US Vice President Mike Pence has denied reports that he will run for president in 2020, calling them "disgraceful and offensive".

"Today's article in the New York Times is disgraceful and offensive to me, my family, and our entire team," he said in a statement. "The allegations in the article are categorically false and represent just the latest attempt by the media to divide this administration."

Pence spoke out in response to a New York Times article detailing his notable political activity in recent months, including the creation of his own political action committee and meetings with Republican donors at his private residence.

The Times reported that multiple Pence advisers had signalled that he would run in 2020 if Donald Trump did not.

The vice president condemned these claims as "laughable and absurd".

"Whatever fake news may come our way, my entire team will continue to focus all our efforts to advance the President's agenda and see him re-elected in 2020," he said.

A sub-inspector on Sunday got killed in an encounter with Maoists in Rajnandgaon District of Chhattisgarh.

Another young soldier got severely injured in the encounter as well and is being treated.

The encounters took place this afternoon.

The incident happened at Bhave jungle where the Naxals attacked the Police's search party.

The Jawans belonged to the E-30 battalion.

In a bid to promote handloom products, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami today exhorted the public to wear khadi dresses once a week.

Tamil Nadu has about 3.20 weavers and nearly 1.29 lakh families depend on the textile and handloom sectors, Palaniswami said.

In 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the first National Handloom Day in Tamil Nadu in the presence of the late AIADMK Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and former Governor K Rosaiah.

Senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar said today that people should boycott chinese products and emphasised that the focus should be on 'swadeshi' products.

"The government of India will deal with China in its own way, but we must boycott chinese goods," Kumar said while attending a programme on the eve of Rakshabandhan, according to a statement.

His comments come in the backdrop of the Doklam standoff.

He claimed that the government of India has already put Pakistan and China in the dock in the global context, the statement said.

Kumar also stressed that the people should accept 'swadeshi' or made in India products in their lives.

After redefining APJ Abdul Kalam recently, Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu now has a new acronym for India.

Speaking in Bengaluru today, Venkaiah Naidu said that India stands for 'Integrated National Development Impacting All Indians, equally well'. This, he said, is the "mission for India".

CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury today asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah are "silent" over the alleged stalking of a girl by the son of Haryana's BJP chief.

Yechury raised the question after Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala's son Vikas was arrested yesterday for allegedly stalking a girl, and was later released on bail.

Taking to Twitter, the Marxist leader also alleged that "someone" was helping the accused.

"Clearly someone is helping the accused here. Why are the PM and BJP president so silent about stalking of women?" he sought to know on the micro-blogging site.

Vikas and his friend Ashish Kumar were arrested and released on bail later for allegedly stalking the girl in Chandigarh.

The girl had accused Vikas and his friend of stalking her Friday night after which they were arrested, police said.

Tolerance has to become an essential national virtue to promote harmony transcending sectional diversities, Vice-President M Hamid Ansari today said.

Tolerance is a pragmatic formula for the functioning of society without conflict between different religions and political ideologies, among others, he said speaking at the 25th annual convocation of the National Law School of India University.

Yet, he said, tolerance alone is not a strong enough foundation for building an inclusive and pluralistic society and it must be coupled with "understanding and acceptance".

In this regard, he recalled Swami Vivekananda's words, "We must, not only tolerate other religions, but positively embrace them, as truth is the basis of all religions."

A 28-year-old Indian doctor has been arrested for allegedly groping a minor girl who was sitting next to him on a New Jersey-bound United Airlines flight, according to media reports.

The 16-year-old girl, who was travelling alone on July 23, was asleep on the flight, when a stranger's hand on her thigh awakened her, the Washington Post reported. 

The man, identified as Vijakumar Krishnappa, sitting next to her quickly removed his hand, according to a federal court complaint, and the teenager went back to sleep. Then, she woke up again --and this time, the man was groping her, the complaint says.

She reported the incident to the airline crew and was allowed to move seats.

The girl's family has filed a complaint against United Airlines for neglecting to detain Krishnappa after the alleged assault, the report said.

The FBI was called to handle the investigation. It used the flight manifest to track down Krishnappa, a doctor from India. The girl identified him from a photo array, ABC reported.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today urged the Centre to allocate funds "liberally" to strengthen the subordinate judiciary in the state in order to provide speedy justice to the litigants.

"We (BJP and JD-U) have come together. It must also reflect (in the allocation of funds). Bihar is a big state with 38 districts and 101 sub-divisions and you (Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad) are saying Rs 50-60-70 crore will be given to it to strengthen the subordinate

judiciary.... It will not serve the purpose," he said.

Stating that Bihar's budget, which was around Rs 25,000 crore to Rs 26,000 crore in 2005-06, had now increased to over Rs 1.40 lakh crore, Kumar said, "If you (Centre) want to give to the state, allocate funds liberally... I am talking about the funds for strengthening the subordinate judiciary."

He added that his government had already sanctioned Rs 169 crore for the expansion project of the Patna high court.

Nearly a month after the Amarnath terror attack, police have reportedly cracked the case and busted the entire module behind the dastardly attack.

According to sources, the Jammu and Kashmir Police has arrested three people, including the mastermind of the attack Ismail, who is part of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and is a resident of Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

According to intelligence agencies, Ismail had activated the over ground operatives of the Lashkar in the Valley to carry out the attack. While the number of attackers is still not clear, police suspect that there would have been 5 to 6 of them. 

The probe also shows that the terrorists wanted to take some of the pilgrims hostages. A reconnaissance of the route was conducted for three days. The signal to carry out the attack could have been given on Monday itself. It may be recalled that the police busted a major module of the Lashkar on Monday and the attack could have been timed with this, a report said. 

The Gujarat Police is searching for three more persons allegedly involved in the attack on Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's car in Banaskantha district.

Local Congress members claimed the three persons have been identified as Bhagwandas Patel, Mor Singh Rao and Mukesh Thakkar.

They are associated with the ruling BJP and are among the conspirators of the attack, the Congress members alleged.

The police had yesterday arrested Jayesh Darji, an office-bearer of the BJP's youth wing in Banaskantha, after his name cropped up during investigation, an official said.

"We are trying to track down three more persons, who are on the run. Their names came up during the investigation into the attack on Gandhi's vehicle," said Dhanera circle police inspector J N Khant.

A stone was thrown at Gandhi's on Friday when he was on a visit to the flood-hit areas.

The Ahmednagar Police detained around 20 people late Saturday in connection with attack on `gau rakshaks in Shrigonda (100 km from Pune).

Seven gau rakshaks were severely injured and were admitted to a hospital following the attack.

Police said the situation in Shrigonda was tense but under control. The administration has deployed heavy police force in Shrigonda and other sensitive places in Ahmednagar district considering communal nature of the incident.

The police have registered cases including attempt to murder against the 20 people who are likely to be formally arrested soon. Police were recording statements of the detained people and more arrests are likely to take place.

A mob had attacked cow protectors when they intercepted a mini truck, which allegedly was transporting cows to a slaughter house. The cows were allegedly picked up from Kashti in Ahmednagar district. Trouble started soon after Shishankar Swami, 25, an activist from Pune, approached Shrigonda police after they discovered the transportation of cows.

A man allegedly found carrying a kitchen knife caused a flutter at the entrance of the airport when former Tamil Nadu chief minister O

Panneerselvam was being received on his arrival today, police said.

  

He was later identified as Solairaja, a local AIADMK worker and supporter of Panneerselvam, they said.

As the AIADMK Puratchi Thalaivi Amma leader was being received by his supporters just outside the arrival entrance, the knife kept by Solairaja in his waist fell down.

Immediately, some supporters of Panneerselvam mistook it as an attempt to attack their leader and overpowered Solairaja, stated to be a professional cook, and handed him over to airport police.

During his interrogation, Solairaja told police that he was also a follower of Panneerselvam and did not intend to attack him.

A fire has struck another high-rise tower in the Dubai Marina, just days after a blaze struck one of the world's tallest residential towers in the same neighbourhood. 

Witnesses said firefighters had already begun spraying water inside of the Tiger Tower.

Some smoke earlier hung near the tower's top floors as those inside evacuated the building. 

Following the arrest of Bharatiya Janata Party state president Subhash Barala's son for stalking a girl in Chandigarh, the Shiv Sena on Sunday ridiculed the saffron party for boasting about its various "schemes" for women when on the other hand its leaders are harassing women.

"On one hand the Bharatiya Janata Party boasts about its various schemes for women and giving them honor and on the other hand we have a BJP leader whose son is stalking a woman. It is very embarrassing," Shiv Sena leader Manish Kayande said.

The victim, who is an IAS officer's daughter, thanked Chandigarh Police for rescuing her on time, and pointed out that if she was a common man's daughter the case would not be taken so seriously.

"I was coming back to my home when they started stalking me. They tried to threaten me by trying to stop my car. Suddenly, they came in front of my car and blocked the way. I reversed my car immediately and called the police. Police heard whole the matter and assured me of providing the help. Soon the police came and arrested the accused. I am very thankful to Chandigarh Police who came to my rescue on time," she told the media.

Vikas Bharala was arrested yesterday on charges of stalking daughter of an IAS officer.

On the basis of complaint filed by daughter of the IAS officer, a case was registered against Vikas and other youth under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

The Uttar Pradesh Anti Terrorism Squad on Sunday arrested a Bangladeshi national from Kutesara village of Muzaffarnagar district over allegedly carrying out terror activities.

The suspect, identified as Abdullah, was allegedly arranging fake IDs and giving shelter to other terrorists.

Abdullah was associated with Bangladesh terror group 'Ansarullah Bangla team'.

He was residing in Muzaffarnagar since the past one month and earlier used to live in Saharanpur in 2011.

As per the preliminary inquiry, it was found that Abdullah was arranging fake Ids and passports for the Bangladeshi terrorists so that they can safely live in India to carry out their terror activities.

The team also summoned three more people for detailed inquiry.

The UP ATS along with Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar and Shamli police carrying out an arrest and investigation drive in three districts on the order of Saharanpur Deputy inspector general of police. 

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley arrived in Kerala to meet the family of slain RSS worker Rajesh. 

The meet comes at a time when the BJP is trying to put the spotlight on political killings in Kerala that have moved from Kannur to Thiruvananthapuram. 

Meanwhile, members of the CPI-M staged protests outside the Kerala Raj Bhavan against attacks of its members. 

Claiming that the killings are state-sponsored violence, the RSS and the BJP have accused the Pinarayi Vijayan led LDF government of doing precious little to stop the violence.

US President Donald Trump may not have an ounce of clue about the Hindu festival Raksha Bandhan, but he is set to receive at least 1,001 sacred threads from women and girls of a remote village in India, named after him.

The gesture by the residents of Marora village in the backward Mewat region represents the "wish of the people that ties are further strengthened between India and the US", says the NGO which has adopted the village.

The village had come into limelight after Sulabh International Social Service Organisation chief Bindeshwar Pathak had announced to name it 'Trump's village'.

The village, with a population of 1,800 people, lies under Punhana Tehshil, some 60 km from Gurgaon. "The NGO has been conducting many welfare programs for women and girls in the village," Monica Jain, vice president of the NGO, said.

"These students have made 1001 rakhis with photos of Donald Trump and 501 rakhis for Narendra Modi. Women and girls of the village consider them their elder brothers," she said.

The consignment of rakhis was sent yesterday through cargo so that it reached the US president on Raksha Bandhan on August 7. The villagers are also sending invitations to the two leaders to visit the village.

The women's wing of the Goa Congress has said it will send bangles to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah to protest the attack on Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's car in Gujarat.

The Gujarat Police had yesterday arrested a person, identified as Jayesh Darji alias Anil Rathod, for allegedly throwing a stone at Gandhi's car in Banaskantha district on Friday when he was on a visit to the flood-hit areas.

Congress leaders claimed that Darji was a local office bearer of the BJP's youth outfit.

"We are sending boxes of bangles, which we have collected from our homes, to Prime Minister Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and the persons who threw stones at our leader's car," Goa Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee president Pratima Coutinho told reporters.

She said throwing stones was a cowardly act against the person who had gone to console the people suffering due to the floods.

"India is a democratic country. Anybody can go anywhere without fear," Coutinho said.

The BJP should know that Gandhi, whose family members have sacrificed their lives for the country, would not be afraid of such attacks, she said.

Gandhi had escaped unhurt in the attack in which the glass pane at the rear of his car was broken.

A woman, who was allegedly stalked by Haryana Bharatiya Janata Party state president Subhash Barala's son Vikas yesterday, expressed her gratitude towards Chandigarh Police for rescuing her on time, and pointed out that if she was a common man's daughter the case would not be taken so seriously.

"I was coming back to my home when they started stalking me. They tried to threaten me by trying to stop my car. Suddenly, they came in front of my car and blocked the way. I reversed my car immediately and called the police. Police heard the whole matter and assured me of providing the help. Soon the police came and arrested the accused," the victim, who is the daughter of an IAS officer, told the media. 

"I am very thankful to Chandigarh Police who came to my rescue on time," she added.

"I'm lucky, it seems, to not be the daughter of a common man, because what chance would they have against such VIPs? I'm also lucky, because I'm not lying raped and murdered in a ditch somewhere," the woman wrote in a Facebook her post, pointing that the two men she accused of are from influential families with political connections".

Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said it was not right to punish the BJP leader for his son's crime.

"I came to know about this incident. Chandigarh Police has filed the complaint and I believe they will take appropriate action. This matter is not related with Subhash Barala but with an individual. So action would be taken against his son," Khattar told media.

Vikas and his friend Ashish Kumar were booked under bailable sections of the IPC and the Motor Vehicles Act.

Later, they were released on bail.

The Congress Working Committee will meet on August 8, the 75th anniversary of the historic 'Quit India' movement, as the party seeks to corner the BJP on the issue of nationalism, a senior leader said.

The meeting of the CWC, the highest decision-making body of the Congress, will be chaired by party president Sonia Gandhi and it is likely to pass a resolution relating to the Quit India movement.

The leader said that the RSS, which is the ideological fountainhead of the ruling BJP, was not even a part of the movement while its current leadership is giving lessons on nationalism.

The Congress will also seek to highlight the role it played during the movement and the country's freedom struggle.

The Quit India movement was launched at the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee by Mahatma Gandhi on August 8, 1942, during World War II, demanding an end to British rule in India. 

United States President Donald Trump has commended the UN Security Council for adopting new sanctions on North Korea, calling it the single largest economic

sanctions package issued against the reclusive nation that is expected to cost Pyongyang USD 1 billion.

Trump also praised Russia and North Korea's ally China for voting in favour of the sanctions.

The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a US-drafted resolution that significantly strengthened sanctions on North Korea, with a ban on exports aimed at depriving Pyongyang of USD 1 billion in annual revenue.

The US-drafted measure, negotiated with North Korea's neighbour and ally China, is aimed at increasing economic pressure on Pyongyang to return to negotiations on its nuclear and missile programs.

"Trump commends the UN Security Council for passing a new resolution that increases sanctions on North Korea in response to its recent ballistic missile tests," the White House said. 

Trump said China and Russia voted with the US to pass what he called "the single largest economic sanctions package ever" on North Korea.

"The President appreciates China's and Russia's cooperation in securing passage of this resolution," it added.

 "He will continue working with allies and partners to increase diplomatic and economic pressure on North Korea to end its threatening and destabilising behaviour," the White House said in a statement. 

The son of Haryana's ruling BJP chief was on Saturday arrested along with his friend for allegedly stalking a girl in Chandigarh.

 

Both the accused, Vikas Barala and Ashish Kumar, were released later on bail as they were booked under bailable sections of the IPC and the Motor Vehicles Act.

As the issue triggered a political outcry, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the law will take its own course.

Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala said he respects the law and the "truth" will come out through the court.

The incident came to light when a girl called up the police last night, complaining that two boys were chasing her. 

"We received a complaint from a girl (who was driving a car) that somebody was chasing her. We flashed the number of vehicle and found two boys sitting in the SUV. Then PCR staff located them and apprehended them," UT Chandigarh Police DSP Satish Kumar told reporters here today.

"After getting complaint from the girl, we booked both Vikas Barala and Ashish Kumar and arrested them immediately," the DSP said.

He said the accused had allegedly chased the girl from for some distance. "They even tried to stop the (girl's) vehicle twice or thrice. They also banged the girl's vehicle with hands," the DSP said while quoting the complaint of girl.

"We got the medical (examination) conducted of both the boys and found the presence of alcohol in them," said DSP.

Police then impounded the vehicle of boys.

Demanding a nationwide ban on cow slaughter, chief imam of the All India Imam Organisation Umer Ahmed Ilyasi said that cow should be declared as a "national animal".

He also said that religious sentiments of a group towards cow should be respected.

"Beef is openly consumed in Kerala, Goa and northeastern states, whereas there is a ban on it in some states. We want that there should be a uniform law in the country that will ban the slaughter of cows. Besides that, cow should be declared as a national animal," Ilyasi told reporters in Indore.

"Cow is a matter of faith for a religious group and all other communities should respect it," he added.

He, however, condemned the recent mob fury and lynchings over the suspicion of carrying/consuming beef, and said that taking the law into one's hands was not good.

Talking about Bihar Minority Welfare Minister Khurshid alias Feroz Ahmad chanting 'Jai Sri Ram' in the state assembly premises recently, Ilyasi said, "Chanting or not chanting 'Jai Sri Ram' is a matter of personal faith. But I believe that 'Bharat mata ki jai' or 'Jai Sri Ram' chants are acclamation of their victories," Ilaysi said.

"I don't find anything wrong in someone's glorification. We should come out of such petty mindset," he added.

Veteran actor Dilip Kumar, who is being treated for kidney-related ailments, is recuperating at a hospital in Mumbai and will be kept under observation in the intensive care unit for the next two-three days, a senior official said.

The 94-year-old actor was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital in suburban Bandra on Wednesday morning due to dehydration and urinary tract infection.

"Today he has no fever, no breathlessness. He is conscious, the creatinine levels have come down as compared to yesterday," Ajaykumar Pandey, Vice President of Lilavati Hospital told PTI.

"Due to his age, he is under observation and will be in the ICU for two-three days depending on how his body responds," he added.

Cardiologist Dr Nitin Gokhale and nephrologist Dr Arun Shah are treating him.