Twelve Sri Lankan fishermen were today arrested by Indian Coast Guard for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line and fishing in Indian waters.

Coast Guard ship ICGS Abheek spotted two Lankan boats some 120 nautical miles East of Chennai and arrested the 12 fishermen aboard, a statement said.

The boats, which had 750 kg of fish catch, were seized and the fishermen booked under Maritime Zones of India Act, 1981, it said, adding that they would be handed over to Tamil Nadu police soon.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today strongly condemned a clash between two groups inside the Golden Temple premises in Amritsar, saying nobody would be allowed to disturb hard earned atmosphere of peace and harmony in the state. 

Defence Minister Arun Jaitley may get to see the salvaged INS Sindhurakshak submarine during his Mumbai visit tomorrow where he will review the operational preparedness of the Western Naval Command. T

Telecommunications giant Vodafone today admitted the existence of secret wires that allow government agencies to listen in to conversations on its networks. The company said the tapping is widely used in some of the 29 countries in which it operates. 

Amid large-scale complaints of missing names in electoral rolls in the recently held Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission today decided to carry out a special revision of electoral rolls in Haryana, Jharkhand and Maharashtra where assembly polls are due.        

 

The Commission said draft electoral rolls will be published on June 9. It said claims for getting names enrolled in the electoral rolls and objections against the enrolment of any person in the electoral roll can be filed at the respective polling stations before designated officer from June 9 to June 30.       

 

It said special campaigns will be organised on June 21, 22, 28 and 29 at every polling station in the three states. On these dates, draft electoral roll of that polling station will be made available for viewing of electors along with the adequate number of forms for enrolment.        

 

The electoral rolls will be finally published on July 31.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is likely to visit Bangladesh this month-end in her what could be her first stand-alone bilateral visit to a South Asian country since assuming charge.      

 

While dates of Swaraj's visit are yet to be finalized, indications are that she will go to Dhaka this month.    

 

External Affairs Ministry Spokesman said the Minister is going to a neighbouring country this month but did not specify the country and the dates.    

 

Asked if Bhutan will be the first outside visit for the External Affairs Minister as well apart from that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the spokesman said "I can confirm that both the Prime Minister of India and the External Affairs Minister of India will have their first visits to neighbours and both these are in June".     

 

"If you would like to know whether the External Affairs Minister independently would be going to another neighbour, my answer would be yes", he said adding "this will indicate to you that the neighbourhood is India's priority. We will let you know those when, because it is not before the visit of the Prime Minister to Bhutan'.     

 

Bangladesh Foreign Minister A H Mahmood Ali had written a letter to Swaraj soon after she was sworn in as External Affairs Minister on May 26, felicitating her and inviting her to visit Bangladesh.

Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari today met British High Commissioner James Bevan and the discussed his government's proposal seeking changes to the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill in sync with the western countries.        

 

Gadkari had said in a month's time the Ministry for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping will re-draft the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill in sync with six advanced nations -- US, Canada, Singapore, Japan, Germany and the UK and thereafter, will introduce it in Parliament.        

 

The Minister had also stated that UK consented to cooperate in the area. The Bill will be re-drafted in line with advanced international practices to enhance road safety.    

 

It is likely to include measures such as installing CCTV cameras at all traffic signals, redesigning of heavy vehicles and centralising data to check misuse of driving licences.     

The crucial meeting of the Aam Aadmi Party top brass has ended with leaders denying any 'rift' between the top leaders. Differences in the top rung of Aam Aadmi Party came to the fore on Friday with Manish Sisodia accusing Yogendra Yadav of targeting party chief Arvind Kejriwal and making internal matters public.

 

On Friday, Yogendra Yadav wrote a letter to the party's Political Affairs Committee in protest, stating that the party was losing direction.

 

Meanwhile, AAP leader Anjani Damania has been tasked to bring back Shazia Ilmi to the party, CNN IBN reports.

 

Read more here

Vice Admiral Anil Chopra today took over as commander-in-chief of the Western Naval Command, nearly two months after Vice Admiral Shekar Sinha took voluntary retirement on being superseded by Admiral Robin Dhowan as Navy chief.        

 

Vice Admiral Chopra is second senior-most officer in the Navy and only the second officer to head both the operational commands -- Eastern and Western Naval Command.        

 

"The safety of men and machinery is the utmost priority of the Navy," he said addressing officers after assuming charge and stressed the need to improve the condition of naval dockyards.        

 

Of the 15 mishaps that have taken place onboard Naval vessels, 10 were reported at the Western Command.

A correspondent in Mumbai reports: The Sensex boom has not surprised many. After the coronation of Narendra Modi as the prime minister, stock brokers, investors and financers have been upbeat.

 

In Mumbai, however, rumours about Modi and his government are driving some speculators crazy.   Here are two rumours doing the rounds in Mumbai stock-broking circles that have no concrete basis.  

 

One rumour is that it is possible that Modi will go for a radical step and free the rupee and make it floating -- meaning it will be driven by market forces. In doing so the Indian economy may face some pangs for first two years but it is very likely, speculators argue, that after two shaky years in the international market, decontrolling of the Indian rupee will help increase foreign exchange reserves.  

 

Before the next election comes in 2019, India's foreign exchanges could be $1,000 billion, the speculators believe.   However there is no basis to the speculation.  

 

But the second rumour in the Mumbai markets is even more bizarre. People view Modi as a radical reformer. They think he is so strong leader that he can take any decision and go to any extent to revive the confidence of people in the Indian economy. It is debated that Modi may abolish income tax and end sleazy deals made between assesses and tax officials and try to end the tremendous corruption in the revenue department.  

 

The speculators say instead there could be tax on each and every banking transaction and that would help serve government coffers better. It's said that people may be asked to just impose a 2% levy on all bank transactions.  

 

We reiterate there is no basis at all for this speculation. But the huge expectations from the upcoming Budget is driving speculators crazy.

A correspondent reports: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to visit Bhutan later this month followed by Japan on July 15.  

 

Later he will attend BRICS summit in Brazil and then make his way to United States of America in the last week of September. 

After being accused of indulging in 'chameleon politics', Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has written to the top party leaders trying to explain why he praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A few days ago, Tharoor had in an interview praised Modi following which the Congress had said that Tharoor's views were his and not the party's views.

The entire Aam Aadmi Party's West Bengal unit has decided to merge with the Bharatiya Janata Party, said the party's West Bengal president Rahul Sinha. Senior West Bengal Congress leader Pradip Ghosh will also join the BJP in the days to come, Sinha claimed.

Union minister Smriti Irani summoned as an accused by a Delhi court in a criminal defamation complaint against her by Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam.

And on the Geo TV case... The Pakistan TV channel has given the ISI 14 days to retract their statements and issue a public apology.

Geo TV, the Pakistan television channel, has served a legal notice to the ISI for defamation after the Pakistan security agency accused the media agency of being anti-state and suspending their services for 15 days.  

In the case of the Indian aid worker who had been abducted in Herat, the Ministry of External Affairs said that the Afghan government has fresh leads in the case and are questioning three Taliban operatives. They also said that Alexis, who was abducted, was safe and in good health. 

A Chinese delegation will arrive in India on June 8. Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi will meet his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj.

More details are awaited.     

The licence of Geo News, Pakistan's leading television channel, was today suspended for 15 days and fined Rs 10 million by the media regulatory authority for defaming the army and the powerful ISI.

The decision was announced by Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority after a meeting chaired by its chief Parvez Rathore.

"The authority, after thread-bare discussion while considering all the relevant provisions of PEMRA laws, took a strong notice of violations committed by Geo News and unanimously decided to immediately suspend the license of the said channel for a period of 15 days besides imposing a fine of Rs 10 million, to be paid before the expiry of the suspension period," it said in a statement.

BBC reports: The front-runner in Afghan's presidential election Abdullah Abdullah has survived a suicide bomb attack targeted at his convoy in Kabul.

Police say two civilians were killed and several injured when two blasts hit a rally. Abdullah says some of his bodyguards were among the injured.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Japan in July. 

With strained government-opposition ties marring the functioning of previous Lok Sabha, new Speaker Sumitra Mahajan today said creating "coordination" among parties will be her top priority and she will be "gentle but firm" to ensure smooth proceedings.   

She said she has not taken a decision on Opposition leader yet. "Will study past precedent and then take a call on the LOP. Haven't yet decided if Congress should get LOP or not."

The senior-most woman parliamentarian has taken the new responsibility as yet another "challenge" in her long political career spanning over three decades.  

"Every new responsibility is a challenge for any human being. For me making first 'roti', contesting first election were also challenges and now I have this new responsibility which the party has given me," Mahajan told PTI in an interview.

The Sensex today soared 358.72 points to hit new record high of 25,378.23. Nifty scaled to new peak of 7,572.80.

Indian markets are on a roll on hopes that the Modi-led government would take quick decision to put the economy back on track.

The CBI court has convicted 17 police officials for the fake encounter of an MBA graduate in Dehradun. They have also been convicted of destruction of evidence. 

The quantum of punishment in the case will be pronounced on Monday.

The policemen were chargesheeted by the CBI in connection with Ranbir Singh encounter case that rocked the hill state in July 2009. They were arrested in wake of evidence that 22-year-old Singh, an MBA student from Ghaziabad, was allegedly gunned down by Uttarakhand Police after being caught at Mohini Road where he and his companions were allegedly trying to commit some crime on July 3, 2009.

The case was transferred to Delhi by the Supreme Court on the plea of Ranbir's father Ravindra Singh.

Image: Ranbir Singh

The BJP has decided to field Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javdekar from Madhya Pradesh in the Rajya Sabha polls.  

The ministry of home affairs today sought a report from the Assam government over the killing of police officers by militants in the Karbi Anglong district.

Assam CM Tarun Gogoi has called for a meet to review the law and order situation in the state.  

A superintendent of police and another police official were killed in an encounter when tribal militants from the Karbi Peoples Liberation Tigers ambushe on Thursday night. 

Sounding a word of caution to ruling BJP MPs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked them to remain connected to the ground and not let any complacency eclipse the party's performance which catapulted it to power.    

In a clear message to his party's newly-electedl awmakers, Modi said as BJP was no longer in the opposition, its MPs had a far bigger responsibility in taking the message of the government to the grassroots level and highlight its programmes.      

In his 20-minute speech in the Central Hall ofParliament, Modi exhorted the MPs to remain in touch with the people at the grassroots and not lower their guard.  The PM also asked them to help in the smooth running of the House and attend the sessions of Parliament full-time while maintaining its dignity.

Earlier, in the day Kejriwal refused to withdraw his statement in which he had levelled corruption allegations against Union minister Nitin Gadkari after a Delhi court suggested that they "bury the hatchet" and seek an amicable resolution on the criminal defamation complaint filed by the BJP leader.

"Why don't you shake your hands before the court and finish the matter on an amicable note? Why don't you bury your hatchet and utilise time in a more productive manner?", Metropolitan Magistrate Gomati Manocha said after both Gadkari and Kejriwal appeared in the court.

It's definitely not Aam Aadmi Party's day. Party chief Arvind Kejriwal has been charged in the Nitin Gadkari defamation case. The trial is scheduled to begin from August 2.

Kejriwal is charged under Section 499 and Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code.

However, Kejriwal has been exempted from personal appearance in court.

BJP leader Nitin Gadkari filed a case against Kejriwal after the AAP released a list of 'most corrupt leaders'. Kejriwal, who refused to furnish a bail bond, was also jailed in the case. He was later released after he complied with the court orders.       

Following the clashes, anti-riot police force has been deployed outside the Golden Temple in Amritsar.  

A letter war of sorts has broken out in the Aam Aadmi Party. After Manish Sisodia's letter, Yogendra Yadav has has written to AAP's political affairs committee.

"There is a serious deficit in the party's political thinking. AAP has lost a sense of direction after the Lok Sabha elections," Yadav wrote.  

Finally, we can expect some relief from the heat wave. The monsoon rains reached the southern Kerala coast, weather officials said, offering relief to farmers who have been waiting eagerly for the start of the wet season that is crucial for their summer crops.

At least 15 people have been detained following clashes at the Golden Temple.

Leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha Malikkarjun Kharge congratulates the new Speaker. 

Kharge said: On behalf of my party, the assembly and myself, I congratulate you. I have admired the Speaker Ms Mahajan's presence in previous Lok Sabhas, and this is an opportunity for you to take along all the parties, opinions and democracy together.

Sumitra Mahajan unanimously elected as the Lok Sabha Speaker. She succeeds Meira Kumar. 

After her election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulates Mahajan. "It is a matter of pride to have a woman as a Speaker. 315 members in this Lok Sabha are new entrants. With so many new members, hope the session will be productive." 

What happened inside the Golden Temple is unfortunate, the SGPC will take action against culprits, said Prem Singh Chandumajra of the Shiromani Akali Dal.   

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee's Kiran Jyot Kaur said: We strongly condemn the incident. Many have been injured in the clashes. Now the situation is under control.    

Sikh groups clash at the Golden Temple on the 30 anniversary of Operation Bluestar.

Image: ANI/Twitter

All you need to know about  Operation Bluestar, here
 

The clashes at the Golden Temple erupted today when a Sikh leader was denied an opportunity to speak.   

Clashes erupt between task force at the Golden Temple and supporters of the  Shiromani Akali Dal in Amritsar this morning. At least, six people have sustained injuries in the clashes. 

The 30th anniversary of Operation Bluestar was being observed at the temple.

A superintendent of police and his bodyguard was killed by suspected Karbi Peoples' Liberation Tigers in Assam's Karbi Anglong district.

The police officer was part of an operation against the terrorists. He and his aide went missing during an encounter last night.

Now, two Congressmen are sparring over India's new Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Shashi Tharoor, MP and party spokesman, has earned the ire of his colleague Mani Shankar Aiyar for saying, "it would be churlish not to acknowledge" Modi's efforts to reach out to everyone.

Aiyar accused Tharoor of immaturity. "I am neither angry or offended...deeply disappointed that an intelligent man like Tharoor should come to such judgements... It demonstrates immaturity that according to Tharoor, we should stop being churlish," he told NDTV.

"...This kind of chameleon politics is undesirable," he said.

Sumitra Mahajan, an eight-time BJP member of Parliament from Indore, is set to be elected as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha today.

She has been representing Indore since 1989 and is the longest serving woman parliamentarian. Mahajan, who has never lost a Lok Sabha election, is expected to be elected unanimously.

The United States is looking forward to welcoming the new Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington, but refrained from making any announcement on the possible trip in September.   

"We look forward to welcoming the prime minister to Washington, nothing to announce on timing at this point," the State Department Deputy Spokesperson, Marie Harf, told reporters at her daily press conference.   

"I don't have any more details. We said we look forward to welcoming him," Harf reiterated when pressed further.   

Earlier last month US Secretary of State John Kerry had welcomed Modi to US during his meeting with the Indian Ambassador to the United States S Jaishankar.

India's annual defence budget is just one-third of that of China despite the tensions that remain along their shared border, according to a Pentagon report. The official annual defence budget of China in the year 2013 was $119.5 billion against India's $39.2 billion, the Pentagon said yesterday in its annual report on China, which was submitted to the Congress.

For comparison, the national defence budget of Russia in the year 2013 was $ 69.5 followed by that of Japan of $56.9 billion.

New York's Penn station has been evacuated as authorities investigate a suspicious package.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority says the evacuation took place Thursday night at the Manhattan station. He says the suspicious package was reported at about 10 pm

Long Island Railroad service has been temporarily suspended between Penn Station and the Jamaica section of Queens.

CNN reports: A gunman opened fire at Seattle Pacific University, killing one person and wounding two before being tackled by a student security guard, Seattle police said.

The gunman was reloading a shotgun when the student, working as a building monitor, used pepper spray and knocked him down, Police Capt Chris Fowler said.

"Once on the ground, other students jumped on top of them and subdued the shooter," he said.

The suspect, whose identity was not immediately released, is in custody, police said.

The rift in the Aam Aadmi Party is out in the open. AAP's Manish Sisodia accuses party ideologue Yogendra Yadav of gunning for its chief Arvind Kejriwal.

In a scathing letter to Yadav, Sisodia asked, "Are you trying to finish AAP"? He slammed Yadav for making matters of the party public. He also made Yadav recall that it was Kejriwal who proposed his name for the Gurgaon Lok Sabha seat.

The party will hold its national executive meet today. 

Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is likely to appear before a court in New Delhi tomorrow in connection with a criminal defamation complaint filed against him by BJP leader Nitin Gadkari.

Metropolitan Magistrate Gomati Manocha had on May 23 extended the judicial custody of Kejriwal and fixed fresh hearing in the case for June 6 after the AAP leader refused to furnish a bail bond for his release.

However, on May 27, Kejriwal, at the advice of the Delhi high court, obtained bail from the trial court by furnishing a personal bond. Kejriwal was earlier summoned as an accused by the court in the defamation complaint in which Gadkari had alleged that he was defamed by the AAP leader who had included his name in the party's list of "India's most corrupt".

The police have registered cases of rioting-related offences against 79 persons following the attack on a police vehicle and stone pelting in the premises of Vaidyanath sugar factory at Parli during the last rites of Union Minister Gopinath Munde. Munde, a senior BJP leader from Maharashtra, died after a car accident in New Delhi on June 3.

He was cremated in Parli in the district yesterday. During the funeral, some people in the crowd tried to stop Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan's car. The attackers indulged in stone pelting and overturned a van of Beed police, setting it on fire.

Eight SLR rifles in the van were damaged, police said. Police Constable Machindra Parmeshwar Kappe was seriously injured in the stone pelting.