A Maoist leader, wanted in at least 20 cases in Kerala, and four others, including a woman, were arrested today at Coimbatore in a "big breakthrough," Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said. 

Chancellor Angela Merkel has come under pressure from her coalition partner to disclose a list of spying targets given to German intelligence (BND) by the US.

The number of EU citizens missing in the massive Nepal earthquake has fallen dramatically to around 60 from about 1,000 last week, European sources said today. 

The newest UK royal, a girl born on Saturday, has been named Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.

India's NDRF today began withdrawal of its men from quake-hit Nepal after the country asked foreign rescue teams to end their work.

A 12th standard student of a cityschool today claimed to have developed a new smart phone app,which promises to guide aspirants for those seeking entry to Tamil Nadu Engineering courses to pursue further education without any hitches.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today handed over relief materials for Nepal earthquake victims at the Indo-Nepal border in Darjeeling district. 

Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson announced today he will run for the Republican presidential nomination, officially launching his widely expected campaign from a rally in Detroit.

NCP president Sharad Pawar today termed the performance of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen in Aurangabad municipal corporation election as just a fluke, and said that parties like AIMIM do not last long. "Parties like AIMIM do not last long (electorally) and may be out of the (political) arena within a year or two," Pawar said responding to a query on the performance of the Hyderabad-based party in the civic polls held last month.

Who is 'Eeshwar' in whose name top constitutional functionaries and legislators take oath of office? This RTI query stumped the Law Ministry, which said there is no constitutional provision defining the term. 

 Pakistan's Punjab government hassought an early hearing by the Supreme Court on its petitionchallenging the Lahore high court's decision to release LeToperations commander and Mumbai attack mastermind Zaki-ur

As the net neutrality debate rages on, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg today said "it is not sustainable to offer the whole Internet for free" but is possible for internet.org platform to give basic services without any cost. Facebook also said that internet.org is open to all content and application developers who meet "certain guidelines".

One of the two gunmen in a Garland, Texas, attack on a cartoon contest featuring images of the Muslim Prophet Mohammed has been identified as Elton Simpson, a federal law enforcement source told CNN. 

Nepal's ambassador to India, Deep Upadhyay, on his government asking all foreign rescue workers to return home. "Rescue work has been accomplished, that's why the government has requested countries to go back. We are saying thanks to the international community and asking them to prepare for return," he said.


When asked about NDRF teams been told to return to India, Upadhyay said, "Rescue work doesn't continue all the time, it's supposed to have been accomplished by now. Army and police will only need the equipment. We thank the Government of India, within six to seven hours all necessary equipment had reached Kathmandu."


He also rubbished reports saying Nepal was the unhappy with India and the Indian media's coverage of India's search and rescue efforts in Nepal. "Not at all, who is saying this? Be positive," he said.


The Nepal government has asked hundreds of foreign rescue workers to leave the quake-hit country as immediate relief has already been provided and the remaining tasks will be carried out by its army and police. The major rescue work in Kathmandu and surrounding areas is over and the remaining operations can be handled by local workers, Information Minister Minendra Rijal said.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has directed all the government officials not to entertain the requests of MLAs or ministers seeking free passes of high profile events or concerts.


According to a source, Kejriwal has told his Principal Secretary to communicate with all the departments to put a blanket ban on demands of free passes of entertainment events in the city by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs and ministers.


Kejriwal has also directed that if someone makes a request for free passes then department head should also inform the Chief Minister's office about the same.


"Kejriwal also directed that if anyone wishes to attend any event or concert then they can buy the tickets of the programme and attend it," a senior officer said.


Ministers and MLAs can only attend the event if they have bought the tickets or they are invited by the organiser for an event.

As a local court is set to pronounce verdict in the hit-and-run case involving the Bollywood superstar Salman Khan on May 6, the film industry is keeping its fingers crossed as an investment of about Rs 200 crore is riding on him.


"The film industry is hoping that nothing terrible happens. Either he is pronounced innocent or the least punishment is given," said the trade analyst Komal Nahata.


His two upcoming films, "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" which stars Kareena Kapoor and "Prem Ratan Dhan Paayo" opposite Sonam Kapoor, are currently in the last "schedule" of shooting.


Amod Mehra, another trade analyst, said Salman had committed to do four others films, including "Dabang 3" and "Entry Mein No Entry", but these were only at the stage of announcement. In all, an investment of Rs 200 crore is riding on Salman, who has delivered a string of box office successes in the last few years, according to Nahata.

Nearly 350 AAP volunteers and leaders from Maharashtra quit on Monday in protest against the "murder of democracy' in the Arvind Kejriwal-led party, showing their support to expelled leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav.


"As many as 350 volunteers and leaders resigned from AAP and this figure would go up when we will start to sensitise everyone about democracy being murdered in AAP,' said Maruti Bhapkar, former state executive committee member of AAP unit in Maharashtra.


Bhapkar led the workers in the mass resignation programme held in Pune.


"We are now with Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan to strengthen their hands to float the concept of Swaraj throughout the country in a  true sense," he added.


"You can think about the insensitivity of so-called leader Arvind Kejriwal that a farmer died before his eyes and he kept on his political speech,' Bhapkar said.


"Not only from Pune, but volunteers from Mumbai, Nashik, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Aurangabad, Navi Mumbai etc also hadcome to Pune to quit AAP,' he added.Manav Kamble, another former senior leader from AAP, has also joined hands with Bhapkar.


However, a senior AAP leader downplayed the resignations and said that this is not going to affect the party in anyway.

File pic.

Bangladesh today said it has launched investigations into the involvement of Al-Qaeda's Indian Subcontinent unit in the killing of American atheist blogger Avijit Roy and other secular bloggers.


"Our intelligence agencies do not have any information that Al-Qaeda had killed the three bloggers, including (Bangladeshi-American) Avijit Roy. However, investigations have been ordered to verify if the video tape released in the name of AQIS was genuine," Bangladesh's state Minister for Home said.


The Minister's comments came a day after Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) claimed responsibility for the murder of Bangladesh-born US blogger, Roy.

Kathmandu: We'll be sending our NDRF teams back, some by road and some others will be airlifted: OP Singh (DG, NDRF)

Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina announced her candidacy for president today, becoming the first declared female candidate to seek the Republican Party's nomination for 2016.


"Yes, I am running," Fiorina told ABC's "Good Morning America," and followed quickly with posts to her social media accounts.


"I think I'm the best person for the job because I understand how economy actually works,' Fiorina told ABC News's George Stephanopoulos on Monday. "I understand executive decision making which is making a tough call in a tough time with high stakes," she said.

APJ Kalam tweets: Here comes our latest book #ReIgnited. I and my coauthor @srijanpalsingh having a look at the first copy

Texan council meeting interrupted after mayor fails to turn microphone off during toilet trip. Read/Listen in.

Also read: 5 Things You Should Know About Carly Fiorina

Just in: At least 33 dead and around 12 injured after bus catches fire in Chattarpur Panna (Madhya Pradesh).

The imbroglio over Baba Ramdev's 'Divya Putrajeevak Beej', the ayurvedic medicine that was allegedly branded to promise the birth of male offspring, has mostly been about its blatantly expressed son-preference. Raised in the Rajya Sabha, the issue hogged the limelight last week, with the Opposition demanding an explanation from the government whose Chief Executive has shared many a platform with the yoga guru in the past. Read

India loses USD 9.8 billion every year due to multi-hazard disasters as its 58.6 per cent land is prone to earthquake and 8.5 per cent area is vulnerable to cyclone.


As per the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction's (UNISDR) Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (GAR) 2015, risk profile of India estimates that Average Annual Loss (AAL) from multi-hazard disasters in India is approximately USD 9.8 billion per year, according to a Home Ministry note.

Suspected militants today shot dead a person inside his house in Hazratbal area on the outskirts of Srinagar, police said. Abdul Ahad Dar, a resident of Astan Mohalla locality of Hazratbal, was shot by two unidentified gunmen inside his house, the police said.


Dar, who was working in the Mechanical wing at Rainawari hospital, was rushed to Soura medical institute where he succumbed to injuries. The gunmen fled the scene after shooting Dar and a hunt has been launched to nab them, the police said. No militant outfit has so far claimed responsibility for the incident.

"Muslim actors like Dilip Kumar thought they had to give themselves Hindu names to be acceptable. Was their caution justified? 'My view is that Indians, of all faiths, are tolerant. Secular is a complicated word and I do not know if I can use it in this instance. Tolerance is something that is inherently Subcontinental," writes Aakar Patel. Read

As the dust settles over Nepal, the landlocked country is saddled with questions related to disaster management and state structure, to be answered by its polity and those in charge of governance. As reports point out, Nepal's earthquake tragedy -- with the loss of 7,000 lives (and counting), physical and psychological injuries to many more, and extensive damage to property -- has been exacerbated by the fact that rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts are concentrated in the Kathmandu valley.  Read more

Vikas Swarup, MEA spokesperson tweets: Rescue teams from all 34 nations have been asked to withdraw as it is now 9 days since quake. Search and rescue phase is over. Indian relief efforts will continue.

The Indian media has been facing flak for its coverage of the earthquake disaster in Nepal with complaints in the social media that it was treating the tragedy as a public relations exercise on behalf of the Indian government.

Read more

Nepal has asked all rescue teams from 34 nations to withdraw operations.  India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has also been asked by the Nepalese government to withdraw its rescue teams.


Of the 17 countries which sent search-and-rescue teams to Nepal, the NDRF has the largest presence on the ground with 16 teams, comprising 704 personnel. NDRF teams are equipped with listening devices, cutters, spreaders, chipping hammers, victim-location cameras, hydraulic bags and shoring equipment and have been lauded by Nepal for their exemplary work in rescue and relief of the quake-hit nation.

The queen of elegance, style, the inimitable Audrey Hepburn, would've been 86 today. If you haven't watched Wait Until Dark, Roman Holiday and Breakfast at Tiffany's, do.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has assured his ministry would look into rolling back of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from Arunachal Pradesh, a major students union of the state said on Monday.


The assurance was given by Singh when All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU) delegation met the minister at his residence in the national capital yesterday and submitted a memorandum to him.


Singh said the notification regarding extenasion of AFSPA to nine districts other than besides Tirap, Changlang and Longding is being kept in abeyance, AAPSU said in a statement today.


He said he would discuss the issue with Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju and the decision would be based on his (Rijiju's) wish and interpretation, the statement said.

For people living in Kathmandu, the destruction of the iconic Dharhara Tower, was not just a physical loss, but also loss of the nation's tangible cultural history, robbing it of its architectural jewels. Read more

India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been asked by the Nepalese government to withdraw its rescue teams, reports NDTV.


Of the 17 countries which sent search-and-rescue teams to Nepal, the NDRF has the largest presence on the ground with 16 teams, comprising 704 personnel. NDRF teams are equipped with listening devices, cutters, spreaders, chipping hammers, victim-location cameras, hydraulic bags and shoring equipment and have been lauded by Nepal for their exemplary work in rescue and relief of the quake-hit nation.


On Friday, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar visited Kathmandu and reviewed the rescue operations being carried out by the NDRF in the earthquake-hit areas. NSA Doval said that they have taken into account how NDRF is assisting the Nepalese Government and Army with total dedication and commitment.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said he was surprised after a local court issued a warrant to search his official residence in Delhi to trace former Goa minister Francisco Miccky Pacheco, who is reported to be absconding after conviction in a 2006 assault case.


"It was a surprise to me. I had moved into my official residence the earlier day," said Parrikar, responding to a question today. The local court which was hearing the petition on Pacheco, who is missing after being convicted for slapping a government servant, had on April 23 ordered the search of 10, Akbar Road in New Delhi after social activist and lawyer Aires Rodrigues had petitioned the court against delay by police in tracking down the ex-minister.


The order came after Rodrigues submitted to the court that there was "information" that Pacheco was "hiding" at 10, Akbar Road. It was, however, stayed by a higher court in Goa the same day. "The order is quashed... so I don't want to comment further. It is an issue which probably the investigating agency should work on. How does Defence Minister's residence come in the picture?," Parrikar replied.

Labour supporters have condemned Boris Johnson and the Conservative Party after claims that their candidate for Ealing Central and Acton was "manhandled" by a Tory activist. Read

A Budgam (J-K) resident, who managed to get hall ticket for his brown cow to write a professional entrance examination, said he is determined to take the animal to write the papers.


"You are invited. It is my legal right to take my cow for the exam. I have paid the fees, so it is my right to take the cow there," Abdul Rashid Bhat told reporters.


"It was not my intention to hurt anyone's feeling or make a joke of someone. I filled this form only to check the system," Bhat, who hails from Chadoora area of central Kashmir Budgam district, said.


In an attempt to expose the loopholes in the online registration system of Jammu and Kashmir Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BOPEE), Bhat had managed to acquire an admit card for his cow to write the examination for admission to Diploma in Polytechnic College.


The admit card was issued by the Board in the name of Kachir Gaaw (Brown Cow), which is supposedly daughter of Gura Dand (Red Bull).The cow has been alloted a seat at Government Degree College, Bemina for writing the examination scheduled to be held on May 10.


Bhat said the present system of BOPEE allows all and sundry to register for the examinations. "You also know how BOPEE exams are conducted '" it can be a cow, calf or buffalo. I thought of trying to fill a form for a cow and I completed all formalities including payment of the fees,' he added.


The hall ticket with a picture of Kachir Gaw (Brown Cow). Click on the picture for a larger image.

"We don't get Fox News in India, so people may want to flatter themselves thinking that this has evolved from some inspiration from America. But I think we have our own cultural editorial style, our syntax, our own grammar. And I've never watched much of these channels."


"I used to go to Lucknow, where there is a place that makes the best gilawati kebab,' he recalls of his time as a junior reporter. "It is this finely minced kebab which melts in your mouth, so I'm a bit of an expert on gilawati kebabs!"


Arnab Goswami holds forth with FT's James Crabtree. Read

Ethical questions have been raised after a CNN crew covering the Nepalese earthquake filmed its chief medical correspondent perform emergency brain surgery on an eight-year-old girl using a saw and resuscitate a woman mid-air on a helicopter, using a cardiac thump. Read

While visits and personal meetings are useful, changes of strategic significance have occurred recently with Beijing trying to take the lead, which Modi must take note of.

China watcher Srikanth Kondapalli warns of the pitfalls that await the prime minister as he prepares to visit China.  Read his column on Rediff.com.

Modi is expected to make his first visit to China from May 14 to 16 as Prime Minister, though he was regular visitor to Beijing when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat.

The woman complainant on reports of her alleged affair with AAP's Kumar Vishwas.

"I complained against people who had posted my picture on social network, don't know if they are from BJP or AAP. If you (Kumar Vishwas) are truthful, why can't you come forward and give a clarification? What has the media got to do with this? I'm neither a BJP agent nor from the Congress.

"I have only appealed to Kumar Vishwas to give a clarification on the matter. I have just asked him to come forward, make it clear publicly that nothing happened between us, why can't he do that?"

Kumar Vishwas and his wife have been summoned by the Delhi Commission for Women after a party volunteer approached it saying "false rumours" of his illicit relationship with her were ruining her reputation.

The woman said she had written separate letters to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Delhi Police commissioner apprising them of the same.

The complainant alleged that Vishwas took no action towards dispelling the "rumours" while Kejriwal did not take note of her complaint.

Prannoy Roy on the tabloidization of Indian news. Read

Kumar Vishwas responds to reports that he is being summoned by the DCW on the basis of a complaint filed by a woman volunteer alleging that he had an illicit relationship with her.

Speaking to NDTV, Vishwas denied that he had received summons from the DCW (Delhi Commission for Women). "The BJP is running a false campaign. Why doesn't the BJP shut us in jail?  The media is framing me," he said.


"That woman has mailed me, she has clearly written 'Bhaiya' I've filed a complaint, what should I do next?' She filed complaint against four people with names, her complaint says efforts were made to defame her, but no action was taken till date.

"Stories are being planted (by the media), wrong campaigning is being done, but such people have forgotten that they too have families. This is only being done to bring us down, but I'll keep on fighting against such dirty politics. We are not going to be scared."   

Lucy Hawking, the author and daughter of acclaimed physicist Stephen, has written an emotional open letter to Katie Hopkins. The Sun columnist was urged to reconsider her attitude towards disabled people after Hopkins described Labour leader Ed Miliband as looking like someone "on the spectrum".  Read more

Recent announcement that PM Modi is on social network site Sina Weibo,is a major development. Unlike previous PMs he has access to roughly 55 crore people who are part of Chinese social network sites, says Srikanth Kondapalli, an expert on Chinese Affairs.

AAP holds a presser in support of Kumar Vishwas: AAP's Sanjay Singh said the party would like to request its media friends to not run any baseless or false news against it. "It affects our families, our wives. The woman filed a complaint against four people. Her complaint doesn't say anything about an illicit affair, still it's being propagated from that angle," Singh said.  


A female member of the party filed a complaint against Vishwas accusing him of being in an illicit relationship with her.


DCW chairperson Barkha Shukla Singh said that the girl has written a complaint letter to Police Commissioner as well as AAP founder and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.


The Commission has sent summons to Kumar Vishwas and asked him to appear before it on Tuesday.

An RTI query seeking details of expenses incurred by the Centre on hosting US President Barack Obama earlier this year has been rejected by the Ministry of External Affairs on the ground that such information is sensitive and may affect bilateral relations with the foreign country.


Mumbai-based activist Anil Galgali, who filed the query with the MEA, had sought details of the total expenses incurred by the Indian government on hosting the US President and the American contingent that accompanied him in January this year. He also sought information on the accommodation provided to the dignitaries and security personnel of Obama, besides details of the number of police personnel deployed and security arrangements made during his visit.


In response to his query, MEA's Deputy Chief Protocol Officer Rohit Rathish said every year the Indian government hosts various dignitaries from several countries and the visit of each dignitary is differentiated by various factors like the type of delegation visiting the country, the purpose of their visit, the manner in which the guest is hosted, the number of Indian cities the visitor goes to, among others.


"It would not be wrong to say that each visit by a foreign dignitary is unique. In such circumstances, the expenses incurred by the Indian government on different dignitaries are different and the issue is sensitive for the government. Also, relaying this information may have a negative impact on the bilateral relations with the foreign nation," the reply said.


"Thus, to maintain confidentiality of the sensitive information as per the established norms of the Section 8(1) (C) of the RTI Act 2005, any process to seek information on such nature comes under the relevant section that can hamper cordial relations with foreign nations," it added.

While on AAP, Kumar Vishwas, the party's senior leader and close aide of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, is in the middle of another controversy after the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) summoned him over a complaint by a female party member.


A female member of the paryt filed a complaint against Vishwas accusing him of having an illicit relationship with her.


DCW chairperson Barkha Shukla Singh said that the girl has written a complaint letter to Police Commissioner as well as AAP founder and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.


The Commission has sent summons to Kumar Vishwas and asked him to appear before it on Tuesday.


This is not the first time that Vishwas has been caught in the middle of a controversy, In the past too, Vishwas has been accused of passing sexist remarks.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal lashed out at the media yesterday saying it had accepted a supari (contract) to finish off the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).


Kejriwal made the remarks while defending AAP Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar, who has been accused of faking his law degree. 

"I am not Tomar's relative or friend. I had sought an explanation from Tomar on the controversy. He gave a satisfactory answer and said he wasn't at fault as his degree is genuine," Kejriwal said.

At least 41 Indians were killed in Nepal in the powerful earthquake that left a trail of devastation and suffering. The number of Indian nationals killed in the quake has reached 41, according to a statement issued by Nepal Police. A total of 57 foreigners have been killed in the quake.

PM Narendra Modi speaks at the 'International Buddha Poornima Diwas Celebrations 2015' at the Talkatora Stadium, Delhi. Quick takes...

-- If we want freedom from war, we have to follow the path of Buddha.

-- Nepal, the country where Lord Buddha was born, is going through a crisis. I pray to God to give its people the strength to face it.

-- It is evident that Buddha's life and message are relevant even in today's world. Imagine the courage and conviction to leave everything, money, power and work towards public good.

-- Everyone knows that 21st century is Asia's century. But without Buddha's teachings, the 21st century would not have been ours.

-- The solution to the problems which people are facing across the world lies in Buddha.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday said that the negotiations with the French government to finalise the deal for supplying 36 Rafale aircraft will start anytime in this month. He also said that the finalistion of the defence procurement procedures will be completed in the next two to three months. The Defence Ministry has cleared procurements worth Rs 1,10,000 crore, of which 90 per cent is under 'Make in India' campaign: Parrikar.


The Defence Minister made these remarks on a day when his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian is arriving here to sign the formal deal for supplying 36 Rafale aircraft, the medium multi-role combat fighters of Dassault, to the Indian Air Force as agreed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Paris last month.


Defence officials said that it would be interesting to watch which Indian firm Dassult picks as a partner for a manufacturing base in India.



Also read: Rafale deal: Modi's Parisian blunder

PM Narendra Modi known for being very active on both Facebook and Twitter, is now on the Chinese micro-blogging website Sina Weibo.

@narendramodi tweets: Hello China! Looking forward to interacting with Chinese friends through Weibo.