Seven guerrillas killed in Kashmir gunbattle

Seven guerrillas killed in Kashmir gunbattle

Seven separatist guerrillas were Monday killed by security forces in an operation in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir, a defence spokesman said. An army patrol party was fired upon by guerrillas in a forest area near Dardpora (Lolab) village of Kupwara, 120 km from here. The security forces launched an operation against the militants, […]

Italy’s new premier vows to work on radical choices

Italy’s new premier vows to work on radical choices

Italy’s new Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in his first speech in the Senate to ask to vote confidence in his government Monday said his group will work on “radical” choices to give fresh life to troubled Italy. Renzi said he aimed at his coalition government to be a “turning point” for Italy based on concrete […]

Fewer Americans think Obama respected internationally

Fewer Americans think Obama respected internationally

 For the first time since he came to office more than five years ago, more Americans now believe US President Barack Obama is not respected by world leaders than those who do, a Gallup poll released Monday found. Fifty-three percent of Americans think world leaders do not respect him, whereas 41 percent think world leaders […]

Kolkata to host its first astronomy photo exhibition

Kolkata to host its first astronomy photo exhibition

The city of Kolkata will soon be displaying images that capture how celestial objects look from the viewpoint of a skywatcher. The city is set to host its first exclusive photography exhibition on astronomy from Feb 24. The exhibition, showcasing the still frames of an Indian astrophotographer Ajay Talwar and two French photographers Thierry Legault […]

AAP accuses Sharad Pawar for attack on party office

AAP accuses Sharad Pawar for attack on party office

Anjali Damania, Aam Aadmi Party leader on Sunday alleged that NCP chief and union minister Sharad Pawar and spokesperson Nawab Malik were responsible for the attack on the AAP state party office in Mumbai Saturday. Damania told media,the AAP had exposed an alleged scam in the power department headed by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar  in Nagpur that barely three days ago, “We exposed their power scam. They (Sharad Pawar and Malik) seem to have got angry and instigated the attack on our office,” Damania said. However, refuting the allegation, Malik said in Mumbai that the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has already issued show cause notice to party activists for the attack on the AAP office and necessary action would be initiated against those responsible for it. “Regarding the AAP’s agitation to sweep the NCP offices in the state, I appeal to them to sweep clean their respective homes instead so that their domestic help can get a day off,” Malik said. Malik referred to AAP leader Mayank Gandhi’s statement Saturday that party activists would adopt a Gandhian form of retaliation and “sweep clean” all NCP offices in Maharashtra with brooms, the AAP’s poll symbol. On Saturday, police stopped AAP activists from proceeding to an NCP office and detained them for several hours. On Sunday, there was a heated exchange and a minor scuffle between AAP and NCP activists when the former trooped down with brooms to sweep the NCP office in Aurangabad.

US lawmakers want Diwali holiday in New York schools

US lawmakers want Diwali holiday in New York schools

Noting that Diwali has been gaining increasing recognition in the US, six US lawmakers have urged New York City’s education department to include the Indian festival of lights among new public school holidays. The plea was made in a letter Thursday by Joe Crowley, Democratic co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, […]

A jaded diplomatic dance in Obama-Dalai Lama meeting

A jaded diplomatic dance in Obama-Dalai Lama meeting

When President Barack Obama meets the Dalai Lama in the White House on Friday morning, a jaded diplomatic dance will play out. The meeting is being hosted in the Map Room of the White House instead of the Oval Office in a somewhat laughably symbolic scaling down of its perceived importance. It is a meaningless […]

Beijing relaxes family planning policy

Beijing relaxes family planning policy

China’s capital Beijing Friday relaxed its birth control policy allowing couples to have a second child if either parent is an only child. An amendment to the Beijing Population and Family Planning Regulations was approved at a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal People’s Congress, Xinhua reported. The city government would provide […]

11 killed in Libyan plane crash in Tunisia

11 killed in Libyan plane crash in Tunisia

A Libyan military rescue plane crashed Friday in Grombalia city in Tunisia killing all 11 people on board, according to Tunisian officials. Tunisia’s defence ministry spokesman Tawfiq Al Rahmouni said that, according to the last call from the plane to the control tower in Tunis-Corthage airport, a fire had broken out in the aircraft. Grombalia […]