Russia today demanded Ankara to arrest a rebel it claims killed the pilot of the Russian jet downed by Turkey last month on the Syrian border.

'We demand that the Turkish authorities take immediate steps to apprehend Alparslan Celik and his accomplices and bring them to justice for the murder of the Russian pilot,' foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

In an interview published Sunday in Turkish newspaper Hurriyet, Celik -- a Turkmen rebel and citizen of Turkey -- said that his 'conscience cannot be bothered by a person who threw bombs at Turkmen civilians every day', referring to the slain Russian pilot.

Both pilots aboard the downed Su-24 jet ejected and parachuted to the ground on the Syrian side of the border, one of whom was killed by gunfire from the ground.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today said it is high time India and Pakistan set aside hostilities even as he expressed confidence that the spirit of goodwill generated by his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi's visit to Lahore will persist.

"The Indian prime minister came to Lahore and gave us his few hours. It is high time the countries put aside their hostilities," Sharif said.

"Goodwill gestures are the solution to many an ill," he told reporters at Zhob airport in Balochistan.

Sharif also thanked Modi for visiting Lahore last week.

"It has been agreed that we will re-start the dialogue between Pakistan and India," Sharif said, adding that 'progress is being made in bilateral negotiations with India'.

A committee constituted by the Centre has favoured a slew of changes in the no-detention policy for schoolchildren, including holding of board exams in Class VIII.

The panel, chaired by Rajasthan education minister Vasudev Devnani, has decided to recommend to the human resource and development ministry not to fail students up to class IV while insisting on continuous evaluation in all classes.

It has decided to leave it to the state governments to hold examination for class V. If a student fails to clear the exam and does not show 'minimum level of learning', he will be asked to take another test a month later. The student will be detained in the same class if he fails the second test too, a release from the Rajasthan government said.

Under the no-detention policy, children are not failed till class VIII. The committee, while favouring no-detention in class VI and VII, has decided to recommend Board examinations in Class VIII.

Quoting Devanani, the statement said the committee had sought suggestions from 22 states on the No-Detention Policy and 18 states had submitted their views on how to change and improve it.

A meeting of the committee held in New Delhi today and was attended by education ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Maharshtra, Odisha and Uttarakhand.

Several states have sought changes to the no-detention policy as they feel such a move will encourage the students to learn more.

Military commanders of Pakistan and Afghanistan made their first contact today after the two countries established a hotline, the Pakistani military said.

Pakistan army spokesman Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa said on Twitter that the direct line between the military commanders of the two countries was agreed during a visit to Kabul by the country's army chief General Raheel Sharif on Sunday.

'Hotline established between director generals of military operations of both countries. First contact/call just made,' Bajwa tweeted.

A wannabe suicide bomber has been jailed for life after plotting an Islamic State terror attack in London with his secret wife. The couple - Mohammed Rehman, 25, and 24-year-old Sana Ahmed Khan - were found guilty of preparing an act of terrorism at the Old Bailey yesterday.

And today Rehman was jailed for life with a minimum of 27 years behind bars. The court heard how Rehman used his bedroom as a bomb factory filled with deadly chemicals and explosives recipes, and even took to Twitter for help picking his targets.

Meanwhile his wife funded his Jihadi plot, using loans to buy 11kg of fertiliser to make into explosives. Prosecutor Tony Badenoch QC told the court today that Rehman and Khan were behind "an advanced plot to manufacture and detonate a substantial explosive device in a crowded and confined public space".

Just in: Couple who plotted a terror attack in London jailed for life with minimum terms of 27 and 25 years.

India today successfully test-fired a long range surface-to-air missile jointly developed with Israel from its warship in its maiden attempt, joining a select group of countries which has such an anti-air warfare capability for their navies.

In a quantum jump for the country's air defence prowess, the Barak 8 missile fired by the Indian Navy from its warship INS Kolkata on the Western Seaboard successfully intercepted an aerial target at extended ranges, a statement by Indian Navy said. The missile has a range of nearly 70 km.

Las Vegas police are searching for a man suspected of placing raw bacon at the entrances of a local mosque. The man, whom police have yet to identify, wrapped bacon around the front door handles of Towhead Mosque and threw more bacon at the mosques rear entrance. The channel posted surveillance video of what they indicated is being investigated as a hate crime.

Just in: GST may be implemented by mid 2016, says Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Rolling out the ambitious GST regime is "certainly" doable in 2016, the Finance Minister said, adding that he is in "continuous touch" with the Congress party in a bid to persuade them to cooperate.

"I hope that in the next session (of Parliament), the GST (Goods and Services Tax) will make headway," he said. "After all, it was a Bill brought by them (Congress). For political reasons, they have done a volte-face but they should not be doing it indefinitely," Jaitley. 

Kashmir separatist leader Asiya Andrabi has denied meeting three Hyderabad youth who allegedly wanted to join ISIS. Speaking to India Today TV Andrabi claimed that the case against her is false.

In the interview, the hardliner admitted that she had visited Hyderabad when former SIMI Chief Syed Salahuddin died last year. She further claimed that the visit to Hyderabad was only for humanitarian reasons.

The three Hyderabad youth, arrested for allegedly planning to join jihadi terror groups, aspired to meet the Kashmiri separatist leader Asiya Andrabi using the name of their late uncle, former chief of Students Islamic Movement of India Syed Salahuddin, police said on Tuesday.

Andrabi is a leader of the separatist Kashmiri women's group Dukhtaran-e-Millat.


The trio, were picked up from Nagpur airport last week and arrested by Hyderabad police on December 27.

After a drubbing in a state poll in November, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to overhaul his cabinet to weed out underperformers and improve his government's image. Problem is, several sources said, he can't find the right replacements.

As New Delhi buzzes with speculation about changes in several ministries, senior members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a close aide to Modi said some changes could come early next year but the talent pool was too shallow to engineer a major revamp.


Pressure is mounting on Modi to revive his party's fortunes. Nearly two years after he swept to power on a promise of jobs and growth, the shine is coming off - reforms to revive investment have withered and the economy is stuttering. Rural distress has grown after two successive droughts.
-- Reuters

Delhi's cricket body DDCA today said it would sue Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for defamation for alleging irregularities in selection for the state cricket team.


"If the charges of corruption were true, Virat Kohli wouldn't be the captain today," said the association's Chetan Chauhan. Chauhan was responding to Kejriwal's allegation in an interview to NDTV that there were massive irregularities in selection for the Delhi cricket team.

Earlier today, Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) released two letters that it claimed were proof of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's direct involvement in covering up corruption in Delhi's cricket body DDCA.

Addressing a press conference, AAP also came out with a new edition of its "five questions" for Jaitley, showing letters purportedly written by him to the Delhi Police on a case linked to the DDCA or Delhi and District Cricket Administration. 

It was an effective publicity move when Salman Khan launched the web portal khanmarketonline on December 26, calling it a gift for his fans on his birthday on December 27.


The strategy though has already created a possible legal tangle for the actor with Khan Market Traders' Association of Delhi objecting to the name. Association president Sanjiv Mehra alleged that the Bollywood star is trying to gain "mileage out of Khan market's popularity'.


Speaking to Hindustan Times, Mehra said, "We are an internationally recognised market established in 1950. Salman Khan is neither part of the market, nor has he approached anyone here. He cannot use the name.'  Read more

On instructions from Congress president Sonia Gandhi, a brief on the National Herald case has been prepared as a ready reckoner for party spokespersons and the Congress Working Committee members.

Rediff.com has a copy of the notes -- one in question-answer format, the other as a backgrounder. This will be useful for Congressmen to answer questions when the case comes up for trial before the Patiala Court on January 5, 2016.


There are 14 questions, which begin with:

Q1. Have Smt Sonia Gandhi or Shri Rahul Gandhi benefited financially from Young Indian?

Answer. No. As directors or shareholders of Young Indian, a non-profit, Section 25 company, they are prohibited by law from drawing (and have not drawn) any financial benefits from the company.


Q 2. Have any assets been transferred from The Associated Journals Ltd. (AJL) to Young Indian (YI)?
Answer. No. All the assets and the income of AJL remain with the company. Not a single paisa has gone to YI, YI Directors or YI Shareholders.  Read the full questionnaire here.


The other document which has gone out to Congressmen is a long-form history of National Herald, AJL and the 'BJP's politically motivated attacks'. Read it here.

If you are unaware of the National Herald case, here's all that you wanted to know about (but didn't know whom to ask). Read

Sixty-four professors from IITs and other major tech institutes in India criticised Facebook's Free Basics program in a joint statement issued on Tuesday, saying it is neither free nor basic.


India Today, quoting the letter, says, "The 'Free Basics' proposal violates one of the core architectural principles of Internet design: net neutrality.  Compromising net neutrality, an important design principle of the Internet, would invariably lead to deep consequences on people's freedom to access and use information.  We therefore urge that the TRAI should support net neutrality in its strongest form, and thoroughly reject Facebook's 'free basics' proposal," the statement said.


The statement also dug deep into Facebook's proposal and highlighted several flaws with the Free Basic platform."The first obvious flaw in the proposal is that Facebook assumes control of defining what a 'basic' service is. They have in fact set up an interface for services to 'submit' themselves to Facebook for approval to be a 'basic' service.

This means: what are the 'basic' digital services Indians will access using their own air waves will be decided by a private corporation, and that too one based on foreign soil. The sheer absurdity of this is too obvious to point out," the statement added.


Facebook re-branded Internet.org as "Free Basics" earlier this year and is aggressively pushing the platform as a means of connecting Indians who do not have access to the internet with free access on its platform.

Chhattisgarh Cong issues a showcause notice to Ajit Jogi's son Amit Jogi on tape controversy.

A health update on Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

Sayeed is "presently sick requiring oxygen therapy" and his condition is being closely monitored by a team of experts, a statement by AIIMS, where he is admitted, said today. "Sayeed, who is admitted in AB 8 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) since December 24, is sick, requiring oxygen therapy but hemodynamically stable," according to AIIMS authorities.

"He is conscious, alert and is taking orally. He continues to be on antibiotics, antifungal drugs and supportive therapy and is being closely monitored by a team of experts," a statement issued by the hospital said.

Sayeed (79) was flown to Delhi in a state aircraft on December 24 and admitted in a private ward in AIIMS with complaints of fever and chest pain.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh had yesterday visited him to enquire about his health and wished him speedy recovery. He had taken over as Chief Minister of a PDP-BJP alliance government in March this year.

Continuing its offensive against him, AAP today alleged that Arun Jaitley, in his capacity as President of DDCA in 2011, had "pressurised" the then Police Commissioner to "close" an investigation involving a cricket club of a private bank.

The party released two letters, purportedly written by Jaitley, to former Delhi Police Commissioner B K Gupta and then Special Commissioner Ranjit Narayan, requesting them to "fairly" deal with the matter and "close" the case since "DDCA has done no wrong".

The party also renewed its demand for Jaitley's resignation in the wake of the "fresh disclosures". The letter to Gupta is dated October 27, 2011 while the one written to Narayan is dated May 5, 2012.

Senior AAP leader Ashutosh claimed that the letters "punctured" the Union Finance Minister's repeated assertions that he was in no way connected to any wrongdoing in the Delhi and District Cricket Association, which he headed from 1999 to 2013.

Suspended BJP MP Kirti Azad today targetted more politicians, including party MP and BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur, involved in cricket governance and claimed the SFIO probe report had recommended "prosecution" of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the DDCA affairs.


He also appeared to support Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's allegation that a DDCA official had sought sexual favours from a woman if she wanted her son to be part of its cricket team, saying it was not a new thing and he had raised a similar issue in 2007.

Demanding government oversight of sports administration, he blamed "seven-eight politicians affiliated to the BCCI for the failure of then Sports Minister Ajay Maken in pushing a bill in this regard when the UPA was in power.

Hitting back at Jaitley who had called him a "Trojan horse", he said, "these were the Trojan horses who did not let it come. Trojan horses in and outside the Cabinet and outside. I hope it does come. I just love that man (Maken)."

Asked to name these politicians, he named Jaitley, Thakur, Rajeev Shukla, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Farooq Abdullah and Praful Patel. All of them were then, and most still are, involved in cricket administration except Patel, who is All India Football Federation President.

Prime Minster Narendra Modi's sudden trip to Pakistan has fueled speculations over the validity of his Pakistani visa. India Today reports that Pakistan's advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has quashed any charges and has dispelled the impression that the Prime Minister's entourage visited Lahore without a visa.

"Modi and 11 of his personal staff members were given a 72-hour visa, and the full immigration process was followed in this regard," he said."Rest of the dignitaries who were part of the entourage stayed inside the airport and no foreigner was allowed to move out without a valid visa," Aziz added.

Aziz also said that this visit of Modi is being perceived in a positive manner and has been welcomed by majority of people in Pakistan and India as well as the international community.

"The foreign secretaries would meet on January 14-15 and draw up a map for the next six months for talks on 10 identified subjects," he said. He said the dialogue process is challenging as it involves difficult decisions and important issues.

He also cautioned against unrealistic expectations from the dialogue process and said there would be progress on some issues soon while it will take time for progress on others.

For almost an hour, a traffic policeman in Vadodara was filmed being beaten relentlessly by a mob of nearly 40 people. The cop's motorcycle was also on fire. 

Three other policemen tried to rescue their colleague by pulling him into a jeep, but before they could drive away, the crowd pulled him out again and resumed the assault. The lynching was filmed by media persons who had rushed to the spot.

If there is indeed a tide in the affairs of man, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was its shining manifestation in 2015. In the preceding year, he had demonstrated his golden touch by captivating the national imagination, breaking a 21-year jinx and winning a single-party majority in the Lok Sabha, and setting the stage for a remoulding of India.

The dream run, however, ended in 2015.

Swapan Gupta on the lessons Modi can draw from a politically disappointing 2015. Read

Congress issues show cause notice to Ajit Jogi on alleged seat-dealing in Chhattisgarh by-polls.

Former India wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani says he will reveal discrimination he faced at the hands of fellow cricketers in his playing days in a soon-to-be-released autobiography.


"I have been a victim of ego. It has happened with me. The players who played with me became selectors. I was in domestic arena from 1986 to 1993 and I gave stellar performances. I wasn't found wanting in fitness nor I was surrounded by any controversy, and yet I wasn't picked, this is going to be in my book," Kirmani told PTI.


Kirmani said he was keen on releasing the book during the 2011 World Cup, but was advised against that. "There is a time for everything as the time has come for me to be nominated for Col C K Nayudu Lifetime achievement Award," he said.


Kirmani said he wouldn't disclose the name of the book. "The title of the book will be catchy. If there is any controversial title, it will be an absolute sellout," he said.


Kirmani also expressed his disappointment over not being asked to continue as the director of the Karnataka State Cricket Association. "I was the director of the KSCA for six years and then they say thank you very much. What for? Was I doing bad? On what basis? This is sheer ego, man," he said.


Asked who disappointed him, Kirmani said, "Who else? Their chair power speaks. Their money power speaks," he added.

After three days of downpour, people in the coastal areas of Ramanathapuram, Tuticorin and other southern districts today heaved a sigh of relief as the rains abated.

Officials said there was no rain and fishermen from coastal areas, especially Ramanathapuram, Kanyakumari and Tuticorin, put to sea in their mechanised boats. Fisheries department Assistant director Gopinath said many fishermen, who did not venture into the sea for more than three days, resumed fishing today.

Officials said it may rain in some areas in these districts as the sky was overcast. Water has started receding from inundated localities and corporation workers were engaged in the task of clearing garbage and draining water from these areas, they added.

Iconic Marathi poet and Padma Bhushan recipient Mangesh Keshav Padgaonkar passed away here today after a brief illness. He was 86.

The Delhi High Court has refused to entertain a plea seeking exemption for lawyers in the odd-even car rule that is set to be implemented from January 1, 2016 for 15 days.

The HC also sought a response from the Delhi government on a plea challenging the exemption to two-wheelers and women driving alone in the odd-even car rule. The court has asked the Delhi govt to file a response by January 6.

The Delhi government has received representations from traders, lawyers and doctors seeking exemption from the rule. While the demands made by the lawyers were rejected by the AAP government, the government is yet to decide on whether to allow exemptions for doctors and traders.


In their representation, the traders said that the odd-even formula for vehicles would prove detrimental to local trade in Delhi as they would not be able to carry major sums of cash using public transport.


The lawyers on the other hand, sought exception from the rule, saying that bail applications for clients are a matter of life and death for the undertrials and as such the rule would limit their movement and appearance in court thereby denying the undertrials legal recourse. They also threatened to go on strike if their demands are not met.


At the same time, in their petition, the doctors said that their priority is to attend to patients and that the rule would prevent the doctors from going about their duties.

The Delhi government has not yet taken any decision on the petitions filed by these three professional communities.

According to the notification issued on December 28, 2015, for the odd-even rule will come into effect from January 1 and will be in force till January 15.

As the AAP-led Delhi government puts together the odd-even car rule to implemented from January 1, 2016, NDTV's Barkha Dutt tweets her response to the exemption given to single women. Women driving alone or accompanied by children under the age of 12, are exempt, as are cars driven by the physically disabled.

Dutt tweeted: @BDUTT  As a single woman, I dont want exemption from  #OddEvenFormula- think women who CAN must stand up & say so. Exemptions make me uncomfortable.

And that should have been that.

But not when you have Justice Markandey Katju , former chairman of the Press Council of India, following the journalist on Twitter.

Katju who has raised eyebrows for his sexist remarks earlier (he wanted Katrina Kaif to be the next president of India).

In January, he had blogged that he was in favour of electing beautiful women on all posts. "This is because politicians will promise the moon, but not do anything for the public welfare. So since you must have someone, why not vote for a beautiful face ? At least you will get some momentary happiness looking at her face in the media,' he wrote.


When Twitter ripped him apart, Katju wrote that he wanted Kaif as  the next president of India, but only on the condition that "she sings 'Sheela ki Jawaani' on her inaugural.'


Katju must have forgotten the lampooning he received, for he quickly tweeted Dutt on her stand that women drivers should not be exempt from odd-even rule, saying, "O come on Barkha, all your admirers ( among whom I count myself ) would like to be your car drivers and chaperones."


The judge loves the Middle Ages, it seems. 

The spin doctors in Delhi continue to spin yarns about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Lahore on December 25 and our media continue to accept them. Would the heavens come down if the government demystifies the Lahore visit and discloses whether it really ensued from a brilliant brain wave on Modi's mind on a wintry morning while in Kabul, or was the outcome of a carefully choreographed diplomatic event?

MK Bhadrakumar on why we need to grow up as a nation. Read

The US Secretary of State John Kerry in an Op-Ed in Boston Globe newspaper highlighted the major foreign policy achievements of the Obama administration during the year 2015: the climate change agreement in Paris recently, Trans-Pacific Partner Agreement, Iran nuclear accord and normalization with Cuba.

Read MK Bhadrakumar's blog right here.

India successfully test fires long-range surface-to-air missile from on board INS Kolkata. It is developed jointly by India and Israel.

Over a year after the BJP got a walkover in an Assembly by-election in Chhattisgarh when the Congress candidate pulled out at the last minute, purported conversations between key political players of that time have emerged that suggest financial inducements could have been offered to make him withdraw from the fray.


The Indian Express has received tapes of several phone conversations purportedly between former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, his son Amit Jogi and Chief Minister Raman Singh's son-in-law Puneet Gupta; between Congress candidate Manturam Pawar (who withdrew) and former Jogi loyalist Firoz Siddiqui; a third between Pawar, who is now with the BJP, and Siddiqui; between Siddiqui and another Jogi loyalist Ameen Memon; and between Amit Jogi and Siddiqui. See more

Indian Express has released a tape in which Ajit Jogi, his son Amit Jogi and CM Raman Singh's son-in-law are discussing fixing a bypoll

Baba Ramdev's visit to the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) for a speech during the Vedanta Congress may not materialise as the yoga guru has indicated he will skip the meet.

The development comes a day after the JNU Students' Union expressed its opposition over an invitation to Ramdev for a speech during the valedictory ceremony at the Vedanta Congress on Wednesday.

JNU, however, maintained that there was no cancellation from its side.

Ramdev wrote in a series of tweets: "Me or my office has not confirmed for any talk or event at JNU. I would have surely gone to JNU if time allowed to have candid, scientific & logical discussion, even with my ideological adversaries. I will love to talk to students and faculty at JNU, whenever its possible in near future [sic]."

Just days prior to Delhi's odd even plan to curb pollution, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal held a lesson for children during which he took a pledge with the school students to keep Delhi clean. He said, "Car-free days led to drastic reduction of pollution in Delhi, so decided to try odd even formula. The scheme will be a success only when it becomes a movement. Please request your parents to join in."

Te Khan Market Traders Association plans to sue actor Salman Khan over the name of his new online shopping platform -- khanmarketonline.com. 

Intelligence agencies have issued an alert regarding terror attacks by LeT at various locations in the country during New Year, as per media reports. As per reports, intelligence agencies have warned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Parliament building may be on the radar of the terror group.

Firing a fresh salvo, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, without taking any names, made allegations against officials of the Delhi and District Cricket Association, suggesting that they had sought sexual favours in the selection of players. 

There may be 23 Indians in Iraq and Syria fighting for the terror group Islamic State, as per Indian intelligence agencies. As per a report, out of the 23 Indians who are in ISIS, 17 are from southern states.Four belong to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, four are from Kerala, three from Tamil Nadu, four from Maharashtra, one from Jammu and Kashmir and one from Uttar Pradesh.

Hardik Patel, the firebrand founder of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti, lodged at the Rajpore Central Jail in Surat since mid-October, has decided to use the time at his disposal to do something he always desired -- write on social issues. 

Days after a man was arrested for 'insulting' the favourite dog of Thailand's monarch, the monarch's beloved canine died.

The dog, called Tongdaeng (Copper), became both a household name and a publishing sensation in Thailand after King Bhumibol Adulyadej adopted her as a stray puppy and penned a heartfelt book about her attributes in 2002.

Earlier this month Thanakorn Siripaiboon, 27, was arrested under the kingdom's strict royal defamation laws for allegedly making a 'satirical' Facebook post about the king and his dog.

The Devendra Fadnavis-led Bharatiya Janata Party government in Maharashtra has sanctioned a 2,000 square metre plot to Bollywood actress and MP Hema Malini to set up a classical dance school.

The decision came almost 20 years after she had approached the state government with the demand.

However, the Opposition parties questioned the 'alacrity' of the government in allotting the land, saying the state is yet to help mill workers and slum dwellers who were hit by fire.

The plot is located in Ambivli area in suburban Andheri and the actress will be given 'final possession orders' by the district collector only after complying with certain stipulations.

"The fire in Damu Nagar (in suburban) Kandivali in December claimed two lives and left 12 injured. Victims of the incident are still waiting for rehabilitation as promised by the chief minister. We hope after allotting the plot to Hemaji, the government considers the woes of the poor," said Nationalist Congress Party leader Sachin Ahir.

Norway said today it would start turning back refugees arriving without visas from elsewhere in the passport-free Schengen zone, particularly Sweden.

The move is part of a draft law containing a series of immigration measures that the Oslo government says will make its asylum policy 'one of Europe's toughest'.

The conservative minority last month gathered enough parliamentary support from the centre and labour parties to adopt the measures.

Norway does not belong to the European Union but it is, like Sweden, a member of the Schengen area which has no passport or immigration controls.

According to Schengen rules, asylum-seekers must apply for a visa in the country they first arrive in, mostly Italy and Greece. But many instead move on to the country they want to eventually settle in, often in Europe's richer north.

Parts of China's capital Beijing suffered air pollution more than 20 times recommended levels, but authorities refrained from issuing the highest smog alert.

Counts of PM2.5 -- harmful microscopic particles that penetrate deep into the lungs -- reached 529, according to the United States embassy, which issues independent readings.

The World Health Organisation's recommended maximum exposure is 25 over a 24-hour period.

China's state weather observatory issued a yellow alert -- the second highest in a four-tier warning system -- for smog in Beijing and other parts of north China, the official Xinhua news agency said.

The pollution will linger until tomorrow, it added.

Relatives of 3-year-old Aylan Kurdi, the toddler who tragically drowned off the Turkish coast earlier this year, have arrived safely in Canada as refugees.

There were emotional scenes at Vancouver airport as Aylan's aunt Tima Kurdi greeted her brother -- the boy's uncle -- Mohammad, his wife and their five children.

The Kurdi family came to represent the struggle of many Syrian families when images of Alan's body were published around the world in September.

According to reports, Aylan's father decided to take his family to Europe after their visa applications were rejected by Canadian immigration authorities.

Read HERE

Clarifying the Bharatiya Janata Party's stand on the issue of Ram Mandir construction in Ayodhya, Union minister Mahesh Sharma said his party and government had already given their opinion on the issue that people of the country want the temple to be constructed as soon as possible.

"We want Ram Mandir to be constructed, but we will be abiding by the order of the Supreme Court or will try to reach a mutual consent to construct the temple. That is why it's taking time," he said.

He, however, said, "A majestic museum is being constructed in Ayodhya, and the Central Government has announced a Rs. 170-crore project under which a circuit will display the entire chapter of Ram van gaman."

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court granted bail to hardline separatist leader, Masarat Alam who was arrested in April this year for allegedly hoisting Pakistani flag and chanting anti-national slogans.

Alam was arrested on April 17 in connection with the raising of Pakistani flags and chanting of anti-national slogans during a rally organised by hardline Hurriyat Conference faction to welcome its leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani from New Delhi.

Police had registered a case against several separatist leaders, including Alam and Hurriyat Conference hardline leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani for provocative activities including hoisting of Pakistani flag.

An FIR under section 13 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and other relevant sections of the Ranbir Penal Code was registered in the Budgam police station against Alam and other separatist leaders.

'No interviews for govt jobs from Jan 1; skill test may continue,' DoPT

Suicide bomber storms Pakistani govt office; 26 killed

Former IAF official arrested for 'spying' for ISI

Panel to probe DDCA even if struck down by Centre: Kejriwal -

aya allots houses for people who lost homes in deluge