One person was killed and four others were injured in an explosion on Tuesday at a police building in Turkey's southeastern city of Diyarbakir, the authorities said.

The blast occurred during a repair of an armoured vehicle in the Diyarbakir Provincial Security Directorate compound in Baglar district. Parts of the roof of the building collapsed, Dogan News Agency reported.

Earlier, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu was quoted by CNN as saying: "The blast was in a part of the building for riot police where maintenance is carried out on vehicles."
 

Grammy Award-winning singer Ed Sheeran has struck a deal to end a 14 million pounds copyright infringement lawsuit brought by two songwriters over his hit track "Photograph".

This week, a judge in California announced that Sheeran and the two songwriters — Martin Harrington and American Thomas Leonard — had reached an agreement and the case was being dismissed. The judge did not make public details of the settlement.

Mirror.co.uk had contacted Sheeran's representative for comment.

Harrington and Leonard sued the singer last June, claiming "Photograph" was a "verbatim, note-for-note copying" of their song Amazing, which was recorded by The X Factor winner Matt Cardle in 2012. 

In their legal documents, they said: "The similarities go beyond substantial, which is itself sufficient to establish copyright infringement and are in fact striking."

They continued to allege that Sheeran and his songwriting partner Johnny McDaid had "copied and exploited, without authorisation or credit, the work of other active, professional songwriters on a breathtaking scale".

"This copying is, in many instances, verbatim, note-for-note copying, makes up nearly one half of 'Photograph', and raises this case to the unusual level of strikingly similar copying," they said.

Actress Kangana Ranaut on Tuesday refrained from directly commenting on filmmaker Vikas Bahl, who is accused of sexual harassment, but said women should be encouraged to speak up about such issues.

There were reports that Vikas allegedly harassed a female worker of his production house Phantom Films, who then brought the issue to the company's notice.

Kangana, who has worked with Vikas in the blockbuster "Queen", said it is a serious issue which requires discussion.

"It is a very serious issue. I can only say that whoever faces a situation like this, it's very courageous of a woman to come out and speak about it. I say this not regarding to this particular event, because I am not the party involved.

"But generally speaking, women who face this should be encouraged to talk about it by their families, colleagues and they shouldn't be shamed," Kangana told reporters here.

The 30-year-old actress said women should be encouraged to speak up so that an awareness is created.

"More and more women should come out and talk about whatever they feel because that's how awareness will come about these issues. Of course, there will always be other side of the story. There are authorities who can decide what the right thing is.

"But people should speak up about whatever they feel, whether they are right or wrong, they must speak up and discuss it," she said.

She was speaking at the launch of Spring Summer collection of Melange by Lifestyle.

Relations between Russia and the US are at "their worst" since the Cold War ended, Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

The ministry gave this assessment in a statement released hours before US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was scheduled to visit Moscow on Tuesday for talks on the ongoing Syrian conflict.

Tillerson had said he hoped to work with Russian officials to find "a solution which will deliver a lasting political settlement" in Syria, Efe news reported.

Moscow blamed the prior US administration, headed by Barack Obama, for the deterioration in ties between the two superpowers, said the report.

The Kremlin said that Obama did "everything possible" to worsen bilateral ties, and added that Russia hoped that Tillerson's visit would be productive in this regard.

"We are confident in productive negotiations. This is important not just for the future development of our bilateral cooperation, but for the general situation in the international arena," the ministry said.

Recent spats between the two countries include tensions over issues like the Syrian civil war, Iran and Ukraine.

Former US President Obama decided to curtail relations and impose sanctions on Russian individuals and companies following President Vladimir Putin's 2014 annexation of the Crimean peninsula, considered illegal under international law.

The 2016 US presidential elections seemed to change the game after the eventual winner, Donald Trump, consistently praised Putin and called for better ties with Russia during and after the campaign trail.

Tillerson's visit to Moscow, where he is set to meet Putin, marks the first official round of bilateral talks between both countries since Trump took office.

The Himachal Pradesh government has achieved a target of providing 108 per cent employment to people employed under MNREGA, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anil Sharma said on Tuesday.

Sharma said that under MNREGA, 240 lakh mandays were generated against target of 218 lakh mandays during 2016-17, spending Rs.625 crore against Rs 396 crore target and the achievement was 108 per cent.

“The government has been granted Rs 700 crore for current financial year to generate 250 lakh mandays,” he said, adding the state is now able to clear all previous liabilities. He said Rs 1.95 lakh had been spent on various components of the scheme from 2013-14 to 2016-17. He said Rs 500 crore project under Deen Dyal Rural Skill Scheme has been adopted by the government and first instalment of Rs 133 crore has also been received.

The scheme envisages providing job oriented training for 15,000 unemployed youth between 18-35 years age of BPL families during next three years. The state had already completed selection of 5,400 youth for this year, added he.

Similarly, the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NLRM) aimed to strengthen and provide greater financial support to the poor families and with the goal of poverty alleviation through social mobilisation, capacity building, financial inclusion, skill generation and sustainable livelihood is being implemented in letter and spirit, he added.

The Chandigarh administration has banned sale and production of bottled correcting fluids and bottled thinners of any chemical composition.

An official spokesperson said the ban is applicable on correcting fluids and thinners for both for ink erasing purposes as well as for nail polish removers and similar other purposes for retail sale.

In order was issued by district magistrate Ajit Balaji Joshi in pursuance of gazette notification dated 17-07-2012 issued by the Union health and family welfare ministry banning production of bottled correction fluid and thinner for retail sale. 

The 2012 notification was in response to Punjab and Haryana High Court directive to Union health ministry to check the sale of these fluids, as they were being used by street children as intoxicants.

This fresh order will come into force from 16 April and will be effective for a period of sixty days up to 14 June.
The correction fluid and thinner are used as nail polish removers by women, which has toxic chemicals. This is generally used in offices, but reportedly being widely misused by children as intoxicating substance or drug, which gave them stimulating effect like drugs on its inhalation.

Nabard is planning a foray into rural housing segment by facilitating finance for the homes built under the Prime Minister's Awas Yojana (PMAY).

It is targeting to disburse up to Rs.10,000 crore under this in the current financial year, a senior Nabard official said.

“There are discussions in the government to have a special purpose vehicle to achieve the PMAY targets. We will finance the SPV,” the official told reporters.

The official said rural housing is a major challenge and we have to find newer ways of financing it, which makes Nabard get into the segment.

Till now, the development finance institution has been refinancing lenders' loans given to rural affordable housing, but this will be a more direct approach, he said.

Shelter repairs and construction of newer units have been identified as a specific need which can be addressed through this, the official said.

Launched in 2015, the PMAY aims to build 2 crore houses by 2022 which will be the 75th anniversary of the Independence.

Nabard can raise resources from the market using its regular streams, which can be deployed for such activities by keeping a small commission for itself, the official said.

The official said the target is to lend Rs.7,000- 10,000 crore under this route this fiscal itself.

Asked about resource mobilisation, the official pointed to a provision in Budget 2018 that seeks to more than double the capital infusion in Nabard to Rs.3,500 crore.

The government had last year infused Rs.1,400 crore into Nabard.

A sizeable amount of the increased capital infusion will also go towards higher lending to the long term irrigation fund, where Nabard is targeting to disburse Rs.25,000 crore.

The entire amount will be raised through long-term bonds having a tenor of 15 years or more, the official said.

President Donald Trump's decision to bomb a Syrian airbase was influenced by the reaction of his daughter Ivanka, who was "heartbroken and outraged" by a nerve gas attack in the Arab country, according to his son.

Trump's son Eric Trump said his father was "deeply affected" by the TV images of children being "sprayed down by hoses to keep their skin from burning" after the suspected Syrian chemical attack, The Telegraph reported.

"It was horrible. These guys are savages and I m glad he responded the way he responded," the 33-year-old businessman said speaking at the Trump Turnberry golf resort in Ayrshire, Scotland.

He confirmed that Trump's decision to bomb Syrian airbase to punish President Bashar al-Assad was influenced by the reaction of his sister Ivanka, who said she was "heartbroken and outraged" by the atrocity, the paper reported.

Eric said Ivanka is a mother of three kids and she has influence over the President.

"I m sure she said 'listen, this is horrible stuff.' My father will act in times like that," he was quoted as saying by the paper.

Eric rejected claims that his father had acted impulsively after seeing the images, saying the President was "a great thinker, practical not impulsive." 

He added: "I m proud he took that action and believe me he thinks things through." 

"He (Trump) was anti doing anything with Syria two years ago. Then a leader gasses their own people, women and children, at some point America is the global leader and the world s superpower has to come forward and act and they did with a lot of support of our allies and I think that s a great thing," he added.

The move by NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation) Ltd to buy the Central government’s stake in Shimla based hydro power producer, SJVN (Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam) Ltd is meeting opposition from Himachal Pradesh government.

The state government has an equity share of 25.5 per cent in SJVN and is apprehending loss of ‘say’ if the NTPC’s proposal matures. There is much anxiety in the Shimla based SJVN, with around 1,700 employees on its rolls uncomfortable over the new proposition as it would reduce them to subsidiary staff of a bigger company.

NTPC is India’s biggest electricity producer (mainly from coal and gas).

Profit making SJVN Ltd with total market capital of over Rs. 10,000 Crore, with 64.4 per cent share of Government of India, primarily deals in hydro power generation.

Earlier named as Nathpa Jhakri Power Corporation (NJPC), it is credited with commissioning the country’s biggest Nathpa Jhakri Power Project in HR over a decade back. Presently, it has two hydro power projects in HP, the other one being 412 MW Rampur hydro electric project.

The SJVN also operates a 47.6 megawatt wind-power plant in Maharashtra and plans to build a 900 megawatt hydro-power project in Nepal, besides dealing with power generation in Uttarakhand, Bihar, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Arunachal Pradesh in India and Bhutan.

Confirming  a communique in this regard from GoI, MPP and Power minister in HP, Sujan Singh Pathania said, “We are opposed to this as it will dilute the objective of the equity share in this state based PSU.” He said if SJVN is taken over by NTPC, the state government will not have the same say and may be reduced to just 1 per cent in the big company.

In March this year, the Delhi based NTPC sent a letter to the Finance ministry with a proposal to buy central government’s 64.4 per cent share in the hydro-power generator. Urging to treat the letter as an Expression of Interest for acquisition of SJVN, the NTPC sought in principle approval to start the process.

“NTPC as a part of its growth strategy, the NTPC is continuously endeavouring to balance its generation portfolio. The total installed capacity of NTPC is 48,143 MW, including 40,568 MW from thermal (coal and gas based). For a diversified fuel mix, the NTPC endeavours to have non-fossil fuel based generation capacity of nearly 30 per cent in its portfolio,”said the letter.   

“In this connection, the SJVN Ltd, a Mini Ratna, Central Public Sector Unit (CPSU) having 1912 MW of hydro generation capacity and under construction hydro power projects can be considered or acquisition. The step may also be synergic to Government of India for unlocking its investment in SJVN Ltd,”it said.

It is pertinent to mention here that the hydroelectric power is considered as green energy.

State-owned power giant NTPC's joint venture BIFPCL has tied up funds to the tune of $1.6 billion to set up 1,320 MW Maitree Super Thermal Power Project in Bangladesh.

“We wish to inform that Bangladesh India Friendship Power Company (Pvt) (BIFPCL) achieved financial closure on April 10, 2017, to set up 1,320 MW (2×660 mw) coal based Maitree Super Thermal Power Project at Rampal in Bagerhat district of Khulna division, Bangladesh,” NTPC said in a BSE filing on Tuesday.

BIFPCL is a 50:50 joint venture company between NTPC and the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) for setting up this coal-fired thermal power plant.

The company further stated that an agreement was signed with Indian Exim Bank to provide loan up to $1.6 billion for financing this project.

BIFPCL is a private company duly incorporated in Bangladesh under the Companies Act 1994 and was registered with the Office of the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSC), Dhaka, Bangladesh on October 31, 2012.
During an earlier visit by Bangladesh Prime Minister to India, an MoU was signed on January 11, 2010, in New Delhi to bolster traditional ties between the two through co-operation.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Tuesday called for strict implementation of norms for construction of building in the state and instructed concerned departments to ensure that the rules and regulations are not flouted by any.

Addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone of community centre at Tutikandi in Shimla, CM said the drawing/maps of the buildings being presently constructed by flouting the norms or the one to be constructed in near future should be henceforth approved strictly as per rules and regulations.

“Though the construction should have been made in proper, planned and phased manner in Shimla earlier but now there was no use crying over it. However, the constructions in future should be according to the norms and properly planned,” he said, adding it was for the departments concerned to ensure that the norms while constructing the buildings were not flouted.

As far as the issue of water crisis in Shimla is concerned, it would be sorted out soon in the near future as the water woes would be finally addressed. The World Bank has sanctioned Rs. 643 Crore Kol Dam lift water supply scheme to cater to the growing needs of town and suburbs for the next three decades. 

“On completion, the Shimla town and its suburbs would get around 55 MLD of water per day,” he said.

He exhorted to make sincere efforts to use water wisely. “By being more efficient with the water we use, will help us manage the increased demand in times to come. Using water wisely within a community will help to achieve an environmentally sensitive place for people to live,” he said.

The CM said states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka were facing severe water crisis and we need to have a proper management of water to serve the coming generations as global warming would make conditions worse in times ahead. “Water is a treasure and we need to treasure it,” he added.

Carlo Ancelotti will square up to his former protégé Zinedine Zidane and former employers when Bayern Munich host Real Madrid in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal tie on Wednesday.

The Allianz Arena will be packed as the man who won Real their historic La Decima (10th Champions League title) faces the side he created history with. 

With plenty on the stake, which side holds the advantage? 

Well, Real appears the holders, but their path to the quarterfinals has been littered with mistakes which does give the Bundesliga side a slight advantage, especially at home.

Bayern Munich

Bayern have overcome a sluggish start to the season and are very much in full flow at the moment (Borussia Dortmund will verify the above statement!).

Adjusted to Carlo Ancelotti’s methods, with a revitalised Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery terrorising defences yet again, there seems to be no stopping Munich. Robben, in particular, is one of the key protagonists and not just because of his searing form. The Dutch winger spent two seasons at Madrid, never quite achieving the heights he could have before being shunted out to Bayern. So with Robben, Ribery and the super-consistent Robert Lewandwoski up top, Ancelotti’s men look frightening in attack.

Mats Hummels’ injury, however, makes the visitors look a little exposed at the rear  while Javi Martinez will step in to partner Jerome Boateng, they will definitely suffer from the loss in quality.

The midfield battle will be an intriguing one with the combative Arturo Vidal completing the mercurial Tiago Alcantara perfectly. And last but not the least, central midfielder Xabi Alonso faces his former teammates and his performance will be worth keeping an eye on.

What they are saying: “It is difficult, they are one of the best teams in the world, with world-class players.” (Bayern winger Arjen Robben as per AS)

Injury absentees: Mats Hummels (Back)

Suspension Alert: None

Real Madrid

Each time Madrid slip up in the La Liga, Barcelona match them and go one better. Well, the Champions League is an unforgiving competition in the group stages and we are now in the knockout phase which means even the smallest of mistakes will be severely punished.

So without Raphael Varane and Pepe (He broke his ribs on the weekend), an relatively untested combination of Sergio Ramos and Nacho will have to keep the likes of Robert Lewandwoski (Remember his four for Borussia Dortmund against Madrid?) at bay. So with no clean sheets in this year’s Champions League even when first-choice defenders were available, it is unlikely that Los Blancos will be able to shutout Bayern.

Which puts the pressure on the ‘BBC’ (Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo) to fire the holders into the semifinals. While Bale is fully fit after a lengthy injury absence, he hasn't been consistent since his return and Madrid’s talisman, Cristiano Ronaldo is suffering his worst goalscoring season at the capital club. They were non-existent against Atletico on the weekend and cannot afford to be quiet for a second game in a row.

For midfielder Toni Kroos, the tie is of special significance as he is up against his former club and while they parted ways amicably, he will be fired up to get one over the Bavarians. Giving him company in midfield will be Casemiro and Luka Modric and the trio have a real fight on their hands if they are to take a lead back to the Bernabeu.

What they are saying: “They will be two fantastic games. This tie could easily be the Champions League final.” (Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos as per www.realmadrid.com)

Injury absentees: Pepe (Ribs), Raphael Varane (Achilles)

Suspension Alert: None

Super Stat: Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti was in charge of Madrid when the teams last met in Europe in 2014, later leading Los Blancos to their tenth European title!

Actress Zoe Saldana says she is excited about her character from film Guardians of the Galaxy finding a place in Avengers: Infinity War.

Saldana will reprise her role of a green-skinned alien named Gamora for the film, and will battle the evil alongside superheroes like Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Captain America (Chris Evans).

In fact, she will also be joined by her squad from Guardians of the Galaxy in the next Avengers instalment. Chris Pratt will reprise the role of Peter Quill (also nicknamed Star-Lord), Dave Bautista as Drax, while Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper will be the voices of Groot and Rocket, respectively.

"I am excited for Avengers. It will be amazing to have all of these characters of Marvel Universe come together and fight a supervillain Thanos. We have shot some scenes and they are turning out to be amazing," Saldana said here.

While promoting James Gunn directorial Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 here on Tuesday, the actress spoke about Avengers: Infinity War, saying the film retains the essence of their characters, and that is what makes it special.

Saldana added: "The thing that I am most excited about is that they are keeping the essence of what makes Guardians of the Galaxy unique. We are the same — our misfit self — fighting with each other."

"Avengers: Infinity War" is slated to release next year in May. For now, Saldana is busy with the promotion of the second instalment of Guardians of the Galaxy, which will hit the screens in India on May 5.

With the backdrop titled 'Awesome Mixtape #2',the second part of the 2014 film Guardians of the Galaxy will take further the team's adventures as they traverse different cosmos to protect their world. This time, the storyline will explore family values and also unravel many family truths and mysteries.

Talking about her character in the film, Saldana said: "I think the hardest thing that James asked me to do was in the first film to go through the four-hour process of make-up to bring this character. I had never experienced the process like this. It was very gruelling and taxing."

Saldana also said she is always scared to be part of a sequel due to the pressure to outdo the previous one.

"I was nervous as sequels are like children. They are always meant to be better than their parents… In my head, I was thinking what this guy (James Gunn) is doing, but the moment I got off the plane and read the script and started rehearsing, I found it funnier and filled with heart," said the actress, who will also be seen in Avatar 2.

 Separatists on Tuesday withdrew their strike call for Wednesday a day after the Election Commission postponed the Anantnag Lok Sabha by-poll to May 25.

"We have withdrawn tomorrow's strike call as the so- called election has been put off," the separatist leaders said in a statement.

The Election Commission had yesterday decided to postpone the Anantnag bypoll to May 25, after eight persons were killed in a firing by the security forces during polling for Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency on Sunday.

The statement issued jointly by Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik also called on people to march to Budgam district headquarters on Friday.

"To pay homage to the young martyrs (youth killed on April 9) and express solidarity with their families, the joint resistance leadership and people will offer joint Friday prayers in Budgam," the separatists said.

Commenting on the 7.14 per cent voter turnout in Srinagar constituency, they said the people's verdict has been loud and clear as to their "commitment to achieving their fundamental political right".

"Government of India's own index of treating elections as a gauge of people's faith in Indian democracy stand completely exposed as they were completely rejected and resisted by the people in one part of the valley and forced to postpone the elections in another," they added.

The separatists had called for a strike Wednesday, the day on which polling was scheduled to be held for Anantnag seat.

Ahead of the tabling of the Public Accounts Committee's report on the Commonwealth Games scam in Parliament on Wednesday, PAC chairman K V Thomas Tuesday said it had virtually absolved former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the then PMO of any wrongdoing in the Commonwealth Games

“We found nothing that the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh or the PMO (Prime Minister’s Office) did out of the way,” Thomas said. He also said the media should be allowed to attend the proceedings of the Committee.

“You will get the entire report tomorrow. One important point is that there is nothing against the then Prime Minister in it… Everything is black and white,” Thomas said. “There was a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, decisions were taken, and when the minutes (of the meeting) came, the then Sports Ministry said the spirit of the decisions was not carried in the minutes,” he said. He said there was unanimity on the findings and conclusions of the report, and pointed out that in the 24-member PAC, only four members were from the Congress party while the BJP has 12 members.

On the delay in presenting the report on the Commonwealth Games, Thomas said it was due to the large number of reports that the PAC has to go through.

In the last three years, the PAC under Thomas has presented 73 reports so far and the 74th report is slated to be tabled on Wednesday.

He said the PAC report on the 2G spectrum sale will be tabled in Parliament before 31 April, the last working day of the current Committee.

Thomas said since the PAC examined the reports of the CAG, the Committee Chairman should also be in the panel for selection of CAG. Another issue which he said that the Committee felt necessary was to call top government officers even after their retirement since in many instances decisions were taken by the government and subsequently the concerned official had retired.

The Calcutta Beef Dealers' Association plans to meet the Kolkata civic body regarding a change in cow slaughter timings to check illegal abattoirs in the city.

"In the state-owned Tangra slaughterhouse, cows are slaughtered between 1.00 p.m. and 5.00 p.m. The meat is delivered to shops in the night… So for consumers who want to have access to fresh beef, the option before them is beef sold by illegal slaughterhouses," Mohammed Ali, President, Calcutta Beef Dealers' Association told IANS.

Ali said the body will recommend to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation that the timings be shifted to early in the morning.

"If the slaughter process takes place between 5.00 am and 10.00 am then the beef can be delivered during the same day to consumers. So this means, illegal abattoirs will not get a chance to ply their business," Ali said.

In addition, Ali said it would also ease the availability of beef during festive season when the demand is high.

"We will seek an appointment with KMC officials soon," he added.

The Jharkhand government will build eight new modern slaughter-houses in the state, including one in the state capital, said an official on Tuesday.

The slaughter-houses, which will be set up in Ranchi, Dumka, Dhanbad, Jamshedpur, Deoghar, Medninagar, Hazaribagh and Chas municipal area, would be run under public-private partnership (PPP) mode.

The Principal Secretary of the Urban Development Department has directed officials to identify the land for building these slaughter-houses as early as possible. 

All the norms laid down by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) would be followed.

The Urban Development Department has also sought from the municipalities a list of licensed and unlicensed shops. 

The urban bodies have been asked to submit their report within a week on the action taken on the illegal slaughter-houses in their area.