BBC reports: Alex Salmond will step down as first minister of Scotland after voters decisively rejected independence.

He will also resign as leader of the Scottish National Party after the "No" side won the referendum by 2,001,926 to 1,617,989 for "Yes".

The national split of the vote was 55 per cent for "No" to 45 per cent for "Yes".

Asserting that the US has "no closer ally" than the UK, President Barack Obama today hailed the result of Scotland's historic referendum that rejected independence from the union with England and Wales.

"We welcome the result of yesterday's referendum on Scottish independence and congratulate the people of Scotland for their full and energetic exercise of democracy," Obama said in a statement after the pro-independence camp was decisively defeated with over 55 per cent of Scotland voting to remain in the UK.

The results were in from all 32 council areas and the "No" side won with 2,001,926 votes over 1,617,989 for "Yes". The margin of victory for the 'Better Together' campaign -- 55.3 per cent to 44.7 per cent -- was far greater than anticipated by the final opinion polls which said the referendum was on knife edge.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today told Chinese President Xi Jinping that "peace and tranquility" at the border is imperative and that all issues as agreed earlier should be resolved.

Dr Singh said it was encouraging to see an expansion of relationship which is going to prove important for manufacturing and infrastructure work that is already being done.

The former PM made these remarks when a Congress delegation led by Sonia Gandhi met with Xi.

"Both countries are putting due emphasis on important areas of development. He (Dr Singh) further remarked that peace and tranquility on border is imperative and we have to remain fully committed to it as these were guiding principles," a statement released by the Congress said.

China's First Lady Peng Liyuan is learning and practising yoga. Chinese President Xi Jinping told Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan that yoga was gaining immense popularity in China and that his spouse too was learning and practising it.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his younger brother and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif were today acquitted of all charges in a 14-year-old money laundering case, in a ruling that comes as a major relief to the embattled brothers.

Was there an early 'modern' period in Indian philosophy? Read

Jadavpur university molestation case: The governor has summoned the Kolkata police commissioner. 

West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi will meet the JU students at Raj Bhavan at 5 pm tomorrow, reports Indrani Roy. 

Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, announces emergency relief of USD 700,000 for J&K flood victims.

The Urban Development Ministry and the Bill & Milinda Gates Foundation also agreed on a partnership to promote user friendly toilets to ensure universal sanitation in the country.

During a meeting with Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu in New Delhi, Bill Gates enquired about the government's sanitation initiatives.

While on Kashmir, the State Bank of India today said it has made 27 branches and 83 ATMs functional for the convenience of people in the Kashmir valley, though loss assessment because of devastating floods was yet to be ascertained.

The Army rescue operations under the ongoing Operation Megh Rahat in J&K for the past two weeks has been called off, while the relief and medical assistance will continue, an army press release says. 

Restoration of the road network has also been largely achieved  and efforts are continuing to improve the condition of the damaged roads.

Operation Sadbhavna activities will continue and the troops of Northern Command remain committed to provide support in close synergy with the civil administration and the police.

Rediff.com's Indrani Roy reports that the father of the girl who was molested told local TV channels that the, "The Jadavpur University Vice Chancellor Abhijit Chakraborty said he 'feared getting killed' to cover up the molestation."

Meanwhile, students, professors and alumni of Presidency University have joined a huge rally from College Street to Police Headquarters at Lalbazar demanding the JU VC's resignation.With cries of  'Amra sobai bohiragoto, Thakbo boshbe marbo joto' (We are all outsiders, we will remain here even if you beat us). This is in reference to the VC's claim that there were outsiders in the Jadavpur campus on the night he was gheraoed.

Four years after astounding doctors by being born with a haemoglobin level of "flat zero", and surviving, Maisy Vignes is a normal little girl who is impressing teachers. Read

What the headlines in the UK are looking like today... See

Jadavpur University  students have allowed the the pro-VC and registrar to enter the office premises after the pro-VC assures injured students of financial assistance.

Students, professors and alumni of Presidency University are taking part in a huge rally from College Street to Police Headquarters at Lalbazar demanding the JU VC's resignation. 

Bangalore: Nearly 200 school students admitted to hospital after consuming their mid-day meal.

In July last year, 23 school children in Bihar's Saran district died after consuming their mid day meal. The oil used to cook the food had been stored in containers which had held organo phosphorus.

The men who gang-raped a 16-year-old girl in Madhyamgram, West Bengal, has been given a 20-year jail term.

The BJP virtually hijacked Shiv Sena's slogan "Jai Bhavani Jai Shivaji" at the workers' rally addressed in Pune by party president Amit Shah, indicative of a political one-up-manship in the backdrop of an ongoing bitter tussle over sharing of seats for Maharashtra assembly polls.

State BJP President Devendra Fadnavis raised the slogan last night concluding the public meeting, a practice usually associated with public rallies of Shiv Sena.

Fadnavis during his animated speech, also kept on referring to Chhatrapati Shivaji's historical legacy asking party workers to emerge victorious under the leadership of Narendra Modi and with the blessings of the Maratha warrior king.

The party president who was given a ceremonial sword on the occasion also started his speech with tributes to Shivaji saying that it was from Pune that the Maratha king gave a clarion call for freedom from the then alien rulers.

Shah ended his address with a promise to give the administrative model of Shivaji to people of Maharashtra if BJP came to power.

Since it was not a joint rally of the saffron allies , the shouts of "Jai Bhavani Jai Shivjai", an almost patented Shiv Sena slogan given by Fadnavis even caught BJP workers by surprise although they speedily caught up with what appeared to be a well orchestrated strategy to galvanize the cadre and attract voters in an aggressive manner.

Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid reacts to Modi's interview to CNN where he states states that Indian Muslims can live and die for India.

The imam says, "Muslims are loyal, need no certificate from anyone. The PM should talk to people who put allegations on our community. Sacrifices of Muslims for this nation are known to the PM and the BJP. So they should work to finish the bigotry against us."

Here's the context: Modi: Indian Muslims will live and die for India. Read

PTI reports that Air India was reportedly able to trace the lost baggage and send it to Cairns, saving the minister an emergency shopping trip.

Nirmala Sitharaman tweets: On board my connecting flight to Cairns. All my formal wear in the lost suitcase! Not sure I can buy Saris in Cairns! Situation precarious!

And that's the pic she tweeted from her hotel window.

J&K facing shortage of 12 lakh measles vaccines, says Omar Abdullah.

A reception at Madison Square Garden for Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 28 is completely sold out, the Indian American Community Foundation (IACF), has announced.

To accommodate the thousands of people who were not lucky enough to get one of the 18,000 free tickets, IACF said that the event would also be broadcast live in Times Square. 

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said the damage in the state due the worst floods in more than a century would run into "many thousands of crores" but he would approach the Centre only after the final assessment is complete.

"In terms of property damage, it is too early to give a final figure but obviously it will run in thousands of crores," Omar told at his makeshift office at Hari Niwas Guest House in Srinagar. The Chief Minister said almost every sector has been badly affected by the floods.

A "loudspeaker war' between India and China has broken out on a windswept slope in southern Ladakh where troops are eyeball-to-eyeball after India objected to a Chinese effort to build a road right up to the border.

Since last night, the armed troops have taken defensive positions on the slope between 14,000 and 15,000 feet against each other after bringing in reinforcements.

The Indian Army is also now clearly waiting for political directions on resolving the stalemate in Chumar because efforts at the tactical level -- with two flag-meetings in three days -- have failed.

The only resolution possible is through simultaneous instructions to the troops from New Delhi and Beijing to pullback to original locations. Read

China fines Glaxo SmithKline nearly $500 million in a bribery case. Read

Nessie weighs in on Scottish independence, in the New Yorker's cartoon. Scots on Friday rejected independence in a historic referendum and decided to remain in a 307-year-old union with the United Kingdom, in a relief to Prime Minister David Cameron.

EAM Sushma Swaraj says the government has allocated 2727 crore for the development of of Nalanda University. "Nalanda is not an university but a tradition, and tradition never dies. I am certain that Nalanda will create an environment which will attract the best students faculty," she says.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj formally inaugurates Nalanda University at its campus in Rajgir, Bihar.

Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi is also present at the inaugural function.

Classes have already begun at the under-construction residential international university, located around 12 km away from the ruins of the ancient university, on September 1 by way of a soft launch and without any ceremony.

The partys poor performance in the recent by-elections comes as a wake-up call before next months Assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra. Read

In addition to adequate provision of funds for cleaning, sanitation training and maintenance of toilets in schools, the issue of fixing accountability must also be addressed. Read

Rediff.com's Indrani Roy reports that Jadavpur University Philosophy professor Saumitra Basu has resigned from the University's Executive Council in protest over the alleged crackdown on students. 

RLD chief Ajit Singh today attacked the government for rejecting his demand for converting the bungalow occupied by him into a memorial to his father, former Prime Minister Charan Singh, and blamed it for protests over the issue.

"There is a memorial in the name of Lal Bahadur Shastri. The residence in which late Babu Jagjivan Ram used to live was converted into his memorial three to six months back. A memorial also came up in the name of Kanshi Ram. So what is the logic of saying this," he said.

He was replying to a question as to how can his demand be met when the Union Cabinet of then NDA in 2000 itself had cleared a proposal banning conversion of official bungalows of MPs into memorials.

The government has stuck to its guns, saying what was done in this case was not Ajit Singh-specific but as per the rules.

"As far Ajit Singh is concerned, he is my friend. Ajit Singh also met me in between and demanded some more time, which was given. After the stipulated period of 80 days, one more month is given to everyone (to vacate the bungalow). After the lapse of that time frame, the government did not have any other option.

The conspicuous absence of Kiren Rijiju, the Minister of State for Home and the Member of Parliament from Arunachal Pradesh, from the delegation-level talks and state banquet hosted by the President for his Chinese counterpart was the only jarring note in the strong message given to China by India on Thursday.

With Home Minister Rajnath Singh flying out to Nepal early on Thursday for the Saarc home ministers meet, Rijiju, the only MoS in the Home Ministry, was expected to represent MHA at the delegation-level talks and banquet.

At least two government officials told ET, on condition of anonymity, that the reason for not inviting Rijiju may be related to not ruffling Chinese feathers over its sensitivities as he represents Arunachal Pradesh, a disputed territory according to China.  Read the full story here.

IAS officer Bandana Preyashi has been appointed as Private Secretary to Law and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Preyashi, a 2003 batch IAS officer of Bihar cadre, has been appointed for a period of five years or on co-terminus basis with the Minister's tenure.

With little else to do, Nirmala Sitharaman, who still awaits her luggage, tweets this from Cairns. "Purple-lavender clouds over the hillock across. Quietly the sun sets down the horizon, soulful music gets louder."

It happens to the best of us and VVIPs are no different.

Nirmala Sitharaman tweets: "Sorry to miss the evening reception at the Palm Cove, Cairns. Staying put in the room. No word yet on my lost luggage."

The Union minister of state for commerce and industry had flown AI's Delhi-Melbourne-Sydney flight on Thursday afternoon. She was to take a connecting flight from Sydney to Cairns to attend the ongoing G20 finance ministers and Central Bank governors meeting there.

Chinese premier Xi Jinping and first lady Peng Liyuan leave for Beijing. 

An embarrassing faux pas has proved costly for a Doordarshan newsreader. A newsreader mistook 'Xi' in Chinese President Xi Jinping's name to be the Roman letter for 11 and read the name as Eleven Jinping.

The newsreader has been removed.

The mistake happened during a late night bulletin which is generally read by 'casual' newsreaders since the regulars do not prefer to work at that time.

"The patriotism of Indian Muslims cannot be questioned''
"Al Qaeda is delusional to think Indian Muslims will dance to its tunes''
"I am confident that India and US can develop genuine a strategic alliance"

Ahead of his visit to the US, Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks to CNN.

Read excerpts from the interview with CNN's Fareed Zakaria.

Presidency University students today will walk up to the police headquarters at Lalbazar in protest against the Jadavpur University incident. 

Jadavpur University students today did not allow the Registrar and Pro-Vice Chancellor to enter the campus and boycotted classes for the second consecutive day in protest against police action on them two days ago.

Registrar Pradip Ghosh, Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Siddhartha Datta, along with other officials, sat outside the university entrance gate with students blocking their entry and shouting slogans against the varsity authorities.

"They had called the police that day inside the campus and we were beaten up. The VC has no right to remain in office anymore and he must immediately resign. If they have to enter the campus they have to walk over our bodies," the students said.

The Registrar said since he was not being allowed to go to his office, he would wait outside till the agitation was over. "What can I do if they do not let me in?" he told reporters.

Some movies are like candy.

Wrapped in bright plastic and frequently too sweet for your own good, they act as sunny, unsurprising treats that lead to sticky, syrupy smiles. Disney Pictures is founded on these spoonfuls-of-sugar, on these simplistic stories of larks and laughter (and Happily Ever After).

Now, the first Hindi release prefixed by that iconic, firework-veiled castle fittingly stays away from grandiose cinematic ambitions and, instead, wears a delightfully large grin. Shashank Ghosh's Khoobsurat is a bright red lollipop.

Read the review before you go.

Some movies are like candy.

Wrapped in bright plastic and frequently too sweet for your own good, they act as sunny, unsurprising treats that lead to sticky, syrupy smiles. Disney Pictures is founded on these spoonfuls-of-sugar, on these simplistic stories of larks and laughter (and Happily Ever After).

Now, the first Hindi release prefixed by that iconic, firework-veiled castle fittingly stays away from grandiose cinematic ambitions and, instead, wears a delightfully large grin. Shashank Ghosh's Khoobsurat is a bright red lollipop.

Read the review before you go.

On Sunday, CNN will air Narendra Modi's interview with Fareed Zakaria.

Zakaria, who is Editor at large for Time magazine, and a columnist for the Washington Post, writes that India's new prime minister, radiates confidence.

"He has the first outright majority in India's parliament in 30 years. The public lauds him, world leaders court him and the Bombay Stock Exchange continues to soar. But will this moment of euphoria translate into lasting gains? Can India become the world's next economic powerhouse?"

Read

The Times of India's spat with Hindustan Times has become messier. Read

Last night, Chinese troops began withdrawing from Indian territory, official sources said. Chinese troops started retreating into their territory from 9:45pm, while Indian Army which was present in large number in the area also started simultaneously reducing their presence in the area, about 300 km east of Leh.

Yesterday, during the 90-minute talks between India and China, the PM reiterated that China should respect India's borders.

Meanwhile, this morning, Xi Jinping meets Sonia Gandhi this morning.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron addresses his nation in the aftermath of the historic Scottish referendum. Scotland voted to stay with the United Kingdom.

Cameron says, "We have heard the voice of Scotland - and now the millions of voices of England must not go ignored. Scottish people have been heard, now it is the turn of England to make their voices heard."

Cameron called for a moment that everyone "comes together to build that better, brighter future for our entire United Kingdom".

He said he was delighted the UK would remain together and called for national unity.

The result became a mathematical certainty at 06:08 (GMT), as the returning officer in Fife announced a comfortable No vote. CNN puts the count at 56 (No) to 46 (Yes).

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah says death toll in the Kashmir floods is 277.

The railways partially resumed train services in Kashmir Valley following restoration of tracks damaged by flood waters a few days ago.

Once famous for its gardens and flowers, a still submerged Srinagar city now presents a grim and nauseating picture of the destruction caused by floods.Localities like Raj Bagh and Jawahar Nagar, once counted among the posh localities of Srinagar, remind of the havoc which began on September 7 night.

The submerged debris, boundary walls, cars and other materials make it difficult for boats to enter the area for relief purposes.

Many parts of the city have begun 'stinking' with pungent smell coming from all directions.

"Heaps of trash is decomposing. So are the carcasses of thousands and thousands of dead animals. Human excretion seeping out of septic tanks, is adding to the pungent smell," said Farooq Ahmed, an employee of Srinagar Municipal Corporation.Aid workers are distributing masks among people to avoid the foul odour, but the masks do not help much.

A large number of houses have collapsed and many are on the verge of collapse as floodwaters have weakened these structures.

PM pays tribute to Mandolin Srinivas: "The Prime Minister expressed grief on the passing away of renowned musician Shri Uppalapu Shrinivas. PM recalled the Mandolin Maestro's dedication & long-standing contribution towards music & added that he will always be remembered."

Not verified, but it seems, Doordarshan sacked a newsreader after he/she read Xi Jinping as Eleven Jinping.

"We understand India needs to come across as very hospitable to its all-powerful visitor. But must she do that by alienating her own people? 'Would not proudly showing President Xi Jinping that people from India's North-East are as much a part of India as those from anywhere else be like a slap on the face of Chinese aggression?" asks Chitra Ahanthem. Read

Jawan injured RPT injured in ambush by ULFA(I) militants in Sibsagar district of Assam.

Scotland has voted to stay in the United Kingdom after voters decisively rejected independence.With 30 out of the country's 32 council areas having declared after Thursday's vote, the "No" side has an unassailable lead of 1,877,252 votes to 1,512,688.

The winning total needed was 1,852,828. Nationally, the margin of victory is about 55% to 45%.

The vote is the culmination of a two-year campaign. Talks will now begin on devolving more powers to Scotland.Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond, has said he accepts his defeat.

He said: "It is important to say that our referendum was an agreed and consented process and Scotland has by a majority decided not at this stage to become an independent country.

"I accept that verdict of the people and I call on all of Scotland to follow suit in accepting the democratic verdict of the people of Scotland."

Lesson to be learnt from this?

Scores of Tibetans staged a protest this morning outside Hotel Taj Palace where Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife are staying.

Protesters carrying placards that read "Freedom is my birth right", "Freedom of Tibet, Security of India" raised anti-China slogans.

Some Tibetans also tried to enter the premises of the hotel, but police managed to prevent them from doing so.

"As the Tibetans refused to budge, scores of protesters have been detained by the police," said a senior police officer.

Security has been tightened around the hotel. A group of Tibetans had yesterday staged a protest and clashed with police outside Hyderabad House, the venue for the bilateral talks between the Chinese President and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Nirmala Sitharaman on her missing luggage. "Air India - had a word of praise for the music collection on board. But now my luggage missing. Hopefully, you'll get it in time for me."

What referendum, why referendum? A little late in the day, but here's a quick look at what the Scottish referendum means. Read

More on the Scottish referendum: Edinburgh, the second most populous city of Scotland, delivers a convincing vote to stay with the UK.  

Union Minister of State for Finance Nirmala Sitharaman lost her luggage on an Air India flight while travelling to Australia for G-20 meeting. "Landed in Sydney to take a connecting flight to Cairns. My checked in luggage not traceable," Sitharaman said in a tweet.

"On board my connecting flight to Cairns. All my formal wear in the lost suitcase! Not sure I can buy Saris in Cairns! Situation precarious!," she said.

"Air India - had a word of praise for the music collection on board. But now my luggage missing. Hopefully, you'll get it in time for me," she added.

Sitharaman will represent India at the meeting of Finance Ministers and central bank governors of G-20 nations in Australia starting from tomorrow. The meeting will held at Cairns on September 20-21.

Tributes on Twitter for Srinivas' demise.

@gsurya  Shocked by Mandolin Srinivas demise. Had hosted him in college, when he was a teen via SPIC-MACAY.

@ksmsundaram1975  He ws a child prodigy. He turned a simple unknown instrument Mandolin n turned into a Household name. #OmShanti

@manojsirsa @kbalakumar At a personal level, had the pleasure of listening to Mandolin Srinivas playing solely for me at his house some 15-16 years ago.

@TrueSchoolMusic RIP Mandolin Srinivasji! Thank you for your contribution to music and for being such an inspiration!

Just In: Mandolin genius U Srinivas has died of complications related to a liver transplant. He was 46. More details soon.

Scotland has voted against independence in a historic referendum, the BBC forecast today after preliminary results showed 54.3 per cent voting "No" and 45.7 per cent voting "Yes". 

26 of 32 regional electoral centers have responded with a No 

Jadvpur University Teachers' Association representatives are scheduled to meet the Education Minister Partha Chatterjee today demanding Jadavpur University VC Abhijit Chakraborty's resignation.

Yes: 45.7 per cent  

Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, voted for independence from the UK, but only by a narrow margin.

BBC and Sky have called the referendum for NO  

Glasgow votes Yes

17 of 32 councils vote 'No', 

Total tally:

East Renfrewshire votes no

12 areas have called No, 2 areas have called Yes

11 of 32 councils vote 'No', 2 vote 'Yes'. 

The result from across the country is currently;

A YouGov poll of 1,828 voters the organisation had previously polled indicated 54 percent of Scots would back the union while 46 percent would seek independence.

Early figures today indicated the turnout for Scotland's historic independence referendum could be the highest ever in the United Kingdom, for a vote that could break up the centuries-old union. 

A roadside bomb in northern Mali has killed five UN peacekeepers and wounded several others, a spokesman said of the latest in a string of deadly attacks on the force. 

President Barack Obama has decided not to impose sanctions against Malaysia and Thailand for failing to meet minimum standards in combating human trafficking. 

Early figures today indicated the turnout for Scotland's historic independence referendum could be the highest ever in the United Kingdom, for a vote that could break up the centuries-old union.