Politics

Saudi citizens pledge allegiance to their new king

Saudi Arabia's new King Salman vowed Friday to keep his oil-rich, conservative Muslim kingdom on a steady course and moved to cement his hold on power following his half-brother King Abdullah's death. Duration: 00:36

Jan 24, 2015

Police say woman carried bomb that killed two in Arrah

Patna/Arrah, Jan 23 (ANI): Police on Friday said a woman carried the bomb that led to two deaths, including hers and injured many in Arrah city of Bihar. A crude bomb exploded outside a courtroom in Bihar on Friday, killing two people and wounding ten, just days before Republic Day ceremonies that have been attacked in the past in troubled parts of the country. The blast occurred in Arrah town in Bihar, parts of which have been racked by a Maoist insurgency. Both the dead were women, including a police constable. The Additional Director General of Bihar Police, Gupteshwar Pandey, said the site had been sealed off and investigation has been launched. Two criminals being brought to the court escaped in the mayhem.

Jan 23, 2015

Shashi Tharoor gives reasons of his 'isolation in the party'

Jaipur, Jan 23 (ANI): Congress party leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday while attending the Jaipur Literature Festival, said that his isolation in the party was due to his views on foreign policy and national security. Tharoor, who won a seat in parliament from Kerala in 2009 and was later appointed the junior foreign minister and education minister, created controversy through his tweets and articulation. He also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for gap between his articulation and implementation. An acclaimed author and prolific user of social media website Twitter, Tharoor was an under-secretary general during Kofi Annan's leadership of the United Nations.

Jan 23, 2015

Thai ex-PM Yingluck facing jail on top of impeachment

Ex-Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra faces up to ten years in prison after prosecutors say they will indict her on corruption charges over a controversial rice subsidy scheme -- a move that risks reigniting the country's bitter divisions. Duration: 00:36

Jan 23, 2015

Thai ex-PM Yingluck impeached and facing criminal charges

Thailand's junta-stacked parliament votes to impeach former premier Yingluck Shinawatra, hours after prosecutors announced plans to indict her for corruption in a double blow that risks reigniting the country's bitter divisions. Duration: 00:27

Jan 23, 2015

Murder and magic as Tanzania tackles 'witchcraft' killings

In Tanzania, hundreds of people are killed each year accused of being witches. Many victims are elderly, vulnerable or marginalised - or own property that greedy relatives seize after they are killed. Duration: 02:30

Jan 23, 2015

'Profound differences' but US, Cuba to meet again

The United States and Cuba fall short of setting dates to reopen embassies but agree to meet again to overcome deep rifts after they wrapped up historic talks aimed at normalizing relations. Duration: 01:03

Jan 23, 2015

Taj Mahal Gets Numerous Virtual Visitors, Thanks To Google Street View; Ranks Among Top 10 Destinations

India clears cows, dogs, dust for Obama Taj Mahal trip

Preparations are under way at the Taj Mahal ahead of a visit by Barack and Michelle Obama. Duration: 01:11

Jan 23, 2015

It Happens : Students in Varanasi create sand sculptures on sensitive issues

Varanasi, Jan 23 (ANI): Students in temple town of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh created sand sculptures on sensitive and burning issues on bank of holy River Ganges. Schoolchildren from around the town converged at the banks and created their artwork with coloured sand to give their work a different look. One of the sculptures commemorated the ill-fated AirAsia flight that crashed in December last year, killing all passengers and crew on board. Indonesia AirAsia Flight QZ8501 lost contact with air traffic control in bad weather on December 28. Meanwhile, another student created a sculpture on Clean India mission with an aim to create awareness among young generation to keep surroundings clean. The bank was teeming with children and adults who braved the cold winter to see the sand arts. The topics ranged from women empowerment, militancy, Peshawar school attack and Bharat Ratna.

Jan 23, 2015

It Happens : Jaipur set to welcome authors, publishers for literature festival

Jaipur, Jan 23 (ANI): India’s pink city Jaipur will welcome authors, writers, speakers at Asia’s largest literary festival which begins on Wednesday. Regional language novelists and writers will rub shoulders with Man Booker prize winners and Nobel laureates at the 8th edition of Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF), which will be held in Diggi Palace in Jaipur. The writers will converge in the city for five days of readings, debates and discussions. JLF, which began in 2006, is now regarded as a cultural catalyst within India and around the world, exposing audiences to a constant flow of ideas. Featuring live music sessions and interactive workshops, the festival provides a space to dare, dream and imagine. Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Vasundhara Raje, is scheduled to inaugurate the festival, where over 200,000 visitors are expected. Venue host of the festival, Ram Pratap Singh, informed that the festival would look at gender equity in India. He added that adequate security arrangements were being made and the government had also provided a special security cover for the festival apart from their inbuilt arrangements. The event is seen as an agenda-setter on key issues from the global economic crisis to the rise of e-books, the current state of politics in the Middle East to the inc

Jan 23, 2015

It Happens : Devotees take holy dip in sacred River Ganges on Mauni Amavasya

Allahabad/Varanasi, Jan 23 (ANI): Thousands of devout Hindus on Tuesday gathered at the confluence of sacred River Ganges in Uttar Pradesh and took silent holy dip on the occasion of No Moon Day, or ‘Mauni Amavasya’. The auspicious day is celebrated every year as a spiritual ritual in the month of January or February on No Moon day as per the traditional Hindu calendar. Devotees thronged the banks of River Ganges early morning for ritual bath to wash away their sins and sought salvation. This day marks the end of a month- long period of silence, a priest Hiranand Pandey said. Meanwhile, braving the biting cold, Hindus converged at temple town of Varanasi and made religious offerings as well. It is believed that the water of the Ganges turns into nectar on Mauni Amavasya. It is derived from the word 'Muni' that literally means an ascetic who practices silence.

Jan 23, 2015

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz

King Abdullah's Death: Succession Saga and the Story of Ageing Princes in Saudi Arabia

After the 1953 death of Abdulaziz ibn Saud, Saudi Arabia has only seen successions of brothers to the throne.

Jan 23, 2015

Sunanda would not have let her marriage break if she was alive, says Nalini Singh after SIT interrog

New Delhi, Jan 23 (ANI): Senior Journalist Nalini Singh was interrogated on Friday by the Special Investigating Team (SIT) of Delhi Police which is the sensational Sunanda Pushkar murder case. After the interrogation, Singh confirmed that she was questioned by the police. Divulging in details about her conversation with Sunanda, Singh said that deceased wife of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor had suspected Tharoor of having an affair with Pakistani Journalist Mehr Tarar. While talking on the IPL controversy, she said Sunanda had told her that she has taken all the blame on herself. Singh further stated that Sunanda would not have let her marriage break had she been alive. Sunanda was found dead in the five-star Leela Hotel in Delhi on January 17, 2014.

Jan 23, 2015

Delhi witnesses full dress rehearsal of Republic Day parade

New Delhi, Jan 23 (ANI): A full dress rehearsal of this year's Republic Day Parade took place on Friday, and Delhi Police announced a change in traffic movement to facilitate the exercise. The parade started at 9:50 AM from Vijay Chowk and proceeded to the Red Fort ground via Rajpath, India Gate, Tilak Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg and Netaji Subhash Marg. The helicopters were seen up the sky carrying national flags that gave a much boost to the patriotic sentiments of the people present. A well coordinated parade by the Army too was a sight to behold. Meanwhile, Delhi Traffic Police had stalled the traffic on the parade route from 5:00 AM till 12:30 PM. This year's parade will have US President Barack Obama as the chief guest, and in anticipation of his three-day second visit to India in four years, security has been tightened across the country.

Jan 23, 2015

Congress releases manifesto for Delhi polls, promises cheaper power

New Delhi, Jan 23 (ANI): Congress party on Friday released its manifesto for the upcoming polls in Delhi. DPCC Chief Arvinder Singh Lovely and senior leaders Ajay Maken and PC Chacko were also present there. Lovely said that Congress has made only those promises in the manifesto which it can fulfil. He added that if Congress comes to power it will reduce the rates for electricity supply to the residents of Delhi. Ajay Maken said that Congress will fulfil all the promises which it has made in the manifesto.

Jan 23, 2015