Latest news, updated at 6:30 pm Food Bill is a ‘big message’, says Sonia; Mulayam calls it poll gimmick...more Outrage in LS over gang rape of photojournalist...more VHP's yatra paralyses Parliament; SP, BJP trade charges...more  Release Singhal, Togadia if detention flouts law: HC to UP govt...more  Sexual assault case: Asaram summoned, given 4 days to appear before police...more  Oil companies demand one-time hike in diesel price...more

Monsoon bounty: Good rains, plentiful grains
No sign of withdrawal for the next 10 days; expect bumper rabi yield
New Delhi, August 25
Countrywide cumulative seasonal rainfall to date is 13 per cent above average and there is no sign of the monsoon withdrawal from the northwest-the region that has recorded 24 per cent extra rains this season so far.

Young girls with their umbrellas at Rajpath during heavy rains in New Delhi on Sunday. — PTI photo

Mumbai gang rape
Hunt ends as police nabs 5th accused from Delhi slum
Cops trying to locate mobile phone used to film the crime
Mumbai/Delhi, August 25
All five men accused of gang-raping a young photojournalist in Mumbai have been arrested. The police is now trying to trace a mobile phone used to take pictures of the crime committed at a mill three days ago.

One of the accused being produced in a Delhi court on Sunday. — PTI

UP Govt clamps down on VHP yatra;
1,700 detained
Lucknow, August 25
VHP’s decision to defy the state government ban and perform 84-kosi parikrama yatra from Ayodhya today turned out to be non-starter. Around 1,696 sadhus and VHP supporters headed for Ayodhya for VHP’s proposed parikrama were detained in various parts of the state today.

Nation page: SP, BJP will fail to draw political mileage: Beni

Cattle smugglers murder youth in Gurgaon, villagers go on rampage
Gurgaon, August 25
The traffic on the Delhi-Jaipur rail track and the Gurgaon-Pataudi highway remained disrupted for around 7 hours as thousands of villagers went on rampage following the killing of a local youth, allegedly by cattle smugglers.

China likely to set up industrial parks in India
New Delhi, August 25
Notwithstanding border tensions between them, the possibility of China setting up industrial parks in India is being explored to reduce the bilateral trade gap heavily tilted in former’s favour.

Foreign Secy promises all help to war-torn Afghanistan
New Delhi, August 25
On a quiet visit to Afghanistan that concluded today, Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh assured the Afghan leadership that no terrorist attack would have an impact on India’s determination to assist the embattled nation in its reconstruction and development efforts.

Capt re-asserts himself with power lunch Chandigarh, August 25 An informal luncheon meeting at the residence of the Congress Working Committee member and former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today added fuel to the fire over his alleged difference with Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Partap Singh Bajwa.