Eleven persons, including nine women, were killed and five others injured when a "tum tum" (large autorikshaw) carrying them collided head-on with a lorry near Koppal today.

An FIR has been filed with regard to the celebratory firing during the wedding of Indian cricketer Ravindra Jadeja here on April 17.

The Maelbeek metro station where 16 people, including an Indian techie, were killed by an Islamic State suicide bomber last month re-opened today with Belgians describing it as a symbol of "our determination to fight terrorism."

Rpublican presidential front-runner Donald Trump today roped in an ex-aide of former Indian-American Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal to his campaign team. 

The Bihar government today said rate of heinous crimes has decreased by 27 per cent in the month of April since the imposition of total prohibition in the state. 

India's most wanted terrorist, the man behind 1993 Bombay blasts, Dawood Ibrahim, has terminal gangrene, CNN News18 has reported.  

The e-tourist visa, which was introduced first for the nationals of 43 countries visiting India, is now available for 150 countries. 

Upset with the criticism the appointment of Salman Khan as the Goodwill ambassador of India's Olympic contingent has received, the actor's father Salim Khan comes to his aid.


Salim Khan says, "Sportsmen are performing because of sports lovers like us." He implies Salman is qualified to the Goodwill Ambassador since  "Salman is an ace swimmer, cylist and weightlifter."

"The film industry resurrected sports from fading away into oblivion," Salim Khan said.

Reacting to Milkha Singh's comment, Salim Khan said, "Milkhaji it's Indian film industry not Bollwood."


Legendary sprinter Milkha Singh had criticised the decision saying, "India has produced so many sportspersons who have given their sweat and blood for the country like PT Usha, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Ajit Pal and so many others. One of these could have been made a goodwill ambassador. What was the need to import a person from Bollywood?"  

Just in: Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union President Kanhaiya Kumar has been slapped with a Rs 10,000 fine for violating disciplinary norms in connection with the February 9 event at the university.

While JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya who were in judicial custody for more than three weeks after their arrest on sedition charges in connection with the same event have been rusticated.

Omar Khalid has been rusticated from the university for one semester, while Anirban Bhattacharya has been rusticated till July 15 and cannot pursue any course for the next 5 years.  Bhattacharya has been fined Rs 20000.

A Kashmiri student Mujeeb Gattoo, who was found shouting anti-national slogans on February 9 by the varsity's High Level Enquiry Committee (HLEC) report has also been rusticated by the administration.


The committee has recommended rustication/fine for three students, withdrawal of hostel facilities/financial penalty for two students and only financial penalty for fourteen students. Two former JNU students, moreover, have been declared out of bounds, an official statement from the university read.


Pic: Comrades in arms: JNU students Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya

The Parliament Ethics Panel which has just concluded its meeting on liquor baron Vijay Mallya says they want him expelled from parliament. The panel has given Mallya a week to reply and will meet again on May 3.

Mallya is facing legal proceedings for alleged loan defaults by his Kingfisher group to the tune of over Rs 9,000 crore.

As per rules, the Committee oversees the moral and ethical conduct of  members. It examines cases concerning the alleged breach of the Code of Conduct by members as also cases concerning allegations of any other ethical misconduct of members.

Following the request of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) yesterday revoked beleaguered Mallya's passport.

This act of the MEA comes within 10 days of the ministry suspending the industrialist's passport on April 15.

Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) general secretary and People's Welfare Front coordinator Vaiko decided not to contest from Kovilpatti Assembly Constituency on Monday.


The cadres of MDMK and DMDK-PWF combine were taken aback following the sudden announcement of Vaiko, who made his decision just ahead of the time for filing nomination before the Kovilpatti Sub Collector and Returning Officer, S. Kannabiran. G Ramesh, district youth wing secretary of MDMK, instead filed his nomination to contest from Kovilpatti constituency.

Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani told the Lok Sabha today that Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have been asked to teach Sanskrit language for facilitating study of science and technology as reflected in its literature.

The Hindu reports that a panel, chaired by former CEC N Gopalaswami, in its report had suggested that IITs may facilitate study of science and technology as reflected in Sanskrit literature along with inter-disciplinary study of Sanskrit and modern subjects, Smriti Irani said in a written reply.

"Accordingly, IITs have been requested to teach Sanskrit language especially with reference to study of works which contain scientific knowledge," Irani said.

In July 2000, under NDA-I, the government had issued notices to around 40 institutions, including the IITs and IISC, asking them to consider introducing Sanskrit courses. Several IITs have since then integrated the knowledge available in ancient Indian texts in the mainstream engineering curriculum.

Just in: Bombay High Court grants anticipatory bail to Rahul Raj Singh, accused of abetting suicide of TV actress Pratyusha Banerjee.


In a major development in the case, the special public prosecutor on Monday claimed that her fianc Rahul Raj Singh knew that the Balika Vadhu actress was going to commit suicide. Advocate Nilesh Pawaskaras, the special public prosecutor (SPP) representing Mumbai Police told the Bombay High Court that Rahul Raj Singh was aware that Pratyusha Banerjee was going to commit suicide.

The SSP submitted the recording of the last call made between Pratyusha Banerjee and Rahul Raj Singh in the Bombay High Court.

The SSP claimed that the actress told Rahul that she was going to commit suicide. Justice Mridula Bhatkar of the Bombay High Court has decided to hear three-minute recording of her last call with Rahul Raj Singh.

The government has done just the right thing to review the decision to grant visa to an Uighur activist whom China has branded a 'terrorist'. Had it been otherwise, there would have been serious negative fallouts on the relationship with China. (Indian Express).


All one can say at this point (before more details are known) would be that there has been a political decision, conceivably at the highest level, to supersede the foreign and security policy establishment's earlier move to issue an 'electronic visa' to the Uighur fugitive Dolkun Isa, living in exile in Germany.


Read MK Bhadrakumar's blog here

The tragic romance that shaped Meryl Streep's life. Read

Subramanian Swamy tweets: "I have been told by the Chairman of Rajya Sabha Ansari that tomorrow at 11 am I will administered the oath. After I will take my seat."

With entire Odisha sizzling under a blistering heat-wave, the state government which had earlier declared school holidays till tomorrow, today announced summer vacation in advance.


As the temperature is likely to hover around 42 degrees Celsius in most places in the next few days, the summer vacation in the schools will start from tomorrow, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Mohapatra said.


In view of the heat wave prevailing across the state, the schools would reopen after Raja festival as usual, he said. The state government had earlier announced closure of schools, both government-run and private ones, till April 20 and subsequently decided to extend the school holidays till April 26 in view of the weather condition.

The heat wave continued unabated with Titlagarh in Bolangir district becoming the hottest place in the country yesterday by recording 48.5 degrees Celsius which was a record for this Western Odisha town in April.
The mercury remained above 44 degrees Celsius in as many as eight places in the state, while in 17 towns it soared above 40 degrees Celsius yesterday.

The minimum wage for contract workers has been increased to Rs 10,000 per month, Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said today. The Minister of State for Labour and Employment informed Lok Sabha that the wage hike has been done based on a Supreme Court verdict. Asserting that the government is committed towards the betterment of the working class, he said workers are being protected through all the rights.

Vanuatu is the riskiest country to live in, with natural disasters on average affecting over a third of the population each year, according to the World Risk Report 2015.

Just in: Mumbai Court discharges eight accused in the 2006 Malegaon blasts case.


Two years after it told a Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court in Mumbai that it did not have any evidence to link nine Muslim men to the September 2006 Malegaon bombings, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) went back on its stand last week and opposed discharging the men of terror charges.


The nine men Noorul Huda, Shabbir Ahmed, Raees Ahmed, Salman Farsi, Farogh Magdumi, Shaikh Mohammed Ali, Asif Khan, Mohammed Zahid and Abrar Ahmed were arrested in 2006 for the Malegaon blasts that killed 37 and injured over 100. In November 2011, they were granted bail.


Two of the men were convicted later in the 7/11 Mumbai train blasts case of 2006 they remain in judicial custody. Shabbir died in an accident in March 2015. One was exempted from appearance in court Tuesday while the remaining five were present.


The nine discharged are the first set of accused.

BJP leader Roopa Ganguly was seen slapping a woman supporter of Mamata Banerjee's party in visuals that were cited by the Trinamool Congress in a complaint to the police as West Bengal voted in the fourth round of assembly polls on Monday.

The incident allegedly took place at Howrah near Kolkata, where the actor-politician is contesting the election against Trinamool's Laxmi Ratan Shukla, a former cricketer.

"Roopa Ganguly attacked our party worker at a polling booth and we are registering a complaint with the election commission," Laxmi Ratan Shukla said.


Ganguly, who is famous for playing Draupadi in the TV version of Mahabharata, denied the charge and insisted it was she who was pushed when she tried to investigate complaints about polling.

"Trinamool goons pushed me when I went to check on complaints from voters at various booths. They are goons and they are levelling false allegations against me," she said.


As journalists followed the BJP candidate on her tour across the constituency, she hopped on to the bike of a party supporter and rode pillion for a while.

Last week, another Trinamool candidate, Rezzak Mollah, apologised to Ganguly for his misogynistic remarks targeting her on local television.

"I am really sorry for making personal remarks against Roopa Ganguly, I apologise," said Mr Mollah, who joined the Trinamool Congress in February this year.

His remarks sparked national outrage from politicians and women leaders of his own party including parliamentarian Moon Moon Sen.

Elections are being held under unprecedented security in 49 constituencies across Howrah and North 24 Parganas today. Large gatherings have been banned, shops are closed and central forces are patrolling areas that are voting.

Turkey has killed almost 900 alleged members of the Islamic State (IS) group since January through artillery fire and air raids, the state-run Anatolia news agency said today, citing military sources.


The country, a member of a US-led coalition fighting IS, has killed 492 "terrorists" since January 9 in air raids, while another 370 were killed in artillery strikes which also destroyed arms depots, the agency said.


These figures could not be independently verified. Turkey, which has been hit by attacks blamed on jihadists, including two deadly suicide bombings in Istanbul that targeted foreign tourists, began to carry out air strikes against the group in Syria last summer. Ankara also allows US jets to use its air base in southern Turkey for air bombardments on the extremist group in Syria.

The government reacts to the criticism of Salman Khan's appointment  as the Indian Olympic contingent's goodwill ambassador.

"The Indian olympics association is autonomous. The government will not interefere. We have conveyed the sentiments of players to the IOA, but we believe public figures from all walks of life must encourage sports," the government said.  


Bollywood star Salman Khan's appointment as the Indian Olympic contingent's goodwill ambassador has not gone down well with star wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and former sprinter Milkha Singh, who feel that a sportsperson should have been chosen for the role.

Salman, who is playing the role of a wrestler in his upcoming film 'Sultan', was named goodwill ambassador by the Indian Olympic Association on Saturday in the presence of star woman boxer MC Mary Kom, hockey captain Sardar Singh, and shooter Apurvi Chandela among others. Yogeshwar, the London Olympics bronze-medallist, said he cannot understand what purpose such an appointment will serve for the athletes.

"Everybody has the right to promote movies in India, but Olympics is not a place to promote films," Yogeshwar tweeted in Hindi. "Can anyone tell me what is the role of goodwill ambassador? Why are you fooling the public?" he added.

The 33-year-old felt a sportsperson would have been more apt for the position. "Sportspersons like PT Usha and Milkha Singh strived hard for the nation during difficult times. But what has this ambassador done in sports. What will happen by the appointment of an ambassador? If you had to do this drama, then why not appoint a sportsperson?" he asked.

"The country needs medals, not sponsors."

However, Mary Kom and Sardar had backed Salman's appointment, saying that it would help motivate the athletes training for the quadrennial extravaganza in Rio de Janeiro in August.

Legendary sprinter Milkha Singh also said that it would have been better to pick a sportsperson in his place. The 'Flying Sikh' also demanded that the unprecedented appointment in the run-up to the quadrennial extravaganza should be "revised". But he made it clear that he had nothing personal against Salman.

Just in: Pratyusha Banerjee death case: Justice Mridula Bhatkar to hear a 3-minute recording of the last call between the actress and her boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh.

The Supreme Court pulls up the Maharashtra government for framing rules that prohibit opening of dance bars within a distance of 1 km from educational Institutions.

"Dance is a profession, if it is obscene then it loses its legal sanctity. Regulatory measures can't be prohibitory," the Supreme Court said and added, that this condition amounts to prohibition and the the rule will be revised.


Hearing a plea on dance bars in Mumbai, the Supreme Court today observed that it is "better to dance than to go to streets for begging or earning livelihood through unacceptable means."

The court also said "We are treating it as a performance of art...mindset cannot be to prohibit."

In 2005, the Maharashtra government had suspended the licences of hundreds of bars and hotels that featured women dancing to Bollywood tunes. But after several appeals over the years against the ban, the Supreme Court ordered the state to issue licences from March 15 on condition that certain rules are adhered to.

When the bars were shut in 2005, about 75,000 women were estimated to be working there and bar owners said the women were earning a legitimate living.

For the first time in its history, the 1000-year-old mosque at Thazhathangady in Kottayam, Kerala, famous for its rich architecture and wood carvings, has thrown open its doors for Muslim women.


Women were allowed to enter the mosque yesterday to take a look at its famed architecture. Thousands of Muslim women, including tourists, flocked to the mosque from various parts of Kerala and abroad.


The move comes at a time when the demand for permitting women at places of worship is gaining ground.


"This is a 1000-year-old mosque. Our women had not seen it so far and had a great desire to visit the holy place. So the mosque committee decided to allow women to visit it on April 24 and May 8", Advocate Nawab Mulladom, President of the mosque committee, said.


The mosque was not opened for "any celebrations or for offering prayers. It was only to allow women to see the place", he said, adding the men were asked to leave the mosque before the women were allowed in.


Muslim women wore their traditional attire during the visit. Fathima, one of the lucky ones to enter the holy place, said, "Standing before many historical mosques, I had always wanted to enter and offer worship. But I was afraid of even expressing that desire. I am happy that such an opportunity has come now".


The Juma Masjid is a mosque situated at Thazhathangady, one of the Heritage Zones of Kerala, in Kottayam town. Situated on the banks of the Meenachil river, the mosque is famous for its rich architecture, wood carvings and beauty.


The mosque, considered the oldest in India, is also known as the 'Taj Juma Masjid'. It has a square inner courtyard, an exquisitely carved wooden gabled roof, a traditional bathing area and lovely latticed windows, making it resemble a king's palace.

And DMK Chief M Karunanidhi files his nomination papers at Tiruvarur for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly polls.

AIADMK Supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today filed her nomination papers from the R K Nagar constituency, from where she is seeking re-election in the May 16 Assembly elections. A beaming Jayalalithaa waved to the AIADMK cadres the Party's Two Leaves symbol before boarding a car.

Supreme Court to hear tomorrow the Mumbai Cricket Association's plea against Bombay High Court order on shifting IPL matches out of Maharashtra.

India to raise the Pathankot probe with Pakistan when both foreign secretaries meet in Delhi tomorrow. Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry is expected to lead a delegation to the Heart of Asia (Istanbul Process) Conference which New Delhi will host tomorrow.


The meeting will also be attended by secretary-level and other high-ranking officials from the US, China, Russia, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and other countries.However, the spotlight could turn on a likely meeting between Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry and his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar on the sidelines of the conference.


Pic: Indian foreign secretary S Jaishankar and his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry.

With the second part of the Budget session kicking off amid the Delhi government's Odd-Even rule, almost all MPs snubbed CM Arvind Kejriwal's offer of six buses specially for MPs .

The luxury, air-conditioned buses have been commissioned from the Delhi Transport Corporation specially for MPs to facilitate travel from their residence to Parliament House. And of course, it's free.


Most MPs live in and aroundf North  Avenue, South Avenue, Meena Bagh, Tilak Marg and Akbar Road and the pick-up and drop takes place every 15 minutes.

Shamefully, all the six buses have been plying near empty.

Some BJP MPs like Paresh Rawal drove up in a car with an even-number plate was promptly challaned. Raval tweeted: "Made a serious blunder by travelling in a odd number car to parliament ... Sorry to Arvindji n Delhiite..."


The Parliament was adjourned twice over President's rule in Uttarakhand. 

India has withdrawn the visa issued to Uyghur leader Dolkun Isa for attending a conference at Dharamsala scheduled later this month.


The government had earlier issued a visa to Isa, inviting Chinese criticism. The Chinese government considers Isa a terrorist and also used its influence to get a red notice issued against him by Interpol.


Earlier today, Isa released his statement on the controversy which reads as follows.


As the Executive Committee Chairman of the World Uyghur Congress (WUC), I express my disappointment on Indian authorities cancellation of my visa to attend the annual Interethnic Interfaith Leadership Conference taking place in Dharamsala, India, from April 30 to May 1, 2016. This conference remains a vital forum through which ethnic and religious communities in China related areas, as well as statesmen, scholars and activists are able to meet openly to discuss and exchange ideas, promote peaceful dialogue, and reinforce bonds between disparate communities.
India had granted me a tourist e-visa, but it was cancelled after my visit was widely reported in the Indian press.


"Following numerous reports, Indian authorities then proceeded to rescind the visa on April 23, 2016.


"I recognize and understand the difficult position that the Indian government found itself, and regrets that my trip has generated such unwarranted controversy.


"This is not the first time that I have had faced difficulties in my international travels to advocates Uyghur rights. In September 2009, I was detained briefly and denied entry to South Korea while travelling to attend the World Forum for Democratization in Asia, to which I was an invited guest.


"China also has regularly attempted to block or interfere with my human rights work at the UN in Geneva, in particular.


"I also reject any comparison or association to Chinas recent veto by the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee of Pakistani militant leader, Mazood Azhar. Such an unjustifiable comparison seeks only to delegitimize my decades of impassioned work as a strictly non-violent campaigner for Uyghur rights. Chinas clear abuse of Interpols Red Notice issuance is also concerning.


"Historically speaking, the Uyghur community has maintained friendly ties with the Indian people. The Indian government hosted our late leader, Isa Yusuf Alptekin and Uyghur refugees after they fled China in 1949.


"Finally, I would like to thank the Indian people for their determined solidarity and commitment to rights activists like myself who wish to continue to develop and support dialogue among peoples of all faiths and ethnic backgrounds.


"I remain disappointed with the final decision, but I am hopeful that positive steps may be taken to maintain Indias relationship with the Uyghur community.


"I therefore wish the conference success and hope that meaningful dialogue will take place between those who have the privileged of participating the upcoming conference."

Pakistan Foreign Secretary to visit India tomorrow to attend 'Heart of Asia' regional conference: Foreign Office.

Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma and eight other members recently elected or re-elected to the Rajya Sabha today took oath or affirmation of allegiance to the Constitution. Sharma, Deputy Leader of the Congress party in Rajya Sabha, was recently re-elected to the Upper House from Himachal Pradesh.

He took affirmation of allegiance to the Constitution in English and then went to Chairman Hamid Ansari who warmly shook his hands and said "welcome back."


Others who took oath included Pratap Singh Bajwa, Congress leader from Punjab who was accommodated in Upper House by the party after Amrinder Singh was made head of party in the state. Bajwa sweared in the name of God in English.

Naresh Gujral (SAD), who too was re-elected to the Upper House, took oath in English. Besides Bajwa and Gujral, others who were elected from Punjab -- Shamsher Singh Dullo (Cong) and Shwatt Malik (BJP) -- also took oath. From Assam, Ripun Bora and Ranee Narah (Cong) took oath in English, swearing in the name of God.


K Somaprasad (CPI-M) who was elected to Rajya Sabha from Kerala, too took oath. Jharna Das Baidya (CPI-M), re-elected to Upper House from Tripura, also took oath. Members after taking oath or affirmation of allegiance to the Constitution went up to Ansari to shake his hands and respectfully bowed to members of the House and greeted them.

Shiv Sena workers tear banners of Pakistan singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's concert in Ahmedabad 

The UPA government showed "substantial disregard" in arriving at the full truth behind the VVIP chopper scandal and didn't share critical documents with investigators, an Italian court that found corruption in the Rs 3,565-crore deal observed. It also listed an effort by the main accused to get the then Italian prime minister Mario Monti to reach out to his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh.


In its 225-page order, accessed by ET, the Court of Appeals, Milan, detailed at length its grounds for conviction. At one point, it observed (translated): "This showing (of) a substantial disregard to arrive at a full explanation of facts (was) effectively demonstrated by the procedural behaviour of the Indian Ministry of Defence."


Read more

Omar Abdullah @abdullah_omar on the Dolkun Isa U-turn: What was all that chest thumping earlier - India Withdraws Visa To Chinese Dissident Leader After Beijing Protests

Uyghur leader Dolkun Isa reacts to India cancelling his visa: "I express my disappointment on Indian authorities cancellation of my visa to attend the Conference in Dharamsala. India had granted me a tourist e-visa, but it was cancelled after my visit was widely reported in the Indian press.


After China's strong protest, India has cancelled its visa to the dissident Uyghur leader citing Interpol's red corner notice against him. Isa, a leader of the World Uyghur Congress who lives in Germany, had been invited to a conference being organised by the US-based 'Initiatives for China'. Uyghurs and many other Chinese dissidents in exile were expected to attend the conference in India and discuss democratic transformation in China.

The Rajya Sabha Ethics Panel to meet on the Vijay Mallya issue today.

The Ethics Committee of Rajya Sabha, which oversees the moral and ethical conduct of elders, has taken cognisance of cases against Vijay Mallya, who has been declared as wilful defaulter of over Rs 9,000 crore bank loans.

According to the Rules, the Committee will hold preliminary investigation of the case. It can summon the member for obtaining evidence. If proven guilty of unethical behaviour, the panel can censure, reprimand, suspend or invoke any other sanction against the member.  

Chairman of the panel and senior Congress MP Karan Singh said Vice-President Hamid Ansari had sent the committee a file on Mallya last month. 

Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal wants files related to the attack on Sri Darbar Sahib during the Operation Blue Star to be made public. The food processing minister said that the files related to the events and direction issued which led to tanks and cannons being used in precincts of the Sikh holy place be made public so that people know the truth behind this episode.

 India has withdrawn a visa granted to a Chinese dissident after Beijing's strong protest, say government sources.

The United Progressive Alliance government showed "substantial disregard" in arriving at the full truth behind the VVIP chopper scandal and didn't share critical documents with investigators, an Italian court that found corruption in the Rs 3,565-crore deal observed. It also listed an effort by the main accused to get the then Italian prime minister Mario Monti to reach out to his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh. 

Marathwada has seen terrible droughts before. But never before did the two oldest wells in Wadval Nagnath village in Chakur taluka of Latur dry up. These wells have been around over 100 years.

Polling for the fourth phase of West Bengal assembly polls, which will decide the fate of several Trinamool Congress ministers, began this morning with unprecedented security arrangements. Voters were seen lining up before 12,500 polling stationsin 49 seats in North 24 Parganas district, including Bidhan Nagar, and Howrah district as polling began at 7 am.