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.

Court discharges Sonia’s aide in assets case

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Vincent George, a close aide of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, was Wednesday discharged by a court here in a 13-year-old disproportionate assets case.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge J.P.S. Malik discharged George in the case after taking note of the Delhi High Court’s Dec 23, 2014 order which quashed the summons issued by a trial court against him.

The high court had allowed the plea of George seeking quashing of summons issued against him July 18, 2013.

New Sri Lankan govt to work closely with India, China

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Sri Lanka’s newly elected government promised to work closely with “key players” India and China and added that the ongoing development projects with international partners would continue, a media report said Wednesday.

“The reality is that we have to work in the Asian region and India and China are two of (the) key players. So we will work very closely with these countries,” said Highways and Investment Promotion Minister Kabir Hashim, according to Xinhua report.

Expansion of India-US defence ties expected

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The visit of US President Barack Obama is expected to strengthen defence relations between India and the US and details of agreements likely to be signed will be finalised in the next 2-3 days.

Asked about what was expected on the defence front during Obama’s visit, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said expansion in the Defence Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI) with the US was on the cards.

“It (DTTI) is already there… further expansion of that is expected,” Parrikar said in response to a question.

The DTTI involves defence co-production deals.

Subramanian Swamy seeks better amenities for Ayodhya pilgrims

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BJP leader Subramanian Swamy Wednesday urged the Supreme Court to direct that pilgrims going to Ayodhya be extended all civic amenities, including free movement and fewer check-points.

Swamy urged the bench headed by Chief Justice H.L. Dattu to direct the relaxation of “over-zealous oppressive restrictions” that the pilgrims have to face during their visit to Ayodhya to have ‘darshan’ of Lord Ram’s idol at the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site.

As Swamy sought an early hearing, the court asked him to check if the pleadings were complete.

Sri Lankan president pardons former army chief

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Sri lanka’s newly elected President Maithripala Sirisena Wednesday granted full pardon to former army commander General Sarath Fonseka, convicted of corruption, an official statement said.

“Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka was acquitted from all charges and given complete amnesty by President Maithripala Sirisena,” the President Office said in a statement, Xinhua reported.

Fonseka, the former commander of Sri Lanka’s army, played an integral role in ending the 26-year civil war in 2009, defeating the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Two suspected swine-flu cases reported in Goa

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Two suspected swine-flu cases were detected in Goa over the last few days, Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza said here Wednesday.

D’Souza, who also holds the health portfolio, told reporters that while one person has been treated and discharged, another who arrived in Goa from Hong Kong is still being treated in a private hospital in south Goa, 35 km from here.

“These are the only two suspected cases which have been reported to us yet. We have stocked adequate medicine required to treat swine flu so that there is no shortfall or any kind,” D’Souza said.

Centre sends medicines to Telangana as swine flu cases mount

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Alarmed over mounting swine flu cases in Telangana, the state government Wednesday swung into action and sought help from the central government, which agreed to send a high-level medical team, medicines and diagnostic kits.

After holding a series of review meetings with health officials and an emergency cabinet meeting, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao Wednesday evening told reporters that the situation was totally under control and there was no need for panic.

Seven injured in Kashmir accident

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Seven taxi passengers were injured in a road accident Wednesday in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

The accident took place when the taxi driver lost control of the vehicle which skidded off the road in Sangli Kote area in Mahore region.

Five of the injured were taken to the Government Medical College Hospital in Jammu for specialised treatment.

(IANS)

Three-layered checking of Obama’s food, drinking water

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The food and drinking water to be served to US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle during their stay at the ITC Maurya will pass through three layers of stingent checking, including by a crack Delhi Police team and the US Secret Service.

While the super-luxury Maurya has its own team of food-testing experts, the food to be served to the US president and his wife will be checked by a Delhi Police team and finally by a team of US Secret Service agents before it is served.

Verdict in 1987 Hashimpura massacre case Feb 21

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The verdict in the 27-year-old Hashimpura massacre case will be delivered Feb 21, a court here said Wednesday.

Additional Sessions Judge Sanjay Jindal reserved the order in the case for Feb 21 after public prosecutor, defence and survivors and family members of victims’ counsel concluded their final argument in the case.

Russia-China poised to upset US dollar: Economist

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Global powers Russia and China are gearing up to push their currency in world trade to jolt the US dollar, considered to be the default currency unit for international trade, a British economist said Wednesday.

According to Simon Hunt, “de-dollarisation” is gathering pace in EU and Asian trade markets with the likelihood of China and Russia’s currencies (Russian Rouble and the Chinese RMB) being linked to gold and the eco-strategic alliance the two world powers are forming.

BJP ‘welcomes’ Manmohan Singh’s questioning by CBI

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The BJP Wednesday “welcomed” the questioning of former prime minister Manmohan Singh by the CBI in connection with alleged irregularities in the allocation of coal mines while he was in charge of the coal ministry.

“The then prime minister was also coal minister in the UPA-1 and most of the illegal allotments happened during his tenure as coal minister,” BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said in a statement here.

“Coal-gate is arguably the largest scam of independent India and Congress government between 2004 and 2014 was manifestly India’s most corrupt government ever,” he said.

Cameroon frees German hostage taken by Boko Haram

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A German hostage abducted by the Boko Haram Islamist militants was freed by the Cameroonian army with help from the forces of other countries, an official source said Wednesday.

The source said that the hostage, Nietzsche Herbet Robert, was freed following a special military operation Tuesday, and was taken to Cameroon’s northern town of Maroua, according to a Xinhua report.

The kidnapping was never made public, hence the surprise of many people when Robert’s liberation was announced.

(IANS)

Special security cameras outside Maurya hotel for Obama visit

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Special cameras that can capture every tiny detail of the surroundings as well as the details of the human face have been installed in front of ITC Maurya hotel where US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle will be staying for three days beginning Jan 25.

The entire 500-metre stretch on Sardar Patel Marg along which Maurya is situated has been fully covered by over 20 such specialized cameras installed at around 20 feet distance on electric poles, trees and iron railings to ensure security during the VVIP visit.

Three presidential suites ‘sanitised’ for Obama stay

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Not an inch of hotel space likely to be used by Barack Obama and his wife Michelle has been left unsanitised, to use security parlance, as three presidential suites at ITC Maurya have been given a thorough combing by both Indian and American security men ahead of the presidential visit over the weekend.

There are three presidential suites – Chandragupta, Ashoka and the Empress – that are being kept in readiness and the one that the presidential couple will use is being kept a top secret.

Nepal Maoist leader regrets Constituent Assembly chaos

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Nepal’s main opposition Unified CPN (Maoist) Wednesday expressed regrets over the fracas and vandalism in the Constituent Assembly early Tuesday over continuing differences on drafting the country’s new constitution.

UCPN (Maoist) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda, expressed regrets over Tuesday’s incidents in the Constituent Assembly, and said it was not intentional and planned. He also assured that such incidents would not be repeated.

Dahal’s response came after widespread criticism over the ruckus in the assembly.

Doctor says woman executive raped by Uber driver

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A woman doctor, who conducted the medical examination of the woman executive allegedly raped by a driver of the Uber taxi company, told a court here Wednesday that after looking at the scratch marks on the woman’s body, she considers that the woman was raped.

Neelam, a doctor at the Hindu Rao Hospital, told Additional Sessions Judge Kaveri Baweja that she found various scratch marks on the woman’s body and swelling in her lips. All the injuries were fresh in nature.

Katrina shoots with visually impaired photographer

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Actress Katrina Kaif posed for a photoshoot with visually impaired photographer Bhavesh Patel for a global beauty brand.

The photographs, which bring out the feminine sensuality of the actress, were captured by Patel for Lux. A video of the photoshoot was launched on video-sharing website Wednesday.

The video, titled ‘Perfume Portraits’, features Katrina posing in a purple gown. It also shows the photographer feeling the actress’ photographs with his hands.

“With every photograph I took, her fragrance formed a vision in my mind,” Patel said in a statement.

Jammu and Kashmir governor seeks centre’s financial help

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Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra Wednesday confirmed that the state is facing a serious financial crisis and needs immediate support of the central government to avert it.

A Raj Bhavan spokesman said after several rounds of personal discussions with the state planning and finance secretaries and consultations with the chief secretary, the governor has addressed a detailed communication to the union finance minister regarding the financial crisis.

Gadkari, Akhilesh discuss improvement of UP roads

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Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav Wednesday discussed the improvement of road transport in the state, officials said.

The chief minister stressed the need for a good network of roads in his state and said that development in this regard would directly reflect in the state’s economy.

The two leaders also reviewed the progress of ongoing projects.

Gadkari assured the state of all possible support from the central government in expanding and strengthening roads as well as national highways.

Congress in Assam releases book on BJP’s ‘U-turns’

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Launching a fresh attack on the BJP-led central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress in Assam Wednesday released a handbook on the BJP government’s “U-turns” on various pre-poll commitments.

Releasing the book, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Congress leader Anjan Dutta said the Bharatiya Janata Party has made ‘U-turns’ on all promises made to the people of India before the Lok Sabha elections.

Child rights commission seeks reduction in school bus fares

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The Punjab State Commission for Protection of Child Rights Wednesday asked the state government to ensure reduction in private school bus fares with the decrease in petrol and diesel prices.

Commission chairman Sukesh Kalia said the international crude oil prices had come down following which prices of petrol and diesel had gone down.

He said the benefit of the reduced petrol and diesel prices should reach the parents of the children who were commuting in school buses.

He suggested that bus fares should be in accordance with the deflation of petrol and diesel prices.

(IANS)

Lahiri seeks ranking boost at Malaysian Open

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Indian star Anirban Lahiri aims to boost his position in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) by challenging for the Maybank Malaysian Open crown next month.

Currently ranked 68th in the world, Lahiri is pushing hard to break into the top-50 a week prior to The Masters tournament to qualify for the year’s first Major championship in April.

Shankar didn’t try to offend transgenders: Ojas Rajani

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Filmmaker Shankar hasn’t tried to offend the transgender community in his Tamil magnum opus “I”, says popular makeup artist Ojas M. Rajani, who essayed an important role in the film.

Shankar’s portrayal of Ojas, a transgender, in his film attracted the wrath of a group of transgenders who have demanded a “public apology” from the filmmaker after protesting in front of his residence Monday.

Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil completes his term

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Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil’s five-year term ended Wednesday.

Patil, a former union home minister, joined here as governor Jan 22, 2010. He was also the administrator of the union territory of Chandigarh.

He was given a warm send-off by staff and officers of the Punjab Raj Bhawan Wednesday.

Patil’s tenure remained largely non-controversial but lacklustre, especially in the context of Chandigarh.