GJM seeks peace talks; Rajnath sees solution to Doklam 'deadlock'; Shrikant Purohit granted bail

Six months after the AIADMK split into two factions, the Puratchi Thalaivi Amma (PTA) faction, headed by former Chief Minister O. Paneerselvam, and the other, AIADMK (Amma), headed by Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami, formally merged on Monday.

As it happened: AIADMK factions merge, OPS is Deputy CM

Video footage showing AIADMK interim general secretary V.K. Sasikala and her relative Ilavarasi, convicted by the Supreme Court in the disproportionate assets case, walking into the main entry area of the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru in civilian clothes, has been given to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of the Karnataka police.

A five-judge Supreme Court Bench, headed by Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar, on Tuesday will pronounce its judgment on thelegality of the Islamic personal law practice of triple 'talaq' and whether it is violative of the fundamental and human rights of gender equality and dignity of Muslim women.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) on Monday requested the Central and West Bengal governments to initiate talks at the earliest to restore peace in Darjeeling where an indefinite strike entered the 68th day on Monday. This is the first time that the GJM, spearheading the agitation for a separate Gorkhaland, expressed its willingness to hold talks with the State government along with the Centre.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has termed the ongoing standoff at Doklam near Bhutan-Sikkim-China tri-junction as a “deadlock.” He said there would be a solution soon to the ongoing crisis and that “China was also inclined towards it [finding a solution].”

BJP president Amit Shah’s three-day visit to Tamil Nadu, scheduled to start from tomorrow, has been postponed again, the party’s State unit said on Monday. Mr. Shah had to postpone his visit following a meeting of National Democratic Alliance Chief Ministers in Delhi on Monday and his subsequent required presence in various other important meetings, BJP State unit president Tamilisai Sounderrajan said.

The Supreme Court on Monday expressed its displeasure over the Central Bureau of Investigation not completing investigations in the coal block allocation scam cases.

The Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to Lt. Col. Shrikant Prasad Purohit in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. A Bench of Justices R.K. Agrawal and A.M. Sapre said they were setting aside the Bombay High Court order denying bail to him. The apex court said it has imposed certain conditions on Purohit while granting bail.

Spanish authorities confirmed on Monday the identity of the driver of the deadly van attack in Barcelona and said that he is the last member of the 12-man Islamic extremist cell still at large.

A U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer collided with a tanker early Monday in waters east of Singapore and the Strait of Malacca, and at least 10 sailors are missing. The Navy said five others were hurt.