The Centre has declared the entire Assam as a 'disturbed' area under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act -- the AFSPA -- for three more months, citing various violent activities by insurgent groups United Liberation Front of Assam, National Democratic Front of Bodoland and others.

In a gazette notification, the home ministry said the entire Assam, besides bordering areas of Meghalaya, have been declared 'disturbed' under the AFSPA for three months with effect from May 3.

The ministry said there were 75 incidents of violence in Assam in 2016 in which 33 people, including four security personnel, were killed and 14 others were abducted.

Besides, there were nine violent incidents in the state in which four people, including two security personnel, were killed in 2017.

The violence were perpetrated by insurgent groups like ULFA, NDFB and others, the ministry said.

The AFSPA has been continuing in Assam since November 1990.

In another gazette notification, the ministry declared three districts of Arunachal Pradesh -- Tirap, Changlang and Longding -- besides areas falling under 16 police stations bordering Assam as 'disturbed' area under the AFSPA for three more months.

The home ministry cited the continuing violence perpetrated by  National Socialist Council of Nagaland (IM), NSCN(K), ULFA, NDFB and others as there as on for enforcing the AFSPA for three months beyond May 4.

The AFSPA has been under force in the three Arunachal Pradesh districts since January 2016.  -- PTI

The Centre today asked the Jammu and Kashmir government to take immediate steps to stop the unauthorised broadcast of Pakistani and Saudi Arabian channels in the state.

Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu spoke with the state chief secretary and also sought a compliance report at the earliest, official sources said here.

He expressed concern over reports that these channels are being broadcast in Jammu and Kashmir without permission.

Earlier in the day, Naidu's deputy in the ministry, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, had said the local administration in the state has right to confiscate the equipment of cable operators allegedly airing unauthorised channels.

Noting that the government has sent an advisory to the state, Rathore said such communications are regularly sent by the Centre on unauthorised channels.

"We also monitor whenever such news comes up. It is our work to ask for report about such incidents. The action is being taken," he said.

Rathore said it is the responsibility of the local administration to monitor unauthorised channels in their area and they have the right to take action against them.

"In Kashmir, the district collector or the authorised government official can confiscate the equipment and take action against cable operators," he told reporters on the sidelines of an event in New Delhi.

The minister was responding to reports that over 50 Saudi and Pakistani channels besides Zakir Naik's banned Peace TV and others indulging in "anti-India" propaganda were allegedly running without necessary clearances via private cable networks in Kashmir.  -- PTI

Nepal's Supreme Court today reinstated the country's first woman chief justice Sushila Karki and directed Parliament to halt her impeachment as the tussle between the legislature and the judiciary took a dramatic turn.

Just hours after the Supreme Court's interim order, Chief Justice Karki returned to office this evening. Supreme Court assistant spokesperson Bishwo Raj Paudel said, "She will start legal work from Sunday."

A single member bench of Justice Cholendra Shamsher Rana issued the order stating that the impeachment move was against the spirit of Nepal's Constitution.

His order came in response to a writ petition against the motion to impeach Karki.

Advocates Kanchan Krishna Neupane and Sunil Ranjan Singha had moved the apex court a day after the impeachment motion was registered at the parliament secretariat on April 30.

The court decision has put the government in an awkward position, analysts said. The impeachment motion against Karki was registered in Parliament by two major ruling parties that accused her of 'interfering' with the executive and issuing 'prejudiced' verdicts.

A total of 249 lawmakers from the ruling Nepali Congress and Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) signed the motion.

Karki, 64, who has done her Masters in Political Science from Banaras Hindu University, was automatically suspended from the post after the registration of the motion. -- PTI

IMAGE: Sushila Karki. Photograph: Reuters

President Pranab Mukherjee today said the launch of a South Asia Satellite by the Indian Space Research Organisation will help India cement its ties with neighbours.

He also congratulated the ISRO on the successful launch of the South Asia satellite-GSAT-09.

"The launch of the South Asia satellite which enables a range of services in the areas of telecommunication and broadcasting will go a long way in meeting the developmental needs of the countries of South Asia.

"I am confident that the project will promote friendship and cooperation and help further cement ties between India and her neighbours," the president said in a message to A S Kiran Kumar, the secretary of the Department of Space and ISRO. -- PTI

A Lucknow Court on Friday sent suspected Inter-Services Intelligence agent Aftab Ali on nine-day remand to Anti-Terrorist Squad. Uttar Pradesh's Additional Director General, law and order, Aditya Mishra yesterday said Ali was lured into the network by Pakistan High commission officials.

Mishra told media, "Ali was in touch with an official in the Pakistan embassy in Delhi. He had been allegedly approached by ISI operatives over the phone in 2014 after his visa to meet his relatives in Pakistan was rejected by the high commission three times."

Mishra informed that Ali had apparently confessed during the questioning that he got into spying as it helped him earn easy money.

A tip-off by Ali during helped the ATS to arrest another ISI agent Altaf Bhai Qureshi from Mumbai.

"Qureshi was in the hawala trade and provided money to Ali for sharing crucial information with his ISI handlers," Mishra added.

Ali visited Pakistan twice since, in 2014 and 2016 respectively.

The ISI operatives also provided him with other facilities paid him some money when he was returning to India after a few months stay.

The suspects will soon be brought to Lucknow for further interrogation.The arrest comes weeks after the Uttar Pradesh police had issued a warning of a possible attack in the state by ISI-trained agents. -- ANI

The Samajwadi Party is ready to support any secular alliance for the presidential poll, which is a few months away, its president Akhilesh Yadav said today.

"If there is any secular alliance (for the presidential poll), my party will support it," he told reporters at the SP headquarters in Lucknow.

His remarks came against the backdrop of Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Sitaram Yechury recently meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi to explore the possibility of fielding a joint candidate for the presidential poll, even as RJD boss Lalu Prasad talked about cobbling together a Bihar-style 'mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance).

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee too has called for a larger unity among the regional parties ahead of the presidential election. -- PTI

Rediff.com's A Ganesh Nadar reports from Chennai:

The YMCA ground where O Panneerselvam, in a show of strength, is holding a meeting of party cadres is fully packed.

To prove that the party cadres are with him, OPS is embarking today on a tour of all the 30 districts of Tamil Nadu.

Photographs: A Ganesh Nadar/Rediff.com

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani: The gap between talk and action is bridged today, the imperative of regional cooperation is changed to the reality.

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina: On today's auspicious occasion, I congratulate the Government of India (for the successful launch).

PM on South Asia satellite launch: Two years ago, India made a promise. A promise to extend the advanced space technology for the cause of growth and prosperity of our brothers and sisters in South Asia. Grateful to fellow leaders from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives & Sri Lanka for joining me to celebrate this launch.

"I congratulate the team of scientists who worked hard for the successful launch of the South Asia Satellite. We are very proud of them. The successful launch of the South Asian Satellite is a historic moment. It opens up new horizons of engagement. We are a united family of South Asian countries, united in our pursuit of peace, progress & prosperity of our region."


The Geostationary Communication Satellite built by the ISRO blasted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, about 100 kms from Chennai. Seven out of the eight SAARC countries are a part of the project, as Pakistan decided to opt out stating "it has its own space programme."

PM Modi on the successful launch of ISRO's South Asia satellite. "I congratulate the team of scientists who worked hard for the successful launch of the South Asia Satellite. We are very proud of them. The successful launch of the South Asian Satellite is a historic moment. It opens up new horizons of engagement. We are a united family of South Asian countries, united in our pursuit of peace, progress & prosperity of our region." 

The Centre on Friday announced new rules for a 'No-fly list' for unruly passengers which will include suspension for offences.

This is for the first time in the history of civil aviation that a no-fly list is being proposed to address the issues pertaining to civil aviation safety.

According to the Aviation Ministry, the offences have been categorized in three levels - Level one constitutes disruptive behaviour like physical gestures.

Level two will include physically abusive behavior like pushing, kicking, and sexual harassment. Level three will include murderous assault or life threatening behavior and damage to the aircraft operating systems.

The punishment for unruly behavior will be into three levels - first level is three months, second level for six months, and third level for two years or more without any limit.

Delivering justice after five long years of wait, the Supreme Court on Friday ,while upholding its earlier order of death sentence to four convicts in the December 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape case, termed the brutal incident as 'barbaric'.

A bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra and comprising Justices R. Banumathi and Ashok Bhushan was hearing the matter.

Justice Deepak Mishra observed in the order that it seems it is a 'story of some different world'.

"Taking the serious injuries, the severe nature of offence committed by the convicts, we are upholding the sentence," the bench said.

Justice Banumathi said there should be systematic education of all children to ensure the fact that they give respect to women.

Justice Banumathi also said that except the Dhananjoy Chatterjee case, in no other rape and murder case, capital punishment had been executed.

She has also suggested certain other measures to ensure gender Justice in the society.

One of the lawyers B.L. Kapoor, while hailing the apex court's verdict said that it was one of the rarest of the rarest cases as it shocked the collective conscience of the society.

"The brutality with which the crime was committed, it makes it come under rarest of the rarest cases. The Supreme Court upheld the High court's judgment citing its earlier judgment that the one which shocks the collective conscience of the society is dubbed as rarest of rarest case," he told ANI.

Rajiv Mohan, who was the public prosecutor in the case in the lower courts, told ANI that it is a good judgment that the Supreme Court has passed today.

A teary-eyed Nirbhaya's father said it was a victory for his family.

"I am now very happy and satisfied with the judgment," he said.

However, the defence lawyer, unhappy with the verdict, said they would be filing a review petition after reading the order.

"Justice is not done. We will file a review petition after reading the order. You cannot give a death sentence to anyone for a message to the nation. The meaning of punishment is improvement. There is a right to live. In this, the human rights have been neglected, Mahatma Gandhi's ideology has been neglected as this is violence," Singh said.

Six men, including the 17-year-old juvenile, gang-raped a 23-year-old physiotherapy intern in a moving bus on December 16, 2012 in the national capital.

The girl and her friend were returning home after watching a movie when they were coaxed into the bus by the accused, who then beat up her friend before taking turns in raping her.

The girl succumbed to her injuries in a Singapore hospital on December 29, 2012.

The convicts - Akshay, Pawan, Vinay Sharma and Mukesh - challenged the Delhi High Court order which had sentenced them to the gallows.

The Geostationary Communication Satellite built by the ISRO blasted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, about 100 kms from Chennai. Seven out of the eight SAARC countries are a part of the project, as Pakistan decided to opt out stating "it has its own space programme."

The satellite will be launched on board the space agency's rocket GSLV-F09.

Costing around Rs 235 crore, the satellite would serve the neighbouring countries through 12 Ku band transponders carried by it and has a mission life of 12 years. The satellite is meant for providing communication and disaster support, connectivity among the countries of South Asia region.

Actress Deepika Padukone says it is not only ignorance but racist when the foreign media mistakes her for Priyanka Chopra. International mediapersons often confuse Deepika for the "Quantico" star and have even addressed her as Priyanka.

"It's not just about me being offended. It's you all in this room who should be offended. It's not just ignorance, it's also racist. "Two people of similar colour are not the same people. So, you as fellow Indians should actually be calling them out and educating them instead of encouraging it," Deepika told reporters at the L'Oreal event today.


When asked what could be the reason behind this confusion, she says, "Ignorance is ignorance. I feel bad for them."


Recently Priyanka had said that it was not fair to mistake Deepika for her. "I guess I'm the most popular brown face that everyone has known. Every brown girl does not look the same. Don't mistake it. Let's try and tell us apart. That was not right and it's not fair. She's a massive star from India," she had said.

In other news: All bank branches in far flung areas of Pulwama and Shopian districts of South Kashmir temporarily closed; to operate from towns.

This comes after repeated and bloody attacks on banking institutions in Kashmir, which have left several dead.

Militants on Wednesday robbed two banks in Pulwama district, making away with nearly Rs 5 lakh, reported news agency ANI. While the first attack took place at a branch of Ellaquai Dehati Bank in Wahibug village, the other attack happened at J&K Bank in Nehama Kakapora area. The incidents came a day after unidentified gunmen robbed Rs 65,000 from another branch of the same bank in Kulgam district.

Separately, a similar attack took place in Pumai village, near Kulgam district, on Monday, where four to five members of the Hizbul Mujahideen, dressed in combat fatigues, intercepted a cash van, killing five policemen and two private security guards. They also snatched four rifles from the policemen. The JK Police have identified militant behind the Kulgam incident and announced Rs 5 lakh cash reward on them.

Union Cabinet Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi expressed happiness saying that even though justice was delayed it has finally been delivered. "I am happy that the verdict has been upheld and I wish it had come sooner. But, five years is not a long time by legal standards in India," Maneka told ANI.

Aaditya Thackeray weighs in on the verdict: @AUThackeray  I also hope and urge to hang the so called juvenile who got away. His act wasn't one of a juvenile- give him what he deserves- hang him!

The Supreme Court has confirmed the death sentence for four convicts in the gang rape and brutal murder of a 23-year-old paramedical student on a moving bus in Delhi on December 16, 2012. A trial court had ruled that they should be hanged, and the Delhi High Court had upheld the death sentence. The four men - Akshay Thakur, Vinay Sharma, Pawan Gupta and Mukesh - had appealed against the verdict before the Supreme Court. The three-judge bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra wrote two separate, but concurring judgments in the case. This is what the judgment said:


"Aggravating circumstances outweigh mitigating circumstances in the case; the offence created a "tsunami of shock", the Supreme Court said. The court said it confirms the findings of the trial court and the Delhi High
Court against the four convicts in the case.

"The nature and manner of the crime devastated social trust and falls in the 'rarest of rare' category warranting the death penalty."

A three-judge bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra wrote two separate but concurring judgements in the case. Justice Bhanumati said that there should be systematic education of children  to ensure how they will give respect to women.

"The victim's dying declaration is consistent; it has been proved beyond doubt and corroborated. Nature and manner of the crime devastated social trust, falls in 'rarest of rare' category warranting death penalty. The crime was a devastation of social trust. She was reduced to an object for their gross sadistic pleasures. They played with her dignity in a devilish manner."

The Court in its verdict said: Scientific evidence like DNA profiling of victim and accused proves to the hilt about their presence at the crime
spot. Criminal conspiracy of 6 men established; all efforts made to destroy evidence like running bus over victim, her friend. Convicts treated victim as an object of enjoyment, with single purpose of ravishing her. Testimony of victim's friend who was with her in bus and the first prosecution witness is impeccable and relied upon."

"If this case isn't rarest of rare to award death penalty, then which case can fall under it," Justice R Banumathi asked.

The convicts' background, age, no criminal record, good behaviour in prison cannot outweigh aggravating circumstances, the court said.


Image: A file picture of the victim's parents at a protest march over the delay in delivering judgement in the case. Her father (in a black sweater and white shirt) and mother (centre) have repeatedly asked journalists to use her name saying, the rapists and not the victim, should be shamed.

The victim's parents: Her mother Ashadevi tells ABP News: Nyaay mein der hai andher nahin. Justice has been delayed, but not denied. Her father Badrinath Singh said, "It's a victory for my family, I am very happy with the judgement."

In an interview in a few months after the murder and rape, the parents spoke to Rediff.com and said they would not rest till their daughter's killers were hanged. Read the interview here.

Lawyer Abha Singh: I am happy SC has upheld death penalty; this was a tight case with all evidence.

Swati Maliwal, Delhi Commission for Women Chief: It's not only Nirbhaya and her family's win but for all. The verdict is welcome.

Deependra Pathak, Delhi Police Spokesperson: Delhi Police's investigation stands vindicated, its an important verdict. 

Brinda Karat, CPI-M: In principle I am against death penalty, but this was such a heinous crime that strictest punishment was needed. 

Dec 16 gang rape case update on the Supreme Court verdict:

The Court in its verdict said: Scientific evidence like DNA profiling of victim and accused proves to the hilt about their presence at the crime
spot. Criminal conspiracy of 6 men established; all efforts made to destroy evidence like running bus over victim, her friend. Convicts treated victim as an object of enjoyment, with single purpose of ravishing her. Testimony of victim's friend who was with her in bus and the first prosecution witness is impeccable and relied upon."

"If this case isn't rarest of rare to award death penalty, then which case can fall under it," Justice R Banumathi asked.

The convicts' background, age, no criminal record, good behaviour in prison cannot outweigh aggravating circumstances.

Reactions from the lawyer of the convicts: "Justice not done, we will file a review petition after reading the order. Samaaj mein message dene ke liye kisi ko phansi nahi de sakte, human rights ki dhajiyaan udd gayi. You cannot hang someone to send a message to society. Human rights has been destroyed," AP Singh, lawyer of the convicts said after the SC verdict.

This is the same lawyer, who had said he would burn his daughter alive if she had gone out with a male other than her father or brother, unlike the victim.

The four convicts still have the option to seek a presidential pardon. Or file a review petition again in the top court. The court can only change its verdict, which is very rare, if the plea makes a new and valid point.

Dec 16 gang rape case update on the Supreme Court verdict: Justice Bhanumati said that there should be systematic education of children  to ensure how they will give respect to women.

The three-judge bench of the court hearing the case said, "The victim's dying declaration is consistent; it has been proved beyond doubt and corroborated. Nature and manner of the crime devastated social trust, falls in 'rarest of rare' category warranting death penalty. The crime was a devastation of social trust. She was reduced to an object for their gross sadistic pleasures. They played with her dignity in a devilish manner."

The Supreme Court terms the case as brutal, diabolic and barbaric; the girl's parents and lawyers clapped in the courtroom after the verdict.

May 5, 2017: The Supreme Court hands out the death sentence to all four convicts in the 2012 Delhi gang rape case.

March 27, 2017: The Supreme Court reserves verdict after nearly a year of hearing the case.

March 6, 2017: All the accused submit additional affidavits in the Court.

February 3, 3017: The Supreme Court decides to re-hear the case on the sentencing aspect, after the petitioners contend that there have been violations in procedure.

January 6, 2017: The Supreme Court seeks mitigating circumstances from the accused.

November 28, 2016: Senior Advocate and Amicus Curiae Sanjay Hegde argues against reliability of evidence in the case.

November 7, 2016: Senior Advocate and Amicus Curiae Raju Ramachandran makes his submissions, argues for the sentencing order to be set aside.

September 16, 2016: Former Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) (Delhi) Chaya Sharma, who was transferred to Mizoram post the Delhi gang rape case, attends the hearing.

September 2, 2016: Advocate M. L. Sharma concludes his submissions.

August 29, 2016: High drama in the courtroom as allegation of the police tampering with evidence is made.

April 8, 2016: Senior Advocates Raju Ramachandran and Sanjay Hegde appointed Amicus Curiae.

April 3, 2016: Hearings begin in the Supreme Court, after 19 months of being in cold storage. Justices Dipak Misra, V. Gopala Gowda and Kurian Joseph to hear the case.

December 18, 2015: Delhi High Court refuses to stay release of the minor-accused, who walks free after three years in a juvenile home.

March 15, 2014: The Supreme Court stays execution of the accused after allegations of a denial of fair trial.

March 13, 2014: Delhi High Court Bench of Justices Reva Khetrapal and Pratibha Rani upholds the trial Court verdict.

September 13, 2013: Four remaining accused sentenced to death by Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna.

January 29, 2013: The Supreme Court dismisses transfer petition.

August 31, 2013: Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) presided over by Principal District Magistrate Geetanjali Goel finds the juvenile accused guilty of rape and murder of the medical student, sentences him to three years in Special Home.

March 11, 2013: Main accused Ram Singh commits suicide in Tihar jail.

December 16, 2012: Six men, including the 17-year-old juvenile, gang-rape a 23-year-old physiotherapy intern in a moving bus on December 16, 2012. The girl and her friend were returning home after watching a movie when they were coaxed into the bus by the accused, who then beat up her friend before taking turns in raping her.

The girl succumbed to her injuries in a Singapore hospital on December 29, 2012.

The convicts - Akshay, Pawan, Vinay Sharma and Mukesh - challenged the Delhi High Court order which had sentenced them to the gallows

Update: The SC verdict on the Delhi gang rape.

This is what the Apex court said while hearing the plea of the four convicts against the High Court's death sentence.

"Aggravating circumstances outweigh mitigating circumstances in the case; the offence created a "tsunami of shock", the Supreme Court said. The court said it confirms the findings of the trial court and the Delhi High
Court against the four convicts in the case. "The nature and manner of the crime devastated social trust and falls in the 'rarest of rare' category warranting the death penalty." A three-judge bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra wrote two separate but concurring judgements in the case.

The Supreme Court upholds the death sentence to the four convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case. The apex court has upheld the Delhi High Court order handing out the death sentence to the four men.

The matter was heard by the apex court bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra and consisting of Justices R Banumathi and Ashok Bhushan.

The convicts - Akshay, Pawan, Vinay Sharma and Mukesh - challenged the Delhi High Court order which had sentenced them to the gallows.

Earlier, the trial court also had sentenced all the four convicts to death penalty.

The verdict was expected. It is well known that Justice Dipak Misra doesn't hesitate to give a death sentence and is exceedingly sensitive to women's rights and liberties.

He has upheld rape as depravity and not curable and recently, passed a woman friendly judgement saying that "no woman can be compelled to love; she always has right to say no".

In December, 2012, six people gang-raped a 23-year-old physiotherapy intern in a moving bus. The woman succumbed to her injuries in a Singapore hospital on December 29, 2012.

One of the accused, Ram Singh hanged himself in prison, while another person, who was a juvenile at the time of the crime, was convicted in August last year and will serve the maximum sentence of three years in a reform home.

Justice Dipak Misra is reading out the verdict in the December 16, 2012, Delhi gang rape case.

The convicts - Akshay, Pawan, Vinay Sharma and Mukesh - challenged the Delhi High Court order which had sentenced them to the gallows.


Advocate ML Sharma, who is representing the accused convict Mukesh, has expressed confidence of his client's acquittal.
 
"We are expecting that Mukesh should be acquitted because there is no case against him. There is no evidence that he was even in the bus. We are waiting for the verdict which will come out at 2pm today," Sharma told ANI.
 

Rahul Gandhi as Vice-President has been unable to provide any kind of leadership to the party which has seen serial desertions of leaders and others who are still hoping for a political future. Those who remain, squabble in public, take pot shots at each other and the occasional jab at Gandhi. Like senior leader Sheila Dikshit's comment after the Delhi municipal election loss that she was never asked to campaign by Gandhi favourite Ajay Maken and that "Gandhi should go to office for a couple of hours.

Read the column here.

The Alfred High School in Rajkot - a 164-year-old institution where Mahatma Gandhi studied - has been shut down by the authorities to make way for a museum. The proposal to convert this state-run Gujarati medium school, also known as Mohandas Gandhi High School, into a museum was accepted by the Gujarat government last year.

Mahatma Gandhi passed out from the school in 1887 at the age of 18.

Going ahead with the decision, school authorities have started issuing school leaving certificates to all 125-odd students, said officials.

"We have started issuing leaving certificates to the students, who can now secure admission in any school of their preference for the next academic year" said the District Education Officer Reva Patel.

Last year, the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) had sent a proposal to the state government to shut down the school and convert it into a museum.

Upon receiving the proposal, the Gujarat government had recently asked the Education department to start the process of handing over the school building to the RMC, said Rajkot Municipal Commissioner B N Pani.

"We have hired a consultant to carry out the work of converting this building into a museum at a cost of Rs 10 crore. This museum would showcase life and times of Gandhiji, Sardar Patel and many other prominent personalities," said Pani.

The school, earlier known as Rajkot High School, was founded on October 17, 1853 during the then British rule. It was the first English medium school in Saurashtra region at that time.

The present building of the Alfred High School was built by the Nawab of Junagadh in 1875 and was named after Prince Alfred, the Duke of Edinburgh. After India's independence in 1947, the school was renamed the Mohandas Gandhi High School.

Though Gandhiji's name was attached to this institution, the school had a poor record in imparting education. Few years back, none of its 60-odd SSC students were able to clear the Class X board exam.

As India's highest court is about to pronounce its judgment on the horrific December 16 gang-rape case today, the BJP has backed the Supreme Court's previous decision of awarding capital punishment to the accused.


"It was very tragic incident, which has blotted the civilization of India. In my opinion there is no doubt what so ever, that all of them were guilty and I think nothing other than capital punishment should be given by the Supreme Court," BJP leader Subramanian Swamy told ANI.


Another BJP leader Nalin Kohli said that that the Supreme Court will pronounce a judgment after a due deliberation.


"Irrespective of the judgment being in one way or the other, one needs to accept that it is the final judgment because it come from the Supreme Court and whatever it does, it is after the due deliberation," Kohli told ANI.


The Supreme Court will today deliver the much-awaited verdict in the December 16 Nirbhaya gang rape at around 2 pm.


The matter is being heard by the apex court bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra and consisting of Justices R. Banumathi and Ashok Bhushan.


The convicts - Akshay, Pawan, Vinay Sharma and Mukesh - challenged the Delhi High Court order which had sentenced them to the gallows.


Earlier, the trial court also had sentenced all the four convicts to death penalty.

Modi wants to give Muslim women their rights. So why did he abandon Bilkis in her hour of need? Read

Pakistan's national carrier PIA may suspend flights to Mumbai from next week, NDTV reports.

The PIA or Pakistan International Airlines has two flights a week between Mumbai and Karachi.

It is the only airline flying between the two countries as no Indian airline flies to Pakistan. PIA also operates flights from Karachi and Lahore to Delhi.

PIA had cut down its flights because of poor traffic amid increasing strain between the two countries over the past year.

Relations between India and Pakistan have taken another sharp plunge after two soldiers were killed and mutilated in Kashmir earlier this week by Pakistanis at the Line of Control. India has vowed retribution, with the army saying it will respond to the barbaric act at a "time and place of its choosing".

Giant strides in ayurveda that Modi forgot. Read the column here.

J&K Governor NN Vohra meets PM Narendra Modi in connection with the security situation in the Kashmir Valley.

The UN owes a total of USD 55 million to India for its contribution to the world body's peacekeeping operations, the second highest outstanding payment to any member country.

Under-Secretary-General for Management Yukio Takasu, in his semi-annual overview of the Organisation's finances, told reporters on Wednesday that the top troop contributing countries to UN peacekeeping operations such as Ethiopia, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Egypt "deserve timely payment" for their contributions and participation in UN peacekeeping.

As on March 31 this year, the UN owed a total of USD 777 million to member states for peacekeeping operations.

Senior Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav tells ANI he is forming a new party called, 'Samajwadi Secular Morcha'. The party chief will be Mulayam Singh Yadav. "Neta-ji ko unka sammaan vapas dilane, aur Samajawadion ko ek saath laane ke liye is morche ka jald hi ailaan hoga. We will announce the party soon. It will restore Netaji's (Mulayam Singh Yadav) honour and unite people faithful to the Samajwadi Party," Shivpal Yadav said.

On Wednesday, Shivpal Yadav had threatened to float a new secular front if his nephew and former CM Akhilesh Yadav doesn't hand over the party reins to Mulayam Singh Yadav.

His comments come in the wake of the party's defeat in the recently-concluded Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, which was contested under the leadership of Akhilesh.

The SP in alliance with Congress managed to win only 54 seats in the 404-member Assembly.

Shivpal was the party's state president at the time.

"Akhilesh had promised to hand over the party to 'netaji' (Mulayam). He should now do so and we all will strengthen the SP. I had also given him three months' time. Otherwise, I will constitute a new secular front," Shivpal told PTI. He recently said that he would unite 'Samajwadis' (socialists) and bring them on a common platform. 

Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra calls on PM Narendra Modi; discusses security situation in the Valley.

President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday approved the ordinance on Non-Performing Assets (NPA).

The ordinance will give greater powers to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to tackle mounting bad loans, according to an official in the finance ministry aware of the development.

Earlier, the Union Cabinet had approved promulgation of an ordinance to amend the Banking Regulation Act for resolution of the non-performing asset (NPA) crisis.

The Cabinet also gave its nod to the National Steel Policy- 2017 which targets to achieve 300 Million tonne of steel making capacity by 2030 with an additional investment of ten lakh crore rupees

Update: The government today announced new rules for a "no-fly list" for unruly passengers, which include suspension for three months to two years or more for offences.

Announcing the rules, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said they would be in place in June after feedback from the public.

The rules will be put up online for a month before being finalized.To qualify for the no-fly list, passengers should have either created problems on either a flight or at an airport; any disruption to what's considered "a normal flying process" will be considered an offense.

Offences have been categories in three levels; level 1 constitutes disruptive behaviour such as physical gestures, level 2 includes physically abusive behaviour, sexual harassment and level 3 is for murderous assault or life threatening behavior and damage to aircraft operating systems.

Existing rules authorise airlines to bar a person at the time of boarding if a passenger's conduct has been disruptive or threatened the security of co-passengers or the flight.

The no-fly rules were triggered by the outrage after parliamentarian Ravindra Gaikwad assaulted an Air India manager on a plane recently.Once on the no-fly list, a passenger will not be able to book or buy a plane ticket. 

For the first time, Australia will sell 'Kesar' variety of Indian mangoes with the inaugural consignment of nearly 400 trays landing in Sydney, but marketing firms called it a "little disappointing" as the fruit was a little blemish and not evenly coloured.

The first consignment was received by Perfection Fresh Australia (PFA), Australia's largest fresh-produce marketing company, after recently revised protocols that allowed Indian mango imports if the fruit was treated with irradiation prior to export.

"The first consignment, I've got to say, was a little disappointing," PFA chief executive Michael Simonetta said, adding "the fruit had a little bit of blemish on the skin and wasn't as evenly coloured as we expected it to be, so we're in the process now of getting it to colour more evenly and then offer it for sale following that."

"The eating quality is quite nice. It's pleasant to eat. The feedback has been okay and the upside for me as a consumer is that it tastes better than the Mexican Keitt (mangoes) that are in the market as well at the moment," he said.

Simonetta said the mangoes would predominantly end up with independent retailers. "We have shown them to the major supermarkets, but at the moment the volumes are far too light. This is a trial and it's yet to be concluded, so while I'm a little bit underwhelmed, it's too early to call." The next consignment of Kesar mangoes will be sent to Perth next week while imports of Alphonso mangoes would also begin soon. "The variety I'm really excited about, is in a few week's time we'll bring in the Alphonso mango which is known as the king of mango," he said. "It's got a very high profile in India and across the world and I think the whole programme of importation of mangoes from India will be judged on the success or otherwise of the Alphonso mango." Simonetta said it was too early to tell how many tonnes would be exported to Australia this season.

In the next 25 years or so, we will have intelligence in computers that will exceed man's in every way. The speculation is that artificial intelligence will not be malevolent, meaning deliberately wishing to harm us, but it will treat us as we treat insects.It will ignore us while it goes about perfecting itself, says Aakar Patel. Read the column here.

Beyond the politician is a doting grandpa. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh posts this picture of his grandson, saying, "Sahasrajay my grand son SRJ to us has learnt to stand on his own now. Future Politician?"

Digvijaya's son, Jaivardhan Singh, is an MLA in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly from the Raghogarh Vidhan Sabha constituency. 

The BSE benchmark cracked below the 30,000-level by dropping 133 points in early trade today on emergence of profit-booking after yesterday's strong rally.

Besides, a weak trend in global markets as investors await the US non-farm payrolls data and drop in commodity prices overnight also influenced sentiment. The 30-share barometer tripped by 133.04 points, or 0.44 per cent, to 29,993.17 in early trade. The index had risen by 231.41 points in the previous session, buoyed by reform steps in the banking and infra space.

The advent of Karl Marx and Marxism constitutes a revolutionary epoch in the history of humanity. Marxism provided a philosophical understanding of human history and a practical method to liberate human beings from the chains of exploitation and enable them to realise essential human worth. The comprehensive scope of Marxism, which encompasses not only the materialistic basis of production, but also other finer dimensions of life, makes it a wholesome and holistic method to understand -- and transform -- the social, economic and cultural aspects of human consciousness.

CPI-M senior leader D Raja on the relevance of Karl Marx 200 years later. Read the column here.

Former United States president Barack Obama has extended his support to French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron, saying that the latter is committed to a better future for the French people.

"I have admired the campaign that Emmanuel Macron has run. He has stood up for liberal values, he put forward a vision for the important role that France plays in Europe and around the world. And, he is committed to a better future for the French people. He appeals to people's hopes and not their fears," CNN quoted Obama as saying in a video shared by Macron via Twitter on Thursday.

Asserting that he is not planning to get involved in many elections and also that he does not has to run for the office again, Obama underscored that the French election is very important to the future of France and to the values that Americans care so much about.

Obama added that "he is endorsing Emmanuel Macron to lead the French people due to the significance of the upcoming presidential election in the country".

This comes after President Donald Trump had earlier spoken positively about the right-wing candidate Marine Le Pen of the National Front party.

A diffused grenade was found in the premises of the Red Fort in the national capital on Thursday evening, triggering an alert.

The grenade was recovered in a well during a routine operation.

A team of National Security Agency and District Commissioner of Police (DCP) reached the spot and a massive search was launched to sweep the area.

The grenade has been taken in for investigation, upon which it will be decided if it belonged to the World War era.

Earlier in February, ammunition and boxes of explosives were found during cleaning of a well inside Red Fort.

The discovery triggered panic, prompting police to cordon off the area and inform the NSG.

The Delhi Police on Thursday night took the father and the younger brother of the woman, accused in the honey trap case of BJP MP KC Patel, into custody.

Earlier this week, the Delhi Police had arrested the woman from her residence in Ghaziabad, and taken her in for questioning.

Patel had filed a complaint with the police against the woman and her gang alleging he was honey-trapped and filmed in an objectionable position after being given a spiked drink.

Patel alleged that the woman threatened to leak the video clips online if she was not paid Rs 5 crore, police said.

The woman has also approached a Delhi court alleging that she was raped by the MP.

Patel in his complaint to Delhi Police Commissioner, Amulya Patnaik, has alleged that the gang was being operated by the woman, who took him to her house in Ghaziabad.

A case was registered against the woman and her gang in North Avenue police station on Saturday.

"KC Patel alleged that the woman gave him a spiked drink in her residence and later filmed him in objectionable positions after he got unconscious. She later started to threaten him to make those clips viral. She demanded Rs. 5 crore from him," a senior police officer said.

The woman, who had also approached a Delhi court, has accused Patel of raping her at his official residence on March 3. She alleged that she was raped on several other occasions in various places by Patel, the officer added.

She claimed that she approached Delhi Police but it refused to register her FIR.

The Centre on Friday will announce a draft rule for a 'no-fly list' for unruly passengers in the aftermath of the debacle surrounding Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad, who assaulted an Air India staffer onboard a plane.

The Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) are being amended by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to facilitate such a list, the ministry of civil aviation said in a letter to Air India CMD, making an appeal to him to lift the ban on Gaikwad.

The no-fly list has been amended by Air India from the day Gaikwad hit 62-year-old R. Sukumar with his slipper.


To qualify for the no-fly list, passengers should have either created problems on either a flight or at an airport; any disruption to what's considered "a normal flying process" will be considered an offense. Existing rules authorize airlines to bar a person at the time of boarding if a passenger's conduct has been disruptive or threatened the security of co-passengers or the flight.

The following day, the Federation of Indian Airlines, which has Jet Airways, SpiceJet, IndiGo and GoAir as its members, made the announcement.

The draft will be made public by aviation minister Ashok G. Raju and his deputy Jayant Sinha. For effective implementation, the Centre is likely to make some identification mandatory - either Aadhaar or passport number - while booking even domestic tickets.

The draft will give about a month for the public to comment. The aviation ministry will then take some time to study them and come out with the final CAR.

The new rules however will provide for a fixed period for the ban on a passenger who will have the right to appeal. The no-fly list will be public, and sources said airlines may be allowed to ask for passengers to voluntarily disclose their Aadhaar numbers when they buy tickets - that would allow for members of the no-fly list to be identified by their Aadhaar or unique identification ID.

As per the IATA, in 2015, there were 10,854 reported cases of unruly behaviour by the passengers across airlines worldwide, which translate into one incident for every 1,205 flights.

The banyan tree and the green chilli; the crow and the beetle; the rose and the mango; the informality and good humour of its people...Beloved author Ruskin Bond continues Rediff.com's special series on India's treasures, and tells Archana Masih that India's wealth lies in its earthy splendours. Do read

Bilkis Bano got justice because the rest of India and its institutions were not infected by the virus of lawlessness that Modi bred in his home state. Today, that virus is going national. Read more

Two naxal commanders were gunned down in retaliatory action by the Central Reserve Police Force after the Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district last week in which 25 security personnel were killed, police claimed on Thursday.

At least 11 suspects have been rounded up for questioning by the the CRPF and state police in Chintalnar, Chintagufa and Burkapal areas of Sukma since the April 24 attack in Burkapal area under Chintagufa police station limits.

Preliminary interrogation has 'established' that some of these suspects were allegedly involved in the Burkapal attack but once the interrogation process is completed, they will be arrested and produced before the court, Sukma Superintendent of Police Abhishek Meena said.

Some of the suspects broke out during interrogation and disclosed that the two dreaded Naxal commanders were killed in the Burkapal incident,        "During interrogation, some suspects revealed that two naxal commanders were killed in the Burkapal incident," he said.

He further claimed that those killed were identified as Anil, a commander of military platoon 24 of Maoists and divisional committee rank member, and Ravi, Cherla LOS (local organisation squad) commander.

While Anil was a native of Usoor area of the Bijapur district, Ravi was from Bhadrari district of neighbouring Telangana, the SP said.

Their interrogation may reveal crucial details about the incident, he added. -- PTI

She has proved her mettle in acting with films like Gangster, Queen, Tanu Weds Manu, and now two-time National Award winner Kangana Ranaut is set to foray into film-making. 

When O Panneerselvam rebelled against V K Sasikala in February he expected the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MLAs to follow him. But he attracted only 13 legislators, leaving the field clear for the Sasikala faction to secure a majority in the assembly and also have a chief minister of their choice. 

US House passes bill to repeal Obamacare

IPL: Pant, Samson heroics take Delhi past Gujarat

SC verdict on death of Dec 16 gang rape convicts tomorrow

2 more suspected ISI agents arrested; kin cry foul

Terrorists attack army patrol during search op; civilian killed

Read yesterday's live commentary HERE