Politics

Nepal foreign minister meets Modi to invite him for SAARC meet

New Delhi, Oct 21 (ANI): Nepal Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to invite him for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit meet in Kathmandu. The two-day SAARC summit will begin on November 26. Nepal will chair the regional grouping meet that has Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka as its members. As close neighbours, India and Nepal share a unique relationship of friendship and cooperation characterized by open borders and deep-rooted people-to-people contacts of kinship and culture.

Oct 21, 2014

Union Cabinet passes ordinance to auction coal blocks

New Delhi, Oct 21 (ANI): The Union Cabinet on Monday passed an ordinance to auction the non-operating coal blocks, which were cancelled by the Supreme Court last month. The ordinance has been sent to President Pranab Mukherjee for his final approval. The cabinet also announced that Coal India's interests will be fully protected and only Indian companies will be allowed to participate in the bidding for the coal blocks. The government also moved to open up its coal industry to commercial mining while protecting the requirements of state-run Coal India, signalling the most serious shift in 42 years toward allowing private players' full participation in coal mining. The mines would also be allotted to public sector units such as the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC), which engages in electricity generation and allied activities.

Oct 21, 2014

Maharashtra: Will BJP Form Minority Govt or Join Hands with Shiv Sena? Decision Likely after Diwali

Shiv Sena is rigid on its demand of half the share in ministerial berths in exchange for its support to BJP.

Oct 21, 2014

Muslims in Varanasi to gift lamps to Hindus on Diwali

Varanasi, Oct 21 (ANI): A group of Muslim women in the temple city of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh is engrossed in making earthen lamps to gift to their Hindu friends on the occasion of the festival of lights, Diwali, with the aim of promoting unity and love between the two communities. By making these lamps, the women are sending across the message of peace and harmony among Hindus and Muslims. A woman making the lamp, Najneen Ansari, said that the lamps will be gifted to their Hindu neighbours to light up their house.

Oct 21, 2014

WHO declares Nigeria Ebola-free

Africa's most populous nation Nigeria was on Monday declared officially Ebola free but warned that it remained vulnerable as long as the virus was raging elsewhere in west Africa. Duration: 01:02

Oct 21, 2014

Ivory Coast president accused of trying to "silence" opposition

An opposition figure in Ivory Coast on Monday accused the country's President Alassane Ouattara of trying to "silence" and "behead" the opposition. Duration: 01:04

Oct 21, 2014

Ukraine:War abuses by both Kiev and pro-Russian rebels (Amnesty)

Amnesty International said Monday that Kiev's forces in eastern Ukraine may be guilty of extrajudicial killings along with pro-Russian rebels, though not at the scope reported by Russian media. Duration: 01:04

Oct 20, 2014

EU's Barroso warns Britain against bloc exit

European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso argued Monday that Britain is better in the EU and warned that alienating its allies would be a "historic mistake", as pressure mounts from British eurosceptics before elections. Duration: 00:39

Oct 20, 2014

Writer Vargas Llosa slams nationalism

Nobel-prize winning author Mario Vargas Llosa takes a swipe a nationalism, calling it the 'most serious threat to the building of Europe'. Duration: 01:06

Oct 20, 2014

Sweden pursues search for 'foreign vessel'

A mysterious "foreign vessel" the Swedish military have been searching for off the coast of Stockholm might belong to the Netherlands, a source in the Russian defence ministry was quoted as saying on Monday. Duration: 01:01

Oct 20, 2014

Traditional farming methods gaining ground in Mali

He is leading a one man agricultural revolution in Mali - Oumar Diatabe uses traditional farming methods to get the most out of his land and is teaching others across the country how to do the same. Duration: 01:44

Oct 20, 2014

White lion cubs born in Belgrade Zoo

Two white lion cubs, an extremely rare subspecies of the African lion, were recently born at Belgrade Zoo. They are being bottle fed by zoo keepers after they were rejected by their mother after birth. Duration: 00:42

Oct 20, 2014

PM Modi meets Foreign Affairs Minister of Nepal

New Delhi, Oct 20 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met the Foreign Affairs Minister of Nepal Mr Mahendra Bahadur Pandey to hold bilateral talks. Pandey had also met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj earlier in the day. Speaking on the issue of Pakistan supporters protesting against India in London, MEA Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said that the issue was raised with the colleagues in UK who assured that such matters should be solved by Pakistan and India itself. Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh also met Germany's Foreign secretary Dr Markus Ederer and a meeting was held between a delegation of leaders from both countries.

Oct 20, 2014

Mausoleum of Saint Sayuddin in Bijnor endorses communal harmony

Bijnor, Oct 20 (ANI): The colorful decoration of Dargah, gathering of large number of people...It is time for Urs or death anniversary of Saint Sayuddin in Bijnor. And people from different faiths throng the Dargah to pay obeisance to him. Legend has it that the mausoleum was built four hundred years back and saint Sayuddin came from Dubai and finally decided to settle in the region. Since then he preached communal harmony and thus people from all beliefs come here to celebrate his preaching. Devotees visit the mausoleum with utmost devotion and make offerings of sweet candy, salt and even holy cloth to the Saint after seeking boons from the saint. Truly, the Dargah of Sayuddin, is a perfect example of the composite culture of India, that stands on the bed-rock of amity between different communities.

Oct 20, 2014

Metal polishing industry conveys message of communal harmony in its own unique way

Aligarh, Oct 20 (ANI): India has amazing diversity, but this has never come in the way of good relations between different communities. One such example comes from Aligarh, situated in India's Uttar Pradesh state. In this small town, workers from different faiths, work together in perfect harmony at metal polishing unit. The unit provides a livelihood to workers belonging to different communities. The success of this unit is a result of good relations between people belonging to diverse faiths. Such examples can found across the length and the breadth of the country.

Oct 20, 2014