Deadline ends, Maoist court to decide fate of Odisha MLA
Bhubaneswar, April 18
Maoists holding BJD MLA Jhina Hikaka hostage today refused to extend the deadline, which expired at 5:00 pm, for meeting their demands and said his fate would be decided at the people's court as they did not have faith in the Odisha Government. In a message to the media, a leader of CPI (Maoist) Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee said the fate of the 37-year-old tribal MLA from Laxmipur would be decided by the 'praja' court.

Factory collapse toll 13
Jalandhar, April 18
The death toll in the Jalandhar building collapse has risen to 13 while the count of those rescued from the rubble has touched 61. The number of casualties, however, may escalate as the debris from ground and first floors of the four-storeyed building of Shital Fibres was yet to be cleared.  (More stories on Punjab page)

(Editorial Page): After tragedy, callousness

Bad weather: Agni V launch postponed
New Delhi, April 18 
The maiden test-firing of the Agni V scheduled for today was postponed at the last moment till tomorrow due to bad weather conditions at the test range off the coast of Odisha. “The launch has been cancelled as there is heavy lightening in the test range," Defence Ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar said. — PTI

Cash-strapped Punjab spends Rs 4.5 cr on luxury cars for ministers, CPSs
Chandigarh, April 18
The cash-crunched Punjab government has shelled out Rs 4.5 crore for buying new luxury vehicles for 21 Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPSs) and five ministers. The government is spending Rs 3.36 crore on 21 Toyota Corolla cars for all CPSs and Rs 1.2 crore on five Toyota Camry cars for ministers.