Ahmednagar/Mumbai, Feb 4 (PTI) Social activist Anna Hazare, whose indefinite fast for appointment of anti-corruption watchdogs entered the sixth day Monday, has refused to call off his protest saying the government is handling the issue of corruption in a casual manner.

The talks between Union minister Subhash Bhamre, state minister Girish Mahajan and Hazare in the latter's Ralegan Siddhi village in Ahmed Nagar district, the venue of his fast since January 30, remained inconclusive Monday.

Kolkata, Feb 4 (PTI) West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra on Monday said the state has been able to create around nine lakh jobs during the 2018-19 fiscal.

In his Budget speech, Mitra said the country is still suffering from the "hasty and improper" implementation of the GST, and the "shock" of demonetisation.

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- UN agencies and their humanitarian partners need to increase aid to Nigerian refugees in neighboring Cameroon, Stephane Dujarric, the chief UN spokesman said on Monday.

"The response needs to be scaled up significantly to cope with the influx of people, with many refugees reluctant to return to Nigeria's Rann area or any other camp in Ngala without assurances of their safety and security," he said.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump announced Monday that he will nominate David Bernhardt, acting secretary of the Department of Interior, to lead the agency.

"David has done a fantastic job from the day he arrived," Trump said in a tweet Monday afternoon. "We look forward to having his nomination officially confirmed!"

Bernhardt, 49, would replace Ryan Zinke, who resigned in December amid ethics investigations, if Senate approves his nomination.

Kolkata, February 4; GANASHAKTI: The  Drama  which started at 4 Pm yesterday, after  about  Million  Red flag bearers assembled in the  Brigade Parade Ground, the Hide and seek  game  at first between CBI officers and Kolkata Police Commissioner, went on today also with the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee continuing her dharna  today also, and also facilitated the ‘Tainted’ Kolkata Police Commissioner RajeevKumar.

Kolkata, Feb 4 (PTI) Industry bodies on Monday hailed the West Bengal Budget for 2019-20 for its focus on farmers, social infrastructure and incentives for sectors like MSMEs, tea and healthcare.

Finance Minister Amit Mitra on Monday presenting a Rs 2.37 lakh-crore state budget with a Rs 9-crore deficit.

ISTANBUL; 05 Feb 2019; AA: Turkey will provide around $5 billion in loans for the reconstruction of Iraq, the foreign minister said on Sunday.

“We made the biggest commitment to Iraq,” Mevlut Cavusoglu told a meeting organized by the Beyoglu Municipality in Istanbul.

“We will provide $5 billion credit,” Cavusoglu said, adding Turkish business people will utilize this loan for their projects in Iraq.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Prosecutors in New York have reportedly requested documents from President Donald Trump's inauguration committee.

According to ABC News, a lawyer working with the committee received a subpoena Monday from federal prosecutors seeking documents related to the organization's donors and spending.

Prosecutors also showed interest in whether any foreigners illegally donated to the committee, The New York Times reported. Federal law prohibits foreign contributions to inaugural funds.

Chandigarh, Feb 4 (PTI) The Punjab government will soon release compensation to farmers whose crop got damaged because of hailstorm, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria said Monday.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had issued orders to all the deputy commissioners to conduct fresh 'Girdawri' (loss assessment) of the affected area, Sarkaria said in a statement issued here.

05 Feb 2019; DW: Germania had "no other option" but to file for bankruptcy following financial trouble, the airline's CEO Karsten Balke said on Tuesday.

The Berlin-based company cancelled all flights and advised passengers to contact their travel agents about alternative arrangements.

People who bought their tickets directly from the company "unfortunately have no claim to alternative trips," the company said.

Colombo, Feb 4 (PTI) Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Monday said he is opposed to forming a national government only to expand the Cabinet of ministers, indicating that his rift with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was far from over.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe-led government on Friday sought the consent of the Speaker of Sri Lanka's Parliament to form a 'national government', a move seen as a step to get a majority in the 225-member House.

Thane, Feb 5 (PTI) A 61-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly molesting and stalking a woman in Thane district of Maharashtra, police said on Tuesday.

The 60-year-old woman, who worked as a domestic help, told the Naupada police that the accused, Prakash Mhatre, had allegedly been stalking her for last four months in the Makhmali Talao locality because of which she had to leave several jobs in the area, a police official said.