In fresh overseas troubles, drugmaker Ranbaxy has been barred from exporting certain antibiotics produced at its Dewas plant to Germany for non-compliance to 'good manufacturing practice' norms. 

From the CNN: The United States and Iran may be bombing a common enemy in Iraq, one whom they both despise -- ISIS.

The Indian Navy has appointed a technical board (TB) to assess how long the aircraft carrier INS Viraat can serve the force. "Technical board has been formed to check if Viraat can serve," Vice Admiral Anil Chopra, 

Michael Brown's stepfather says he's sorry for his emotional "burn this!" outburst to demonstrators after learning a police officer wouldn't be indicted in the teen's death.

Three students of IIT Kanpur were today offered a whooping package of around Rs 93 lakh per annum, as the placement drive at the premier institute entered the third day.

The Enforcement Directorate has taken possession a piece of land belonging to Saradha group in Nadia district today, an official said. A four-member team of ED came accompanied by local Land Revenue officers came to Narapati para under Chakdaha Block of Nadia district and measured the land belonging to Saradha group.

A bicycle with a tiffin box found abandoned in front of the PWD bungalow in Kolkata where West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been staying triggered a bomb scare this evening. Policemen on duty at the bungalow in the administrative area of the town spotted the bicycle near the place where the chief minister would be staying for the night.

The e-Visa facility will be implemented at eight major airports of the country but will not be extended to the airports where security concerns are involved, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said today. 

Shiv Sena wants one more cabinet berth in Central government, besides the post of a Minister of State, even though it has almost sealed a power-sharing deal with the BJP government in Maharashtra. 

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), led by Mayawati, is all set to lose its status as a national party after it failed to win the two seats the party needed to hold on to this status. BSP ended up winning one seat in Haryana and none in Maharashtra.

Rajya Sabha BSP leader Satish Mishra was spotted inside Parliament distributing copies of a petition from regional parties that include the AIADMK, CPI, CPM, DMK, PMK and the YSR Congress.

The petition, which is in fact a joint memorandum, the BSP hopes, will stall the passage of the Election Symbol order 1968 (clause 6).

Many smaller parties will be derecognised. Only the BJP and the Congress will be recognised as they have got 8 per cent of the total votes.

Earlier the regional/state parties were automatically recognised if they obtained 4 per cent of the total votes polled. But the order has since been issued for increasing the 4 per cent to 8 per cent of the total votes polled.

Mayawati has been wiped out in the Lok Sabha polls in 2014, hence BSP has taken the onus to fight this 'undemocratic law' as she puts it. The party is lobbying with regional parties to take up this issue collectively so that  the Election Commission and the Modi sarkar can take note of their grievances. 

Five security force personnel were among six people injured in a grenade attack by militants in south Kashmir's Pulwama district on Wednesday, reports Rediff.com's Mukhtar Ahmad.

Militants hurled a grenade at a party of security force personnel at around 5.30 pm in the Pohu area wounding six, police said.

The injured included four CPRF personnel, a policeman and a civilian, they said. The militants escaped from the scene taking advantage of the panic caused by the blast.

No militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. Pulwama is going to the polls in the third phase of voting on December 9.

Gold prices moved up further at the domestic bullion market due to sustained demand from jewellery retailers and investors. Silver also maintained its strong momentum and reclaimed the Rs 37,000-mark. 

Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari has appointed Dr Viswapati Trivedi as chairman of the National Shipping Board. Dr Trivedi was shipping secretary till his last working day in November. The shipping ministry occasionally refers crucial policy issues to the National Shipping Board for an opinion.

Parliament's Central Hall was abuzz with speculation today over the health of NCP chief Sharad Pawar and his party's future and its role in New Delhi. Will his daughter Supriya Sule succeed him, will Praful Patel be made working president, were some of the questions raised. Needless to say, no answers were forthcoming.

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan is upset with her AIADMK colleague Thambidurai, the deputy speaker of the Lok Sabha, we hear.  Mahajan feels that the deputy speaker's office should not interfere in the internal party matters of the AIADMK.

What happened was that the Speaker had received a letter from Thambidurai asking for more office space inside Parliament House for the AIADMK. Mahajan was also upset that Thambidurai has been appointed as election agent of the AIADMK for the Trichy district.

She feels, we are told, that Thambidurai should refrain from the internal politics of the AIADMK.

AIADMK party leader Venugopal has been told to give the letter for the AIADMK office as Sumitra Mahajan did not consider an application from Thambidurai valid.

The Bhopal gas leak left over 14,000 dead. Thirty years on, residents still suffer. Photographer Raghu Rai revisits the scene.

Covering the widely watched funeral of late Phillip Hughes, Channel Nine producers gave Sean Abbott his moment of space by deliberately keeping the camera away from the New South Wales pacer, while the proceedings went on live.

In what probably would have been the toughest day for Abbott, whose bouncer was responsible for Hughes' injury, the media respected the pacer's sentiments by maintaining a distance.

Dressed in a dark blue suit, Abbott, 22, walked alongside his parents down the street towards the school hall where the funeral was held as photographers clicked a few pictures.

Abbott's girlfriend, Brier Neil, had grabbed the player's waist tightly as she walked next to him down Wallace Street, through the Macksville locals and into the sanctuary of the RSL club, reported Sydney Morning Herald.

Knowing the camera lenses were well and truly fixed on him, Abbott did not falter once.

Other mourners reached out to shake Abbott's hand, most notably former Test and one-day cricket player Dean Jones, before he joined his NSW teammates for the service.

Pic: Abbott's girlfriend, Brier Neil, grabbed the player's waist tightly as she walked next to him at the funeral

Hearing on Salman Khan's 2002 hit-and-run case adjourned till 15th December.

Salman, who arrived in court today in connection to the 2002 hit-and-run case, has tested positive for alcohol content in his blood at the time of accident.

A forensic expert told the sessions court that alcohol content found in the actor's blood was higher than normal. Experts told the court that the permissible level of alcohol content in blood is 30 mg, whereas Salman's blood contained 62 mg.

Earlier, during a previous hearing, a witness had told the court that he had seen Salman taking the drivers seat. The witness, a JW Mariott parking assistant, had said that the actor got behind the wheel of the Land Cruiser at the hotel.

Photojournalist Chandu Mhatre, one of the first to reach Bhopal after India's worst industrial disaster ravaged the city, remembers his worst seven days, in a conversation with Vaihayasi Pande Daniel/Rediff.com. Read

Foetuses aborted by women after the 1984 Bhopal gas leak, preserved at the Hamida Hospital in Bhopal. Photo/Raghu Rai

"Memories of that terror will remain with me forever. My father went outside to answer a call of nature and saw people running like mad past our hut. He shouts to mother, 'Hey, look at this! Why's everyone running? Why are my eyes burning. What's this smoke?' Mother starts coughing and he says, 'God knows what's happening, maybe it's qayamat (the day of reckoning)."

Read Saira's story.

The conductor of the Haryana bus in which two sisters fought alleged molesters, has told NDTV that he had warned the three men "again and again" not to harass the young women.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called a meeting with all chief ministers on December 7 to discuss the future of the Planning Commission. The Nehruvian institution was scrapped by the PM in during his Independence Day speech. Modi had said the Planning Commission had outlived its utility and needed to be replaced with a new one. This meeting will be the PM's first meeting with the chief ministers since he assumed office.

James Watson, known to many as one of the "fathers of DNA" for his scientific discoveries, is putting his Nobel prize on the auction block this Thursday with a reserve price of $2.5 million. Read

People will soon be able to go to Agra sailing on the Yamuna as the Centre has sought help from the Netherlands government for the ambitious project that includes building barrages and water terminals on both sides of the river.

"Soon people can go to Agra via Delhi through Yamuna. We will float a Cabinet note within 10 days to specify works for the project by our Ministry and the Delhi Government," Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari said.

"We will request Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to ensure special funds for the project,' he said.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis reaches Breach Candy Hospital to visit NCP Chief Sharad Pawar.

Pawar was admitted to a hospital today after he sustained a leg injury from a fall at his Delhi residence. "Pawar fractured his leg. He insisted on being treated in Mumbai and was accordingly flown here," NCP sources said.

The air ambulance carrying Pawar landed in Mumbai at 11.15 am and he was taken straight to the Breach Candy Hospital where doctors will decide the next course of treatment after a thorough examination, the sources said.

Pakistani writer Bilal Tanweer, who was on Tuesday conferred the 2014 Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize for his novel The Scatter Here Is Too Great, was congratulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The award ceremony was held at the Max Mueller Bhavan, New Delhi, on Tuesday evening.In his letter, Prime Minister Modi said, 'I convey my best wishes to the recipient of the Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize-2014.'  Read

Rajya Sabha BSP leader Satish Mishra was spotted inside Parliament distributing copies of a petition from regional parties that include the AIADMK, CPI, CPM, DMK, PMK and the YSR Congress.

The petition, which is in fact a joint memorandum, will be submitted to the BSP is to stall the passage of the Election Symbol order 1968 (clause 6).

If this is approved - many smaller parties will be derecognised. Only the BJP and the Congress will be recognised as they have got 8 per cent of the total votes.

Earlier the regional/state parties were automatically recognised if they obtained 4 per cent of the total votes polled. But the order has since been issued for increasing the 4 per cent to 8 per cent of the total votes polled.

Mayawati has been wiped out in the Lok Sabha polls in 2014, hence BSP has taken the onus to fight this 'undemocratic law' as she puts it. The party is lobbying with regional parties to take up this issue collectively so that  the Election Commission and the Modi sarkar can take note of their grievances. 

Hundreds turned out to pay homage to former State Chief Minister A R Antulay during his final rites, which were conducted with full state honours at his native village Ambet in Raigad district of Maharashtra.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Raigad MP and Union Minister Anant Geete, Congress leaders Oscar Fernandes, Prithviraj Chavan, Narayan Rane, Legislative Council chairman Shivajirao Deshmukh, Education minister Vinod Tawde, State congress chief Manikrao Thakre, NCP President Sunil Tatkare, Congress leader in Legislative assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe patil were prominent among those present at the funeral.

Hitting back at the Congress for its description of the Narendra Modi-led dispensation as a "U-turn sarkar," BJP today said it does not want to be judged on the scale of the opposition party.

"Congress is a party of many turns. It is not just U-turn. Congress is a failed party even in states where it is in power. Congress is not the scale for BJP. We don't want to succeed on the scale of Congress," BJP National General Secretary P Muralidhar Rao said.

He was replying to a query on Congress describing the Modi government as a "U-turn government." "Even if we get 10 per cent more marks on the scale of Congress, so much need not be done; Narendra Modi ji need not travel so much. There is no comparison between what BJP is doing and Congress' questions and its affairs. BJP is putting everything in public clearly," he said.

Nowhere is a clean chit given by anybody, it clearly reads, that the matter is still under investigation, Jitendra Singh said. "The last sentence reads that the matter still under investigation.

That's PMO Jitendra Singh on his written reply in LS on the Saradha scam-Burdwan blast link.

Salman Khan, hit-and-run case: Prosecution witness No 4, says the chemical analyst's report has been taken into cognizance. It was found there was adequate amount of alcohol in Salman Khan's blood sample, lawyer Abha Singh says. 

Investigation into the Saradha chit fund scam has so far not revealed any terror link with Bangladesh, government said today, days after BJP had alleged such a connection.

"The investigation has so far not revealed any such transaction where money was routed to Bangladesh to fund terrorist activities," Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh told the Lok Sabha in a written response.

However, addressing a rally in Kolkata on Sunday, BJP Chief Amit Shah had alleged that Saradha chit fund money was used in the October 2 Burdwan blast, which is being probed for link with Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) terror outfit.

"Saradha chit fund money was used in the Burdwan blast. The NIA is not being allowed to probe the blast properly. Hurdles are being created. It is being done in order to save TMC leaders who are involved in the blast," he had alleged, attacking the Trinamool Congress.

US military says air strikes may be first of their kind and were not co-ordinated with US-led coalition against Islamic State. Read

Iraq's Interior Ministry said on Wednesday that a woman detained by Lebanese authorities was not the wife of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, but the sister of a man convicted of bombings in southern Iraq.

The Prime Minister will come to Parliament when it is needed, the ruling BJP said on Wednesday as it responded to opposition swipes about PM Narendra Modi not attending house proceedings. TMC MP Derek O'Brien had said yesterday that the PM needed a visa to come to Parliament, a dig at Modi's foreign trips and absence in Parliament.

"When it's needed for the PM to attend house he will...he came to Parliament today. The PM has his responsibilities, he is doing his work," said Venkaiah Naidu, Parliamentary Affairs Minister.

"If needed the PM will speak, when it's his turn during the question hour he will be there. The PM is doing his job, the people are happy, only the opposition is unhappy, what can we do?" he added.

PM Modi was present in the Lok Sabha today when the opposition raised loud protests against one of his new ministers, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, for a hate speech and an expletive at a rally in Delhi.

Several people have been killed in a suicide car bomb blast next to a UN convoy in Somalia, police say. The BBC reports that the bomber drove between the convoy and its security escort near the airport in the capital, Mogadishu, police said. The United Nations and the British and Italian embassy compounds are based in the nearby area.

A three-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted twice in the premises of a private school in Bengaluru in the fifth such incident in as many months.

The accused, a school attendant, was arrested on November 30 after the mother of the victim registered a police complaint, City Police Commissioner M N Reddi said.

In the complaint filed on November 29, the mother alleged that the child was sexually abused twice on October 22 and November 26, Reddi said.

The attendant has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (relating to punishment for rape).

The latest incident comes weeks after the sexual assault of a six-year-old girl in a school by a Hindi teacher who was arrested.

In another incident in October, an office assistant in a school here was arrested for sexual assault of a three-and-a-half-year girl.

An eight-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by her 63-year-old teacher inside her school premises over a period of time with the offence coming to light in early August, barely a month after the rape of a six-year-old girl at 'Vibgyor High' school in Bengaluru.

The series of incidents of sexual assault of minor girls in schools in Bengaluru has led to concerns over safety of children.

Police had issued safety guidelines for schools, which in many cases have been found to be observing them in the breach.

Bodies of three militants and a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) were found today during a search operation in Kupwara district of North Kashmir where an encounter broke out yesterday after army foiled an infiltration bid.

With the recovery of the four bodies, a total of seven persons have been killed in the encounter.

Army troops guarding the Line of Control (LoC) noticed a group of militants attempting to infiltrate from across the border in Nowgam sector of Handwara yesterday. The militants opened heavy fire when challenged by the troops, triggering a gunbattle

Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit India on December 11 on a one-day visit. Putin may address the joint session of Parliament. 

Home minister Arun Jaitley says Pakistan should understand that boundaries cannot be redrawn; JK is an integral part of India.

The US is hopeful of resolving the contentious nuclear liability issue with India so that the process of implementation of the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal can be accelerated, Richard Verma, the nominee for US Ambassador to India, has told Senators.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been set up to probe the Delhi church fire. The report will be submitted in two months, says Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

A substantial part of a catholic church in northeast Delhi's Tahirpur area was gutted when a fire broke out at its premises on Monday morning with the Christian community suspecting foul play in the incident.

Police have registered a case under section 436 IPC (Mischief) on the complaint of the church authorities.

"Samples have been picked up from the spot by the Fire Department and an FSL team. We are waiting for a report by them to ascertain the cause of fire. We have received a complaint in this regard following which we have registered an FIR and further investigations are underway," said a senior police official on condition of anonymity.

The blaze broke out at around 6:30 am at St Sebastian's Church following which the security guard informed Father Antony Francis, the pastor of the church who then called fire brigade.

BJP's women MPs today criticised the opposition for repeatedly disrupting Parliament over controversial remarks made by Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti even after the Union Minister had apologised, saying they were doing so as they had run out of issues.

"Congress and TMC created a scene. To oppose it we also stood on our feet. The sad thing is when the NDA government's minister has apologised, then raising the same issue again for the second day, we condemn it," BJP MP Poonam Mahajan said.

Navy chief RK Dhowan on the INS Sindhurakshak explsion, adds that when procedures aren't followed there is room for error, in this case something like that has happened.

An NGO working for the Bhopal gas tragedy victims has alleged that there are no accurate figures available on the death toll of the world's worst industrial disaster even after 30 years and has also raised concern over the toxic waste lying in defunct Union Carbide plant situated near the densely populated old Bhopal area.

Though unofficial estimates claimed that the death toll due to the Bhopal gas tragedy had exceeded the 25,000 mark, official figure stands at 5,295 for whom the government had compensated.

The sinking of INS Sindhurakshak is the worst accident in India's 47 years of submarine operations history and a big setback. Read our 2013 report in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy. 

Indian Navy Chief Admiral RK Dhowan says that mishandling of weapons led to the explosion which destroyed the submarine INS Sindhurakshak.

The explosion on board the Sindhurakshak on August 14 last year had resulted in the death of 18 Navy personnel. Navy officials said the submarine may not be seaworthy, even after refits.

Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm after as uproar over Sadhvi's remarks continue.

And yes, a short session of the Tamil Nadu Assembly begins tomorrow.  It will be marked by the absence of AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa who has been convicted in an illegal wealth case. Jayalalithaa has been disqualified as legislator in the wake of her conviction. Incidentally, this will be the maiden session faced by Chief Minister O Pannerselvam who was handpicked by Jayalalithaa to succeed her.

And on the second day, ruckus in Parliament over union minister Niranjan Jyoti's abusive rant. 

Yesterday, cornered by a united Opposition and isolated within the BJP, Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti on Tuesday expressed regret in Parliament for using abusive language at a party rally in the capital.

The government said the matter was closed with her expressing regret, but Congress members indicated that they intended to press the issue in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

Today, the opposition said she should be booked for the hate speech.

Young men of 25 die every day - in crashed cars, on battlefields, in cancer wards.When it happens in a sporting arena it is no more tragic, but its impact is both more universally felt and somehow far more shocking. Read

The invitation to Barack Obama to be the chief guest at next month's Republic Day celebrations is prima facie a good decision by Narendra Modi, but it is based on hollow foundations if he expects it to result in any ambitious agenda for bilateral relations.

The invitation sprang from an unexpectedly good rapport that the president of the United States of America established with the prime minister of India at their first meeting in the White House in September. Read more

As India continues to stand in favour of the death penalty, it is increasingly finding itself in the margins of world politics and international standards on this issue. Read

Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan on the Bhopal gas tragedy: "I pay my tribute to the victims. We must ensure no other city ever experiences what Bhopal did years ago."

Anil Kumar Sinha takes charge as the new CBI director. Sinha, a senior IPS officer succeeded Ranjit Sinha who retired in a glare of controversy with the Supreme Court directing him to recuse from 2G spectrum scam case probe.

Sinha, a 1979 batch IPS officer of Bihar cadrde, was the Special Director in CBI.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared the name of Anil Kumar Sinha who was among the candidates shortlisted by the search committee earlier in the day.

The term of Sinha will be for 2 years from the date he takes charge, an official notification said. 

Salman Khan arrived at the Mumbai sessions court Wednesday for a hearing in the 2002 hit-an-run case. More witnesses to depose today.

The actor was exempted by the sessions court from appearing on November 24. 

India's dissuasive nuclear deterrence against China got a tad more credibility on Tuesday with the country testing the Agni-IV ballistic missile, which has a strike range of 4,000km, from the Wheeler Island off Odisha coast in the morning. 

Full transcript of Michael Clarke's beautiful tribute to Phillip Hughes.

"I'm deeply honoured to have been asked by Phillip's family to speak today. I am humbled to be in the presence of you, his family, his friends and his community.

"He was so proud of Macksville and it is easy to see why today. Taken from the game, his family and loved ones at the age of just 25, he left a mark on our game that needs no embellishment. I don't know about you, but I keep looking for him. I know it is crazy but I expect any minute to take a call from him or to see his face pop around the corner. Is this what we call the spirit? If so, then his spirit is still with me. And I hope it never leaves.

I walked to the middle of the SCG on Thursday night, those same blades of grass beneath my feet where he and I and so many of his mates here today have built partnerships, taken chances and lived out the dreams we paint in our heads as boys. The same stands where the crowds rose to their feet to cheer them on and that same fence he sent the ball to time and time again. And it is now forever the place where he fell. I stood there at the wicket, I knelt down and touched the grass, I swear he was with me.

"Picking me up off my feet to check if I was okay. 'Dig in and get through to tea' Telling me we just needed to dig in and get through to tea. Telling me off for that loose shot I played. Chatting about what movie we might watch that night. And then passing on a useless fact about cows. I could see him swagger back to the other end, grin at the bowler, and call me through for a run with such a booming voice, a bloke in the car park would hear it.

"The heart of a man who lived his life for this wonderful game we play, and whose soul enriched not just our sport, but all of our lives. Is this what indigenous Australians believe about a person's spirit being connected with the land upon which they walk? If so, I know they are right about the SCG.

"His spirit has touched it and it will be forever be a sacred ground for me. I can feel his presence there and I can see how he has touched so many people around the world. The tributes to him from cricket lovers kept me going.

The photos, the words, the prayers and the sense of communion in this loss from people across the globe have shown me his spirit in action. It has sustained me and overwhelmed me in equal measure.

"And the love of my band of baggy green and gold brothers an sisters have held me upright when I thought I could not proceed. His spirit has brought us closer together - something I know must be him at work because it is so consistent with how he played and lived.

"He always wanted to bring people together and he always wanted to celebrate his love for the game and its people. Is this what we call the spirit of cricket?

"From the little girl holding a candlelight tribute to masters of the game like Tendulkar, Warne and Lara, the spirit of cricket binds us all together. We feel it in the thrill of a cover drive. Or the taking of a screamer at gully, whether by a 12-year-old boy or by Brendan McCullum in Dubai.

"It is in the brilliant five-wicket haul, just as significant to the players in a Western Suburbs club game as it is in a Test match. 'I'll see you out in the middle' The bonds that lead to cricketers from around the world putting their bats out, that saw people who didn't even know Phillip lay flowers and that brought every cricketing nation on earth to make its own heartfelt tribute. The bonds that saw players old and new rush to his bed side. From wherever they heard the news to say their prayers and farewells. This is what makes our game the greatest game in the world. Phillip's spirit, which is now part of our game forever, will act as a custodian of the sport we all love.

"We must listen to it. We must cherish it. We must learn from it. We must dig in and get through to tea. And we must play on. So rest in peace my little brother. I'll see you out in the middle."

"I don't know about you, but I keep looking for him. I know it is crazy but I expect any minute to take a call from him or to see his face pop around the corner. Is this what we call the spirit? If so, then his spirit is still with me. And I hope it never leaves."

Oz skipper Michael Clarke pays tribute to his friend and teammate Phillip Hughes.

Watch Michael Clarke's moving eulogy to Phillip Hughes. 

Sachin Tendulkar tweets his tribute at Phillip Hughes' @sachin_rt:  Will miss you Phil. Your enthusiasm to learn and drive for perfection was most impressive. #FarewellHughes

Thousands walked through the streets of Macksville, millions around the world stopped to remember Hughes.

Australia captain Michael Clarke steps forward to deliver his tribute. He takes a deep breath before starting his speech. However, a few words into his tribute, starts to weep, saying that Hughes would 'definitely call him a sook right now. "His spirit has touched the game and the SCG will forever be a sacred ground for me. His spirit has brought us closer together and it must have been something about how he lived and breathed," says Clarke. 

As family, friends and supporters laid Philip Hughes to rest, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his tribute to the Australian batsman on Twitter. He wrote, "Heart-rending funeral in Australia. Phil Hughes, we will miss you. Your game and exuberance won you fans all over."

JUST IN: Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar has been flown to Mumbai for treatment after he slipped and fell down in his lawn at his Delhi residence. Reports say he might have sustained a minor fracture. 

Security personnel deployed in the Red Corridor are not dying in Maoist attacks. They are dying because the state does not care about them.

Phillip's younger sister Megan Hughes is now delivering her eulogy. The younger sister breaks down midway while delivering it. "Phillip, I am so honoured to call myself your little sister. I know you will be smiling down on us when times get tough. I want to thank you for being the most amazing brother I could ask for."

The Australian batsman's cousin Nino Ramunno says his cousin was a "mummy's boy". "Phillip idolised his mother and would often seek her guidance. 

"On 'International Day of Persons with Disabilities', I salute the indomitable spirit of all persons with disabilities.They are our heroes," tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi this morning. The PM added, "Today is a day to pledge our commitment towards our unwavering support to persons with disabilities and ensuring equal opportunities for them. Let us all work together to create a world where persons with disabilities can scale new heights of success without any obstacles."

The eulogies have begun. His cousin Nino Ramunno is speaking on behalf of the family. He says Phillip was a large baby and the first words his Italian grandfather said when laying eyes on him was "buffoon" - meaning large - leading to his nickname 'Boof'. He recalls a boy who spent many years trying to catch the monster fish family friends had told him about in the Nambucca River.

Phillip Hughes' funeral has begun with the song Forever Young. Father Michael Alcock is doing the welcome and opening prayer. In his prayer, he says, "To all of us here, Phillip's extended family, immediate family, and friends, we give God thanks for the blessings of this young man. To those both near and far whom his life has touched and we pray this afternoon that today we will feel some consolation as we celebrate his life."

Bobby Keys, longtime saxophonist for the Rolling Stones, died early on Tuesday at his home in Franklin, Tennessee, after a long illness. He was 70. The iconic rock group in a statement said, ""The Rolling Stones are devastated by the loss of their very dear friend and legendary saxophone player, Bobby Keys. Bobby made a unique musical contribution to the band since the 1960s. He will be greatly missed."

The Australian cricket team has arrived at the Macksville school in Australia to bid a final adieu to batsman Philip Hughes. Mitchell Johnson, David Warner, Steve Smith, David Warner and coach Darren Lehmann were among the first in and signed the condolence book. West Indies legend Brian Lara and India's Virat Kohli, coach Duncan Fletcher and Ravi Shastri are also present at the funeral. 

An Egyptian court sentenced 188 people to death Tuesday pending the opinion of the country's top religious authority, the latest mass death sentence handed down by the country's judicial system despite widespread international criticism.

The original founders of Hong Kong's pro-democracy Occupy movement tearfully announced Tuesday they would "surrender" by turning themselves in to police and urged protesters on the streets to retreat.

Benjamin Netanyahu said Yair Lapid and Tzipi Livni had "harshly attacked" both himself and the coalition government.

NATO nations today agreed to bolster its defenses against Russian aggression, continuing the military alliance's return to its founding mission by focusing on nearby threats as it steps back from more than a decade of combat in Afghanistan. 

Ireland has accused Britain of torturing 14 Irish Republican Army suspects in 1971 and formally petitioned the European Court of Human Rights to review its original findings on the case, reopening one of the biggest legal disputes from the Northern Ireland conflict.

A US ban on blood donations by gays could be eased after 31 years, depending on the decision of a Food and Drug Administration advisory committee that began two days of meetings today. Current US law bars any man who has had sex with a man -- even once since 1977 -- from donating blood.

Ukraine's Parliament approved the formation of a new government today, bringing an end to weeks of behind-the-scenes political wrangling following an October election that ushered in a group of ardently pro-Western parties. The Cabinet approved by lawmakers will be headed Arseniy Yatsenyuk, 40, who has served as prime minister since February.

A man from Hyderabad, whose samples were sent for testing as a measure of caution against Ebola after his return from Nigeria, tested negative for the disease, an official said. 

Germany urged NATO today to resume dialogue with Russia to avoid the risk of military misunderstandings in and around Ukraine getting "completely out of control." 

The World Health Organization says the number of people infected with Ebola has passed 17,000, as Sierra Leone announced that its 10th doctor has been sickened. Numbers released today by WHO include about 200 new cases since data was published yesterday. More than 6,000 people have died.

An Egyptian court today condemned 188 people to death for murdering 13 policemen in August after security forces dispersed sit-ins by supporters of deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, a judicial source said.

Delhi church blaze sparks protest outside police HQ; govt appoints SIT
Jharkhand records 65.46 per cent polling in 2nd phase
PM disapproves of minister's speech; SACK her, says oppn
Action replay in J-K: 71% polling in 2nd phase, likely to go up
Shiv Sena reconciles with Maha BJP, may get 12 ministries in government
Congress veteran leader A R Antulay no more
India successfully test-fires nuclear-capable Agni-IV
The Bhopal gas tragedy: 30 years on