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(UNI) As many as twelve people died and two injured in a clash between two groups

of armed civilians in southern Mexican state of Guerrero, local officials said.

The clash occurred at around 1500 hrs local time ,Roberto Alvarez, spokesperson of the state security authorities said.

A case has been launched against the accused and investigations are underway, Mr Alvarez added.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday condemned the attack on a church in southern Philippines, and called for swift punishment to the perpetrators, a statement said here on Monday.

The Secretary-General expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

‘The Secretary-General calls for the perpetrators of these crimes to be swiftly brought to justice,’ the statement said.

The twin bombings ripped through the Jolo Cathedral in the island province of Sulu in southern Philippines.

The attack occurred during Sunday morning services and around 20 people died and 80 injured.

Mr Guterres reiterated the support of the United Nations to the Philippines Government and people in their efforts to fight terrorism and violent extremism, and to carry forward the peace process. (UNI)

More than six in 10 US citizens believe their country is heading in the wrong direction, while nearly seven in 10 gave negative opinions on the state of the country, a poll found.
The poll, released by NBC News/Wall Street Journal on Sunday, showed that 63 percent of respondents said the United States is heading off on the wrong track, while 28 percent say the opposite.
Records showed that the percentage of people who believe the country in the right direction is the lowest since July 2016.
When asked how the state of the United States should be described today, 68 percent of respondents gave negative words and phrases, the most common ones include “wrong track”, “disaster/hard times”, “parties undermining each other/no compromise.”
The poll, which was conducted before the White House struck a deal with the Democratic Party to reopen the government, showed that public opinion on U.S. President Donald Trump had remained largely stable. It is unclear if agreeing to reopen the government without extracting border wall funding from Congress had damaged his support among his base voters.(UNI)

Jason Holder, the Windies captain has become No.1 in the MRF Tyres ICC Test rankings for all-rounders after his sensational performance in Barbados which helped his side to a 381-run win against England.

Holder on Sunday scored his maiden double-century in front of his home crowd in Barbados, and also picked two wickets in the match, helping him a jump of two spots to the top of the all-rounders’ chart.

He surpassed Shakib Al Hasan and Ravindra Jadeja to the top spot. He also rose sharply in the batting rankings, by a remarkable 25 spots, and now sits comfortably at No 33, according to ICC’s official website.

However, the week has been great for Holder who was earlier named in the ICC Test team of the year 2018 for his all-round skills.

Holder has been known as a bowling all-rounder for the most part of his carrier but he massively enhanced his batting reputation by stroking a marvelous unbeaten 202 against England.

Among the others to make notable gains in the latest update to the rankings, following the Tests in Barbados and Brisbane, were the Australian trio of Pat Cummins, Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne, along with the Windies’ Kemar Roach, Roston Chase and Shane Dowrich.

Sri Lanka’s Niroshan Dickwella also improved his ranking and climbed to No. 37 on the back of his 64, while Suranga Lakmal rose to No.31 on both the bowlers’ (two-place rise) and the all-rounders’ (three-place rise) charts after his spell of 5/75 and a knock of 24. (UNI)

A Delhi Special Court on Monday granted regular bail to former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) case filed by Directorate of Enforcement under the provisions of Money Laundering Act.
CBI Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj on December, 20 granted interim bail to Former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) scam case and further extended the interim bail till January 28.
CBI has registered a case in July last year against Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi and Sarla Gupta wife of Former Union Minister Prem Chand Gupta, Vijay and Vinay Kochhar both Directors of Sujata Hotels and owner of Chanakya Hotel, Delight Marketing Company now known as Lara Projects and the then IRCTC Managing Director P K Goel.
It was alleged that Rashtriya Janta Dal Leader had abused his official position for extending undue favours to the Kochhar.
CBI has filed a chargesheet on April16, 2018 by submitting before the court that there were sufficient evidence against Lalu, Rabri, Tejashwi and other s accused persons in the case related to alleged irregularities in granting operational contract of two IRCTC hotels to a private firm. (UNI)

Ex-Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Sunday slammed BJP leaders for their indecent remarks against Priyanka Gandhi saying that they showed their anti-women mindset.
Singh, who came along with his wife on day long tour to Chhattisgarh, told some reporters
here that ‘Priyanka represents a family which has a history of sacrifice. Her grandmother
and father sacrificed their lives’.
According to Singh, indecent remarks against her by BJP leaders reflect their narrow-mindedness. BJP has become frustrated with entry of Priyanka in active politics, he alleged.
Singh said that Modi government utterly proved to be failure. Modi failed to fulfil promises in BJP’s manifesto and also the promises that he made while addressing election
gatherings, he said.

(UNI) India’s star shuttler Saina Nehwal on Sunday clinched the Indonesia Masters title as her Spanish opponent Carolina Marin retired hurt during the first game of the summit showdown here on Sunday.
With the virtue of this win, London Olympic bronze medallist Nehwal bagged her first title on the BWF circuit in two years. During the final, the Rio Olympic gold medallist landed awkwardly on her right leg while going for an overhead shot, and looked in tears.
When the match was stopped, the Spaniard was leading the game by 9-2. She tried to continue, but failed due to pain, giving Nehwal her first title win of this year.
Earlier in January, Nehwal lost to the Spaniard in the semi-final match in Malaysia Open. 

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s ‘Mere Pyare Prime Ministe’ is all set to release on March 15.

The film that deals with the social issue of open defecation represented not just India but Asia at the Rome Film Festival.

The Official Selection of the Rome Film Fest presented three productions from three different continents.

From Asia, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra directorial ‘Mere Pyare Prime Minister’ was screened in Sala Petrassi.

The film garnered an exceptional response with a standing ovation as well as four-star reviews at the event.

Rakeysh attended the screening along with his wife Bharathi Mehra who is also the producer of the film.

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra has always explored stories that are rooted in nature dealing with issues catering to the nation. With the upcoming film, the director focuses on the open defecation issue and sanitation problems in the country.

The film is shot at real locations which were finalized after the recce of 1 month of Mumbai and highlights the mother-son relation who’s will is to achieve the impossible.

‘Mere Pyare Prime Minister’ stars the national award-winning actress Anjali Patil who is playing the role of the mother.

The music of the film is given by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and lyrics by Gulzar.(UNI)

Nine Japanese companies have received envelopes containing typewritten messages with threats and white powder that appears to be highly toxic potassium cyanide, local media reported.
The NHK broadcaster reported late on Saturday that most of the envelopes, postmarked Tokyo, had been delivered to companies based in Tokyo and Osaka, including two pharmaceutical firms, and one suspicious envelope had been received by a food company in the northern Japanese city of Sapporo.
The police have already launched an investigation into the case, and discovered that white powder in at least some of the envelopes was proven to be deadly potassium cyanide, the broadcaster added.
Moreover, one of the messages demanded that the addressee pays 35 million won (over $31,200) in Bitcoin, otherwise threatening to spread cyanide-filled products.(UNI)

In an ultimatum to Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, Britain, France, Spain, and Germany have said they would recognise opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president unless he calls for elections.
In tweets published on Saturday, the leaders of France and Spain, Emmanuel Macron and Pedro Sanchez, said they would recognise Guado as “president in charge” if Venezuela is not given free elections, said an Euronews report on Sunday.
“The Venezuelan people must be able to freely decide on their future,” said Macron, as did German government spokeswoman Martina Fietz.
“If within eight days there are no fair, free and transparent elections called in Venezuela, Spain will recognise Juan Guaidó as Venezuelan president”, said Sanchez.
In a statement, the EU’s foreign police chief Federica Mogherini also urged for Venezuela to hold free, transparent and credible presidential elections “in accordance with international democratic standards and the Venezuelan constitutional order.”
“In the absence of an announcement on the organisation of fresh elections with the necessary guarantees over the next days, the EU will take further actions, including on the issue of recognition of the country’s leadership in line with article 233 of the Venezuelan constitution,” she said. (UNI)

Soon a Facebook user will be able to send an encrypted message to someone who has only a WhatsApp account as Facebook Inc Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg is planning to unify the underlying messaging infrastructure of the WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger services and incorporate end-to-end encryption into these apps.
The three services will, however, continue as stand-alone apps, the New York report said, citing four people involved in the effort.
Facebook said that it is working on adding end-to-end encryption, which protects messages from being viewed by anyone except the participants in a conversation, to more of its messaging products, and considering ways to make it easier for users to connect across networks.
“There is a lot of discussion and debate as we begin the long process of figuring out all the details of how this will work,” a spokesperson said.
Integrating the messaging services could make it harder for antitrust regulators to break up Facebook by undoing its acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram, said Sam Weinstein, a professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.
“If Facebook is worried about that then one way it can defend itself is to integrate those services,” Weinstein said.
But Weinstein said breaking up Facebook is viewed as an “extreme remedy” by regulators, particularly in the United States, so concerns over antitrust scrutiny may not have been a factor behind the integration. (UNI)

(UNI) West Indies registered a comprehensive victory of 381 runs over England on Day four in the first Test of the three-match series, to take a 1-0 lead in Barbados on Saturday.

Chasing a mammoth target of 628 runs, the visitors skittled for 246 runs. Off-spinning all-rounder Roston Chase retained the figures of 8/60.

Chase ran through the England middle-order, dismissing Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali and Ben Foakes after lunch.

Earlier in the day, the English team resumed their innings on 56/0 with Rory Burns (39) and Keaton Jennings (11) at the crease.

Keaton Jennings was the more watchful of the pair, but was the first to depart.

Rory Burns played for turn that wasn’t there and the ball stuck through the gap between bat and pad to rattle the stumps. He departed for 84 – and was denied a maiden Test hundred – to leave England 134/2 at lunch.

After that, the visitors kept losing their wickets at regular intervals and folded for 246 runs.

Earlier, on Day three with the help of captain Jason Holder’s first double-hundred (202*) and Shane Dowrich’s ton (116*), the hosts posted 415/6 (declared).

Holder adjourned Man of the Match for his first double-hundred.

Brief Score:

WI 289 (Shimron Hetmyer 81, James Anderson 5-46) & 415-6 declared (Holder 202*, Dowrich 116*)

Eng 77 (Kemar Roach 5-17) & 246 (Rory Burns 84, Chase 8-60)

Melbourne, Jan 27 (UNI) French pair Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut defeated Finland’s Henri Kontinen and Australian John Peers 6-4 7-6 (7-1) to win their maiden Australian Open men’s doubles title on Sunday.
With the virtue of this win, Herbert-Mahut became the 8th doubles team to complete the Career Grand Slam.
The French duo, fifth-seeded at the season’s first Grand Slam, broke Kontinen’s serve at 4-4 to clinch the first set by 6-4.
The second set went on serve before Herbert and Mahut got the upper hand in the tie-breaker, winning the finale in an hour and 38 minutes at the Rod Laver Arena.
Earlier, Australia’s Samantha Stosur and China’s Zhang Shuai teamed up to win the women’s doubles on Friday afternoon.

(UNI) Former New Zealand right-arm fast-medium bowler Ewen Chatfield has announced his retirement from the club cricket at the age of 68.

The veteran cricketer, also known as ‘Naenae Express,’ played his last game of cricket for his beloved Wellington club Naenae Old Boys on Saturday. Co-incidentally, his career finished at the same place, where it started in February, 1968- the Naenae Park.

Chatfield, who was always under the shadow of Sir Richard Hadlee, took the decision after getting thrashed all over the park, while playing for his club in Wellington.

“It might seem silly, but I have standards, even at 68, and if I can’t play to those standards, I think it’s time to flag it,” Stuff.co.nz, a New Zealand-based news website, quoted him as saying.

As modest as ever, Chatfield only told his club mates he was retiring, after the game.

In 1975, the cricketer made one of the most dramatic Test debuts in international circuit.

He played for the White Ferns at number 11, he was struck on the head by a Peter Lever bouncer in his first international appearance against England, after combining with Geoff Howarth in a final wicket partnership of 44.

The bouncer fractured his skull and his heart stopped beating. English team physiotherapist Bernard Thomas came to his rescue. The physiotherapist treated him and saved his life.

He played his last international match in 1989 against Pakistan at Eden Park, Auckland. The match ended in a draw.

The sexagenarian played 42 Tests and took 123 wickets, while in ODIs, he appeared for the Kiwis in 114 times and bagged 140 wickets.

Expressing his desire to have a pre-poll alliance with the Congress in Karnataka, former Prime Minister and JD(S) National President H D Devegowda said that “the formal talks with the Congress leaders on alliance will be held soon”.

Speaking after holding a meeting of poll preparedness of Bengaluru City JD(S) MLAs, MLCs and Office bearers here on Sunday, the former Prime minister said that “so far no formal talks was held with Congress pre-poll alliance”.

Stating that JD(S) will appoint Working President to Lok Sabha seats coming under the Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts, Mr Gowda said that “Rajya Sabha member Kupendra Reddy will be appointed as the JD(S) in-charge and will interact with the workers and the leaders in co-odrinating the election campaign”.

He said that the number of seats and the Constituencies the JD(S) will get, will be known only after working out the pre-poll election pact with the Congress, Mr Gowda hinted that he may chose to contest from the Bengaluru North Lok Sabha seat, which was held by Union Minister D V Sadananda Gowda.

Mr Gowda has already declared Prajwal Revanna as the party’s candidate for Hassan Lok Sabha seat, which was represented by Mr Gowda himself. “A final decision will be only taken at the JD(S) Parliamentary Board the highest decision making body of the party” he added.

Referring to the achievements of the JD(S)-Congress coalition government in Karnataka he said that “Kumaraswamy’s ‘Badavara Bandhu’ scheme, intended to protect the poor people from the money-lenders have helped scores persons including farmers”.(UNI)

FM 100.9 MHz being broadcast from All India Radio, Port Blair has been declared as the 42nd FM Station of Vividh Bharati Network by Prasar Bharati.
With this Port Blair city, the capital town of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and surrounding South Andaman regions have got first FM Radio Station, which was a long pending demand. To start with two hours of local programmes will be broadcast from Vividh Bharati FM Port Blair in the morning and for two hours in the evening.
Meanwhile, the Civil Society has welcomed the move of Government to bless Andaman with its first FM Radio Station which was a long pending demand.
“FM Radio Station is a must for any tourist destination like Andaman and Nicobar Islands. I am glad that Vividh Bharati’s Port Blair FM radio station is on air now,” said Mr M Vinod, President of Andaman Association of Tour Operators (AATO).
Earlier last year, Mr Bishnu Pada Ray, the lone Member of Parliament of Andaman and Nicobar Islands had requested the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting for enhancement of the services of FM Radio in Nicobar District, as the services of FM Radio broadcasting particularly in far flung areas is very essential means of information and entertainment.
In pursuant to the demand, Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore, the Minister of State for Youth & Affairs and also Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting had conveyed last year that the scheme for setting up of a 100W FM relay transmitter co-located/co-sited with the existing Doordarshan’s LPVT setup at Car Nicobar has been approved by this Ministry. (UNI)

The death toll in the blasts that hit a cathedral in the southern Philippine province of Sulu on Sunday morning has climbed to 27 people, while the number of injured reached 77, local media reported, citing police.
Earlier in the day media reported that one improvised explosive device had been detonated inside the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, located in the province’s Jolo municipality, while another bomb exploded near the building’s entrance. Previous reports indicated that at least 19 people had fallen victims of the attack and another 48 were wounded.
According to the Rappler news portal, police have announced that 20 civilians are among those killed in the explosions, while soldiers account for the rest of the victims.
Mujiv Hataman, the governor the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, where the Sulu province is located, believes that the attack has been most likely committed by terrorists.(UNI)

The city of places has one of the top most tourist destination in the country will be further boost with more air connectivity very soon.
The Union government has approved to provide air connectivity to five prominent cities from Mysuru Airport, under it’s Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagarik (UDAN)-3. Presently the Mysuru has only flight facility connection to Chennai, daily.