Pope Francis spoke out today over the increasingly aggressive nature of much political discourse and the use of social media as a forum for personal abuse.

In a message published on the same day that the Twitter-friendly pontiff met Apple boss Tim Cook, Francis said digital technology and the Internet could help bring people together but also had the potential to create deep wounds.

'Our words and actions should be such as to help us all escape the vicious circles of condemnation and vengeance which continue to ensnare individuals and nations, encouraging expressions of hatred,' he said.

The pope urged politicians and others in positions of power 'to remain especially attentive to the way they speak of those who think or act differently or those who may have made mistakes.'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had condoled the death of noted danseuse Mrinalini Sarabhai and wrote a letter to her son Kartikeya Sarabhai expressing his grief over her demise, a a Bharatiya Janata Party leader said on Friday.

Earlier in the day, danseuse Mallika Sarabhai hit out at the prime minister, claiming that he had not paid tributes to her mother Mrinalini on her death, and said that this showed his 'hate' mentality.

Veteran danseuse and Padma awardee Sarabhai, the exponent of classical dance forms who used her art to highlight the problems faced by modern society, had died in Ahmadabad yesterday due to age-related problems. Sarabhai died at the age of 97.

The classical dancer-turned-activist, who had fought 2009 Lok Sabha elections against veteran BJP leader L K Advani from Gandhinagar constituency as an Independent candidate but lost, vented her ire on Modi as he has so far not condoled the death of her mother, who also hailed from Gujarat.

'My dear prime minister, you hate my politics and I hate yours. That has nothing to do with what Mrinalini Sarabhai did to promote the culture of this country and to the world over sixty years,' Mallika wrote in a Facebook post.

'She blazed a trailer for our culture in the world. That her death sees no word from you shows your mentality. How ever much you hate me, as our prime minister it behoves you to recognise her contribution. You have not. Shame on you,' she said in the post.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Shahnawaz Hussain has received a threat letter purportedly sent by the Islamic State, police said today.

Hussain, who is also the party spokesperson, said that the letter arrived at his residence in New Delhi area through post.

He reported the matter to the police and lodged a complaint at North Avenue police station.

The letter was typed in Urdu and English and contained abusive words against him and the party in general, the former MP said.

"I had received such threats over social media before. I will continue on my path of nationalism," Hussain said.

DCP (New Delhi) Jatin Narwal said the police has received the complaint and they are looking into the matter.

Criticising the recent killings of eminent scholars and writers and the 'inability' of the administration to prevent such hooliganism, noted historian Ramchandra Guha said Modi government was the "most anti-intellectual" dispensation the country ever had.

Expressing concerns over increasing threats to freedom of expression, Guha came down heavily on the BJP-led government for being "hostile" to the writers community.

"This government is arguably the most anti-intellectual (administration) we ever had," Guha said while delivering the first Vijay Tendulkar Memorial lecture at the Mumbai University last evening.

Guha, however, said this kind of behaviour was not peculiar to the Modi government alone but across the board. "All three (rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, CPI leader Govind Pansare and writer and scholar MM Kalburgi) were killed by rightwing Hindu groups for expressing their views," he alleged.

"Both the Congress and BJP could have prevented these murders as these killings happened when either the Congress or the BJP was in power in the state or the Centre," he said.

Talking about the rising culture of banning anything and everything at the drop of a hat, the historian warned that the nation was "slipping down to anarchy", while describing the present-day India as a 40:60 democracy. Guha blamed former PM Rajiv Gandhi banning Slaman Rushdie's Satanic Verses in the late 1980s as the root cause of the 'ban culture' in the country. He was quick to add that people today are eliminated for expressing their views and not just getting them exiled or their word banned.

The Hyderabad Central University announces Rs 8 lakh ex-gratia to the family of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula who committed suicide.

The report of the two-member fact-finding committee set up by the Union Human Resource and Development ministry to look into the suicide is learnt to be in the final stages of preparation and is likely to be submitted today.

"It is expected that the report would be handed over to HRD Minister Smriti Irani on Friday," sources said.

It is learnt the panel spoke to a cross section of stakeholders including 70-80 individuals, including students, academicians and others during its Hyderabad visit.

The report, sources said, would dwell on the role of the university authorities, who have been blamed for the suicide, and systemic aspects to ensure such incidents do not recur.

Meanwhile, protesting students on Thursday refused to talk to faculty members who went to the protest site. "We came here to talk to the protesting students, but they refused, so we are going back," said Sanjay, a faculty member.

Earlier on Thursday, at least, 13 faculty members -- including Professor V. Krishna, controller of exams, Chief Medical Officer Dr Ravendra Kumar, 10 hostel wardens and chief warden Nagaraju --  put in their papers from their respective posts.

You cannot judge a person by the way he or she writes. What a person is on paper and ink too often is very different from what he or she is in flesh and blood, writes Nimish Dubey. Read

Scores of NSUI activists today marched towards the HRD Ministry, continuing with their protests over the suicide of a Dalit PhD scholar, and demanded the resignation of Union Ministers Smriti Irani, Bandaru Dattatreya and Hyderabad University Vice Chancellor. Stating that "revocation" of suspension of the four expelled students was never their demand, workers of the Congress' youth wing were stopped at Raisina Road here by the police when the protestors were on their way to the HRD minister's residence and detained.

The US hospital where the Dalai Lama is currently undergoing a medical checkup has said there are no major concerns as regard the Tibetan spiritual leader's ailment and he will fully recover after treatment.

The 80-year-old Dalai Lama on Tuesday went to the US where he was admitted at Mayo Clinic in Rochester for prostate treatment.

"His physicians report no major concerns, and anticipate he will respond well to treatment and make a full recovery," a Mayo spokeswoman said in a statement, according to Tibetan website Phayul.com.

"He is being treated for a prostate condition that is common for men of his age," the spokeswoman said. The Dalai Lama had left Dharamsala for the US on January 19 and will return after a month's rest. His regular engagements are scheduled from March.

A former Russian spy may have been assassinated in London on the orders of the Russian president because he called Vladimir Putin a pedophile. A report by retired British High Court Judge Sir Robert Owen released Thursday concludes that Putin "probably' approved the November 2006 killing of Alexander Litvinenko after he allegedly claimed the president used his position to erase video evidence of himself having sex with underage boys. "The FSB operation to kill Mr. Litvinenko was probably approved by Mr. Patrrushev, then head of the FSB, and also by President Putin,' Owen told the Royal Courts of Justice. Owen found that Litvinenko's criticism of the Kremlin and the FSB contributed to the motive behind the murder, which was carried out through a pot of green tea laced with the radioactive isotope polonium-210 in a London hotel restaurant.

Delhi court grants bail to Bhawna Arora, accused of throwing ink at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

This is what the PIB says on the judicial commission being set up on Rohith Vemula's suicide.

The Fact Finding Committee constituted by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in the wake of the chain of unfortunate events at the Central University Hyderabad submitted its report to the Ministry on 22nd January 2016.

Based on its observations and findings, the Ministry has decided to constitute a Judicial Commission to review the entire sequence of events and the circumstances; and to establish the facts and correctives in the context of the University. The Judicial Commission will submit its report within 3 months. The Union Minister Smt Smriti Zubin Irani today spoke to the mother of Rohith, the young research scholar and extended her condolences. In order to address the issues faced by the students from disadvantaged social, economic and educational backgrounds in higher educational institutions comprehensively and to prevent such unfortunate incidents in future, the Ministry has decided on the following course of action: A programme will be launched for sensitising academic administrators about understanding and handling problems faced by socially, educationally and economically disadvantaged students. All wardens, administrative staff and Registrars would be compulsorily put through this orientation programme. A special module will be prepared for this orientation. A special mechanism would be set up at the Ministry for receiving and taking expeditious action on the grievances from these students. All VCs and senior administrators would be sensitised to reach out to socially, economically and educationally disadvantaged students. There should be zero tolerance for any acts of discrimination on campus. A special Charter would be issued to all the HEIs in this regard. The Peer-group Assisted Learning (PAL) of IIT Gandhinagar would be extended to all the HEIs, under which Mentors would be arranged for the socially, economically and educationally disadvantaged students not only to assist them in education, but to support them with regards to challenges being faced by them within their Institutions.

It's been a short journey from cheers to jeers for Narendra Modi.

The Prime Minister's speech at the Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University in Lucknow today, where he is chief guest at a convocation was greeted with jeers.

A student was escorted out of the auditorium and some protesters have been detained.

The PM is attending several events in Uttar Pradesh today associated with BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution and a Dalit icon, signalling his party's focus on Dalits, who comprise a vital 21-22 per cent of voters in the state, where elections will be held in 2017.

Modi finally broke his silence on the suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad, over which his government has been criticised.

The 26-year-old research student committed suicide on Sunday days after he and four other Dalit students were suspended over clashes with activists of the ABVP, the BJP's students' wing.

The PM said, "Kaaran apni jagah par honge, Rajneeti apni jagah par hogi, lekin sachaayi ye hai ki maa-Bhart ne apna ek laal khoya. Politics aside, a mother has lost her son. I feel her pain. Uske parivar par kya beeti hogi." 

A day after legendary danseuse Mrinalini Sarabhai's death, her daughter Mallika Sarabhai, a bitter critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, slammed him for not condoling her mother's death.

Mallika's post on her Facebook page reads:

My dear prime minister,
You hate my politics and I hate yours.
That has nothing to do with what Mrinalini Sarabhai did to promote the culture of this country to the world over sixty years. She blazed a trailer for our culture in the world.
That her death sees no word from you shows your mentality. How ever much you hate me, as our prime minister it behove you to recognise her contribution. You have not. Shame on you.


Immediately after the Gujarat riots of 2002, Mallika and Mrinalini Sarabhai were among the first people to lambast the then Modi administration in Gujarat. She had also approached the Supreme Court with a PIL seeking compensation for the riot victims.

Immediately after the PIL, the Gujarat government had filed a case against her accusing her of human trafficking, as her performing arts academy Darpana, used to take artists from India to abroad for shows.

Monarch Cruise has announced the launch of a cruise experience that will bring together the cream of Bollywood and cricket. The cruise will allow passengers to get up close and personal with their favourite cricket icons, Bollywood stars, world-class DJs and celebrated chefs. Departing from Singapore on March 6, 2017, the ship will course through Kuala Lumpur, Phuket, Penang, Colombo and Cochin before reaching Mumbai and retracing the route back to Singapore. The cruise will accommodate 2,200 people. The faces of this cruise are brand ambassadors Sachin Tendulkar, Brett Lee and Shane Warne. They will join hands with a host of sports and Bollywood icons including former Sri Lankan cricket captain Kumar Sangakkara; stand-up comic Vir Das; DJ Khushi; singers Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Neha Kakkar; actress Neha Dhupia; rapper Badshah; and famed chef Sanjeev Kapoor. 

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to exempt writer Arundhati Roy from appearing before a court in connection with an article she wrote criticising the judiciary for not giving bail to G Saibaba, a Delhi University professor accused of supporting Maoists.

"Why are you afraid of facing the court? Have faith in it,"' the apex court said while rejecting Roy's appeal against the Bombay High Court order's asking her to appear before it next week.

The apex court also issued a notice to the Maharashtra state on her petition challenging the contempt proceedings.The court also issued a notice to Maharashtra on Saibaba's appeal against his interim bail being cancelled.

Saibaba was arrested last year and his bail was extended till December 31. Roy had expressed her views on Saibaba's arrest in an article published in a May 2015 issue of the Outlook magazine.

We debated over using this picture sourced from poet, writer, screen writer, film director Leena Manimekalai's Facebook page, since it is after all a very private moment of a very public figure.

But the sheer poetry, the grace and beauty of the moment won over.

Danseuse Mallika Sarabhai says her final goodbye to her mother Mrinalini who passed away yesterday, in the way she knows best -- through dance -- in what is easily one of the most poignant images of death and parting.
Seated to the left of the picture wearing a white waistcoat and blue kurta is Mallika's daughter.

The Indian Express reported that Mrinalini Sarabhai was "draped in a red saree, black strapped large-dial watch on left wrist, a large bindi on forehead and ghungroo on her feet all her signatures.

"Her body lay on the dance floor of the Darpana academy she had founded in 1949.

"In a befitting tribute, her last journey started from the Darpana Academy dance floor with Mallika performing to Krishna Nee Begane Baro, a popular Carnatic composition in praise of Lord Krishna "

The pyre was lit by Mallika and her brother Kartikeya.

Sarabhai, to many an epitome of grace and impeccable taste, was traditional yet contemporary in her work and she had a keen eye for dance aesthetics, say Indian dance icons, for whom the late danseuse -- lovingly called Amma -- will continue to be an inspiration.

In the words of her daughter, "Mrinalini Sarabhai has just left for her eternal dance." Mrinalini breathed her last on Thursday morning in Ahmedabad following age-related health complications. The Padma Bhushan awardee was 97.

OK, so we were fooled.

The story of the BBC weather girl saying it was cold as fuck, is a hoax.

Read

This is a such a lovely story that merits sharing.

The BBC has announced that there will be no punishment for popular weather presenter Carol Kirkwood's use of the phrase 'cold as fuck.'

She used the phrase during an outside broadcast on a hill in the North York Moors on Friday morning in response to a question from colleague Bill Turnbill.

"And now to Carol for the weather,' said the avuncular bee-keeper.

"Carol, it looks a bit chilly where you are?"

"That's right Billy,' she responded chirpily.

"It's cold as fuck."

"I'm sorry?" replied a visibly shocked Turnbill.

"Cold. As. Fuck." She repeated, forcefully.

"Bastard cold. Shitting cold. Cold as an eskimo's arse. Cold as a witch's tit. Cold enough to worry any brass monkeys. It is abso-fucking-lutely fucking cold as fucking fuck."

"I see," stammered Mr Turnbill.

"Um, so is there any detail on the forecast for-"

"No. Cold as fuck. Probably some rain in Scotland and the North, I mean, I haven't checked but it's a fair assumption. Now, sod this, I'm going to get off this God-forsaken blasted bastard heath and try and find somewhere in this hellish backwater with the ability to make a decent cup of coffee."

She then dropped the mic and stalked off muttering about being a proper scientist, not a performing penguin.

The BBC has issued a statement saying there would be no sanction for Miss Kirkwood because "after investigation we have discovered that on the North York Moors on Friday morning, it was indeed cold as fuck."

E! Online says the Australian businessman presented the singer with 'what can only be described as the most breathtaking engagement ring' in New York. Read

FLASH: Maharashtra ATS has nabbed a person from Mumbra (Thane District) for suspected affiliation with ISIS.

The Delhi Police on Friday issued an alert after a taxi driver hired from Pathankot was found dead in Himachal Pradesh. The body of the driver, identified as Vijay Kumar, was found on Wednesday in Kangra in Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday.

Delhi police posted an alert on Twitter saying, "A white colour Alto Taxi no. HP 01 D 2440 was hired from Pathankot by three unknown people. The driver of the taxi, Vijay Kumar from Gaggal, Kangada was found dead on 20 Jan 2016 at the Kalta Bridge, Dist. Kangada."

While it is yet not clear that the murder is the handiwork of a criminal gang or potential terrorists, the security agencies are talking no chances and have issued an alert issued across north India.

In view of the threat perception, the Delhi Police is on the highest level of alert to secure the national capital.

The police is working on multiple leads provided by more than a dozen terror suspects arrested from different parts of the country in the last few days.

When asked about the threat perception in the run up to January 26, Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi said, Won't discuss security issues, but would ask people to stay alert.

The police have been on alert after an SUV with a blue beacon, belonging to a senior border police officer, was stolen in the early hours of Wednesday from Noida near Delhi.

Weeks after the Pathankot attack, in which the stolen car of a police officer played a role, the police in Delhi and neighbouring states have been trying to trace the car.

The brand new Tata Safari was stolen from the home of Anand Swarup, the Inspector General of the Indo Tibetan Border Police or ITBP.

The car had a Chandigarh registration number CH01GA2915, the police said in their alert

President Pranab Mukherjee joins Sonia Gandhi, sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and Bharatnatyam exponent Geeta Chandran to condole the death of noted classical dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai, calling her an epitome of "grace" and "beauty".

Sarabhai's death has been condoled by leaders across party lines, with the solitary exception of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Popularly known as "Amma", Sarabhai passed away in Ahmedabad due to age-related problems at the age of 97.

This is what President Mukherjee's condolence message read to Mrinalini Sarabhai's daughter, Mallika read: I am sad to learn about the passing away of your mother, Smt. Mrinalini Sarabhai.

Smt. Mrinalini Sarabhai left an indelible mark on Indian classical dance as an eminent danseuse, choreographer and teacher.

Educated at Shantiniketan and a disciple of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, Smt. Mrinalini Sarabhai was trained in Bharatnatyam, Kathakali and Mohiniyattom. Dance was her life, passion and existence. 

Smt. Mrinalini Sarabhai believed that the power of dance, music, arts and literature must be experienced by the common man.  She was a poet and author as well as a dedicated activist who fought against dowry deaths, suppression of women and child labour.

Smt. Sarabhai exemplified the fighting spirit of her mother and freedom fighter, Ammu Swaminathan and her sister Lakshmi Sehgal, who was Commander-in-Chief of Netaji Subhas Chandra Boses Rani of Jhansi Regiment of the Indian National Army. 

She was also of inspiration and support to her husband, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the father of the Indian Space programme.

In recognition of her invaluable contribution to Indian classical dance and arts, Smt. Sarabhai was honoured by the nation with several awards, including Padma Shri in 1965 and Padma Bhushan in 1992.  Her death leaves a void in the world of creativity and performing arts which will be difficult to fill. Her tireless efforts to spread Indian classical dance around the world will be always remembered.

Please accept my heartfelt condolences and convey the same to the rest of your family members.  I pray to the Almighty to give you and other members of the family strength and courage to bear this irreparable loss.

Sonia Gandhi in a letter to her daughter Mallika Sarabhai, who wrote: I am sad to learn of the passing away of your beloved mother.

Throughout her long, active and fulfilled life, Mrinalini Sarabhai contributed richly to our cultural landscape, through the talent and passion that imbued everything she did.

She was an inspiring teacher to thousands of students at her Darpana Academy, and an exceptionally gifted and productive dancer, choreographer and writer, read the letter.

Mrinalini ji was, moreover, a staunch nationalist and patriot, who courageously defended our pluralistic culture and secular values. In this, she was upholding the proud tradition of her own parents who were such brave freedom fighters.

At this time of grief, you must draw solace from the fact that your mother must have taken great pride in the courage and conviction with which you yourself have always acted and spoken out against prejudice and discrimination, and that you carry forward her wonderful legacy as a dancer as well.

We will always honour Mrinalini Sarabhais memory, just as we continue to honour the memory of your brilliant father, Vikram Sarabhai.

Modi's who excels in using social media to express his views, or doling out congratulatory messages or condoling deaths of eminent personalities has chosen to remain silent.

Mrinalini Sarabhai had taken a stand against the Narendra Modi government in Gujarat in the immediate aftermath of the 2002 riots and against what she felt the government was doing wrong.

Her daughter Mallika Sarabhai has been a vocal critic of Modi even when he was Gujarat CM. She had joined the AAP briefly and has recounted on several instances her experience of being falsely accused and hounded by the Modi government. At a lecture in 2013 in Jaipur,  she had said, "I had to hide under a carpet in the boot of a vehicle and cross over to Udaipur in Rajasthan to escape arrest. From there, I had to wear disguises and move from one city to another for 18 days till I could apply for bail.

As early as 2003, Mallika Sarabhai had been at the forefront of an appeal in the Supreme Court demanding compensation and justice for the victims of the Gujarat carnage of 2002. 

Modi clearly doesn't forget.

BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha has said that he had been willing to accept the post of 'interim chairman' of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) here and that he had also requested the current chairman Gajendra Chauhan to step down to end the stalemate with protesting students.

Referring to the protests by students at FTII over the appointment of Chauhan as its chairman, Sinha yesterday said he had been willing to accept the post of 'interim chairman' of the institute and had even demanded a proper letter to the effect.

"At the same time (during the protests), Congress leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Nagma, Raj Babbar visited FTII and also met President (Pranab Mukherjee). So some of our leaders felt that it will not be nice to intervene at that juncture and it became a prestige issue for the government," the former FTII alumnus said.

"I had requested Gajendra Chauhan to step down to end the stalemate, but it did not happen and the whole thing headed to confusion," he said. Sinha also condemned the police action of arresting students in a midnight swoop in August last year on a complaint by FTII Director Prashant Pathrabe.

Four terror suspects arrested by the National Investigation Agency in Hyderabad.

Twenty-two differently-abled persons on their way to the Prime Minister's aid distribution programme in Varanasi were injured when the bus carrying them hit a pole this morning. The bus was carrying around 42 differently abled persons, SHO Ashok Chandra said. The injured have been referred to the government hospital in Varanasi, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will be visiting his parliamentary constituency today is scheduled to distribute aid among nearly 8,000 differently-abled persons.

He will also interact with children from various parts of the country who have overcome disabilities relating to speech and hearing with the help of the ADIP (Assistance to Disabled Persons) scheme of the Centre. More than 25,000 aids like wheelchairs, hand-driven tricycles, smart crutches and hearing implants will be distributed among the 8,000 beneficiaries.

Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar stole waves the intolerance flag on the first day of the Jaipur Literature Festival which began in the city yesterday.
Johar said, "We are in a tough country to speak about your personal life. How are we democratic? How is there freedom of expression? I am a filmmaker and I feel bound on every level. Everywhere I go I am scared. Like I am saying something in Jaipur I feel scared wondering who will file a case by the time I return home."

With his candid confessions on how he was "effeminate as a child' and how he used to have "sleepless nights' over the issue, Johar stole the show.

Talking about his book "An unsuitable Boy' at a session with Shobhaa De and his biographer Poonam Saxena at the front lawns at Diggi Palace, where the festival is being held, Johar said: "I hated the word 'Pansy' and I was called that as a child. I was effeminate as a child and I used to have sleepless nights over the fact that I am different from other children."

He said his parents were a big support system. "Even when I weighed 150 kg, my mother said I was the best looking child in the world and my father told me that once I lost a little puppy fat, I can be a hero in Hindi films,' said Johar.

Asked about the negative portrayal of homosexuals in his movies, Johar said he was the first Bollywood director who discussed the issue in films. "Whether its 'Kal Ho Na Ho' or 'Dostana', I discussed the issue in the mainstream. I received so many letters from youngsters saying that my movies helped their parents identify their sexuality. "Now there are so many films on LGBT and I am proud that I started it,' he said.

Johar also spoke about the hard times his family faced. "When my father had a few flop movies, we had to sell our jewellery and house. He was not invited for launch parties and it was terrible times,' he said. The director also spoke on rumours of a rough patch in his friendship with actor Shah Rukh Khan.

"Like every relationship, there have been ups and downs. However, Shah Rukh's family is part of my family.' According to the director, his best film was "Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna', and the least favourite was "Student Of The Year'. "However, it gave three good actors for Bollywood,' he said.

PM Narendra Modi reaches Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency.

Market benchmark BSE Sensex recaptured the 24,000-mark by adding over 240 points in early trade today, tracking gains at other Asian markets. Moreover, recovery in the rupee and value-buying in recently battered bluechip stocks influenced sentiments.

The rupee firmed up by 24 paise to trade at 67.78 against the dollar in early trade at the forex market. The broader NSE Nifty too reclaimed the 7,300-mark.

The 30-share index surged by 240.48 points or 1 per cent to 24,202.69 points. All the sectoral indices led by metal, power, banking and PSU were trading back in the positive zone, surging up to 1.56 per cent.

Former American defence secretary Robert Gates believes that North Korea is 'perilously close to obtaining submarine-launched missile technology, or SLBMs, reports the news agency UPI.   

Delhi Police issues alert about a 'hijacked' Alto car hired from Pathankot whose driver has been found dead

Ever since global petroleum prices have plummeted to record levels -- it's a different matter that we in India have not benefited from it -- all eyes have been on Saudi Arabia to if the kingdom would curtail pumping out record levels of oil which has led to a global glut and the fall in the prices.  

Vice chancellor of Central University of Rajasthan and 7 others booked for alleged harassment of a dalit scholar: ANI

Just In: A suspected ISIS terrorist has been arrested from the outskirts of Mumbai by Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad, Times Now has reported. More details soon.

The Karachi police on Friday claimed to have foiled a major terrorist plot to stage a "deadly assault' on the airport, with the arrest of nearly a dozen suspected terrorists from the Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent and the Lashkar I Jhangvi, the Dawn newspaper has reported.   

Strategist Prashant Kishor has been made advisor to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and has been given a cabinet minister rank, tweets ANI_news.   

10-year-old boy from Sidharthnagar in UP, goes missing from Asaram Bapu's ashram in Ahmedabad

2 suspected ISIS recruits, Syed Hussain and Mohammed Huda, arrested in Karnataka

Rohith's suicide note to be sent for forensic analysis. Police intrigued by paragraph which has been cut off (presumably by him).

Dalit scholar suicide case: Till now 14 staff members of University of Hyderabad have resigned from administrative responsibilities

Blast in Birbhum (West Bengal), two people killed allegedly while making bombs.

A strong 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck off Mexico's Pacific coast today, but there were no immediate reports of damage.

The 10-kilometre deep quake, which took place at around noon, was located 215 kilometres southwest of Tomatlan in the western state of Jalisco, according to the United States Geological Survey.

"No damage has been reported for now," national civil protection coordinator Luis Felipe Puente wrote on Twitter.

At least one Jalisco state government building was evacuated, local authorities said.

The state civil protection agency was checking Jalisco's 125 municipalities for any damage or injuries.

The earthquake's epicenter was 267 kilometres from the popular tourist resort of Puerto Vallarta. AFP

Explosions and gunfire at a popular restaurant near the beach in Somalia's capital have killed at least two people and injured four others, according to witnesses.

The incident at the Lido Seafood restaurant erupted late on Thursday evening.

Reports indicate that more than 20 people are stranded inside the restaurant, and that gunfire and hand grenade explosions were continuing.

"I can see two dead bodies and four injured people lying on the floor of the restaurant. The injured are seriously wounded and in a pool of blood.  The main explosion occurred at the front door. I cannot tell the casualty outside," a journalist was quoted as saying by Voice of America.

Mohamud Hared, the owner of the nearby Indian Ocean Restaurant, said that he heard gunfire and then two separate explosions followed.

VOA reported that government security forces have sealed off roads to and from the restaurant and ambulances carrying injured people could be seen coming out of the area.

Actor Will Smith of Men in Black fame has confirmed he will not be attending next month's Oscars, joining his wife Jada Pinkett Smith in a boycott over the Academy Awards' all-white nominee list.

Smith, speaking on Good Morning America, said that diversity is 'the American superpower' and that attending the Oscars, given the lack of it among this year's nominated performers, would be 'awkward'.

"So many different people from so many different places adding their ideas to this beautiful American gumbo," he said.

"At its best, Hollywood represents and creates the imagery for that beauty. But for my part, I think I have to protect and fight for the ideals that make our country -- and make our Hollywood community -- great."

Read HERE

A car bomb exploded at a popular seaside restaurant in the Somali capital today, with intense gunfire following the blast, police said.

"There was a car bomb explosion at a restaurant at the Lido beach, there is shooting and gunfire," police officer Ahmed Bidan said.

The Lido beach area in Mogadishu is busy with restaurants, including upmarket establishments popular with business people and diaspora Somalis who have returned home to Mogadishu.

 There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but al-Qaeda-linked Shebab insurgents have carried out a string of similar bombings in the past. AFP

A blizzard warning, meaning severe winter weather conditions and a stern advisory to 'do not travel', has been issued for the Washington and Baltimore metro areas in the United States on Friday.

The National Weather Service forecast up to 2 feet of snow in some locations, along with sustained winds of up to 35 mph and gusts reaching 55 mph.

A private snowplow driving in snowy, treacherous conditions struck and killed a 52-year-old man in Beltsville, Maryland, on Thursday, Maryland State Police Sergeant Christopher Hohenstein said.

About 75 million people are in the storm's path, nearly 30 million of whom are under blizzard watches or warnings.

Read HERE

BJP leader: Bandaru Dattatreya mishandled the Rohith issue
We are committed to banning liquor in Bihar: Nitish Kumar
Kerala beedi baron gets lifer for killing guard with his Hummer
Putin 'probably' approved ex-Russian spy's murder: UK inquiry
Dalit student suicide: Suspension revoked but the storm intensifies