Indian Sub-continent

Colombo, Nov 25 (PTI) Sri Lanka will work with India and it won't do anything that will harm its interests, newly elected President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has said ahead of his visit to New Delhi later this week.

Rajapaksa, who is considered pro-China, said he wanted Sri Lanka to be a "neutral country" and work with all the countries.

"We will work with India as a friendly country and won't do anything that will harm India's interests," said Rajapaksa, who will travel to New Delhi on November 29 on his first official trip abroad as Sri Lankan President.

Agartala, Nov 25 (PTI) After 57 days, animal sacrifice resumed in the Tripureswari temple in Tripura following an interim order of the Supreme Court, a temple official said on Mondauy.

The Tripureswari Temple located at Udaypur in Gomati district is over 500 years old and one of the 51 shakti- peethas in the country.

Kolkata, Nov 25 (PTI) Around 75.34 per cent of over 7 lakh electorate on Monday cast votes in the by-polls to three Assembly seats in West Bengal, amid allegations that TMC activists orchestrated an attack on the BJP candidate from Karimpur segment, Jay Prakash Majumdar.

Besides Karimpur, by-polls were also held in Kharagpur Sadar and Kaliaganj Assembly seats.

New Delhi, Nov 26 (PTI) The floor test for Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to prove his majority in the assembly will be conducted on Wednesday, the Supreme Court has directed.

Stating that it is necessary to have a floor test to avoid horse trading, the apex court on Tuesday also asked Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to appoint a pro-tem speaker and ensure that all elected members of the House are sworn in on Wednesday itself.

NEW DELHI, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The first consignment of 6,090 tonnes of onions procured by the Indian government from Egypt will reach Mumbai port in the first week of December, officials said on Tuesday.

"Metals and Minerals Trading Corporation of India (MMTC) has placed an order for the first consignment of 6090 MT of onions from Egypt which will be arriving at Nhava Sheva (JNPT), Mumbai," said a statement from India's federal ministry of food and consumer affairs.

ISLAMABAD, Nov 25 (APP): President Dr. Arif Alvi on Monday said that the fascist Indian regime was flagrantly violating the human rights of Kashmiris by revoking the special status of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK) and by suspending their civic liberties through the 113-day clampdown.

He said India’s aim of ultimately altering the demography of IOJK was in utter violation of numerous UN Resolutions and established human rights principles.

New Delhi, Nov 25: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla may suspend Congress MPs Hibi Eden and T N Prathapan for storming the Well of the House and obstructing Parliament proceedings by shouting slogans to protest against the swearing-in of a BJP-led government in Maharashtra, sources said on Monday.

Congress leaders carrying placards with messages like "save Constitution" and "save democracy" and a black banner which said "stop murder of democracy" jostled with the marshals.

Pandu (Jharkhand), Nov 24 (PTI) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday warned Naxalites to abjure violence, saying a befitting reply would be given if they did not do so.

The warning comes in the wake of violence by the left wing extremists in Latehar and Palamau districts of Jharkhand since Friday, in which four policemen and two persons, including a local BJP leader, were killed.

New Delhi, Nov 24 (PTI) The Centre has extended the ban on Assam-based Bodo insurgent group NDFB for five more years for its involvement in a series of violent activities, including killings, extortion and for joining hands with anti-India forces.

Mumbai, Nov 24 (PTI) A day after his stunning volte face, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday said he was still with the NCP, adding Sharad Pawar continued to be his leader.

In a series of tweets after thanking BJP leaders for their congratulatory messages, Ajit Pawar also said the "BJP- NCP alliance" will provide a stable government in Maharashtra for the next five years.