Tokyo’s Shibuya ward on Tuesday approved the recognition of same-sex unions, making it the first in Japan to take a step toward legal marriage equality. The ordinance in this regard, approved by the local assembly, will take effect on Wednesday and will permit the district to issue certificates to same-sex couples, an important step in […]
India’s external debt at the end of December 2014 stood at $461.9 billion — a 3.5 percent or $15.5 billion rise from what it was in end of March 2014, government data showed on Tuesday. The country’s external debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio stood at 23.2 percent as of December-end, compared with 23.7 percent as […]
In a suspected racial attack, police in Britain have come across footage posted online in which a Sikh man is seen being brutally beaten up in Birmingham city Broad Street, a media report said on Tuesday. “We are aware of a video posted on the internet which appears to show a man being assaulted on […]
Islamic State (IS) militants have slain 30 civilians, among them women and children, in horrific executions in central Syria, a Britain-based watchdog said on Tuesday. The civilians were shot, burned or beheaded, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights’ director Rami Abdel Rahman. The victims included Alawite Sunni and Ismaili Shia Muslims and the […]
Cafe Samovar, a favourite haunt of intellectuals and celebs including Amitabh Bachchan, M.F. Husain and V.S. Naipaul, students and commoners, finally downed shutters on Tuesday after over five decades as loyal clients, some in tears, thronged it for one last time. Located inside the Jehangir Art Gallery, surrounded by heritage buildings like Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum, […]
Indian chess Grandmaster Harika Dronavalli on Tuesday kept her chances alive in the World Women’s Chess Championship, underway at Sochi in Russia, by winning the second tie-break game in the semi-finals on her 80th move against Ukraine WGM Mariya Muzychuk. Dronavalli, who earlier lost the first tie-break game in 38 moves, opted for Pric defence, […]
Women are generally not allowed to venture too far from their homes in Pakistan’s Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province, leave alone even distantly thinking of employment. But Khalida Bibi’s quest for empowerment has made her an exception and a shining example for other women in her village in Haripur district. It wasn’t easy for the 52-year-old to […]
From Tuesday, IANS is beginning a series of profiles on the eight teams that will feature in the eighth edition of the Indian Premier League that will be played from April 8 to May 24) Bengaluru, March 31 (IANS) Royal Challengers Bangalore, for all their flash and dash, glitz and glamour, choreographed one of the […]
Researchers undertaking two of the largest marine science programs in Australia are sharing their findings at the Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI) research conference this week. Premier and Science Minister Colin Barnett said the $19 million WAMSI Dredging Science program was helping better understand the effect of dredging on the marine environment, and […]
Commerce Minister Michael Mischin today announced a package of regulatory reforms to help Western Australia’s building and plumbing industries save money and work more efficiently. The reforms will include free online access to the National Construction Code; online lodgement and processing of building approval applications; online and mobile lodgement of plumbing notices; online lodgement of […]