The Madras High Court today adjourned the anticipatory bail application filed by DMDK leader Vijayakant, in connection with an incident in which a journalist was allegedly pushed down and abused by him.

A rally of farmers organised near RSS headquarters in Nagpur today vowed to stand firm behind beleaguered BJP president Nitin Gadkari who is facing heat over graft allegations.

Cyclone Nilam today swept across north Tamil Nadu coast near Mahabalipuram, about 55 km from here, leaving two persons dead, including a crew member of an oil tanker that ran aground off the city.

AP reports: China today defended its increasinglyassertive patrolling near disputed East China Sea islands controlled by Japan, as tensions in the area continue to run high. The actions constitute ''Routine patrols and law enforcement in China's territorial waters around the Diaoyu Islands," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a regularly scheduled news conference.

US President Barack Obama would get back to his election campaign tomorrow after spending three days away from poll-related activities to focus on the devastating storm Sandy and its aftermath.

DMK MP Kanimozhi, met the prime minister at 7:30 pm today, and submitted a memo regarding human rights violations by Sri Lanka,  and pressed for action by India at the UN rights review committee.

Underworld don Chhota Rajan's aide Rohit Thangappan, who was behind bars for the murder of senior scribe Jyotirmoy Dey, was today arrested in connection with a firing case involving a hotelier, two days after a local court sought his production, the police said.

With two major airports in the US reopening after being hit by superstorm Sandy, Air India and Jet Airways today announced resumption of their flights to New York and Newark from tomorrow. 

Cyclonic storm Nilam crossed Chennai and made landfall at Mahaballipuram, south of the Tamil Nadu capital at about 4.30 pm today. Even though no major damage has been reported so far, crew members of a ship that had run aground are feared missing. 

The five suspects in the murder of a Saudi embassy staffer were indicted by a Bangladeshi court today after Dhaka assured Riyadh of a speedy trial in the case. Court officials said Speedy Trial Tribunal judge Mohammad Motahar Hossain indicted the suspects and fixed tomorrow for a trial hearing. 

Moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today demanded repeal of AFSPA, the Public Safety Act and the Disturbed Areas Act in Jammu and Kashmir, saying these laws gave unbridled powers to security forces. 

In a decision which would lead to a `TV black-out' for those who haven't yet installed set top boxes (STBs), the Bombay High Court today refused to grant more time to cable network providers in the city to switch to digital addressable system (DAS). 

An oil tanker with 37-member crew on board today ran aground off the city coast under the impact of high velocity winds before the landfall of cyclone 'Nilam'. Coast Guard and other agencies have launched operations to rescue some crew members as a life boat carrying them capsized in choppy waters off Besant Nagar locality in South Chennai, 16 kms from here, Chennai Port Trust sources said. 

So, how are cyclones and storms and hurricanes named? For many years hurricanes were named after the saint's day on which they fell - hence San Felipe (the first) and San Felipe (the second) which struck Puerto Rico on Sept 13 in 1876 and 1928.Today hurricane names alternate between male and female and are chosen from lists selected by the World Meteorological Organisation. Read more

All the 14 people on the lifeboat that capsized are reported to be safe. They were heading ashore from an oil tanker in the Bay of Bengal that had run aground. 

A lifeboat with 14 people has capsized off Tamil Nadu coast. Details awaited. 

Chennai remains windy, and as with earlier cyclones and storms, curious people are at Marina Beach watching nature have a blast. Rains have also begun in Chennai. Extremely windy in Puducherry as well. So far, there has been  no loss of life but reports of 23 trees being uprooted in Mahabalipuram. 

Before making landfall at Tamil Nadu, Cyclone Nilam had visited Sri Lanka, displacing at least 4,000 people  But the worst of the storm failed to hit Sri Lankan territory directly. 

Meanwhile, reports of a fire at the MIDC industrial estate in Tarapur, near Mumbai. The flames are believed to be many storeys high and the fire is particularly dangerous because all kinds of chemicals are stored in godowns here. 

MeT says there is a distinct possibility that Cyclone Nilam will intensify. As of now, no rain, 100 kmph winds. Cuddalore has now been cleared of the landfall. 

Our columnist Claude Arpi who is at Auroville near Pondicherry on Nilam: The answer my friend is blowing is wind, the answer is blowing in the wind.  Not too hard as yet !

So far, 4000 people have been evacuated from Mahabalipuram. Schools, colleged in nine districts have remained shut. Rescue teams and shelters are in place. Landfall is expected to continue for at least another hour. A private ship has been grounded, but open season as yet on where Nilam is headed next. High tides is expected later this evening.

It has also been raining heavily in coastal Andhra Pradesh, Bangalore and Puducherry. No rains at Mahabalipuram, just strong winds. No damage has been reported as yet.

Wind speed is up to about 100 km per hour. Puducherry and south Chennai have been affected. Low-lying areas of Tamil Nadu like Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts face the threat of inundation. 

Shobha Warrier reports that roads in Chennai look like war zones with branches of tress and leaves strewn all over. Chennai, in fact seems to be in the eye of the cyclonic storm as the wind and rain have stopped and everything is still. 

Moving on to the other big news update on Cyclone Nilam. Our Chennai correspondent Shobha Warrier reports that Nilam has made landfall between Mahabalipuram and Pondicherry. The turbulence is expected to last for at least hours. Wind speeds of between 40-65 km/hr at Chennai.

That's what the Nilam looks like

Three persons who created a ruckus at the Arvind Kejriwal presser were apprehended by the security personnel and handed over to the police. The miscreants reportedly told the security that they were send by Jagdish Verma, a Congress legislator, to create disturbances at the event.

But no confirmation on these claims.

Reaction coming in from Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal: "In a democracy a person is free to level any kind of allegation. He has done this before."

BJP's Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi: IAC is repackaging old stories.

Petroleum minister Moily refused to dignify Kejriwal's comments: "I won't react. I have better things to do

Even as the IAC conference ends, RIL is expected to make a statement soon. Coal minister Veerappa Moily has chosen the PM's stance -- silence.

Prashant Bhushan mopping his face says that the Govt-RIL deal on the KG-D6 basin is an instance of crony capitalism and is exactly what happened in the deal between Robert Vadra-DLF and the Haryana government.

The Vadra expose' was Kejriwal's first where he claimed a nexus between Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra, the Hooda led Haryana government and the DLF realty group.

Back at the press conference, Kejriwal says the IAC wants the cancellation of all the contracts on natural resources, including coal block.

"The time has come for the people of this country to reclaim their resources. This kind of crony capitalism cannot be allowed in this country. It has eaten into the country's resources like a Frankenstein monster." he said.

The IAC's press release on this meet, incidentally, is titled, "Kya Congress Mukesh Ambani ki dukaan hai?"  #LIVE-Kejriwal-PC

Big drama at the press conference. A man disrupts the conference. He says he does not represent any party, but even as the man tries to ask a question, prompted by Kejriwal's "poochchiye poochchiye," the man is herded out of the room. A scuffle breaks out. 

Kejriwal tries to establish that there is a nexus between corporates and the government. Prashant Bhushan takes over saying, "I want to make it clear that what we are doing today, is not exposing an individual like Mukesh Ambani. We want to point out that crony capitalism has spread its tentacles across the length and breadth of the country." #LIVE-Kejriwal-PC

Kejriwal asks what are the compulsions facing the PM that he is so sympathetic to Mukesh Ambani. "It is Ambani who runs the country, not Manmohan Singh," he says. Kejriwal demands that KB6 be cancelled immediately.

Earlier, when he played the Niira Radia tapes, he says in the clip, Mukesh Ambani says the Congress is in their pocket.

He reiterates that Jaipal Reddy (former petroleum minister and now science and technology minster) was sacked because he had given RIL a notice. Moily has been brought in to help Reliance, he says. #LIVE-Kejriwal-PC

Kejriwal, focussing solely on the RIL, says Mukesh Ambani signed the gas deal during the NDA regime, but it was implemented in the UPA regime. "RIL has kept gas production low to benefit government. Why did the government favour Reliance? Reliance must have filled some ministers pocket'," thunders Kejriwal. "Even the PM was very sympathetic to RIL. And as a result, Reliance has gained more than Rs 1 lakh crore, that the country lost," he says. 

Kejriwal targets Mukesh Ambani.
The IAC activist says that in 2006, the then petroleum minister Mani Shankar Aiyar was replaced and Murli Deora brought in to benefit RIL. "Pranab Mukherjee gave undue benefit of Rs 8000 crore to RIL in 2007. Now, Jaipal Reddy has been ousted for objecting to raising RIL's demand to raise gas prices," says Kejriwal giving numbers to prove his point that Reliance Industries was favoured. The government is succumbing to the illegitimate demands of RIL, he adds.

Kejriwal says that the nexus between business houses and politicians is the root cause of the country's economic ills and has lead to a looting of its natural resources.  "Reliance's arm-twisting ways have caused a massive loss to the nation.
Reliance has promised to deliver cheap gas for 17 years, but it has never delivered," thunders Kejriwal.

So, this time around, the target is not any particular politician, but corporates. Kejriwal with Prashant Bhushan seated next to him says that both the Congress and the BJP are in Reliance Industries pocket. He says the BJP favoured Mukesh Ambani's RIL in gas pricing. #LIVE-Kejriwal-PC

IN the alleged Niira Radia tape, Ranjan Bhattacharya is heard boasting of a close relationship with  Cong leader Ghulam Nabi Azad.

The clip of the Niira Radia tape being played is a conversation between Ranjan Bhattacharya (former PM Atal Behari Vajpayee's son-in-law) and Niira Radia during  2008-09.

IAC activist Arvind Kejriwal's press conference begins. He has promised to expose another important person today. The conference is being held at the Constitution Club in New Delhi. Unlike the last time, when everyone knew that BJP President Nitin Gadkari would be the target, Kejriwal has not said who is the target this time.

Kejriwal playing the Niira Radia tapes now.

Meanwhile @milinddeora is "Seeking a Delhi based English speech writer who's proficient with email & internet. If interested, please email your CV to moscit.mmd@nic.in."

Milind Deora was annointed MoS Shipping when the Cabinet was reshuffled on Sunday. 

@SAMI_hadyh Emergency numbers in Chennai for Cyclone Nilam: 26412646, 28170738, 24838968, 24867725, 22342355, 24425961, 22420600, 24500923, 26253331

@noshtradamus Katrina, Sandy, Cyclone Nilam... Perhaps if we didn't give them women's names, they'd be less furious with #Mankind !

With cyclone 'Nilam' intensifying into a severe storm, the Madras Atomic Power Station at coastal Kalpakkam on Wednesday said the situation was being "closely watched" and asserted the plant is designed to withstand a wind velocity of 160 kmph. Read

Bittersweet! Cyclone Nilam is best explained thus by IT professionals in Chennai, most of whom are in for a half-a-day off late Wednesday. As it is slowly moving towards the landfall, which it is expected to hit around 5.30 pm, many software company employees are scampering back home. Most of the top IT companies that have operations in Chennai have either announced early closures, made alternative arrangements or, in some cases, both. Read more

Also read: Windy, wet and waiting for Nilam

Wind speeds of 90 kmph, cyclone Nilam still 260 km awary from Tamil Nadu. 

Three Kolkata footballers and their cook have been arrested for allegedly gang raping a 14-year-old girl in West Bengals North 24-Parganas district.

"Following a complaint of gang rape of a minor in which four people have been accused, we have arrested two people who play for two different football clubs," an official of Dum Dum police station said. More

Another tweet on cyclone Nilam says that "a massive tree falls on Nungambakkam High Road in Chennai. Traffic blocked on the stretch towards Gemini."

And another...

@ImSandeshJain #Chennai. Dark Cloud cover increasing. Winds getting stronger. Rain just started. Cyclone Nilam is getting scary.

Cyclone Nilam is expected to hit Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu coasts at around 4 pm.

@m_meenakshi86 Winds stronger now! Ob vans not working at Marina.. :(

Here's a slightly catty profile on Sunanda Pushkar on Outlook: Got A Girl, Named Sue...  Sunanda's eye-popping life-story. Read

@ShivAroor Sunanda Pushkar says unfair to target private citizens like Robert Vadra.This is called 'Load weapon, take aim at foot, FIRE!"

Pushkar adds that Narendra Modi cannot expect to be prime minister in the 21st century if he does not learn to respect women. "In fact, I don't expect a mass murderer to apologise. Isn't the BJP leader of the opposition a woman? I know there are many people in the party who are squirming at Modi's remarks," said Pushkar.

She also admitted that she had indeed been molested at Thiruvananthapuram airport and that she refused to take it lying down and hit the man who pawed her.

Sunanda Pushkar speaking to Headlines Today, from a location we assume is her home given the massive painting and photograph with her husband Shashi Tharoor

Asked to comment on Narendra Modi's Rs 50-crore girlfriend remark, Pushkar says she does not understand the response of the BJP and it was unbecoming for a chief minister to say something like that and that she was disappointed with Modi.

"Narendra Modi should learn to respect women. I don't expect an apology from Mr Modi. A man who couldn't apologise for the Gujarat riots would never apologise for this," she says.  "No woman is OK with Modi's remark," she added. 

Gujarat will have a two-phase poll, voting on December 13 and 17. Himachal will have a single-phased one, starting November 4. The results will be announced on December 20. 

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi is campaigning in Gandhinagar today in the run up to the state polls. Exuding confidence, Modi says, "Our Diwali is on counting day. I face the polls with confidence."

In Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, Rahul Gandhi is on a campaign trail as well. The speech lacks lustre with the oft-repeated: "We need youth to fight graft" and the "BJP doesn't act on graft" spiel. 

Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has congratulated Salman Khurshid on his appointment as India's External Affairs Minister. In her message, Khar said: Please accept my heartiest felicitations on your assumption of the Office of the External Affairs Minister of the Republic of India. I wish you every success and look forward to working with you closely to promote good neighbourly, friendly and cooperative relations between our two countries. We attach considerable importance to taking forward the ongoing dialogue process. Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration."

After the euphoria generated in September that Lahore's Fawara Chowk in Shadman Colony will be named after freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, a majority of the Lahore city government members now oppose the move. Read

A couple of reads on Hurricane Sandy...

Why the Sandy crisis gives Obama a big edge over Romney. Read

After Storm, whos got the real power? Look for backup generators. Read

Kumar Mangalam Birla-led A V Birla group may increase its stake  to 51 percent in Living Media,  which in turn owns 57.46% stake in TV Today   Network, a Business Standard report said today.  Read

Sandy, the most devastating storm to hit the US in decades, killed nearly 50 people as it struck densely populated US East coast region leaving a trail of destruction and millions of water-logged homes in darkness.

The storm hit the East coast region spanning the Eastern Seaboard from North Carolina to Connecticut, cutting off communication and leaving millions of people shivering without power as thousands were evacuated from flooded neighbourhoods. Among the US states hit by the megastorm, New York and New Jersey bore the brunt of the disaster. In New York, where 18 people died, the New York Stock Exchange was shut for two straight days for the first time since 1888.

See our slideshow on the rescue work on after Sandy's destruction.

And here's an all-that-you-wanted-to-know-about Sunanda Pushkar. Read 

Taking a jibe at the newly-appointed Minister of State for HRD Shashi Tharoor over his comment against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi that "you need to be able to love someone to understand that", BJP spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today said Tharoor should be made Minister of Love Affairs.

Naqvi was reacting on Tharoor's reply to Modi for criticizing his wife during a public rally in Himachal Pradesh. "I think that it is not necessary to answer to all what he says.  But I am very much impressed by his answer in which he has said that you need to be able to love someone to understand that.

"I think a Ministry of Love Affairs should be made for such an ''international love guru'' so that the nation can gain from his wisdom and preaching," he said. Naqvi, however, said that it is not a matter of national debate.

Criticizing Modi for attacking him personally by calling his wife a ''50-crore girlfriend'', Tharoor earlier on Tuesday said the former need to love someone to understand what he said.

In the second part of Arvind Kejriwal's interview with Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt, the IAC activist when asked about his current agenda says, "The agenda is to expose the entire political establishment before the people of this country. We want to tell them that how these political parties are in collusion with each other. They give contracts to each other. They have joint businesses. No one is in the opposition, really.

"They are part of the same ruling club and they protect each other. People of this country are very scared of people in power. The idea is to take the fear out of their hearts and prepare the people to throw out the current system and have the new system," said Kejriwal

The full interview on rediff.com shortly.
Also read the first part of our interview with Arvind Kejriwal.

And Shabana Azmi wants to know... @AzmiShabana Why do all hurricanes and cyclones have female names? Sandy in USA / Neelam in India! Kyun bhai?

As Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu brace for cyclone Nilam, rain and strong gales have already hit Nellore in Andhra Pradesh and other neighbouring districts of Tamil Nadu.

The cyclone is expected to make a landfall this evening between Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu and Nellore, bringing in heavy rains in the region with tide expected to reach levels of 1.5 meters.

The Andhra Pradesh Government has put administration of the coastal districts under alert to face the situation and made arrangements accordingly. The impact in South-costal Andhra was unlikely to be as severe as was being feared. 

After Jaipal Reddy, Union Minister of State Lalchand Kataria, has been sulking long and hard. Miffed over work allocation in the Defence Ministry, he has now been moved to the Rural Development department.

The re-appointment comes following a meeting between Kataria and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday.

In two other changes, MP Milind Deora, MoS in Telecommunication and Information Technology Ministry, got additional the portfolio of Shipping in the same rank and Panabaka Laxmi, who was made MoS in Textile Ministry on Sunday, was reallocated Petroleum and Gas department.

@bhupendrachaube Thank god for @ArvindKejriwal7 , if not for his expose today, channels would have struggled for headlines. Suspense is building up today

The High Court has granted bail to Janardhana Reddy in the cash-for-bail case. 

Here's the curtain-raiser to Nitin Gadkari's speech this evening. This is what the BJP president said this morning after arriving in Mumbai.

Addressing the allegations levelled against him by IAC activist Arvind Kejriwal, Gadkari said, "I have no business links or partnership with Sharad Pawar
and Rajya Sabha MP Ajay Sancheti. The charge that I indulged in corruption when I was PWD minister in Maharashtra is totally baseless. In fact, the land I was accused of grabbing is still with Maharashtra Government.

"If you remember, the government had probed the Adarsh and irrigation scams but found nothing against me," says Gadkari.

He also questioned why the government was mum on the allegations levelled against Robert Vadra. "Congress is indulging in smear campaign against me. I'm
ready for a probe, but let Robert Vadra also face probe," he said.

The business risk of operating in India spiked this summer after the arson and ensuing disruption to production at Maruti Suzuki's factory in Manesar, Haryana. Read

There is a backlash -- in the form of routine denigration -- against women's growing empowerment. Rupa Subramanya explains why. Read

Dear Mr XYZ, book your dream home this Diwali @ Sec 113, Noida, for Rs 20 lakh. Hurry, bookings are open only till October 31. SMS OMG to 12345. A message like this from a real estate agent at a time when you are actually keen to book a flat is enough to grab your attention. Read more 

Meanwhile, Arvind Kejriwal's earlier target, BJP president Nitin Gadkari has arrived in Mumbai among much fanfare. On hand are at least 800 BJP supporters, a show of solidarity for the scam-tainted leader.
Addressing an impromptu meet, Gadkari says wrong allegations have been made against him. "There have been repeated attempts to malign me despite the fact that I have always worked for the welfare of the farmers of Maharashtra," he said.
Gadkari is set to address a massive rally in the city where he is expected to defend the corruption charges leveled against him. 

India Against Corruption activist Arvind Kejriwal is all set to expose 'something big' on Wednesday at 4 pm in New Delhi. The IAC has also confirmed this and Kejriwal has also tweeted about the plan to come out with another revelation on Wednesday evening.

Read Arvind Kejriwal's interview to Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt right here

Back in the US, three nuclear power reactors remained shut down and a fourth on alert after Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc with transmission networks and high waters threatened cooling systems.

Amid worries that waters could overwhelm the reactors as happened in Japan's Fukushima nuclear emergency last year, authorities yesterday said there were no risks to the public.

New Jersey's main power company PSEG Nuclear shut down its Salem 1 unit at Hancocks Bridge on the Delaware river, saying most of its water circulation pumps had been rendered unusable "due to weather impacts".

And in India, Cyclone Nilam is expected to make a landfall this evening between Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu and Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, bringing in heavy rains in the region, with tide levels reaching 1.5 meters.

"The cyclonic storm, which lay about 320 km south-south east of Chennai at 0530 hrs today, will move North-North westwards and cross North Tamil Nadu and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh between Cuddalore and Nellore near Chennai by October 31 evening", a weather bulletin by the Met department said. 

Rescue workers began evacuating stranded residents from flooded neighbourhoods after Sandy, the most devastating megastorm in decades, hit densely populated US East coast region, even as President Barack Obama warned that the storm was "not yet over".

The storm hit the East coast with fierce force, killing nearly 50 people across seven US states, plunging millions of homes into darkness and leaving the New York Stock Exchange shut for two straight days for the first time since 1888. Many of the victims were killed by falling trees, Fox news said. Describing the crisis triggered by superstorm Sandy as "heartbreaking", Obama warned the storm was "not yet over".

"This storm is not yet over," Obama said during his trip to the headquarters of the American Red Cross in Washington. Obama drove down to the Red Cross office headquarters to review rescue and recovery operation and said the federal government would push hard to provide resources to the States badly hit by Sandy.

According to a White House statement, Obama will travel to New Jersey to have a personal assessment of the devastation and take stock of the situation on the ground. The trail of destruction left by the monster storm prompted President Obama to declare it a "major disaster" in New York and New Jersey.

US financial markets will reopen Wednesday, after being shuttered for two days to deal with the devastating impact of Superstorm Sandy, reports CNN.

Major exchange operators NYSE Euronext and Nasdaq OMX said they expect to resume normal operations, starting with the 9:30 am ringing of the opening bell. Bonds, derivatives and options will also all reopen.

"Our building and systems were not damaged and our people have been working diligently to ensure that we have a smooth opening tomorrow," NYSE Euronext CEO Duncan Niederauer said in a statement.

While Superstorm Sandy's punch has weakened, its wrath is still being felt.16,000 flights have been cancelled since Sunday as a result of the storm, including 7,791 canceled on Monday, 6,047 on Tuesday and 635 so far for Wednesday, according to flight tracking service FlightAware.com.

New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey will open Wednesday morning for limited service, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced Tuesday night. In preparation for JFK's opening, some airlines were to land aircraft at the airport late Tuesday night, reports CNN. 

New York City's LaGuardia International Airport is expected to remain closed through Wednesday because of significant damage. Newark Liberty International Airport is also expected to be closed through Wednesday as engineers assess storm damage, Port Authority spokesman Anthony Hayes said Tuesday afternoon.

The New York mayor's office tweets: Limited bus service coming back now RT @NYGovCuomo: MTA buses have left the depot and are on their way to start picking up passengers #sandy

Led by China, Indonesia and India, Asian countries use social media more than their Western counterparts according to a new report by GlobalWebIndex, measuring social media usage.

India is the third most socially engaged countries of the world.

Read the report here

CNN reports: About 8 million customers are without power in 15 states and the District of Columbia.

Restoration of power to all customers in areas served by overhead power lines could take at least a week; restoring underground lines will take four days, according to Con Edison, which provides power in most of New York City and Westchester County, New York.

CNN reports: Though the remnants of Sandy are now centered over western Pennsylvania, the large storm still will affect the East Coast this afternoon, and during high tide some more coastal flooding 'in the range of 2 to 4 feet' is possible, said the National Hurricane Centre Director Rick Knabb.

Some minor shoreline flooding also could happen at the Great Lakes, Knabb said.

"I don't want people to (think) that the weather event is anywhere near over," Knabb said.