Hours after J Jayalalithaa assumed office as Chief Minister, Tamil Nadu government today effected shuffling of senior IPS officials besides transferring several IAS officers, reversing several changes made in the run up to polls under the directions of Election Commission.

On the occassion of President Pranab Mukherjee's visit to China, Doordarshan and CCTV, the public broadcaster of China, will telecast a series of programmes fostering better people-to-people understanding between the two countries.

Here's India's public debt in numbers. 

President Pranab Mukherjee today sought more information and clarification on few points from the Health Ministry over the decision to bring an Ordinance on uniform medical entrance examination National Eligibility cum Entrance Test that seeks to keep state boards out of its purview.

The need for more information was conveyed to Health Minister J P Nadda who called on the President this afternoon to brief him about the need for bringing the Executive Order before the latter leaves for China tomorrow.

The meeting lasted for more than half-an-hour and the minister is learnt to have briefed the President on three set of issues -- different exams of state boards, syllabi and regional languages.

Health Ministry sources said that during the meeting, some fresh information was sought by the President.

"The ministry is in the process of sending them," sources added. The President had earlier asked Nadda's ministry to explain the reason for taking the Ordinance route to keep state boards out of the ambit of NEET.

The meeting between the President and the health minister was 'satisfactory', the sources said. The Ordinance was on Saturday sent to the President.

JUST IN: All flights delayed at Delhi airport (both arrival/departure) due to bad weather conditions in the capital.

Ten Nepalese labourers, including five women, were killed and five others injured after a landslide hit their huts in the Chakrata area of the district today.

The mishap took place when the labourers, who were working on a project under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, were asleep in their huts in Teoni-Hanol area when strong winds and thundershowers triggered a landslide, District Magistrate Ravinath Raman said.

The bodies of the 10 labourers have been retrieved and the injured admitted to a hospital, he said.

He said one of the injured, who is in 'serious condition', is being taken to Dehradun for better treatment. Governor KK Paul and Chief Minister Harish Rawat have expressed grief over the mishap.

Rawat's media advisor Surendra Kumar said the Chief Minister has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of the kin of the deceased. The deceased belong to three families from as many different districts in Nepal.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is speaking at the inauguration of international conference in Tehran. Here are a few excerpts from his ongoing speech.

- Your conference is most ideally timed. It is an occasion to recall and renew our centuries old association.

- It is also in perfect response to those who preach radical thoughts in our societies. It also fulfils a responsibility to familiarise our younger generations with beauty and reaches of our cultural heritage.

- A part of Iranian culture lies in every Indian heart and a part of Indian heritage is woven into Iranian society.

- No one is more qualified to shoulder this task than this gathering of learned men and scholars. Richness of Persian heritage is an integral part of the fabric of Indian society. A part of Iranian culture lives in Indian hearts.

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani after his country signed a trilateral agreement with India and Iran in Teheran today: "100 years from now historians will remember this day as the start of regional cooperation."

The inking of a commercial contract to build and run the strategic port of Chabahar will help India gain a foothold in Iran and win access to Afghanistan, Russia and Europe, thus circumventing Pakistan.

Just in: The Enforcement Directorate to ask a Mumbai court to approach a UK court to extradite Vijay Mallya. The United Kingdom had refused India's plea to extradite Mallya earlier on the ground that UK does not deport a person who has valid documents. The ED is investigating whether there was any money laundering involved in the Rs 900-crore loan that IDBI Bank gave to Kingfisher Airlines.


The ED is expected to soon begin the process of recovering the entire bank loan amount with interest from liquor baron Vijay Mallya. The ED will begin the process within the next two-three weeks by a provisional attachment of both movable and immovable properties of Mallya.

A restaurant owner has been found guilty of killing a customer who died from an allergic reaction to a curry.

Paul Wilson, 38, suffered a severe anaphylactic shock in January 2014 after eating a takeaway containing nuts from the Indian Garden in Easingwold, North Yorkshire.

A jury found Mohammed Zaman, 52, of Huntington, guilty of manslaughter after a trial at Teesside Crown Court.The court heard he cut corners by using cheaper ingredients containing peanuts.

Zaman denied he was responsible but a jury was told he switched almond powder for a cheaper groundnut mix, which contained peanuts.

Mr Wilson, a bar manager from Helperby, North Yorkshire, specified "no nuts" when he ordered a chicken tikka masala - an instruction which was written on his order and on the lid of his takeaway, the court heard.He died three weeks after a different customer with a nut allergy bought a meal from one of Mr Zaman's six restaurants, then had a reaction and required hospital treatment, the jury heard.

Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar is doing his bit as IOA's goodwill ambassador for the Rio Olympics,

Tendulkar met the Olympic-bound Indian wrestling contingent at a city hotel in New Delhi and boosted the athletes' confidence ahead of the mega event in August. With the exception of Yogeshwar Dutt (men's 65kg) and Sandeep Tomar (57kg), all the wrestlers who have secured Olympic quotas -- Narsingh Yadav (men's 74kg), Vinesh Phogat (women's 48kg), Babita Kumari (women's 53kg), Sakshi Malik (women's 58kg), Ravinder Khatri (Greco-Roman 85kg) and Hardeep (Greco-Roman 98kg) -- met the legendary batsman.


Even the coaches of all three formats were present on the occasion, along with Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Secretary General Rajiv Mehta and Olympic-bound table tennis player Manika Batra. Tendulkar today posted a couple of pictures of his meeting with the wrestling contingent on his twitter account.


"Met some of our champion athletes preparing for #RioOlympics2016. Wonderful knowing their experiences and dreams!," Tendulkar wrote on his twitter handle. Women's wrestling team coach Kuldeep Singh, who was present on the occasion, said that the two-hour long meeting with Tendulkar proved to be a psychological boost for the wrestlers.


 "Our wrestlers were very happy to meet Tendulkar. We had meal together and then he spoke to the athletes and boosted their confidence ahead of the Rio Games. Speaking to him was a big psychological boost for our players," the coach told PTI. "He shared his own experiences, narrated a lot of stories and also spoke about how he dealt with all the pressure during his playing days," he added.


Image: That's the picture Tendulkar tweeted with the wrestlers today

PM Narendra Modi, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and host Iranian President Hassan Rouhani gave signed a trilateral agreement  to develop the Chabahar port for transportation and transit corridor.


"President Ashraf Ghani has arrived in Tehran for today's signing of the Chabahar accord on international transport and transit corridor," Afghanistan's Tolo News reported.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived on Sunday on a two-day visit to Iran, was also witness to the signing of the trilateral agreement along with Ghani and Rouhani. Earlier on Monday, India and Iran signed three bilateral agreements for the development of the strategic port.


The agreement to develop Phase I of Chabahar port is seen as India's counter to the development of the deep-sea port of Gwadar, in Balochistan in Pakistan, that opens into the Arabian Sea, close to the Strait of Hormuz, and will allow China access to the Indian Ocean.


India and Iran today pledged to combat terrorism and radicalism as the two nations signed 12 agreements including a "milestone" pact on developing the strategic Chabahar port, giving a boost to economic partnership in the post-sanctions era. India committed around USD 500 million for the important port in Iran's southern coast, which will serve as a "point of
connectivity" between India, Afghanistan, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries and East Europe.

Several industry captains and film actors marked their presence at the swearing-in ceremony of AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa as chief minister here today. Industrialists, including Tractors and Farm Equipment Manufacturer Chairperson Mallika Srinivasan, Apollo Hospitals Managing Director, Preetha Reddy, NAC Jeweler's Chairman and All India Gem and Jewellery Trade Federation Zonal chairman N Anantha Padmanabhann were among those seen in attendance.

Members of film fraternity, including South Indian Artiste's Association President Nasser, Association's General Secretary, Vishal, Actors Ananda Raj, Prabhu, 'Gundu' Kalyanam, Senthil, Vaiyapuri were also present. Actor-Politician and All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi President R Sarath Kumar, who lost in the polls contesting from Tiruchendur, was seen sitting in the front row.

About 1,500 police personnel, who were deployed for security, had a tough time controlling the crowd who had lined up en route to the Madras University Centenary Auditorium, venue of the swearing-in. Major arterial roads in Chennai were decked up with AIADMK party flags, posters and banners of Jayalalithaa for the oath-taking ceremony. Party cadres from neighbouring districts arrived as early as 6 am to witness their leader's swearing-in ceremony.

LCD screens were installed at vantage points at the Marina beach to help cadres and the public witness the event. Meanwhile, it was celebration time for AIADMK workers at the party office here and in various parts of the state as Jayalalithaa was sworn-in as Chief Minister. Party workers burst crackers and distributed sweets on the occasion.

Archaeological experts say insects from the polluted Yamuna river near the Taj Mahal are marring the 17th century monument of love's intricate marble inlay work by leaving green and black patches of waste on its walls.

NIA court in Jammu orders framing of charges against 6 accused including Naved, a Pakistani national, in connection with Udhampur terror attack

In a move that could have brought down political acrimony between the two Dravidian majors, ruling AIADDMK and DMK, which is in the opposition, M K Stalin chose to attend the swearing-in of J Jayalalithaa and her cabinet today.

However, Stalin was made to sit in the 16th row and Jaya has just ensured a more combatant opposition in the assembly.

This is the second time Stalin, son of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, attended Jayalalithaa's swearing-in after participating in her oath-taking ceremony in 2001. As Chennai Mayor, he along with a few DMK leaders, had attended the function then.     


Stalin, attired in white shirt and dhoti, was today spotted seated in the 16th row at the Madras University Centenary Auditorium, venue of the swearing-in function.     

Speaking to NDTV, Karunanidhi said, "Jayalalithaa has not changed, she will never change. Sarath Kumar (the actor) was in the front row though he lost the election. Stalin has 89 seats."


Former DMK Ministers E V Velu and Ponmudy besides their party MLAs Sekhar Babu, Vagai Chandrasekhar and Ku Ka Selvam were also seated near him. Yesterday, DMK supremo Karunanidhi had said his party would function as a constructive opposition in the 234-member assembly.

While the DMK secured 89 seats, its allies Congress eight and IUML one, the AIADMK alone bagged 134 seats in the May 16 polls. Elections to Thanjavur and Aravakurichi segments have been deferred. 

Srinagar: Wreath laying ceremony of three policemen killed in today's terrorist attacks in Srinagar.

Bihar BJP leadership propose senior party leader Sushil Modi's name for Rajya Sabha.

India squad for the Zimbabawe and West Indies tours have been announced. The national team is scheduled to play a series consisting of three One Day Internationals and three T20 Internationals against Zimbabwe, beginning on June 11th, before traveling to the Caribbean Islands for a four-Test series in July-August.

The Zimbabwe squad includes:MS Dhoni (Captain), KL Rahul, Faiz Faisal, Maneesh Pandey, Karun Nair, Ambatti Rayudu, Rishi Dhawan, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadav, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jaspreet Bumrah, Barinder Sran, Mandeep Singh, Kedar Jadhav, Jaidev Unadkat, Yuzvendra Chahal.


The squad for West Indies squad includes: Virat Kohli (Captain), Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice captain), Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur and Stuart Binny     

Rajya Sabha MP Dr Karan Singh is upset with absconding MP and Kingfisher owner Vijay Mallya for bringing disrepute to the Upper House of Parliament.

In his capacity as Chairman of the Ethics Committee, Dr Karan Singh has sent out a questionnaire to RS members reminding them about rules that require they notify changes, if any, in the assets and liabilities furnished by them.

The letter cited Rule 3 of the Assests and Liabilities Rules, 2004, which says that "every member shall notify changes" in their possessions by June 30 every year.

The form sent to the MPs seeks details of immovable and movable property, and details of loans raised from banks, companies and financial institutions by them.

On May 3, the Ethics Committee of the Rajya Sabha had recommended the expulsion of Vijay Mallya rejecting his defence on a case of loan default of over Rs 9,400 crore.

In its 10th report tabled in the Upper House, the panel said, "The Committee hopes that by taking such stern action, a message would reach
the general public that Parliament is committed to take such steps as are necessary against erring members to uphold the dignity and prestige of this great institution."

Finally, Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari accepted the resignation of Mallya after he sent a fresh letter with his signature, hours after the Ethics Committee of the House submitted its report, recommending his expulsion. 

Prashant Kishor wants the Congress to project either Rahul or Priyanka Gandhi as its chief ministerial candidate in UP. The Gandhis are far too arrogant to accept a provincial role, says Aakar Patel. Read more

In Kolkata, BJP workers protest outside CM Mamata Banerjee's residence over the attack on BJP leader Roopa Ganguly's convoy.

Actor-turned BJP leader Roopa Ganguly was on Sunday heckled and her convoy attacked allegedly by Trinamool Congress supporters near Diamond Harbour in South 24 Parganas district when she was returning to the city.

The incident happened when Ganguly, along with other BJP workers, was returning from Ishwaripur village near Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas after visiting a party worker, who was assaulted allegedly by TMC workers yesterday and was admitted to a local hospital there, a senior district police officer told PTI.

"Despite several requests, Roopa stopped her car and two other cars in her convoy near Diamond Harbour on her way to Kolkata and started talking to locals, which enraged them. Some boys threw stones at the convoy while few women from the locality pulled Roopa's hair and slapped another woman who was with her," the officer said.

The police posted there intervened and restrained the locals and took control of the situation, he said, adding though Roopa was "not injured", she was taken to a local hospital, where from she was released after a check-up.

"We have not arrested anybody in connection with the incident, but a police posting has been arranged in the locality," he said.

The BJP leader and the party workers accompanying her, however, alleged that they were attacked by TMC activists.

Ganguly, the chief of BJP's state Mahila Morcha unit, had unsuccessfully contested from Howrah (North) seat against TMC's Laxmi Ratan Shukla in the just-concluded state assembly elections.

Beginning her second term as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, chief J Jayalalithaa today announced a list of government schemes in keeping with her campaign promises. Getting back to work after being sworn-in today, the Chief Minister immediately ordered five schemes to be implemented.

-- 750 units for power loom weavers and free 100 units of power for every home.

-- Waiver of all crop loans for farmers till March 31, 2016, totalling up to Rs 5,780 crore.

-- Women from poor households to receive eight grams of gold for mangalsutra and Rs 50,000 in cash was also announced.

-- Free breakfast will be provided to the students in government schools, as part of her scheme.

-- Shutdown of 500 Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation shops and reducing the time of the shops to be opened. The liquor shops are to be open from 12 noon to 10 pm, as earlier they were open from 10 am to 10 pm.


This is for the first time since the death of former chief minister MGR, that a party returned to power for the second consecutive term in Tamil Nadu.

Earlier on May 21, 68-year-old Jayalalithaa met Governor K. Rosaiah and staked claim to form the government in the state. The AIADMK retained power winning 136 of the 232 constituencies despite most exit polls predicting a DMK win. This will be Jayalalithaa's fourth term in office. Her earlier tenures as the Chief Minister were 1991-96, 2001-06 and 2011-16.

The administration and people in drought-hit Marathwada are pinning their hopes on monsoon as only one per cent water is left in the dams of the parched region.


"There is only one per cent water left in dams in Marathwada region," Aurangabad Divisional Commissioner Umakant Dangat told PTI. "We are also using the groundwater stock. The IMD's forecast is good and we hope that we will be able to carry on till the monsoon arrives. We have acquired wells and bore wells for water supply," the senior IAS official said. Dangat expressed confidence that the administration will be able to supply water from Jaikwadi dam to Aurangabad till July end, by which time monsoon would have arrived.


Around 3,600 water tankers are operational in the region and water is being supplied to the drought-affected villages and hamlets through them. This is the fourth year of drought in Marathwada in the last five years. Each of its 8,522 villages has been affected for two consecutive years. Latur in the region has been getting water by a special water train. Around 400 cattle fodder camps are now operational in Beed, Latur, Osmanabad and Ahmednagar districts, officials said.


Pic: Women wait their turn to draw water in drought-hit Latur, Maharashtra. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters

Twin bombings targeting the Yemeni army in second city Aden today killed at least 41 people, most of them would-be recruits, a military official said.

A suicide bomber killed 34 people queueing up to enlist at recruitment centre near the Badr base in the Khormaksar district, said Brigadier General Nasser al-Sarei, commander of special security forces.

A second explosion went off inside the base afterwards, killing seven soldiers, the official said. Aden is the headquarters of the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi as it battles Shiite rebels who control the capital and has seen a spate of attacks in recent months claimed by Al-Qaeda or its jihadist rival the Islamic State group.

Police Naik Rafiq Shaikh, who recently scaled the Mount Everest, has been admitted to a hospital in Kathmandu after he suffered from frost-bite, police said here today.


Shaikh suffered the frost-bite while returning to the base camp after successfully climbing the world's tallest mountain peak, they said. He was airlifted from Lukla region to Kathmandu and admitted to a hospital in the Nepal's capital city yesterday, police sources said.


Aurangabad Superintendent of Police Navinchandra Reddy said Shaikh's condition was not very serious and he would soon be shifted to Army hospital in Delhi.


On May 19, Shaikh scaled the Mount Everest in his third attempt after starting the expedition on April 4 from here. Born in a small village in the district, he had failed to climb the mountain peak twice due to natural calamities and predicaments thereafter. According to sources in the police department, he scaled the peak from the Sherpa south pole, situated at a height of 26,240 feet.

PM Narendra Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani deliver joint statement in Tehran.


Narendra Modi: Through ages, the beauty and richness of the Persian heritage has attracted the world to Iran. For me, visiting Iran is indeed a great privilege. Our 'dosti' is as old as history. Can never forget that Iran was the 1st country to come forward when earthquake had struck my state of Gujarat. As friends and neighbours, we have shared interest in each others growth and prosperity, and joys and sorrows.


Hassan Rouhani: Two countries discussed about political issues & how we can cooperate on intelligence sharing in our fight against terrorism. We discussed about tourism, also talked about courses in Hindi, Persian to be held in the 2 countries. Considering that both countries have an important port like Chabahar, we can have vast cooperation. We made a decision to bring relations between our academics, universities, technology, scientific parts closer to each other.

Senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai on Saturday said that if the people of Goa want him to become chief minister then he would be ready to take up the responsibility.

The Navbharat Times reports that Sardesai said that the people of the state would not want him to leave journalism and join politics.

Denying speculations that he would be chief ministerial candidate of the Aam Aadmi Party for the 2017 Goa assembly elections, Sardesai said that if any journalist becomes a politician then he has to quit journalism.
Read more

The US has fully lifted its ban on weapons sales to Vietnam, President Barack Obama announced today during a visit to Hanoi, unpicking a decades-old embargo on the one-time enemy.


"The United States is fully lifting the ban on the sale of military equipment to Vietnam that has been in place for some fifty years," he said at a joint press conference alongside his Vietnamese counterpart President Tran Dai Quang. Both countries are warily eyeing China's military build-up in the disputed South China Sea. But Obama was keen to separate the decision to allow arms sales to the communist nation from shared concerns over Beijing's claims to contested waters.


"The decision to lift the ban was not based on China... but on our desire to complete what has been a lengthy process moving towards normalisation with Vietnam," he said.


"At this stage, both sides have developed a level of trust and cooperation including our militaries," the US leader added. Vietnam's leader Quang welcomed the rollback of the Cold War-era ban on lethal weapons exports. Obama's three-day visit to Vietnam comes some 41 years after the North Vietnamese army and its Viet Cong allies marched into Saigon, humiliating the world's preeminent superpower.


The rollback of the arms embargo is highly symbolic of a shift in relations that has seen a surge in trade and cultural changes between the two countries that were locked in a bitter, bloody conflict just a generation ago.


The US is cosying up to Asia-Pacific countries in a strategic shift to tap the trade potential of the region and as a bulwark to the influence of regional superpower China. Vietnam's military spending has surged in the last decade, by 130 per cent since 2005, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. But much of Vietnam's arsenal is made up of ageing Russia-built equipment.

This is what we have been hearing about the BJP Parliamentary board meeting. The focus of the meeting was on Assam and most of the members were extremely happy that Hemanta Biswa Sarma gave sleepless nights to Congress leaders. One senior BJP leader in a lighter vein compared Biswa Sarma with Pramod Mahajan. Biswa Sarma's bitter criticism of Rahul Gandhi was similar to Mahajan's criticism of Sonia. A member in the board quickly commented that Hemanta Biswa sarma's presence in the treasury benches in Parliament will irritate Rahul Gandhi.  Biswa Sarma, a Congress rebel in Assam who switched sides to join BJP, had said, "Till Congress replaces blue-blood culture, there is no future. Attacking Rahul last week, he said, "Problem is that when you talk to Rahul, the discussion is so light that even the dogs came in between. He starts playing with dogs."

PM Modi tweets: "Congratulations to Jayalalithaa-ji & her team on taking oath. Centre will PM Modi work closely with new Govt. for progress of #TN.

Just in: Another terror attack in Srinagar just now. A CRPF post in Tengpora, Srinagar, has been targeted with reports of one policeman killed. This is the first attack in the heart of Srinagar since 2010. Both the places where the terror attacks took place are in the heart of Srinagar and are extremely congested. The militants were believed to be on a motorbike and ANI reports that a police rifle was snatched by them.

NDTV reports that there are intel reports of a Hizbul attack in the city soon and warnings of large scale infiltration. 

Earlier in the day, two policemen were killed as terrorists attacked a police team in Srinagar's Zadibal. The attack reportedly happened in a densely-populated and congested area in central Srinagar.

Those killed include an Assistant Sub-Inspector and one constable. They were shot at from a close range, say sources.

The terrorists have reportedly managed to escape.

Mukhtar Ahmad/Rediff.com reports that another cop has been injured in a firing on the Baramullah highway.

Just in: AIADMK general secretary and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and her 28 Cabinet colleagues have been sworn in by Governor K. Rosaiah at the Madras University's Centenary Hall at 12 noon today. Union Ministers Pon. Radhakrishnan and Venkaiah Naidu are taking part in the swearing-in ceremony. The newly-sworn in ministers take the oath of secrecy en masse.

Jayalalithaa holds the distinction of being the second person in the State to hold the CM office consecutively.

Just in: Bombay HC stays trial in the Jiah Khan suicide case till June 7 after mother Rabia Khan moves plea seeking SIT probe.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley during his visits to state capitals stays in guest houses of nationalised banks and not five-star hotels. In fact, Jaitley urged a cabinet meeting to save money by staying in guest houses and not fancy hotels. At least 28 nationalised banks have guest houses even in small towns in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, while eight PSU banks have their own guest houses in six metros, which are believed to be much better than even Lutyen bungalows. 

US president Barack Obama has lifted the US arms embargo against Vietnam,  ending a decades-long prohibition on the sale of weapons to America's former enemy. Details awaited.

Afghanistan's spy agency and Taliban sources are both confirming that Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Balochistan, Pakistan, on Saturday. As The Diplomat discussed yesterday, Mansour was targeted after the United States deemed him to be "actively involved with planning attacks against facilities in Kabul and across Afghanistan, presenting a threat to Afghan civilians and security forces, [U.S.] personnel, and Coalition partners.' Read more

PM Narendra Modi with Iran President Hassan Rouhani in Jomhouri Building at Saadabad Palace, Tehran.

India-Iran delegation level talks being held in Tehran. 

Meanwhile, in Tamil Nadu, J Jayalalithaa to take oath as chief minister for the second term. Twenty-eight ministers will take oath along with her.

Jayalalithaa's swearing-in ceremony will be shown on giant LED screens mounted on vans of the Information and Public Relations Department in districts across Tamil Nadu except Thanjavur and Karur where elections to Thanjavur and Aravkurichi are now scheduled to be held next month after deferment.

Her supporters shower rose petals on her cavalacade on the way to the swearing in. The 28 ministers will take oath as a group not individually.

The DMK will be represented by MK Stalin, Karunanidhi will not be attending. The Central government is being represented by Venkaiah Naidu.

Governor K Rosaiah will administer the oath of office to Jayalalithaa and her 28 Cabinet ministers at a function at the Madras University Centenary auditorium.

She is expected to give formal approval to several proposals, including giving 100 units free electricity, after assuming office. In her election manifesto, Jayalalithaa had announced free electricity and mobile phones, and had promised to introduce prohibition in a phased manner. She is also expected to formally launch several welfare measures for women.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Teheran on Sunday on a two-day visit seeking to further cement Indo-Iranian ties and explore avenues to bolster trade in a big way in the wake of lifting of sanctions against Iran.

Iran, Gadkari said, has cheap natural gas and power that Indian firms are keen to tap to build a 0.5-million tonne aluminium smelter plant as well as urea manufacturing units. "We spend Rs 45,000 crore annually on urea subsidy, and if we can manufacture it in the Chabahar free trade zone and move it through the port to Kandla and onward to hinterland, we can save that amount," he said. Gadkari said Nalco will set up the aluminium smelter while private and co-operative fertiliser firms are keen to build urea plants provided they get gas at less than USD 2 per mmBtu. Railway PSU IRCON will build a rail line at Chabahar to move goods right up to Afghanistan, he said.

Gadkari said India Ports Global Pvt, a joint venture of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and the Kandla Port Trust, will invest USD 85 million in developing two container berths with a length of 640 metres and three multi cargo berths. The Indian consortium has signed the port pact with Aria Banader Iranian.

"The contract is for 10 years and can be extended. We will take 18 months to complete phase one of the construction," he said, adding that first two years of the contract are grace period where India doesn't have to guarantee any cargo.


Pic: PM in restricted tete-a-tete with Iran President Hassan Rouhani in Jomhouri Building at Saadabad Palace, Tehran

Delegation level talks between PM Modi and Iranian Prez Rouhani are expected to get underway in short while. India will invest billions of dollars in setting up industries -- ranging from aluminum smelter to urea plants -- in Iran's Chabahar free trade zone after it signed a pact to operate a strategic port on the Persian Gulf nation's southern coast.


The inking of commercial contract to build and run the strategic port of Chabahar will help India gain a foothold in Iran and win access to Afghanistan, Russia and Europe, thus circumventing Pakistan, Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari said in Teheran.

"The distance between Kandla and the Chabahar port is less than the distance between New Delhi and Mumbai, and so what this agreement does is to enable us quick movement of goods first to Iran and then onwards to Afghanistan and Russia through a new rail and road link," he explained. "Over Rs 1 lakh crore investment can happen in Chabahar free trade zone," he said.

Italian marine Salvatore Girone moves SC seeking permission to go to Italy till the jurisdictional dispute is decided by International Arbitral Tribunal. SC agrees to hear Girone's plea on May 26.

PM being received by Iran President Hassan Rouhani at Saadabad Palace, Tehran. The PM is expected to meet the Iran President after the ceremonial welcome. He will also meet the country's supreme religious and political leader Ayatollah Khamenei.  And no, there are no plans to ask Iran's leadership to return the Peacock throne.

Just in: Two policemen shot dead inside police station by suspected militants in Zadibal, Srinagar, says police. The police station is in the heart of Srinagar.  The terrorists escaped after firing at the cops at close range.

A month ago, militants pulled three unarmed policemen off a vehicle and shot them dead in South Kashmir's Shopian district. 

The attack in Shopian was the deadliest of three carried out by unidentified militants during the day at separate places across the Valley. A policeman and a civilian were injured in the other two attacks.


Pic: Visuals of the spot where terrorists attacked a police party at Zadibal police station.

The CEOs of business houses in south India are keen to get closer to BJP President Amit Shah. Industrialists from Chennai, Hyderabad and  Bengaluru had an hour-long meeting with Shah recently and discussed issues if taxation in the manufacturing sector and infrastructure developmental concerns. Everyone wants to know who in New Delhi is close to Amit Shah since they want to cultivate that source.The BJP is back to being the go-to party after its massive victory in Assam.  Interestingly, industrialists from south India are being wooed to invest in Assam.

Former union minister Ram Jethmalani (92) has been harbouring a dream of getting elected to the Rajya Sabha next month from Bihar. The assurance was allegedly given by RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, a RJD insider tells us. Unfortunately, the former BJP MP was expelled from the party, has been admitted to the ICU of a Delhi hospital for breathlessness. Our sources tell us that Jethmalani wanted to personally go to Patna to meet Lalu Yadav.

AFP reports: Afghan Taliban sources confirm death of Mullah Akhtar Mansour in US drone strike.

Nagaland: Continuous downpour since past four days triggers landslide and damages houses in Kohima

AFP reports: Obama says no apology for atomic bomb on Hiroshima visit