India

New Delhi, Aug 23: Opposition parties, including the Congress and CPI(M), today trained its guns on the Centre asking it to remove obstacles in accepting foreign aid for rain-ravaged Kerala, including Rs 700 crore offered by the UAE, even as government justified the stand. Union Minister Alphons Kannanthanam defended the Centre's decision, saying in refusing foreign aid for rehabilitation of the

Kochi, Aug 23: Landslides and heavy rains unleashed in Kerala forests causing flooding in downstream did not have any major impact on its precious wildlife including elephants, tigers and leopards, a top state forest official said today. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests P K Kesavan said generally animals have got a "strong sixth sense" and they become "alert" at the time of any unusual

Srinagar, Aug 23: Satya Pal Malik was sworn in as the 13th governor of Jammu and Kashmir today, ending the five-decade-long practice of retired bureaucrats being appointed to the post. Mr Malik was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court Gita Mittal at the Raj Bhawan in Srinagar. State Chief secretary BVR Subrahmanyam read the warrant of appointment issued

Jujwa, Aug 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said he dreams of every family owning a house by 2022 when the nation will celebrate 75 years of independence, and asserted that no bribes have to be paid to avail benefits of the Centre's housing scheme. He said there is no place for the system of paying 'commission' in his government. In an apparent jibe at former (Congress) prime minister Rajiv

New Delhi, Aug 23: The BJP and the Congress on Wednesday said the charisma of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is vanishing after AAP leaders Ashish Khetan and Ashutosh quit the party in a span of a week. Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said the Aam Aadmi Party may "vanish" before the next Delhi assembly election. "Arvind Kejriwal is a one-time wonder whose charisma is fast losing its sheen among

New Delhi, Aug 23: Congress president Rahul Gandhi cited the example of Islamic State terrorist group to say that exclusion of a large number of people from the development process could lead to the creation of insurgent groups anywhere in the world. Addressing a gathering at the Bucerius Summer School in Hamburg in Germany yesterday, Gandhi said the BJP government has excluded tribals, Dalits and

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 23: With flood waters receding from most of the places, the Kerala government has taken up the massive task of cleaning houses and public places filled with slush left behind by the massive deluge that claimed 231 lives, besides causing large-scale destruction. The government has set up a control room here to coordinate the cleaning process across the state and the civic

New Delhi, Aug 23: Arun Jaitley, who stepped aside as Finance Minister in mid-May to undergo a kidney transplant, was today reappointed as Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs. Jaitley, 65, stopped attending office at the beginning of April, and will be back in North Block - the seat of Finance Ministry - later today. "The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has directed to

Shamli, Aug 22: The Uttar Pradesh state police arrested Hindu Gau Rakhsa Dal chief Anuj Bansal and sent him to jail in connection with the alleged attack on two youths over the allegation of cow-smuggling. The arrest took place after two Muslim men were allegedly beaten and paraded by an irate mob on suspicion of ferrying two cows from the region. The police also booked the youths under the UP

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 22: Congress on Wednesday termed as disappointing, reports that the Centre was unlikely to accept any foreign financial aid for flood relief work in Kerala and requested the Prime Minister to take steps to amend the rules. The rules should be such that they eradicate the sufferings of the people, former Chief Minister and Congress leader Oommen Chandy said. "If there exists