All 15-year-old petrol and 10-year-old diesel vehicles need to be impounded in Delhi-NCR, the Supreme Court ruled on Monday as air quality became more dangerous. Politicians, however, continued to do what they do best - play the blame game. The judicial intervention came on a day when pollution in 10 areas in Delhi hit the severe mark - the sixth and the last stage on the air quality index. Overall, air quality was in the second most alarming category: very poor. "If you take a walk in the evening to Old Delhi railway station, you will see poor people on cycle rickshaws. They have no option..." the court said. "Hundreds of people are earning their livelihood like that... Will you tell them to kill themselves by working in this pollution?" it asked Delhi government authorities.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, however, blamed Congress-ruled Punjab and BJP-ruled Haryana, saying crop stubble burning in the two states had triggered the crisis. He also blamed the Centre for "inaction". Union environment minister Harsh Vardhan hit back at the AAP chief and said, "I would like to say to him that there are a few things on which politics should not be played." The BJP leader referred to NASA images to claim fewer crop stubble burning incidences this season.

The joint commission being set up in pursuance of the decision taken by Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar and Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India during the visit of the latter to Doha on 4-5 June 2016.

The joint declaration signed by External Affairs Minister of India Sushma Swaraj and Foreign Minister of Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani in Doha today highlights the decision to set up the joint commission.

The joint declaration said that the joint commission had been tasked with formulating the basis to strengthen the relations between India and Qatar.

The proposed joint commission will focus on various areas including economic, commercial, cultural, scientific, technological, Information Technology and educational fields.

The proposed joint commission has also been tasked to facilitate the exchange of information and expertise in different areas.

It will be co-chaired by ministers of External Affairs and Foreign Affairs of the two countries or their representatives.

The joint commission will hold a meeting at a time agreed by both countries alternately in each country.

Earlier the External Affairs Minister held delegation-level talks with Deputy Prime Minister of Foreign Minister of Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani.

India vice-captain Rohit Sharma, on Monday, scored his 21st hundred in the 4th ODI against West Indies at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. He reached the milestone in 98 deliveries. He scored 162 in 137 balls with the help of 20 fours and 4 sixes, before he was dismissed by Ashley Nurse in the 44th over.

It was Sharma’s second century in the series, as he scored an unbeaten 152* in the 1st ODI to help India chase down the total of 322 in Guwahati. The right-handed batsman became only the second batsman to hit two 150+ scores in a series after Hamilton Masakadza against Kenya at home in 2009.

Sharma got off to a solid start with his opening partner Shikhar Dhawan. The duo added 71 runs together before the latter was dismissed. Skipper Virat Kohli was soon dismissed afterward for 16. But despite the two quick wickets, Sharma maintained his calm and continued to add runs together at a brisk pace to move towards the milestone. He stitched a 211-run partnership with Ambati Rayudu, who also scored a half century.

A treaty banning nuclear weapons could come into force by the end of 2019, backers of a campaign that won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize said in an annual progress report on Monday.

The treaty aims to stigmatise nuclear weapons as previous treaties marginalised landmines and cluster munitions. Signatories promise to reject nuclear strategies and encourage others to follow suit.

The Nuclear Weapons Ban Monitor, published by Norwegian People’s Aid, said 19 states had already adhered to the 2017 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, putting it well on the way to the 50 ratifications it needs to come into force.

“We’re pushing for getting 50 ratifications by the end of 2019,” said Beatrice Fihn, executive director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.

“We have about 25, 30 countries that say that they will be ready by the end of 2019, so it’s definitely possible.”

The big nuclear powers oppose the treaty because they say it could undermine nuclear deterrence, which they credit with preventing conventional war. Fihn told Reuters such arguments were ridiculous scaremongering.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and held productive, focused discussion on bilateral, regional and global issues.

Modi arrived in Japan on Saturday to attend the 13th India-Japan annual two-day summit which will seek to review the progress in ties and deepen strategic dimension of the bilateral relationship.

“Strengthening the strategic orientation of our relationship. Foreign Minister of Japan Taro Kono called on PM @narendramodi. Held productive and focused discussion on bilateral, regional and global issues,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Modi also met Secretary General Toshihiro Nikai of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the Minister of Economy Trade and Industry (METI), Hiroshige Seko.

He appreciated the Japanese support extended to the flagship initiatives in India.

“Secretary General of Liberal Democratic Party Toshihiro Nikai called on PM @narendramodi. PM appreciated his vision and experience in strengthening of our bilateral relationship, specially support extended to the flagship initiatives in India,” Kumar tweeted.

Novak Djokovic is in commanding form and well poised to wrestle back the No. 1-ranking from longtime rival Rafael Nadal at the Paris Masters. Heading into the Paris event, which starts Monday, Djokovic was only 215 points behind Nadal at a tournament he has won a record four times, the last time in 2015. Nadal has never won here. The two tennis greats have won a combined 31 Grand Slam titles, with Nadal ahead 17-14. But Djokovic appears to be on an ever-upward curve while Nadal is tentatively returning from a right knee injury.

Djokovic has won four of the last five tournaments he has entered, a strong run including Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and most recently the Shanghai Masters.

“In both the U.S. Open and Shanghai, I’ve played as good as ever,” Djokovic said Sunday at a news conference in Paris. “So I really enjoy tennis at the moment and enjoy competing. When you have a lot of confidence, you approach the practice sessions and the tournaments and the matches in a just completely different way.”

Djokovic feels he’s reaching the ultra-dominant level he was leading up to at the time of winning the French Open in 2016, which turned out to be his last Grand Slam title before a slump of two years without winning one.

In 2017, Djokovic’s level of play started dropping due to complications with an elbow injury. In January, he finally underwent right elbow surgery and, by the time he reached the French Open in June, his ranking had dropped to No. 22. “It was quite opposite extremes in terms of how I felt and how I played five months ago and today,” Djokovic said. “I do think that I’m playing at my best at the moment (now). I always feel like I can improve, but I feel like this is a very high level.”

Novak Djokovic is in commanding form and well poised to wrestle back the No. 1-ranking from longtime rival Rafael Nadal at the Paris Masters. Heading into the Paris event, which starts Monday, Djokovic was only 215 points behind Nadal at a tournament he has won a record four times, the last time in 2015. Nadal has never won here. The two tennis greats have won a combined 31 Grand Slam titles, with Nadal ahead 17-14. But Djokovic appears to be on an ever-upward curve while Nadal is tentatively returning from a right knee injury.

Djokovic has won four of the last five tournaments he has entered, a strong run including Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and most recently the Shanghai Masters.

“In both the U.S. Open and Shanghai, I’ve played as good as ever,” Djokovic said Sunday at a news conference in Paris. “So I really enjoy tennis at the moment and enjoy competing. When you have a lot of confidence, you approach the practice sessions and the tournaments and the matches in a just completely different way.”

Novak Djokovic is in commanding form and well poised to wrestle back the No. 1-ranking from longtime rival Rafael Nadal at the Paris Masters. Heading into the Paris event, which starts Monday, Djokovic was only 215 points behind Nadal at a tournament he has won a record four times, the last time in 2015. Nadal has never won here. The two tennis greats have won a combined 31 Grand Slam titles, with Nadal ahead 17-14. But Djokovic appears to be on an ever-upward curve while Nadal is tentatively returning from a right knee injury.

Djokovic has won four of the last five tournaments he has entered, a strong run including Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and most recently the Shanghai Masters.

“In both the U.S. Open and Shanghai, I’ve played as good as ever,” Djokovic said Sunday at a news conference in Paris. “So I really enjoy tennis at the moment and enjoy competing. When you have a lot of confidence, you approach the practice sessions and the tournaments and the matches in a just completely different way.”

Lion Air passenger flight, with 189 on board, crashed into the sea on Monday morning, Indonesia’s search and rescue agency said. The flight that took off from Jakarta to the city of Pangkal Pinang off the island of Sumatra crashed into the sea minutes later. A tugboat leaving the capital’s port had seen the craft falling. An official of Indonesia’s safety transport committee said he could not confirm the cause of the crash, which would have to wait until the recovery of the plane’s black boxes, as the cockpit voice recorder and data flight recorder are known.

The plane lost contact 13 minutes after takeoff, according to the official. Debris thought to be from the plane, including aircraft seats, was found near an offshore refining facility in the Java Sea, an official of state energy firm Pertamina said. “We don’t know yet whether there are any survivors,” Muhmmad Syaugi, the head of the search and rescue agency said. “We hope, we pray, but we cannot confirm.” “We cannot give any comment at this moment, said Edward Sirait, chief executive of Lion Air Group. “We are trying to collect all the information and data.”

Delhi’s air quality remained very poor for the fourth day Saturday with five areas of the national capital recording severe pollution levels, as authorities warned the situation may deteriorate further next week due to localised emissions during the festival and stubble burning.

The Central Pollution Control Board recorded the overall Air Quality Index of Delhi at 341. The highest AQI of this season was recorded on Friday at 361.

On Saturday, five areas in Delhi recorded severe pollution levels. They are Anand Vihar, Dwarka Sector 8, Narela, Punjabi Bagh and Rohini. Punjabi Bagh recorded the highest pollution level in the national capital at 434.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”.

According to the data by the Centre-run System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research, the overall air quality index of Delhi would deteriorate in a few days, remaining just points below the severe category.