India's envoy to the United States S Jaishankar has been named India's next foreign secretary. 

A potent symbol of the nightmare enveloping west Africa at the height of the Ebola outbreak, the ELWA-3 treatment centre is being dismantled and incinerated bit by bit as the region emerges from catastrophe. 

US President Barack Obama's three- day-visit to India dominated not just the media space but was also well covered on the Internet. 

The special CBI court here today deferred the pronouncement of order on the bail applications of IPS officers P P Pandey and D G Vanzara arrested in the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter killing case.

The special CBI court here today deferred the pronouncement of order on the bail applications of IPS officers P P Pandey and D G Vanzara arrested in the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter killing case.

The Delhi government cannot pay compensation for any mishap in the National Zoological Park like the death of a youth mauled by a white tiger last year, the Delhi High Court was informed today.

With three consecutive start-ups of its engine after overnight soak in extreme cold around minus 15 degrees Celsius of Laddakh winter, that too without any external assistance, Tejas, the Indian Light Combat Aircraft, has achieved a rare distinction.

The 25-year-old woman allegedly raped by an Uber driver will seek a 'fair compensation' from the web-based taxi firm to ensure nobody else is assulted by a driver working for the comapny, her US-based lawyer today said.

At least six militants were today killed when a US drone struck a stronghold of insurgents in northwest Pakistan's restive tribal region, officials said.

Facing a sharp decline in workforce, Shanghai authorities have appealed to 'qualified young couples' to have a second child as 30 per cent population of China's biggest business hub will be aged 60 or above by this year's end, media reports said today.

A visitors' book, dating back to 1998, has become a prized possession for the School of Artillery at the Deolali Camp of Army near here.    

For, it has an entry dated June 10, 1998, which is a bit unconventional: it's a cartoon.    

R K Laxman, the legendary cartoonist who passed away in Pune two days ago, was the guest at the Deolali camp that day.    

He gave a demonstration of cartoon-drawing during the visit, and had his audience in splits during the interaction with officers and their wives, said an Army press release here which paid rich tributes to the late cartoonist.    

When asked to sign the visitors' book, he drew his iconic'common man' holding a written note in his hands saying "I wish I had joined the Army, it is so nice here".

Health officials said most of the deaths have been reported from the southern state of Telangana and Rajasthan state in the north.

The government on Wednesday announced plans to sell up to 31.57 crore shares (10 percent equity) in Coal India.

It plans to divest 5 percent stake in the company via share sale and the remaining 5 percent through the green-shoe option. The OFS will open on January 30.

The government will declare floor price for Coal India OFS on January 29. A ministerial panel will meet tomorrow for the same and also to decide on retail discount to be offered. 

Anti-corruption campaigner Anna Hazare today said his movement does not need a Kiran Bedi or an Arvind Kejriwal and he believed in "Ekla Chalo Re (walking alone)."

Speaking to NDTV at his village Ralegan Siddhi in Maharashtra, the 77-year-old Gandhian distanced himself from the two most prominent faces of his 2011 anti-corruption campaign, who are now the main political rivals in poll-bound Delhi.

"Let Delhi decide whether to choose Kiran or Arvind. Why drag me into the muck?" Anna Hazare said.

"I don't need Kiran Bedi or Arvind Kejriwal. I have the people with me. Why should I be upset at not having a team?" he added.

Amar Singh on being questioned by for two hours by the SIT on the Sunanda Tharoor case. 

Singh refused to divulge details but told reporters that he was asked about the relation Sunanda shared with her husband, Shashi Tharoor. He also said that he wanted the truth to come out in the case.

"I respect Shashi Tharoor. I conveyed to the Delhi Police whatever I knew about Sunanda. It is not that I do not wish well for Shashi Tharoor, or I am accusing him. So far as SIT investigations are concerned, it is not prudent on my part to tell anything of what I was asked. I was questioned for two hours," Amar Singh said.

Sunanda's son, Shiv Pushkar Menon, is also likely to be quizzed.

Tips (read snitching) and feedback that NDA ministers get about their predecessors (the UPA government) while attending international meetings are alarming.

The BJP government being meticulous about details has collated this information and apparently the content is juicy enough for several defamatory suits.

Some of this information will be used on the Congress during the budget session of Parliament to ensure the party falls in line.

They may hardly see eye-to-eye, but before an outsider, the Congress party and the BJP government put up a united face.

When Obama met Congress president Sonia Gandhi, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi and former PM Dr Manmohan Singh, they stuck to protocol and kept the conversation light.

More on the Obama visit: A union minister who shall go unnamed wanted a selfie, not so much with the US president, but his car, The Beast .

The Secret Service agents obliged to the unique request, of course, once the Obamas were safely inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan during the Presidential banquet. 

The Beast was parked at the forecourt of the Rashtrapathi Bhavan, and this minister, who must have read up our report  on Obama's legendary car, slipped outside while the rest were dining on mustard fish and kebabs and got his selfie.

Watched the Republic Day parade?

If you did, there's no way you would have missed the beaming faces of
BJP Union Ministers -- HRD minister Smriti Irani, Railway minister Suresh Prabhu, spokesperson Prakash Javdekar, industries and commerce minister Nirmala Sitaraman.

Unlike former UPA ministers, the BJP mantris did not sit with wooden expressions as the tableaux moved past them on Republic Day.

Led by water resources minister Uma Bharti they stood up, clapped, and cheered when floats of their states went past.

A thumbs up to the spirit.

The death sentence of Surendra Koli has been commuted to life imprisonment by the Allahabad High Court in the Nithari serial killings case.

Kohli was convicted of cannibalism and unnatural sex with children in the henious Nithari murder case. He had confessed of having sex with his dead victims and also eating some of their body parts.

Who said what during the high-profile US president's visit in the corridors of power. Basically, the goss.

First up, we have this.

Did you know that President Obama carried a 4 cm idol of Hanuman with him?

At the At Home hosted by President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Republic Day LK Advani's daughter, Prathiba, asked Obama about his connect with Hanuman.

Obama fished out the Hanuman idol and showed it to Pratibha Advani. Everyone around were taken aback, but given that there were so many VVIPs waiting to talk to the US president, nobody had the time to get the details.

Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had tweeted the incident.

Well, what we can tell you is that it is in fact, common knowledge, that Obama carries a small idol of Hanuman in his pocket everywhere he goes.

It's considered to be his lucky charm. Other charms include a Masonic emblem and a 'wedding ring' that has the phrase 'there is no god except Allah' inscribed on it.

A photo posted on Time's White House Photo of the Day collection in 2008 showed what the then first ever Black-American "nominee" of a major US party for the Presidential elections carried with him: a bracelet belonging to an American soldier deployed in Iraq, a gambler's lucky chit, Hanuman,  and tiny Madonna and child.

Here's what Dilli's mantris should wrap their heads around. Read


Pic:

The Special Investigations Team probing the murder of Shashi Tharoor's wife Sunanda Pushkar, has summoned Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh for questioning.

The former Samajwadi Party MP told a TV channel that Sunanda told him that she took the blame for Shashi Tharoor's wrongdoings in IPL.

Pushkar died on January 17, 2014. Delhi Police on January 1, 2015, registered a case of murder on the basis of an AIIMS medical report that concluded that her death was unnatural and due to poisoning but did not reveal the nature and the quantity of the poison.

Arvind Kejriwal today accused a "senior leader" of a rival party of conspiring to plant fake stories against some AAP candidates in the media and said they would lodge a complaint with the Election Commission.

Terming it as a "desperate attempt" by the opposition, the AAP chief claimed that such attempts were made in the past as well. "Last yr, farzi (fake) stings were shown against 6 of our candidates a few days before elections to defame us (sic)," Kejriwal said in a series of tweets.

He expressed apprehension that "similar conspiracies" are being planned to malign the party before the upcoming elections.

"A senior leader, famous 4 planting stories, has hatched conspiracy against some AAP candidates n they will plant farzi stories in media (sic)," he said.

Kejriwal also said the party was lodging a complaint with the Election Commission over the issue.

"But Delhiites won't believe it. They know this is last desperate attempt of our opponents who r losing badly...We are making a complaint to EC also," he tweeted.

Nearly a year after the city was brought under President's Rule, Delhi is going to polls on February 7. Results will be out on February 10.

Madhavan Narayanan tweets: Kiran Bedi won't debate with Kejri because he is "uncivil & uncouth". She's from party of Sakshi Maharaj, who went to Swiss finishing school

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will travel to China on a four-day visit starting Saturday during which she will hold talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and attend Russia-India-China trilateral as well as India-China media forum.

During the visit, which comes within a week of US President Barack Obama's three-day visit to Delhi, Swaraj will "discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of concern to both sides" with her Chinese counterpart, MEA said in a statement today.

The two sides will also explore the possibility of a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this year. Both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Wang had visited India last year immediately after the installation of the Modi government.

I am just another Haryanvi girl. If I can do it, other girls can do it too,' the naval officer, who became the first woman to lead the Indian Navy's marching contingent on Republic Day, tells Archana Masih/Rediff.com.
Read

Salman Rushdie tweets his tribute to RK Laxman: "The Moor's Last Sigh
P. 229, Spot RKLaxman's Common Man...  My little tribute to the great RK Laxman."

Col Rai's body is being flown to Delhi today and it will be kept at the Delhi cantonment crematorium. His last rites will take place tomorrow. Top officers of the army and other security agencies were present here to pay tributes to the slain officer. Col Rai, a native of Ghazipur area of Uttar Pradesh, is survived by wife, a son and two daughters.

Army chief General Dalbir Singh on Col M N Rai who died fighting terrorists in Tral, south Kahmir. General Singh said of his colleague, "It is the finest example of leading from the front. We killed two terrorists, but it is sad that he was killed too. There is no need to connect this with the visit of the US president."

President Pranab Mukherjee greets the new Saudi king, Salman Al Saud with this tweet: "Greetings to HM King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on his accession to throne of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Confident ongoing cooperation between India & Saudi Arabia will continue to diversify and strengthen for mutual benefit."

The Army today paid glowing tributes to Colonel M N Rai, who died fighting militants in Jammu and Kashmir, recalling his efforts to reach out to youths in the militancy-hit region and said such sacrifice only strengthens its resolve to fight elements inimical to peace.

The Army said that Rai, 39, commanding officer of 42 Rashtriya Rifles, and head constable Sanjeev Kumar Singh Special Operations Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir Police were killed during the encounter in Tral in Pulawama district yesterday, in which two militants were also gunned down.

Saha said once the house where the militants were hiding was cordoned off, the father and brother of one of the terrorists approached Rai claiming that the ultra wanted to surrender.

But even as Rai gave them an opportunity to do so, the militants came out of the house firing indiscriminately leading to the gunbattle.

"Col Rai always led from the front in multiple operations that he carried out in 2014 and also in 2015. He combined bravery with compassion and people in Tral knew him very well for his several initiatives," General Officer Commanding of the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps Lt Gen Subrata Saha told reporters after the wreath laying ceremony at Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar.

"The supreme sacrifice of the brave men only strengthens our resolve to fight all elements inimical to security of Kashmir," he said as friends and colleagues recalled the contribution of Rai, one of the senior-most officers to be killed in last one year.



The officer's swift actions prevented many civilian casualties during the operation, Saha said and noted that Rai had taken "a number of initiatives for the positive engagement of youth like organising cricket and football tournaments".

"Clearly under his leadership, we could say that the narrative in Tral was changing. He earned the admiration of all the administration for his meticulous planning and we have seen how Tral turned out to vote," Lt Gen Saha said.

Rai was conferred the Yudh Seva medal on the eve of Republic Day for outstanding contribution in planning and conduct of operations including a gun battle with militants in south Kashmir last year.

Saha said the security in Kashmir Valley was being ensured with a "colossal effort" by the army and added it was a collective responsibility of all the concerned agencies to keep the local youth away from militancy.

The mother of a Japanese hostage held by Islamic State extremists appealed publicly Wednesday to Japan's leader to save her son after his captors issued what they said was a final death threat.

Junko Ishido, mother of journalist Kenji Goto, read to reporters her plea to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to "Please save Kenji,' which she said she had sent earlier in the day.

She begged Abe to work with the Jordanian government to try to save Goto, saying "Kenji has only a little time left.'  Read more


Also read: Obama offers Japan condolences over 'brutal' IS killing

Mihir Sharma tweets: Poll says AAP widens lead over BJP in Delhi to 50-41 over 46-45 in 2 weeks. ToI buries it on Page 5. Hmm.

President Barack Obama delivered a stinging farewell gift to the Narendra Modi government whose silence has been exploited by zealots, deftly using some of India's cultural icons to caution New Delhi against perceived religious intolerance.


Obama cited the Indian Constitution's guarantee of the right to "profess, practise and propagate" any religion in words that many interpreted as a reminder to the Modi government.


The Modi government has faced allegations of silence and inaction in hate crimes, attempts by radical Hindu groups to "reconvert" Christians and Muslims to Hinduism and attacks on churches, including at least four in the national capital since it took over last May. Read more

BJP's chief ministerial candidate for Delhi, Kiran Bedi, may just need to clip her lip if she wants votes.

Speaking to NDTV, Bedi, who has never been known to be reticent, slammed her opponent and former IAC colleague, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, calling him 'highly toxic and an expert in defamation'.

Bedi however has sued the AAP chief and former Delhi CM for defaming her in a picture used without her permission.

He said he was very negative and that she had notice it even during the Anna movement.

Asked about whether she was the right candidate for the job, she said, "Nature was preparing me for politics without me knowing it. Anna agitation got me closer to nitty gritty of governance. Last few years I was tracking the political movements and there is an overwhelming enthusiasm for change."

She said she identified with the value system of Narendra Modi and Amit Amit Shah. "I find myself in alignment with their value systems," the former IPS officer said.

She added that the positive reaction to her candidature as the Delhi CM candidate was like a wave, similar to the wave for Narendra Modi.
"Response to me same as Modi. Its is the same wave for me as it is with Modi," she told NDTV.  

For the new Modi-Obama vision to succeed, India would need a more agile management of its international engagement on the economic and political sides considering the fact that the two leaders have agreed to elevate their strategic dialogue to include strategy and commerce. Read

An Indian-origin anaesthesiologist is among five medical personnel who have been slapped with a multi-million dollar lawsuit in New York in connection with the death of American actress and comedian Joan Rivers (image, left). 

Just In: The National Investigation Agency has arrested four people, including the alleged main recruiter, in connection with the October 2014 Burdwan blast case.

New York authorities vigorously defended a decision to shut down America's biggest city for a storm that skirted the Big Apple, dumping the worst snow on Long Island and New England. 

President Barack Obama defended Tuesday the need to maintain a close alliance with Saudi Arabia, a strategic US ally with a poor human rights record, shortly before leaving India for a short visit to the Gulf Kingdom.

A UK public inquiry into the 2006 death of Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko opened Tuesday at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, after years of wrangling over what evidence can be heard.

For first lady Michelle Obama, just a few hours in Saudi Arabia were enough to illustrate the stark limitations under which Saudi women live. 

Japan pressed Jordan for help in securing the release of Kenji Goto, a Japanese hostage of Islamic State militants, after a video on Tuesday appeared to show him saying he could be killed in 24 hours.

A blizzard swept across the northeastern United States on Tuesday, closing schools, cancelling thousands of flights and leaving residents in the hardest-hit parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut digging out as much as 2 feet (60 cm) of snow, though New York City was spared the storm's brunt.

More than a decade after 9/11, Americans who come across a turban-wearing Sikh are still prone to mistaking him for a Muslim, according to a study. 

At least 76 militants, including a Taliban commander, were today killed in two separate air strikes by Pakistani forces in the volatile northwest tribal region, where the military is locked in a major offensive against insurgents. 

Row erupts over R-Day ad on Constitution without secular word
Army officer, awarded on R-Day, killed in Kashmir gun battle
What Obama told Congress party delegation on Monday
Bedi sends legal notice to Kejriwal over use of photo
Is Kejriwal's address fake? Cancel nomination, demand BJP, Cong
China sees red over Modi-Obama chemistry
Thank you Modi & India, tweets Obama as he takes off
Cartoonist R K Laxman cremated with state honours
Cold returns to Kashmir valley; record lows in Leh
In final speech to India, Obama emphasises religious tolerance
When Nobel laureates Obama and Satyarthi met
Hamid Ansari and a lament for patriotism
PHOTOS: FLOTUS has India floored
Senorita, bade bade deshon mein... Top quotes from Obama's town hall speech