Pakistan government committee not to meet Taliban Tuesday

The committee formed by the Pakistan government for peace talks refused to meet the Taliban dialogue-panel Tuesday. According to sources, Irfan Siddiqui, the government committee coordinator, informed Maulana Samiul Haq, member of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s talks committee, about the decision, Geo News reported. Both the committees were due to hold a one-on-one meeting Tuesday in […]

Sri Lanka refuses visa to top US official

The Sri Lankan government has refused to issue a visa to US Ambassador at Large for Women’s Issues, Catherine Russell, forcing her to cancel a high-level visit scheduled for Feb 10-11. “It is regrettable that the government of Sri Lanka has refused to grant a visa to Ambassador Catherine Russell for this trip,” Xinhua cited […]

BJP banking on Modi magic for Bengal turnaround

Traditionally considered weak in West Bengal, the BJP is heavily banking on its prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi — scheduled to address a rally at the Brigade Parade Grounds Wednesday — for a turnaround in the state. Coming only days after Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee launched her poll drive from the same venue, the […]

Bihar’s first woman Muslim minister resigns

Bihar’s Social Welfare Minister Perween Amanullah, the first Muslim woman minister in the state, Tuesday resigned from the Nitish Kumar cabinet as well as the Janata Dal-United. “I have resigned from the cabinet and the JD-U and sent it (resignation letter) to the chief minister,” Amanullah told media persons here. She refused to disclose the […]

Indian on trial in UAE for attempted suicide

A 25-year-old Indian woman in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) tried to commit suicide by consuming Dettol last month, a court heard. The woman, a dancer identified by the initials of her name RP, however, was not present in the Dubai Court of Misdemeanours Monday to answer the charges that she tried to commit suicide […]

BSF recovers heroin valued Rs.100 crore in Punjab

Border Security Force (BSF) troopers Tuesday morning recovered 20 kg of heroin, valued at Rs.100 crore in the international market, BSF officials said here. The seizure was made following an encounter with smugglers from the Pakistan side near border outpost Bharopal in the Amritsar sector, 30 km from here, a BSF spokesman said. The contraband […]

Attack on Tania most condemnable, will punish guilty: PM

maTerming the attack on the 19-year-old student from Arunachal Pradesh “most condemnable”, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday said “every possible effort” would be made to punish the guilty. “The attack on Nido Tania, the student from Arunachal Pradesh, is most condemnable. While the actual cause of Nido Tania’s death will be known only after the […]

Ten die in Maharashtra road accident

Ten people were killed and at least 35 injured when the luxury bus they were travelling in fell into a deep ditch along the Pune-Solapur Highway late Monday, officials said. A majority of the dead on the Kolhapur-Mumbai luxury bus were from Porbandar city in Gujarat. The dead include seven women, officials said. The accident […]