National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said on Thursday that his party backed rival PDP in staking claim to form a government in Jammu and Kashmir to save the state from its "current mess" and uncertainty.

At least seven school children and a driver were killed when a bus collided with a school van at Birsinghpur in Satna district of Madhya Pradesh on Thursday, a police official said.

The Supreme Court Wednesday closed contempt proceedings against Delhi BJP chief and MP Manoj Tiwari for breaking the civic agency's seal on a premises here in September even as it deprecated his action of taking law into his own hands.

A fire broke out on the third floor of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India building on ITO road here on Thursday, the Delhi Fire Service said.

The total assets of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and his family has spiked by over 12.5 crore in a year, his son Nara Lokesh declared on Wednesday evening. Mr Naidu has been voluntarily disclosing his family's assets and liabilities every year for the last 8 years, in a show of transparency.

In a sudden development, the Jammu and Kashmir Governor tonight dissolved the state assembly, which has been in suspended animation, shortly after rival alliances staked claim to form the government.

Twelve Indians were rescued from a sinking vessel in the Persian Gulf by a French Navy ship on Tuesday, the French embassy said in a statement here.

The sexual harassment allegations against BCCI CEO Rahul Johri were rejected as "mischievous and fabricated" by a three-member probe panel on Wednesday but the Committee of Administrators was divided on him resuming office with Diana Edulji reiterating her demand for his resignation.