Politics

Foreign Secretary level talks between India and Pakistan called off

New Delhi, Aug 18 (ANI): Taking a strong stand after Pakistan envoy held an hour-long meeting with Kashmiri separatist leaders in Delhi on Monday, India has called off its Foreign Secretary-level talks with Pakistan. Amidst a staunch criticism from the opposition leaders, the government called off the talks which were scheduled to be held on August 25.

Aug 18, 2014

Kashmiri separatist leader meets Pak envoy

New Delhi, Aug 18 (ANI): Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Shah on Monday said that the separatist leaders have asked for a trilateral talk between India, Pakistan and representatives of Kashmir. Shah said this after holding a meeting with Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit. Shah also added that no controversy should be raised over their meeting as they share a good relation with both India and Pakistan

Aug 18, 2014

Jhargram resident brings people closer, establishes Muslim shrine adjacent to a temple

West Bengal, Aug 18 (ANI): India is a land of great saints and free thinkers. It is known for its amazing diversity. But, this does not come in the way of good relations between people of different communities. This ethos is visible across the country. One such example comes alive in Jhargram district of West Bengal where a Hindu, Narayan Chandra Acharya has established a Muslim shrine adjacent to a temple.

Aug 18, 2014

Pak envoy's invitation to Kashmir separatist leaders irks Indian leaders

New Delhi/Nagpur /Leh, Aug 18 (ANI): The Indian government as well as Muslim clerics on Monday reacted sharply to Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit's invitation to Kashmiri separatist leaders for talks in New Delhi. The controversy comes ahead of India-Pakistan secretary-level talks scheduled to be held on August 25 in Islamabad. The talks between separatist leaders and Basit will take place on August 18-19. Criticizing the move by Basit, junior minister in Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Jitendra Singh, called the event unfortunate, especially as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is putting in efforts for better relations between the two countries. RSS leader Virag Pachpore resonated Singh's views. Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi condemned the invite by Pakistan and blamed Modi for being a mute spectator to Pakistan's activities. Meanwhile, a Muslim cleric, Mufti Mukkaram, said the talks should not be halted due to any reason and both the countries should work towards maintaining good relations.

Aug 18, 2014

Lena Dunham goes blonde

New Delhi, August 18 (ANI): Lena Dunham has dyed her hair blonde, as she posted a picture on Instagram of her friend's wedding, sporting the brand new hairdo. The 'Girls' star, who had surprised her fans on the photosharing site by posting a pic of herself with her new platinum blonde bowl cut, had also captioned it saying change is new, a leading daily reported. It was earlier speculated that Dunham may have put on a wig, but the recent pic of the wedding confirmed that her new look was indeed for real.

Aug 18, 2014

Christina Aguilera welcomes daughter with fiance

New Delhi, August 18 (ANI): Christina Aguilera has given birth to her second child, this time a baby girl. The 33-year-old singer, who already has a 6-year-old son, Max, from her previous marriage to Jordan Bratman, welcomed her first baby with fiance Matt Rutler a leading web portal reported. Aguilera had first met Rutler, who's a production assistant, while filming for 'Burlesque' back in 2010 and the duo had announced their engagement in February 2014, at which time, the 'Feel This Moment' star was already expecting.

Aug 18, 2014

Bipasha Basu promotes movie 'Creature 3D'

Mumbai, August 18 (ANI): Bollywood diva Bipasha Basu promoted her upcoming movie 'Creature 3D' in India's showbiz hub Mumbai recently. She appeared at the Umang Festival in a pale pink Nikasha outfit. 'Creature 3D' is slated to hit the theaters on 12th September 2014.

Aug 18, 2014

Religious differences fade away as visually challenged Hindu and Muslim children recite Ramayana tog

Agra, Aug 18 (ANI): India is a land of amazing diversity. Yet, people from different communities have lived together for centuries in the country in harmony. This is visible across the country. One such example comes from Agra in Uttar Pradesh. Here a blind school houses children belonging to different communities, who learn not just life skills but also about other religions. The school recently organised a gathering where children recited the Ramayana, the story of Hindu god Ram, with equal enthusiasm.

Aug 18, 2014

Saharanpur Riots: Blame Game Rolls on as BJP Leader Adityanath Slams SP

Dismissing SP's allegations, Adityanath stated that BJP did not instigate the riots, and in fact helped end it.

Aug 18, 2014

Donetsk residents queue for water after citywide shut-off

Donetsk residents on Monday morning queued up on the street to fill plastic bottles with mineral water after mains water was switched off in the rebel hub due to shelling damage. Duration: 00:36

Aug 18, 2014

Assange says will leave London embassy _soon_

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said Monday he would _soon_ leave Ecuador_s embassy in London but his organisation played down the comment, saying he would not depart until there was an agreement with Britain_s government. Duration: 01:11

Aug 18, 2014

Girl_s medical done and accused arrested: Police on rape case in Ghaziabad

Ghaziabad, Aug 18 (ANI): UP police on Monday informed that the accused in the alleged rape case in Ghaziabad District_s Loni area has been arrested and the victim_s medical test has been done. Angry protesters on Monday clashed with the police over a nine-year-old minor girl being allegedly raped by a 65-year-old man in Ghaziabad District_s Loni area. The protestors damaged a police vehicle and some property. Section 144 of CrPC has been imposed in the area and Rapid Action Force has been deployed to prevent any flare up.

Aug 18, 2014

Quran verses written in calligraphic styles attract visitors in Kashmir

Srinagar, Aug 18 (ANI): Visitors thronged Srinagar city in Jammu and Kashmir to see age old manuscripts written in different calligraphic styles put on display at an exhibition. A three-day exhibition, showcasing Quran, the Islamic holy book, written in fine calligraphy on various media attracted people. Copies on display ranged from ancient and medieval manuscripts to texts in the digital format. The exhibition was organised by Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages department in a bid to aware the youths of valley regarding the religious asset. The main attraction of exhibition was one of the rarest first Quran manuscripts hand-written in 1237 AD by Fateh-ullah Kashmiri.

Aug 18, 2014

Idols of Lord Ganesha to cost more in Pune ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi

Pune, Aug 18 (ANI): Artisans in Maharashtra increased prices of idols of Lord Ganesha, ahead of popular festival of _Ganesh Chaturthi_, which marks re-birth of the god. People making various idols of the Hindu god in Pune city said the price hike was due to inflation as labour charges had increased. Shopkeepers also say that idols made of clay will cost more as they are made by hand and it involves more hard work when compared to those made by Plaster of Paris.

Aug 18, 2014

_Surf_s up_ in South Africa_s shacklands

South African teenagers are finding a refuge from gangland violence by taking to their surf boards. About 250 youths are being taught how to surf by Waves for Change, an NGO using the sport to reach young people suffering from trauma. Duration: 01:56

Aug 18, 2014