Chinese telecom giant ZTE Corp has agreed to pay a "criminal penalty" of USD 1.19 billion to the US for illegally supplying telecommunication equipment to Iran and North Korea, Commerce Secretary Willian Ross said today. 

The BJP-led Maharashtra government today approved a bill in the Legislative Assembly, paving the way for construction of late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray's memorial in the Mayor's bungalow in Shivaji Park in Mumbai.

The National Investigation Agency has asked controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik to appear before it on March 14.

The Rajarathinam Stadium in Chennai will see an interesting assemblage of people tomorrow.  

The O Panneerselvam faction of the AIADMK are going on a day-long fast to ask for a judicial probe into the suspicious death of former TN CM J Jayalalithaa.

The other group headed to the stadium will be led by actress Varalakshmi Sharath Kumar, who is holding a signature campaign asking for protection of women in the entertainment industry in the aftermath of last month's attack on a popular Malayalam actress in Kerala.

Encounter underway between ISIS terrorist and the ATS in Lucknow's Thakurganj area.

The suspect, believed to be ISIS operative Saifullah, has fired gunshots at the ATS. The UP ATS has used tear gas shells to flush out the terrorist, but he has refused to surrender. Three gunshots have been fired by the terrorist at the security forces, so far.


Sources say he could be linked to a train blast this morning in Madhya Pradesh, in which at least eight people were injured. Makrand Devaskar, IG Law & order, UP, has just confirmed that the explosion in the Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train was an IED blast. Three people have been arrested from Pipariya and one from Kanpur. 


NDTV reports that the largely residential neighbourhood of Thakurganj has been cordoned off and at least 20 commandos are involved in the operations.


More details awaited.

A well known folk musician, researcher and song archivist Kalikaprasad Bhattacharya passed away in a road accident in Bardhaman district in West Bengal on Tuesday, reports The Hindu. The condition of four of Bhattacharya's friends and co-artists, who were travelling with him, are reportedly serious.

Bhattacharya was rescued from the mangled vehicle along with other occupants and rushed to nearby hospital where the Silchar-born singer was declared dead, a police official said.It is, however, not clear if the vehicle was hit from behind by another vehicle or that the driver lost control of the car.

In the wake of the alleged shooting incident of an Indian fisherman by the Lankan Navy, Sri Lanka on Tuesday promised to work in cooperation with India to investigate the matter, however, denying the involvement of the Navy.


"Initial investigations indicate that the Sri Lanka Navy is not involved in this alleged incident. Irrespective of the parties involved, if in fact a shooting has taken place, it is a matter of grave concern, and all possible action will be taken, in cooperation with the relevant Indian authorities, to investigate into this incident, utilising GPS technology as well," said an official statement.


The statement added that the Government of Sri Lanka is deeply concerned about the alleged shooting and the connected loss of life of one fisherman and injury caused to another.


"The safety of fishermen is of utmost importance and the Government of Sri Lanka is firm in its commitment to ensuring that all Government agencies treat all Indian fishermen in a humane manner at all times," it said.

China today hit out at the Dalai Lama over his snide remarks that Chinese hardliners have parts of their brains missing, saying the Tibetan spiritual leader is a highly "deceptive actor".


"Remarks of the Dalai Lama appeared to be funny and humorous but they are all lies and they are not facts," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told media here when asked about his comments on the contested issue of his reincarnation during an interview to prominent comedian John Oliver.


Speaking to the British-born comedian in Dharamsala, where the exiled Tibetan government is based, the 81-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader said he might be the last Dalai Lama. Asked if he was worried that China might appoint its own Dalai Lama after his death, he said it would be foolish.


"Our brain usually, you see, has the ability to create common sense. The Chinese hardliners, in their brain, that part of the brain, is missing," the Dalai Lama said. The Foreign Ministry spokesman said China has "noted the programme."

Just in: The Gadchiroli sessions court delivers its verdict. Delhi University professor GN Saibaba has been given a life sentence. The five others, who were convicted along with the professor this morning also get a life term, while another convict Vijay Tirke gets 10 years in jail.


Saibaba, who was arrested by the Maharashtra police for alleged links with Maoists, was convicted by the Gadchiroli court this morning.


Six accused, including Saibaba and JNU student Hem Mishta, were convicted under Sections 13, 18, 20, 38, 39 of UAPA and 120 B of the IPC, said advocate Barun Kumar, who represented all the six in the court along with advocate Surendra Gadling. Vijay Tirki, Mahesh Tirki and Pandu Narote from Gadchiroli were also convicted along with Saibaba.

Saibaba (pictured), who is wheelchair bound has been on bail since 2015.

All eyes will be on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi as voters in 40 seats in the UP assembly polls' seventh and last phase cast their votes tomorrow. Raising the stakes, Modi has done unprecedented level of canvassing in his home turf, which has five assembly seats, by campaigning in the city for three days on the trot. His rivals, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav of SP and his ally Rahul Gandhi of the Congress, have sought to corner the prime minister in the city by carrying out intensive campaign, including taking a big road show.

Several people buried under snow after avalanche in French ski resort Tignes: Reuters

A third racial attack within 10 days in the US has heightened feelings of insecurity and fear among the Indian community. From the Kansas shooting to Americans stalking and blaming Indians for taking their jobs, the situation is getting worse day by day.


Shared by RO Khanna, a democrat for US Congress, Khanna talked about yet another Indian man's experience with racism in America.


Indrajit Banerjee, a physics Ph.D who has been living in America and is an American citizen for 41 years now was verbally harassed by a racist man in San Jose.


Indrajit was in a market when he was harassed by a man sitting in a van, after an exchange of few words, Indrajit decided to call 911 as he could feel the situation heating up. But, he was denied help by the San Jose Police Department saying that they will send someone later.


The question is that if a similar incident like Srinivas Kochibhotla would have happened, who would have been responsible for it?


Condemning hate crimes and calling them 'unAmerican', RO Khanna said that Americans should appreciate that immigrants are contributing to the success of 'their' country. Sharing Indrajit's experience in his own words, Khanna shared an excerpt of what exactly happened with Indrajit.


"Almost every Sunday I go to the Village Square farmer's market to do some shopping and stop at the Evergreen Coffee Shop to chat with some friends. Today was no different, except for the incident, at approximately 11:15AM. When I got out of my car with my shopping bag, I suddenly heard shouts "Hey are you an American" - a few times. I turned around and found the person talking to me. I answered "yes"the person, in the van continued - "why are you driving a foreign car?" "Why are you not buying an American" car?"
I decided to ignore the person and started walking fast out of the parking lot. He pulled the van beside me and continued "Go back where you came from if you don't like America."  At this point I was scared, since recently I had read of several cases of people being killed in other states with rhetoric in similar lines. I dialed 911 the person noticed and started asking "do you think I will beat you up?" The operator at the other end of the line asked me a whole lot of questions during which time the van drove away. A while later I received a call from the police department saying that they had no officers available and they could send someone later to my house."

The full story: Mulayam Singh Yadav's wife, Sadhna, breaks her silence, months after the rift between father and son, ripped the party apart.


Sounding confident, Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh's wife Sadhna Yadav on Tuesday said she has been insulted a lot and accused of creating feud within the party but now she won't step back.


"I have been insulted a lot. Now I won't step back. People should not have got the courage to say so many things about me. I was brought up in a family where my father used to say that one should not publicise good work, but now time is different. A Chief Secretary was transferred. The people said I was behind it. It's false, though I wish I was so powerful," Sadhna told ANI.


Rebuffing allegations that she was behind the Samajwadi Party feud, Sadhna said time has done everything and no one is to be blamed for it.


"I have given time to everyone, be it Professor (Ram Gopal Yadav) or his children, Dharmendra, Tipu or the daughter-in-laws. I have considered all as a family. I always wanted to give credit to Netaji. I always thought I am able to do things because of him," she added.


Sadhna said she has been more in conversation with her son and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav since January 1 than she has been in last five years.


"I don't know who misled Akhilesh. He respects Netaji and me a lot. I want our party to win again and Akhilesh to become the Chief Minister again," she said while being confident of Samajwadi Party's victory in Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.


Sadhna also expressed her displeasure over the recent family feud in the party.


"He has done a lot for Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) and the party. No matter what, nobody should have disrespected Netaji. It is he who founded and nurtured the party," she added.


A total of 1.41 crore voters, including 64.76 lakh females will exercise their franchise in the last phase.14,458 polling booths have been set up in this phase.


In the 2012 assembly elections, out of the 40 seats, 23 went to Samajwadi Party, five to BSP, four to BJP, three to Congress and five to others.In all, 535 candidates, including 40 (BSP), 32 (BJP), 31 (SP), 9 (Congress), 21 (RLD) and 5 (NCP) are in the fray in the final phase.While the maximum number of 24 candidates are from Varanasi Cantonment seat, the minimum of six candidates are contesting from Kerakat.  

Indian classical dance greats Uday Shankar and Raja Reddy have been weighed against each other time and again, but the latter has never liked the comparison and says, "Uday Shankar was not technically perfect".


"Uday Shankar was not a dancer, he was actually a painter. He took up dancing only after a ballerina in London suggested him to do so. And that is when he started tableau, but he was not technically perfect," says Reddy.


He has a similar opinion about the comparisons made between the couple dances performed by him with his wife Radha, and that of Shankar with his wife Amala. "People today compare the performances by me and my wife with couple dances by Uday and his wife, but I don't think that is right," Reddy told PTI.


According to the Padma Bhushan awardee, Indian classical dance is "complete" only when "performed as a couple". "Complete means me and Radha. Male and female. Shiva's 'Tandava' and Parvati's 'Lasya'. We are the first couple in India to dance in complete recital form," he says. Recalling how his choice of dance as a career was frowned upon, he says it was eventually the art form that brought him and his wife closer.


"Radha's grandfather told her that I am going to become a beggar and they cannot send her with him. But since we both were passionate about dance, she stood her ground and told them that she was going to live with me," he says.

Delhi University professor GN Saibaba who was arrested by the Maharashtra police for alleged links with Maoists, was convicted by the Gadchiroli court on Tuesday, reports The Hindu.


Six accused, including Saibaba and JNU student Hem Mishta, were convicted under Sections 13, 18, 20, 38, 39 of UAPA and 120 B of the IPC, said advocate Barun Kumar, who represented all the six in the court along with advocate Surendra Gadling. Vijay Tirki, Mahesh Tirki and Pandu Narote from Gadchiroli were also convicted along with Saibaba.


Arguments for the quantum of the sentence will be at 3 pm on Tuesday. The police arrested Professor Saibaba in 2014 and lodged in the Nagpur Central Jail for 14 months. He was granted bail in July 2015 after the Mumbai High Court noticed his deteriorating health.

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjuna Kharge, is set to be appointed as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, according to sources close to the Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. It's a slot open to the principal opposition party only. For the past three years, Prof K V Thomas was holding this post. Kharge's tenure will be from April 2017 to April 2018 and the position entitles him to a car, personal assistant and free travel to anywhere in the country with PAC members.

Concerned over the killing of its fisherman allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy, India today raised the issue with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.


The government is "deeply concerned" over the killing of the Indian fisherman and the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo has taken up the matter with the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, sources here said.


The Sri Lankan Navy has promised a full and thorough investigation, they said. Bridgo, 22, from Thangachimadam in central Rameswaram of Tamil Nadu was shot dead yesterday allegedly while he was fishing in a mechanised boat at a short distance off Katchatheevu islet.

Sadhna Yadav, Mulayam Singh's wife, breaks her silence in the aftermath of the family dispute. "I don't know who misled Akhilesh. He respects Netaji and me a lot. A Chief Secretary was transferred; people said I was behind it. It's false, though I wish I was so powerful."


Mulayam and Sadhna have a son, Prateek, who was born in 1988. Prateek is believed to be uninterested in politics, but many blame Sadhna for the recent developments pitting Mulayam against his eldest son Akhilesh.

Samajawdi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav has asserted that there was "no dispute" with son Akhilesh. When asked about the ongoing tussle within the family and party, Mulayam said, "There is no rift between me and my son Akhilesh Yadav." Mulayam, however, blamed Ram Gopal Yadav for present crisis in the party. "My son is being provoked by one person," Mulayam said, without naming Ram Gopal Yadav.

Bipasha Basu has been accused of being unprofessional by the organisers of a UK-based fashion show, a charge the actress denies. Basu, who is currently in London with husband Karan Singh Grover, was to walk as the showstopper for the fashion show but she allegedly did not honour the commitment.


According to the talent scout of the show, Ronita Sharma Rekhi's Facebook post, the actress "wanted her husband to fly out to London with her and wanted their stay be extended to five nights, which was originally for three nights only." Ronita, without mentioning Bipasha's name in her post, further claimed that the actress asked the organisers to pay for their entire stay otherwise "she will not do our event so now this is like a gun point situation."


Ronita claims the actress eventually did not turn up for the show. However, taking to Twitter, Bipasha, 38, rubbished Ronita's claims and said, "a con woman talking utter rubbish about my work ethics." In another post the actress wrote, "15 years you don't last any business being unprofessional. You last because you are clear and particular and have self respect." She also shared a picture on Instagram which read-- "less you respond (to) the negative people, the more peaceful your life will become."

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will have OPPO Mobiles India Private Limited as the new team sponsor for the Indian Cricket Team.

The mobile manufacturing giant OPPOs association with BCCI will start from April 2017 for a period of five years.

The US cautioned its citizens travelling to Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh in an advisory and said extremist elements are also "active" in India. "Extremist elements are also active in India, as outlined in a recent emergency message. Terrorists have hit a wide variety of targets and institutions in Bangladesh," the State Department said in its worldwide caution.

"The US government assesses terrorist groups in South Asia may be planning attacks in the region, possibly against US facilities, citizens and interests. US citizens should avoid travel to Afghanistan, as no region in the country is immune from violence," it said further.

"A number of established terrorist organisations, indigenous sectarian groups, and other militants pose a danger to US citizens in Pakistan," the advisory read.


Pakistan has been struck by a wave of terrorist attacks in recent weeks, killing at least 130 people and leaving hundreds severely injured. Last month, a Sufi temple in Pakistan's Sindh was attacked by terror group ISIS which claimed the lives of 90 people. Also, seven people were killed and 20 were injured in a bomb blast in Lahore. The recent terror attacks also affected the Pakistan Super League cricket tournament which saw many international players, including England's Kevin Pieterson, skipping the final match in Lahore.

However, yesterday at the 19th Asian Security Conference in Delhi organised by the Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses, Pakistan's former National Security Advisor Mahmud Ali Durrani said that the 26/11 terror strikes in Mumbai was carried out by a Pakistani-based terror organisation and it was a classic case of trans-border terror activity

Update on the explosion on the Bhopal-Ujjain train: At least four persons were today injured in a blast in the Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train near Jabdi station in the district, a railway official said.

The blast occurred in a general coach of the train between 9.30 am and 10 am when it was on its way to Ujjain from Bhopal, Railway PRO, Indore, Jitendra Kumar Jayant told PTI. As per preliminary information, nearly four persons were injured in the blast. They were admitted to a hospital in Kalapipal town of the district, he said.


The glass panes of the windows in the general coach were damaged because of the blast, which occurred when the train was about to reach Jabdi Station. Following the blast, the train came to a halt. Smoke engulfed the general coach, causing panic among the passengers who rushed out to save themselves.


A probe is on to ascertain the cause of the blast, the PRO said, adding that a relief train is on its way to the mishap site. Jabdi station falls between Kalapipal and Sehore railway stations.


Image: Injured passengers have been admitted to the Kalapipal Govt hospital near Sehore.

Another BSF jawan has uploaded a video alleging they are given poor quality fruits and vegetables in many units.


According to a CNN-News18 report, Jawan Sindhav Jogidas has alleged that he was forced to be a Sahayak as a punishment for joining late.
Yaha ke kuchh officers ne apne jawano ko apna ghulam samajh ke rakha hai. Jawano ko sab kuchh majboori me karna padta hai aur jo mooh kholta hai, mara jaata hai kyuki sena ka samvidhan bahut hi tough hai (Some of the officers treat their subordinates as if they are slaves. The jawans have to do everything as a compulsion and the one who speaks up gets killed. This is because Army constitution is very strict), he says in the video.


The jawan also said that he had written to PMO in January 2016 highlighting all his complaints but a disciplinary action case was started against him in response to this. Do baar court of inquiry bithai gayi, ek saal tak mujhe harassment kiya gaya, he adds. (Court of inquiry was held twice and I was harassed for two years.)


The jawan said that they are punished whenever they break a law but officers go unpunished even after doing the same. According to reports by CNN-News 18,  the army has rubbished the jawans accusations and has dubbed it an attempt to defame the institution. It has also added that he was court martialed because of indiscipline.


Earlier, another BSF Jawan Tej Bahadur had posted a video on social media showing the quality of food served to them.


Image: BSF jawan Sindhav Jogidas has alleged that he was forced to be a Sahayak as a punishment for joining late.

A homoeopathic doctor who allegedly conducted foeticides at his clinic in Sangli district of western Maharashtra was arrested from neighbouring Karnataka late last night, police said. Babasaheb Khidrapure who runs Bharti Hospital at Mhaisal village in Sangli was arrested a day after 19 aborted foetuses were found alongside a road, within a walking distance from the hospital. The doctor was absconding and nabbed by the Miraj police from Belgaum in Karnataka. Five teams were deployed for this task, police said.


"We have sent DNA samples of the 19 foetuses to the lab to ascertain their gender," Sangli SP Dattatray Shinde said. According to the police, the horrific practice, which the doctor indulged in, came to light when a patient, Swati Praveen Jamdade (26), died on March 1 after a botched medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) on February 27. Her parents had then filed a case against her husband Praveen. Jamdade was allegedly forced to abort her third female foetus after giving birth to two girls.


On the investigation trail, policemen found the 19 foetuses and busted the abortion racket. They were found alongside the Miraj-Belgaum road in Mhaisal village, where Bharti Hospital is located.


While some of them were buried, others were thrown carelessly in blue plastic bags along with animal and sewage waste, police said. Forty bags of skeletons, umbilical cords and other remains were also found and sent for tests, they said.

TN Govt announces Rs 5 lakh for the dead and Rs 1 lakh for the fisherman injured in shooting by Sri Lankan Navy.

Reliance Capital sells its Paytm stake to the Alibaba group for Rs 275 crore.  Reliance had invested Rs 10 crore for the Paytm stake.


PTI had reported that Reliance Capital has been in talks to sell its one per cent shareholding in digital payments firm Paytm for about $50-60 million (Rs 500-Rs 600 crore).


Reliance Capital was planning to raise the money by selling its one per cent share in One97 Communications, the parent company of Paytm. Paytm e-Commerce valued at USD 1 billion in the latest fund-raising.

Shajapur (Madhya Pradesh): Explosion in the 59320 Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train. More than six passengers injured.

Amid attacks on Indian-origin people in the United States, an anti-immigration website has caused alarm among the community after featuring a video showing a man secretly filming Indian families at an Ohio park and commenting that the "Indian crowd" has "ravished the Mid-west". Read

Tamil Nadu Opposition leader, MK Stalin weighs in on the killing of the Indian fisherman by the Sri Lankan Navy: High time the Central Govt reacts strongly to this problem, can't be a mute spectator.

Protests in Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu) after an Indian fisherman was shot dead by the Sri Lankan Navy.


Thousands have gathered at the home of the slain fisherman, Bridgo, in Rameswaram, and his family has refused to accept his body without assurance that action will be taken.


Protesting fishermen have demanded assurance from External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and also the Lankan government that action will be taken against the Sri Lankan navy.


A 22-year-old Indian fisherman was shot dead today allegedly by the Sri Lankan navy while he was fishing in a mechanised boat at a short distance off Katchatheevu islet, fisheries department officials said. The incident occurred last evening when Bridgo, from Thangachimadam in central Rameswaram of Tamil Nadu, was fishing near the islet along with others and the Sri Lankan naval personnel arrived at the spot and opened fire, Fisheries Department Assistant Director Kulanchinathan said.


Bridgo was shot in the neck and died on the spot, he said, adding another fisherman, Saravanan (22), suffered injuries in his leg in the firing while others who went along with them escaped unhurt and returned to the shore at 12.30 am.


Rameswaram Fishermen Association President P Sesuraja told PTI that more than 2,000 fishermen were fishing well within Indian waters when the Sri Lankan naval personnel came to the spot taking them by surprise.
The Lankan navy officials did not even fire a warning shot, he alleged.


Kulanchinathan said the body has been brought to the Rameswaram hospital and a case has been registered at the Jetty police station.


Meanwhile, tension prevailed in the area as fishermen from Thangachimadam coastal hamlet gathered in front of the hospital to protest the firing by the Sri Lankan navy.


The Tamil Nadu government had yesterday protested the "escalation" in apprehension of its fishermen by Sri Lanka and said the Centre did "not seem to put adequate pressure" on Colombo regarding the matter.

President Donald Trump signed a new travel ban Monday that administration officials said they hope will end legal challenges over the matter by imposing a 90-day ban on the issuance of new visas for citizens of six majority-Muslim nations, reports The Washington Post.

In addition, the nation's refugee program will be suspended for 120 days, and it will not accept more than 50,000 refugees in a year, down from the 110,000 cap set by the Obama administration.Trump signed the new ban out of public view, according to White House officials. The order will not take effect until March 16, officials said.The new guidelines mark a dramatic departure from Trump's original ban. They lay out a far more specific national security basis for the order, block the issuance of only new visas, and name just six of the seven countries included in the first executive order, omitting Iraq.


The order also details specific sets of people who would be able to apply for case-by-case waivers to the order, including those previously admitted to the United States for "a continuous period of work, study, or other long-term activity," those with "significant business or professional obligations" and those seeking to visit or live with family.


"This executive order responsibly provides a needed pause, so we can carefully review how we scrutinize people coming here from these countries of concern," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in announcing that the order had been signed.


Even before the ink was dry, though, Democrats and civil liberties groups asserted that the new order was legally tainted in the same way as the first one: It was a thinly disguised Muslim ban.


"While the White House may have made changes to the ban, the intent to discriminate against Muslims remains clear," said New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, D, who had joined the legal fight against the first ban.


"This doesn't just harm the families caught in the chaos of President Trump's draconian policies - it's diametrically opposed to our values, and makes us less safe."Said Omar Jadwat, director of the ACLU's Immigrants' Rights Project: "The only way to actually fix the Muslim ban is not to have a Muslim ban. Instead, President Trump has recommitted himself to religious discrimination, and he can expect continued disapproval from both the courts and the people."

The White House and ExxonMobil were in sync Monday. Some might even call it mind-meld.

In a press release, ExxonMobil highlighted the oil giant's plan to spend $20 billion over ten years, build 11 chemical and natural gas projects and create 45,000 jobs. Within the same hour, the White House put out its own statement claiming credit for the expansion and adding: "The spirit of optimism sweeping the country is already boosting job growth, and it is only the beginning."  Read more

While people here in India have always been comparing Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra's stint in the West, media there mistake their identity sometimes.

A video, surfaced on social media, saw some local media outside Los Angeles airport confusing Deepika to be Priyanka, as she stepped out.

The leggy lass, however, did not respond to the greetings 'Hello Priyanka' and continued walking towards her car. On a related note, this is not the first time that the 'Piku' star was referred to as the 'Quantico' actress, in the west. This once happened earlier during the promotions of 'xXx: Return of Xander Cage.'

ANI reports: Congress to bring adjournment motion in Maharashtra assembly today on farmers loan waiver and other issues related to farmers

ANI reports: Six minors from an orphanage in Wayanad, Kerala allegedly molested. 

Just In: North Korea says it is banning Malaysians from leaving the country, in a row over the death of Kim Jong-nam

After signing an executive order which temporarily halts entry to