Indian Sub-continent

Lucknow, Dec 31 (PTI) Virtually putting the Congress-led governments in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan on notice, the BSP supremo Mayawati Monday said she might have to "reconsider" her party's outside support to them if cases against "innocent" persons framed in Bharat Bandh on April 2 were not withdrawn.

KANPUR: A very heart-rending accident took place at Coca-Cola crossing here on Monday morning. The uncontrolled truck jumped at the speed breaker and directly pierced into the divider on the road. The people tried to pull the blood-soaked driver and the two cleaners who were entangled into the pipe laden on the truck. Police anyhow pulled them out and sent them to the hospital for the treatment. Unfortunately, the driver died after the accident.

31 Dec 2018; DW: A victory for Hasina's Awami League was widely expected in an election marred by violence and rigging allegations. The opposition alliance has rejected the election as "farcical" and called for fresh polls.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's party has won the general election with a landslide majority, the Election Commission said early on Monday.

New Delhi, Dec 30; PTI:  The central government has not given "blanket power" to any agency to intercept information from any computer and they have to strictly adhere to the existing rules and stick to the book while carrying out such action, a senior Home Ministry official said.

There is no new law, no new rules, no new procedure, no new agency, no blanket powers, no blanket authorisation and it is the same law, same rule, same procedure and the same agencies, he said.

Port Blair, Dec 30 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday announced renaming of three islands of Andaman and Nicobar on the occasion of 75th anniversary of Tricolour hoisting by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose here.

The Ross Island was renamed as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, the Neil Island would now be known as Shaheed Dweep and the Havelock Island as Swaraj Dweep, Modi said during a speech.

The PM also released a commemorative stamp, its first-day cover and a Rs-75 coin on this special day.

Ahmedabad, Dec 30 (PTI) Former Gujarat Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela Sunday said Manmohan Singh was the "world's best prime minister" who worked hard for the country without seeking publicity.

In a veiled attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vaghela accused him of "wasting" public money on the Statue of Unity and for "self-advertisement", and sought Rs 10,000 crore aid for welfare of the OBC community.

"This (Central) government allocated only Rs 1800 crore for welfare of the entire OBC community (in 2018-19).

Chandigarh, Dec 30 (PTI) BJP's rebel MP from Kurukshetra Raj Kumar Saini on Sunday dared the saffron party to expel him.

Saini, who had four months ago floated his own political outfit, hit out at the BJP saying it had allegedly betrayed the people who had voted for the party.

"I have had nothing to do with the party for the past three years," Saini told reporters here.

New Delhi, Dec 30 (PTI) Cold conditions prevailed in the national capital on Sunday with the minimum temperature settling at 3 degrees Celsius, four notches below the season's average, the MeT department said.

The maximum temperature settled at 22.9 degree Celsius, two notches above the season's average, an official of the Meteorological (MeT) department said.

The humidity oscillated between 34 and 100 per cent.

Delhi has been reeling under a cold wave for the past few days.

Imphal, Dec 30 (PTI) A militant carrying a reward of Rs 2 lakh on his head and wanted by security agencies in connection with the attack on Army personnel in 2015 in which 18 armymen were killed was arrested by police, a senior police officer said Sunday.

Kannur, Dec 30 (PTI) Police intensified combing operations on Sunday following reports that four suspected Maoists appeared at Ambayathod in Kannur district, raised slogans and pasted posters, police said.

Talking to reporters, Kannur Superintendent of Police, Siva Vikram, said three of the Maoists were armed and have been identified.

"A thorough search operation was conducted in Kannur, Wyanad and Kozhikode districts. A case has also been registered. We are planning a larger operation jointly," he said.