News

Campaigning ramps up for Madagascar presidential polls

Madagascar will hold the first round of a divisive presidential election on Friday October 25. The polls will aim to end the political crisis that has continued since March 2009 when President Marc Ravalomanana was ousted in a coup.

Oct 21, 2013

Soldiers with shopping bags in Kenya mall video

CCTV footage from Nairobi's Westgate mall appears to show Kenyan soldiers carrying loot out of the besieged shopping centre, attacked four weeks ago.

Oct 21, 2013

EDF signs 16-bn deal to build new UK nuclear plant

French energy giant EDF said on Monday it had clinched a deal worth £16 billion ($26 billion, 18.9 billion euros) to build Britain's first new nuclear plant for a generation, with Chinese backing.

Oct 21, 2013

Two years after Kadhafi's death, militias haunt Libya

Two years after the killing of dictator Moamer Kadhafi, a chaotic Libya is haunted by the spectre of civil war, with heavily armed former rebels transformed into unruly militias. In Tripoli, Libyans express frustration at the lack of progress.

Oct 21, 2013

Nairobi memorial one month after Westgate mall attack

At Nairobi's Karura Forest friends and family gather to commemorate the victims of the Westgate attack, one month on, through a memorial service and the planting of a tree for each of the 70 victims.

Oct 21, 2013

Obama acknowledges healthcare website glitches

US President Barack Obama on Monday defended his health reform, declaring at a White House event that, despite numerous glitches, the program is already helping many uninsured Americans.

Oct 21, 2013

Maoist menace once again stops development work in Jharkhand, locals disappointed

Latehar, Oct 20 (ANI): Desperate to retain their ever shrinking ground, the Maoists either force innocent villagers to join their outfit or demand huge sums of money to back their existence. For extortion money, these rebels even hinder development work and threaten traders and contractors of dire consequences in case of non-compliance with their demands. Recently, when the building contractors failed to oblige the extortion demands, a group of Maoists in Jharkhand forced a halt to the construction of a culvert that was being built over a stream in Latehar district to connect two villages. When the contractors refused to concede to these demands, the Maoists damaged everything they could lay hand on at the construction site.

Oct 20, 2013

Salman Khurshid on Nawaz Sharif seeking US intervention in Kashmir

New Delhi, Oct 20 (ANI): External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on Sunday said that India will not accept any intervention by the United States on the issue of Kashmir. Khurshid further added that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan. Khurshid's statement came after media reports quoted Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif saying how he had sought for intervention from the US over the Kashmir issue.

Oct 20, 2013

PM reaches Russia to attend 14th India-Russian Annual Summit

Moscow, Oct 20 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has reached Moscow to attend the 14th India-Russian Annual Summit. Singh stated that the two countries are going to review their partnership and other aspects such as atomic energy, defense cooperation, space cooperation, science& technology, trade& investment. Singh also added that they will also review international & regional development of the two countries and find out how they can work to make world safe with peace and prosperity.

Oct 20, 2013

Bangladeshs Jamaat-e-Islami The past and its future

Dhaka, Oct 20 (ANI): Post 1947, Bangladesh was a part of Pakistan and was known as East Pakistan. Soon after the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971 following a 9 month long violent struggle against Pakistan, the father of the nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman banned communal parties in the country and declared secularism and socialism to be the state principles. These steps were taken to stop the rise of Islamist forces; especially the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. This party was not in favour of breaking away with Muslim-majority Pakistan.

Oct 20, 2013

Sushma Swaraj hits out at Rahul Gandhi over land acquisition bill

Sonipat, Oct 20 (ANI): Senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj on Sunday hit out at Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi for saying that the opposition was not in favour of the land acquisition bill in Parliament. Swaraj during a party rally in Sonipat said that Rahul doesn't track the parliament's proceedings and makes wrong statements.

Oct 20, 2013

Defense expert on Nawaz Sharif seeking US intervention in Kashmir

New Delhi, Oct 20 (ANI): Reacting on Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's demand of US intervention in resolving the Kashmir issue, Indian defense expert Bharat Verma said that this move exposes the Pakistan PM in front of those who used to think that he has a different mindset from the Pakistani army. Verma added that his demand is not going to get him anywhere. He further added that there is no dispute over Kashmir from India's side.

Oct 20, 2013

JD (U) on PMs Russia & China visit

New Delhi, Oct 20 (ANI): The JD (U) on Sunday stated that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s meetings with Russia and China government must happen with a positive approach. Taking about China and Pakistan, JD (U) leader Sabir Ali said that India needs to have a smart relationship with its neighbours as they cannot be trusted completely.

Oct 20, 2013

CBI should be allowed to work independently: Congress on coal scam

New Delhi, Oct 20 (ANI): Congress leader Rashid Alvi on Sunday stated that the CBI is an independent body and if it is probing the coal scam case, it should be given full authority to do it. Talking about the Nira Radia case, he further added that the Congress respects the Supreme Court's order but till the time the investigation is complete, the image of the top industrialists should not be tarnished.

Oct 20, 2013

US intervention in Kashmir not acceptable: SP on Nawaz Sharif's demand

Hardoi, Oct 20 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has sought US intervention in resolving the Kashmir issue. Reacting sharply on the demand, the Samajwadi Party on Sunday said that it won't tolerate any interference by the United States in the matter. SP leader Naresh Agarwal said that if, in case, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agrees to this demand, they will thoroughly oppose it. Sharif is on a three-day official visit to Washington where he will meet US President Barack Obama.

Oct 20, 2013