India

New Delhi, Aug 8: India on Thursday termed Pakistan downgrading diplomatic ties with it as an attempt to present an alarming picture to the world about bilateral relations, and urged Islamabad to review its decision. The Ministry of External Affairs said India regretted the steps announced by Pakistan on Wednesday and asserted that its decision on Jammu and Kashmir is an internal affair. The

New Delhi, Aug 8: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to grant an immediate hearing on a plea for directions to the Centre to withdraw restrictions on people's movement, unblocking of internet service, the release of political leaders and appointment of a judicial commission to assess the ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir. A bench of Justices N V Ramana and Ajay Rastogi said the PIL filed by

Ernakulam, Aug 7: One of the nuns who had participated in the protest against rape accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal, was dismissed from the Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC) on Wednesday for violating the rules laid down by it. "I am writing this letter to intimate you that you are hereby dismissed from the Franciscan Clarist Congregation. Please remember that you were given the required

New Delhi, Aug 7: Paying rich tributes to Sushma Swaraj, BJP veteran L K Advani on Wednesday described her as one of his closest colleagues who rose to become one of the BJP's most popular and prominent faces and "a role model for women leaders". Remembering her fondly, Advani said he could not recall a single year when she missed bringing his favourite chocolate cake on his birthday. In a

New Delhi, Aug 7: President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla were among leaders who paid their last respects to former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday. The BJP leader passed away on Tuesday night after a massive cardiac arrest. She was 67. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj

New Delhi, Aug 7: President Ram Nath Kovind has declared abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The move came after both houses of Parliament passed a resolution in this regard. "In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (3) of Article 370 read with clause (1) of Article 370 of the Constitution of India, the President

New Delhi, Aug 7: The Congress Working Committee late Tuesday deplored the "unilateral, brazen and totally undemocratic" manner in which provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution was abrogated and the state of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated by the government into two Union Territories. At a meeting of the Congress's highest decision-making body, the party accused the BJP of violating

New Delhi, Aug 6: The Communist Party of India-Marxist on Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi led NDA government of striking "a big blow" at democracy and the Constitution by scrapping Article 370 of the Constitution and dismantling the state of Jammu and Kashmir and called for an all-India protest on August 7 against the decision. The party said in a statement that Kashmir had acceded to

New Delhi, Aug 6: A number of Congress leaders across the country have gone against the party's stand in Parliament on abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir by supporting the Centre's move and a bill to bifurcate the state. The Congress has strongly opposed the move and the bill to bifurcate the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories

Kolhapur, Aug 6: Incessant rains in Maharashtra's Kolhapur district caused flooding in several low-lying areas on Tuesday, following which 10,000 people were evacuated and power supply to over 85,000 consumers was suspended, officials said. The national highway between south Kolhapur and Belgaum in Karnataka was shut for vehicular traffic due to water-logging in the area, Kolhapur Superintendent