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.

West Indies register highest T20 run chase

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The West Indies registered the highest run chase in Twenty20 history as they beat South Africa by four wickets in a thrilling game here Sunday.

Hosts South Africa posted the fourth highest T20 international score of 231 for seven, propelled by skipper Faf du Plessis’s 119 from 56 balls.

But even that wasn’t enough, as Chris Gayle smashed 90 from 41 balls, hitting seven sixes to lead the West Indies reply. He was supported in the run chase by Marlon Samuels (60).

Two rhinos poached in Assam, toll rises to three

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Within days of the year’s first killing of a rhino at the Kaziranga National Park in Assam, carcasses of two more rhinos have been found, their horns sawed off, authorities said Sunday.

On Jan 9, the poachers killed a one-horned rhino in Dhing in Nagaon district and escaped with its horn. The recovery of the two more carcasses Sunday has pushed the killings of rhinos to three this year, and raised the hackles of animal rights groups.

Our official stopped from travelling abroad: Greenpeace

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Environmental watchdog Greenpeace Sunday claimed that a woman official working with the NGO was stopped from boarding her flight to London at the airport here.

The official was scheduled to address British parliamentarians Jan 14 on the rights of forest communities in India “being infringed for coal mining”, Greenpeace said in a statement.

Despite repeated attempts, immigration department officials at the airport were not available for comment.

Bengaluru FC win maiden Federation Cup crown

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Robin Singh headed in a 69th minute winner as Bengaluru FC emerged Federation Cup champions with a 2-1 victory over Goa’s Dempo Sports Club at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium here Sunday.

The two sides had finished 1-1 at half time, after an early strike from Indian skipper Sunil Chhetri was nullified by Dempo’s Aussie talisman Tolgay Ozbey.

The Goans had to play the last 21 minutes with ten men after Rowilson Rodrigues was sent off for a studs-up lunge on Thoi Singh.

Westwood credits team game for Fed Cup victory

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On a high after clinching the Federation Cup, Bengaluru FC coach Ashley Westwood credit his side’s success to team work and said they were now all ready to do an encore in the I-league.

Interacting with the media after Bengaluru defeated formidable Dempo Sports Club 2-1 in the final to lift their maiden title, the Englishman, however, conceded that his boys needed to work on several areas to do well in the competitive I-League.

“We are delighted at this win, and this shows what good team work can do,” Westwood said.

China win women’s TT team World Cup

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The Chinese women’s table tennis team won the gold medal in the Team World Cup, defeating North Korea 3-0 in the final Sunday.

Zhu Yuling, Liu Shiwen and Ding Ning all won their games. Liu beat Ri Mi Gyong 3-2, while Zhu defeated Ri Myong Sun 3-2. Ding paired up with Liu to crush Ri Mi Gyong/Kim Hye Song 3-0, reports Xinhua.

With the victory, the Chinese team took home $50,000 prize money while North Korea as the runners-up won $25,000.

Twelve women’s teams and as many men’s teams participated in the tournament.

(IANS)

Yu, Marray annex doubles crown in Chennai Open

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Unseeded pair of Yen-Hsun Yu and Jonathan Marray annexed the doubles title defeating top seeds Leander Paes and Raven Klaasen 6-3, 7-6(4) in the final of the Aircel Chennai Open here Sunday.

Yu of Chinese Taipei and his British partner Marray broke the Indo-South African combination once to take the first set and then won a thrilling tie-break to annex the crown.

Bihar CM meets SC/ST officials

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Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi Sunday courted another controversy when he held a meeting with state government officials from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

A source said Manjhi told the SC/ST officials to assert themselves to secure justice for Mahadalits and marginalised sections of the society.

After the meeting ended, Manjhi told the media: “It was a secret meeting and I will not divulge anything what we discussed.”

52 die of poisoned drink in Mozambique

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At least 52 people have died after consuming a contaminated drink during a funeral ceremony in Mozambique’s province of Tete, media reports said Sunday.

The tragic incident took place Saturday in Chitima area of the northwestern province. Radio Mozambique said 51 others were admitted to hospitals after consuming the contaminated traditional drink known as “Pombe”. The woman who made the drink was among the dead, Xinhua reported.

Pombe is made of either maize or millet flour.

‘Polio-free status for Gujarat an important milestone’

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The achievement of a polio-free status by India, including Gujarat, was an important milestone in health indicators for the South-East Asia region, Ban Soon-taek wife of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Sunday.

Ban Soon-taek congratulated the national, state and local governments for their strong will and painstaking efforts to drive out polio at a function to celebrate Gujarat’s polio-free status.

Over 1,200 Japanese firms in India, grow 13 percent in year

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The number of Japanese companies registered in India increased 13 percent by 137 and totalled 1,209 as in October last year as compared to 1,072 in October 2013, the Japanese embassy said Sunday.

“The total number of Japanese business establishments in India is 3,961 with an increase of 1,419 establishments (56 percent growth) as compared to 2,542 in October 2013,” the Japan embassy said in a statement here.

“The increase in the number of Japanese business establishments during the one year under survey is very large,” it added.

Delhi’s Avinash Kumar wins national junior snooker title

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Delhi’s Avinash Kumar clinched the junior snooker title winning all three round-robin matches at the National Billiards and Snooker Championship here Sunday.

Kumar kept the audience spellbound exhibiting excellent skills throughout the tournament.

A day back, he had broken into the top-four without losing a single frame.

In the round robin stage, he first defeated Karnataka’s M.L. Laxman 4-1 and then got the better of Hritik Jain (Madhya Pradesh) 4-2, before carving out a facile 4-1 win over S. Shrikrishna (Tamil Nadu).

Bajrang Dal attacks Christian bhawan in Bihar town

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A group of Bajrang Dal activists Sunday attacked and vandalized the Christian bhawan (building) at a Bihar town, police said.

The incident created panic among the small Christian community — who demanded police protection for their security — in Jehanabad town of the same district, 52km from Patna.

“Some Bajrang Dal activists attacked and vandalized the Christian bhawan at Jehanabad town,” a district police official said.

They were apparently protesting against the alleged conversion of poor Hindus by Christians.

Kohli moves up to 12th in rankings, Sangakkara back on top

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Premier Indian batsman Virat Kohli Sunday moved up three places to the 12th spot, while Sri Lankan maestro Kumar Sangakarra returned to the top in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) Test rankings.

Indian captain Kohli scored 147 and 46 in the recently concluded fourth Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) which helped him jump three places. Kohli has 774 points. Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara have been ranked 22nd and 23rd, respectively.

Perfect start for new season: Wawrinka

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Dubbing it a “perfect week”, Swiss ace Stanislas Wawrinka said his third title in the Aircel Chennai Open which he won here Sunday was special and it gave him confidence ahead of the Australian Open in Melbourne.

“I am really happy and it is a great feeling (to win the title) at the start of a new season. It is special here to win for the third time. I am feeling more confident as I fly to Melbourne to have a few days of practice there,” said Wawrinka after his 6-3, 6-4 win over qualifier Aljaz Bedene.

East Bengal announces ban on media

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Fresh from their flop show at the Federation Cup football tournament, city football giants East Bengal Sunday banned the media from attending the club’s practice sessions and interacting with the players or the coach.

“Henceforth no media personnel (including photo-journalists) would be allowed entry into the training sessions of the East Bengal football team. No media interactions would be held either with the coaching staff or any player,” said a club release.

Tharoor in Delhi, likely to be questioned over Sunanda murder

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Congress MP Shashi Tharoor Sunday reached the national capital and is likely to be questioned by Delhi Police in connection with his wife Sunanda Pushkar’s murder.

Tharoor arrived at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport from Kerala around 2 p.m. and went to his house in central Delhi’s Lodhi Estate.

Tharoor did not reply to questions from journalists, and merely said: “I have already spoken with the media (in Kerala).”

He drove away in a car with his security staff. After reaching home, he consulted his lawyers and discussed the case.

Three suspected militants arrested in Pakistan

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Three suspected militants, including a suicide bomber, were arrested by security forces in Pakistan’s Quetta Sunday, media reported.

The security forces, acting on a tip-off, took three militants, including a suicide bomber, in custody during a raid in Hazar Ganji area of Quetta, capital of Balochistan province, a security official told Dawn online.

Security forces also recovered suicide jackets and a large number of arms and ammunition from the militants.

Centre to fund new ayurveda research centre in Kerala

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The central government will extend financial support to set up a new ayurvedic clinical research centre in Kerala to help scientifically validate traditional systems of healing, a union minister said Sunday.

Shripad Yesso Naik, minister of state for AYUSH, said this as he announced the new National Programme of Ayurveda Inspired Research initiated by the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) and the proposed ayurveda expo National Arogya 2015 at a function here.

Indonesian divers locate AirAsia flight recorder

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Indonesian divers Sunday detected the presence of the black box of the AirAsia plane that crashed into the Java Sea, but were unable to retrieve it, according to the transport ministry.

The team of divers from the navy in Jadayat state succeeded in finding the location of the black box of AirAsia QZ8501 at a depth of about 30-32 metres, Tonny Budiono, a senior official from the ministry, was quoted as saying in a statement, Xinhua reported.

Pietersen’s sacking questioned by Broad

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England fast bowler Stuart Broad has questioned Kevin Pietersen’s sacking saying the English and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) could have dropped the batsman instead of ending his international career.

Pietersen was discarded by ECB in February 2014 after their 0-5 Ashes defeat last year.

“I just think the sacking became a media uproar, it just seemed a bit unnecessary when every other player gets dropped for poor form, don’t they,” Broad was quoted as saying by bbc.com Sunday.

Sirisena for foreign policy to spur development

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Sri Lanka’s newly-elected president Maithripala Sirisena Sunday said he would have a broad foreign policy to spur development.

Speaking in the hill town of Kandy in central Sri Lanka, Sirisena, who took oath Friday, said he was keen to extend an olive branch to the international community, Xinhua reported.

Sirisena said he was ready to work with “all organisations” to improve the image of Sri Lanka.

“We will engage with all countries and organisations to improve relations and work towards the well-being and prosperity of all our citizens.”

Thousands gather for Paris anti-terror rally

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Thousands of people gathered at Paris’ Place de la Republique square Sunday amid tight security for a “historic” anti-terror rally through the streets of the French capital which was expected to be joined by over 50 world leaders.

The Paris daily The Local said the flags of several countries were being waved in the crowd which was expected to swell to a million by when the rally was slated to begin in the evening

About 2,000 police officers and 1,350 soldiers, including elite marksmen on rooftops, have been deployed to protect those taking part in the rally, said a BBC report.

Split from Mcllroy a thing of the past: Wozniacki

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World No.8 women’s tennis player Caroline Wozniacki Sunday said her split from her former golfer beau Rory Mcllroy is a thing of the past.

Denmark’s Wozniacki, in the city to play the Sydney International tournament, also said returning to the place where she was engaged to the World No.1 golfer Dec 31, 2013, was a strange feeling but insisted “I’m past what happened last year”, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

Adanis sign MoU with Australia’s Woodside Energy

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The Gautam Adani-led Adani Group has signed an agreement with Australia’s Woodside Energy for sourcing liquefied natural gas (LNG) as well as for cooperation in oil and gas exploration, the company said Sunday.

“Adani Enterprises Ltd (AEL), the flagship company of Adani Group, a global infrastructure conglomerate, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Australian energy major Woodside Energy for cooperation for exploring business opportunities across a broad spectrum in the oil and gas sector in India, as part of the Vibrant Gujarat initiative,” it said in a statement here.