An all-party delegation of MPs from Northeast India met Prime Minister Narendra Modi today and handed over a memorandum to him on various development issues pertaining to the region. 

Islamic State's ideology is "increasingly resonating" with Americans and the trend of the terror group recruiting adherents online is on the rise, according to the US' National Security Agency. 

Athletes at the Sports Authority of India's centre are undergoing counselling sessions to get over the trauma of recent suicide attempt by their four colleagues, of whom one had died, over alleged harassment by seniors. 

Six persons were killed and 36 others injured in incidents of wall and roof collapse in Bihar which was rattled by two high intensity quakes and five moderate ones today, over a fortnight after the April 25 temblor that claimed 58 lives in the state.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar told newsmen "We have information regarding death of 15 persons in incidents related to earthquake today. There is confirmation of six deaths and for rest the confirmation process is on."

He held a meeting with officials shortly after seven quakes, first of 7.3 intensity, second one 6.2 and rest five of moderate magnitude, rocked Bihar during the day. Two deaths have been reported from Darbhanga while one each have been confirmed from Patna, Siwan, East Champaran and Samastipur. Kumar ordered closure of all schools in Bihar for summer vacation from tomorrow itself.

"The summer vacation is scheduled to start in schools in the next 2-3 days so I have ordered to advance it and declare summer vacation from tomorrow itself in view of earthquake fear and possibility of more aftershocks," Kumar said.

He also issued orders to open all parks and public places in cities for people if they wished to spend time there for fear of earthquakes.

The 7.3 earthquake that hit Nepal today was an aftershock to the disaster that left 8,000 dead more than two weeks ago, geologists have said.

The epicentre, near the base camp for Mount Everest, was less than 100 miles away from that of its predecessor on April 25, The Independent reports.

Scientists at the US Geological Survey said it was one of around 100 aftershocks, stronger than magnitude three, recorded since the previous earthquake.At least nine more tremors measuring up to 6.3 on the Richter scale followed it on Tuesday along the same fault line, spreading further panic, the report said. 

India will not send any rescue team to Nepal to assist the local administration unless the neighbouring country seeks help in the wake of today's earthquake.


"The government will wait for a call from Nepal before sending any rescue team to Nepal," a source privy to the deliberations at the highest level of the government said. The move bears significance as after about 10 days of the April 25 earthquake, Nepal had abruptly asked all foreign rescue teams, including India's National Disaster Response Force, to return home. The government, however, has kept the NDRF and the Indian Air Force in full alert and on standby to respond to any emergency call from Nepal.


"We are aware that the call may come to the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu or from Nepal Embassy in New Delhi. We are prepared," the source said.


Within hours of the April 25 earthquake, Indian rescue teams had landed in Kathmandu and deployed for rescue operations immediately. The issue of sending recuse team figured at a high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Secretary L C Goyal but no decision was taken.

Death toll in Tuesday's earthquake in Nepal has risen to 42 and over 1000 have been injured, according to Nepal's  home ministry.


The 7.3-magnitude earthquake triggered tremors which were felt in Delhi and other parts of north India.


In capital Kathmandu and other parts of Nepal, the quake flattened buildings which were damaged during the monster 7.8 quake of April 25.


"Dolakha and Sindhupalchowk have been affected most by today's quake. Many houses collapsed in these two districts. Several houses have also been destroyed in Kathmandu and neighbouring Lalitpur and Bhaktapur towns," said Nepal home ministry spokesperson Laxmi Prasad Dhakal.

Lok Sabha refers the Land Bill to a joint Parliamentary committee.


The Narendra Modi government has decided to send the controversial land acquisition bill to the joint committee of Parliament in view of continued opposition to the proposed legislation. 

President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday night signed the Black Money Bill to be passed in the Lok Sabha, despite a long flight from Moscow. 


The government was keen to refer this in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday as the session ends on Wednesday. 


If the upper house does not discuss the bill in 14 days, as mandated in the Constitution, the Black money bill becomes an act. 


This comes as a huge relief for Arun Jaitley, who was keen to expose the Congress in the Upper House for its double standards towards  such a crucial bill as the Congress repeatedly disrupted the house. 

Mild tremors were experienced across Himachal Pradesh today after a strong earthquake measuring 7.3 on Richter scale epicentered in Nepal shook several states in North and East India.


However, no loss of life or property was reported so far from any part of the state. Tremors lasting ten to fifteen seconds were felt across the state at 12:35 pm, forcing people to move out of their offices and buildings.


Seventeen people were killed as a powerful earthquake measuring 7.3 on Richter scale with epicentre in Nepal today sent ripples through large parts of east and north India, including Delhi, less than three weeks after the region was struck by a devastating temblor.

The crime branch (Women's Cell) has filed a chargesheet against IPS officer Sunil Paraskar today. Paraskar becomes the first IPS officer to be chargesheeted. Paraskar will be technically arrested, but will be released immediately because he already got anticipatory bail from the Bombay high court. In July last year a 24 years old model alleged the 57-year-old Paraskar molested and sexually assaulted her on two occasions in December 2013.

Senior BJP ministers Arun Jaitley and Ravi Shankar Prasad -- both confidantes of PM Narendra Modi -- greeted Jayalalitha after her acquittal. Jaya is believed to have become emotional at the courtesy call and recollected a six-month old story of how the Centre had helped her by a timely intervention in an income tax case by agreeing to her petititon before the CBDT.  Jaya reciporacted Arun Jaitley's warmth and agreed to visit him at his North Block office.

When is the auspicious and exact timing of the Tamil Nadu assembly elections? November first week?

On Monday, Jayalalithaa spent three hours pouring over the Hindu almanac to identify the auspicious occasion for her swearing-in ceremony as Tamil Nadu chief minister.


One of the reasons Tamil Nadu may go in for polls in the first half of  November is that she spotted an auspicious date.


Jaya is considering Ayudha Puja Navratri -- Vijayadasami -- which falls on October 21 or November 11, which is Diwali. November first week also means that the Election Commission may club Bihar with Tamil Nadu where a new legislature will be in position by November 29.


If Jayalalithaa wants to dissolve the state assembly she needs to inform the Tamil Nadu governor in the first week of July. By then, Jaya's efforts would be to bring the state administration under her control.


For the past six months, O Paneerselvam did not look at a single policy issue leading to paralysis in governance. Developments in infrastructure, or industry or business have all come to a standstill. Jaya has a full one month to institute changes.

The question is should Jayalalitha now contest from Srirangam or go in for a dissolution of the Tamil Nadu assembly? The other legal aspect which the AIADMK is considering is this: If the party decides to go in for a snap poll in November 2015, Jayalalitha need not contest again as an MLA since she circumvents the clause of getting elected within six months. The legal view was conveyed to her and it is believed Amma is still weighing the options. 

A followup to the big news yesterday of J Jayalalithaa's acquittal in the disproportionate assets case.


While early reports yesterday said Jaya would immediately resume responsibilities as chief minister Tamil Nadu, this is not true.

The fact is that unless the Election Commission withdraws the disqualification order of Jayalalithaa as a Member of Legislative Assembly, she cannot be sworn in as Chief Minister.


This process normally takes two working days and here's how it works: Jayalalithaa has to write to the Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Assembly enclosing a copy of the Karnataka High Court order clearing her of all charges and acquitting her from the disproportionate assets case.


The letter will be sent to the Chief Election Commissioner in New Delhi through the CEO of Tamil Nadu. It is in fact, the Secretary of TN Assembly, Jamaluddin, who unseated Jayalalitha and therefore action should begin from the secretary.

Sitanshu Kar @SpokespersonMoD  tweets this picture of casualties being moved from village Mrigu to Kathmandu by IAF's MI-17 V5 helicopter.  A second MI-17 of the IAF has got airborne for Lamabagar from Kathmandu for an aerial recce and casualty evacuation, if required.

Just in: Verizon to buy AOL for $4.4 billion. Details awaited.

CNN puts the figure at 29 dead in today's quake in Nepal. At least another 1,006 people in the country suffered injuries, according to Nepalese government information and communications ministry spokesman Minendra Rijal. In India, three more people died in a wall collapse in Bihar, India.


The magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck at a depth of about 15 kilometers, the US Geological Survey said, slightly revising its earlier estimates, of 7.4.


This was followed by a series of significant aftershocks, the strongest measuring magnitude 6.3, followed the initial larger quake.

Death toll in Nepal from latest quake reaches 19; number of injured 981, says Nepal home ministry.


Pic: A couple with their infant look for shelter near the Pashupatinath Temple  in Kathmandu. Photograph: Anusha Subramanian

The Delhi police has registered an FIR against founder of Indian Institute of Planning and Management Arindam Chaudhuri based on a complaint by the University Grants Commission, which he has questioned while denying any wrongdoing. 

Just In: Singaporean lender DBS becomes first foreign bank to seek RBI permission to set up a subsidiary, says its CEO.

IAF sends one MI-17V5 to Namche Bazaar (Nepal) for assessment of damage due to earthquake. Namche Bazaar is the near the Mt Everest base camp.


Krishna Dhakal, Deputy Chief of Mission, Nepal Embassy, says, "As per reports more than a dozen people have been killed and there has been enormous damage to property. We do believe support and assistance from Govt of India will continue in the days to come." 

A woman is carried out to safety in Kathmandu.

Just in: As per reports more than a dozen people killed, enormous property damage: Krishna Dhakal (Deputy Chief of Mission, Nepal Embassy).

In Siliguri, West Bengal, exam hall vacated after earthquake, students appear for their examination in an open field.

Office of RG @OfficeOfRG needs to get its act together. It's been over 10 minutes since Rahul finished his speech in Parliament, but they've yet to tweet the speech in its entirety.  Tsk Tsk.

And no condolence message on the Nepal quake today either.   

The official Twitter handle of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi,  'Office of RG' debuted on Twitter on May 6. It has 69,000 followers to date and follows just three handles. And no, it's still not RG tweeting, but his office.

BJP's Dileep Singh Bhuria launches counterattack on Rahul Gandhi. "Rahul shouldn't visit farmers and shed crocodile tears. We will give Rahul land and axe if he wants to farm."

Congress vice President Rahul Gandhi speaking in Lok Sabha on the land bill.


Social assessment of the land bill: "It took around two years to introduce the land bill and the NDA Govt murdered that bill in just a few days. We said there must be social impact assessment, but they don't feel any need of social impact assessment.


Land acquisition: "Hindustan ki sarkar ke paas zameen hai, rajyon ke paas zameen hai, lekin aapko kisaano ki zameen chahiye. Your Finance Ministry said that only 8 out of 100 projects are pending due to land. Govt is in a haste to pass this bill, so we asked your Finance Ministry, how many projects are pending due to land."


Anti-farmer bill: "Yeh sarkar kisaan virodhi hai, apne udyogpati doston ko zameen dena chahti hai. If we can't stop you here (parliament) we will stop you on the streets. Ye suit-boot ka kaam hum nahi chalne denge. Thieves now come in suit-boot."

Flights are landing and taking off from Kathmandu Airport again after earlier closure due to #earthquake.

LS Rathore (DG, IMD) warns: Aftershocks will continue for weeks or may be months. The earthquake of magnitude 7.3 was registered at 12.35 pm, 65 km east of Kathmandu, after that aftershocks continued. Though shocks have been felt in almost entire India but intensity was very high in areas adjoining Nepal.

Reacap on the Nepal quake: At least four persons were killed today after a powerful earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale struck Nepal, triggering panic among people already devastated by the strong temblor two weeks ago that flattened houses and buildings, killing more than 8,000 people.


The earthquake struck at 12:35 pm, some 83 kilometres east of Kathmandu near Mount Everest at a depth of 18.5 kilometres, the US Geological Survey said. It had earlier measured the quake at 7.4.


The quake had its impact in several cities in Bihar, West Bengal and UP and tremors were felt across vast stretches of east and northeast India. It was also felt in China. The quake hit Dolakha and Sindhupalchowk districts - one of the worst affected areas in Nepal's last month's temblor.


The 7.3-quake was followed by another powerful aftershock 30 minutes later.


According to aid agencies, at least four persons were killed and 12 others injured in Sindhupalchowk and several buildings collapsed in today's quake.


"All available helicopters along with Medical Team; SSR Team going to be mobilized to Dolakha and Sindhupalchowk soon," said Nepal's National Emergency Operation Centre.


Strong tremors were felt in the capital Kathmandu where people ran out of their houses in panic and some even started crying. Authorities appealed to people to stay in open fields.


On April 25, a 7.9-magnitude temblor hit Nepal, killing over 8,046 people and robbing the country of its architectural heritage. It was 15 km deep. Today's earthquake is one of the largest to hit Nepal after the April 25 temblor. It also triggered landslides in Nepal.


Pic: A four-storey building collapsed in Nayabazar near Kathmandu, following the earthquake. Courtesy: Nepal Times.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes stock of situation following fresh earthquake felt in Nepal and parts of India. PM directed all concerned authorities to be on alert for carrying out rescue and relief operations, as required. NDRF teams put on alert in Ghaziabad, Guwahati, Patna, Kolkata  and Bhatinda.


Pic: A four-storey building collapsed in Nayabazar near Kathmandu, following the earthquake. Courtesy: Nepal Times.

India toll so far: Two killed in wall collapse following quake in Bihar, say officials. 

In Kolkata, hundreds of people ran out of their homes and offices into the streets.

In Bihar capital Patna, people were seen running away from building into open spaces. Similar reports were coming from Assam and other eastern states.

The tremors were also felt as far as Chennai.

The Delhi Secretariat as well as many government buildings were evacuated immediately after the quake. Authorities said there was no immediate report of any major damage.

Nearly 80 people were also killed in India, mostly in Bihar, due to the temblor.

An earthquake, 7.4 in magnitude and 19 km deep, has hit 68km west of Namche Bazaar, Nepal, according to US Geological Survey. It was followed by strong aftershocks.

Eight quakes were felt in Nepal between 12:35 and 2 pm. Four people confirmed dead.

Now USGS reports that there were seven quakes in 45 minutes in Nepal. The strongest tremor of 7.4 was felt at 12:35 pm.


@daulatjha tweets: Difficult to get across through phones. No electricity. People carrying umbrellas & chairs sitting in the open. Bhaktapur after #NepalQuake

What we know so far:

-- USGS reports that there were four quakes in quick succession in four minutes. The highest measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale.

-- In Chautara, Nepal, reports of a building collapse, and four dead.

-- Three major landslides have occurred in Nepal's Sindhupal Chowk area injuring 12 people.

-- No reports of casualites in India.

No reports of damage to property or loss of life in India, says the government. The earlier report that one person had died in UP was wrong. 

Mild tremors were even felt in some parts of Chennai today as the fallout of a powerful earthquake epicentred in Nepal, officials said. Tremors were felt in Valasaravakkam, Santhome and parts of Kodambakkam, they said. The Seismology Unit of the Regional Meterological Centre here said the tremors were felt as a result of the 7.1 magnitude quake epicentred in Nepal. Residents and office-goers fled buildings in the localities to safer zone. There were no reports of any damage to life or property, police said. 

Three major landslides reported in Nepal's Sindhupalchowk region, at least 12 injured, says a district official.

An earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale was felt in Patna and other parts of Bihar this afternoon.


The earthquake was felt at 12:35 pm, state Meteorological department said. The epicentre of the temblor was in Nepal, it said.


Initial reports suggest that tremors were felt across several parts of the state including Darbhanga, East Champaran and Kisanganj.


The earthquake send people into panic. In the capital city Patna, citizens were seen running out from buildings into open spaces. In many schools, children ran to safety in field.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Home Secretary LC Goyal and India's Ambassador to Nepal Ranjeet Ray, NDRF put on alert.

@VishnuNDTV reports: No damage to life or property at Indian Embassy Kathmandu.

Experts say that aftershocks can be felt for weeks after the quake. 

The earthquake hit near the town of Namche Bazar, near Mount Everest. The US Geological Survey said it had a magnitude of 7.4. 


An earthquake on 25 April, centred in western Nepal, had a magnitude of 7.9. Tremors were felt as far away as Delhi and Dhaka. Reports said people rushed from buildings in Kathmandu as the quake struck at 12:35 local time.

This comes at a time when Nepal has just begun relief, rehabilitation and rebuilding efforts.

1 person has died in Sambhal district (Uttar Pradesh) after house collapsed due to #earthquake

The MHA has the final word on the quake. "Two earthquakes struck India with epicentres in Nepal (7.1 on Richter Scale) and Afghanistan (6.9 in Richter scale)," says the MHA.

India's Met says these are the aftershocks of the April 25 earthquake.

USGS however says the quake measures 7.4 on the Richter Scale.

HM Rajnath Singh says outside Parliament: "Heard the news right now, there is no need to panic. India will provide full support to Nepal wherever required."

Tremors felt in parts of China as well. MeT says epicentre was around 30 km from Kathmandu. 

Aftershocks hit Delhi again. Home Ministry is collecting details and information about any damage from earthquake in India, Rajnath Singh says.

Anusha Subramanian, former journalist, photographer, who is helping in relief work in Nepal, tweets: "Felt a huge tremor sitting in the hotel room.. at least 30 seconds... never felt it all these days and told people they are psychologically affected.... but oh man this was scary today... left everything and just ran out..."


This is Anusha's report from Nepal in the aftermath of the April 25 quake.  Read

The epicentre of the quake is 40 km from Kathmandu, around the same area as the April 24 quake. 

USGS claims the quake measured 7.4 on the Richter Scale. 

To recap: Tremors were felt across major swathes of North India, including Delhi, and parts of Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar and Assam in the east and Gujarat to the west. The quake occurred at 12.40 pm today.


Tremors were also felt in Kathmandu in Nepal and Afghanisan. Kathmandu was devastated just weeks ago by a  massive earthquake in which nearly 7,700 people were killed. Tremors were also felt across Northern India at the time, with nearly 50 people killed in Bihar.


Pic: An excavator digs rubble to search for bodies after Nepal was hit by an earthquake last month.

No news as yet on the effect of the 7.1 magnitude quake in Nepal. The  epicentre is believed to be east of Kathmandu in Bhirkot.

USGS confirms that the epicentre of the quake is in fact in Nepal and not Afghanistan as reported earlier.

Metro services briefly disrupted in Delhi. However, PTI reports, quoting the IMD that the quake, which measured 7.1 on the Richter Scale has an epicentre somewhere in Nepal.

Tremors were felt in NCR and Delhi as well. This is a developing story and reports may change.

Tremors also being reported from Odisha and Gujarat.

Reports now say epicentre of the quake is in Afghanistan. Tremors there measured 12.9 on the Richter Scale and lasted almost a minute.

As a comparative, the Nepal quake measured 7.9 on the Richter.

Just in: Earthquake jolts parts of Delhi, Assam, Jalpaiguri (North Bengal) and Ranchi. Tremors felt in the National Capital Region.  Tremors have been felt in Bihar and Kolkata and parts of Northern India. Epicentre of the quake not known yet.


File pic of a house collapse in the aftermath of the earthquake in Bihar last month.

Just in: Fire reported at the Oriental Bank of Commerce branch in Connaught Place in central Delhi, At least 25 fire tenders have been rushed to the spot. Five people have been injured and all others have been evacuated from the building. The fire has been brought under control right now. The fire is believed to have broken on the first floor of the building and broke out at around 11:40 am.


Yesterday, a minor fire broke out at the Transport Bhavan in the high-security area in New Delhi which houses a number of central ministries.

Rajya Sabha adjourns for the third time over Gadkari issue.

With the government introducing the land bill in the Lok Sabha this week, Jairam Ramesh, who piloted the 2013 land bill as the then rural development minister, says the best route now is to refer the amendments to Parliament's standing committee on rural development. Edited excerpts of an the interview. Read

Rahul Gandhi's reaction to Smriti's Amethi visit: "I hope she can get the food park back for Amethi."


Last week, Rahul Gandhi attacked the Narendra Modi government in Lok Sabha over the reported scrapping of a mega food park project in Amethi, accusing the prime minister of practising politics of revenge and not "politics of change' which he had promised.


Home Minister Rajnath Singh assured him that he would look into the matter and inform Gandhi, insisting that the Centre believed in taking all parties along for the country's development.

In Rahul Gandhi's Amethi, union minister Smriti Irani today declared him M.I.A or missing in action. Smriti embarked on a one-day tour of Congress Vice President's Lok Sabha constituency today, to underscore that Rahul has not visited Amethi in over three months. Smriti had also contested the Lok Sabha elections from Amethi.


The BJP leader stepped into Rahul's turf and announced a slew of sops for farmers, which included insurance for 5000 families in Amethi and no deduction in purchase of wheat by the Centre.


Attacking Rahul Gandhi on the Food Park issue, Irani said, "He is lobbying for a corporate house, the land was allotted in 2010 and no work was done. The state government is not paying the compensation."


The food park issue was raised in Lok Sabha by Rahul Gandhi who attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing him of practicing "politics of revenge".

Both houses of Parliament adjourned till 11:30 am. 

I have often written about the gigantic corruption programme created by Congress governments, which walks on two legs: the public distribution system and the public works scheme, namely the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee programme.


Riddled as they were with enormous leakage, the two could not be discarded by the Congress because they were its primary weapons against the Bharatiya Janata Party's sectarian appeal. It could not even countenance any change in the programmes because it would have deprived corrupt supporters of benefits.

Read Ashok V Desai's piece for the Telegraph.

Ananta Bijoy Das, a secular blogger, was hacked to death in the Shubid Bazar area of Sylhet, Bangladesh. The incident took place around 8:30 am Tuesday morning.

Das wrote for the Mukto Mona, slain blogger Avijit Roy's website.

Two other bloggers -- Avijit Roy and Washiqur Rahman -- have been killed in Bangladesh over the last few months.


The incident sparks fresh concerns for freedom of speech in Bangladesh, where several secular-minded writers have been targeted by militants.

William Dalrymple on the The Great & Beautiful Lost Kingdoms. Read

On a recent evening in a Midwestern US city, a middle-aged woman with bandaged arms and a missing thumb entered a crowded restaurant. Nearby, children colored with crayons.


Waiters rushed by.The maimed woman, Rafida Ahmed, scanned the room nervously. The Atlanta financial executive has been hiding since Islamic militants wielding machetes attacked her on Feb. 26 in her native Bangladesh.During the assault, her husband -- the Bangladeshi-American secular activist and blogger Avijit Roy (pictured) -- was hacked to death. Ahmed sustained four head wounds, and her left thumb was sliced off.


On May 3, the Indian-born head of al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent claimed responsibility for a string attacks in Bangladesh and Pakistan, including Roy's.  Read more

Superstar Salman Khan has begun filming the final leg of his upcoming Eid release "Bajrani Bhaijaan" in Srinagar.


Salman, 49, who was sentenced to five years imprisonment by a Mumbai sessions court in the 2002 hit-and-run case which was later suspended by the Bombay High Court, will shoot in the Valley for five days. Director Kabir Khan posted about the same on his Twitter page. "BeingSalmanKhan is back in Kashmir... Last 5 days of shooting left for #BajrangiBhaijaan," Kabir tweeted.


The action-packed romantic drama stars Kareena Kapoor besides Salman. The duo has earlier worked in "Bodyguard", "Kyon Ki" and "Main Aur Mrs Khanna".


After wrapping up his Kashmir shooting, the "Kick" star is expected to be back on the sets of Sooraj R Barjatya's "Prem Ratan Dhan Payo" with Sonam Kapoor.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves for a 3-day visit to China and Mongolia  on May 14. Click HERE for his schedule. 

With barely three million people deep inside the Eurasian steppe and sandwiched between Russia and China, Mongolia is an unlikely destination for Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week. Why has Modi chosen to be India's first prime minister to visit Mongolia? Some point to Mongolia's potential as a source of natural uranium and other valuable minerals for India. Others would see rivalry with China as the driver behind Modi's brief sojourn in Mongolia. 

The Sensex started on a cautious note on Tuesday, slipping over 450 points tracking muted trend in other Asian markets. The fall in the index was led by losses in HDFC, Tata Motors, Bajaj Auto, ITC and BHEL. 

Apple CEO Tim Cook has joined the Chinese social media network Sina Weibo as new figures show the world's largest smartphone market doesn't have much room left to grow. "Hello China! Happy to be back in Beijing, announcing innovative new environmental programs," he posted in English and Chinese on Monday. The message has been forwarded over 36,000 times already and Cook has garnered a following of close to 400,000 Weibo users.

Last month's Nepal quake came as a blessing in disguise for 220 prisoners after the jails got damaged. Himnath Dawadi, head of the prison management department, said that 216 prisoners had fled from Sindhupalchok, one of the worst-affected districts, where the prison was destroyed, and that four more had escaped from Kathmandu's prison. 

PM Narendra Modi offered his greetings to Jayalalithaa after she was acquitted in the disproportionate assets case, extending overnight the lending-range of his shoulder from the east to the south. The exchange of courtesies followed a weekend of fellowship in Bengal where both Modi and chief minister Mamata Banerjee spoke of the virtues of "shoulder-to-shoulder" cooperation for the sake of the country.

Al Jazeera English journalist Mohamed Fahmy is suing the network for $100 million in punitive and remedial damages for alleged negligence and breach of contract, Fahmy and his attorneys said. 

Making the most of the repeated adjournments of the Rajya Sabha on Monday, several MPs made a beeline for nominated member Rekha, who put in a brief appearance in Parliament. Some of the MPs had the actor pose with them for photographs and selfies.

Union minister Smriti Irani will visit Rahul Gandhi's constituency Amethi today to meet farmers affected by untimely rains, but the Congress has said it will oppose the visit over cancellation of a food park project. Irani will address 'Kisan Panchayats' in all blocks in the pocket-borough of the Nehru-Gandhi family, said her party the BJP. "She will listen to the woes of the farmers who have suffered massive losses due to untimely rains and hailstorm," BJP district unit president Durgesh Tripathi said.

At least 17 people were injured after a low-intensity blast on the Sealdah-Krishnanagar local train in Kolkata on Tuesday. The blast took place around 2.30 am. According to police, passengers travelling in the fifth bogey hurled bombs at each other after a scuffle.The injured have been admitted to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.Top police officials are on the spot. Local train services have been hit because of the blast.

24 killed, 49 injured as bus falls into gorge in Udhampur