Describing the recent spate of 'unparliamentary utterances' by TMC MP Derek O'Brien against the BJP top brass as an "expression of the TMC's anger over Saradha and Burdwan blast probes", BJP spokesperson and in-charge of party affairs in West Bengal Siddharth Nath Singh said "obstruction is not a substitute of TMC's conspiracy in the Saradha scam". 

The BJP also said there was a virtual competition going on between the Trinamool Congress chief and her leaders in use of "intemperate" language against the BJP leadership. "Certainly the Chief Minister cannot be pushed down from the winners slot but its Rajya Sabha member and spokesperson Derek O'Brien certainly beats his colleagues in the intemperate language competition," Singh said, adding O'Brien had certainly not acquired his asset from being a Quiz Master.

"On Friday night, a BSF patrol saw a boy near a border post. We took him with us and provided him with food, clothes as well as toys. Yesterday, we returned him safely to his parents in Pakistan," BSF Deputy Commander (Bhuj Range) Himanshu Gaur told PTI today.

The BSF conducted a flag meeting with Pakistani Rangers including Lieutenant Colonel Baig Mirza Laeeq and Deputy Superitendent of Rangers (DSR) Tariq, who expressed their gratitude.

According to an official statement by the BSF, the kid was identified as Ali Sajjan Gohar, 4, who hailed from Dandari village in Badin district of Pakistan's Sindh Province.

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"BJP has made its stand clear on conversions. And no one can derail the party (government) from its development agenda," he told a press conference.

He was replying to a question whether the campaign by somefringe groups on the conversion issue would affect thedevelopment agenda of the Narendra Modi government.

Asked repeatedly about the involvement of RSS in the matter, Shah evaded a direct reply and said, "The RSS is a nationalist organisation and I have no doubt over its activities."

Opposition parties have been seeking to corner the government on the 'ghar wapsi' campaign in parts of North India and stalled proceedings in Rajya Sabha demanding a statement from Modi.

Following complaints from parents to the district authorities, the headmaster Rajender Singh was suspended yesterday, Basic Shiksha Adhikari K K Singh said. During an inquiry, it was found that he had forced students to clean school toilets, Singh said.

The ritual of 'home-coming', organised by district wing ofVHP, was held at a local temple at Kanichanallor.

VHP leader Prathap G Padikkal, who arranged the functon,told PTI that the families "expressed their desire to comeback to Hinduism" and VHP "only facilitated the return".

He said their ancestors had converted to Christianity somedecades ago. Another 150 families in the district have expressed their wish to embrace Hindusiam and VHP would arrange their 'homecoming' also, he said. 

Zubair Ahmed, Rasheed Qureshi, Ghulam Sarwar Bhatti and Russian citizen Akhlaque Ahmed were hanged at the district jail in Faisalabad in Punjab province, two days after two prisoners were hanged in the same jail. 

The four death-row prisoners were shifted to the district jail under the security of army personnel because the lever used to open the trapdoor to carryout hangings was not available in the central jail in Faisalabad. F

Family members of the prisoners were allowed to meet the convicts for the last time prior to the hanging.

"I think that many of the elected leaders who were there (Madison Square Garden) were not quite prepared for the electric energy that was in that room and the excitement, I can guarantee you none of us get welcome like that anywhere we go," Gabbard said. Speaking at an event hosted by NASSCOM, she said, "I think that for the elected officials who were there and even those who didn't go, but heard about it later and wished that they had gone, I think they recognised that Prime Minister Modi has strong vision for where he would like to see India and the opportunity that is there...."

"He is a man on a mission and he has a plan of action - that was made very clear.....," she said.

UK home secretary Theresa May is demanding that the Conservative party's next manifesto in Britain to include a pledge forcing students from outside the European Union to leave the UK and apply for a fresh visa from abroad.

The new move could lead to the sharp dip in the number of Indian students coming to UK for higher studies, and they are set to be displaced as the Britain's second-largest group of foreign students. Presently, students largely from China and India can switch easily to a work visa and are able to work after their course ends.

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"Although pitch invasion is an offence for which people can be charged, police consider this was an appropriate and proportionate response to a low level incident just prior to Christmas," police official was quoted by BBC News.

The dozen Father Christmas were fans of the respective clubs and had invaded to support their clubs, who were then ejected during half time from the stadium by match stewards. The stewards were supported by the police in their handling of the event, and responded to this incident by taking the names of the fans for this offence, for which they will be reported. Police described it as a "minor incident".

The match finally ended in a 1-1 draw.

Unconditionally condemning the killing of Wenjin Liu, a seven-year veteran of the New York Police Department, and Raphael Ramos, who joined the force two years ago, Obama said there was "no justification" for their slaying.

"I unconditionally condemn today's murder of two police officers in New York City. Two brave men won't be going home to their loved ones tonight, and for that, there is no justification," Obama said in a statement.

"Tonight, I ask people to reject violence and words that harm, and turn to words that heal," Obama, who is now on a vacation in Hawaii, said.

"Mrs Gandhi is feeling better and her condition is stable. She has undergone breathing exercises without any problem. She will remain under observation and treatment in hospital today," said Dr Arup Kumar Basu, senior consultant and chairman, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

The Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency has already conducted live-fire tests of the Extreme Accuracy asked Ordnance programme, which is designed to help military snipers hit targets, even when their aim is off. For military snipers, acquiring moving targets in unfavourable conditions, such as high winds and dusty terrain, is extremely challenging with current technology, DARPA said.

It is critical that snipers be able to engage targets faster, and with better accuracy, since any shot that doesn't hit a target also risks the safety of troops by indicating their presence and potentially exposing their location.

"As all the environmental-related permissions are cleared for the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport, this project will be operational by 2019," Fadnavis posted on Twitter this morning.

The project will be built on public-private partnership on a land of around 1,160 hectares, out of which 592 hectares have been acquired and all clearances will be done by January 2015, he said. After the completion of first phase, 10 million people are expected to use it annually.

The final phase will have a capacity to accommodate 60 million passengers annually, the chief minister said. 

"Seeing the rise in passengers, Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport will also be extended to accommodate 40 million passengers, annually," Fadnavis further tweeted.

Here are four charts that reveal trends with particularly far-reaching implications for the global economy as a whole.

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Besides serving as an envoy to India between 1965 and 1968 under Harold Wilson's premiership, he was also a decorated soldier, editor of the 'New Statesman' magazine, Labour MP, Britain's ambassador in Washington and chairman of 'London Weekend Television'.

His interviewees for 'Face to Face' included Martin Luther King and Bertrand Russell and his interview style was appreciated for being direct.

That's what Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is hoping to find out in January, with the release of MSG: Messenger of God.

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An actor-turned politician and supporter of expelled DMK leader M K Alagiri, Napoleon joined the BJP in the presence of its President Amit Shah here, a day after quitting the DMK.

"I did not like the functioning of the DMK. There was no intra party democracy. The party elections were not conducted the way it should be," he told reporters after formally joining the BJP at the party office.

He is the third prominent person to join the BJP during the Shah's two-day tour of the state. Lyricist Gangai Amaran and choreographer Gayathri Raguram joined the party yesterday. 

The BJP, which led a rainbow alliance of smaller parties in the Lok Sabha elections, has been seeking to position itself as an alternative to the Dravidian majors DMK and AIADMK, accusing both of neglecting the development of the state.

However, these public hearings violate fundamental legal norms in letter and spirit and should be cancelled and not held till these violations are rectified.

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Dimpy, 29, and Rahul, who in 2010 became the first couple in the country to marry on reality TV, filed for divorce by mutual consent earlier this year. The model sparked reunion rumours when she got teary-eyed on seeing Rahul during a party organised inside the 'Bigg Boss' house. 

"During the party everyone's friends had come over. For me, Rahul coming to the house was like a visit by a family member. It was weird that we were behaving like strangers. I was emotional as at times I feel alienated in the house being a wild card entrant. Everyone has a bonding. So it was all pent up emotions that came out that day," Dimpy said during a press conference inside the 'Bigg Boss' house in Lonavla last evening.

In early December, Beverly Johnson came forward with accusations that Cosby drugged her during an audition for 'The Cosby Show' in the mid-80s in an essay for Vanity Fair.

In the letter to CNN president Jeffrey Zucker, Singer said that CNN decided not to use an interview with Johnson's live-in boyfriend from 2006-2009, Mark Burk, because he did not corroborate her story of being drugged by the 'Cosby Show' star for an upcoming special planned by the cable news network.

"We have already handed over two 40 mm L/70 guns to BEL for electronic upgradation after bringing mechanical improvement in it," GCF general manager N K Sinha told PTI over phone.

There is a plan to upgrade 200-odd L/70 guns, Sinha said adding that their hydraulic system is being changed to electric drive. The gun's firing ability is being sharpened and its handling is being made more convenient, GCF officials said.

The guns were imported from Sweden's Bofors company in the 60s. After the transfer of technology from the Swedish company, its manufacturing was taken up successfully by GCF, they said.

The militants exchanged fire with the security forces in the Chirang reserve forest, 7 km North-west of Selaguri, IGP L R Bishnoi said.

The militants were yet to be identified, Bishnot said, adding an M-16 rifle, an AK series rifle and an Insas rifle were recovered from the slain ultra. One person kidnapped by the extremist outfit was also rescued during the encounter, he added.

Six teams of sniffer dogs, armed personnel carriers, bomb disposal squads and commandos participated in the operations in the capital yesterday, the Dawn reported. Officials of Capital Territory Police, Pakistan Rangers, and intelligence agencies also recovered arms and ammunition.

"These were intelligence-based operations conducted in view of the fresh threats from militants after the execution of two convicted terrorists," the paper said, citing a police official.

Mercury again dipped by one to five degrees following northerly cold winds in most parts of the state in the past 24 hours, a MeT report said. Churu recorded a minimum temperature of 0.5 degree C, it said.

Mount Abu recorded a minimum of 2 degree C, Sikar recorded a minimum of 3, Udaipur 3.4, Pilani 3.8, Srigangangar 4, Bikaner 4.8, Kota 6.8, Jaisalmer 7.4, Ajmer 7.8 and Barmer 9.4 degree C, according to the report. Jaipur also experienced the coldest night of the season with 5.5 degree C.

"9,486 families have been affected due to bad weather that prevailed over the last 48 hours and some 35726 people have been affected, 30,000 alone from the worst hit Batticaloa district in eastern Sri Lanka", Sarath Lal Kumara, the media spokesman for the National Disaster Management Centre said. 

Kumara said 14,000 people are being housed in 107 welfare camps. Seven districts from different parts of the country are affected. Almost all of major reservoirs in the dry zone of the island have reached spill levels, he said.

Transport disruptions were affected with the cancellation of last night's mail trains to both northern and eastern regions. After heavy rains on Friday and yesterday the weather is ser for improvement throughout the island today, the meteorological department said.

"The exciting thing for me is there are 30,000 itty-bitty, perfect octahedrons, and not one big diamond. It's like they formed instantaneously," said Larry Taylor, a geologist at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

The concentration of diamonds in the rock is millions of times greater than that in typical diamond ore, which averages 1 to 6 carats per tonne, Taylor said. The thousands of diamonds in the rock cluster together in a tight band, Live Science reported.

Women security, which has been the Achilles' heel of the force since the brutal gangrape of a physiotherapy student in 2012, was again in the spotlight when a 27-year-old financial executive was allegedly raped by a Uber cab driver inside his taxi on December 5.

However, unlike last time, police was praised for a prompt action in the case. The case of Sunanda Pushkar, wife of former Union minister Shashi Tharoor who was found dead at a 5-star hotel on January 17 remains the biggest mystery of the year with conspiracy theories flying thick and fast but no concrete development taking place in the probe.

"The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has always held something for me because my heroes were in there. I had to go for a walk.

"I wound up at this cafe and I sat down and my son met up with me. I told him and he was like, 'Oh my God. No way.' It just took some time to sink in. We're in incredible company and I'm still trying to make sense of this. It's just incredible," said Green Day's lead vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong.

Mersane Warria 'was charged with eight counts of murder in a bedside hearing at a hospital in the northern city of Cairns where she is recovering from stab wounds,' said Queensland police official.

According to the NASA, a total of 1,78,144 space enthusiasts from India had their names recorded on the dime-sized microchip on board NASA's unmanned Orion crew module spacecraft, which was launched into space on December 4.

India stood second in the number of people sending their names after the US, which topped the list with 4,63,669 entries. United Kingdom (1,12,073), Mexico (51,505) and The Philippines (39,991) were in the top five.

In a historic judgement, the Supreme Court this year cancelled 204 mines alloted since 1993, while terming those allocations as flawed.

Those affected by the decision include biggies like Jindal Steel, Essar Power, GVK and JSW Steel. Among these, billionaire Naveen Jindal-led Jindal Steel and Power Ltd had to shelve a $10-billion coal-to-diesel project, while casualties continue to pile up from the controversy and the alleged scam in this sector, which has come to be known as 'Coalgate'.

The proposed penalty limit would be a steep jump as it is just Rs 1 lakh under the existing provision. As per the government, huge penalty that could run up to Rs 1 crore would be slapped on entities found to be non-complying with any orders or directions given under the Electricity Act. 

The provision is part of various amendments proposed by the government to the Electricity Act, 2003. In this regard, the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2014, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Friday and was later referred to the Standing Committee. If the proposed amendment comes into force, violating entities would be liable for punishment that could be imprisonment for three months or fine up to Rs 1 crore.

It could be both in 'case of continuing failure, with an additional fine which may extend to Rs 1 lakh for every day during which the failure continues after conviction of the first such offence', as per the Bill.

Jan Dhan Yojna, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 28 August, aims at providing access to banking facilities to all the citizens of the country.

As many as 4,500 convicted inmates will be made beneficiaries of the scheme with the help of Indian Bank, which also provides banking facility to officials and staff on the jail premises.

He also warned that Cuba faced a "long and difficult struggle" before the US removed its economic embargo.

The North's foreign ministry accused the US government of "spreading groundless allegations" and said a probe would refute the allegations.

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