Former Lok Sabha MP and a close confidante of BSP chief Mayawati, Brajesh Pathak joined the BJP on Monday, giving a fillip to the saffron party’s attempts to consolidate the Brahmin vote ahead of the crucial assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. Political analysts say Pathak’s departure from the BSP is an indication that Mayawati is focusing on a Dalit-Muslim consolidation Read More

The Gujarat Assembly on Tuesday passed the Goods and Service Tax (GST) Constitution Amendment Bill, becoming the sixth state to pass the bill. The ratification of the bill comes in quick succession after the Chhattisgarh assembly passed it unanimously on Monday. Himachal, Assam, Jharkhand and Bihar state assemblies have also passed the Bill. The state assembly of Gujarat had convened Read More

Hitting out at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for criticising Prime MinisterNarendra Modi and the Centre, the state BJP on Monday accused her of helping “anti-national elements”, speaking “half-truths” and destroying the country’s federal structure. “The Chief Minister has termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi a dictator. She also said that BJP government is out to destroy the federal character of the Read More

Days after Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar equated Pakistan with “hell”, his Cabinet colleague Hansraj Ahir on Monday said both Pakistan and China are averse to initiate peace with India as their “intentions are not good”. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has managed to establish good relations with all our neighbours. But it is still strained with Pakistan and China. This is Read More

Ethiopia will not bar runner Feyisa Lilesa from entering the country after he made an anti-government gesture upon finishing second in the Olympic marathon on Sunday, an official said. Lilesa held his arms over his head, wrists crossed, as he strode across the finish line to claim the silver medal in Rio de Janeiro – mimicking a sign taken up Read More

A 47-year-old British national was today sent to jail by a court here for his alleged involvement in Bangladesh’s worst terror attack last month in which 22 people, including an Indian girl, were killed. Hasnat Reza Karim, a former teacher of a private university who was arrested in Gulshan attack case, was sent to jail on completion of his 16-day Read More

A Naxal commander, carrying a cash reward on his head, was injured in a gun-battle with security forces in the dense forests of Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, officials said. Kudiam Pandu, a janamilitia commander-rank cadre, had sustained bullet injuries on his shoulder in the exchange of fire with a joint team of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and district force in Nukanpal forests under Basaguda police station Read More

Bangladesh’s Cabinet on Monday approved a draft law with a provision of life imprisonment and huge fine for distorting the history of liberation war against Pakistan. According to the proposed Digital Security Act-2016, anyone spreading propaganda against the Liberation War or nations’s founder Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, using digital devices, will face the penalty, cabinet secretary said. The secretary was talking to reporters after the weekly Cabinet meeting Read More

The Air Force will build a sprawling new Aerospace Museum in the national capital, focusing on the nation’s rich aviation history. The new Aerospace Museum will be close to the international airport. Spread over 43 acres, it would have extensive indoor and outdoor displays including huge aircraft parked and hanging in flying attitude with mural depicting the golden era of the Indian Air Force. A proposal for Read More

Kicking off a six-day tour of Latin America, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday in Havana his visit would open a new chapter in the Islamic Republic’s relations with Communist-ruled Cuba. Iran, which has long been friendly with Cuba, is on a drive to improve foreign commerce after the removal in January of international sanctions against the Read More