Jakarta, Mar. 10 (ANI): Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has confirmed that Jemaah Islamiah leader Dulmatin, the key accused in 2002 Bali bombings, has been killed in a raid in Jakarta.... Read more.

Beijing, Feb.24 (ANI): Terming the February 25 foreign secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan as an ‘exploratory’ meeting, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said Islamabad wants a meaningful dialogue with New Delhi.... Read more.

Islamabad, Feb.24 (ANI): The Pakistani delegation coming to India to take part in the foreign secretary-level talks on February 25 also includes a ‘physiognomy’ expert, who would read the faces of the Indian officials and predict what they ‘actually’ intend to say.... Read more.

Kathmandu, Jan 21 (ANI): Visiting Indian Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor on Wednesday appreciated the contribution of Nepalese soldiers in the Indian armed forces.... Read more.

Islamabad, Jan.20 (ANI) : Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik has admitted that the US is involved in imparting anti-terror training to country’s law enforcement agencies.... Read more.

Islamabad, Dec. 20 (ANI) : While Pakistan and Afghanistan have reached an accord to allow trucks to move freely in other’s territory, Pakistani officials have denied allowing Indian goods movement through its territory into Afghanistan.... Read more.

Islamabad, Nov 30(ANI): An American expert on South Asian affairs has said that Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari is on the way out of power following his decision to handover key responsibilities to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.... Read more.

New Delhi, Nov 19 (ANI): A Chinese man, who is still unmarried, believes that his single status is because of the apartment he stays in.... Read more.

Washington, Nov 19 (ANI): Scientists say they are investigating how some viruses, known for attacking humans and animals, instead attack bacteria.... Read more.

Islamabad, Oct.18 (ANI): The Pakistan Army has kick started, what is being seen as the ‘mother of all battles’, against the Taliban in South Warisitan, the region believed to be the stronghold of the extremists.... Read more.

Colombo, Oct 2 (ANI): At least 13 civilians, including 12 children, were injured when a van exploded in Sri Lanka’s central district of Kurunegala Friday morning.... Read more.

New Delhi, September 24 (ANI): The fear of being cremated after his death recently prompted a 92-year-old Chinese man to flee his grandchildren’s home.... Read more.

Petaling Jaya (Malaysia), Sep.19 (ANI): A non-governmental group-Sisters in Islam (SIS) — has filed a petition before the Syariah High Court in Kuantan seeking a stay of the execution of a whipping sentence of part-time model Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno.... Read more.

Urumqi, Sep. 6 (ANI): In the aftermath of Xinjiang riots that erupted on July 5, the party chief of Urumqi and police chief of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have been sacked.... Read more.

Vienna (Austria), Feb 25 (ANI): Senior officials of the Indian Government and the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) have begun another round of talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) here from on Monday for negotiating a safeguards agreement. ... Read more.

Putrajaya (Malaysia), Feb.23 (ANI): The Election Commission of Malaysia (EC) has bought in 47,000 bottles of indelible black ink from India, which will be distributed to the states by next week. ... Read more.

Yangon, Feb.19 (ANI): Burma will send an official delegation to the DEFEXPO being held in New Delhi.... Read more.

Islamabad, Feb 13 (ANI): The PML (Q) has said that that it will form a new government after next week’s parliamentary elections despite surveys pointing to a strong victory of President Pervez Musharraf’s opponents.

Secretary-General of the PML-Q, Mushahid Hussain, said that the party has improved education, health care and other public services during the last five years and is confident going into Monday’s polling.

”Based on our performance, we are confident that we will win the elections,” Hussain said.

”We are in favour of national reconciliation and would like to muster the support of all political forces after the elections to ensure good governance,” the Dawn quoted him, as saying. (ANI)

Garhi Khuda Bux, Feb 7 (ANI): Pakistan People’s Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has vowed to take revenge of the murder of former premier Benazir Bhutto in a democratic way.

Addressing the chehlum of Benazir Bhutto here, he said: “Our leader Benazir always attempted to effect change in the prevalent system, we will change this system at all costs as this was the mission of Benazir Bhutto.”

“We will avenge Benazir’s martyrdom in a democratic way. If I succeed, you will see me alive. If I am martyred like her, you will be the ones to take my coffin to the grave,” he said.

Vowing to commemorate her every year, Zardari said: “Benazir always said that politics is my worship, accordingly; she was martyred while praying.”

He maintained that now the politics turned into a sacred mission, which he would fulfil at all cost.

Tens of thousands of people beat their chests in anguish at Benazir’s tomb on Thursday as they marked the end of 40 days of mourning for the slain former premier.

Heavy security was in place for the ceremonies in the rural southern village of Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, where Benazir Bhutto was buried the day after her assassination on December 27, 2007.

Hundreds of paramilitary troops and police stood guard, while walk-though scanners were set up to check the crowds flooding into the mausoleum to throw rose petals over her grave.

Despite the warnings, and the bitter cold, many visitors including women and children stayed overnight in tents before rising at dawn to recite verses from the Quran.

People arrived on foot – some from towns hundreds of kilometres away – and others by trucks and buses. Many were listening to cassettes of Bhutto speeches.

PPP provincial leader for Sindh province Nisar Khauro lamented what he called the government’s “double standards” following reports that it was negotiating with those blamed for Benazir’s killing.

The PPP has said it will officially begin campaigning from Thursday for the polls, the Dawn reported. (ANI)

Allahabad/Haridwar, Feb 7 (ANI): Millions of devotees took a holy dip in the Ganga here today on the occasion of ‘Mauni Amavasya’.

Braving cold, millions of devotees from across the country gathered well before dawn to wash away their sins and attain salvation.

‘Mauni Amavasya’ is considered special in Hindu scriptures as the sun and the moon are in the Tropic of Capricorn, a rare configuration. Hindus believe that on this occasion water everywhere becomes holy.

The ritual, observed on the last night of the dark fortnight of ‘Magh’ month in the Hindu lunar calendar, began at midnight with the faithful keeping a 48 hours silence prior to the auspicious hour.

“On this day, the people observe silence and take a holy dip and make religious offerings and by doing so one can earn religious merit,” said Swami Vishwanand Saraswati.

Hundreds of Naga Sadhus or the naked saints were amongst those saints who took bath at the Sangam.

In Haridwar, besides taking the holy dip, devotees make offerings and perform various rituals to please the gods.

“On this day, by taking dip one attains salvation. By making religious offerings, one gets absolved of his sins,” said Roshan Lal, a devotee. (ANI)