India and Russia to jointly develop helicopters, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi after talks with President Putin. 

Suspected Hizbul Mujahideen militants today attacked a police team during a procession in connection with Eid-e-Milad festival in Anantnag, injuring an officer and a constable.

Fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim does not live in Pakistan though he reportedly visits the country often, CEO of a leading media group based in Karachisaid here today.

Counter-terrorism police in Pakistan's Sindh province have detained six women within a week who are believed to be part of an influential network of women arranging wives and funds for the ISIS militants. 

India wants to know why the Delhi CM keeps bringing up Times Now editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami.

Kejriwal tweeted today, @ArvindKejriwal tweets: Is it true? Arnab gets Rs 5 crore salary?

To which @DeeptiSachdeva replied: Why should the salary of any professional journalist be the Delhi CM's concern?

While Chetan Bhagat was more succinct: ‏@chetan_bhagat  tweeted: Could be. But he makes honest living, pays his taxes, doesn't make fake promises to poor people and has worked hard.


Kejriwal who is often trolled for his "sab mile hue hain" remarks, targeted Goswami, questioning his relationship with Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

The Delhi CM had retweeted Vinita Deshmukh, Consulting Editor, MoneyLife's comment raising doubts over Arnab Goswamis relationship with Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley, who is in the centre of a storm in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) scam. Why is Arnab Goswami defending Jaitley staunchly? Why cant he be like Rajdeep Sardesai,whos objectively handling the issue and without shouting, Vinita Deshmukh had tweeted.

Kejriwal replied, Arnab ought to answer this. What is Arnabs relationship with Jaitley ji?

Arnab Goswami had a News Hour debate on the DDCA scam asking whether there is a real expose by the AAP or it is just a recycled matter.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweets this picture of delegation level talks underway at the Kremlin. The PM arrived in Moscow on Wednesday to a red carpet welcome on his first bilateral visit to Russia during which both countries are set to seal a raft of deals in key sectors like defence, nuclear energy and hydrocarbons to boost their robust and close partnership.


On his arrival, the prime minister was accorded a guard of honour at the Vnukova II airport amid light drizzle and overcast conditions. "Reached Moscow. A series of programmes await in this short but very important visit,' Modi tweeted both in English and Russian.


Stepping up economic engagement and further expanding ties in strategic areas are likely to be the centrepiece of the 16th India-Russia annual summit talks between Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.


The two leaders are set to deliberate on various global issues such as the situation in Syria and tackling the threat of terrorism as well.


It is expected that a number of major pacts including to ramp up cooperation in defence and nuclear energy sectors will be finalised. Russia has been Indias biggest supplier of arms though New Delhi has started buying more military hardware from the US in the last few years.

BJP senior leader Shanta Kumar on the reason behind the veterans meeting this afternoon.  

Shanta Kumar says, "We keep meeting over tea, nothing specific was discussed."

BJP veterans LK Advani, Shanta Kumar and Yashwant Sinha on Thursday met at Murli Manohar Joshi's home in Delhi. The four senior leaders had earlier criticised the party following its heavy defeat in the Bihar assembly elections.


While they have not yet revealed the reason behind Thursday's meeting, it comes a day after the BJP suspended MP Kirti Azad for defying its orders after he publicly targeted Union minister Arun Jaitley in connection with corruption at the Delhi and District Cricket Association. Jaitley has served as the president of the association.

Cartoonist Hemant Morparia on the Juvenile Justice Bill passed yesterday that lowers the age of adults to 16.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday said the Centre has achieved success in reducing the influence of terror outfit Islamic State (IS) among Indian youth.


"We are trying to reduce the numbers (of youths getting attracted towards the ideology of the IS) and we have achieved success in it," Parrikar said when asked about influence of the IS on the Indian youth. He was talking to reporters after inaugurating the first cable-stayed bridge on Ravi river at Basholi in Kathua district situated on Dunera-Basholi-Bhadharwah road.


On a query related to alleged involvement of army personnel in a suspected espionage case involving Pakistan's spy agency ISI, he said "we had to tighten the security (intelligence) which we have already done".


In the light of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two day visit to Russia and the impending defence deal, Mr. Parrikar said that India's relationship with Russia is not new.


"We have never been away from Russia. Our relationship with Russia on the old contracts (Defence) were already there. Though new contracts were less but now they are taken care of,' the Defence Minister said. While speaking at the function, he also said that this year the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has completely come under the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and its efficiency has increased.

The US today regretted the impact of deportation of Indian students bound for two California schools and said it was closely following the situation after the incident, facts of which were still being collected.

The statement by the US Ambassador Richard Verma came a day after India advised its students to defer their travel to the US till the matter of denial of entry to those students holding valid visas was resolved. "The Embassy is aware of reports that some students bound for two California schools were denied entry by Customs and Border Protection. We regret the impact this may have had on certain students and their families.

"We are following this situation closely and have been in regular communication with the Department of Homeland Security, as well as the Government of India. Facts are still being collected," Verma said.

He also maintained that the US will continue to strongly support educational study and exchange programmes for Indian and US students, as these programmes have been a hallmark of the bilateral relationship for decades.

External Affairs Ministry yesterday had issued an advisory noting that there have been several instances of denial of entry by the US Immigration authorities to Indian students having valid student visas to pursue studies in two educational institutions, namely, Silicon Valley University at San Jose and Northwestern Polytechnic University, Fremont.

"Government of India has taken up this matter with the US Government. We have asked the US authorities to explain the reasons for denial of entry on a large scale to Indian students holding valid visas. The response of the US Government is awaited.

"Till such time the matter is satisfactorily resolved, the students seeking admission in aforementioned two institutions are advised to defer their travel to the United States," the advisory had said.

Prashant Bhushan, former senior member of AAP takes a swipe at Arvind Kejriwal: "AK 'fuming' on BJP suspending Azad for publicly challenging Jaitley! And when we internally raised Qs re AK's integrity? Theatrical hypocrite!"

Shah Rukh Khan @iamsrk Happy Birthday to @AnilKapoor my first friend in Mumbai & I know will always be there till the last. U will always be '42' for me. Love you.

Chhatistgarh CM Raman Singh promises release of scribes in jail. Read

Shaken by the tragic death of the Air India superintendent service engineer, who got sucked into an aircraft engine a week ago, the Indian Commercial Pilot Association appealed to its members to support his family by contributing Rs 5,000 each. The association has written to around 800 pilots, hoping to raise funds and hand them over to the family in the first week of the new year.  Read more

Arun Jaitley targets Arvind Kejriwal, Congress in blog, says 'Falsehood delivered with vulgar overtones is not a substitute of truth'.

We reproduce the complete text of the blog here.

STRAY THOUGHTS AFTER THE WINTER SESSION

"The Winter Session of Parliament has just concluded yesterday. The Winter Session gives rise to a few legitimate thoughts which I must share.

On Parliamentary Democracy:

Parliamentary Democracy has been Indias foremost strength. Different shades of political opinions, regions, States, communities, tribes, all find their way in the decision making process in Parliament. Parliamentary protests are not unheard of in India. In extreme cases there are precedents of disturbance in the past. But the last two sessions have witnessed a clear stand of the Congress Party that Parliament shall not be allowed to function. Most of the congress leaders, in private, have expressed helplessness over the decision of their leadership that Parliament must be disturbed continuously. The moot question which arises for the Congress Party is, how does India legislate? The Standing Committee mechanism which worked exceedingly well since 1993, has been weakened in the Rajya Sabha, by the House repeatedly appointing Select Committees, questioning the opinions of the Standing Committee. If this tendency continues, a successful institution of Standing Committee could be hurt. The Government, therefore, has adopted an alternative option of a Joint Committee to consider the Bankruptcy Law. There are other options being suggested, such as to pass legislation without a Standing Committee or drafting laws in a manner to fit them into the definition of Money Bills. The latter two are not preferred options. The Congress Party leadership must seriously explore that its disproportionate and irrational approach in dealing with Parliament is hurting institutions. If Pandit Nehru can be credited in the initial years of our democracy of having laid down of healthy precedents being established, the current generation in control of the Congress Party will find a place in history of having weakened what their ancestors established. Has the country not lost out by delaying the GST since the last years Budget Session? How far is it desirable to pass important legislations on the last day without discussion? Statistically, we have passed a law. But has Parliament applied its mind to the law?

Vulgarity:

Is vulgarity the new norm of Indian politics? I hope not.

Some months ago a few Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party made statements which were not appreciated even by the Party. The Party President cautioned them and advised them to refrain from making such statements. The result of the caution are visible.

What about the statements made by the Honble Chief Minister of Delhi about the Prime Minister and others, both inside and outside Delhi Assembly? If any functionary of the Government of India were to use such language, it would witness a nationwide outrage. People in positions are expected to act with restraint. They cannot be outlandish.Vulgarity is not a right available to them. The political discourse cannot be couched in vulgar language. Falsehood delivered with vulgar overtones is not a substitute of truth. Lumpenisation of public discourse can never be high point of politics. Functionaries of the Delhi Government and its supporters have lowered the level of political discourse. They rely heavily on general falsehood without ever stating the specifics. The Aam Aadmi Partys success in Delhi seems to have misled the Congress Party that vulgarity brings votes. Indian public opinion has a sense of fairness. It is time that public opinion expresses its outrage against the lowering of the level of public discourse."

The accused in the mob lynching of a Muslim man in Uttar Pradesh's Dadri have admitted that they were "provoked by rumours of cow killing", reveals a police charge-sheet. The police, however, have not mentioned the word "beef" in their charges, reports NDTV.

The charge-sheet comes three months after 52-year-old Mohammad Akhlaq was dragged out of his home and beaten to death by a mob following announcements that a calf had been killed.  Akhlaq's son Danish was brutally beaten.

Vishal Rana, the son of local BJP politician Sanjay Rana and one of the 15 accused in the attack, allegedly confessed that he was told by "some people" Mohammad Akhlaq had "killed a cow."

"In the Hindu religion the cow is our mother. We were provoked, we went to Akhlaq's home. We attacked Akhlaq and his son, dragged Akhlaq till the transformer. The people who provoked me and my cousin Shivam, I know them by face, but don't know their names," Rana is quoted by the charge-sheet as saying. His cousin appears to have echoed the version.


The 250-page charge-sheet also names two of Vishal's cousins.

The attack, says the charge-sheet, was driven by rumours of a 'particular type of meat at the victim's house'.

The police have also cited the statement of Shaista, Mohammad Akhlaq's daughter and Danish's sister.

She has said that the mob included boys she knew, and they were armed with sticks and even a cleaver.

The attackers, she said, broke doors and chased them through the house. "We asked them why are you beating us... they all said you have slaughtered a cow and we won't let you live," Shaista told a magistrate last month.

"They were mercilessly beating my father and brother... they thought Danish had died, they left him...But they dragged my father out, then poured kerosene in the house. They said if you call the police we will kill you," she said.

Shaista also told the police that the mob took out meat from their refrigerator. "It was goat meat. We didn't slaughter any cow," she said.


File pic of the family of Mohammed Akhlaq. His daughter Shaista is a key eyewitness of the lynching. She has said that the mob included boys she knew, and they were armed with sticks and even a cleaver.

J&K CM Mufti Mohd Sayeed admitted to AIIMS with fever. He is undergoing tests. Condition is absolutely stable: AIIMS

Just in: MPs are likely to be flush with funds -- both at a personal level and for their constituencies.

Each MP is likely to get Rs 25 crore under a new MPLAD (Members of Parliament Local Area Development) Scheme.

This apart, the parliamentary affairs ministry has proposed that the salary of lawmakers be doubled.

M Thambidurai, the deputy speaker of the Lok Sabha met Prime Minister Modi and finance minister Arun Jaitley on Monday.

Thambidurai told Rediff.com that as chairman of MPLAD, he is hopeful that the government will consider his recommendations to increase funds for development of their constituencies.

Thambidurai also stated that a few states like Kerala, Punjab, West Bengal have enhanced the MLA local area development from Rs 5 crore to Rs 10 crore a year. 

India has "secured" the release of its five nationals from pirates in Nigeria, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said today. The release was secured after intense efforts made by the government, sources said. "We have secured the release of 5 Indian sailors from pirates in Nigeria. Our thanks to the President of Nigeria. I appreciate the good work done by our High Commissioner Ghanshyam," Swaraj said. The sailors were kidnapped in Warri, Nigeria on December 11 after which Swaraj had sought a report and Indian High Commissioner in Nigeria A R Ghanshyam met President of Nigeria on December 12.

PM Modi inspects the 18th century sword from Bengal that belonged to the Najafi Dynasty. "Gifted to me by President Putin," tweeted Modi.

PM Narendra Modi to visit Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his birthday tomorrow after he returns to Delhi: Sources.

Kirti Azad has sought intervention of the 'margdarshak mandal', comprising Advani, Joshi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh, which was formed by BJP president Amit Shah after he took over the party reins.

Sources said Advani drove down to Joshi's residence and Shanta Kumar and Sinha joined them at noon for a meeting that lasted about an hour.

The four leaders, who had virtually revolted against the Modi-Shah team after BJP's drubbing in Bihar Assembly election last month, are learnt to have discussed the situation arising out of Azad's suspension.

They had made a strong public statement after the Bihar poll debacle, saying the party has been "emasculated" in the last one year and was being "forced to kow-tow to a handful".

The BJP veterans meet at Murli Manohar Joshi's residence ends. 

While on Kirti Azad, we hear that the suspended BJP MP wants a ministerial berth for his wife and also wants his brother Yashowardhan Azad (a former IB officer) as the Chief Information Commissioner. A BJP source tells Rediff.com that all Azad really wanted was recognition for his family members, which was denied to him.

Interestingly, Nandini Azad, who is his elder sister-in-law is a bitter enemy and she is hell bent on releasing incendiary documents about Kirti Azad to the party. She wants to meet Arun Jaitley and Amit Shah to expose Kirti.

Just in: Gun battle on in Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir. Terrorists open fire at a police station injuring two cops. Details awaited.

BJP elders LK Advani, Shanta Kumar, Murli Manohar Joshi and Yashwant Sinha are in a meeting now, the purpose of which is not yet clear. This is their second meeting the last two months. They had met immediately after the BJP's resounding defeat in Bihar. Of the four, Advani and Joshi are the Margdarshak mandal members.

Last month, the four leaders had issued a stinging statement that the party was being "forced to kow-tow to a handful', its "consensual character has been destroyed,' and it has been "emasculated' in the last year.

Today's meeting is relevant because it comes immediately after BJP MP Kirti Azad's suspension. The meeting is underway at Joshi's residence. 

A page from Mahatma Gandhi's diary containing his handwritten notes and an 18th century sword from Bengal has been presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"President Putin gifted me a page from Gandhiji's diary containing Bapu's handwritten notes," Modi, who is here on a two day visit, tweeted. "President Putin also gifted an 18th century sword from Bengal, featuring intricate silver artwork. I thank him for the gifts," he said after receiving the gifts. Putin presented the items to Modi while hosting him for a tete-e-tete at the Kremlin during which the two leaders touched upon issues of mutual interest for both countries.

Yesterday, Rediff.com was the first to report that something was brewing between suspended BJP lawmaker Kirti Azad and BJP MP Subramanian Swamy.


Even as the suspended MP sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention in the DDCA row and asked for "specific reasons" for the disciplinary action against him by the party, Swamy has offered to draft his response to the party's suspension.

Rediff.com had reported yesterday that on the last day of the winter session of parliament as a number of bills were passed and there was general amity among law makers, Kirti Azad was conspicuous as the only MP who looked upset. Azad cut a sorry figure in Central Hall as party colleagues shunned him.

But suddenly all eyes turned to Azad, when they spotted Dr Subramanian Swamy talking to him in the Central Hall for more than 15 minutes. After glaring at Azad, the BJP MPs promptly reported the meeting through SMS to the right quarters.


Today, Azad told reporters that  he had "received a notice but it does not mention any specific (reason) when and where I indulged in anti-party activities. What is my specific fault' I would like to know from the party specific details which will help me in filing my response," he said. Senior Party leader' Subramanian Swamy has told me that he will help me in drafting my reply (to notice)," he added.

Swamy told ANI today, "I will assist Kirti Azad to draft a reply to the notice from BJP. He is still a member of BJP. I have every right to assist him. I don't think party should lose an honest person like him."


A BJP MP from Darbhanga in Bihar, Azad maintained that his fight was only against alleged corruption in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) and not against any individual. "I hope the Prime Minister will listen to my plea and do justice. I will also ask margdarshak mandal to come forward and look into the issue," Azad told reporters in Ahmedabad.


Cracking the whip, BJP on Wednesday suspended Azad, who has been leading a campaign against Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on alleged corruption in DDCA, charging him with indulging in anti-party activities and accusing him of "colluding' with Congress and AAP to bring it into "disrepute'.

Azad said that he had full "faith' in Prime Minister Modi and would expect him to do "justice.' He said that he had received notice (for suspension) from the party and would submit his reply by Thursday evening.

School bus mows down a three-year old child in Delhi's Shahbad Dairy area. Mob sets bus on fire, pelt stones at a PCR van.

Author Arundhati Roy was yesterday issued a criminal contempt notice by the Bombay High Court, for her views on the arrest of Delhi University professor G N Saibaba and the rejection of his bail plea earlier this year.

The Indian Express reports that the court said Roy appeared to believe that she was "above the law'. The court made the observation while rejecting Saibaba's bail plea on Wednesday.

The Gadchiroli police arrested Saibaba last year for alleged links with Maoists. He has been on bail since June, extended later till December 31. Roy had expressed her views on the arrest in an article published this May in Outlook magazine.

Terming her language in the article as "nasty', the judge wondered if one could relate it to the awards she has won.

"Calling the government and police as being 'afraid' of the applicant, 'abductor' and 'thief', and the magistrate from a 'small town', demonstrate the surly, rude and boorish attitude of the author in a most tolerant country like India,' Justice A B Chaudhari of the HC's Nagpur bench observed.

The article, which Justice Chaudhari said contained "scurrilous' remarks against the police, the state machinery and the judiciary, has been reproduced in his judgment. 

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal announcing the odd-even car formula to be implemented from January 1.

-- We have to make this people's movement. #OddEvenFormula can't be forcefully implemente

-- Vehicles of PM, president, chief ministers exempt, except for the Delhi CM.

-- Two wheelers, women drivers exempt from the rule.

-- Lets make this a movement of the people. Not something to be enforced with a danda.

-- I appeal people of Delhi to follow this. #OddEvenFormula is for you, for your children.

-- Agar saari Delhi ki janata ise violate karti hai, to koi chaara nahi hai, ise band hi karna padega. If the all the citizens of Delhi violate this rule, we have no alternative but to end it. 

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal addresses a press conference on the odd-even formula for cars in the New Delhi. Coughing in the middle of the statement on odd even formula, Kejriwal says in jest, "this is probably why the scheme is on". The odd-even formula will be implemented in the national capital from January 1, 2016.

Highlights...

-- The fovernment can take up an initiative but everyone needs to participate in Delhi to make those initiatives successful.
-- Formal notification for Odd-Even Formula will be out on Monday.
-- Odd number cars are to ply on odd dates, even numbered cars on even dates.
-- There's been a lot of talk so far of odd-even formula but no government has had the guts so far to bring into effect.
-- Rs 2000 fine will be imposed on people who will break the rule.
-- All approvals for odd-even car plan have been taken.
-- We request people to car pool.
-- Request opposition not to politicise this.
-- If the public transport is able to bear the pressure, and if the formula works, then we will see if we want to continue it.
-- Neither the Delhi CM nor his family will be exempt from the rule.
-- It's for 15 days, not a continuous programme. Maybe after a few months again we can implement it to bring down pollution levels.
-- Will take a pledge on 30th Jan on schools in Delhi where children will convince their parents to follow odd-even formula.

JUST IN: At least 25 people are killed and 107 injured in a fire at a hospital in Jazan, southern Saudi Arabia: AFP