Iraq has received "credible" intelligence that Islamic State militants plan to attack subway systems in Paris and the United States, Iraq's prime minister said on Thursday, but senior U.S. officials said they had no evidence to back up the claim.

Pakistan today said that no meeting was planned between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. 

In a major "terrorist" attack, 50 people including 40 "rioters" were killed in a series of explosions targeting a fair and police stations in China's restive Xinjiang province where the country is battling an upsurge in separatist violence by ethnic Muslim Uygurs.                 

Indian Mujahideen's Pakistan-basedfounder Riyaz Bhatkal had suggested adopting tactics used inthe 2013 Maoist strike in Chhattisgarh on Congress leaders foreliminating politicians, the NIA has told a Delhi court.

The National Investigation Agency said this in itssupplementary charge sheet filed before a special court which today took cognisance of the final report filed against 20suspected IM men and fixed the case for hearing on November 3.        "Accused A-10 (Riyaz Bhatkal who is absconding) has clearly stated about his wish of repeating blasts in Mumbai to teach a lesson to police. Investigation has established that accused A-10 appreciated Maoist act of killing Congress leaders and postulated that IM should also do such activity like killing political leaders," NIA said in the charge sheet.

Maoists had last year attacked the Congress cavalcade in Chhattisgarh in which 27 people, including the party's top leaders, were killed.

The charge sheet further said that absconding IM member Mirza Shadab Beg had "allied" with top terror group al Qaedafor exploring the availability of fidayeen attack in India.

"The accused A-16 (Beg) allied with the al Qaeda and was exploring the availability of fidayeen i.e. suicide attacker from the al Qaeda for terrorist act in India. The accused formed a sub-group of IM operatives which allied with other absconding jihadi terrorists from different states of India who had taken shelter in Pakistan, for the furtherance of terrorist activities within India," it said.

Former DRDO chief Dr V K Saraswat and another senior scientist were today sentenced to three weeks simple imprisonment by the Madras high court for committing contempt of court by disobeying its April 2009 order related to re-employment of a clerk in a school run by a wing of the organisation.

Taking a serious view of the non-implementation of its order, a division bench comprising Justice S Rajeswaran and Justice P N Prakash awarded three weeks simple imprisonment to Saraswat and Director of Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory, Dr G Malakondaiah and directed them to pay a fine of Rs 2,000 each personally.

We tried our best to save the alliance but it seems NCP's decision was pre-scripted: Cong general secretary Mohan Prakash.

Ajit Pawar to meet Maharashtra governor tomorrow to hand over letter of withdrawal of support to government.

Ajit Pawar blames Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan for the split, says NCP never neglected by earlier Congress CMs.

NCP to contest election on its own, signals end to the 15-year old alliance with Congress in Maharashtra: NCP state President Sunil Tatkare.

A 70-year-old British national, sentenced to death in Pakistan under controversial blasphemy law, was today shot and critically wounded by a police commando inside a prison in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.

Muhammad Asghar was attacked inside the Adiala Jail, where he was being held. Asghar was arrested in 2012 for allegedly claiming that he was a prophet and convicted in January this year.

A Rawalpindi police official told BBC Urdu service that the gunman who shot Asghar is Mohammad Yousuf, a member of the Elite Force of police commandos. He said Yousuf walked into Asghar's cell before shooting him.

Bamiyan in Afghanistan has been selected as the first 'cultural capital' by SAARC member-countries for a year, hosting festivals on literature, films, food and dance. Afghanistan would also be the first country within the member-states to host the 'cricket connect exhibition' and an under-19 cricket match with India.

These were some of the initiatives adopted under a 'Delhi Resolution' at the third edition of SAARC Culture Ministers' summit here. A proposal to establish a SAARC Cultural Heritage Committee was also adopted for preservation, maintenance, as well as digital mapping of historic sites in member countries.

The summit also agreed to promote SAARC culture online by launching a dedicated SAARC website on culture, with emphasis on digitisation of rare manuscripts, rare books and other articles of intangible cultural value, Joint Secretary in the Culture Ministry V Srinivas told reporters

Decision to part ways taken with a heavy heart, says BJP's Devendra Fadnavis.

If you couldn't care less about the BJP-Sena alliance or otherwise, read this: Inside the company that got rid of email... well, almost.

We love this: @MarsOrbiter tweets: "A shot of Martian atmosphere. I'm getting better at it. No pressure."

BJP will now take steps towards Congress-free Maharashtra on its own. Many proposals were discussed, keeping in view time constraint, Core committee has decided to end our 25 year old alliance: Eknath Khadse, BJP.

BJP: "Discussions with Shiv Sena aren't moving ahead, we are running out of time. Nominations are to be filed in next two days. We will fight Maharashtra elections with smaller allies SSS & RSP, talks are in final stages with RIPA. 

We have made our alliance with Shiv Sangram, RSP and SSS, says BJP.

Devendra Fadnavis, BJP: "We had a view that our smaller allies must be kept with us, but Shiv Sena was adamant about their proposal. There was not much difference in the Shiv Sena's earlier and new proposal. Shiv Sena was only concerned about CM post and their quota of seats. They never gave a suitable proposal, we could not accommodate our allies in that. There was no flexibility in deliberations. We have decided to go with smaller parties."  

It's official now: The BJP announces that it's 25-year-old association with the Shiv Sena is over.

Shiv Sena never gave a suitable proposal, we could not accommodate our allies in that: Eknath Khadse, BJP

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has appointed former law secretary TK Viswanathan to head a committee to recommend innovative laws to combat bankruptcy. Jaitley in his budget speech made a commitment that before the 2015 Budget, the BJP government will bring a Bill before Parliament to alter the Bankruptcy Act enacted during the Colonial era. 

The PMO is set to transfer eight additional secretaries to the government of India who were close to UPA ministers. What we understand so far is that two are from the finance ministry, while one each are from Commerce, Petroleum and Surface Transport. Before leaving for the US, Modi got 48 Joint Secretaries moved from their present portfolio.

The decision make in the wake of information that the officers were leaking key information not only to corporate houses but also to former UPA ministers. 

We are told that Amitabh Kant, Secretary to Department of Industrial Policy and Programmes got a pat on the back from the PMO for the smooth run of the Make in India programme held at the Vigyan Bhavan today. The 3D power point presentation and the website (www.makeinindia.com) was praised. 

And while on Madison Square Garden, a picture of a the American Nazi convention at the stadium in 1939. 

I&B Minister, Prakash Javadekar on BJP- Shiv Sena alliance: Both parties need this alliance, it has worked out smoothly for 25 years. Discussion has reached final phase, I am in constant touch.

The high-profile public reception organised by the Indian community in the US in honour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New York on September 28 would be hosted by Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri and popular Indian-origin news anchor -- Hari Sreenivasan, 40, a PBS News Hour Weekend Anchor.

Or so we were told.

Now, we hear Sreenivasan will not be hosting the show. India actor Akshay Kapoor may just win the joust. Kapoor, an Indian-American, has a handful of films to his credit. 

Even as talks between the BJP and Sena in Maharashtra are still on, BJP president Amit Shah has drawn up a list of six major rallies in Maharashtra and five in Haryana.

The dates are being worked out with consultation of the state units. SPG officials are also being asked to take note of these towns from the security point of view, since the PM will be speaking at some of these rallies. There will also be a video link to 200  places each in Maharashtra and Haryana during the rallies.

The video link will be broadcast on October 13 at 4 pm just before campaigning ends.  

Just in: "State unit of the BJP is in consultation with the Shiv Sena, will make the best endeavor in interest of the people of Maharashtra," says Rajiv Pratap Rudy is the BJP's general secretary in charge of the state.

Aditya Thackeray tweets: Under the leadership of Uddhavji, we will build the Maharashtra of Balasaheb's dreams- progressive, safe, prosperous!

Another time, another man: October 1949: PM Jawaharlal Nehru arrives in USA. President Truman receives him at Washington Airport.

Somebody handling the Mangalyaan tweet is enjoying herself/himself. @MarsOrbiter I can see the stars. Can you?

@MarsOrbiter tweets this picture. We can't see the stars, though.

Diwakar Raote of the Shiv Sena says the party had almost finalized its (seat sharing) proposal when it heard "through media that Mr Rudy announced the end of the alliance".

Senior Shiv Sena leader and former opposition leader in the legislative assembly Ramdas Kadam refused to confirm or deny if the 25-year-old Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance iin Maharashtra is over or still intact.

Speaking with Rediff.com's Prasanna Zore, Kadam said that senior leaders are waiting for Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray, who is on his annual pilgrimage to Tuljapur Bhavani Temple in Osmanabad district, to return to Mumbai before any official announcement is made.

Thackeray is expected to be in Mumbai late in the evening.

Meanwhile, BJP national president Amit Shah is also in Mumbai to attend a cultural event organised by Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini, a RSS-backed Charitable Trust.

Watch this space.

The BSF today said that fencing and border posts, which were damaged by the recent floods, have been restored along the 190 km long Indo-Pak International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir.

"The repair of the fencing where ever suffered damage has been carried out and posts which were affected have also been restored (along IB in Jammu frontier)," Inspector General (IG) of BSF, Jammu Frontier, Rakesh Kumar Sharma said.

He said that additional manpower has been deployed to keep enhanced vigilance and guard along the borderline with Pakistan.

"The fencing where damage has occurred, BSF has restored it through replenishment of its stores and little bit more damage, what-ever it is, has been strengthened through its additional manpower," the IG said.

Narendra Modi leaves for the US. Scroll down for his itinerary. 

The end of the alliance follows a failure of talks between the two parties after Shiv Sena refused to accept BJPs demand for contesting seats more than the last Assembly elections.

The last date for filing of nominations in the elections to the 288-member Assembly is on September 27.

Blame game begins between the BJP, Sena.

Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP says that whatever proposals the BJP and other four parties received from the Shiv Sena are not accommodating enough. "We will have a core committee meeting to discuss the situation," he said.

Shiv Sena says BJP was in a hurry to sever ties.

Reports coming in now say that the 25-year-old Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra has indeed crumbled. A formal announcement is expected at around 4 pm. Home Minister Rajnath Singh had said that talks were still on. 

Shiv Sena Union Minister of Heavy Industries, Anant Geete, is likely to put in his papers if the Shiv Sena and BJP alliance ends.

Sena leaders in New Delhi are not confirming or denying the resignation aspect however, there are indications that the resignation letter would be sent to Prime Minister's Office tomorrow.

During the Maharashtra assembly poll campaign, Geete may have to face flak if he continued.

Though Geete met Modi this morning at the Make in India programme in Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, there was no discussion about his resignation.

Times Now reports that the BJP, Shiv Sena alliance in Maharashtra has ended. Both the parties will go to the polls alone.

In the wake of the PM's Make in India initiative, Siddhartha Deb's piece on Why India's boom years have been a bust. Read

On Sunday, Modi is expected to draw the largest crowd ever by a foreign leader on US soil when he takes the stage in New York's most famous sports and entertainment arena. Some 18,000 people are expected to pack Madison Square Garden.

Union Minister Smriti Irani initiates the Swachh Bharat-Swachh Vidyalaya Campaign at Kendriya Vidyalaya, R.K.Puram, Delhi.

Twenty-one people have been injured in a fire at SAIL's Burnpur unit in West Bengal.

"An incident of fire occurred at SAIL's IISCO Steel Plant (ISP) at 12.15 pm today... Around 21 affected persons have been provided immediate medical attention, both at the Plant Medical Unit and at Burnpur hospital. Out of these, two persons belonging to contractor BEC have been admitted to ICU," SAIL said in a statement.

Preliminary enquiry has revealed that it happened in New Coke Oven Battery no 11, it said. The fire was immediately extinguished. The incident occurred during a planned shutdown taken for carrying out rectification jobs in one of the pre-heaters of the coke oven battery.

September 27, Saturday: 
* Narendra Modi will first make a visit to Ground Zero, marking the 9/11 terror attacks.
* He will then address the United Nations General Assembly, which is scheduled for 10.30 am local time.
* After the speech, Modi will conduct bilateral meetings with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and Bangadesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. A meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has not yet been fixed.
* Modi will also meet former Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo will also call on him.
* At 6.00 pm, Modi will attend the Global Citizen festival at Central Park. A meeting with non resident Indians (NRIs) is also planned.
September 28, Sunday: 
* Modi will address the Indian-American community at the famed Madison Square Garden. * Later that evening, Indian Ambassador Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar will host a dinner at The Taj-owned Pierre hotel. The guest list  has been strictly approved by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in New Delhi.
September 29, Monday:
* Modi will meet former US President Bill Clinton and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He will also meet with some of America's top business leaders. 
* Modi has been also invited to the prestigious Council of Foreign Relations where he will deliver a lecture to an invitee-only audience.
* Modi will fly to Washington, DC, on the afternoon of September 29. He will stay at Blair House where State guests usually reside. He  will arrive at the White House for US President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama's dinner.
September 30, Tuesday:
* In the morning, Modi will offer tribute to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi opposite the Indian embassy in Washington, DC, and visit the Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King memorials. 
* Modi will then meet President Obama and his team for the summit, after which he will travel to the State Department for lunch with Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of state John Kerry and other officials.
* After lunch, Modi will travel to Capitol Hill to meet House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner. 
* While in Washington, he will also meet businessmen at an event hosted by the US-India Business Council.
Oct 1, Tuesday Prime Minister Modi will depart for India

Modi will have a stopover in Frankfurt tonight and will reach New York tomorrow. Modi would be meeting as many as 11 top corporate honchos over breakfast on September 29 apart from one-on-one meetings with six more business captains the same day in New York. He will also be participating in a business meet, to be organised by USIBC, that is expected to be attended by 300-400 businessmen in Washington on September 30.

Also read: Modi means business on US visit

In his address at the 69th session of the UN General Assembly on Saturday, Modi said he will call for a stronger global commitment and more concerted multilateral action in addressing challenges of fragile global economy, turbulence and tension in many parts of the world, growth and spread of terrorism, the Ebola health crisis in Africa, climate change and eradication of poverty.

The Prime Minister said he will call for early adoption of the Post-2015 Development Agenda with a focus on growth, development and elimination of poverty.

"I will also stress the urgency of early reforms in the United Nations, to ensure that it remains relevant and effective in dealing with the challenges of the 21st Century," he said.

Noting that India has been showing unwavering commitment to multilateral processes to advance peace and security and promote inclusive economic growth, he said India's contribution to UN peacekeeping operations over decades was a strong testimony of its efforts in helping the world body realise its objectives.

For the first time, the 100 richest tycoons in India are all billionaires with Mukesh Ambani topping the league for the eighth consecutive year, according to Forbes.

With a net worth of USD 23.6 billion, up USD 2.6 billion from last year, RIL Chief Mukesh Ambani topped the list for the eighth consecutive year. Ambani was followed by Dilip Shanghvi, who got richer this year by USD 4.1 billion. Shanghvi is the new No. 2, after he displaced steel baron Lakshmi Mittal (USD 15.8 billion), who slipped to the fifth place.

Wipro's Azim Premji moved up one notch to the number three position as his net wealth increased to USD 16.4 billion from USD 13.8 billion previously. Pallonji Mistry, patriarch of construction giant Shapoorji Pallonji Group which is the biggest shareholder in Tata Sons with a new worth of USD 15.9 billion, was placed in the fourth place.

The century-old zoological park in Thiruvananthapuram has tightened safety and precautionary measures, days after a youth was mauled to death by a white tiger when he fell into its enclosure at the Delhi Zoo.

Additional metal sticks would be put in place in between the grills of the cages and steps would be taken to increase height of the walls of enclosures of big cats to prevent onlookers from falling inside, a top zoo official said.

Bollywood star Deepika Padukone's 'cleavage row' with an Indian newspaper is just another depressing example of how women in the public eye are reduced to their body parts. Read

Critics say India has too much poverty for such an endeavour. But space exploration should not be the preserve of the rich west. Read

And the first leap of faith from the PM ahead of his US visit: I see the US as a vital partner for national development. We are drawing on possibilities of partnership in education, skills, research, technology and innovation: PM.

"PM is still in the campaigning mindset. PM did not show political honesty, had he accepted that some work was done previously it wouldn't have hurt his image," Anand Sharma (Congress) on Narendra Modi's, Make in India initiative.

And the PMO tweets on the Mars Orbiter's tweet on the view from up there: @narendramodi:  Yes, I agree @MarsOrbiter, the view is indeed nice up there! @isro

Mars Orbiter had tweeted: The view is indeed nice up here.

Pic: A team of @isro scientists presented the 1st pictures from #Mangalyaan today morning. @isro

First reactions from the Congress on the PM's Make in India initiative. "What PM said was a re-statement of a lot of things that were already done," says Anand Sharma.

How times change -- a year ago , during the UPA days, this is what what the pro-Modi Niti Central said a year ago about ISRO'S Mars mission'. Read

That's the Make In India programme live in Mauritius. It was shown in Indonesia, Thailand and Bangladesh as well. 

Meanwhile, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray reaches out to the BJP one last time. Speaks to BJP president Amit Shah. 

There is a new era of economic growth that is in Asia and we have to see how to make it India's. ndia is an opportunity: PM to foreign investors.

"Manufacturing boost will create jobs, increase purchasing power, thereby creating larger market for manufacturers. We have to move towards next-gen infrastructure. Not only do we need highways but also i-ways (information ways).

"Industrialists don't come because of incentives, need to create development and growth-oriented environment. Be assured you will not lose your money.

"This is your country, the happiness of succeeding here and then taking it abroad has its own taste. I want Indian companies to be multi-national ones.

"But they should make the country stronger. This nation is yours. There is no need to leave the nation. We want our companies to shine as MNCs.
This is your country, the happiness of succeeding here and then taking it abroad has its own taste."

We don't have to tell the world our address, there'll be a Vasco da Gama in every nook and corner in India: PM

PM: Looking at yesterday's event (Mangalyaan) I have no doubt that we have talent. We have talented manpower. My three-month experience tells me that the entire team (bureaucrats) has a very positive outlook and thinking. They are two steps ahead of me. 

I do not only talk about good governance. I talk about effective governance: PM

The world is looking at Asia. I do not have to waste time to invite...I need to give the address, says the PM, dressed in the day's mandated colour for Navratri.

PM Modi: A government asking you to trust India's 1.2 billion people is a grand move. Investors need to feel secure about their investment. We have been able to bring about a change in the last few months. We have to create opportunities of employment. 

The world is looking at Asia. But they don't know where to go. We have to give nations willing to invest an address.

Demographic dividend, democracy, demand, all three exist in India and only India in Asia. 

Meanwhile, a news break: Prem Shukla, Executive Editor of Saamna, the Shiv Sena mouthpiece, confirms to ANI, "Shiv Sena committed to the Mahayuti, will not break alliance."

PM gives a new spin to FDI, not Foreign Direct Investment, but First Develop India. "Who is the Government for? It is for every Indian. It is for the poorest of the poor. People are talking about FDI, but I see things differently. FDI is also a responsibility for the people of India. For the world FDI is an opportunity. FDI should also stand for "First Develop India"

PM: Everyone I met in the last few years wanted to shift their business abroad. I never saw political factors behind it.

"A trust was broken  -- people were afraid that a policy will be changed, the CBI will arrive -- this is what I heard from all you.

"We have begun to change circumstances that forced businessmen to leave country.

"Biggest issue is trust. Why do we not trust our fellow countrymen? I want to change this."

PM: I apologise that there aren't enough seats to accommodate all of you. Seeing the response, I don't think I need to reassure you anymore about the need for Make in India.

"Until recently people have been forced to leave India. Why have people been leaving this country? I don't want to give a political spin to this, but industries have been forced to move outside this country."

PM Modi's speech after the logo is unveiled. 

The Make in India logo is derived from the Ashok Chakra and the lion -- courage, tenacity. PM Modi formally launches the Make in India initiative.

At the Make in India programme, Deveshwar says ITC is going to invest in Madhya Pradesh next.

PM Modi is going to unveil the Make in India logo now.

Meanwhile, the BJP-Shiv Sena in Maharashtra alliance is on the brink of a divorce, but final decision is expected this evening.

The Mangalyaan Mission comes up in every speech at Make in India. This is what the Mars Orbiter tweeted a while ago -- the first pictures from Mars, with this message: @MarsOrbiter The view is nice up here.

ITC's YC Deveshwar is speaking now.

The objective of the Make in India is to take India's ranking from 135 to 50 in the World Bank's Ease of Business index. Time frame: 3 years.

Mr. Shaw, CEO of Lockheed Martin India is speaking.

Chanda Kocchar, ICICI chief, speaking now. "PM's Make in India' initiative will be the next driver for economic growth. The initiative is inspiring. There is a high demand for manufactured goods from this country. The approach  will be zero defect. Manufacturing will strengthen the macro-economic stability of the country, she says.

Pic: The Make in India outreach in Vietnam

True success of manufacturing lies in the servicing of global markets, says Premji. "Competitiveness comes from out-thinking, not outsourcing," says Premji.

The programme is being held at the Vigyan Bhavan. Modi is flanked by Nirmala Sitharaman (Commerce and Industry minister) and Kalraj Mishra (Union Cabinet Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises).

Wipro Chairman Azim Premji speaking at the launch of "Make In India" campaign now.

Mukesh Ambani has promised to create 125,000 news jobs in the next 12-15 months.

The government's push for manufacturing -- the backbone of the Make in India programme -- comes at a time when many big companies are seeking an alternative to China as costs and risks there rise.

The objective is also to ensure solid growth and employment creation. During 2005-12 India added only 15 million jobs, a quarter of the figure added in the previous six years.

Mukesh Ambani makes excellent point that the campaign is called Make In India not "Made in India",therefore focussing on the present and future not the past.

Biocon's Kiran Mazumdar Shaw and ICICI's Chanda Kocchar also at teh meet. 

Industrialist Mukesh Ambani speaking at the launch of "Make In India" campaign. "Today we commit ourselves to Make India, a call that was given by our beloved PM on Independence Day.  Today is a unique day for India.

India has been blessed with a leader like Modi. The unique quality of PM is he achieves what he dreams. It is an opportunity given to a million Indians. The perception of India has changed dramatically. Let no one have any doubts about India's competitiveness." 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' programme, rolling out the red carpet to investors, has just been launched. 
The move comes just ahead of Modi's US visit and aims to increase investment in India through a string of measures including easier norms and rules.
The initiative contains various proposals designed to get foreign companies to set up shop and make the country a manufacturing powerhouse.

The 'Make in India' programme was first mooted by the PM in his Independence Day speech last month.

Cyrus Mistry, Chairman Tata Sons has just concluded his speech.

India, China will hold another flag meeting today in Chushul in Ladakh to address the border stand-off. Sources said that India is demanding the restoration of the pre-September 10 situation in Chumar area in Ladakh. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the National Democratic Alliance government's 'Make in India' initiative today with the objective of making the country a manufacturing hub for domestic and foreign companies. During his Independence Day speech on August 15,  Modi had appealed to the people the world over to come and make in India and sell their products in any country of the world. He had then asserted that India has the skill, talent, discipline and determination to achieve. Through the campaign, Modi plans to roll out a red carpet in order to attract industrialists and investors into the country to make India into a global manufacturing hub, create more jobs and boost the country's economy.

Amid the stalemate over seat-sharing, Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah has cancelled his visit to Mumbai. According to sources, he was likely to meet Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to discuss the issue. Talks between the two allies reached an impasse last night when both parties could not decide on a final number of seats that would be contested by them during the upcoming Maharashtra assembly polls. 

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has served a legal notice to media organisations for reports that suggested that she was letting her brother Rahul adopt her teenage son so that he could use the Gandhi name and join politics. "To allege that a parent would willingly pass his/her child on to someone else as if he were an object devoid of emotion is morbid enough, but to ascribe to it the intention of perpetuating some sort of dynastic political aspiration is even more sickening,' Priyanka said in her notice. "This pernicious falsehood is clearly aimed at causing deep offence to my family and is an unacceptable aspersion on my motherhood and on my character,' she added.   A newspaper report had claimed that there was speculation within the Congress on whether Rahul Gandhi, the party vice president, was adopting 13-year-old Raihan so that he could use the Gandhi name. The report had also claimed that Rahul Gandhi had been named his guardian in school forms.

Underworld don Chhota Shakeel's daughter Zoya married a US-based doctor in Karachi last week intelligence sources said. Intelligence sources quoted by Times of India said that the traditional lavish wedding took place in the palatial palace defence area in Karachi. Sources said Shakeel's daughter Zoya is a MBBS doctor and got married to a man who also recently completed his MBBS studies. There are unconfirmed reports that it was a arrange marriage but sources said that groom and bride knew each other as they studied together in Karachi and later in US. After marriage the couple is likely to settle in US. 

Hours before leaving for the United States, Prime Minster Narendra Modi has given bureaucracy a jolt. Eight secretary level officers have been transferred in a midnight order by Cabinet's Appointment Committee. The order came a day after over 40 joint secy level officers were reshuffled on Tuesday late night.

The U.S. and Arab allies unleashed a new round of airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Syria late Wednesday, targeting a dozen small oil refineries.U.S. officials told Fox News the latest round of strikes is designed to target a dozen so-called "modular oil refineries'-- essentially, small, ISIS-built refineries that the terror group uses to fuel its vehicles and to fund its operations. 

US President Barack Obama on today led the UN Security Council in unanimously approving a binding resolution on stemming the flow of foreign jihadists to Iraq and Syria.  

The Obama administration expects that a security agreement allowing US troops to remain in Afghanistan next year will be signed by the country's incoming president as early as next week. 

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi says Islamic extremists must not be allowed to abuse Islam and called for intensifying efforts to fight them. In a speech at the United Nations General Assembly today, he described terrorism as a plague.

Jihadists linked to the Islamic State group claimed to have beheaded a Frenchman abducted in Algeria in a video posted online today, after Paris rejected their demand to halt strikes in Iraq. 

A Jordanian state security court on Wednesday threw out terrorism charges against radical Muslim cleric Abu Qatada, a onetime confidant of Osama bin Laden who had lately emerged as a critic of the Sunni extremists of the Islamic State.

Jordanian warplanes carried out a bombing raid against the Islamic State group in Syria on today as part of a second day of US-led air strikes against the jihadists, two US defense officials told AFP. 

US President Barack Obama on today hailed the "political vision" and inclusive nature of new Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi as the two leaders met for the first time. 

An Algerian extremist group linked to the Islamic State has decapitated a French hostage in retaliation for France's airstrikes against militants, French President Francois Hollande confirmed Wednesday. 

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