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.

Strict action against those stealing documents: Pradhan

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Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Thursday said that strict action will be taken against those involved in stealing secret documents of his ministry.

“Law will take its own course. Whoever it may be they will be severely dealt with,” he said.

Pradhan said police was investigating the matter and it will not be appropriate to say who might be benefiting from the stolen documents.

“Let police do its job. Everything will come out,” he said.

Japanese firm looking to invest $9 billion in Andhra

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Mayewaka, a leading manufacturing firm of Japan, is looking to invest $8-9 billion in Andhra Pradesh.

This was conveyed by company’s chairman Yoshiro Tanaka during a meeting with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu here Thursday.

They discussed the areas of collaboration between the state government and the company, said a statement from the chief minister’s office.

Armed tribesmen attack oil company in Yemen, 6 killed

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At least six army personnel were killed and three others injured when armed tribesmen attacked an oil company in Yemen, a security official said.

“A group of armed tribesmen carried out an attack Wednesday evening on a foreign oil company based in Hadramout province, killing at least six army soldiers in charge of guarding the institution headquarters,” Xinhua reported citing local security official as saying on condition of anonymity.

Coal auction: Essar wins mine, states gain Rs.60,000 crore

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On day five of the auction of coal blocks whose allotments were cancelled by the Supreme Court, the Essar Group won its first mine, even as poorer states stand to gain nearly Rs.60,000 crore from blocks sold in the ongoing auction.

“Essar Power MP Ltd won the Tokisud North mine (Jharkhand) for the power sector. The price at which the mine closed was Rs.1,110 per tonne,” a coal ministry official said here Wednesday.

3,000 Ukrainian soldiers died in Devaltseve clashes: Rebels

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Some 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers died in fierce fighting with pro-Russian separatists trying to dislodge them from the strategic city of Devaltseve, the separatist forces’ commander Eduard Basurin said Wednesday.

Basurin, the insurgents’ military commander in the Donetsk administrative region of eastern Ukraine, said that of the 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers deployed in Devaltseve by the authorities in Kiev, approximately 3,000 were killed in action.

Swine flu deaths in Rajasthan cross 190

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With eight more swine flu deaths Wednesday, total deaths touched 191 in Rajasthan since the start of this year, an official said.

“Total deaths have touched 191 while positive cases in a day has risen by 346 to touch a figure of 3,648 across the state,” a medical and health department official told IANS.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Medical and Health Minister Rajendra Singh Rathore again appealed to the public to seek doctor’s advice as soon as the symptoms of the disease are witnessed.

Three killed in Pakistan mosque bombing

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At least three people were killed and several others injured in a bomb attack on a Shia mosque in Pakistan’s garrison town of Rawalpindi Wednesday, a media report said. A splinter group of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack.

A spokesperson of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences said that two people were pronounced dead when their body was brought to the hospital. According to hospital sources, one more person succumbed to injuries later. The condition of five of the injured is reported to be critical, Dawn reported.

Goa government terms ambulance operators’ strike illegal

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The Goa government Wednesday declared as illegal the strike by employees of GVK-EMRI, an agency which provides mobile health care services and responds to medical emergencies here.

A statement issued late Wednesday by the Department of Information and Publicity said that in view of 108 emergency health services operated by GVK-EMRI being brought under the Essential Services Management Act, the agency’s striking employees “shall be liable to disciplinary action including dismissal”.

Punjab Police seize 25 kg heroin

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The Punjab Police Wednesday said that it had seized 25 kg heroin from a smuggler in Fazilka district of the state.

The heroine consignment is valued at Rs.125 crore in the international market, said Inspector General of Police Jatinder Jain.

The seizure was made by the Bathinda unit of the counter intelligence wing of the police from Hasta Kalan village of Fazilka district.

Police arrested smuggler Gurcharan Singh in this connection and recovered three Pakistani SIM cards, three mobile phones, a car and other things from him, a police spokesman said here.

DDA should be renamed ‘Delhi Destruct Authority’, says HC

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The Delhi High Court Wednesday termed Delhi Development Authority (DDA) as “Delhi Destruct Authority” while saying that the land-owning agency and other departments are not concerned about Delhi.

“You all are not concerned about Delhi. All of you should be renamed. DDA should be renamed Delhi Destruct Authority,” said a division bench of Justice B.D Ahmed and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva.

Greenpeace activist’s offloading inappropriate: HC

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The Delhi High Court Wednesday termed “inappropriate” the central government’s decision to prevent Greenpeace activist Priya Pillai from leaving India on the ground that she would project a negative image of the country at the international level.

Justice Rajiv Shakdher said that there can be differences of opinion on the development policies of the government but that does not tantamount to being “anti-national”.

Waveriders, Wizards draw 3-3 in thrilling HIL clash

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Playing their last game of the Hockey India League (HIL) pool phase, both Delhi Waveriders and Uttar Pradesh Wizards came out with brilliant performances to provide a thrilling and entertaining 3-3 draw to the fans at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here Wednesday.

Though the match was an inconsequential tie with both teams already in the semi-finals, the Waveriders did not allow the Wizards to run away with a win and top the standings.

Just five minutes in to the game, the Waveriders earned the first penalty corner.

Pakistani boat: Government in twist over Coast Guard officer’s remarks

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The NDA government Wednesday found itself in a spot over a senior Coast Guard official’s remarks disputing its stand that a Pakistani vessel trying to sneak into India had blown itself up. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said he would inquire into the matter while indicating possible disciplinary action against the officer.

He also said the government “stands by its statement” that the boat was blown up by the “suspected terrorists” themselves and was prepared to release evidence to this effect.

Lehmann confirms Clarke’s return for match against Bangladesh

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Australian coach Darren Lehmann has confirmed injured skipper Michael Clarke will make his comeback to the team Saturday in their World Cup encounter against Bangladesh in Brisbane, Gabba.

Clarke who had a right hamstring surgery less than eight weeks ago was set the dateline of Feb 21 by Cricket Australia to make a comeback if he was to take any part in the World Cup. A determined Clarke went under rigorous training and recovery process to be fit in time.

In an exchange broadcast on Sky Sports News Wednesday, Lehmann said: “Yeah, he’s (Clarke) playing, mate.”

Eight die in Brazil bus fire

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At least eight people died and five others were injured when a bus caught fire Wednesday in Brazil’s Sao Goncalo, a city in the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area, after hitting a utility pole, authorities said.

The accident occurred around 6 a.m. in the Santa Catarina section of Sao Goncalo, police and the fire department said.

Three of the people killed in the accident were in the street, while the other five victims were riding in the rear of the vehicle.

Government monitoring swine flu cases, test rates halved in Delhi

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With swine flu cases mounting in the country, the union health ministry Wednesday said it was “monitoring” the situation and stressed that there was “no shortage of drugs”.

Though the union health ministry did not Wednesday release the latest figures of the cases and deaths due to the virus, as per Feb 15 statistics a total of 585 people have succumbed to swine flu in the country.

Bengal to have its first Sanskrit University: Mamata

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The West Bengal government has decided to set up the first Sanskrit University in the state, said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Wednesday.

“I am happy to share with you that we will be setting up a new Sanskrit University for the first time in the state,” she said in a tweet.

Banerjee during the day also laid the foundation stone for the Priyamvada Birla Campus of South Point School in the city’s south east outksirts at Mukundapur.

US, Italy agree on “close coordination” over shared challenges

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US President Barack Obama and Italy’s new President Sergio Mattarella agreed to continue “close coordination” to cope with “shared challenges.”

In a telephone conversation Tuesday, the two leaders reaffirmed the ” deep and abiding” ties between their countries, the White House said in a statement, Xinhua reported.

“They agreed that the US and Italian governments would remain in close coordination to address shared challenges,” the statement said.

Sam Smith, Nathan Sykes may team up

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Nathan Sykes, a former member of band The Wanted, says he has a soft corner for music by fellow British singers and that he might collaborate with Grammy winner Sam Smith.

“I’ve (been) listening to a lot of Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran and I’m living in hope for this Adele album. So, yes, I am quite biased toward the Brits,” eonline quoted Sykes as saying.

If all goes well, Sykes says he and Smith may be making some music together.

“We’ve spoken about going into the studio before and I think it’s quite likely going to happen over the next year,” he said.

Nigeria’s police moves to recover illegal arms nationwide

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The police in Nigeria embarked on intensive recovery of fire arms in the possession of unauthorised security outfits across the country ahead of the country’s general elections in March, Inspector-General of Police Suleiman Abba said in a statement.

The police chief Tuesday said he has ordered state Commissioners of Police to carry out the operations, noting that the police must equally ensure that suspects are arrested in connection with it are given speedy prosecution at law courts, Xinhua reported.

Ukrainian diplomat calls for implementation of Minsk agreement

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A senior Ukrainian diplomat here called for the full implementation of the latest Minsk peace agreement.

Yurii Klymenko, permanent representative of Ukraine to the UN Office in Geneva, Tuesday said that the Ukrainian government considers the implementation of the Minsk agreement as “the only way to peaceful settlement” of the situation in Debaltseve in Donetsk region, Xinhua reported.

Sahara seeks extension of communication facilities in Tihar jail

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The Sahara Group Tuesday moved the Supreme Court seeking extension of communication facilities provided to its chief Subrata Roy to facilitate negotiations with other parties to raise Rs.10,000 crore after its deal with Mirach Group broke down.

Seeking four to six weeks time, senior counsel S. Ganesh told a bench headed by Justice T.S.Thakur they were working on three more deals for the sale of its assets to raise Rs.10,000 for the part payment of investors money – also a term for the release of Roy and two directors from custody.

British MPs showed ‘keen interest’ in Bengal girl child scheme: Mamata

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday said a delegation of British parliamentarians have expressed a “keen interest” in the state government’s ‘Kanyashree’ scheme for girls and other developmental projects.

“Today (Tuesday), I received a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Delegation of eight MPs of the United Kingdom representing various political parties and officials led by Baroness D’Souza CMG, Lord Speaker, at state secretariat Nabanna.

“We had a very useful discussion on wide range of topics,” Banerjee said in a post on her Facebook page.