The Union Carbide Poisonous Gas Leak Inquiry Commission, which is mandated to probe the gas tragedy afresh, today issued notices to the then Collector Moti Singh and then SP Swaraj Puri of Bhopal to record their statements on December 20 in connection with the 1984 gas tragedy. 

AFP reports: The convicted fraudster behind an online video that outraged Muslims says has no regrets. Nakoula Basseley Nakoula's crude trailer for the anti-Islam film first appeared on YouTube in July, but touched off protests worldwide in September in the wake of a deadly attack on the US diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya. 

The Election Commission today rejected the nomination papers of the Congress candidate for Visavadar for not providing original mandate in time, paving the way for a straight fight between former Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel and the BJP's candidate.

An email threatening to target the cave shrine of Vaishno Devi was purportedly sent by the banned terror outfit Lashker-e-Tayiba to a hotelier in Katra to avenge the execution of 26/11 terror attack convict Ajmal Kasab, the police said today.

Former Law Minister Shanti Bhushan today donated Rs 1 crore to the newly-launched 'Aam Aadmi Party' and said people from all walks of society will sit in Parliament after the 2014 General elections.

Bangladesh police today arrested two factory employees, including a woman, for allegedly setting on fire a readymade garments unit, a day after another inferno killed 112 workers of a nearby textile unit.

Investigators believe that Sukhdev Singh Namdhari, arrested in connection with the Ponty Chadha case, had tried to destroy evidence regarding the pistol he allegedly used to fire during the killing of the brothers in a south Delhi farmhouse.

The UPA is not averse to a vote on its decision to allow foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath told NDTV after an all-party meeting failed in its purpose to break the political deadlock holding up Parliament. But he also said a vote on FDI will set a bad precedent.

Read the full story here

A plea for lodging a criminal case against self-proclaimed godman Nirmal Baba for allegedly cheating people and breaching public trust was today dismissed by a Delhi court.

Metropolitan Magistrate Neeraj Gaur dismissed advocate Prem Shankar Sharma's complaint for direction to the police to register an FIR against Nirmaljeet Singh Narula alias Nirmal Baba and asked Sharma to lead pre-summoning evidence in favour of his complaint. Sharma had sought court's direction for prosecution of Baba allegedly for cheating, committing criminal breach of trust and hurting religious sentiments of the people.

Activist-turned-politician Arvind Kejriwal took the official plunge into electoral politics on Monday, launching his Aam Aadmi Party, the party of the 'common man.' Read

MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin tweets: India's Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai meets his US counterpart, Under Secretary for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman.

On Firstpost.com: Ram Jethmalani reacts to the BJP's show cause notice to him: I am entitled to suspicion about why I was suspended. Ten days too short a time to come up with a show cause. I can't comment on a document I have not seen.

Here are the details of who form the national executive of Aam Aadmi Party, according to Firstpost.com.

Manish Sisodia: A  former news producer with Zee News, Sisodia has been a long time associate of Kejriwal's since his campaign for a stronger Right to Information Act. He's been part of Kejriwal's Public Cause Research Foundation, the Jan Lokpal movement and now a member of the national executive of the Aam Aadmi Party.

Gopal Rai: Has been associated with students' politics in Allahabad and Lucknow. Was shot at and badly injured in during his campaigns against criminals in political parties in Uttar Pradesh. Joined the Jan Lokpal movement with Kejriwal and Anna Hazare around the end of 2010. Observed ten days fast for Jan Lokpal Bill in July 2012 with erstwhileTeam Anna at Jantar Mantar.

Prashant Bhushan: Son of former union law minister Shanti Bhushan, Prashant is a senior Supreme Court lawyer and one of the most prominent faces of Kejriwal's group. He has been at the forefront of recent campaigns against politicians and industrialists, and has also represented the group's campaigns in court.

Sanjay Singh: Hailing from Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh, Singh is the president of Azad Samaaj Sewa Samiti and a familiar face from the Jan Lokpal movement. He has been tasked with getting cadre in his home state.

Pankaj Gupta, national secretary, national executive: After completing electronics engineering from Motilal Nehru Regional Engineering College in Allahabad, Gupta worked for various software companies for 25 years before quitting his job to work for the education of underprivileged children. Gupta one of the key members in Kejriwal's group who worked backstage during the Jan Lokpal movement.

Kumar Vishvas: A poet and former member of the Hindi faculty in a college in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, Kumar is known for his witty poems. He lampoons the government during most of his speeches and TV discussions.

Naveen Jai Hind: Worked for the RTI Act in Haryana and created awareness about Jan Lokpal movement in the region. Founded a students' union called Jai Hind Chhatra Morcha in 2006.

Dinesh Vaghela: A social worker, Vaghela actively participated in JP movement. Worked for the RTI Act before joining the Jan Lokpal movement.

Yogendra Yadav: Renowned psephologist and fellow at CSDS (Centre for Society of Developing Societies) in Delhi. Was a member of the advisory committee on Right to Education (RTE) in 2010.Prof.

Ajit Jha: A professor in Delhi University. Jha has actively worked with the NGO Lok Rajniti Manch and his expertise is Panchayati Raj. Was also associated with political organisation called Samajvadi Jan Parishad.

Christina Samy: Worked against the sand mafia in Tamil Nadu's Karur district. She formed an organisation called Women's Front, which contested elections at panchayat, Assembly and Lok Sabha level.

Prof Anand Kumar: Sociologist and professor in Delhi's Jawaharlal university. Kumar has taught in BHU and is an authority on political science and democracy.

Ilyas Azmi: Azmi is a two time MP from Hardoi and Lakhimpur Khiri. Has worked with former prime minister VP Singh.

Shazia Ilmi: A former journalist with Star News, Ilmi is a prominent Muslim face in Team Kejriwal and has been their spokesperson at many a television debate.

Habung Payang: Former information commissioner of Arunachal Pradesh, Payang is expected to strengthen the unit in Arunachal and other Northeast states.

Yogesh Dahiya: A farmers' leader in western Uttar Pradesh, Dahiya has been working for the rights of sugarcane farmers.

MBN Pannikar: Workers' leader in Odisha, Pannikar worked with a labour union in a Rourkela steel plant. Established the Rourkela labour union which functioned successfully.

Ashok Agrawal: An advocate in Delhi, Agrawal is know for his work on the RTE Act and aiding children of economically weaker section category in government and private schools.

Krishkant Saveda, treasurer: Popularly known in the party as Sanju, Saveda is from Bikaner, Rajasthan. Worked for the Jan Lokpal movement in Rajasthan.

Mayank Gandhi: Before the party's launch, Gandhi was handling IAC Mumbai unit.Rakesh Sinha: A ceramic engineer by qualification, Sinha has worked in Tata's Rourkela plant and has taught in BHU and IIT. Formed the NGO Samataa Sangathan in 1980.

Nowhere in the open letter asked Muslims to forgive Narendra Modi or to vote for him. Wants Muslim voters in Gujarat to vote for the best secular candidate, preferably Muslim. Read

Chitra Ramakrishna to be the CEO and MD of  the National Stock Exchage from April 1, 2013.

Ramakrishna figured in the Business Today's list of most powerful women in 2008. This is what the magazine had on her.

Power to her means: Shunning media glare and letting her actions speak for her work.

My most memorable experience at workplace: There has never been a dull moment over the last 15 years -- with Indian markets growing the way they have'"and personally for me as I grew with this institution. NSE has always provided an excellent environment for professionals and that is something I will always cherish.

The biggest turning point in my career was: Getting an opportunity to become a part of the team that set up the National Stock Exchange.When you are a part of the team that created a world-class stock exchange, it's tempting to talk about that success and bask in its glow. But Chitra Ramakrishna, Deputy Managing Director, NSE, has always shunned the spotlight, though she is used to being at the forefront of framing crucial regulations.

The story of Esther Preethi, the daughter of a poor taxi driver in Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh who is now doing her final year engineering. Read

Foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail has nothing to do with agricultural development. It enhances the negotiating ability of large retail chains. If they sell fresh vegetables and fruits, they will buy from present trade channels. Read

Finnish handset maker Nokia today unveiled two new 'Asha' phones equipped with new features like voice-guided self portrait and 'Slam' to share pictures and videos with other mobile phones.

The dual-SIM devices -- Asha 205 and Asha 206 -- have been unveiled in four countries (Indonesia, Nigeria, Kenya and India) today as the Asha series completes one year of launch.

"Asha is a huge category for us and in Q3, about 6.5 million Asha touch devices were sold, which speaks volumes about the popularity of the device. "The new phones are also aimed at giving users a smarter Internet experience at affordable costs," Nokia India Director (Mobile Phones) Sari Harju told reporters here at the launch of the handsets. Nokia has 10 devices in the 'Asha' series priced between Rs 4,000 to Rs 9,000.

The BJP has issued a show cause notice to suspended Rajya Sabha MP asking why he should not be expelled from the party for six years. Jethmalani has to reply within 10 days.

The BJP's top leadership met today to discuss the growing rebellion in the party, a day after it suspended Rajya Sabha member Ram Jethmalani for his vocal dissent, first on party president Nitin Gadkari's continuance and then on the issue of the appointment of the new CBI chief.

At the meeting of the party's Parliamentary Board at 4:30 pm today, BJP leaders are also expected to decide on action against other rebels like Yashwant Sinha and Shatrughan Sinha.

On the fourth anniversary of the 2008 militant attacks on Mumbai, a statue of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, who lost his life while leading a commando operation, was unveiled in Bangalore on Monday.

Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, an officer of Indian Army and deputed to the National Security Guards (NSG) a crack commando outfit, died fighting the militants at Mumbai during the attacks. Unnikrishnan's parents, K. Unnikrishnan and Dhanalakshmi Unnikrishnan, were present at the unveiling ceremony.

He disdains sycophants, the politics of patronage, and caste calculations. He is young and impatient, uncomfortable with his party's old guard and its dubious allies. He is a reformer and a meritocrat, more a modern CEO than a traditional neta. That's the Read more on Rahul Gandhi.

26/11 mastermind Hafiz Muhammad Saeed tweets: Sacrifices by Muslims will result in America's collapse. Initially, there states are demanded secession & that number is increasing. Jews, Crusaders and Hindus are trying to divide Muslims and succeed in retaining their capitalist system.

US Under Secretary for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman tells CNN IBN that David Headley and Tahawwur Rana will he sentenced soon. "India will be given unprecedented access to Headley. The US recognises that Hafiz Saeed is the mastermind of the 26/11 attacks and the US vows to bring him to justice soon." 

At the centre of one the biggest debates in the country today, Parliament attack case convict Afzal Guru is least affected by the demand for his death, or so it seems from his daily routine.

Guru, who has been on death row since 2004, has been lodged in Central Jail, Tihar, for the past 11 years.At the centre of one the biggest debates in the country today, Parliament attack case convict Afzal Guru is least affected by the demand for his death, or so it seems from his daily routine. Read

The fourth anniversary of the 26/11 terror strike saw people's angst assuaged by the recent execution of Ajmal Kasab.

"We were very happy when Kasab was executed. The government was late in deciding, but it was the right decision,' said Abbas Qureshi, a local resident.

Kasab was executed on the morning of November 21 amid great secrecy, underscoring the political sensitivity of the November 26, 2008, massacre, which still casts a pall over relations between nuclear-armed rivals Pakistan and India.

The execution seemed to have restored the people's faith in the government's ability to send out a warning to those intending to make attacks on the country.

Pakistan has sent the terms of reference for visit of the second Judicial Commission to India to cross-examine key witnesses in the Mumbai attack case to speed up the prosecution of seven Pakistani suspects in that country.

Without giving details of communication, official sources said the terms of reference were received recently and have been sent to legal experts for their opinion. Pakistan had requested for a visit of the second Commission as a trial court there had rejected the findings of the earlier judicial commission that visited Mumbai in March.

'The bond between Rahul and David was a powerful one. While Rahul saw a father figure in Headley, the latter saw Rahul only as a codename for Mumbai.' 'Rahul had spent approximately 1,000 hours with Headley and planned to spend more, when Headley was finally busted in the US.' 'Rahul was devastated. He had lost a father figure for the second time in his life.' Exclusive excerpts from S Hussain Zaidi's latest book, Headley and I. Read

OK, fine. Silence is golden, and patience is a virtue, but let's be real: everyone knows laughter is the best medicine. A well-timed joke can change anyone's mood and make the most obscure subject matter engaging. Read

Indian dynamism puts the eurozone to shame. This is where we need to be doing business. That's the column on the Telegraph, UK. Read

US Under Secretary for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman says LeT operative David Coleman Headley's extradition to India is under consideration. Sherman met  External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid this morning. A ruling in the matter is expected soon, says Sherman.

Also read: Extraditing Headley, Rana: What are the chances?

Meanwhile, activist-turned-politician Arvind Kejriwal formally launched his political outfit, 'Aam Aadmi Party', at the iconic Jantar-Mantar today to mark the historic Constitution Day, November 26, as the Constitution of India was adopted on the day in 1949.

Kejriwal, who had announced the name of his party on Saturday, earlier today visited Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi's memorial at the Rajghat here to pay his respect and thereafter paid his respect at the B.R. Ambedkar Memorial at Alipore Road.

Just in: The UPA will meet on FDI issue in Parliament tomorrow. Parliamentary Affairs minister Kamal Nath says all parties want Parliament to run and that he has asked parties to reconsider their decision on FDI.

The Samajwadi Party wants debate but is not insisting on voting.
The BSP wants the Speaker to decide.
The BJP left, JDU want debate and a vote on FDI.
Trinamool wants the Speaker to decide.

The Trinamool Congress at the all-party meeting says the Speaker should decide "how the House should run".

BSP chief Mayawati says the party first wants the Quota Bill to be passed and only then will it decide on FDI on retail. 

Here's the takeaway from the all-party meet. The BJP, JD-U, Left parties insist on discussion on FDI in retail under rules entailing voting. The Samajwadi Party ready for discussion on FDI in retail under any rule, it is for Speaker to decide, says the SP. 

Considering the travails of the Congress party, the BJP should have been a party primed for war. Instead, what we have is a gaggle of warhorses pulling in different directions.The party is speaking in multiple voices on almost everything: from prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 elections to an issue of more immediate concern such as the appointment of CBI director Ranjit Sinha. Read more

Malala Yousafzai tweets: I feel sorry for all those who calls me American Agent. All I wanted to go to school and become a doctor. RT If you support me.

Malala Yousafzai, the teenage girl shot by the Taliban for speaking out against militants in Pakistan is expected to make Britain her permanent home. Malala Yousufzai, 15, is being treated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham after having a bullet removed from her spine.

Sacked Uttarakhand Minorities Commission chairman Sukhdev Singh Namdhari, arrested recently in connection with Ponty Chadha murder case, was today expelled from the BJP. Read

Pakistani journalist Shiraz Hassan tweets: Remembering everyone who lost their lives four years ago in#Mumbai today. We Pakistanis stand with you against the religious fanatics.

In a bid to end the deadlock in Parliament over the FDI in retail issue, government today held an all-party meeting to find a way out amid Opposition demand for a discussion on it under the rules which entail voting.

With the Opposition disrupting Parliament for the third consecutive day today and earlier efforts by the government not succeeding, the all-party meeting was held to end the impasse.

The government has maintained that it is ready to discuss the FDI in retail issue but does not want it to be put to vote.

The meeting, held in Parliament House, was chaired by Leader of the Lok Sabha Sushilkumar Shinde and attended by Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma and Agriculture Minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar.

Carla Bruni, who has lived a life far removed from most women's, has suggested that a woman's place is in the home with her children.

The 44-year-old former model, who was France's First Lady for four years until May, declared that "we don't need to be feminist in my generation.' "There are pioneers who opened the breach,' the Telegraph quoted her as saying in an interview for the January issue of Vogue magazine.

"I'm not at all an active feminist. On the contrary, I'm a bourgeois. I love family life, I love doing the same thing every day. "I've ended up becoming my mother in some respects, despite my eight years of analysis!' she said.

Just in: A bomb has been found under the car of Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir's car. 

An explosive material packed in a black bag was recovered from a vehicle of senior journalist and anchor person Hamid Mir, who works with the Pakistan based Geo News. The channel said the explosive was planted beneath Mir's vehicle and has been defused by the Bomb Disposal Squad.

Mir while talking to the television channel said that a neighbour's driver pointed out the presence of a suspected black bag. The BDS said that about half a kilogramme of explosive was used in the making of the bomb. Mir is a news anchor, terrorism expert, and security analyst who regularly participates in international conferences.

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ram Jethmalani refuses to give up. A day after the BJP suspended him from the party, Jehamalani has written another letter to party president Nitin Gadkari asking him step down. The top leadership is also expected to meet today to discuss the growing rebellion in the party. Jethmalani was suspended for his vocal dissent, first on party president Gadkari's continuance and then on the issue of the appointment of the new CBI chief.
Jethmalani has also asked BJP leaders to stand united against Gadkari.

Mumbai's sorrow was tinged with some relief as solemn tributes were paid to the victims and martyrs of the 26/11 terror attacks on its fourth anniversary, five days after the sole surviving perpetrator Ajmal Kasab was sent to the gallows. Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde led Mumbaikars in paying homage to the police personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty at the Martyrs Memorial at Marine Lines.

Shinde's cabinet colleague Sharad Pawar, Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, Home Minister R R Patil, Mumbai Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh and family members of victims and heroes, also paid floral tributes to those felled during the three day siege that brought the city to its knees on November 26, 2008.

Both Houses of Parliament have been adjourned till Tuesday following uproar on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail. The BJP earlier in the day gave a notice for suspension of Question Hour to discuss FDI in multi-brand retail.

Meanwhile, the Congress-led UPA Government has convened an all-party meeting here today to discuss the ongoing deadlock in Parliament over FDI in multi-brand retail.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath has convened today's meeting, which is scheduled to take place at around 1 pm. This meeting comes at a time when the first two days of the Winter Session last week saw Parliament being paralysed on the issue. Many parties in the Opposition have remained adamant on discussion under a rule that entails voting under Rule 184.

Ireland will act "speedily" to implement legislation providing limited access to abortion if an expert group's recommendation is accepted by the Cabinet, a minister has said, amid the raging controversy over the death of an Indian dentist.

The expert group set up to examine how the state deals with the issue of lawful abortions has favoured legislation allowing for the limited provision of abortion along with regulations to deal with practical matters, according to media reports.

In wake of former CAG official R P Singh claiming his comments on PAC chairman Murli Manohar Joshi on the 2G issue were misquoted, BJP today asked Congress president Sonia Gandhi to retract her statement in which she had attacked the main Opposition party.

"In light of what R P Singh has stated, the BJP would like to know from Sonia Gandhiji would she retract her comment almost condemning the BJP in the most abusive terms," BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters outside Parliament.

He said the core issue was rampant corruption in allocation of 2G licences, which were subsequently cancelled by the Supreme Court. Prasad said it was "deeply regrettable and condemnable" for the Congress president to question the bona fide of BJP which is the principal Opposition party based on a "motivated comments" of a retired CAG official.

Sachin Tendulkar's streak of low scores might have raised a question mark over his future but senior BCCI official and IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla today came out in support of the senior batsman saying one needs to look at his "colossal record" before making any comment.

"He will hang up his boots when he thinks it's time for him to go. He does not need any advise on this. Before making a comment on his performance you have to see his colossal record and his past performance," Shukla said outside the Parliament adding that the veteran cricketer will come back strongly in the forthcoming matches. "He will do well in forthcoming matches," Shukla said.

Ratan N Tata tweets: Today is the anniversary of the terrorist attack on Mumbai 4 yrs ago. My sympathies go out all those who were affected by the attack.

The iconic Hotel Taj Mahal suffered losses of more than Rs 114 crore because of destruction of property in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Altogether 36 guests, including nine foreigners, were killed in the attack on the hotel.

SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav meets PM ahead of all-party meeting on FDI.

Conflicting reports have emerged in the murder of a 28-year-old man Abdul Hakim, who was gunned down in Bulandshahr, earlier this week. The victim's wife Mehwish has alleged that the murder was orchestrated by her family who had opposed her marriage to Hakim. "They would not let us live in peace, now they have taken their revenge as well," Mehwish said. Read more

Congress leaders are meeting the Samajwadi Party over the logjam in Parliament over FDI on retail. Right now, Parliamentary Affairs minister Kamal Nath is meeting the SP's Ram Gopal Yadav.  

PM Manmohan Singh has called a meeting ahead of the all-party meeting scheduled today. At the meeting are Home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, Finance minsiter P Chidambaram and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath.

Desperate to evade washout of another crucial parliamentary session this winter, the government has convened an all-party meeting on Monday to settle the continuing crisis over the issue of foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail.

Twelve minutes. And both houses of Parliament have been adjourned till tomorrow. 

Syed Akbaruddin, MEA spokesperson tweets to say that US Undersecretary for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman calls on India's External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid.

Smoking "rots" the brain by damaging memory, learning and reasoning, according to researchers at King's College London. A study of 8,800 people over 50 showed high blood pressure and being overweight also seemed to affect the brain, but to a lesser extent. Read

A fire has broken out in a multi-storey building housing clothes-making factories in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, reports say.A police spokesman said Monday's blaze started on the third floor of a 12-floor building, AFP reported. More

Britain's first female Asian peer has been slammed for claiming all Muslims are on benefits and vote Labour.

Indian-origin crossbencher Baroness Flather made the comments while defending PM David Cameron's new Aussie campaign chief Lynton Crosby "who had allegedly said that chasing Muslim votes was a waste of Tory time'. Crosby is also said to have used the phrase 'f***ing Muslims' while on London Mayor Boris Johnson's staff, the Sun reports.

"I don't condone swearing, but Lynton is right. They are all on benefits and all vote Labour,' Flather, who has Indian roots, said.

This is what happened in the five minutes that Parliament convened today.

Lok Sabha: Speaker Meira Kumar offered tributes to those who had lost their lives in the Mumbai terror attack on this day four years ago. She emphasised the need for rooting out terrorism and lauded the role of security forces. The members then stood in silence to pay respect to those killed in the 26/11 attacks.

Soon thereafter, BJP members raised the issue of FDI in retail and shouted "take back the FDI decision".
Trinamool Congress members trooped into the Well with placards demanding subsidy in LPG cylinders and shouted slogans. Some members from Andhra Pradesh were seen holding placards demanding a Telangana statehood bill.
With the uproar continuing, the Speaker adjourned the House till noon.

Rajya Sabha, soon after the House paid homage to the victims of the Mumbai attacks, senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu raised the issue of FDI and was joined by other party colleagues. Naidu said his party has given notice to suspend the Question Hour to discuss the FDI issue.

In other news: In a market dominated by small cars, the competition between luxury automakers is now also heating up. Read

Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said on Sunday that the government needs to "rethink' its policy on capital punishment.

Speaking at the Idea Exchange programme organised by Loksatta, the Marathi newspaper of The Indian Express Group, Shinde said: "We need to rethink. We (the government and Rashtrapati Bhavan) received a representation from 13-14 eminent Indian persons yesterday demanding a ban on death penalty. There should not be cruelty. They said these convicts (should) be made to serve in jail and need not be released on parole." Read

Arvind Kejriwal tweets: Parliament adjourned yet again. All parties happy. All politicians enjoying. People sick of their politics.

A review of the statements made by former auditor-turned-critic R.P. Singh on the extent of losses from the 2010 sale of 2G spectrum reveals striking similarities with what A. Raja -- the former Telecom Minister now facing trial on charges of corruption for his role in the 2G scam -- has been saying to support his view that the CAG estimate of losses was inflated. Read

The Former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) official tells the JPC he does not disagree with the auditor's final report, but spins a totally different story to media a year later. Read 

Arvind Kejriwal tweets: I urge all countrymen to pray for India. Revolution has begun. Pray for a better future.

Though the government has cleared 49% equity limits for FDI by foreign airlines in the Indian aviation sector and may, BJP willing, do the same for both pensions and insurance, it will take some more fine-tuning before we see actual FDI coming into these sectors. Read

Dalit leaders in Tamil Nadu strongly feel that the community is being targeted by intermediate castes, who are unable to digest their upward economic mobility. Read

The village of Nayakankottai, on the road from Dharmapuri to Tirupattur, bears the only tribute to Naxalism in all of Tamil Nadu: a whitewashed sickle-and-hammer memorial commemorating slain Naxal leaders Balan and L Appu. But the caste violence that wrecked the lives of over a thousand Dalits earlier this month has forever tainted the image of Dharmapuri district as a former Naxal stronghold that, even a decade ago, had no place for caste or class differences. Read more on the Indian Express.

Within minutes, both houses of Parliament have been adjourned till noon.  

As India observes the fourth anniversary of the 26/11 terrorist strikes in Mumbai, there are many unfinished tasks to which attention needs to be drawn, points out B Raman, India's leading expert on counter-terrorism. Read

The Supreme Court asks chief ministers of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to meet to find an amicable solution to the Cauvery water dispute. "We want you to meet in a congenial manner to find out a solution for the problem in the interests of farmers of both the states," says the court.

Also read: Cauvery panel: lack of clarity on 'season'.

Senior police officers and politicians declared on Sunday that Mumbai is prepared to repel any attack of the magnitude of 26/11 but their words were met with disbelief and scepticism.On the eve of the fourth anniversary of the bloody assault, home minister R R Patil admitted that law-enforcement agencies were unequipped to fend off the 10 Pakistani terrorists who landed in Mumbai by sea on November 26, 2008, and wreaked terror on the city. Read more

Milind Deora (MoS IT) ‏ tweets: 26/11 isn't about platitudes. In addition to paying homage to martyrs, its about introspecting on our collective will & future preparedness

R P Singh as Sonia Gandhi's new gospel. That's S Gurumurthy's column for the New Indian Express. Read

Ahead of Monday's all-party meeting called to break the logjam in Parliament over the government's decision to allow foreign investment (FDI) in retail, the Congress's effort to bring its sulking ally DMK on board on the issue failed to make much headway.

Union health minister Ghulam Nabi  Azad rushed to Chennai on Sunday to meet DMK supremo M Karunanidhi to seek a firm assurance from him that his party will abstain if not vote in favour of the government in case the opposition demand for discussion under rules that entail voting is accepted to resolve the deadlock in Parliament. Read more

Just in: DMK gives notice for discussion in Lok Sabha on the issue of CAG report on 2G in the wake of R P Singh's claims.

Kejriwal on Twitter this morning: "Today is a big day. History in the making. Aam Aadmi comes together to directly jump in politics to throw out this corrupt political system"