Indian Sub-continent

Kanpur: A farmer allegedly committed suicide in his orchard on the outskirts of Rasulabad in Kanpur Dehat district. The body has been sent for the autopsy, told the police officer.

He was compelled after the Rasulabad Nagar Panchayat got his orchard dug up to take mud for some project there, said farmer's son Ankur Singh said in his complaint to the police authorities.

The Station house officer, Rasulabad, Pramod Kumar Shukla said police have lodged an FIR under section 306 of IPC. A suicide not on the deceased was found, said the police quoting Ankur Singh.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 03 (APP): The Supreme Court on Sunday rejected a request to suspend the National Assembly (NA) Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri’s ruling and directed the Attorney General for Pakistan to submit it on Monday.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 03 (APP): Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) leader Senator Faisal Javed Khan on Sunday said that the caretaker government will be formed in a few days as fresh elections are near.

In a statement, he said that all the political parties should now prepare to contest general elections, where the PTI was ready to compete new polls.

He expressed hope that PTI will return with a two-third majority in the Parliament as it has delivered a lot and possesses performance cards.

KABUL/PESHAWAR, April 3 (Reuters) - The Taliban announced on Sunday a ban on the cultivation of narcotics in Afghanistan, the world's biggest opium producer.

"As per the decree of the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, all Afghans are informed that from now on, cultivation of poppy has been strictly prohibited across the country," according to an order from the Taliban's supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Opposition lawmakers in Sri Lanka on Sunday marched in the capital, Colombo, protesting against the president’s move to impose a nationwide curfew and state of emergency following demonstrations blaming the government for an economic crisis.

Internet users in Sri Lanka were also unable to access Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WhatsApp and other social media platforms on Sunday, after they had been used to organize protests calling for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign, saying he is responsible for the country’s deepening economic woes.

Jaipur, Apr 3 (PTI) A 55-year-old man was killed on Sunday in a fight between two vegetable sellers in Beawar town of Rajasthan's Ajmer district, police said.

The incident occurred in a vegetable market where a seller, Mohammad Salim, had an argument with another vendor over the issue of bike parking.

A pick-up jeep which had come to deliver vegetables to the other seller hit the motorcycle of Salim's son, leading to a heated exchange between the two, according to police.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s president dissolved Parliament on Sunday setting the stage for early elections after the prime minister sidestepped a no-confidence move earlier in the day.

Imran Khan asked President Arif Alvi to dissolve the National Assembly, or law-making lower house of Parliament, accusing his political opposition of working with the United States to overthrow his government.

Colombo, Apr 3 (PTI) The Sri Lankan government on Sunday blocked social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram after declaring a nationwide public emergency and imposing a 36-hour curfew ahead of a planned anti-government rally over the worst economic crisis in the island nation.

Kanpur: The fire broke out at one shopping arcade, Rave Moti Mall in Rawatpur here on Sunday. As many as six fire tenders were rushed to the spot to bring the leaping blaze under control.

According to initial news, the fire was first reported from the mall's second floor. The cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained.

Hundreds of people were reportedly trapped inside the complex. A thick line of smoke started billowing out of the mall.

This triggered a commotion as everybody began to run helter-skelter for abrupt safety.

New Delhi, Apr 2 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday greeted people ahead of the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramzan.

"May this holy month inspire people to serve the poor. May it also further enhance the spirit of peace, harmony and compassion in our society," he said.

The Ramzan moon was sighted this evening and Muslims in India will begin fasting from Sunday.