Gunmen in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, a hotbed of Islamist militant activity, killed three policemen and a soldier today while shooting dead a civilian in another attack, officials said. 

China today said it will send its experts to join the inspections and destruction of chemical weapons in Syria. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will warn President Barack Obama in White House talks on Monday that Iran's diplomatic "sweet talk" cannot be trusted and will urge him to keep up the pressure to prevent Tehran from being able to make a nuclear bomb.

Prince William and wife Kate Middleton along with their new born son Prince George are set to move into their home at Kensington Palace this week after a 1.5 million pounds overhaul of the property. 

Hinting at the withdrawal of the Ordinance on convicted lawmakers, which was junked by Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi recently, at October 2 Cabinet meeting, Union Parliamentary Affairs minister Kamal Nath today sought to downplay the controversy terming it as an "internal matter" of the Congress.        

During his speech in Mumbai, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi claimed that "Since Independence, I do not think there is a person who has been abused, attacked, criticised so much as Narendra Modi".

Defending her decision to crack the whip to quell rebellion and suspend Rajya Sabha MP Kunal Ghosh, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee today said she would not make any compromises with indiscipline or anti-party activities.        

Rahul Gandhi has snubbed the prime minister and insulted the entire nation by junking the ordinance on convicted lawmakers and his action could create "anarchy", BJP president Rajnath Singh said today.        

Close on the heels of the sinking of submarine INS Sindhurakshak, in which all the 18 personnel died, a fire incident took place on country's only aircraft carrier INS Virat off the coast of Mumbai. 

Petrol prices have been cut by Rs 3.05 a litre, and the price of diesel hiked by 50 paise, excluding local sales tax or VAT, with effect from midnight tonight.

Back in Mumbai, Narendra Modi works the crowd. "There is a Government with whom India is not ready to walk with. This never happened earlier," he says referring to the perceived disenchantment with UPA2.

He adds, "Since Independence I do not think there is a person who has been abused, attacked, criticized so much as Narendra Modi. So much lies have been said, yet the people have continued to support me. I am sure we had shortcomings, but our intentions were never questioned," he says.

Modi given a rousing welcome at the diamond bourse in Mumbai and even weighed in silver.

Just in: The Supreme Court initiates contempt proceedings against former Army chief General VK Singh. Singh has made 'contemptious' remarks against the apex court on September 22 over his age row. 

Earlier today, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's National Conference moved a breach of privilege motion in the Legislative Assembly against the former Army chief for his purported statement that Army had been transferring secret funds to ministers in the state since 1947.

At BKC, Mumbai, Modi holds sway. Addressing the diamond traders, he says, "Like a diamond, we need to make the nation shine. Many diamonds have shone earlier, now the nation must shine. And it is for you to decide whether anyone can stop the nation from shining.

"There will be some or the other event that will eclipse other events in the nation, but it will only last for eight months. After 9 months, one by one we will reject all the problems and move ahead with new strength, Today no one has faith in anyone. Trust is lost," he says as the audience of diamond traders shout Mo-di Mo-di in unison.

Remember, this is not a formal rally like he had in Delhi on Sunday.

Gopinath Munde sitting on the stage in his dark glasses at 6:52 pm.

Modi reaches out to Uddhav Thackeray, calling him his little brother. Modi is addressing diamond merchants at the bourse in Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai. 

Modi is sharing the stage with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and Gopinath Munde. Chants of Mo-di Mo-di rent the air.  Modi looks amused as he is weighed against silver. 

Narendra Modi is being weighed in silver at the opening of the Bharat Diamond Bourse Diamond Hall in Mumbai. 

Expect a major traffic jam all along the Western Express Highway as Narendra Modi makes his way to the Bandra Kurla Complex for the inauguration of the Bharat Diamond Bourse's Diamond Hall in Mumbai. 

Narendra Modi will now head to the Bandra Kurla Complex. Complete chaos at Mumbai domestic airport, be warned.

YSR chief Jagan Mohan Reddy's first address in Hyderabad after bail, he says Modi is a great administrator.

Addressing the unprecedented crowd at Mumbai airport, who are whistling, cheering, clapping and chanting Mo-di, Mo-di, the Gujarat CM and the BJP's PM candidate says citizens have suffered at the hands of both the state and central governments.

He says people have lost faith in the PM. Modi attacks the Centre saying, "You can silence Mayawati and Mulayam Singh. But stop trying to fix me through agencies."

He says the rulers in Delhi are "trembling" with fear and a change in guard is imminent. 

Gujarat CM Narendra Modi arrives in Mumbai. Massive turnout at the airport. Heads up if you're heading to the airport.

Impromptu address by Modi at the airport to cheers of Bharat Mata ki jai. Times Now reports that supporters in 3000 buses and 500 bikes have arrived at the airport.

Modi will address industrialists and traders this evening.

Current Account Deficit (CAD) widens to 4.9 per cent of GDP in April-June quarter.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi is addressing a rally in Karnataka, where she takes on the BJP saying the Congress is not afraid of any party. She also said the party supports the PM. But complete silence on the 'nonsense' ordinance.

Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit has donated Rs 30 lakhs to the Tamil Sangam in Delhi to modernise their sound system -- Delhi has a Tamil population of 20 per cent.

Will RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's conviction have any impact on the upcoming assembly elections in Delhi, especially in East Delhi where 35 per cent of the population is from Bihar?

Congress leaders are worried as Lalu's conviction has come at a crucial juncture, just ahead of the polls in November.

The  buzz is that RJD leaders are likely to meet President  Pranab Mukherjee to inform him that they are formally withdrawing support to the UPA2. Raghuvansh Prasad Singh is likely to come to Delhi  from Ranchi on Tuesday with the letter. 

Gujarat CM Narendra Modi was given a reception befitting a hero at the BJP central parliamentary board meeting on Sunday when he entered the party headquarters at Ashoka Road in Delhi.

LK Advani greeted Modi, while Rajnath Singh hugged him. Modi told the Board that BJP was sure to win in Delhi, but cadre had to be enthused to work harder.

Modi has agreed to address a massive rally in east Delhi in mid October.

Our sources in Delhi tell us that that the Cabinet meet on the convicted MPs/MLAs ordinance will be held at 6 pm tomorrow. Soon after the Cabinet meet, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will send the Cabinet resolution withdrawing the Ordinance on Convicted Legislators to President Pranab Mukherjee

The rush is primarily because Pranab Mukherjee is leave for Belgium on Wednesday. Also, the PMO does not want any embarrassing issues to arise for the Congress in the event the President refuses to sign the ordinance during his foreign state visits.

Narendra Modi's personal attack on Rahul Gandhi and the Prime Minister on the ordinance on convicted lawmakers is against political norms, says Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit.

"Modi created controversy on a non-existent issue, says Dikshit on the purported comparison of Manmohan Singh to a village woman by the Pakistan PM," she said.

Gujarat CM and BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi lashed out at Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif and Rahul Gandhi for humiliating Dr Manmohan Singh.

Addressing a rally in the capital, Modi said there cannot be a bigger insult for our country than the Pakistan PM calling Singh a dehati aurat. "How did he dare to say that?

"It is because in the PM's own party, he has no respect. The prince of his party tells him he talks nonsense. So what do you expect? When his own party's young leader calls the PM nonsense, how will other countries respect our PM?' Modi said.

"All those journalists who were sitting listening to Nawaz Sharif also need to answer us.'

Around the same time that BJPs PM candidate Narendra Modi was launching a scathing attack on Congress, Rahul Gandhi, whom he termed a shehzada, was having lunch with a lady friend at a tony restaurant in Delhis Khan Market. See

The Union Cabinet is meeting on October 2 to take a call on possible withdrawal of the controversial Ordinance on convicted lawmakers, whose fate appears to have already been sealed after Rahul Gandhi's strong denunciation of the measure.

Government sources said today that a meeting of the Union Cabinet has been convened on October 2 to deliberate on the Ordinance that seeks to protect convicted lawmakers by circumventing a Supreme Court order.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has forced the Congress to have a relook at the Ordinance after he called it a "complete nonsense" and said that it should be "torn up and thrown away."

The Ordinance is currently before President Pranab Mukherjee who is leaving on a foreign tour on October 2.

The President has already met Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Kamal Nath and Law and Justice Minister Kapil Sibal to seek clarifications about the Ordinance.

Days after her suspension was revoked by Uttar Pradesh Government, IAS officer Durga Sakthi Nagpal, who had taken on sand mining mafia in Gautam Budh Nagar district, today met Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy in New Delhi.

It was a courtesy call by Nagpal to the Minister, official sources said, adding the meeting was brief and nothing much should be read into it.

Nagpal, who had taken on sand mining mafia in Gautam Budh Nagar district where she was posted as sub-divisional magistrate, was suspended on July 27 ostensibly for ordering demolition of a wall of an under-construction mosque without following the due process.

The film critic who dared to say it: 'Please, ye gods of Bollywood: Someday, give us a tightly edited film, with believable characters and dialogue, definitely without endless close-ups of dabbas.' 'Then maybe you won't need to moan mournfully about missing the Oscar bus with a film that doesn't belong there anyway,' says Dilip D'Souza. Read

People in India are among the least positive globally about their daily lives, according to a survey of 143 countries.

The poll by Gallup Organization, released Monday, found that 59% of those questioned in India had a positive perception of their day, less than in Iran and Pakistan where 61% of the population said they felt upbeat. In Afghanistan and Libya, 68% reported feeling positive. 

Countries which scored lower than India on the "Positive Experience Index' included Syria, Iraq, Serbia, Montenegro and Yemen. Read

First statement from the RJD after Lalu Prasad Yadav's conviction in the fodder scam. An RJD statement says that Lalu's wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi will head the party.  Rabri served three terms as the Chief Minister between 1997 and 2005.

Seven persons were convicted in the murder of senior VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati and four others by a court in Odisha's Kandhamal district today.

Additional District Judge Rajendra Kumar Tosh found the seven guilty and reserved the order for pronouncement of the quantum of punishment for October three.

Laxmanananda and four of his disciples, including a woman, were gunned down on the night of 'Janmastami' on August 23, 2008 at his Jalaspeta Ashram in the communally sensitive district which triggered large scale communal violence leaving 37 dead.

A large number of people were injured and houses and places of worship damaged during the violence in the aftermath of the gruesome killing.

"Little did I know that a short, off-camera breakfast conversation with Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would be distorted to such a grave extent. I went to meet PM Sharif to pursue an interview, one that he gave to our network, and one in which he in fact called Prime Minister Manmohan Singh "a good man" whom he would like to welcome in Pakistan "for a long overdue visit"

NDTV's Barkha Dutt sets the record straight on the Dehati Aurat controversy. Read

Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII will be declared saints on 27 April 2014, Pope Francis has announced. The Pope said in July that he would canonise his two predecessors, after approving a second miracle attributed to John Paul. -- BBC

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today asked all Chief Ministers to ensure that no innocent Muslim youth is wrongfully detained in the name of terror.

In a letter to Chief Ministers, Shinde said Central government has been receiving various representations on alleged harassment of innocent Muslim youth by law enforcement agencies.

BJP's Venkaiah Naidu reacts to the statement saying the home minister must withdraw the statement and apologise to the nation.

"Some of the minority youth have started feeling that they are deliberately targeted and deprived their basis rights," he wrote.

The Home Minister emphasised that the government is committed to its core principle of combating terrorism in every form and manifestation. "Government has to ensure that no innocent person is subjected to undue harassment," he told the Chief Ministers.

The Indian anti-corruption movement can benefit greatly from laws of other nations and the sustained efforts of international groups. Read

Bridget Jones fans have taken to social networking to voice their horror at the news that author Helen Fielding has killed off Mark Darcy. Read

Terming his first meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as "productive", Pakistani Premier Nawaz Sharif today said dialogue between the two countries is the only way forward in normalising ties.

"Dialogue is the only way forward in normalising situation between the two neighbourly countries," Sharif said on his arrival at the Heathrow airport in London on his return from the US after attending the UN General Assembly.

Sharif termed his meeting with Singh as "productive and said all important issues, including Kashmir and Sir Creek, were discussed, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.

"Sharif said during the meeting, he also pointed out the Indian interference in Balochistan," it added.

To a question, he said the issue of terrorism was not just limited to Pakistan but many other countries were also facing this challenge.

Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, accused of forging Ajay Maken's letter sent to PM, granted bail by Delhi court.

The CBI on Monday opposed in a Delhi court the bail plea of Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, chargesheeted along with controversial businessman Abhishek Verma in a case of alleged forgery of AICC general secretary Ajay Maken's letter which was sent to the Prime Minister.

Tytler, who appeared before the court in pursuance to the summons issued against him, moved the bail application, saying he was not required for any custodial interrogation.

Controversial godman Asaram Bapu, accused of sexually assaulting a minor, will remain in a Jodhpur jail with a court extending his judicial custody by 14 days. His custody ended today.

Earlier, Asaram, who was arrested on September 1 for allegedly sexually assaulting a girl, requested the magistrate to allow his doctor to visit him in jail.

However, the magistrate refused to comment on the issue in the absence of the defence counsel.

Asaram's arrest followed an FIR filed by the girl alleging she was sexually assaulted by him at his Jodhpur ashram. He has denied the charges. -- India Today

The Supreme Court today slammed the BCCI saying, "something is wrong with the apex cricket body."

The Court has asked the BCCI and the Cricket Association of Bihar to sort out the scope and the nature of the committee to probe IPL spot fixing and has fixed October 7 to hear the matter.

The court also says says that N Srinivasan will continue as BCCI President but will not participate in any IPL issue.

The government's attempt to fix the former army chief and his brazen response point to the growing dysfunction in civilian-military relations and the political leadership's unwillingness to address it, says the Hindu. Read

In other news: Six villagers have donated agricultural land in Khampur village in the district for rehabilitation of Muzaffarnagar riot victims, a Panchayat member said today. More than 70 families, which got displaced from riot- affected Lank, Fugana, Kakda and Kutba villages, have refused to return to their villages due to fear. The communal clashes in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining areas claimed 62 lives and displaced over 40,000 people.

In other news: Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde asks all Chief Ministers to ensure that no innocent person of minority community is unduly detained. 

Yuvraj Singh back in Indian team for Australia series. The cliche "performance should be the sole criterion for selection" fits the bill for Yuvraj Singh's walk back into India's limited-overs team when the selectors met on Monday to pick the squad that will face the touring Australians in one-off Twenty20 that will follow a seven-match ODI series. Read

Lalu Prasad taken to Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi. During his earlier sentencing in the Fodder scam, Lalu had been sent to the Beur jail in Patna.

Another 44 accused, including former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra, six politicians and four IAS officers, were also convicted by court of Pravas Kumar Singh for fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37.7 crore from Chaibasa treasury.

The court fixed October three for pronouncement of sentence against Yadav, Mishra and others.

The RJD chief faces immediate disqualification as Lok Sabha member under a recent Supreme Court order that an MP or MLA would stand disqualified immediately if convicted by a court for crimes with punishment of two years or more and under some other laws even without jail sentence.

The August judgement of the Supreme Court struck down a provision in the electoral law that provided protection to sitting MPs and MLAs by allowing them to continue in their posts if they appeal against a lower court conviction and secure a stay of the order.

Lalu would have got protection from disqualification if the ordinance promulgated by the Centre was cleared by President Pranab Mukherjee but he is said to have some reservations and raised questions over it.

The arguments on the sentencing will be made tomorrow. For now, its jail for Mr Yadav and 44 others in the Fodder Scam.   

Lalu Prasad Yadav's assets have seen a major upward swing since the 2004 elections. He had declared assets to the tune of Rs 87 lakh then.

In the 2009 elections the assets declared by him were to the tune of Rs 3 crore.  Lalu Yadav has cash of Rs 3.75 lakh.

His deposits in financial institutions are to the tune of Rs 37 lakh. He has bonds and debentures of Rs 70000. His NSS and postal savings add up to Rs 4 lakh while his insurance policy is worth Rs 2 lakh.

He owns a Maruthi 800 and a military disposal jeep which are worth Rs 25000.

He has jewellery worth Rs 6 lakh and miscellaneous items to the tune of Rs 13 lakh.

Lalu Yadav has also declared that he has 60 cows and 36 calves.

He has agricultural land to the tune of Rs 1 crore and non agriculture land worth Rs 23 lakh. He also owns buildings worth Rs 1 crore.
-- Vicky Nanjappa

Convicted RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav leaves the Special CBI court. He will be taken to the Ranchi jail now. Hundreds of supporters shout slogans in his support. Lalu's son Tejaswi Yadav makes his first statement outside the court, saying, quite expectedly, that his father's conviction was a conspiracy and the family would appeal to a higher court. Tejaswi Yadav is being looked upon as the heir apparent to Lalu.

The quantum of punishment will be made via video conference. Which means Lalu Prasad Yadav will not have to be present in court on October 3.
Seven convicted have been sentenced today. The bail hearing of those sentenced to those who have received a sentencing of three years or less was heard today.

JD(U) MP Jagdish Sharma has also been convicted.

Before he arrived at the CBI court in Ranchi, the Rashtriya Janata Dal chief stopped at his air-conditioned khatal (cowshed) on his way to catch a flight to Ranchi, yesterday. Party sources said their leader "found peace" in the midst of his 72 Jersey cows and 42 calves.

When he was chief minister, Lalu Prasad kept cows at his official residence.

Now, the cowshed has been shifted to a three-acre farmhouse in Danapur, on Patna's outskirts, and supplies milk to leading hotels and restaurants in the state capital.

Lalu Prasad arrived around 11.45 am on Sunday and spent nearly half an hour in the cowshed.

"Laluji is very fond of his cows. He ensured that he fed them before leaving for Ranchi. He offered fodder to five cows, whom he worships as gau-mata, and two calves and took their blessings,' a source said. -- The Telegraph

Just in: National Conference MLAs move privilege motion in J-K Assembly against former Army chief V K Singh.

As Lalu Prasad Yadav was convicted today in the multi-crore fodder scam, his Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) stared at an uncertain future. But amid predictions of a political disaster for the powerful Bihar politician and his party,  RJD MP Prabhunath Singh saw the silver lining. If Lalu Prasad went to jail, it would do the party good, he said at a party meeting on Sunday.   Read

On July 10, this year, the Supreme Court had ruled that an MP or MLA would be immediately disqualified if convicted by a court in a criminal offence with a jail sentence of two years or more. The minimum sentence that Lalu Yadav faces is three years to a maximum of seven years. This means he will be immediately disqualified as an MP and loses his seat in the Lok Sabha.

Lalu will be taken to jail from court. After 17 years, finally, it is indeed judgment day for the former Bihar CM. Another former CM Jagannath Mishra will also be taken to jail. The CBI court has taken their custody.

Remember, Lalu Yadav has been found guilty in just one case, though he has been charged in five other cases as well. Judgement on those cases are awaited as well. He was found guilty of criminal conspiracy, corruption and cheating. The quantum of punishment will be decided on October 3. He is likely to face between three and seven years in jail. 

The court has found all the 44 accused guilty in the scam. The quantum of punishment is not decided yet, but could face up to three to seven years in jail. The quantum of sentence is expected tomorrow.

Lalu Prasad Yadav found guilty by the Special CBI court in Ranchi. 

As we wait for the Special CBI court in Ranchi to deliver its vedict in the fodder scam, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid slammed Narendra Modi saying the BJP leader's attack on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the purported "dehati aurat" remark shows that he does not like village women and likened him to a "parrot" who makes utterances without verifying facts.

Khurshid said there is nothing wrong in being a "dehati aurat" (village woman) and Modi is out of touch with ground realities.

"Mr Modi does not like 'dehati aurat'. Of course he does not like dehati aurat. Why should we think of a dehati aurat being a pejorative term," he told PTI.

He was reacting to Modi's remarks that Singh had been insulted by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by purportedly comparing him with "dehati aurat" in the context of his voicing concern over cross border terrorism during his meeting with US President Barack Obama.

A Pakistani journalist, who first attributed the "dehati aurat" comment to Sharif, later denied that the Pakistani Prime Minister had used such a word.

"He (Modi) attacked Prime Minister on what Nawaz Sharif is supposed to have said or not have said. He didn't bother to check, didn't watch television, except when he is speaking, so it's very difficult for him to know what others are saying and he takes what he has been told," the minister said.

Former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra, also an accused in the case, is in court. 

The verdict is crucial for the former Bihar chief minister and his future as a political leader since the central government ordinance that would have shielded tainted and convicted parliamentarians and legislators from disqualification has been put under scanner and is likely to be withdrawn.

There were a total of 56 accused in the case. But during the trial, seven accused died, two turned approver, one admitted to the crime and one was discharged. More

RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav arrives at the Special CBI Court in Patna. The multi-million animal husbandry department scam, popularly known as the fodder scam, accuses Lalu Yadav and Jagannath Mishra, both former chief ministers of Bihar, ministers from the department, two IAS officials and others, of fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37.70 crore from Chaibasa district treasury of Jharkhand. 

Spiritualist and pioneer of the Vipassana meditation in India, S.N. Goenka died late Sunday night due to old age, an aide said here Monday. He was 90 and is survived by his wife Mata Elaichidevi and six sons. The end came at his home in Andheri, Mumbai and the funeral will be conducted Tuesday in Jogeshwari electric crematorium, said aide Gautam Gaikwad. Read

Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav has left for the special CBI court for the verdict on the fooder scam.