In their most high-profile attack on the TRS president, Telangana Telugu Desam Forum MLAs on Saturday challenged Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao to “join them in hanging themselves for the Telangana cause”.

Taking the gloves off, Telugu Desam Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu has decided to directly target TRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao as it tries to recover lost ground in the bypolls in Telangana.

The Kui Samaj Samanwaya Samiti (KSSS), an apex body of local Kui tribe in Kandhamal district, has “partially” called off its proposed four-day bandh call following protracted talks with senior government officials, bringing some amount of relief to the worried state administration.

Health and medical services were crippled across the state with government doctors going on strike and resident doctors at the medical college hospitals joining them. The state government toughened its stand on medical strikes and employed doctors provided by the Army, BSF, railways and Central government departments.

The CBI grilled key suspect Sahiram Bishnoi in Bhanwari Devi case on Saturday while the CBI court in Jodhpur has extended the judicial custody of sacked minister Mahipal Maderna and Parasram Bishnoi till January 6. A section of Jat leaders, meanwhile, came openly in support of Maderna and questioned the decision to handing over probe to the CBI.

The NDA is fuming over allegedly distasteful comments by a senior RJD leader about Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and the ruling JD(U)’s women’s wing.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday slammed UP chief minister Mayawati for criticising the food security bill and said that if the UPA government did anything for the benefit of the poor, Ms Mayawati was bound to criticise it.

The world’s oldest bed, which dates back to 77,000 years ago, has been discovered in a cave in South Africa, a media report said on Friday.

George Michael fought back tears on Friday as the British singer conceded that he had almost died after contracting severe pneumonia while on tour in Austria. Appearing weak and struggling for breath, the 48-year-old told reporters outside his London home it had been “touch and go” at times during the month he spent in a Vienna hospital.

Singer Lady Gaga says she is the reincarnation of her aunt. The singer, known for her wacky outfits, feels she has two hearts and her spiritual beliefs have made people think she is crazy. “I believe that I had a reincarnation and believe that you can be reborn over and over again. I believe I was my father’s sister and her spirit is with me.