Indian Sub-continent

Ghaziabad, May 29 (PTI) The district administration of Ghaziabad and the municipal corporation bulldozed alleged illegally-constructed houses near Arthala lake on Wednesday, officials said.

Nine fully-constructed and six semi-constructed buildings, and boundary walls of four plots were demolished in the joint operation at Balaji Vihar colony. These houses, which were constructed on government land, were illegally sold to buyers, District Magistrate Ritu Maheshwari said.

Bhubaneswar, May 29 (PTI) The Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government Wednesday started disbursement of funds to farmers under the 'KALIA' scheme.

"As part of our commitment to farmers, today in our first cabinet meeting, the fund release under KALIA scheme starts with immediate effect, and about 25 lakh additional families will be assisted in a weeks' time," Patnaik told reporters here.

Aizawl, May 30 (PTI) Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga will not attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Thursday, an official at the Chief Minister's Office said.

Zoramthanga, who is also the president of the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), will not be present at the oath- taking ceremony due to "tight official engagements", Lalhmansanga, personal secretary to the chief minister, said.

Sitapur (UP)May 30 (PTI) Three people died and five others were taken ill in the district after drinking spurious liquor, the second such incident in Uttar Pradesh this week.

Superintendent of Police, Sitapur, L R Kumar, said the deaths were reported from Paiteypur and Saidpur villages on Wednesday night.

One person identified as Kanhaiya Kumar has been arrested and investigations are on to establish from where the liquor was sourced, the SP said.

New Delhi, May 30 (PTI) Robert Vadra, the brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Thursday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case linked to purchase of alleged illegal assets abroad, officials said.

Vadra was dropped by his wife and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi outside the agency's office near India Gate here at about 10:30 AM.

He was summoned to depose before the investigating officer of the case where his statement will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Amaravati (AP), May 30 (PTI) Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, who led his YSR Congress Party to a thumping victory in the assembly elections, was sworn in Thursday as chief minister of Andhra Pradesh.

Governor E S L Narasimhan administered the oath of office and secrecy to the 46-year-old leader, whose party emerged victorious in 151 seats in the 175-member strong state assembly.

The YSR Congress decimated the TDP headed by N Chandrababu Naidu, who became the first chief minister of the state after it was bifurcated to carve out Telangana five years ago.

Dehradun, May 30 (PTI) The Uttarakhand BJP has kept a copy of the Quran at the party library here to help its cadre learn about the holy book, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined the need to reach out to the minorities.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state media head Devendra Bhasin claimed that the move was in line with the party's "philosophy" of treating every religion equally.

The copy of the Quran was kept at the library of the party's state headquarters here two days ago by joint media incharge Shadab Shams, Bhasin said.

Kanpur: In continuation of the NGT order dated July 13, 2017 for construction of a proposed 20 MLD CETP, a Chennai-based company has been awarded the contract. An understanding was signed between the project engineer and the company on May 9. A sum of Rs 419 crore would be spent on the construction of the common effluent treatment plant. Jajmau Tannery Treatment Association has also been formed. The sources said that the work on the construction is supposed to start in the mid-June this year. 

NEW DELHI, May 29 (Xinhua) -- At least 17 people died and 44 people were undergoing treatment in two hospitals following consumption of spurious liquor in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh, officials said on Wednesday.

"As of now the death toll is 12 but early today we received a report from the Lucknow hospital that two more who were referred there for specialized treatment have succumbed," district magistrate of Barabanki Udai Bhanu Tripathi told Xinhua.

ISLAMABAD, May 29 (APP): Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Wednesday categorically said Pakistan would stand with Saudi Arabia in case of any threat to the latter’s sovereignty.

“Pakistan’s sovereignty is linked with the peace and stability of Saudi Arabia. It will stand with Saudi Arabia in all odds,” he said in his meeting with Saudi Acting Foreign Minister Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Assaf, on the sidelines of Meeting of Foreign Ministers’ Council of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), being held in Jeddah.