well as the IGC meeting Protocol signing.

Bangladesh Govt. taking safety steps to avoid repeat of 2013 garment factory disaster

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A year after the collapse of a garment factory in Bangladesh that claimed the lives of over 1,100, workers, manufacturers and exporters say the scenario has changed with government taking strict safety and clearance measures.

On April 24, 2013, the eight-storey Rana Plaza building in Savar, 30 km (20 miles) outside Dhaka, housing garment factories and shops, collapsed.

Modi says his tsunami will wash out Congress

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The Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, has said that his current political tsunami will wash out the ruling Congress Party.

Addressing an election rally in Bihar’s Saharsa District last evening, he said: “There is tsunami-like wave in the entire country, and this tsunami would wash out the existence of the Congress Party.”

Women and young voters came out in large numbers to cast their ballot for seven parliamentary seats in Bihar on Thursday, nation’s second biggest polling day in the sixth phase of ongoing general election.

India likely to have below-average monsoon in 2014

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India is likely to have a below-average monsoon rainfall in 2014, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its first monsoon forecast on Thursday.

According to the forecast, the drop in rainfall expectations could result in drought and increase inflation.

The IMD forecast predicts patchy rain, which could affect the planting of crops such as soybeans, rice, corn and cotton. Below-average monsoons could also have a negative impact on production of sugar, edible oil and pulses.

Congress has lost its balance by complaining to EC about Modi, says BJP

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesman Prakash Javadekar has said that the ruling Congress Party appears to have lost its balance by registering a complaint with the Election Commission (EC) against Narendra Modi.

The Congress Party had last evening asked the Election Commission to register a case against Modi for filing his nomination papers on polling day and holding a road show to influence voters.

Doubts raised over ‘Gospel of Jesus’s Wife’ text

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New information uncovered raises doubts about the origins of the scrap of papyrus revealed in 2012, which is claimed to be the “Gospel of Jesus’s Wife”.

The gospel, written in the ancient Egyptian language Coptic, has made headlines ever since Harvard University professor Karen King announced its discovery.

The business-card-size fragment contains the translated line “Jesus said to them, ‘My wife …'” and also refers to a “Mary,” possibly Mary Magdalene. If authentic, the papyrus suggests that some people believed in ancient times that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married.

Wave of change sweeps Yaqutpura

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People, most of whom are money lenders, who are panic-stricken with the wave of change in Yaqutpura and the latest trend among voters especially youth have started campaign to save their business. These elements who are involved in interest business to the tune of crores of rupees are worried over the rising popularity of MBT candidate Mr. Majeedullah Khan Fart. These elements have unitedly begun efforts to defeat MBT candidate.

Swamy criticises Congress promise to provide quota for OBC Muslims

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Friday described as unconstitutional the Congress party move to create a quota for Muslims hailing from other backward classes (OBC).

“This is unconstitutional. It is nowhere written in the Constitution that there must be reservation based on religion. Giving Muslims reservation based on backward class is wrong. Congress is manipulating Muslims,” Swamy said.

Reports suggest that under the additional manifesto adopted by the Congress, the party has declared that it will seek to empower minorities.

‘Take note give vote policy’ would end: Qayam Khan

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The elected inefficient MLA of Chandrayangutta has been adhering to the policy of ‘Take note & give vote’ policy for 15 years which will not be feasible this time. People will teach them a lesson in the ensuing elections. Their goal is to come to power by hook or by crook. On the contrary Majlis Bachao Tahreek never cared for power. Its main aim is to protect the rights of old city Muslims and rescue them from the oppressors. These views were expressed by Dr. Qayam Khan yesterday evening at massive road shows at Chandrayangutta area.

Ecclestone denies giving 45 mln-dollar bribe as trial starts in Munich

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Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has reportedly denied the 45 million-dollars bribery charges against him at the start of his trial in Munich.

Ecclestone, who is accused of giving 45 million-dollars to a German banker in order to secure the sale of a stake in the Formula One business to a company he favoured, has agreed that he gave the money to Gerhard Gribkowsky, but denied any wrongdoings in the matter.

Malaysia set to release preliminary report on MH370, says PM

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Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has said the government will release its preliminary report on Malaysia Airlines MH370 jet’s disappearance.

Facing anger from families of Flight 370 passengers, Razak told CNN the report will be available to the public by next week.

Najib said he has directed an internal investigation team of experts to look at the report, and that it will be released next week.

In the interview, Najib discussed why he is not yet officially declaring the flight, and the 239 people on board, lost.

Fire in Delhi slum, more than 1100 huts gutted

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A raging fire has devastated a slum cluster in Delhi’s Masoodpur area on Friday.

Local-eyewitness say that more than 1100 out of 1200 houses were gutted in the blaze. No loss of life has been reported so far.

Fire tenders have been sent to the spot to douse the fire. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. (ANI)

Kolkata Knight Riders beat RCB by 2 runs

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A stunning catch by Australian Chris Lynn in the last over made the difference as Kolkata Knight Riders narrowly beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by two runs in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium here Thursday.

Royal Challengers, looking for their third win on the trot, put Knight Riders into bat and they scored 150 for seven in 20 overs with Chris Lynn (45) and Jacques Kallis (43) doing the bulk of the scoring.

ED registers money laundering, forex cases in coal scam

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered money laundering cases against those firms which are under the scanner of CBI, including Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) and Rathi Steel and Power.

ED officials said that post-registration of the cases, the agency has issued directions to its various zonal offices across the country to initiate investigations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in the financial dealings of the firms which have also been booked by CBI in this case.

Giriraj Singh granted anticipatory bail

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BJP leader Giriraj Singh today got some relief as a Patna court granted him anticipatory bail for his alleged hate speeches during election campaign.

Patna District and Sessions Judge Birendra Kumar granted bail to Singh in the context of an FIR lodged at Patna airport police station on April 21 under provisions of the Representation of Peoples Act, 1950 and Indian Penal Code(IPC).

Rajiv killing conspirators not to be released for now: SC

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The Supreme Court Friday referred to a constitution bench the question whether the government can release a life term convict whose death sentence has been converted into life imprisonment and said that the seven conspirators in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case will not be released for now.

The apex court bench headed by Chief Justice P. Sathasivam framed several questions to be addressed by the constitution bench including whether after commutation of the death sentence into life imprisonment, can the government further grant them remission by releasing them.

Nadal sails into Barcelona Open quarter-finals after beating Ivan Dodig

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World No.1 Rafael Nadal has booked a quarter-final berth at the Barcelona Open after defeating Croatian Ivan Dodig.

The Spaniard, who has won the tournament eight times, beat the world number 37 6-3, 6-3 in one hour and 23 minutes and will now meet fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro on Friday after he overcame compatriot Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 6-3.

According to the BBC, should he come through his last-eight contest, Nadal will face the winner of the quarter-final between German Philipp Kohlschreiber and Colombian Santiago Giraldo.

Poll code relaxed in Karnataka

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The Election Commission Wednesday relaxed the Model Code of Conduct in Karnataka, five days after polling was held in all the 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state, an official said.

“The EC has agreed to the request of the state government to relax the model code, which was enforced March 5 for the Lok Sabha election in the state April 17,” state chief electoral officer Anil Kumar Jha told IANS here.

The conditional relaxation will enable the state government to resume administrative activities that were suspended during the election period.

Muslim devotee extends support to Siva Temple

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In a gesture of communal amity, a Karnataka based Muslim businessman has become an ardent devotee of a Lord Siva temple in a border village in neighbouring Krishnagiri district and has been extending his support for its development.

57-year-old S Mohammed Sabhiyulla alias Babu Anna developed faith in the presiding deity of the temple at Dhappakuli village bordering Karnataka as he believed his prayers there had helped him win a long-pending court case.

Fire engulfs 500 hutments in Delhi

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A fire broke out at a slum cluster of close to 500 hutments in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj area, an official said Friday.

The fire was reported at 8.30 a.m.

According to the official, 28 fire tenders have been rushed to the spot.

“We are still in the process of dousing the fire, and the reason is yet to be ascertained. Close to 500 jhuggis (huts)” are up in flames, the official said.

“No casualties have been reported so far,” he added.

————–IANS

Win was incredible and Lynn’s catch was unbelievable: Gambhir

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Skipper Gautam Gambhir called it “incredible” after his side Kolkata Knight Riders pulled off a remarkable come-from-behind victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League here today.

Riding on one of the greatest catches of all time and superb bowling at the death, the Knight Riders pulled off a two-run win in a thrilling last-ball finish.

“It was a incredible win. We deserved some luck too as we have had a number of these last-ball finishes,” Gambhir said at the post-match presentation ceremony after his side’s second win in the tournament.