Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's health condition "continues to improve" and she has been advised further stay in the hospital for treatment, the Apollo hospital said o Monday, a day after it said she was being treated for "infection".

Suicide bombers struck two Shiite- majority areas of the Iraqi capital today, killing at least 10 people and wounding more than 30, officials said, attacks claimed by the Islamic State group. 

In alleged retaliation for India's surgical strike, website of the National Green Tribunal was hacked on Monday.

Three civilians injured after Pakistan army violated ceasefire at Shahpur sector along the Line of Control in Poonch Jammu and Kashmir; visuals from hospital. Photograph: ANI

Haji Ali Dargah Trust has approached the Supreme Court, challenging the Bombay high court which had allowed women in the internal portion of the Dargah.

On August 26, the Bombay high court lifted the ban imposed on women from entering the inner sanctum of Mumbai's Haji Ali Dargah Noorjehan Fiaz and Zakia Soman, founders of Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, had petitioned the Bombay high court against the ban calling it unconstitutional.

The 2011 ban violates the women's right to freedom of religion enshrined in Article 25 of the constitution.

The PIL stated that gender justice is inherent in the Quran, and there is no prohibition on women visiting graves.Prior to 2011, the Dargah did not discriminate against women and allowed free entry of people across religions.

On March 2011, the Dargah's board of trustees imposed a ban on women's entry, calling it a 'grievous sin'.

It is a sin as per Islam for women to be in close proximity of a male Muslim saint's grave.

On Jul 10, 2015, Bench headed by Justice V M Kanade sets aside previous order framing eight questions by an earlier bench of HC on maintainability and decided to hear PIL on merits.

Earlier this year, Muslim women across Mumbai staged protests to lift the ban against women's entry in the Dargah.

They demanded that women should be allowed to pray in the sanctum of the famous shrine, but the clerics called their demands 'un-Islamic'.

Expressing his stringent take over the ban on Pakistani artists, Bollywood actor Nana Patekar has stood in full support of the Indian Army and said that for him the country is at foremost priority.

"First stands my country, I don't know anyone beyond my country neither would I want to know. An artist is very small in front of the country," said the 65-year-old actor.

He also said that the soldiers are the real heroes and actors hold very little significance in front of them.

"I was in army and I have spent two and half years there. So I know who our biggest heroes are. No one can be a bigger hero than our srmy men. Our original heroes are our jawans."

Jawaharlal Nehru University, which has been at the centre of a controversy in recent months, recorded 39 complaints of sexual harassment in 2015-16, the highest in the varsity's records.

The university had received 26 complaints of sexual harassment in 2014-15, while the number stood at 25 in 2013-14. In December, the then HRD Minister Smriti Irani had informed Parliament that the number of complaints received by the JNU authorities during the two years were the highest among educational institutions.

According to the 2015-16 annual report of Gender Sensitisation Committee Against Sexual Harassment, a central body which deals with complaints of this nature from all university departments, 42 complaints were received between January, 2015 and March, 2016.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today chaired a special meeting of all parliamentary leaders to brief them on the situation on the LoC after India conducted surgical strikes on terror launch pads in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).


The leaders from different opposition parties expressed full support to the government amid current tensions with India. In their remarks, the leaders declared that the entire nation stands together when it comes to the Kashmir issue and the "Indian aggression", Radio Pakistan reported.


Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that despite differences with government on multiple issues, his party stands shoulder-to-shoulder with it.


"A united Pakistan can counter Indian aggression," he said, adding that by working together "we can achieve our national security goals". He said there is no military solution to the Kashmir issue.


Earlier, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry briefed the meeting about the latest situation in Kashmir and the Line of Control (LoC).

Wreath-laying ceremony of BSF jawan Nitin who lost his life in the Baramula attack this morning.


At least two terrorists and a Border Security Force personnel were killed, while another BSF jawan was injured when terrorists attacked two adjoining camps of Army and the paramilitary force at Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir.

The heavily-armed terrorists attacked the two camps belonging to Rashtriya Rifles and BSF late on Sunday night, leading to a fierce gun-battle with the security forces.

Following the firefight, two terrorists were killed by the forces while one BSF personnel, who was hit by bullets, succumbed to his injuries later, a Home Ministry spokesperson said in New Delhi.

The martyred jawan has been identified as Constable Nitin while the injured personnel is Constable Pulwinder. Both belong to the 40th battalion of the BSF, officials said.

"Sometimes, too much to bear is really too much to bear." A deeply-moving piece that explains why the great Robin Williams decided to end his own life.

Do read.

FLASH: An IAF Jaguar (trainer aircraft) crashes over Pokhran (Jaisalmer, Rajasthan). Both pilots eject safely. Court of Inquiry has been ordere. Details awaited.


In August, a Hawk advanced jet trainer crashed soon after take off from Air Force Station, Kalaikunda in West Midnapore due to a "technical snag" but both the pilots ejected safely.


Also read: Why the IAF desperately needs a Jaguar upgrade


Representational image.

Arundhati Roy's second novel, the Ministry of Utmost Happiness, to be published in June 2017 from Penguin India and Hamish Hamilton UK. Roy's first novel The God of Small Things won the Man Booker Prize for Fiction in 1997.

Roy's writing since God of Small Things has been focused on political issues -- from the Maoist movement to capitalism. The second novel is her first work of fiction since God of Small Things.

Roy said, "I am glad to report that the mad souls (even the wicked ones) in The Ministry of Utmost Happiness have found a way into the world, and that I have found my publishers."

This is what autophagy means, according to the Nobel Foundation:

We now know that autophagy controls important physiological functions where cellular components need to be degraded and recycled. Autophagy can rapidly provide fuel for energy and building blocks for renewal of cellular components, and is therefore essential for the cellular response to starvation and other types of stress. After infection, autophagy can eliminate invading intracellular bacteria and viruses. Autophagy contributes to embryo development and cell differentiation. Cells also use autophagy to eliminate damaged proteins and organelles, a quality control mechanism that is critical for counteracting the negative consequences of ageing. Disrupted autophagy has been linked to Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes and other disorders that appear in the elderly. Mutations in autophagy genes can cause genetic disease. Disturbances in the autophagic machinery have also been linked to cancer. Intense research is now ongoing to develop drugs that can target autophagy in various diseases."

Just in: The 2016 Nobel Prize for Medicine awarded to Yoshinori Ohsumi for his discoveries of mechanisms for autophagy. Ohsumi is a Japanese cell biologist specializing in autophagy. He is a professor at the Tokyo Institute of Technology 's Frontier Research Center. He received the Kyoto Prize for Basic Science in 2012.


Autophagy is a process by which cellular components are captured into organelles called autophagosomes and then brought to the lysosome or vacuole to be broken down and recycled for other uses. It frequently comes into play during starvation, allowing cells to survive periods of privation.


The judges for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine are selected by the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.

This follows specifications made by Alfred Nobel in his 1895 will, which stated which institutions should select the winners. The Royal Swedish Academy of sciences got the physics and chemistry awards and the Swedish Academy got the literature prize.

The peace prize was given to a panel selected by the parliament of neighbouring Norway, which was ruled in union with Sweden at the time.

Just in: Pakistan violates ceasefire again in Sabzian and Mandi sector. Pakistan fired 120 mm shells in its sixth ceasefire violation since the surgical strikes.

The Supreme Court confirms the death penalty to serial killer BA Umesh. SC's division bench dismissed his review petition.

Just in: NSA Ajit Doval meets the Chinese envoy after China vetoes India's bid on Masood Azhar.

China on Saturday said its technical hold on India's move to get Pathankot attack mastermind Masood Azhar designated a terrorist by the United Nations has "been extended", days before the expiry of the hold.

The Chinese technical hold was set to lapse on Monday, and had China not raised further objection, the resolution designating Jaish-e-Mohammad chief as a terrorist could stand passed automatically. The hold has been extended for another six months.

"The technical hold on India's listing application submitted to the 1267 committee in March, 2016 has already been extended," Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said.

Just in: Haji Ali Dargah challenges Bombay High Court order allowing women entry in inner sanctum of dargah in SC.

Yash Raj Films will launch the first trailer of their much-awaited film "Befikre" at the Eiffel Tower. The upcoming directorial venture of Aditya Chopra will become the first movie in the history of world cinema to have its trailer launched at the iconic monument on October 10, Yash Raj Films said in a release. "Befikre", which marks Aditya's return to direction after 2008 movie "Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi", has been extensively shot in the beautiful locales of the city that stands as a testimonial to romance, affection and memories.


The lead pair of the movie- Ranveer Singh and Vaani Kapoor will unveil the trailer that celebrates a youthful love story. The movie is scheduled to release on December 9.

Mysore all decked up for Dussehra. The picture was tweeted by Sitanshu Kar.

Malini Parthasarathy @MaliniP  One happy news amid the gloom & doom: CM Jaya certainly recovering & out of danger as seen by a close associate who visited her at hospital

Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence forms JV with Dassault, to execute offsets of Rafale deal.

Baramulla terror attack: Search ops inside the Army camp have been concluded. No dead body of any terrorist has been recovered. It is now believed that the terrorists have escaped into civilian areas, IG BSF said.

"Jawans saw two terrorists and the possibility of them exiting through the civilian population is high," the IG said.


The over six-hour long search operation against militants was called off on Monday morning as the security forces said the attackers had failed to breach the security parameters of the army camp in north Kashmir's Baramulla town.


One BSF trooper was killed and another injured late Sunday night when a group of heavily armed guerrillas attacked the camp of counter insurgency 46 Rashtriya Rifles in Baramulla.


Representational picture.

Jawahar Sirkar, CEO of Prasarbharti, has resigned from his position three months ahead of his demission from office. Explaining his reasons in a two-page letter to Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu, Sirkar wrote that he wants to be relieved soon after the Durga puja celebrations as he wants to attend to his ailing son.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken his Middle East outreach strategy up another notch by inviting Abu Dhabis crown prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as the chief guest for the Republic Day Parade in 2017. The Crown Prince has significant influence over the security and geopolitical policy formation on the UAE. He also serves as the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

Jewellery worth millions stolen from Kim Kardashian: French police. Kim Kardashian West was held at gunpoint in her Paris hotel room Sunday night, according to her spokesperson.


"Kim Kardashian West was held up at gunpoint inside her Paris hotel room this evening, by two armed masked men dressed as police officers. She is badly shaken but physically unharmed," the spokesperson said.


Kardashian West is currently overseas for Paris Fashion Week along with her mother, Kris Jenner, and sisters, Kourtney Kardashian and Kendall Jenner.

Pakistan violates ceasefire in Shahpur sector along the LoC in Poonch district.

Just in: Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif chairs all-party meet, discussions to be held on surgical strike by India and the Kashmir issue. Pakistan has always maintained that India was lying about the surgical strikes. A day after the surgical strikes, Pakistan said categorically denied India had struck the terror camps in the LoC and said it was only cross-border fire.

At least two terrorists and a Border Security Force personnel were killed while one BSF jawan was injured when militants attacked two adjoining camps of army and the paramilitary force at Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir.

The heavily-armed terrorists attacked the two camps belonging to Rashtriya Rifles and Border Security Force late Sunday night, leading to a fierce gun-battle with the security forces.

Following the firefight, two terrorists were killed by the forces while one BSF personnel, who was hit by bullets, succumbed to his injuries later, a home ministry spokesperson said in New Delhi.

This is the fourth cross-border incursion since the surgical strikes on September 29.


Image: Pak PM Nawaz Sharif with Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif.

Just in: Madhumita murder case convict Amarmani Tripathi's son Amanmani given ticket by SP to fight from Nautanwa in upcoming UP Assembly polls.


Amarmani, convicted along with wife Madhumani in the murder case of poet Madhumita Shukla, is in judicial custody. He was arrested in September 2003 in connection with the murder of Shukla with whom he allegedly had an affair. She was murdered in May 2003.


Her post-mortem report stated she was pregnant and a DNA test matched it with Amarmani who was sentenced in 2007.


Amanmani was arrested in the death of his wife who was killed in an accident.

The Bihar government has moved the Supreme Court to challenge a Patna HC order which scrapped the Nitish Kumar government's decision banning sale of liquor in the state.


The state's appeal will be filed and mentioned before the bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur requesting urgent hearing on the petition, Bihar government counsel Keshav Mohan said.


On Friday, an HC bench of Chief Justice Iqbal Ahmed Ansari and Justice Navaniti Singh had struck down the government's April 5 notification banning sale of liquor. The HC had termed the notification unconstitutional, draconian and unwarranted in a civilised society.


The state will question the HC judgment on two grounds its soundness on constitutional principles and societal needs. The JD (U)-RJD combine will tell the SC that the HC was neither legally correct in holding that trading in liquor was a fundamental right nor did it properly appreciate the ill-effects of alcohol on society. 

Just in: Bihar government moves Supreme Court against the Patna HC's order on Liquor Ban in Bihar, matter to be heard on October 7th.

Nitish Katara case: Vikas Yadav and Vishal Yadav sentenced to 25 years in prison. SC also sentences Sukhdev Pehalwan to 20 years in prison. All three convicts get five-year remission with their sentences running concurrently.


A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and C Nagappan pronounced the verdict on the appeals filed by Vikas and Vishal against the Delhi High Court order which had enhanced the life term to 25 years in jail without remission and an additional five years for destruction of evidence in the case by terming the murder of Katara as 'honour killing'.


Nitish Katara's mother Neelam Katara says she hopes the SC will not reduce the quantum of punishment.


Yadavs' acquaintance Sukhdev Yadav alias Pehelwan was also awarded an enhanced life sentence of 25 years without remission by the court which held that the crime fell in 'rarest of rare category', but saved them from the gallows saying possibility of their reformation and rehabilitation is not 'unforseeably foreclosed'.


The Supreme Court had on August 17, 2015, upheld the conviction of Vikas, Vishal and Sukhdev, saying 'only criminals are crying for justice' in this country.While upholding the conviction, the apex court had said that it will separately consider hearing pleas on the limited aspect relating to enhancement of quantum of sentence of the three convicts by the High Court.


File pic of Vikas Yadav

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar chairs high-level security meet. Army Chief Dalbir Singh, Air Force Chief Arup Raha and Navy Chief Sunil Lanba present. 


This comes in the wake of the attack on an army camp in Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir late last night. A BSF jawan and two terrorists were killed in the attack on two adjoining camps of the army (Rashtriya Rifles) and the BSF at Baramulla.


Following  a fierce gunbattle, two terrorists were killed by the forces while one BSF personnel, who was hit by bullets, succumbed to his injuries later, a home ministry spokesperson said in New Delhi. Another BSF jawan is said to be in a critical condition.


Meanwhile, the NSAs of India and Pakistan spoke to each other and decided to defuse the tension.


File pic.

CNN: Kim Kardashian West was held at gunpoint in her Paris hotel room Sunday night, according to her spokesperson.


"Kim Kardashian West was held up at gunpoint inside her Paris hotel room this evening, by two armed masked men dressed as police officers. She is badly shaken but physically unharmed," the spokesperson said.


Kardashian West is currently overseas for Paris Fashion Week along with her mother, Kris Jenner, and sisters, Kourtney Kardashian and Kendall Jenner.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley arrived here today on a three-day visit during which he will review progress made in trade ties with Canada, including in the proposed comprehensive economic partnership agreement. Jaitley arrived here on the first leg of his 7-day official trip that will also take him to the US.


In Canada, he will meet top official and review progress made in the proposed Comprehensive Economic partnership agreement (CEPA) and Foreign Investment and Protection Agreement (FIPA). Jaitley will also hold meeting with foreign investors.


During his US visit, Jaitley will attend the Annual Meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. The three-day annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank will begin on October 7 in Washington. Commerce and Trade Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was in Canada last week and had said both countries were committed to deepen bilateral economic ties.

The Supreme Court will on Monday pronounce the quantum of punishment to be given to convicts Vikas Yadav, Vishal and Sukhdev Pehalwan. All three were convicted in 2002.


A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and C Nagappan will pronounce the verdict on the appeals filed by Vikas and Vishal against the Delhi High Court order which had enhanced the life term to 25 years in jail without remission and an additional five years for destruction of evidence in the case by terming the murder of Katara as honour killing.


Nitish Katara's mother Neelam Katara says she hopes the SC will not reduce the quantum of punishment.

Yadavs acquaintance Sukhdev Yadav alias Pehelwan was also awarded an enhanced life sentence of 25 years without remission by the court which held that the crime fell in rarest of rare category, but saved them from the gallows saying possibility of their reformation and rehabilitation is not unforseeably foreclosed.


The Supreme Court had on August 17, 2015, upheld the conviction of Vikas, Vishal and Sukhdev, saying only criminals are crying for justice in this country.


While upholding the conviction, the apex court had said that it will separately consider hearing pleas on the limited aspect relating to enhancement of quantum of sentence of the three convicts by the High Court.

Anti-India slogans were raised from the Pakistani side during the retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border in Punjab on Sunday, prompting the Border Security Force to register a protest with the Pak Rangers.


People seated in viewers gallery on the Pakistani side raised anti-India slogans at least for ten minutes, Indian officials posted at the Attari border said.


Officials said that some stones were also thrown from the Pakistani side a few minutes before the beginning of the retreat ceremony.


Officials said BSF held a flag meeting with the Pakistani Rangers after the 50-minute ceremony ended.


"There was sloganeering and unruly conduct by the spectators from the Pakistani side. There were some reports about pelting of stones also... We called a flag meeting with the Rangers and told them about the issue," a senior BSF official said.


The situation during the flag lowering ceremony was apparently quite tense.

Even as army and BSF jawans combed the area in Baramulla, Kashmir after being attacked by terrorists, Pakistani Rangers violated the ceasefire along the border in Gurdaspur, Punjab. 

One Border Seurity Force jawan was killed while another was injured when terrorists targeted a BSF and adjoining Army camps in Baramulla on Sunday night , barely four days after the Indian Special Forces smashed seven terror launch pads during a surgical strike across the Line of Control.