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The Supreme Court has declined a request for an urgent hearing of a plea for contempt of court action against the Sabarimala priest, who closed the sanctum sanctorum to conduct “purification rites” immediately after two women entered the temple on Wednesday. Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi rejected the plea …

A Bench of Justices A.K. Sikri and S. Abdul Nazeer said the rescue efforts seemed uncoordinated and yielding no results. The court asked the Centre what it had done so far. “You had wanted to send high-powered pumps to Thailand [to rescue Thai boys and their teacher trapped in a …

Mr. Trump had referred to his conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging that Indian contribution to Kabul be increased and diversified as humanitarian contribution was not enough. “I could give you an example where I get along very well with India and Prime Minister Modi. But he is constantly …

President Donald Trump is looking forward to another summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, he said on Tuesday. “I look forward to meeting with Chairman Kim who realizes so well that North Korea possesses great economic potential!” Mr. Trump said in a brief tweet. The development comes after Mr. …

The Russian government said on Wednesday it has allowed an American citizen held on espionage charges to have access to U.S. officials seeking answers about his arrest. U.S. consular officials were granted access to Michigan resident Paul Whelan for the first time since his arrest during a visit to the …

China is building the first of four “most advanced” naval warships for Pakistan as part of a major bilateral arms deal to ensure among other things “balance of power” in the strategic Indian Ocean, the state media reported. Equipped with modern detection and weapon systems, it will be capable of …

Incoming Senator Mitt Romney has written a scathing op-ed targeting U.S. President Donald Trump, saying he “has not risen to the mantle of the office”. The barbed remarks from the 2012 Republican presidential candidate came as he and other lawmakers prepare to take up their seats in the new Congress. …

Taiwan’s unification with the mainland is “inevitable”, President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday, warning against any efforts to promote the island’s independence and saying China would not renounce the option of using military force to bring it into the fold. Mr. Xi’s comments provoked a swift rebuke from Taipei, where …

The Uttarakhand Law Commission has recommended changes in the State’s Protection of Cow Progeny Act to declare the animal “mother of the nation”. “The cow should be declared Rashtra Mata in the interest of the nation and justice,” the state’s Law Commission said in its fifth report to the State …

The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear on January 3 a writ petition for urgent measures to rescue 15 miners trapped in a rat-hole mine in Meghalaya. Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said the petition, which was orally mentioned by senior advocate Anand Grover for petitioner Aditya N. …

The 2019 Rajya Sabha calendar, launched by its Chairman and Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu, is a treasure trove of the Upper House’s history. For instance, it says that over 34 of its 66 years of existence, including the first 17 years, the Rajya Sabha did not have a Leader of …

This for the first time that purification rites were performed at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple for the entry of women of child-bearing age to the temple. Talking to The Hindu , chief priest (Tantri) Kandararu Rajeevararu said the rites were performed in consultation with Devaswom Executive Officer D.Sudheeshkumar and Melsanthi …

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the setting up of a high-level committee for implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord which provides for constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of Assam. It …

Jaitley questions Congress record in defence deals; Rahul contests PM’s claim Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday raised the Congress’s record in defence deals, including the role of Mr. Q and alleged revelations by Christian Michel who took the name of “Mrs Gandhi” in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal. And …

Invoking the rules of procedure, Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu asked 12 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) members to leave for the day, as despite repeated requests and warning they continued to remain in the well of the House protesting against the …

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a petition filed by the Andhra Pradesh High Court Advocates’ Association in Hyderabad to defer the implementation of a notification issued on December 26 bifurcating the Hyderabad High Court into the new Andhra Pradesh and Telangana High Courts. A Bench of Justices …

Supporters of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi are calling for constitutional changes that would allow him to stay in power once his second term ends in 2022. Backers of the former military chief want Parliament to discuss repealing an article limiting Presidents to two consecutive four-year terms. In an editorial …

The U.S. and Israel officially quit the UN’s educational, scientific and cultural agency (UNESCO) at the stroke of midnight, the culmination of a process triggered more than a year ago amid concerns that the organisation fosters anti-Israel bias. The withdrawal is mainly procedural, yet serves a new blow to UNESCO, …

Trump hails ‘solid friendship’ with Xi The Presidents of China and the U.S. have exchanged messages vowing to boost cooperation despite a bruising trade war, on the 40th anniversary of the countries’ diplomatic relations, state media reported. In the messages sent on Tuesday, President Xi Jinping underlined the importance of …

Labour Party not to partner with Tzipi Livni’s Hatnuah Israel’s centre-left opposition dramatically split on Tuesday ahead of an April 9 election, with leader Avi Gabbay announcing that he would no longer partner with veteran politician Tzipi Livni as she sat stone-faced next to him. The announcement means the end …