Politics

India to decide on Rafale fighter jet deal only after March

Bengaluru, Feb 18 (ANI): India will decide on the fate of a long-delayed deal for 126 Dassault Rafale fighter jets only after March, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Wednesday. While addressing a news conference on the first day of 'Aero India 2015', the five-day air show, Parrikar said that the ministry's Contract Negotiations Committee (CNC) should report back by early March. The tenth edition of the air show was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier in the day at Yelahanka air base. Parrikar said that the city was the appropriate place to host the show as most of the aero-space industries were located here.

Feb 18, 2015

Swiss scientists work to push physics frontier

Excitement is mounting at the world's largest proton smasher, where scientists are close to launching a superpowered hunt for particles that may change our understanding of the Universe. Duration: 01:49

Feb 18, 2015

Obama vows to fight immigration ruling

A judge in Texas has blocked an Obama order that would have protected about four million undocumented foreigners from deportation and was due to come into effect on Wednesday. President Obama said he plans to appeal the decision. Duration: 01:08

Feb 18, 2015

Boko Haram leader vows to disrupt Nigeria election in new video

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau vowed to disrupt Nigeria's general election in a new video released Tuesday, after two suicide attacks in the northeast blamed on the Islamists killed 38 people. Duration: 01:21

Feb 18, 2015

Putin visits Hungary's Orban amid Ukraine tension

Russian President Vladimir Putin mocked 'losing' Ukraine on a visit to Budapest, while also calling for Kiev to allow Ukrainian soldiers trapped by pro-Russian rebels in the eastern town of Debaltseve to lay down arms. Duration: 01:50

Feb 18, 2015

Victoria Beckham deconstructs for Fall 2015

ROUGH CUT (NO NARRATION) In her seventh year in the fashion industry, singer turned designer Victoria Beckham said she is now "evolving and translating" from her signature dress. Beckham presented

Feb 18, 2015

PM Modi addresses NIMHANS convocation ceremony

Bengaluru, Feb 18 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday addressed the convocation ceremony of National Institute for Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru. While addressing the graduates and the post-graduates, Modi said he believed that students from poor families should attend the convocation ceremonies as they are very motivating. He added that the decision students took to study at NIMHANS was not a decision taken by mind but by heart.

Feb 18, 2015

Pope asks pilgrims to pray for Egyptian Christians beheaded in Libya

ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION) Pope Francis on Wednesday (February 18), asked tens of thousands of people to pray for the 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians who were beheaded in Libya and appealed to

Feb 18, 2015

Sushma Swaraj meets Oman Deputy Prime Minister Sayyid Fahd Bin Mahmoud Al Said

Oman, Feb 18 (ANI): External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday met Oman's Deputy Prime Minister Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said during her two-day visit to Oman. Earlier in the day, Swaraj had fruitful discussions with her Oman counterpart Yusuf Bin Abdullah on anti-piracy operations, cooperation in maritime security and other issues relating to the Indian Ocean where the two nations are maritime neighbours. This is Swaraj's third visit to the Gulf countries. She has earlier visited Bahrain in September and the United Arab Emirates in November 2014. India and Oman have a very strong relationship based on extensive people-to-people contacts and historical, economic and cultural exchanges.

Feb 18, 2015

Swine flu claims two lives in Kashmir

Srinagar, Feb 18 (ANI): The deadly H1N1 swine flu virus claimed two lives in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday (February 18). India has seen a sharp rise in the number of swine flu deaths and reported cases this year, prompting officials to investigate the cause and step up efforts to combat the virus. The victims, who succumbed to the disease at Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Srinagar city, included a man and a woman. A special isolated ward has been created at SKIMS for treating the patients of swine flu. Director of SKIMS, Doctor Showkat Ali Zargar, said so far 71 cases have been diagnosed in the hospital.

Feb 18, 2015

'I see 2015 as the renovation of the India-EU relationship': EU Ambassador

New Delhi, Feb 18 (ANI): European Union Ambassador to India Dr Joao Cravinho on Wednesday opined that the year 2015 would see the 'renovation' of the relationship between New Delhi and Brussels, adding that the priorities of both sides are very similar. Speaking of the free-trade understanding between the two sides, Dr Cravinho said that Europe was waiting for India to 'define' its position, adding that the ball was in New Delhi's court.

Feb 18, 2015

Sushma's visit to Oman will set in motion a deeper engagement between the two countries: MEA

Oman, Feb 18 (ANI): MEA Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin on Wednesday said that the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is on her first visit to Oman and that the visit will focus on the strategic issues between the two countries. He added that there was discussion on specific investment opportunities including in the sector of storage of agricultural products, as well as on medical treatment. He further stated that Oman and India are maritime neighbours and that Swaraj's visit will set in motion a deeper engagement between India and Oman.

Feb 18, 2015

Coal Scam: Special Court grants bail to ex Jharkhand CM Madhu Koda, 7 others

New Delhi, Feb 18 (ANI): Former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda was granted bail on Wednesday by a Special Court in coal blocks allocation scam case despite opposition from the CBI. Earlier in the morning, the CBI had opposed the bail pleas of Madhu Koda and seven others alleging that they have conspired and abused their position to favor accused firm Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd in allocation of a coal block. Lawyer Anshuman Sinha said that the bail application was moved in the court and the court granted bail to Madhu Koda on the condition that Koda will not leave the country.

Feb 18, 2015

Qualities of a good and effective leader

New Delhi, 18 Feb (ANI): A leader is the one who has the ability to influence thinking of the people, which results in action. Leadership can be defined as an art of leading people to achieve the desired goals and targets which wouldn't have happened otherwise. Becoming an effective and a good leader is not a one-time thing as it takes time to learn and practice leadership skills. Talking about the qualities of a good and effective leader, the famous Author Shiv Khera said...A team entirely depends upon their leader for every single decision; therefore a good and effective leader should have a clear vision for his goals and practice leadership skills.

Feb 18, 2015

Patna HC lifts ban on Manjhi taking cabinet decisions

Patna, Feb 18 (ANI): The Patna High Court on Wednesday lifted its stay on the Jitan Ram Manjhi government taking financial decisions, following which the current Bihar government can take any policy decisions. However, the government will be able to implement those decisions only after 21 February.

Feb 18, 2015