A partial US government shutdown is set to stretch through Christmas, after Congress adjourned for the weekend with no deal in sight to end an impasse over funding for US President Donald Trump's wall on the US-Mexico border.

Due to the shutdown -- in which several key US agencies ceased operations on Saturday -- Trump said he would remain in Washington over Christmas instead of going to Florida.

"I am in the White House, working hard," the Republican president tweeted. "We are negotiating with the Democrats on desperately needed Border Security (Gangs, Drugs, Human Trafficking & more) but it could be a long stay." 

Trump has dug in on his demand for $5 billion for construction of the border wall, a signature campaign promise and part of his effort to reduce illegal immigration. Democrats are staunchly opposed, and the absence of a deal meant federal funds for dozens of agencies lapsed at midnight Friday.

The House of Representatives and the Senate held sessions on Saturday, but both chambers adjourned without agreement, and no votes were expected until Thursday.

This is the third partial government shutdown of the year, even though Trump's own Republican party still controls both the House and Senate.

That will change in January when the House comes under Democratic control.

As many as 23 newly elected legislators - 22 Congress and one RLD - are expected to take oath as ministers in the Rajasthan cabinet formation on Monday.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, who took oath on December 17, returned to the state capital Sunday noon after spending three days in New Delhi for a meeting with president Rahul Gandhi and senior party functionaries.

The names of council of ministers have been finalised by the state Congress leaders including Gehlot and Pilot  after rounds of discussion with Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders, sources said.

The swearing in ceremony is expected to be held in Jaipur at 11.30 am on Monday, they said.

AICC general secretary  in charge of Rajasthan,  Avinash Pandey and Congress observer for the state on government formation, K C Venugopal, besides AICC secretaries for the state were also involved in the deliberations for deciding on the ministers, the sources said.

Rahul Gandhi intends to focus on having a cabinet with a majority being fresh faces, sources said, adding the cabinet will be a blend of the old and new guard  and will give an opportunity to those who have not held ministerial portfolios in the past.

They said over a dozen of them will be seen in tomorrow's cabinet expansion. 

On the occasion of 'Kisan Diwas', Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday promised the farmers that he will make all efforts to secure their future.

The 'Kisan Diwas' or National Farmers Day is observed across the country on this day to celebrate the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh, the fifth prime minister of India.

Taking to Twitter, Gandhi said he will make every effort to secure the future of the farmers.

"This is not just a promise but also my duty. I salute the farmers of the country on the occasion of 'Kisan Divas'. We are because you are," he tweeted in Hindi, with the hashtag 'Thank you farmers'.

Gandhi has been raising farmers' issues alleging that there is continued agrarian distress under the current government, a charge the Centre has denied.

Last week, he said the party delivered on its pre-election promise to waive farmers' loans in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh within 10 days of assuming charge.

"We asked for 10 days, we did it in two," he had said, referring to the announcement of loan waivers in the three Congress-ruled states.

The Congress chief had recently said he would not let Prime Minister Narendra Modi sleep until loans of all farmers are waived in the country.

Gandhi had earlier highlighted the problems of farmers and sought to share their plight by meeting them wherever they have launched a stir, including in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh, where a few farmers died last year in police firing during an agitation. 

As the 11 women returned from Sabarimala after being denied entry, activist Rahul Easwar termed the development as "huge" victory for the Lord Ayyapaa devotees. 

Easwar later removed the tweet. 

The 11 women could barely move 100 metres through the traditional path towards the temple.  The women and the police had to virtually run from the scene to the safety of a nearby guardroom, abandoning the trekking plan, after being booed by protesters.  

Defying prohibitory orders, hundreds of devotees thronged the forest path here blocking the way of the women, who reached in the early hours from Chennai.  Police tried to remove the protesters by force as they were not ready to budge despite their repeated announcements to disperse and end the namajapa (chanting sacred hymns) protest. 

French President Emmanuel Macron called for "order" on Sunday after a sixth weekend of "yellow vest" anti-government protests marked by dwindling participation and a violent attack on police in Paris.

 

Speaking during a visit to the central African state of Chad where he was visiting French troops serving in a counter-terrorism force Macron said: "There must be order now, calm and harmony. Our country needs it."

"It needs harmony, unity, sincere commitment to strong collective causes and we must heal the divisions," said the 41-year-old centrist, who has struggled to tamp down the anger of the working poor in smalltown and rural France over falling spending power and policies seen as tilted towards the rich.

A total of 38,600 people took part in a sixth round of nationwide protests on Saturday, according to the interior ministry -- around half the number that demonstrated a week earlier.

In Paris, the scene of fierce clashes and widespread destruction in previous weeks, the protests were mainly peaceful.

But as evening fell, violence broke out again on the iconic Champs-Elysees avenue.

In one incident that caused widespread outrage, a group of three police officers on motorbike were forced to make a hasty escape after coming under attack near the Champs-Elysees from a group of demonstrators, who threw electric scooters, paving stones and other objects at them.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said India is the most tolerant country in the world. "You will not find the kind of tolerance anywhere in the world which we have in our country. India is the most tolerant country," he added.

Talking to media persons, Singh said, "It is in India where the people of all religions stay together peacefully. There is no question of intolerance in India. People irrespective of their religion contribute to the development of India and will continue to do so."

Singh's remark comes in the wake of actor Naseeruddin Shah's recent statement on Bulandshahr violence, where he had spoken about the sense of insecurity. However, Shah had later clarified that his remarks were that of a worried Indian and he has done no wrong in doing so.

He had told the media, "I have made the statement as a worried Indian and I have previously also done so. I don't know for what reason I am being branded as a traitor."

Recently, a video surfaced on the social media where Shah could be heard saying, "At many places, the death of a cow is being given more importance than the killing of a policeman."

"I feel anxious for my children because tomorrow if a mob surrounds them and asks, 'Are you a Hindu or a Muslim' they will have no answer. It worries me that I don't see the situation improving anytime soon," he was heard saying so in the video.

On December 3, a police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh and a civilian identified as Sumit were killed after violence broke out in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr over the rumour of cow slaughter. 

Assam is all set to get India's longest rail-cum-road bridge on December 25, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays open the 4.94-km-long strategically important project over the mighty Brahmaputra at Bogibeel.

The Bogibeel Bridge, which was a part of the Assam Accord and sanctioned in 1997-98, is likely to play a crucial role in defence movement along the India-China border in Arunachal Pradesh.

The foundation stone of the project was laid by former prime minister H D Deve Gouda on January 22, 1997, while work commenced on April 21, 2002 under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government. December 25 happens to be Vajpayee's birth anniversary.

Because of the inordinate delay in implementation, the cost of the project escalated by 85 per cent to Rs 5,960 crore from the sanctioned estimated cost of Rs 3,230.02 crore. The total length of the bridge was also revised to 4.94 km from the earlier 4.31 km.

Infamous "tandoor case" convict Sushil Sharma had tears in his eyes as he prayed at the Lodhi Road Sai Temple on Sunday. 

"I believe in Sai Baba and goddess Durga. I would pray everyday to God and that gave me the hope during my time in jail. Now I have plans to visit Shirdi," said Sharma, a former youth Congress leader said after paying obeisance at the temple.

Sharma walked out a free man from Tihar Jail Friday night after serving close to 23 years for killing his wife Naina Sahni and then trying to dispose of her body in a tandoor in 1995 at the roof of erstwhile 4-star hotel Ashok Yatri Niwas, now Royal Plaza, at Ashok Road in the heart of the capital.

"I also wanted to go to Vaishno Devi with my parents but they are now quite aged and won't be able to travel," he said.

He said his life is a clean slate at this moment and the feeling that he is out of the jail has not yet sunk in.

"My life is a clean slate now and I have to write my A, B, C, Ds afresh," he averred.

Sharma, who will be celebrating his 60th birthday on January 24 as a free bird, said his focus now is to serve his aged parents, who have suffered "for no fault" of theirs.

"Every day, before going to bed, my father, who is now 85, would think, 'Will I be able to see my son walk out of the jail while I am still alive?'

"My younger brother, who was a first-year student of the Hindu College, died in a road accident in 1978. It was a double tragedy for my family when I was also sentenced. I want to spend maximum time with them as they have gone through a lot despite not being at fault," he said.

Sharma said after he settles his parents, he wants to counsel young couples who are about to get married.

Rashtriya Lok Samata Party chief Upendra Kushwaha on Sunday accused the BJP of bowing down in front of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over seat sharing, saying the move would not help the party win the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP always used to say they have a 56-inch chest, but now it seems theyve bowed down in front of Nitish Kumar and divided seats equally. But people do not care about how many seats you contest on, they will vote for the one who works for the public, Kushwaha said.

Taking a dig at LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan, Kushwaha said the Union minister realised that the NDA would not be getting any Lok Sabha seat so he secured a Rajya Sabha seat. Its a good thing that he has done, the RLSP chief said.

Kushwaha recently quit the NDA and joined the Congress's Mahagathbandhan in Delhi. Explaining his rationale for joining the Grand Alliance, Kushwaha said the Modi government failed to fulfil the promises made to the people of Bihar, besides the "insult" he suffered within the NDA. Kushwaha lauded Rahul Gandhi and Lalu Prasad for the "wholeheartedness" shown by them towards him. 

Pollutants from various sources have been superficially depositing on the marble surface of Taj Mahal as particulate matters and due to scattering of light by these particles, the marble surface of Taj Mahal appears to have changed in colour.

This was stated by the government, quoting the Archaeological Survey of India, in response to questions in the Lok Sabha as to whether the marble of world famous Taj Mahal is getting discoloured due to air pollution.

Minister of state in the ministry of environment Mahesh Sharma said the ASI has formulated scientific cleaning and conservation plan to protect the surface of Taj Mahal from deposited pollutants.

"Accordingly, all four minarets, eight facades, four pedestal marble walls, interior portion of periphery up to human height and four chhatries at roof top of main mausoleum, have already been cleaned and treated," he said.

"However, the cleaning of main dome requires some technical studies," he added.

Asked whether the foundation of Taj Mahal was becoming weak due to polluted water of Yamuna, Sharma, citing the ASI, said the water level of the river was away from the northern wall of the monument.

"Therefore, specific study on the link between Yamuna water and strength of the foundation of Taj Mahal has not been conducted," the minister added.

The Supreme Court had in May expressed concern over the change of colour of the Mughal-era world famous monument and asked the government what it was doing about it.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday took a jibe at the BJP for agreeing to contest only 17 seats in Bihar in the Lok Sabha polls next year, despite having won 22 in the last general election.

  

The leader of the opposition in the state assembly also indirectly claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party gave in to arm twisting by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, who head the Janata Dal-United and the Lok Janshakti Party respectively -- both NDA allies.

The LJP and the JD-U have reaped the benefit of questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi over demonetisation two years after the note ban, Yadav said in a tweet.

His remark was a reference to Paswan's son and LJP Parliamentary Board Chief Chirag Paswan recently writing to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and requesting him to elucidate the benefits of demonetisation so that his party could explain the same to its voters.

Moreover, Kumar who had come out in support of demonetisation while still part of the opposition's 'mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance), remarked earlier this year that the drive could not achieve its objective of curbing black money and blamed the banking sector for it.

Taking a dig at the BJP, Yadav tweeted that despite having achieved power through the back door in Bihar and having 22 sitting MPs, the party agreed to give an equal number of seats to Kumar, who had returned with a tally of only two seats.

"Now you can understand the dire straits the NDA is in," the Rashritya Janata Dal leader said.

Former sheriff of Mumbai and noted jurist Nana Chudasama died on Sunday afternoon after a brief illness, said a family member. He was 85.

"He was unwell for last some days. He passed away at his home in Colaba," said the family member.

Born in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, Chudasama, also a former Mumbai mayor, engaged himself in social work after serving in a private company.

He founded an NGO, Giants International, which has presence in several cities in India as well as abroad.

Chudasama carried out social work through his NGOs such as I Love Mumbai, the National Kidney Foundation and the Forum Against Drugs and AIDS.

He was known for his succinct messages and comments on important issues of the day displayed through banners put up above a popular pizza joint at Marine Drive, South Mumbai.

Chudasama was awarded Padma Shri in recognition of his work in the social sector.

His daughter Shaina NC is a BJP spokesperson.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Governor C Vidyasagar Rao condoled the death of Chudasama and lauded him for his socio-cultural initiatives in Mumbai.

"Chudasama was truely connected to citizens with several NGOs and has always supported the activities. His two liner message board at the Marine Drive was a reflection of his personality," Fadnavis said.

Rao said, "The contribution of Nana Chudasama to Mumbais socio-economic and cultural life was of a high order. He was among the foremost champions of a clean and green Mumbai."

The Governor said Chudasama was a conscience keeper of the financial capital.

Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has backed Prime Minister Imran Khan's peace initiatives, saying the new government has extended a hand of peace and friendship towards India with utmost sincerity but it should not be taken as Islamabad's weakness.

  

Addressing the passing out parade of Midshipmen and Short Service Course at the Naval Academy in Karachi on Saturday, Bajwa said that Pakistan was "a peace loving country and believes in peace".

Lauding the efforts of Prime Minister Khan's government to achieve peace between Pakistan and India, the army chief said peace benefits everyone and it is time to fight disease, poverty and illiteracy instead of fighting against each other.

"Our new government has extended a hand of peace and friendship towards India with utmost sincerity but it should not be taken as our weakness," Bajwa said.

The powerful army, which has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 71 years, has always wielded considerable power in the matters of foreign policy.

The Indo-Pak ties strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based terrorists in 2016 and India's surgical strikes inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The ties further nose-dived in 2017 with no bilateral talks talking place between them.

Amidst deadly skirmishes along the Line of Control and diplomatic bickering for better part of 2018, the consensus on both sides to open the Kartarpur corridor for Indian Sikh pilgrims has created a ray of hope for improvement in Indo-Pak ties.

"Wars bring death, destruction and misery for the people. Ultimately all issues are resolved on the table through negotiations that is why we are trying very hard to help bring a lasting peace in Afghanistan by supporting Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace plan," Bajwa said.

He also warned that Pakistan is yet to get out from terrorism or sabotage phase of an unannounced war against it.

When Malala Yousafzai came to know that she was on the cover of TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People list in 2013, it hardly impressed her as she told her father, "I do not believe in such categorisation of human beings".

  

Her father Ziauddin Yousafzai talks about this interesting fact in his new book "Let Her Fly: A Father's Journey and the Fight for Equality".

Malala was on the cover and inside she was ranked number 15. Then US President Barack Obama was 51st.

A driver named Shahid Hussain in Britain showed a copy of the magazine on his phone to Ziauddin who in turn showed it to his daughter.

While Malala was in the hospital, first full-time, then visiting for ongoing treatment, (wife Toor) Pekai and I needed somebody to drive us to and from the facility. One day, our driver, Shahid Hussain, who had become our friend, arrived with news of TIME magazine's 2013 list of the 100 most influential people in the world, Ziauddin writes.

Please I request you show this report to her. She will be so happy, Hussain told Ziauddin. He gave his mobile phone to show her.

Ziauddin took the phone and showed it to Malala.

I was so proud of what was on the screen. She took the phone from me and studied it. And then she put it down. Well,' she said, I do not believe in such categorisation of human beings', he writes in the book published by WH Allen.

Union minister and BJP leader Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said some opposition parties and a section of the media have "twisted" his statements, an  assertion that comes in the backdrop of his reported "leadership should own up defeat" remarks.

The BJP stalwart was on Saturday reported as saying that nobody is willing to own up to failure unlike success and maintained "leadership should have the 'vrutti' (tendency) to own up defeat and failures".

The minister, who was speaking at an event in Pune, did not elaborate, but his comments assumed significance in wake of the BJP's defeat in just-held assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.

However, Gadkari, known for speaking his mind, said on Sunday his statements have been twisted.

"In the last few days, I have noticed a sinister campaign by some opposition parties and a section of the media to twist my statements and use them out of context and draw politically motivated inferences to malign my party and me," he wrote on the micro-blogging site Twitter.

Gadkari claimed there was a "conspiracy" to create a wedge between him and the BJP leadership.

"I have time and again strongly refuted such insinuations and once again condemn all these malafide and mischievous out of context reports attributed to me.

"Let me make it clear once and for all that conspiracies to create a wedge between the BJP leadership and me will never succeed," he tweeted.

"I have been clarifying my position at various forums and shall continue to do so and expose these nefarious designs of our detractors," he said. 

Delhi recorded its second highest pollution level of the year on Sunday and unfavourable meteorological conditions are likely to keep the air quality in the 'severe' category for the next couple of days, authorities said.

  

While the Central Pollution Control Board data showed the overall air quality index at 'severe' level of 446, the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting  showed a higher level at 471.

This is the second highest pollution level of this year. The highest was recorded on November 8, a day after Diwali, when the AQI touched 571.

An AQI between 100 to 200 comes under the 'moderate' category, 201 and 300 is considered 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', while that between 401 and 500 is 'severe'.

According to experts, under the 'severe' category, even healthy people find it hard to breathe and doctors advise physical activity to be kept at a minimum.

On Sunday, 30 areas of the national capital recorded 'severe' air quality while it was 'very poor' in six, the CPCB said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hit out at the mahagatbandhan for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, saying it was an "unholy alliance" of various political parties for "personal survival".

  

People will see through the "incoherent alliance of rich dynasties," Modi said during his interaction with booth workers from Chennai Central, Chennai North, Madurai, Tiruchirappally and Tiruvallur constituencies in Tamil Nadu through video conference.

     

The prime minister recalled that the key constituent of the mega alliance - the Telugu Desam Party-- was formed against the very "high-handedness" of the Congress by the veteran, late chief minister N T Rama Rao but said the party was now keen to join hands with the Congress.

Some parties in the Mahagatbandhan claimed to be inspired by socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia, but the veteran himself opposed the Congress and its ideologies, Modi said.

"Today several leaders are talking about a grand alliance or Mahagathbandhan. This alliance is for personal survival, and is not ideology-based support. This alliance is for power, not for the people. This alliance for personal ambitions, not people's aspirations," he said.

While several parties and leaders in the coalition claimed to be deeply inspired by Lohia, he said "was deeply opposed to the Congress," Modi said.

Many leaders in the coalition were "arrested and tortured" during the Emergency, he said without referring to anyone.

The Congress "ecosytem" spared none, he said and pointed out at the dismissal of the AIADMK government of  late chief minister MG Ramachandran in 1980 though he had people's support. 

Close to 1 million employees of various banks, including private lenders, have called for a one-day strike on December 26 to protest against the proposed amalgamation of Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank with Bank of Baroda.

The strike call comes on the heels of an officers union of state-run banks observing a day-long strike last Friday on similar grounds along with demand for immediate settlement of their wage negotiations.

In September, government had announced merger of state-owned Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank, both under the prompt corrective action framework of the RBI, with larger peer Bank of Baroda, creating the third largest lender.

"This amalgamation is not in the interest of banks or bank customers. It is rather detrimental to both," the United

Forum of Bank Unions said.

The UFBU is an umbrella organisation of nine unions, including the All-India Bank Officers Confederation, the All-India Bank Employees Association and the National Organisation of Bank Workers, among others.

The formal announcement was scheduled to be made on Saturday but was postponed by a day as sources said Paswan also wanted the list of seats to be shared. 

Sources said that the BJP does not want to lose LJP to ensure the support of SC and ST communities, especially after recently losing power in three states. For the votes of SCs/STs, it will be better for the NDA to keep LJP in the alliance, especially after loss of power in three states, a JD-Uleader in Bihar said.

A day after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said that he would show the Narendra Modi government how to treat minorities, Bollywood actor Naseeruddin Shah responded saying that he shouldnt be commenting on issues that dont concern him.

I think Mr Khan should be walking the talk in his own country instead of commenting on issues that dont concern him. We have been a democracy for 70 years and we know how to look after ourselves, Naseeruddin Shah told the Sunday Express.

Imran Khans statement had come after the veteran Bollywood actor had expressed concern over mob violence in India following the killing of a policeman in Uttar Pradeshs Bulandshahr earlier this month.

Khan had said, We will show the Modi government how to treat minorities... Even in India, people are saying that minorities are not being treated as equal citizens, he said referring to Shahs statement, while emphasising that his government will ensure that the minorities feel safe, protected and have equal rights in New Pakistan. Khan said this while addressing an event to highlight the 100-day achievements of the Punjab government in Lahore.

In a video interview with Karwan-e-Mohabbat India, Naseeruddin Shah had said that the death of a cow was being given importance over killing of a policeman in India. He said the poison has already spread and it will now be difficult to contain it.

BJP chief Amit Shah, JD-U president Nitish Kumar and Lok Janshakti Party leader Ram Vilas Paswan the three big players of the NDA in Bihar are likely to announce the final seat-sharing deal for general elections on Sunday.

According to sources, the BJP has offered the LJP five Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, one seat in either Uttar Pradesh or Jharkhand and a Rajya Sabha berth, which is likely to be taken by Paswan, who is currently a minister in the Narendra Modi cabinet. According to sources, the Nitish Kumars JD-U and the BJP will contest on 17 seats each in Bihar.

The formal announcement was scheduled to be made on Saturday but was postponed by a day as sources said Paswan also wanted the list of seats to be shared. 

The deal was clinched after Paswan and his son Chirag met BJP leader Arun Jaitley on Friday. Chirag, who has been vocal in airing his party's differences with the BJP, told reporters that talks were on and claimed there were other issues besides sharing of seats.

United States President Donald Trump claimed that he gave Defence Secretary James Mattis a "second chance" after the retired Marine general was "ingloriously fired" from military leadership by former US president Barack Obama.

Mattis served as the head of the US Central Command between 2010 and 2013. However, he was fired by Obama in 2013 due to his increasingly hawkish stance toward Iran.

"When President Obama ingloriously fired Jim Mattis, I gave him a second chance. Some thought I shouldn't, I thought I should," Trump wrote on his Twitter handle.

Furthermore, the US president asserted that Mattis was better equipped with all the resources following his appointment as the Defence Secretary in January last year.

"Interesting relationship-but I also gave all of the resources that he never really had. Allies are very important-but not when they take advantage of US," Trump tweeted.

Earlier this week, Mattis announced his resignation as the Defence Secretary and said he would step down from the post on February 28, 2019, after failing to persuade Trump to reconsider his decision to withdraw the remaining American troops from Syria. 

In the past 12 years, the second lowest minimum temperature for the month was recorded on December 29, 2007 at 3.9C, according to data from the Met department.

The Sunday's minimum temperature was four notches below the season's average, a Met department official said.

The all-time lowest temperature in the national capital for the month of December was 1.1C recorded on December 26, 1945, the data showed.

The morning also witnessed a moderate cover of fog around the city with visibility dropping to 300 metres at Palam and 400 metres at Safdarjung, said the MeT department official. 

The maximum temperature for the day is expected to hover around 22C, he said. 

As the day progresses, it is likely to become partly cloudy.

Haze will also appear in the evening, said the official.

Relative humidity at 8.30 am was 99 per cent.

With the prevailing cold wave conditions, the minimum temperature on Saturday was 4C, second time this week.

On Thursday also, the minimum temperature was 4C.  -- PTI

Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who also holds charge of the Home department, moved the 'The Manipur Protection from Mob Violence Bill, 2018' in the state assembly.

The bill was passed by the assembly unanimously on Friday.

It recommends a rigorous life imprisonment term if the crime results in the death of a victim. 

The bill was introduced in the assembly in the wake of incidents of mob lynchings in the state.

In September, a man was lynched at Tharoijamm in Thoubal district for allegedly trying to steal a scooter.

The assembly also passed the Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2018 unanimously.  -- PTI

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has said party leadership should own up to defeat and failures, adding that nobody is willing to take responsibility of failure, unlike success.

The cryptic remark of the Union Minister came after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost three 'Hindi heartland' states -- Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh-- in the recently-concluded assembly elections.

Speaking at an event organised by the Pune District Urban Cooperative Banks Association Limited (PDUCBAL), Gadkari said, "Success has many fathers but failure is an orphan, as in politics when there is success, there will be a race to take credit but in case of failure, everybody will start pointing fingers at each other.

"One also has to take credit of failure and that kind of leadership should be there. (Party) leadership should own up to failures. Until it does so, its loyalty and commitment towards the organisation are not proved."

"In politics, after a defeat in any state or Lok Sabha elections, the defeated candidates start cribbing and complaining that they did not get adequate support. I always say that whichever panel loses, it submits an application against the other.

"When there is a BJP government, an inquiry is initiated against the Congress, and when there is Congress, inquiry is done against the BJP," he added.

The Union minister further said that the nation has become awkward in the present day.

"The country has become awkward nowadays. A person who is working well should be supported, irrespective of who he is, and a person who is working badly should be punished, even if he belongs to us."

The BJP leader also batted for enhanced credibility in the cooperative banking system. -- ANI

Scientists from Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics agency said it could have been caused by undersea landslides from the eruption of Anak Krakatau, a volcanic island formed over years from the nearby Krakatau volcano.

They also cited tidal waves caused by the full moon.

The worst affected area was the Pandeglang region of Banten province in Java, which encompasses the Ujung Kulon National Park and popular beaches, the Disaster Management Agency said.

Of the deaths, 33 were in Pandeglang. In the city of Bandar Lampung on southern Sumatra, hundreds of residents took refuge at the governor's office.

The Anak Krakatau volcano in the Sunda Strait that links the Indian Ocean and Java Sea erupted about 24 minutes before the tsunami, the geophysics agency said.

Physical losses included 430 heavily damaged homes, nine heavily damaged hotels and 10 heavily damaged vessels.

Footage posted by the head of the disaster agency showed the aftermath of flooded streets and an overturned car.  -- Agencies

IMAGE: Residents sit inside a mosque as they were evacuated following high waves and the eruption of Anak Krakatau volcano at Labuan district in Pandeglang regency, Banten province, Indonesia, on Saturday. Photograph: Antara Foto/Muhammad Bagus Khoirunas/via Reuters