Press Trust of India

Press Trust of India (PTI) is India’s premier news agency, having a reach as vast as the Indian Railways. It employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.

Four Trinamool activists killed, ex-minister named in FIR

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Four people have been arrested and an FIR registered against former West Bengal minister and CPI-M leader Kanti Ganguly in connection with the killing of at least four Trinamool Congress activists in South 24-Parganas district.

The incident happened in Khari village in Raidighi in the district Saturday night when some miscreants hurled bombs and opened fire at the activists, killing four of them and injuring three others when they had gathered together for a meeting.

Australian lawyers most satisfied in bed, techie not

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For lawyers, this case has been won with utmost ease. In Australia, 54.5 percent of the people working in the legal industry are most satisfied with their sex lives, a new survey revealed.

The techies, however, are not that savvy when it comes programming desires.

Almost half of those in IT and telecommunications – 44 percent – said they were unsatisfied in the bedroom, according to the “Great Australian Sex Census” conducted by dating site redhotpie.com.au.

The survey involved 17,000 adults in Australia who were asked about their bedroom behaviours.

Know who is using your web data

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Once you share your data with a private company, say a bank, for your online transactions, you hardly have any control over who exactly is using or misusing your data.

That could soon change as researchers are now developing a protocol they call “HTTP with Accountability”, or HTTPA which will automatically monitor the transmission of private data and allow the data owner to examine how it is being used.

How text messages can help control diabetes

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The unsolicited text messages that ask you every day to buy a flat or visit a massage parlour must have irritated you a lot, but if efficiently used, the short text messages also have the potential to help control diabetes.

A text message-based self-management intervention improves glycemic control in high risk population with Type 2 diabetes, a study indicated.

Eve weds Maximillion Cooper in Ibiza

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American rapper Eve Jihan Jeffers, better known as Eve, exchanged vows with Maximillion Cooper in Ibiza, Spain.

Dressed in wedding gown by British designer Alice Temperley and a cathedral-length veil, the 35-year-old married Cooper June 13 in Ibiza, Spain.

“I’m so happy to make Eve my wife. The whole experience has been amazing and we are both so happy to have tied the knot,” eonline.com quoted Cooper as saying.

Kelly Clarkson gives birth to baby girl

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Singer Kelly Clarkson is now a mother to a baby girl.

The 32-year-old shared the news on Twitter Saturday, reports eonline.com.

“Our baby girl River Rose Blackstock arrived on June 12th! Thank you everyone for all of your well wishes! Brandon and I are on cloud 9!! :)” she tweeted.

River Rose is Kelly and her husband Brandon Blackstock’s first child together.

Clarkson had predicted that she will have a girl and the happy parent tweeted: “I knew it! Only a girl could cause this much drama with all this vomiting ha!”
(IANS)

Lily Allen wanted fame to get special treatment

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Singer Lily Allen says she always wanted to become famous because she got aware of the perks of being famous at an early age.

The daughter of actor Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen, admits she dreamt of becoming a celebrity because she wanted people to give her “special” treatment, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

In an interview with the Telegraph magazine, the 29-year-old said: “(I always wanted to sing but more than that) I think I wanted to be famous. (I’d see) how people treated famous people better than they treated not-famous people. (I wanted to) feel special.”

Doosra ban has nothing to do with form: Shillingford

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West Indies off-spinner Shane Shillingford has brushed aside suggestions his bowling performance has been affected by a ban on his doosra delivery.

Shillingford claimed figures of three for 145 and two for 39 in the first Test against New Zealand at Sabina Park which West Indies lost by 186 runs, reports CMC.

The Sabina Park Test was his first since having to undergo ICC-recommended remedial work on his bowling action.

“I don’t think not being able to bowl the doosra has affected me a lot,” he said in a post-match interview.

“It’s just a matter of being consistent.”

FIFA World Cup: Colombia outclass Greece 3-0

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Colombia outclassed Greece 3-0 with goals from Pablo Armero, Teofilo Gutierrez and James Rodriguez in the Group C opener of the FIFA World Cup at the Estadio Mineirao here Saturday.

The Greeks continued their streak of not winning their opening game in World Cup finals while Colombia stretched their unbeaten streak to eight games.

Defender Armero opened the scoring in the fifth minute while Gutierrez poked in a corner to double Colombia’s lead. Rising Monaco star Rodriguez rounded off the scoring with a precise left foot shot from inside the box in the 92nd minute.

Meghalaya militant outfit chairman arrested in Assam

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Chairman of Meghalaya-based militant outfit UALA, Novembirth Ch Marak, was arrested Saturday from a hospital in Assam, a police official said.

“Novembirth alias Chiindik Marak is a prize catch for us in our operation against the UALA (United A’chik Liberation Army) which has been creating reign of terror in Garo Hills,” Meghalaya police chief Peter Hanaman told IANS.

“A police team from Meghalaya is on its way to Assam to seek his transit remand,” he said.

Federer to face Alejandro Falla at ATP Halle Open final

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Roger Federer defeated Kei Nishikori in straight sets 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) to reach the final in Halle for the ninth time Saturday.

The six times Halle champion Federer utilised a break point to seal the first set meanwhile fourth seeded Nishikori fought back in the second set to force the former World No. 1 into the tiebreak, reports Xinhua.

However, Federer was able to equalise their head-to-head record to 2-2.

Sports minister resumes campaign for Narine’s inclusion

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Trinidad and Tobago sports minister Anil Roberts has described as encouraging news reports that West Indies selectors were reconsidering their decision not to play top-ranked spinner Sunil Narine in the current Test series against New Zealand.

Roberts has dispatched a letter to West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Dave Cameron saying he was happy to learn of reports the board was in discussions with Narine’s management on the issue.

Prandelli wary of England’s attacking threat

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Italian coach Cesare Prandelli says his team are prepared for a more enterprising England team than the one they defeated on penalties at Euro 2012.

Italy and England will meet for the first time in a competitive fixture since that duel when they clash in their 2014 FIFA World Cup Group D clash at Manaus’ Amazonia Arena Saturday, reports Xinhua.

“I don’t want to talk too much about the opposition because that’s not my style but they have personality and physical strength,” Prandelli said.

India aims at 75 percent indigenisation in defence in 2020-2025

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India aims to achieve 75 percent indigenisation in defence production between 2020 and 2025, said Avinash Chander, scientific advisor to the defence minister.

He told reporters here Saturday that several steps are being taken to reduce the dependence on imports and achieve the self-reliance.

He did not agree with the perception that the current level of indigenisation is 30 percent.

“An analysis of approvals given by the government during last seven years show that more 50 percent procurement was indigenous. Our self-reliance index is definitely more than 50 percent,” he said.

Beer flows back to Brazil stadiums

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Brazil has overturned the ban on alcohol in stadiums after 11 years’ prohibition.

FIFA together with its sponsor Budweiser, Saturday confirmed the suspension of Brazil’s law against alcohol sale at matches, reports Xinhua.

According to the contract between Budweiser and the world football body, fans could buy the official brands in stadiums.

Bud Zero and local brands Brahma Zero, all owned by the world’s biggest brewer AB InBev, are the official beverages on sale at matches.

Budweiser’s contract with FIFA until 2022, is estimated to be worth several million dollars a year.
(IANS)

Commonwealth Games Queen’s baton relay arrives in Scotland

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The 20th Commonwealth Games Queen’s baton reached Scotland’s capital Saturday to coincide with the Queen’s official birthday.

Crossing the border from England, the relay first arrived at Heriot-Watt University, chosen as the site for Scotland’s National Performance Centre for Sport.

It then moved to Murrayfield Stadium where it boarded a tram and made its way to the city centre to Edinburgh Castle, where a 21-gun salute at noon marked the Queen’s official birthday celebrations, reports Xinhua.

France expels Tunisian recruiting nationals for Syria

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French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve Saturday ordered with “the absolute urgency”, the expulsion of a Tunisian man accused of recruiting young French nationals to join fighting in Syria.

Following “the threat that his presence posed to public safety and security of the state,” the 28-year-old man from Grenoble, southeast France, was sent home Thursday night on “his key role in recruitment drive for Jihad in Syria”, Xinhua reported.

India to lay down policy for missile exports

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India has the capability to export missiles and it will soon start laying down policy norms, said Avinash Chander, scientific advisor to the defence minister.

He told reporters here Saturday that many countries were sowing keen interest in the missile systems developed by India.

Avinash, who is also the director general of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), said exports was a new area they were exploring and the new government was also very keen on building up the export potential.

Blackwood, Johnson replace Samuels, Powell in Test 13

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West Indies have called up in-form Jamaican stroke-maker Jermaine Blackwood to the 13-man squad for the second cricket Test against New Zealand, starting here Monday.

The 22-year-old is one of two changes in the squad with Guyana left-hander Leon Johnson also included for the June 16-20 encounter at Queen’s Park Oval, reports CMC.

Blackwood and Johnson replace experienced batsman Marlon Samuels and left-handed opener Kieran Powell, both of whom are struggling for form.

Four killed in blasts, firing across Pakistan

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At least four people, including a provincial lawmaker, were killed and several others injured in four separate incidents of firing and bomb explosions in Pakistan Saturday, officials said.

Jan Muhammad Buledi, spokesperson of the Balochistan provincial government, said that a lawmaker, Hendry Masih, was killed when his personal bodyguard opened fire at him Saturday morning, Xinhua reported.

Buledi said that Masih, a member of minority Christian community, was shot dead by the gunman he hired 15 years ago outside his residence in provincial capital of Quetta.

When Murthy took potshots at media

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Infosys co-founder N.R. Narayana Murthy Saturday had a dig at a section of the media, which has been commenting on the troubled company following exits by senior executives and exodus of its techies since his return a year ago.

“As this is the last time I am addressing you as the chairman of the company, let me describe the realities of what some outsiders and some section of the media have been commenting based on malicious rumours, unfounded allegations and speculations,” Murthy told shareholders at the company’s 33rd annual general meeting (AGM) here.

Modi at sea, hears slogans hailing him

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It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s day at sea, his first visit to a weapons platform and he heard slogans he would have normally listened to at his political rallies.

“Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi ki jai (Hail Prime Minister Narendra Modi),” was a slogan that came to him from across the waves of the Arabian Sea as he took the salute of “steam pass” aboard INS Vikramaditya, India’s most powerful warship, off the Goa coast.

Israeli defence chief says missing teens presumed alive

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Israel’s defence minister said Saturday that three Jewish teenagers feared to have been kidnapped by Palestinian militants from the West Bank Thursday night were presumed to be alive.

“At the moment we are working under the assumption that they are alive,” Xinhua quoted Moshe Ya’alon as telling media in his first public statement on the crisis, adding that security forces will not cease their efforts to rescue the youths.

On Saturday, three teenagers were identified as Naftali Frenkel and Gilad Shaar, both aged 16, and Eyal Yifrach, 19, after the names were cleared for publication.

Modi asks party workers to innovate, modernise political outreach

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For a moment Narendra Modi Saturday shed his prime ministerial garb and donned the more familiar role of a BJP organising secretary exhorting party workers to innovate and modernise political outreach.

Addressing a meeting of over 8000 workers at the Shyama Prasad Mookerjee indoor stadium on the outskirts of Panaji, Modi exhorted the Goa unit of the BJP to become the most tech savvy political outfit in the country.

Four new polio cases emerge in Pakistan

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Four more polio cases have emerged in Pakistan, taking the total number of cases reported in the country to 82 in the current year, an official said Saturday.

Elias Durry, Emergency coordinator of the WHO’s polio eradication programme in Pakistan, said Saturday that two of the fresh cases were from Khyber Agency while the other two were from North Waziristan tribal agency, both in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) region in north-western Pakistan, Dawnonline reported Saturday.