India today wrapped up its air evacuation operations from Yemen rescuing another 630 of its citizens from Sanaa, taking the total number of Indians brought home from the war-ravaged country to over 4,640 besides around 960 nationals from 41 countries.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today said his "people-centric" model of governance was better than Prime Minister Narendra Modi's model that he alleged was centred around a "handful" of the country's rich. 

Indian Naval Ship INS Sumitra evacuated 349 persons, including 46 Indians and 303 foreign nationals from Al Hudaydah port on 9 April, the MEA tweeted this evening .

A 31-year-old Sikh politician will be the first Indian-origin candidate to contest in the UK General Elections from Northern Ireland on May 7. 

The release of Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi, the mastermind of 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, by the Lahore high court "exposes the futile effort of Pakistan in showing that it was serious about curbing terrorism," special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said. "This blame-game by Pakistan shows its double standard inrespect of the terrorists who launch attacks from that country and also from inside India," Nikam added.

Islamic State have released more horrific pictures showing the apparent stoning to death of a man accused of being gay. The blindfolded victim is led into a field in Homs, Syria, with his hands seemingly tied behind his back. Behind him a crowd of more than a dozen men hurl rocks at him from behind, many not wearing any kind of disguise. The pictures are the latest in a series of images and videos released by IS showing the brutality of their tactics.

National Conference president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah returned home, five months after he underwent organ transplant in the United Kingdom.  "The party president returned to Kashmir today. He is still recuperating but his health is improving," said a spokesperson. Abdullah underwent organ transplant surgery in the United Kingdom in December last year.

While shooting for the glitzy advertisement for an exotic Airbus A380, Nicole Kidman had only hoped to soar the temperature with her sizzling looks and go back home with a fat cheque. One can only assume that harsh criticism and caustic remarks were the last things on her mind while she shot for the ad 'Flying Reimagined', for Etihad Airways A380 residential suits. 

China's smartphone giant Xiaomi said it has set a new Guinness World Record for mobile phone sales by selling 2.11 million handsets in a 12-hour flash sale held to celebrate its fifth anniversary. The half-day bonanza, which brought in 2.08 billion yuan from sales of handsets and other accessories broke the previous record held by Alibaba's Tmall, which sold 1.89 million handsets on Singles' Day in November during a 24-hour event.

PM Modi reluctance to speak to the media extends to the foreign media. Julien Bouissou, South Asia correspondent, tweets: Le Monde France refused to run an interview of @narendramodi after we were told to publish written answers, not to interact with him.

MoS External Affairs VK Singh's statement explains why he attacked the media, but does not specifically use the infamous word presstitute.


"Since 2012, I have been repeatedly attacked by certain 'media workers' who have published stories that were not only cooked up, but also did enormous harm to the institution that I was heading, the Indian Army.

"All this happened under the watch of the UPA Government who had their own agenda to try and defame me, and certain individuals who were willing to be their mouthpiece took full advantage of the situation in the hope of currying favour with the establishment.

"When I fought back and defended myself, the institutions these individuals represented, simply hardened their stand and continued to unleash more and more vitriol in the hope of harming my reputation. So much so, that even after the last Lok Sabha elections and the change of Government, these attacks have continued unabated.

"Specific stories that had been planted and their immediate sources were identified and a complaint was filed to the Home Ministry in November 2013.

"However, the Government of India, perhaps not wanting to take on these 'media workers' who would hide behind the larger umbrella of the 'National Media', failed to act.

"The journalists concerned, emboldened by the fact that they seemed to be unaccountable for their actions, have since not only got away scot free but have been keeping up a steady flow of misinformation

"The unwritten code that exists in the media that they will not write or say anything against 'their own' results in a person being publicly condemned with absolutely no real options.

"Theoretically, one has legal recourse but in reality that is an impossibility as media houses have deep pockets and can wear anyone down.

"The Press Council too, is not an option, for it is dominated by some of the very people who are playing the game of using the media to discredit individuals.

"Government of India, the only body with the teeth to take action, prefers to keep a low profile in the matter for any intervention leads to howls of protest about the media being gagged etc.

"It is time that the media itself seriously looked at creating an effective watchdog organization that has the power to actually nip this malice in the bud.

"Today the media's own credibility is at stake and unless there is effective internal policing, this problem threatens to go completely out of hand.
Only those who have been targeted by such stories know how vilified and helpless they feel.

"Even to get a basic rebuttal published in the same newspaper is an ordeal as sanctimonious editors sit in judgement like thanedars asking the victim to prove his innocence before they will put two lines in small print somewhere saying they are sorry.

"The media is one of our great strengths as a nation and if it has to be protected from being seen as compromised, then it is vital that we collectively push for a regulatory body.

"I ask the Broadcasters Association and the Press Council and all the hard working honest to god journalists (who thankfully are still in the majority) to put their heads together and come up with a solution that gives an individual targeted by the media a fair chance.

"I would be happy to forward the complaint that was filed with the MHA to the Broadcaster's Association, should it publicly commit itself to forming an impartial body with specific time lines."

Singh was caught in a fresh controversy over his remarks comparing the Yemen evacuation operation with his visit to the Pakistani mission recently and later making snide remarks against a TV channel.

"Actually speaking, the operation (evacuation) in Yemen is less exciting than going to the Pakistani embassy," he said in Djibouti when asked about his overseeing the evacuation of Indians.

As his remarks evoked sharp reaction from political parties including Congress which said the comments were deplorable and showed his insensitivity, he blamed a TV channel.

"Friends what do you expect from presstitutes," he said in a tweet adding that last time the TV anchor thought there was 'O' in place of 'E'. However, officials said the minister was being sarcastic and his comments were in reference to the media.

Madras High Court asks authorities to ensure that bodies of six woodcutters killed in Andhra Pradesh are not cremated till tomorrow.

Researchers have developed a quick-acting Ebola vaccine that is both safe and effective with a single dose against the strain of the virus that killed thousands of people in West Africa last year.

Just in: Maharashtra government eases its prime time order for screening Marathi films at multiplexes. Cultural Affairs minister Vinod Tawde said today that multiplex owners and film producers sat with the government  and decided that when (Marathi) films are released, the parties involved will decide the timing for the show. 


Multiplexes can now screen Marathi films any time between noon and 9 pm.


On Tuesday, Tawde said the government would enforce a mandate on multiplexes to screen Marathi films between 6 pm and 9 pm.

"One hall in every multiplex in the state will have to screen a Marathi language film in an evening show," Tawde, said on Tuesday.

Tawde also said that theatres would also be asked to air a minute-long documentary on Dadasaheb Phalke's contribution to the film industry before the start of the Marathi film.

But after massive criticism over the dictat, the government has now allowed multiplexes to choose their slot to screen the film.

A lesson in grace for wannabe superstars.

Amitabh Bachchan tweets @SrBachchan Star standings gauge - a fruit juice shop in Delhi. For many years had my pic on name banner .. then SRK, now Salman and Akshay !!

Look who's back on a Congress poster. If nothing else, this is probably proof of the pudding that Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will be back on April 19 to join/lead the party's rally against the Land Bill.

Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh tweeted this link today and said, "All Congressmen are requested to put up hoardings for farmers rally on 19th April 2015 in Delhi in this format. Request to Congressmen is to only put their names and not their photographs. They can download the Radio Spots and Jingle and use it. Thanks."

It is still not clear whether Rahul will leading the Congress campaign against the NDA governments proposed land legislation but Digvijaya Singh's tweet seems to suggest that Rahul's 45-day-long "introspective" leave of absence may actually come to an end.

Congress anti-Land Bill farmers rally will be held at the Ramlila Maidan.

China today said its "huge dispute" with India over Arunachal Pradesh is an "undeniable fact" even as it echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's views that the two countries should create favourable conditions for a mutually-acceptable settlement of the vexed boundary issue.

"There is a huge dispute in the eastern border of China-India border. This is undeniable fact," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hu Chunying told media here when asked about Indian Government extending controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Arunachal Pradesh.

"China always holds consistent and clear position on the China-India boundary question. The two sides should make joint efforts to maintain peace tranquillity of the border area and create favourable conditions for the negotiation of the boundary question," she said.

Arunachal Pradesh shares a 1,126 km border with China and 520 km border with Myanmar. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet.

The Indian government responds to the Pakistan court order suspending the Punjab government's detention order against the 2008 Mumbai attack mastermind and Lashkar-e-Tayiba operations commander Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi. The court ordered his immediate release.

India reacted saying it was extremely disappointing and asked Pakistan to ensure terrorists like Lakhvi do not come out of jail.

Nawaz Sharifs adviser on national security and foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz  had even termed India's reaction 'irrational".

Just last month, the Lahore court had ordered Lakhvi's release, which the Pakistan government then stayed after India said it was "extremely upset."

Lakhvi and six others -- Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum -- have been charged with planning and executing the Mumbai attack in November, 2008 that left 166 people dead.

Lakhvi, believed to be a close relative of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba founder and Jamat-Ud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, was arrested in December 2008 and was indicted along with the six others on November 25, 2009 in connection with the 26/11 attack case.

Jon Williams @WilliamsJon tweets: US spends 10 times as much on its military as India does - but tells Americans in #Yemen to call the Indians if they want a lift out!

Williams is foreign editor at ABC News. 

The Germanwings Airbus 320 co-pilot Andreas Lubitz may have adulterated flight captain Patrick Sondenheimer's coffee with a "diuretic drug" in order to make him leave the cockpit.

Investigators revealed that the 27-year-old pilot had searched online for diuretic drugs, which increase the urge to urinate, before he plunged the plane into the French Alps, The Mirror reported.

The information was retrieved from Lubitz's computer which was seized by investigators shortly after the crash.

Earlier investigators had claimed that Lubitz searched the internet for "ways to commit suicide," a week before the crash.

The prosecution today sought the conviction of Bollywood superstar Salman Khan on the charge of culpable homicide in the 2002 hit-and-run case in which he has been accused of ramming his car into a shop killing one person and injuring four others who were sleeping outside.

Khan was under the influence of liquor and was driving without a licence....therefore, he had knowledge and intention that his rash and negligent act might cause a serious mishap and result in death of people, Public Prosecutor Pradeep Gharat argued in the court of Sessions Judge D W Deshpande.

The charge of culpable homicide attracts punishment up to 10 years.

The actor had sufficient knowledge and intention that by driving under the influence of liquor and without a licence it would cause death of people, the prosecutor submitted while summing up final arguments. Knowledge and intention are the essential ingredients of the charge of 'culpable homicide not amounting to murder', Gharat said and cited three judgements to argue that this charge was made out against the accused.

The verdicts cited by him to fix Salman Khan on this charge are Mumbai's Alistair Pereira Judgement of 2006, Delhi's Sanjeev Nanda BMW hit-and-run case of 1999 and Naresh Singh versus State of Madhya Pradesh.

The prosecutor said all these cases have a glaring similarity with the Salman Khan hit-and-run case.

Just in: The Supreme Court has allowed Italian marine Italian Marine Massimiliano Latorre, who along with a colleague is accused of killing two Indian fishermen in 2012, to extend his stay in Italy on medical grounds.

Latorre, who had undergone a cardiac surgery in Italy in January this year, has sought the extension saying that recently he had developed certain medical complications and the court be pleased to extend his stay on this ground.

On January 14, the apex court had granted three months extension to Latorre to stay in his country on medical grounds after the Centre said there was no objection on his plea on humanitarian ground.

Under international pressure, India had dropped a plan to prosecute the marines under a tough new anti-piracy law. Italy says the incident occurred in international waters and that jurisdiction over the marines should lie with Rome.

Stating that peace was "prerequisite" for development, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed today strongly pitched for reconciliation with Pakistan.

"Peace is prerequisite to development, peace means reconciliation with our neighbours," Sayeed told the Assembly in his concluding speech on the last day of Budget Session.

"We cannot dictate the government of India with regard to its foreign policy but we say that reconciliation with Pakistan is prerequisite for peace and development," he said. Mufti said Pakistan had shown some sincerity when it helped rescue Indians who were stranded in war-torn Yemen.

"Pakistan brought our people out from Yemen and sent them back to India through Karachi," he said. He said the mandate given to BJP in Jammu, Congress in Ladakh and to PDP in Kashmir Valley has provided a historic opportunity to bring people together.

Italian Marine Massimiliano Latorre, who along with a colleague is accused of killing two Indian fishermen in 2012, moved the Supreme Court on Tuesday seeking extension of his stay in Italy on medical grounds.

A bench comprising justices A R Dave and Kurian Joseph fixed the plea of Latorre for hearing on April 9.

Latorre, who had undergone a cardiac surgery in Italy in January this year, has sought the extension saying that recently he had developed certain medical complications and the court be pleased to extend his stay on this ground.

On January 14, the apex court had granted three months extension to Latorre to stay in his country on medical grounds after the Centre said there was no objection on his plea on humanitarian ground.

PM Narendra Modi leaves for his three-nation visit to France, Germany and Canada. In France, Modi will pay homage to the thousands of Indian soldiers killed in World War I at a memorial in the French city of Lille and will also visit the southern city of Toulouse.

Foreign secretary S Jaishankar announced yesterday that PM Modi and President Hollande will take a boat ride on the River Siene. "It's a sort of boat pey charcha," Jaishankar said.

Modi will be accorded a ceremonial welcome on Friday morning in Paris with the "highest protocol and honours".

He will meet a select group of top French business leaders to discuss his 'Make in India' initiative.

The visits will  be focused on boosting the Indian economy through investments and manufacturing for creating jobs.

In Paris, the Prime Minister will visit the UNESCO headquarters on April 10 to meet its Director-General Irina Bokova.

He will address the diplomatic community, private sector representatives, UNESCO staff, and leading personalities, including UNESCO's Paris-based goodwill ambassadors there.

The PM will reach Ottawa (Canada) on 14th evening, and on 15th morning there will be a ceremonial welcome, Foreign secretary S Jaishankar said.

PM Modi will be visiting the Air India memorial, a gurdwara and a temple in Canada. In Vancouver, the PM will visit the Laxminarayan temple where he will interact with Indian community, and then visit a Gurudwara, says R Swaminathan from the MEA. 

Just in: The Supreme Court has stayed for two months the hearing of appeals in the Gujarat High Court on the Naroda Patiya case involving ex-Minister Maya Kodnani.

The court heard the plea by some of the victims in the 2002 Naroda Patiya riots against the out-of-turn hearing of an appeal filed by former minister Maya Kodnani against her conviction in the case.

Kodnani, a minister in then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi's government and the Naroda area legislator in the state assembly, was sentenced to a life term on August 29, 2012, along with Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi and 29 others in connection with the riots. 

Most of them have filed appeals. While these appeals are yet to be heard, a high court bench has since begun hearing Kodnani's plea.

Pakistan had termed as "irrational" India's strong reaction to a court's March ruling ordering the release of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, but hoped that the issue would not affect the proposed bilateral talks.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's adviser on national security and foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz made the remarks last month, while talking to reporters and rejected Indian allegations that Pakistan was not doing enough to ensure Lakhvi remains behind the bars.

Lakhvi and six others -- Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum -- have been charged with planning and executing the Mumbai attack in November, 2008 that left 166 people dead.

Lakhvi's lawyer says he will be released within hours. 

Just in: Lahore High Court orders release of 26/11 mass murderer Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi.  Just 15 days ago, Pakistan detained Lakhvi, the 2008 Mumbai attack mastermind, for 30 more days under a public security order before he could be released from jail following a court directive to set him free which evoked a strong protest from India.

An "outraged" India on Friday had summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit in New Delhi to lodge a strong protest against the Islamabad high court order to release the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba operations commander Lakhvi and said freeing him will pose a threat which "cannot be ignored".

The home department official said the detention order of 55-year-old Lakhvi had been issued on the request of the interior ministry.

The Union Home Ministry today suspended the registration of Greenpeace India under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) following serious allegations of its involvement in encouraging anti-development campaigns across the country.

The organisation's all seven bank accounts in IDBI Bank, ICICI Bank and Yes Bank have been frozen with immediate effect. The order suspending the NGO's FCRA registration has been issued to the Chief Functionary, Greenpeace India Society, Chennai.

The NGO has also been served a show-cause notice asking why its registration should not be cancelled. Security agencies, in their reports to the MHA, had recommended cancellation of its FCRA registration, terming Greenpeace India a threat to national economic security.

Read more

And remember this? What happened to Priya Pillai could happen to many of us

Here's an update on the Satyam sentencing. Both Satyam founder B Ramalinga Raju and his brother B Rama Raju fined Rs 5 crore each by the special court. The other eight convicts were also sentenced to seven years in jail and fined Rs 25 lakh. All 10 sentenced to rigorous imprisonment.

Just in: Shots have been fired inside the Palace of Justice in the northern Italian city of Milan, local media report.

The Milan-based Corriere della Sera newspaper said two people had been wounded, among them a lawyer.But an appeals court judge told the Reuters news agency that at least one person had been killed.

Police were quoted as saying that the alleged shooter was a defendant in a bankruptcy case and was still at large.-- BBC.

Shobhaa De @DeShobhaa  tweets this picture and posts: "Thank you, Shiv Sena. Delicious! Another morcha coming up at 4 pm. Wonder what tea time snack they will bring with them?"

Sena's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut promised to feed Shobhaa De vada pav. He said, "Hum unko (Shobhaa De) vada pav khilaayenge, vada pav ka taste hum unhe shaam tak de denge, aap dekhiye. Aapko Marathi cinema, Marathi culture se itni hi nafrat hai to aap yahan rehte kyun ho? Shobhaa De's statement is an insult to Maharashtra, an insult to Marathi language and Marathi culture."

So, Mr Kejriwal met US Ambassador to India Richard Verma today. 

Meanwhile, a local court in Goa granted anticipatory bail to seven Fabindia officials including its MD and CEO till April 23 in a voyeurism case. The court, however, directed the company's managing director William Bissel and chief executive officer Subrata Dutta to be present before the Goa police on Friday for questioning. They had applied for anticipatory bail after being summoned by police in connection with the case.

Back to Ms De for a bit. Writer Chetan Bhagat tweets his support. "Shiv Sena trends. Shiv Sena in news. When did it happen last time? Nicely played. Nothing personal. Just politics. Bindass!"

The court has also slapped a Rs 5 crore fine on Ramalinga Raju. While the accounting fraud was to the tune of Rs 7,000 crore, it had caused an estimated notional loss of Rs 14,000 crore (Rs 140 billion) to investors and unlawful gains of Rs 1,900 crore (Rs 19 billion) to Raju and others.

Charges against Raju and others include criminal conspiracy and forgery of valuable security carrying minimum punishment of 10 years imprisonment and maximum of life sentence.

While the accounting fraud was to the tune of Rs 7,000 crore, it had caused an estimated notional loss of Rs 14,000crore to investors and unlawful gains of Rs 1900 crore to Raju and others.

Ramalinga Raju and his brother and Satyam's former Managing Director B Rama Raju were also found guilty undersection 409 of IPC relating to criminal breach of trust.

It has taken seven years for Raju to be convicted to a crime he has confessed to.

Raju, 60, has already spent two-and-a-half years in jail. The seven year term includes the two-and-a-half years he has already spent in jail.

Seven years is the maximum punishment that Raju can get under the CrPc. The sentencing was supposed to take place tomorrow, but has been brought forward. 

Just in: Seven-year jail term for Satyam chief Ramalinga Raju.  Six years after the biggest accounting fraud shook the corporate world in India, Satyam chief B Ramalinga Raju and nine others were on Thursday found guilty by a special court on charges of criminal conspiracy and cheating in the Rs 7,000 crore (Rs 70 billion) scam.

Raju and former employee G Ramakrishna were also found guilty under section 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) of IPC by Special Judge BVLN Chakravarthi, in the case probed by CBI.

Except Raju's another brother B Suryanarayana Raju and former internal chief auditor V S Prabhakar Gupta, all the others eight accused were found guilty under IPC sections 467, 468, 471 and 477A, relating to forgery of security, forgery for purpose of cheating and falsification of accounts, according to V Chandrashekhar, Superintendent of Police, CBI Hyderabad Zone.

A shocking revelation threatens to blow a hole into the Andhra Pradesh police version on the Chittoor 'encounter' that claimed 20 lives. Read the Rediff.com report here.

@sagarikaghose tweets: "If she doesn't like Maha culture, she shd leave Maha,"asserts Raut.What about NRIs who live in US who profess to hate western culture, sir?"

Ministry of Defence spokesperson, Sitanshu Kar ‏tweets: INS Sumitra is now entering Al Hodeidah port for yet another evacuation mission. Total number of evacuees transported from Yemen via Djibouti to India by C-17 Globemaster III of IAF, so far: 2001.

Shiv Sena begins its street politics. Sena's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut promises to feed Shobhaa De vada pav.

Raut says, "Hum unko (Shobhaa De) vada pav khilaayenge, vada pav ka taste hum unhe shaam tak de denge, aap dekhiye. Aapko Marathi cinema, Marathi culture se itni hi nafrat hai to aap yahan rehte kyun ho? Shobhaa De's statement is an insult to Maharashtra, an insult to Marathi language and Marathi culture."

In a vitriolic attack against Shobhaa De for opposing mandatory screening of Marathi films, Shiv Sena on Thursday said had Bal Thackeray not done 'dadagiri' to preserve Marathi culture, her forefathers would "have been born in Pakistan' and she would have "attended Page-3 parties in a burqa".

"You have done great service to the Marathi land in which you were born. It is unfortunate for Maharashtra that such comments came from a Marathi woman,' an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamna said.

Coming down heavily on the author, the editorial said, "Since you have termed the decision of the state government as dadagiri, let us tell you (Shobhaa)... Had Chhatrapati Shivaji, in his time, and Balasaheb Thackeray not done 'dadagiri', then your forefathers and her children would have been born in Pakistan and you would have been attending Page 3 parties in a burqa."

Shobhaa De ‏@DeShobhaa  tweeted this picture of police bandobast outside her home, saying, "Well done, Mumbai Police. Thank you. I'm not at all worried, I have full confidence in Mumbai police. I'm proud to be a Maharashtrian, can't be intimidated."


Image: Shiv Sena protests with vada pav, dahi misal outside De's home. De tweteed: No more pop corn at multiplexes in Mumbai? Dahi misal and vada pav only. To go better with the Marathi movies at prime time.

Bachi Karkaria ‏tweets @bachikarkaria  @DeShobhaa Maha-mantra 'Kill tweets not cattle'. More important for state.

Chetan Bhagat tweets another one in support of De: "Real community pride comes from real achievement and real progress. Not divisive politics, bullying the powerless and being touchy."

Shiv Sena activists protest outside Shobhaa De's Mumbai home. De said earlier she is confident about the security put in place by the Mumbai police. She tweeted saying, "Police barricades are up! I am feeling perfectly calm and safe! Thank you, Mumbai Police."

In 2013, the Sena had protested outside the author's home hiv Sena after her statement on Twitter suggesting, Mumbai to be cut away from Maharashtra. De had Tweeted: "Maharashtra and Mumbai??? Why not? Mumbai has always fancied itself as an independent entity, anyway. This game has countless possibilities."

The tweet was in the aftermath of Telangana getting the green signal for statehood.

The Shiv Sena, yesterday, objected to the columnist's tweet about the Maharashtra government's decision to make it mandatory for multiplexes to screen Marathi films during the prime time slot, and sought to move a breach of privilege motion against her.

In support of Ms De: Chetan Bhagat @chetan_bhagat  tweets: Shiv Sena bullying @DeShobhaa for her opinions, to position themselves as marathi saviours, is not cool. Save farmers, don't attack authors.

China has plans to build a 540-kilometre strategic high-speed rail link between Tibet and Nepal passing through a tunnel under Mt Everest, a move that could raise alarm in India about the Communist giant's growing influence in its neighbourhood.

"A proposed extension of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway to the China-Nepal border through Tibet would boost bilateral trade and tourism as there is currently no rail line linking the two countries," state-run China Daily reported today.

The rail line was expected to be completed by 2020. However, there was no word on the cost of the project. The 1,956-km long Qinghai-Tibet railway already links the rest of China with the Tibetan capital Lhasa and beyond.

Ashoke Pandit '@ashokepandit  tweets: The person responsible for murders,rapes,genocide of #KashmiriPandits #YasinMalik is talking Abt composite culture is a tragedy by itself.

Shobhaa De @DeShobhaa  tweets: "Have been warned there is a Shiv Sena Morcha heading for my home at 1 pm. Police barricades are up! I am feeling perfectly calm and safe! Thank you, Mumbai Police."

The Shiv Sena, yesterday, objected to the columnist's tweet about the Maharashtra government's decision to make it mandatory for multiplexes to screen Marathi films during the prime time slot, and sought to move a breach of privilege motion against her.

Sena legislator Pratap Sarnaik, through point of propriety, in the legislative assembly said that the novelist had hurt the sentiments of the house which had whole-heartedly welcomed culture minister Vinod Tawde's announcement that screening of Marathi films would be made mandatory during the prime time slot.  Read more

Just in: Home Minister Rajnath Singh says the Centre is concerned about the security of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley and will make an action plan accordingly. "The decision taken by the Centre regarding rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits in J&K has not changed. Action plan will only be formulated after taking into cognizance the security of Kashmiri Pandits and the people of J&K," Rajnath Singh said.

Major opposition political parties and separatists groups in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday slammed the move of Jammu and Kashmir government to create separate townships for Kashmiri pandit migrants in the valley saying it will divide the people and pose security risks.

The US has defended a proposed arms deal with Pakistan worth nearly a billion dollar to sell attack helicopters and missiles, saying the weapons would be used for internal counter-terrorism operations.

"This proposed sale of helicopters and weapons systems will provide Pakistan with military capabilities in support of its counter-terrorism operations inside the country," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf  said.

"They are for internal counter-terrorism uses inside Pakistan -- so to be very clear about that, going after terrorists inside their own country," she said.

The USD 952 million deal approved by the State Department involves the US supplying Pakistan with 15 AH-1Z attack helicopters, 1,000 Hellfire missiles, engines, targeting and positioning systems and other equipment.

The US Department of State website has asked its citizens stranded in Sana'a, Yemen, to use the India-operated flights to evacuate from the country.

This is what the website says: "The Indian government may operate an additional flight from Sana'a on April 9. US citizens may be able to board Indian planes leaving from Sana'a to Djibouti. Contact First Secretary Raj Kopal at the Indian Embassy in Sana'a to make arrangements."

India extended its evacuation ops from Yemen by a day to help 140 nurses stranded in the country.  Evacuation is likely to end today. 

India took the lead in the rescue of foreigners trapped in Yemen, evacuating more than 550 foreigners from 32 countries, including a dozen Americans and three Pakistanis. India evacuated 4,000 of its own citizens,  many of them nurses.

In fact, the US has categorically said on its state department website that
"There are no plans for a US government-coordinated evacuation of U.S. citizens at this time.  If you wish to depart Yemen, you should stay alert for other opportunities to leave the country. 

US citizens who are able to depart Yemen for another country and are in need of emergency assistance upon arrival may contact a U.S. embassy or consulate in that country."

The US State Department has approved Pakistan's request for a billion dollars worth of military hardware and equipment, identifying Pakistan as a country of vital importance for US foreign policy and national interests. Read

Expectations from the Modi government have been running high and, in recent weeks, there have been rumblings of discontent, particularly in business and industry, about whether it has been able to deliver on its promise. In his first interview to the Indian media after he became PM, Modi spoke to Hindustan Times' Editor-in-Chief Sanjoy Narayan and Executive Editor Shishir Gupta.  Read

Those worrying about Manmohan Singh because of a trial court summoning him as an accused in a coal scam-related case can afford to relax. The former PM's appeal challenging the order appears to have gone into deep freeze and is unlikely to be heard by the Supreme Court at least in the next three years.  Read

The CBI while filing its FIR in 2009 said, "This was perhaps India's biggest corporate fraud case where M/s Satyam Computer Services Limited (M/s SCSL) caused loss to the investors to the tune of Rs.14,162 crore. The company head, Ramalinga Raju and members of his family secured illegal gains to the tune of about Rs.2,743 crore by various tricks. The fraud was perpetrated by inflating the revenue of the company through false sales invoices and showing corresponding gains by forging the bank statements with the connivance of the Statutory and Internal Auditors of the company. The annual financial statements of the company with inflated revenue were published for several years and this lead to higher price of the scrip in the market. In the process, innocent investors were lured to invest in the company. Attempts were made to conceal the fraud by acquiring the companies of kith and kin."

Take a look at the FIR here

Read: R Raju's 2009 letter to the Board of Directors of the company where admits to fudging the accounts. A copy of the letter was marked to 'Chairman Sebi and Stock Exchanges'.

He was arrested two days after he sent out this letter.

Meanwhile, seven senior officials of Fabindia, including its CEO and MD, have applied for anticipatory bail in a Goa court after being summoned by police in connection with a voyeurism case.

The company's Managing Director William Bissel, Chief Executive Officer Subrata Dutta and five others applied for anticipatory bail yesterday in district court in Mapusa town, Superintendent of Police (CB) Kartik Kashyap said.

Read the 2008 letter written by Ramalinga Raju letter to his employees. This was before the dam broke -- Raju was arrested just a month later in January 2009 and it has taken six years for his conviction.

Satyam verdict: The sentencing will be announced tomorrow. Charges on the 10 include forgery, looting. 

Read: The inside story of India's biggest corporate fraud

Just in: The Supreme Court confirms the death penalty for 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Yakub Memon and junks his review plea.

Memon is lodged in the high-security ward of Nagpur jail.

In March 2013, the SC had confirmed the death sentence awarded to Memon, holding him guilty of being the "driving spirit' behind the blasts that killed 257 people, while commuting the death sentence awarded to 10 others to life imprisonment till their death.

The court had said that Memon's "commanding position and the crime of utmost gravity' warranted capital punishment.

Then, in April 2014, President Pranab Mukherjee had rejected Memon's mercy petition and the decision was left to the Maharashtra government for fixing the execution date.

Memon then moved a clemency petition before the Supreme Court to commute his death sentence to life. 

Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed has had a rethink on the ghettos for Kashmiri Pandits. Announcing his decision in the J-K Assembly today, Sayeed said, "There would be NO separate clusters for settlement of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley. I have told the Union Home Minister that Kashmiri Pandits cannot live separately in the Valley and they will have to live together in the society."

Sayeed was in Delhi on Tuesday where he was told by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, that he should provide land for the displaced Kashmiri Pandits. Singh had written a letter to the previous Omar Abdullah government which was followed by another communication to state Governor N N Vohra asking for identification of land for such migrants.

The BJP-PDP coalition in the state has mentioned rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits in their Common Minimum Programme.

At present, there are about 62,000 registered Kashmiri migrant families in the country.

Facing flak from opposition parties and separatists, Jammu and Kashmir government made a U-turn on the controversial plans for composite townships in the valley, saying they are "part and parcel of the Kashmiri fabric of life" and would be settled at their native places and "not as an isolated community".

The Peoples Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janata Party government had on Tuesday assured the Centre that it will soon acquire and provide land at the earliest for creating "composite townships" for displaced Kashmiri Pandits in the valley.

Read: An entire family of 23 massacred. Only he survived

The United States has started daily aerial refuelling for warplanes in the Saudi-led coalition carrying out air strikes in Yemen, the Pentagon has said. 

An American and an Afghan soldier were killed on Wednesday when a firefight broke out between Afghan and NATO coalition forces at a compound where a senior U.S. diplomat met a provincial governor in eastern Afghanistan, police and U.S. sources said. 

The Russian government on Wednesday denied involvement in hacking a non-classified White House computer network last year.

ISIS on Wednesday released more than 200 Yazidis, a minority group whose members were killed, captured and displaced when the Islamist terror organisation overtook their towns in northern Iraq last summer, officials said.

Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan's visit to Pakistan's Sindh province today as part of an election campaign was marred by scuffles and indiscipline among party workers. 

A woman and a two-year-old child were killed and six others injured after a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) hit their house in Sheikh Zweid city in the restive North Sinai province of Egypt, a medical source said. 

Legendary Tamil writer D Jayakanthan, who charted a new course in Tamil literature with his bold and progressive works, died in Chennai tonight following a prolonged illness. 

Nine Pakistani Taliban militants, including the Karachi chief of the banned outfit, were today killed in two separate encounters with security forces.

The Germanwings air crash investigation shouldn't set a precedent for future investigations because it sought to assign blame before the probe was complete, which could jeopardize airline cooperation if it became the practice, the head of a trade association representing the global airline industry said today. 

The white police officer who fatally shot a fleeing black man in the US city of North Charleston has been fired after he was charged with murder, the mayor said today. 

A US jury today unanimously convicted Dzhokhar Tsarnaev of carrying out the 2013 Boston bombings, the worst attack in the US since the 9/11 Al-Qaeda hijackings. The 12-person jury took a day and a half to find the 21-year-old guilty, using a 32-page verdict form of 30 counts related to the attacks, the murder of a police officer, a car jacking and shootout while on the run.