KANPUR: Would be doctors dared their courage to copy in the MBBS final year examinations. Spiritless evidence of their daring act has also come to the notice of the competent authorities.

They were caught red-handed as the palms showed something important written. This annotation could be of their assistance in writing the answer but the observant university official prevented their step.

Allahabad, Feb 12 (PTI) The three 'shahi snan' held during the ongoing Kumbh this year accounted for more than 50 per cent of the total pilgrims and visitors to the Sangam city, according to the Mela administration.

It said, so far over 16.44 crore people have taken a dip during the Kumbh, the largest congregation in the world.

Of these, more than 9 crore people have taken a dip on the three 'shahi snan' -- Makar Sankranti on January 15 (2.25 crore); Mauni Amawasya on February 4 (5.50 crore); and Basant Panchami on February 10 (1.50 crore), the administration said.

Jamshedpur, Feb 12 (PTI) A 20-year-old college student was allegedly raped by eight youths in West Singhbhum district, police said Tuesday.

The woman was returning from Chaibasa to Jorapokhar with her boyfriend on a motorcycle when the accused stopped them near Tekrahatu on Sunday evening. .

They thrashed the boyfriend and then dragged the woman towards the bushes and allegedly raped her, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (Sadar), Amar Kumar Pandey said.

KANPUR: A budget of Rs 1851 crore was passed at the Kanpur Development Authority’s 126th Board meeting held here on Tuesday. Focus on starting pending projects, construction of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna, and removal of parking problem was given. Besides, several other proposals also received a green signal from the authorities concerned.

DENIZLI, 12 Feb 2019; AA: Police have detained four people in southwestern Denizli province during an operation against smugglers of historical artifacts, according to a police source on Tuesday.

Police officers followed a car closely after police units from the Department of Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime received a tip-off on historical artifacts from Syria, said the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

Caracas, February 10;  Xinhua:  Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro led military exercises on Sunday, pledging to strengthen the country's anti-aircraft defensive system.

As part of the drill, Venezuelan air force troops at Guicaipuro Fort, in northern state of Miranda, deployed Russian-made 9M317 and Igla-S surface-to-air missiles.

The 9M317 is a medium-range missile that can hit targets up to 50 km away, while the Igla-S is a man-portable missile with a 6 km reach.

A Chinese billionaire barred from Australia on suspicions he is part of a Communist Party influence campaign has lashed out at Canberra, calling it a "giant baby" that hasn't found its place in international politics.

Huang Xiangmo, a long-term Sydney resident, had been a prominent donor to Australia's two major parties before he was blocked from re-entering the country last week -- with his permanent residency visa revoked and a citizenship bid rejected.

CARACAS, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela's Comptroller General Elvis Amoroso on Monday announced starting an asset audit on the accounts of opposition leader and self-proclaimed "interim president" Juan Guaido.

Amoroso said Guaido has allegedly "received money from international entities without any type of justification," and he is also accused of hiding or falsifying "data contained in his sworn asset statement."

MOSCOW, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The fourth meeting of the heads of Russia, Turkey and Iran dedicated to the settlement in Syria is set for Feb. 14 in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi, the Kremlin said Monday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President of Iran Hassan Rouhani will discuss a long-term settlement to the conflict in Syria, it said in a statement.

The three presidents also plan bilateral meetings, it added.

12 Feb 2019; DW: The trial of 12 Catalan secessionist leaders involved in an attempt to secede from Spain got underway in the country's Supreme Court on Tuesday.

The long-awaited trial has re-ignited tensions over the future of Catalonia. Hundreds of police, including from anti-terrorism units, have been deployed around the Court building in Madrid.

12 Feb 2019; DW: Christian Democrat (CDU) leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said the party had to prevent any repeat of the 2015 refugee crisis, which saw hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees arrive in Germany.

"We must do everything we can to prevent this from happening again," the CDU leader said. "We have learned our lesson."

Kramp-Karrenbauer took over the conservative CDU leadership from Chancellor Angela Merkel in December.

MOSCOW, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov on Monday criticized the European Union for its "dual approaches" to Iran.

"The EU must rise above its dual approaches when they try not to annoy the Americans, and to do something so that Iran sees real efforts, and to make the right choice by deciding in favor of real cooperation," RIA Novosti news agency quoted Ryabkov as saying.