Ballia (UP), May 14 :  The SP-BSP-RLD alliance on Tuesday predicted "bad days" for the Bharatiya Janata Party after the Lok Sabha election results on May 23, claiming that even the foundation of the saffron party would not be visible because of the "alliance storm".

Addressing a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district, Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati said: "From May 23, the bad days of the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah will start."

MINSK, May 15 / TASS /: Belarus Deputy Prime Minister Igor Lyashenko will hold talks with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak on oil issues during a working visit to Moscow on May 16, Belarus Council of Ministers told TASS on Wednesday.

"On May 16, the Belarus Deputy Prime Minister will hold talks in Moscow with the Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, on oil issues," he said.

KUNMING, May 15 (Xinhua): Firefighters in southwest China's Yunnan Province are still battling a forest fire that broke out on Monday.

As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, over 2,000 people and three helicopters were working to extinguish the fire in the city of Anning, according to the provincial forest fire control department.

Parts of the province are suffering from severe drought and according to forecasts, the area will see no rainfall in the following week.

The size of the area covered by the fire and its cause are under investigation.

Panaji, May 14 (PTI) The Election Commission of India Tuesday turned down a request by the Goa government for relaxation in model code of conduct, in force since March 10 for Lok Sabha polls, in the South district for pre-monsoon works.

State Chief Electoral Officer Kunal informed Goa Chief Secretary Parimal Rai that the model code of conduct would be relaxed only after the entire election process was over.

While polls to the state's two Lok Sabha seats were over on April 23, bypoll to the Panaji Assembly seat, in North Goa district, is slated for May 19.

MOSCOW, May 7. /TASS/: Over 310 forest fires have been extinguished in Russia over the last three days, the press service of the Aerial Forest Protection Service said on Wednesday.

"According to regional forestry departments, 316 forest fires were extinguished over the last three days. As a result of active firefighting efforts, the territory of forest fires was reduced by almost three times, from 44,556 hectares on May 12 to 16,607 hectares on May 15," the press service said.

KIEV, May 15. /TASS/: Ukraine has imposed new economic sanctions against Russia banning supplies of certain groups of goods and introducing special duties, Prime Minister Vladimir Groisman said at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

"Those are tit-for-tat measures - embargo and special duties on Russian goods," he said, adding that the restrictions will be applied to those goods that "are fully produced" in Ukraine or may be replaced with alternative supplies.

Bengaluru,May 14 (PTI) An election commission squad, along with income tax and enforcement directorate sleuths, Tuesday carried out searches in two hotels at Hubballi where State minister D K Shivakumar and some Congress and JD(S) leaders were staying.

The sleuths seized from the rooms in the hotels gold utensils and other materials allegedly meant for bribing voters.

The raids were carried out in connection with the bypoll in Kundgol seat which fell vacant following the death of sitting MLA C S Shivalli a few months ago.

RIO DE JANEIRO, May 14 (Xinhua): The Sixth Panel of Brazil's Superior Court of Justice granted ex-President Michel Temer temporary release to await trial for corruption.

The former president was jailed on Thursday under an order of preventive arrest, which is an instrument of Brazilian law to ensure the arrest of an accused before trial in order to preserve evidence, avoid the threat to witnesses, and prevent the continuation of a crime.

MOSCOW, May 14. /TASS/: Militants in the Idlib de-escalation zone have shelled nine settlements in Syria's provinces of Hama and Latakia over the last 24 hours, head of the Russian Center for reconciliation of the conflicting sides Viktor Kupchishin said on Tuesday.

"Over the last 24 hours, militants shelled the settlements of Kermel (twice), Qesab, Darh-abu-Asad, Sanjeka, Jubb ez-Zaur, Nahsheeba and Safsafa in the province of Latakia; Al-Haush and Skalbia in the province of Hama," Kupchishin said.

SEOUL, May 15 (Xinhua): A South Korean taxi driver burned himself to death early Wednesday in what was believed to be a protest against the introduction of mobile carpooling services, according to local media reports.

The 76-year-old driver, identified by his surname Ahn, set fire on himself at around 3:19 a.m. local time on the sidewalk near the Seoul Plaza in central Seoul.

He was found by a passer-by and taken to a nearby hospital, but the taxi driver passed away.

ISLAMABAD, May 15 (APP): International Day of Families observed May 15 to promote the importance of a healthy and well-balanced family with the theme of this year is “Families and Climate Action: Focus on SDG13”.

Talking to private news channel Expert Haroon Ahmed said in connection with this particular day that the purpose to observe the day is to provide an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting them.

New Delhi, May 14 (PTI) Thirteen Pakistani nationals, including four fishermen, were repatriated to Pakistan on Tuesday through the Attari-Wagah border, the country's High Commission here said.

They were handed over to Pakistani authorities in the presence of officials of the Pakistan High Commission, it said.

Thirteen Pakistani nationals -- nine civil prisoners and four fishermen, were repatriated on May 14 through the Attari-Wagah border, the mission said in a statement.