News In Brief

Indian Navy helps reopen two strikebound oil ports

The Indian Navy moved into two ports Tuesday to free oil and coal held up by striking dockworkers. The Press Trust of India said the Navy helped pump oil ashore from a tanker carrying 83,000 tons of crude at the country's southeastern port of Madras.

Navy personnel also manned tugs to land coal at Tuticorin in the southern state of Tamil Nadu for the port's thermal power station, union officials said.

The strike, in its fifth day, has stopped traffic in India's major harbors.