Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday congratulated his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi as the BJP-led NDA government appeared set to retain power for a second term at the Centre.


SL PM congratulates Modi for 'magnificent victory'


IANS Automatic

Pakistan on Thursday announced training launch of Shaheen-II surface-to-surface ballistic missile, capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear war-heads up to 1,500 km.


Pakistan test-fires ballistic missile Shaheen-II


As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday appeared set to retain power, the party emerged as a clear winner on social networks and traditional media platforms -- reaching out to its target audience in a much mor organised and methodological manner than its rivals.


'Main Bhi Chowkidar' emerged big winner on social media


A giant mural depicting New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern embracing a Muslim woman in the wake of the Christchurch terror attack has been unveiled in Australia.


Giant mural of NZ PM unveiled in Australia


Ahead of the declaration of the Lok Sabha results, veteran Bollywood actor Anupam Kher on Thursday said India's future would be even more brighter in this festival of democracy.


India's future will be even more brighter: Anupam Kher


West Bengal Minister Rabindranath Ghosh on Wednesday courted controversy by getting involved in an altercation with Cooch Behar's Superintendent of Police Amit Kumar Singh, after police sought to shift a makeshift Trinamool Congress camp office, allegedly being set up within 100 metres from a counter centre.


Bengal Minister in spat with cop over party office location


Rome, 22 May (IANS/AKI) Italian hostage Alessandro Sandrini has been freed from captivity "after a complex operation in foreign territory", Premier Giuseppe Conte said on Wednesday after a jihadist group in northwest Syria announced Sandrini had been freed.


Italian hostage released after 'complex' foreign op: PM


Violence has become common in West Bengal with some people fighting without any issue and these people who indulge in arson and rioting do not belong to any political party, the Supreme Court said on Thursday.


Violence has become common in West Bengal, says SC


The government is learnt have cleared the elevation of four new judges to the Supreme Court, paving the way for their swearing-in in "a day or two."


Four new judges cleared by Govt for elevation to SC


Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered "immediate" return of garbage containers to Canada after Ottawa did not comply with a deadline to remove the waste it had sent six years ago, officials said on Wednesday.


Duterte orders immediate return of trash to Canada


Vice President M.Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday said that the dependence on few crops affects food security and loss in diversity can also lead to lifestyle diseases.


Dependence on few crops impacts food security: Vice President


Five activists of the RSS/BJP were on Wednesday convicted for the murder of a CPI-M worker in Kerala's Kannur in 2006 and sentenced to life imprisonment, while nine others including a top state RSS leader were acquitted.


Life terms to 5 RSS/BJP workers for CPI-M worker's murder


More than seven out of 10 US companies in China (74.9 per cent) are being adversely affected by the ongoing trade war between China and the US, according to a survey released on Wednesday by the American Chamber of Commerce in China.


Trade war harming 75% of US firms in China: Survey


The security scenario of the country will become more challenging in the coming times and technology will play a key role in protecting the nation, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said here on Wednesday.


Technology will play big role in security of country: NSA


The prospects of Iranian attacks on US forces in the Middle East have been put "on hold",  acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan has said after the Donald Trump administration deployed an aircraft carrier strike group and B-52 bombers in the region.


Iranian threats put on hold: Acting US defence chief


Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath has replied to former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's accusations of the Congress not fulfilling its loan waiver promises made to the farmers of the state and said that loans of 21 lakh farmers had been waived till the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and the process will resume once the MCC ends.


Farm loan waiver in MP will resume once poll code ends: Kamal Nath


The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed till May 28 the arrest of Barrackpore BJP candidate Arjun Singh in several criminal cases, which he alleges the West Bengal Police filed against him motivated by political vindictiveness.


SC stays Bengal BJP candidate arrest till May 28


Kerala Health Minister K.K. Shailaja on Wednesday ordered the suspension of a government doctor for performing a wrong surgery on a seven-year-old boy.


Kerala doctor suspended for wrong surgery on boy


A court here on Wednesday reserved order on a plea seeking lodging of an FIR against Congress President Rahul Gandhi for making an objectionable speech against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.


Court reserves order on plea against Rahul Gandhi


US President Donald Trump's administration is considering blacklisting a Chinese video surveillance giants from buying American technology, in a latest attempt to counter Beijings global economic ambitions, a media report said.


Trump may blacklist Chinese surveillance tech firm


The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear a bail plea of West Bengal BJP candidate from Barrackpore, Arjun Singh, named in a number of criminal cases.

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