India

New Delhi, Jul 7: Muslims today flocked to mosques and eidgahs across the country to offer special prayers, exchanged greetings and took part in feasts with family and friends as they celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr which marks the end of Ramzan, the holy month of fasting. In the national capital, people dressed in their festive best turned up at historic Jama Masjid, Fathepuri Masjid, Hazrat Nizamuddin

New Delhi, Jul 7: The prime challenge that the education sector faces in the country is raising the quality of education and ensuring it reaches all, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar, who took charge, said today. "The major challenge that is there in the education sector is to raise the standard. Quality education is vital as it lays the foundation for life and builds overall personality," he told

New Delhi, Jul 7: Kashmir has a deep resonance inside Pakistan and the tense situation in the Valley acts as bait and encourages radical elements 'to wage jihad to liberate fellow Muslims', says former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri. He also says that there will always be a minority opinion sympathising with the activities of the jihadis due to the staunch commitment of

New Delhi, Jul 6: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today left for a four-nation tour of African countries aimed at enhancing ties with that continent, particularly in the economic sphere and people-to-people contacts. Modi will begin his five-day tour with Mozambique and then travel to South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya. Focus of the visit will be on deepening cooperation in areas of hydrocarbons

Chandigarh, July 6: Haryana's BJP government is mulling to constitute 'Gau Rakshak Task Force' on the pattern of Home Guards to ensure strict enforcement of the stringent cow protection law in the state. "It is being considered to constitute Gau Rakshak Task Force (Cow Protection Task Force) on the pattern of Home Guards so that the Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Act, 2015 could be

New Delhi, Jul 6: hunted out of HRD Ministry, Smriti Irani today put up a brave face saying her new Textiles portfolio signified the "faith" shown by the Prime Minister and the party in her capacity to perform. Talking to reporters after taking charge of the new portfolio, she side-stepped questions about BJP president Amit Shah being behind her shift saying it is not individuals but the party who

New Delhi, Jul 6: India has "secured" the release of its national Regi Joseph who was abducted in March this year in Libya, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said today. "Indian Embassy in Libya has secured the release of Regi Joseph - an Indian national from Kerala. He was abducted in March this year". "This has been possible with the efforts of Azar A H Khan our Ambassador in Libya,"

Srinagar, Jul 1: Six persons including a senior police officer were injured in clashes between protesters and security personnel that broke out today after Eid prayers in the Kashmir Valley. Additional Superintendent of Police Mubashir Bukhari was injured in the stomach during stonepelting at Janglat Mandi in Anantnag district, a police official said. A constable was injured during clashes with

New Delhi, Jul 6: In a major overhaul of his Cabinet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday not just inducted 19 new faces into his ministry, but also changed the portfolios of some his top ministers. One of the most prominent changes involved Smriti Irani, who was shifted from the key Human Resources Development Ministry to the relatively lower profile Textiles Ministry. Smriti Irani's two-year

New Delhi, Jul 6: Two years can be a long time in politics. Prime Minister Narendra Modi surprised many, both within BJP and outside, when he appointed Smriti Zubin Irani his Human Resources Development minister. It was seen as more than recognition of the spunk the former TV star showed as BJP spokesperson when she would gamely take on detractors of the then Gujarat chief minister or the scare