Acclaimed writer and leftist leader Sobho Gianchandani, who was given the sobriquet of 'a man from Moen Jo Daro' by Rabindranath Tagore, today died in Pakistan's Larkana aged 94. 

A week after her hate speech that triggered widespread outrage, Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti today addressed two rallies in the capital including one at Trilokpuri of East Delhi which had witnessed communal clashes last month.

The Madras high court today issued a notice to actor Rajnikanth and the director, producer and scripwriter of the film 'Lingaa' on an appeal seeking to set aside the order of a single judge dismising the case of plagiarism filed against him and others.

Mukhtar Ahmad reports from Srinagar: Hours after the visit of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Jammu and Srinagar where he addressed poll rallies, Pakistani troops violated the bilateral ceasefire on the Line of Control in the Balakote sector of Poonch district on Monday evening.   

Union Minister Maneka Gandhi today mooted the idea of women taxi service exclusively for female travellers and said government is in talks with some business enterprises to launch this facility.

The United World Food Programme announced that it is "working flat-out" to support the Philippines government's humanitarian response to Typhoon Hagupit which could possibly impact more than 30 million people. "Food, trucks or satphones, we will provide whatever is needed to help the people of the Philippines as this situation unfolds," Praveen Agrawal, WFP Philippines country director said. They added that shelter and protection issues concerning women and children will be a priority in the immediate aftermath of the typhoon. 

Speculation is rife that current Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptullah, 75, will be made the governor of Punjab after current Governor Shivraj Patil retires. The move is likely to take place to accommodate new Shiv Sena leaders into the cabinet, which is reportedly to take place in the first week of January. 

Cash-strapped SpiceJet has cancelled over 1,800 flights across the country for the current month, in signs of mounting troubles for the budget airline. The air carrier, which is part of Kalanithi Maran-led Sun Group, has cancelled a total of 1,861 flights, a few to Kathmandu in Nepal and all others connecting domestic cities, till December 31, SpiceJet said. These included 81 flights scheduled for today itself.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not made it to the list of eight finalists selected by TIME magazine for its annual 'Person of the Year' title. 

A case of forgery is likely to be registered against Uber cab driver Shiv Kumar Yadav, accused of raping a woman professional in Delhi, as city police begins to probe the issuance of his driving license and character certificate."I have ordered an inquiry into issuance of license to accused Shiv Kumar," DCP BS Bassi. 

US-based news and blogging platform Huffington Post launched its Indian edition in association with Times of India Group. HuffPost India combines Huffington Post's news and blogging platform with the local expertise and reach of the Times of India Group, a statement said. HuffPost will be the first major global entrant into a fast growing digital news space in India where a number of stand-alone players as also those which are part of traditional media groups have set shops.

The Centre is contemplating to ban the cab services of Uber across India after a driver engaged by the company allegedly raped a girl in Delhi. The home ministry is planning to ask all state governments and administration of nine union territories, where Uber runs its cab services, to put a ban on it, official sources said. Uber cab services are available in Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Kolkata and Pune.

It is a very difficult to accept N Srinivasan's plea that there is no conflict of interest arising out of owning IPL team CSK and heading the BCCI, the Supreme Court on Monday observed while putting some searching questions to him on the issue. 

World War II veterans gathered in Honolulu, Hawaii, to observe the 73rd anniversary of the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.

Pakistan today reacted sharply to India's assertion that terrorists from across the border were responsible for the recent deadly attacks in Kashmir and that Islamabad's support to Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed was nothing short of "mainstreaming of terrorism".

Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said, "We have taken a serious note of the remarks made by the spokesperson of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)." "Pakistan firmly rejects the baseless allegations about 'mainstreaming of terrorism'.

Pakistan has been in the forefront of combating terrorism and is also its biggest victim," she said in a statement.

 Close to 5 lakh passengers travelling via the New Delhi railway station, the busiest in the country, will now be able to connect to the internet through the wi-fi service, which was launched at the station today.

Touted as the country's biggest accounting fraud, the scam came to light on 7 January, 2009, after Ramalinga Raju allegedly confessed to manipulating his company's account books and inflating profits over many years to the tune of several crores of rupees.

Satyam Computer Services Ltd founder B Ramalinga Raju has been fined Rs 10 lakh and sentenced to six months jail. Raju and nine others accused, including his two brothers, are currently on bail in a case related to fudging of Satyam accounts in 2009. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said for the first time in 30 years that a government has acted against army men responsible for killing two innocent teenagers in Budgam recently.

"Anyone makes a mistake... for the first time in 30 years, it is the Modi government's wonder, that army admitted at a press conference that the killing of two youth (at Chattergam in Budgam district) was a mistake.

"An inquiry commission probed the matter and those who fired the bullets were slapped with charges. This is the proof of my good intentions. This has not happened in 30 years. I have come to provide justice to you," Modi said in his maiden election rally in the Valley.

Two youth were killed and two others injured in army firing at Chattergam on November 3, an incident that sparked protests at many places in Kashmir.

Twitter suspended Pakistani terrorist Hafiz Saeed's account for posting vitriolic tweets from his account, but the JuD chief is back with a bang (in a manner of speaking).

Saeed is back on the site with the handle @HafizSaeedJUD2, which has managed to get only 40 followers at the time of writing.

First look at former union minister Shashi Tharoor's new book India Shastra, to be published by Aleph Book Company in January 2015.

If Mr Tharoor's earlier works are anything to go by, Shastra is a must-buy.
 

The Congress has been sidelined in the affaire de sadhvi. What did the Congress and the opposition achieve by the week-long logjam in Parliament especially since Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti apologised for her rant, ask treasury benches.

The Congress almost agreed to end the logjam last week after Arun Jaitley, Anand Sharma and Satyavrat Chaturvedi  -- the Brahmin trio reached a broad agreement over the issue.

But CPI-M's Sitaram Yechury put a spanner in the works by raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha which meant it took till today to resolve matters.

A BJP union minister wanted his fellow MPs and few people from the media to watch how Anand Sharma was forced to follow Yechury and Trinamool Congress MPs enter the chambers of the Rajya Sabha chairman. Congress was, we are told, compelled to follow Yechury.

BJP today relocated the scheduled 'nukkad sabha' venue of Union minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, whose controversial speech recently had stalled parliament for days, following police instructions.

Jyoti, who was to address a 'nukkad sabha' this evening in the Block-36 of Trilokpuri, which witnessed communal violence last month, will now be holding the meeting at a venue in Block-34. The police asked BJP this morning to look for a new venue.

Spotted on HRD minister Smriti Irani's desk -- a framed picture of Zarathustra -- the founder of Zoroastrianism. Her husband, Zubin Irani, is Parsi.

And on, BJP president Amit Shah's desk -- a picture of Savarkar.

Anni Dewani's family says, "We feel really, really sad - we have not heard the full story." The case was dismissed today 

Just in: A judge has dismissed the case against Shrien Dewani, who was accused of arranging the murder of his wife Anni in South Africa.

The BBC reports that Judge Jeanette Traverso said the evidence presented by the prosecution fell "far below the threshold" of what a reasonable court could convict on.She said the evidence of the prosecution's main witness, taxi driver Zola Tongo, was "riddled with contradictions" and "highly debatable".

Dewani will now be released.

Just in: Rape-accused Uber cabbie sent to police custody for three days. 

Just in: The two sisters from Rohtak, Haryana, have asked for a SIT probe into the alleged molestation case in a moving bus on November 28.

This comes after contrary reports and various videos surfaced which made the Haryana government put its decision of honouring both the girls on Republic Day on hold pending a probe.

The government made the announcement of honouring the girls on the basis of media reports. But the decision is being held back in the wake of new inputs, including the surfacing of videos related to the controversy.

Many co-passengers, including a few women, told the police there was no molestation in the bus and the girls thrashed the boys in the course of a dispute over a seat.

However, the two sisters have been terming passengers' statements as stories concocted to pressurize them.

Rajya Sabha logjam has ended-thanks to the mediatory and statesman-like role played by chairman Hamid Ansari between the government and the Opposition; and between parties in the Opposition.

Ansari has expressed his dissatisfaction over the waste of Parliamentary hours over the sadhvi's abusive rant and the abrupt ending of the proceedings without making the government accountable.

The draft resolution was corrected, redrafted and finally approved at the chambers of the chairperson.

Sensex plunges 339 pts to 28,119.40 in biggest single-session drop in nearly 8 weeks; Nifty down 100 pts to 8,438.25.

Infosys kept its top position in the selling list, down 4.5 percent followed by TCS, Larsen & Toubro, Mahindra & Mahindra, Sesa Sterlite, Dr Reddy's Labs, BHEL and Hindalco Industries with 2-3.5 percent loss.

On this day in 1980, John Lennon shot to death in New York City. 

Preparations for the second Union Budget 2015 have begun with the first meeting between Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled for this evening.

While the BJP election manifesto for 2014 will be the guiding spirit for the 2015 Union Budget, outlining priorities for the next year have yet to be identified.

Jaitley will also discuss and finalise the details for the formation of the Niti Aayog in the backdrop of Sunday's meeting between the Prime Minister and chief ministers. Niti Aayog is a body to discuss Centre-state issues.

Anger is bubbling among junior army officers after eight soldiers died in a militant strike on a military camp near Uri, in Jammu and Kashmir anger. The over-cautious commanders have tied their hands, they say.

In a WhatsApp message that is racing through army networks, the Uri debacle has been blamed on tight operational restrictions allegedly imposed after two Kashmiri boys were mistakenly shot dead on November 3 by soldiers manning a check point near Chattergam village, in Anantnag district of south Kashmir.  Read more

Delhi police under scanner for giving a clean 'character certificate' to Uber cabbie accused of rape. 

Thirty years have passed, two generations have not had employment, I will bring development to Kashmir: Narendra Modi in Srinagar.

PM Narendra Modi addressing a rally at the Sheri-Kashmir Indoor stadium in Srinagar. Much of the same that he said earlier in the day at Samba, Modi tells the crowd, "You should vote out the govt that has done nothing for you. No sense in voting for a fractured majority. I will return the love you have given me with interest."

PM Modi visits the war memorial at the Army headquarters at Badami Bagh cantonment in Srinagar and  pays tribute to soldiers killed in Friday's terror attacks.

Uber has issued a statement, saying that it was providing all help to the police in the investigation. "Our thoughts are with the victim of this terrible crime and we are working with the police as they investigate. We will assist them in any way we can. It is also our policy to immediately suspend a driver's account following allegations of a serious incident, which we have done."

A team from Uber is being questioned by the Delhi police.

As the massive search operation was on in Mathura and other parts of Uttar Pradesh to nab the accused, Delhi Police had earlier in the day announced a cash reward of Rs one lakh for his arrest.

Just in: Delhi government bans all operations of Uber cab services in the aftermath of the alleged rape by a Uber cabbie.

The cabbie, who allegedly raped a 27-year-old woman in New Delhi on Friday night, was arrested in Mathura even as questions were raised over security measures provided by Uber, the US-based cab firm which used his taxi service.

Three days after the deadly terror attack that killed 11 security personnel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said a finger pressed on an EVM is more powerful than the one on an AK-47 trigger as he asked the people of Jammu and Kashmir to give a decisive mandate to BJP.

Modi also said the resettlement of displaced people is a national responsibility and his government will ensure that those who have been displaced are rehabilitated.

"The finger pressed on an EVM is more powerful than a finger pressed on the trigger of an AK-47," Modi said addressing an election rally in the state ahead of the third round of voting in the state tomorrow.

Modi's visit comes just three days after a deadly terror attack in Uri by Pakistani terrorists that killed 11 security personnel including an Lt Col of the Army.

Modi said the misguided youth are now feeling the burden of an AK47 and craving for Android 1, a platform for mobile phones.

He also hit out at what he called the "dynastic rule" in the state and said that J&K needs a stable government.

Srinagar has been put under a massive security blanket for the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's poll rally this afternoon.

The PM will address the first-ever BJP poll rally in Srinagar at Sheri-Kashmir Indoor stadium.

Apart from deployment of hundreds of police and paramilitary troops in and around the rally venue, all roads leading to the stadium have been barricaded and no vehicular movement is being allowed in a radius of around 2 km.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to arrive in Srinagar in the afternoon after having addressing a poll rally in Samba, Jammu.

Before addressing the poll rally, the PM is scheduled to visit the adjacent Badami Bagh cantonment, the headquarters of the army's 15 Corps to pay homage to the army martyrs who laid down their lives fighting the terror attack at Mahura in north Kashmir's Baramulla district last week.

Eight army soldiers including a Lt Col and three policemen were killed in the militant attack on a camp of the army.

The BJP issued advertisements in all the local newspapers today inviting people to the Modi rally. The All Parties Hurriyat Conference has called for a shutdown to protest the visit.

Just in: Court extends arrested ISIS recruit Arif Majeed's NIA custody till December 22. The 23-year-old Kalyan youth, who left his home to join Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) in Syria, has reportedly revealed during interrogation that he is a trained suicide bomber. Majeed also said that he had made failed attempts to carry out suicide attacks on the security forces in Syria.

Veteran actor Dilip Kumar, who was admitted to a hospital two days ago for chest infection, is recuperating and will be discharged in next 3-4 days, said the doctors treating him.

"He has not had fever in the last 24 hours and his condition is much better now. There is also improvement in the lung infection and he is on the road to recovery. He will be going home in next 3-4 days," Dr Jalil Parkar, a well known Pulmonologist from Lilavati hospital said. 

Just in: MDMK passes resolution to quit the NDA less than six months after it became an ally. The distance between the BJP and the MDMK has been widening following the recent war of words between a section of BJP leaders and MDMK chief Vaiko who had criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for wishing electoral success to Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa on the sidelines of the recent SAARC summit. in Nepal.

As the deadlock in the Rajya Sabha continues, chairperson Hameed Ansari called an all-party meeting after a week of disruptions, despite statements by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in both houses.

Following the compromise accepted by the government as well as the opposition, the chairperson appealed to all parties to "maintain civility in public discourses and uphold commitment to constitutional values."

Pictured is the note on Ansari's appeal.

German-Sanskrit row: Government of India has assured the Supreme Court that no student will suffer due to this controversy. The matter has been adjourned till December 16. 

Modi praises J-K people for record voter turnout in first two phases; says ballot is more powerful than bullet.

PM in Kashmir: Congress kitni chatur hai, jab NC ka dhol bhajta hai toh uski godh mei baith jaate hain, toh kabhi PDP ke godh mein baith jaate hai. (Congress is very clever. When the NC is in power, the Congress supports them. Similarly with the PDP.)

And the big takeaway that Kashmiri Pundit's have been waiting for from the PM's speech. At the rally in Samba, Modi says, "It is nation's responsibility to resettle all those displaced from Jammu and Kashmir."

That's a picture from 1992: Narendra Modi in Lal Chowk, Srinagar to hoist the national flag with Murli Manohar Joshi. ‏@IndiaHistorypic 

PM Narendra Modi addressing a rally at Samba in Jammu and Kashmir. The PM says he is surprised at the huge turnout (an average of 71 per cent) in the polls and says the state has created history. 

"I assure you that I will return the love that you have showered on me with interest, by bringing development here. Youth here need jobs, farms need water, children need good education, elderly need medical care.

"Isn't the government responsible for providing all this? So should we not remove the government which cannot provide its people the things they need? 

"Madhya Pradesh used to be a BIMARU state, but today the same MP under Shivraj Singh Chouhan made efforts to get water to farm.

No government can work on discrimination, there can't be discrimination on the basis of areas, society, everyone has equal rights."

About time. 26/11 terror attacks mastermind, Hafeez Saeed's Twitter account has been suspended, six years after the Mumbai mayhem.

Saeed, who has a US bounty of 10 million dollars on him, but roams aound freely in Pakistan, also asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to tell India firmly that the Kashmir issue had be resolved peacefully under the United Nation's resolution. Otherwise it would be obligatory on him to extend his government's full support to Kashmiris in securing freedom.

"We want to tell Nawaz Sharif that if India does not listen 'a language of love' then he should provide an open support to the Kashmiris for their freedom struggle," Saeed told his supporters.

Headlines Today's @rahulkanwal  tweets: Terrorists thrive on oxygen of publicity. About time we snap their oxygen supply. Murderers like @HafizSaeedJUD must be denied legitimacy.

Roger Federer shone brightly on his first appearance on Indian soil as he fired the Indian Aces to a convincing 26-16 victory over Singapore Slammers in the Delhi leg of the International Premier Tennis League in Delhi, on Sunday.

He was greeted by a huge roar when he made his entry into the stadium for his first taste of IPTL.

"It is very special to be here. I am getting special treatment ever since I have come here. I am very happy to be here. Thank you guys," said Federer while waving at the vociferous crowd after his mixed doubles match alongside Sania.

At the celebratory dinner at his Delhi hotel, here's what Federer ordered. 

The cabbie, who allegedly raped a 27-year-old woman in New Delhi on Friday night, will be produced in court today.

Shiv Kumar Yadav was arrested in Mathura even as questions were raised over security measures provided by Uber, the US-based cab firm which used his taxi service. The 32-year-old driver who is from Mathura was living in rented premises in New Delhi.

Rajya Sabha adjourned till noon after ruckus over sadhvi's remarks. 

In Parliament, week 2 of disruptions and adjournments. The opposition wants a censure motion to be passed on sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti's remarks' the government is unwilling.

The government on Sunday appealed to opposition parties to leave the issue behind and enable smooth functioning of the House from Monday.

Parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu's appeal came in the wake of wash out of Rajya Sabha proceedings virtually for a week and disruptions in the Lok Sabha over the Union minister's remarks for which she later expressed regret.

The Delhi government is considering cancelling Uber's permission to operate in Delhi, and may issue a notice to inform citizens that the international cab-booking service is "unauthorised'.

The controversial San Fancisco-headquartered company, in one of whose vehicles a 27-year-old executive was allegedly beaten and raped on Friday night, has been struggling with regulatory and operational issues ever since it entered India a year ago. Read more

BS Bassi, Delhi Police Commissioner says the Uber cabbie accused of rape has been brought to Delhi and is being interrogated. 

Hometown Ranchi gave a tearful farewell to Lieutenant-Colonel Sankalp Kumar Shukla (42), who died on December 5 fighting terrorists in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, as his mortal remains were consigned to flames this afternoon with full military honors.

Minutes before the pyre was lit, Sankalp's widow Priya was heard explaining to their eldest daughter Shara, about seven, the meaning of this particular ritual at Harmu's Muktidham.

"Dekho beta, iske baad god papa ko dil se accept kar lenge (Listen beta, after this god will accept papa in his heart). Papa is also very happy today. So, we all should be happy. We are proud of papa, na?" she told the child, clad in camouflage pants, who sat with a pinched face. Read

Going ahead with its assembly polls preparations, the Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party has organised 90 nukkad jansabhas (street corner meetings) today in which Union minister Sadhvi Niranjana Jyoti and other senior ministers including Ravi Shankar Prasad and Maneka Gandhi.

The party will hold around 350 street corner meetings across the national capital in the coming week and besides these ministers, actor-turned-MPs Kiron Kher and Paresh Rawal would also address the meetings.

"This week will see a big show of around 350 BJP's nukkad jansabhas in all corners of Delhi with even senior ministers going to these corner meetings," Delhi BJP said in a statement. A senior party leader said Sadhvi's episode was now over and the leader would go among the people and apprise them about the work done by the Narendra Modi government.

Sadhvi Niranjan, a minister of state for food processing, on November 30, had made controversial remarks that left the Parliament paralysed for most of last week. She had expressed "deep regret" and apologised for her comments.   

Infosys shares fell as much as four per cent in morning trade today on the back of a large block deal involving sale of 32.6 million shares. The sale of shares took place at Rs 1,988 each, a four per cent discount to Friday's close.

Four founders of Infosys raised about $1.1 billion by selling stakes in the company, according to Reuters.

Typhoon Hagupit has weakened as it continues to slowly sweep across the Philippines.

At least three people have been killed since the storm made landfall on Saturday but it does not appear to have been as severe as many had feared.

Around a million people have taken shelter in evacuation centres. But Hagupit is nowhere near as powerful as Typhoon Haiyan, which killed thousands of people last year, reports BBC.

Srinagar has been fortified for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's maiden election rally today.

Ahead of his rally, a thick security blanket has been thrown around the city. The security officials have placed a tight security cordon in the areas where the prime minister is scheduled to address rally.

Several helicopters could be seen flying over the cricket stadium where Modi will address his first election rally in Kashmir today.

On the eve of the rally, there were two terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, in which one CISF personnel was injured.    

The Uber cab driver, accused of raping a passenger, was involved in a rape case in 2011, NDTV reports. He has spent seven months in Tihar jail in the case and was later acquitted.  

A Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express from Jammu that was stopped and thoroughly searched for over four hours by the army and police at Pathankot in Punjab following an alert about the presence of an explosive inside it, was allowed to proceed further today.

The alert was passed on to Punjab police by their Jammu and Kashmir counterparts, following which the search operation was launched. The train, which had arrived at Pathankot at about 9:18 pm last night finally left the station at 1.57 am this morning after the search was over, police said.

The Aam Aadmi Party held protests outside Home Minister Rajnath Singh's residence over the rape of a 25-year-old MNC employee allegedly by a Uber cab driver.

The AAP has demanded more security for women and said that the home minister should act immediately. The protesters have been taken into custody, reports CNN IBN.

The party is expected to raise Uber rape case and issue of women's security in Parliament today.

Image: AAP workers protest outside Rajnath Singh's house in Delhi. Photograph: ANI/Twitter   

A driver with radio taxi service Uber who has been arrested for allegedly raping a woman passenger on Friday night, will be produced in a Delhi court today.

The police will demand his custody in court, and once granted, will take the cab driver to the scene of the crime. Shiv Kumar Yadav, the 32-year-old driver, was arrested from Mathura yesterday.

According to DIG (Agra Range) Lakshmi Singh,  the cab in which the crime took place was owned by Yadav and he was traced through his mobile number and has been handed over to the Delhi police. The car was recovered from the city late Saturday night.

Delhi rape case: Uber cab driver arrested in Mathura

Kashmir: Terrorists strike twice ahead of Modi's rally

Mulayam gives a hearty welcome to samdhiji Lalu

India sets new world record for largest human flag

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