Indian Sub-continent

New Delhi, Feb 18 (PTI) Darbhanga MP Kirti Azad, who was suspended by the ruling BJP for anti-party activities, joined the Congress on Monday.

Azad, a former India cricketer and a member of the 1983 World Cup winning team met Congress president Rahul Gandhi in the morning and was inducted into the party.

"Today in front of Rahul Gandhi I joined the Congress, I felicitated him in traditional Mithila style," Azad tweeted, along with photographs of him with the Congress president.

Kolkata, Feb 18 (PTI) Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Santanu Sen Monday claimed that he has been receiving death threats from unknown persons for the past several days.

Sen, however, did not specify the reason for the threats.

Muzaffarnagar, Feb 17 (PTI) A man was arrested for allegedly supplying arms to the Khalistani supporters, police said Sunday.

Sanjiv Rathi alias Guddu was arrested by the ATS with the help of Punjab Police in Budhana Police Station area on Saturday, they said.

Two pistols and nine cartridges were were seized from Rathi, who supplied arms to Khalistani supporters, the police said.

New Delhi, Feb 17 (PTI) Argentina's President Mauricio Macri arrived here Sunday on a three-day India visit during which he will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to enhance cooperation in key sectors such as economy, nuclear technology and space.

President Macri was received at the airport by Information and Broadcasting Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore.

Srinagar, Feb 17 (PTI) Mobile internet services were restored in Kashmir on Sunday, a day after they were suspended as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order, officials said.

High speed mobile internet was restored across Kashmir Valley on Sunday night, the officials said.

They said the services were restored as the situation remained peaceful in the Valley.

Kasargod, Feb 17 (PTI) Two Youth Congress workers were allegedly hacked to death by unidentified assailants in the northern district of Kasargod late Sunday night, a senior police official said.

The incident took place at around 8 pm and the deceased were identified as Kripesh and Sarath Lal (24), the official told PTI.

Lucknow, Feb 18 (PTI) Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav sought to corner the Narendra Modi government on Monday over the death of soldiers, asking "why the government is waiting and watching".

"Till when will the three day period of mourning keep getting extended? Everyday we get news of the brave martyrdom of our jawans while smiling BJP politicians accompany their funeral processions. Why is the govt waiting and watching?," he said in a tweet.

Amritsar, Feb 18 (PTI) Eight cows and a bull were found dead under mysterious circumstances at different locations in the city on Monday, police said.

According to sources, the bovines were apparently given some poisonous substance.

Commissioner of Police S S Srivastava said an investigation is underway to ascertain the cause of death.

He said none will be spared if found guilty.

About 1,000 cows die every year in Lucknow after eating polythene

Chennai, Feb 18 (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Monday demanded statehood for both the national capital and Puducherry, saying people in these two union territories should not be discriminated against.

Kejriwal, who was here en route to Puducherry to express solidarity with Chief Minister V Narayanaswamy -locked in a turf war with Lt Governor Kiran Bedi- alleged that the situation in the two union territories was the same.

Srinagar, Feb 18 (PTI) Four Army personnel, including a major, and two Jaish terrorists were killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Monday, three days after a suicide bomber from the group drove his explosives-laden vehicle into a CRPF bus in the area, defence officials said.

A civilian was also killed in the exchange of fire in Pinglan area of south Kashmir's Pulwama district, they said.