Sensex surges 186 points; banking stocks gain

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 Mumbai : A benchmark index of Indian equities markets Monday was trading 185.73 points or 0.64 percent up as banking stocks surged.

While good buying was observed in banking, auto, capital goods, oil and gas, and metal sectors, marginal selling pressure was seen in the health care sector.

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 29,170.77 points, was trading at 29,280.66 points (at 09.27 a.m.) in the early session, up 185.73 points or 0.64 percent from the previous day's close at 29,094.93 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 29,282.99 points and a low of 29,156.04 points in the trade so far.

The S&P bankex surged by 148.51 points, auto index went up by 140.88 points, capital goods index moved up by 102.26 points, the oil and gas, and metal index increased by 117.25 points and 85.46 points respectively. However, health care index dropped by 31.61 points.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was also trading 58.80 points or 0.67 percent up at 8,864.30 points.

Islamic State releases video purporting to show beheading of 21 Egyptians

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 Cairo: The Islamic State group released a video on Sunday purportedly showing the beheading of Egyptian Coptic Christians the jihadists say they captured in Libya.

The footage released online shows handcuffed hostages wearing orange jumpsuits being beheaded by their black-suited captors on a seashore in the Libyan capital of Tripoli.

In the latest issue of the IS online magazine Dabiq, the group said 21 Egyptian hostages were being held, and pictures showed a similar background.

The video, titled 'A message signed with blood to the nation of the cross', has a scrolling caption in the first few seconds saying it is directed at 'People of the cross, followers of the hostile Egyptian Church'.

Sunday's video comes just days after the IS released a video showing the gruesome burning alive of a Jordanian pilot it captured after his F-16 came down in Syria in December.

The highly choreographed video showing the killing of Maaz al-Kassasbeh triggered global outrage.

In January, the IS branch in Libya claimed it had abducted 21 Christians.

A spokesman for the Egyptian foreign ministry confirmed to AFP in Cairo that 20 Egyptians had been kidnapped in two separate incidents in neighbouring Libya.

Badr Abdelatty did not say when they were seized or specify their religious affiliation, but said seven Egyptians and 13 others abducted separately in Libya 'are still being detained' by their captors.

Meanwhile, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has declared seven days of mourning.AFP

266 kg gold missing from Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple: report

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New Delhi: The audit report submitted by former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Vinod Rai says 266 kg gold has been gone missing from the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple.

Of the 893.44 kg taken for plating process, 266 kg has gone missing. The gold was taken on a total of 82 occasions. While 893.44 kg was taken, only 627 kg was returned. An inquiry should be conducted to find the missing gold, says the report.

Bus goes up in flames in Wayanad

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  Kalpetta: A private bus was gutted in fire at Kattikulam in Wayanad early on Saturday morning.

The bus carrying nearly 30 passengers was on its way to Bengaluru from Kochi. Fortunately, the passengers escape unhurt.

Islamic State to be banned in India

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New Delhi: The dreaded terror group ISIS and all its affiliate organisations will be banned by India under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act soon.

A notification declaring ISIS and its affiliates ISIL and IS as proscribed organisations will be issued very soon, official sources said on Friday.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh had said in Parliament on December 16, 2014 that the Middle-East group had been declared ban in India under a United Nations Schedule.

Singh had said the group has been proscribed under the provisions related to organisations listed in the Schedule to the UN Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism (Implementation of Security Council Resolutions) Order, 2007 made under section two of the United Nations (Security Council) Act, 1947.

Four Mumbai youth had gone to Iraq-Syria in May 2014 to join ISIS. One of them returned late last year while the whereabouts of the remaining three are yet to be known.

A Bangalore-based executive of a multi-national company was arrested in December last year for allegedly running a pro-ISIS twitter handle.

Last month, another person from Hyderabad was barred from travelling to Syria, ostensibly to join ISIS.

Recently, retired Intelligence Bureau chief Asif Ibrahim had said there was an imminent danger of Indian youths moving to the conflict zone (Iraq-Syria), emerging as a role model, and such developments may directly or indirectly pose a threat to the country.

'The threat potential is accentuated with some lower rung elements returning from conflict zone,' he had said.

PTI

World Cup opener: New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by 98 runs

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Christchurch: Co-hosts New Zealand sent out a stern warning to all their rivals by earning a convincing 98-run victory over 2011 finalists Sri Lanka in the ICC World Cup opener at the Hagley Oval here Saturday.

New Zealand showcased their all-round skills, first scoring a mammoth 331/6 and then bowling out Sri Lanka for 233 in 46.1 overs to begin their Group A campaign with a bang.

Sri Lanka got off to a good start with Lahiru Thirimanne (65) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (24) stringing together 67 runs for the opening wicket. Former captain Kumar Sangakkara (39) Thirimanne added another 57 runs to take Sri Lanka to 124/1 in 21.5 overs.

At the time, the 1996 Cup winners were in the game and in with a good chance to chase down the imposing target. However, that all changed as Thirimanne's dismissal led to a string of wickets for the Black Caps and the end of the Sri Lankan challenge.

Thirimanne, Mahela Jayawardene (0) and Sangakkara fell in the space of five runs to leave Sri Lanka tottering at 129/4 after 23.5 overs. The Sri Lankan lower middle-order failed to join the party as Dimuth Karunaratne (14) and Jeevan Mendis (4) were dismissed cheaply.

Captain Angelo Mathews (46) put up a brief fight but he too was dismissed soon enough.

New Zealand will take a bag full of positives from the game. The form of captain Brendon McCullum (65) and Corey Anderson's whirlwind 75 off 46 would head the list.

Another big plus will be the return to form of Daniel Vettori. The left-arm spinner bowled superbly, giving away just 34 runs off his 10 overs and picking two key wickets.

Earlier, the Black Caps lost the toss and were put in to bat. McCullum and Martin Guptill (49) shared a 111-run stand for the opening wicket to set New Zealand on their way.

Without much swing or seam movement, the Sri Lankan bowlers were helpless against McCullum's power hitting. The New Zealand opener hit 10 boundaries and a six to reach 65 off just 49 balls.

Kane Williamson (57) and Ross Taylor (14) put on a 57-run partnership for the third wicket to take New Zealand to 193/2 in 33 overs. However, the duo fell in successive balls as New Zealand lost some steam in the middle overs.

But Grant Elliot (29) and Anderson added 65 for the fifth-wicket to bring the Black Caps back on track. Anderson then teed off in the final overs to cause massive damage. Along with wicketkeeper-batsman Luke Ronchi, Anderson scored 73 runs off the final six overs.

The Sri Lankan bowlers came in for severe stick with premier pacer Lasith Malinga failing to pick up a single wicket and going for 84 runs off his 10 overs.

IANS

Kejriwal sworn in as Delhi's chief minister

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New Delhi, Feb 14 (IANS) AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal was Saturday sworn in as Delhi's chief minister by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung at the Ramlila Maidan here along with six ministers.

Tens of thousands of Aam Aadmi Party supporters who had gathered at the sprawling ground in the heart of the capital since morning cheered loudly and waved AAP flags as Kejriwal took the oath of office and secrecy.

Kejriwal's close aide Manish Sisodia, who will be the deputy chief minister, was also sworn in along with ministers Satyedra Jain, Gopal Rai, Asim Mohammed Khan, Sandeep Kumar and Jitendra Singh Tomar.

Kejriwal, 46, led the AAP to a thumping win in the Delhi assembly election. The party won a staggering 67 of the 70 seats, leaving the BJP with just three seats. The Congress was wiped out.

This is the second time Kejriwal is becoming Delhi's chief minister. He became chief minister the first time in December 2013 but resigned after just 49 days -- on this day last year.

IANS

Train-bus collision kills 16 in Mexico

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Mexico City: At least 16 people were killed and 30 injured when a train hit a bus near the Mexico-US border.

The accident took place in the town of Anahuac in Nuevo Leon state Friday evening, Xinhua reported.

According to officials, the bus driver was trying to cross the railway line regardless of an incoming train.

There were 60 people aboard the bus, exceeding its capacity, the officials added.

IANS

Private bus strike from Feb 25

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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Private buses in the state will stage an indefinite strike from February 25 seeking revision of fair wages. The bus employees are seeking a 50% hike in wages.

The Motor Thozhilali Samyukta Samara Samithi has served a notice announcing the strike to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Transport Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan. The Samara Samithi said the government has not increased the employees’ wages since five years. The government had assured to increase their wages last year, but has not been implemented it so far, blamed the samithi.

Train tragedy: Two Malayalis among the dead

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KOCHI: On the Bangalore-Ernakulam Intercity Express train that derailed on Friday, there were two Malayalis among the dead. The dead have been identified as Itteera Antony (54) who took ticket for journey to Aluva and Aman (9) from Thrissur Poovathur. Aman was travelling with his mother Sherly. Information about Sherly was not available.
 

Meanwhile, it is said that among the dead there are five Malayalis but the Railways has not confirmed this, though it has confirmed the death of Antony and Aman.  
 

In bogies D8 and D9 that got derailed there were 116 reservations. In D8 there were 60 reservations and in D9, 48. Nothing is known about those who had not reserved the tickets.