Two killed

Rourkela: Two persons were killed and 10 suffered injuries when an SUV they were travelling in dashed against a tree near Juharam Ghat in Sundergarh district late on Friday night. The deceased have been identified as Sumira Xaxa, 40, and Budhni Mionz, 55. The injured persons were taken to Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research in Sambalpur.    

Air show

Cuttack: The district administration on Saturday asked officials of the forest department to maintain strict vigil on the movement of birds at Kathajodi river embankment near Khannagar in view of the proposed air show by Indian Air Force. The state government and sports and youth affairs ministry have planned the air show to commemorate the centenary celebrations of Biju Patnaik on December 23. The air show by Surya Kiran, Akash Ganga and Sarang will be held over a vast stretch of Kathajodi river after a gap of six years.

Strike off

Bhubaneswar: Agitating staff of 108 Ambulance on Saturday called off the cease work strike launched by them from Friday midnight after payment of their pending salaries. Manoj Kumar Sahoo, secretary of the Ambulance Service Workers' Association, said this on Saturday. Earlier in the day, the ambulance service had come to a halt as the employees went on strike. Ambulance drivers, emergency medical technicians and attendants had joined the strike.

PM pat row

Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's praise of chief minister Naveen Patnaik on the demonetisation issue has triggered a war of words between the state BJP and BJD. While Congress alleged that there was a tacit understanding between BJP and BJD, senior BJP leader and Union minister Jual Oram said the Modi's comments were made only in the context of demonetisation.