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Sonia Gandhi said that the suspension of 25 MPs of the Congress by the speaker was "anti-democratic" and described it as "murder" of democracy.

Rivers have burst their banks, hitting thousands of villages in parts of West Bengal as well as northeastern Manipur state, where roads and bridges have been cut and communications were patchy.

Hindustan Unilever, the Indian subsidiary of the consumer goods company, has denied wrongdoing. It disputes claims of former workers who say their health has been damaged by exposure to mercury.

The building, which crumbled around 2:00 am (2030 GMT Monday), was situated in the Naupada area of Thane city near Mumbai.

Moderate leaders like Thomas Isaac are against any confrontation with the SNDP as it has considerable sway over the Ezhavas, who forms the backbone of the party.

The IIT, sanctioned by the NDA government last year after much lobbying, is the first among the five of the newly approved IITs to begin classes on Monday.

The AP Reorganisation Act, passed in 2014 when UPA was in power, had promised special status for the residual AP after the bifurcation.

For 13 years in Karachi, deaf and mute Indian girl waits to go home.

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The telecommunications ministry has directed Internet service providers (ISPs) to block 857 websites.