To act as an ice-breaker between both sides, the Border Security Force plans to propose a sporting competition with the Pakistani Rangers at the upcoming talks between both sides in Delhi from Thursday. The sport to be played will be decided after the Rangers first accept the idea. 

Germany, for so long criticised as the author of austerity, is being lavished with praise. Over the migrant crisis, it has demonstrated not just moral leadership, the German people have shown great acts of kindness to the refugees.

At least 20 Indians were killed by Saudi-led coalition air strikes on fuel smugglers at Yemen's Hodeidah port, residents and fishermen said. They said two boats were hit in the attack on an area called al-Khokha near Hodeidah port.

The Patel quota agitation leader unveiled his national plans by announcing the launch of a new outfit which will bring Patels as well as other affiliated communities under one umbrella to press for their inclusion in OBC list. 'Patel Navnirman Sena's will work towards bringing Patels (Patidars) and affiliated communities such as Kurmis and Gujjars under one platform to press for their demand for reservation in government jobs and education under OBC category, said the agitation leader Hardik Patel. 

World No 1 shuttler Saina Nehwal has donated Rs one lakh to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the rehabilitation of the flood victims of Assam. The contribution was made to provide relief for the victims of the nature-hit tragedy. Over 10 lakh people have been affected by the Assam floods, which claimed at least four lives.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has launched the 'Amma Baby Care Kit' scheme, wherein the government will provide accessories meant for the newborn and its mother. 

Filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani said he was offered to head the academic council at Film and Television Institute of India but he declined the offer due to his prior film commitments. He also said that he is not replacing Gajendra Chauhan, who is heading the governing council of FTII. 

The UK government is believed to have drawn up a so-called "kill list" of British Islamic State fighters in Syria, topped by the dreaded Jihadi John. 

Maharashtra Additional Chief Secretary (Home) says Rakesh Maria will continue to head investigations into the Sheena Bora murder case till probe is completed.

Two young British police officers took selfies at the scene of a horrific air crash that killed 11 people, prompting authorities to launch a probe against the cops for gross misconduct.  

Just in: Former Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria denies claims that he is 'close' to Peter and Indrani Mukerjea. Maria, who was promoted to Director General Home Guards, Maharashtra, says he met the former Star India CEO Peter Mukerjea for the first time recently. Mukerjea is being questioned in the murder of his wife Indrani's daugher, Sheena Bora.


Former Mumbai police chief and BJP MP Satyapal Singh hinted at 'friendly relations' between Rakesh Maria and Peter Mukerjea as a possible cause for being shunted upstairs. Satyapal Singh made this claim to CNN-IBN.


Maria, however told India Today TV that Indrani spoke only English, which the local police probing the case, did not understand.


Eyebrows have been raised at Maria's decision to head the Sheena Bora murder probe. A few days ago, Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis rapped the Mumbai Police over the attention devoted to the Sheena Bora murder case. "Police have shown a lot of involvement and attention in a case which is in the media spotlight. It should pay similar attention to other cases which do not get media focus," said Fadnavis, who controls the home portfolio.


The new Mumbai police commissioner Ahmed Javed, denied reports that Maria's entire team probing the Bora murder including police inspector Dinesh Kadam, were shunted out. Speaking about the Sheena murder investigation Ahmed said today, "Investigation is a team work. The accused are already in judicial custody. As far as interrogation goes, it is over at this time. The investigation will be monitored in the right, professional way. The case should be handled properly and evidence collected in such a way that it becomes a complete case when it is put up for trial," he added.


Maria's transfer comes as a shock to many in the state administration as the Mumbai Police are about to file a chargesheet in the case in the next few weeks. State home secretary KP Bakshi, however, said the senior IPS officer was due for promotion as the DGP and the government wanted the new commissioner to have time to settle in to handle the festival season that begins with Ganpati and goes on till Diwali.

Sanjeev Khanna, the step father of Sheena Bora and a key accused in the sensational murder case, today filed an application before a court in Mumbai, saying that he is in "illegal' detention after which the court sought a report from the police.


Meanwhile, Khanna has been remanded to judicial custody till September 21.


The application moved by his lawyer Shreyansh Mithare says that the police ought to have produced Khanna in court on Monday but he was instead taken to Kolkata. Mithare said not producing Khanna before the court on the day when his remand ends amounts to illegal detention.


Magistrate G R Taur called for a report from the Khar police station and is likely to hear the application on September 10.


Yesterday, a fortnight after their arrest, a local court had remanded key accused Indrani Mukherjea and her driver Shyam Rai to judicial custody till September 21 while Khanna was taken to Kolkata for producing him in a court there.

The mandatory period for police custody of all the three had ended yesterday. 

Reacting to Pakistan Army chief General Raheel Sharif's warning of Kashmir being the "unfinished agenda of the Partition" and the "unbearable cost" of a "short or long" war, Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday said no bilateral relationship can get better on the basis of threats, and it was also not essential to give answers to such rhetoric.


"It is very difficult to improve a relationship with threats. Relationships improve with love. We don't find it essential to answer to people who talk all this," he said.


Rijiju said General Sharif and Pakistan's National Security Advisor Sartaj Aziz mentioned the Kashmir issue. "India's stand (on Kashmir) is clear from the very first day," Rijiju said.

Your Highness, Emperor of India, host of Mann ki Baat, harbinger of achhe din, Lord of the bhakts, I hope you are well. I trust you will not mind if I call you Emperor. I know you are a democratically elected leader, but your regal bearing and magnificent sartorial adventures are worthy of the finest traditions of hereditary monarchy and feudal nobility. And, beside, as pretty much most Indians know, you don't necessarily have a liking or patience for parliamentary democracy. Don't blame you for that.


Read the column here

Former Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria's farewell in Mumbai, he is now the new DG Home Guards.

Two-timing techie MG Gokul adopted several identities and resorted to elaborate hoaxes while implementing his plan to allegedly murder his wife and to get rid of his lover's husband. Gokul, 34, posed as a 'baba' or spiritual guru, an astrologer and an archbishop as he sought to uncover his wife Anuradha's extra-marital affair and get rid of her so that he could reunite with his lover from his high school days. Read more

16 Incredible Headlines That Could ONLY Be Written By The Times Of India. Take a look.

A Toronto businessman who had been running for parliament with Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper's party made the wrong kind of splash and is out of the race after being caught on video urinating into a coffee cup.


The CBC television channel used hidden cameras in 2012 to record Jerry Bance peeing into the cup and pouring it down the sink while he was working as a plumber.


Subsequently, Mr Bance had been running in a Toronto district but a Conservative Party spokesman said yesterday: "Mr Bance is no longer a candidate," adding that he had not been entirely truthful in the candidate screening process. Take a look.

How a Mughal-inspired court verdict allows cities to ban meat during Jain festival. Read

Congress president Sonia Gandhi will unveil a statue of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and attend a meeting of the vigilance and monitoring committee during a two-day visit to her constituency starting from September 9.


The Congress president will unveil the statue of the former Prime Minister at the Zila Panchayat building on Septmeber 9 and later attend the meeting of the vigilance and monitoring committee, Sonia Gandhi's representative K L Sharma said.


In the evening she will meet party workers at the Bhuemau guest house. On the second day she would meet the people, before visiting her parliamentary constituency.

Just in: Indrani's Mukerjea's ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna sent to judicial custody till September 21. 

KP Bakshi, additional chief secretary, Home, Maharashtra, says Rakesh Maria's promotion as DG Home Guards was deliberated upon for many days, the CM and senior officers were consulted.


If you recollect, on September 6, Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis rapped the Mumbai Police over the attention devoted to the Sheena Bora murder case. "Police have shown a lot of involvement and attention in a case which is in the media spotlight. It should pay similar attention to other cases which do not get media focus," said Fadnavis, who controls the home portfolio. However, he added police had done a commendable job in investigating the case.

Mumbai CP Ahmed Javed reacts on the Sheena Bora case:

-- The Sheena Bora probe is collective team work.

--  The probe will be handled properly, in a correct manner.

-- At this stage police interrogation is already over.

-- Evidence must be put together properly by the court.

-- There is scope for improvement in the probe.

-- Citizens of Mumbai can expect policing that will be straightforward and transparent.

Alright, news coming in now from Mumbai police commissioner Ahmed Javed's press conference: The top cop denied that the entire police team probing the Sheena Bora murder case has also been shunted out.

Just in: Moments after Ahmed Javed took over as Mumbai police commissioner, the first thing he did was to disband the entire police team investigating and supervising the Sheena Bora murder probe, including  officer, Dinesh Kadam, who was spearheading the probe. Four cops at the Khar Police station, including Kadam, where the case has been filed, have been shunted out.

Rakesh Maria, the erstwhile police commissioner who headed the investigations in the high profile case was moved out as DG Home Guards. While Maria's promotion was expected at the end of the month and the home secretary said it was routine transfer, it is not the case with the other IOs in the case.


Pic: Ahmed Javed (foreground) with Rakesh Maria

So, Rakesh Maria is promote to the post of Director General, Home Guards and Commandant General Civil Defence. The post of police commissioner, Mumbai is upgraded and Javed Ahmed, who is Director Genral home Guards and Commandant General Civil Defence takes over on the upgraded CP post.

In effect, the police commissioner's post was upgraded to accommodate Javed Ahmed.

Former police commissioner Satyapal Singh has linked the transfer to the Sheena Bora murder probe and the interrogation of Peter Mukerjea.   

Just in: Sonia Gandhi's tenure as Congress president extended by a year.  the election for the post of the Congress President has been postponed for one year. It will be held next year, in effect giving Sonia Gandhi one years' extension.


The CWC decision means Rahul's formal elevation will not happen this year even though he would become more active in decision-making.


Our sources tell us that there was realisation both among the senior leaders as well the among the Team Rahul to maintain status quo on the top leadership for some more time. The old guard in the Congress are not happy with Rahul's style of functioning and would rather put their weight behind Sonia Gandhi. The move to keep Sonia as Congress president will keep the hostile faction at bay at least for a year and more importantly for the Bihar polls up ahead.

Sonia Gandhi, who took over reigns of Congress in 1998, is the longest serving president of the party till date.

After completing his tenure as environment minister and rural development minister in the Manmohan Singh government, Jairam Ramesh quickly wrote two books, Green Signals: Ecology, Growth and Democracy in India and Legislating for Justice: The Making of the 2013 Land Acquisition Law.


His latest book To The Brink and Back -- India's 1991 Story has made the most waves since it highlights the 35 days in 1991 when then prime minister P V Narasimha Rao and then finance minister Manmohan Singh ushered in momentous changes in India.


Jairam Ramesh discussed the backdrop for his book with Rashme Sehgal in this exclusive interview for Rediff.com. Read

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's announcement that the government has decided to implement the One Rank One Pension scheme came as a huge relief to the veterans of the armed forces and also to those now in the services.


There remain some wrinkles that need to be ironed out and gaps in clarity that have to be filled. Most of the doubts are bound to be put to rest when the formal government order is issued. Credit must be given to the government for bringing a sense of closure to an issue that has been hanging fire for over 40 years. Read more

A 16-year-old girl returning home alone in the evening seemed like an easy target for two drunken men. They reached out to grab her, only to get a fistful of fury. The teenager punched them in the face, kicked them where it hurts most, left them bloody, battered and bewildered -- and running for their lives.


In Madhyamgram, the northern outskirts of Kolkata where molestation and rape are almost an everyday nightmare, the story of a fightback has turned this karate girl into an instant hero. Read more

Fresh plea in the High Court alleging no action taken by TERI against its DG R K Pachauri on internal panel's findings in sexual harassment case.

Just in: Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria promoted to Director General Home Guard. Ahmed Javed takes over as Mumbai CP. This comes at a time when Maria is personally heading investigations in the Sheena Bora murder.


Last year, when Maria took over as Mumbai top cop, Javed, a senior IPS officer, has gone of leave instead of taking charge as Director General, Home Guard. Javed had called Maria's appointed unjust and pointed out that he was the top contender for the post.


Maria, as the Deputy Commissioner Police (Traffic) in 1993, had cracked the Bombay serial blasts case, and later moved to DCP (Crime) and then Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), of the Mumbai Police.

Maria cracked the 2003 Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar twin blasts case, arresting six persons, including a couple for planting the explosive devices inside taxis.


Maria was given the responsibility of investigating the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. He interrogated Ajmal Kasab, the only terrorist captured alive, and successfully investigated the case. Kasab was hanged in 2012.

The first glimpse of Sanjeev Khanna I caught was in the departure lounge at Calcutta airport while waiting to board the Jet Airways flight 9W628.He was sitting alone wearing a black round-neck T-shirt, greenish track pants and a pair of slippers.

Unlike the pictures we had seen of the moustachioed Khanna on August 26, he was now sporting a full beard which he stroked frequently.


I managed to click a picture of him on my phone and then walked up to him and asked him how he was doing.

"I know I am in trouble... but I will get out of it," he told me calmly.


Read the report on the Telegraph.

"Both Abdul Hamid and the enemy tank place each other in their sights and shoot. Both shells hit their targets. There is a loud blast, fire and smoke.

"Abdul Hamid is dead. He has destroyed a total of seven enemy tanks, many more than what an armoured formation could take on."


 Rachna Bisht Rawat salutes Abdul Hamid's incomparable courage in the 1965 War. An exclusive excerpt from her new book, 1965: Stories from the Second Indo-Pak War (Penguin Viking). Read

Congress president Sonia Gandhi launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying the promises made by Modi during the 2014 Lok Sabha election campaigns have become nothing more than 'hawa baazi' (talking in the air).


"It has become painfully clear that most of the promises by PM during poll campaign were nothing more than hawa baazi," Gandhi said while addressing top leaders at the Congress Working Committee meet. The PM, she added has been reduced to "unedifying flip flops".

"Security situation in neighbourhood has deteriorated. Instead of a coherent policy on Pakistan, government cannot seem to make up its mind on what it should do," Gandhi said. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) is likely to extend Gandhi's term as its president by a year.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today embarked on a four-day visit to Japan where he will inaugurate a memorial and statue of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and also hold consultations with captains of Japanese trade and commerce for investment opportunities back home.

The Maharashtra government should have no hesitation in taking advice from an "experienced" Sharad Pawar in tackling drought, the Shiv Sena today said, but at the same time it criticised the NCP chief for "not using his position" as agriculture minister for betterment of farmers.


The party, which is part of the ruling coalition in the state, said that there should be no politics over the critical issue of drought.


"Sharad Pawar is an extremely experienced man. He is once again out on a tour of drought affected regions to take a stock of farmers affected by the natural calamity. The government should have no qualms about taking guidance from him," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said.


The party, however, hit out at other NCP leaders, saying they are "in the habit of playing politics over the drought conditions. "They will shout and say the government took guidance from Pawar. Politics should not be played over the issue and Pawar should be the first person to realise this," it said.

Sonia Gandhi's tenure as Congress president is likely to be extended say reports. The Congress Working Committee, which will be meeting today, is likely to extend the term of party president Sonia Gandhi.


The CWC, which is the highest decision making body of the party, will also discuss the present political situation in the country and party's strategy for the upcoming Bihar assembly polls.Sonia Gandhi's term as party president will end in December and the party is likely to hold organisational elections next year.


Sonia Gandhi, who took over reigns of Congress in 1998, is the longest serving president of the party till date.

Industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla is believed to have emerged as the highest bidder for Jatia House, a sprawling bungalow on Malabar Hill. Knowledgeable sources in the real estate market said Birla had quoted around Rs 425 crore, making it probably the most expensive bungalow property to change hands in Mumbai till now.


Sources said four other bidders -- two industrialists from Mumbai and one from Delhi, and a developer -- were in the race when bids were opened last week.  Read more

Gokul Macheri, 33, accused of making a hoax bomb call to Bengaluru international airport late last week to frame his friend Saju Jose, allegedly tried to manufacture an elaborate online trail to portray him as a terrorist with links to global jihadi outfit Islamic State, police sources said. That night, Gokul also called a New Delhi-based telecom baron to place an extortion demand for Rs 10 crore, police sources claimed. He called the chairman's personal telephone around 10pm.


When that didn't elicit any response, he sent a WhatsApp message that he was raising funds for the Islamic State and the honcho should pay the IS Rs 10 crore or else face the consequences. Read

MP Tarun Vijay led a 'Dhanyavad Puja' at the ancient Bhadraj temple, 14 km from Mussourie. The temple is devoted to Balabhadra and a favourite place for army personnels' families of the region. President of the temple Rajesh Nautiyal said that Tarun Vijay is the first MP to visit this ancient temple region after independence. Tarun Vijay also announced a sum of Rs 15 lakh from his MPLADS funds for the development of the temple.  Read more

Among the witness statements in the Sheena Bora murder probe are the accounts of a petrol pump attendant who recalls the only customer who came looking for 10 litres of petrol and a suitcase dealer who never forgot a hefty tip.


On August 30, police teams recovered a suitcase from a garage at Mukerjea residence which investigators claim was to be used to stuff the body of Mikhail after killing him. Another was used to dispose of Sheena's burnt corpse.


"The shopkeeper of the bag store specifically remembers Indrani because of her request for the 'largest bag'," claimed a police officer.  Read more

Opposition parties lashed out at the ruling Samajwadi Party after photographic evidence that state-owned UP Rajkiya Nirman Nigam`s managing director RK Goel publicly touched the feet of SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav at a rally in Mainpuri on Sunday.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has banned meat in Mumbai for four days during Paryushan, the Jain fasting season of giving in to demands made by Bharatiya Janata Party legislators and Jain organisations.

On  September 6, 2015, Dharam Dutta '" a resident of Bangalore's KR Puram area '" like any other working professional, planned a lazy Sunday afternoon with his wife. 

Maalti Tudu, an 11-year old girl on Tuesday walked eight kilometre carrying her sick brother on her shoulders to reach a hospital in Godda district.

American dentist Walter Palmer, the brutal killer of Cecil the lion, has opened up on his hunting for the first time ever since he has killed the beloved lion.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet about 40 captains of industry and leading economists today to deliberate on recent developments in the global economic scenario and the opportunities it presents for India. 

Andy Murray suffered his earliest Grand Slam exit for five years as he lost a gruelling fourth-round contest against 14th seed Kevin Anderson.

The shortest man in recorded history has died, three years after entering the Guinness world records and before which he had never left his village.

After a widely criticised beef ban in Maharashtra, residents in a part of the state will not get any meat for eight days.

A car rammed into pedestrians in the Mahim area of Mumbai in early morning hours; killing 1 and injuring 5 others. The driver has been arrested and sent to police custody, while the injured were admitted to a nearby hospital.

Sanjeev Khanna is likely to be produced in Bandra court in connection with the Sheena Bora murder case today.

Seven Indians feature in Forbes Asia's ninth Heroes of Philanthropy list, highlighting most noteworthy contributions to philanthropy from 13 countries across Asia Pacific.

 Minority refugees from Bangladesh and Pakistan can stay in India even after expiry of their visas, based on humanitarian grounds, according to a decision taken by the Modi government. The central government has decided, on humanitarian considerations, to exempt Bangladeshi and Pakistani nationals belonging to minority communities who have entered India on or before December 31, 2014, in respect of their entry and stay in India without proper documents or after the expiry of relevant documents, a statement issued by the Home Ministry said.