Moscow, Aug 15 (IANS) The chief of Russia’s parliamentary lower house met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang and conveyed greetings from Russian President Vladimir Putin, a Russian media report said Friday. The meeting between Kim and Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the State Duma, took place the previous day during his visit to Pyongyang for the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese occupation, TASS reported, citing a Russian parliamentary news release, Yonhap News …

Paris, Aug 15 (IANS) French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday congratulated “friend” Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India on the country’s 79th Independence Day, hoping that the strategic partnership between both countries will continue to deepen towards 2047 and beyond. “Warm congratulations to the people of India on your 79th Independence Day! I fondly recall welcoming my friend Narendra Modi to France in February, and look forward to deepening our strategic partnership towar…

Moscow, Aug 15 (IANS) Russia will make its position clear during the upcoming meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, Russian media reported on Friday.”We are not planning anything in advance. We know that we have arguments, a clear and understandable position,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the Rossiya-24 TV channel upon his arrival in Alaska, where the summit will take place. He added that they would make their arguments clear.Significant g…

Bengaluru, Aug 15 (IANS) BJP MLA C.N. Ashwath Narayan has insisted that if Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar truly trusts Lord Manjunatheshwara, he should order a thorough investigation against those “carrying out propaganda” against the Hindu pilgrimage centre, Dharmasthala.Speaking to the media at the BJP headquarters in Bengaluru, he questioned whether people’s patience and tolerance were being tested regarding the Dharmasthala matter.He criticised the way events at Dharmasthala were bei…

Moscow/New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS) Russia on Friday offered condolences over the tragedy caused by a massive cloudburst in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) Kishtwar district, which has resulted in the death of at least 56 people till now, including two CISF personnel. “Russian Embassy is deeply saddened with disastrous cloudburst in the Kishtwar region of J&K which has claimed dozens of lives. We extend our condolences to the families of those perished and wishes for a speedy recovery to all injur…

Nashik, Aug 15 (IANS) Shiv Sena(UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Friday accused the BJP of making the country ‘fanatical’ about religion after it came to power in 2014, and said that this is creating communal divisions, which is very dangerous for the country’s independence. Raut also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his call for Swadeshi and self-reliance, reminding him that the slogan of Swadeshi was a gift from the Congress party.The Shiv Sena(UBT) leader spoke to reporters after PM Modi’…

New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS) India is soon set to become a space superpower, and the industry has grown multifold in the last five years, said experts on Friday, lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech on the space sector.In his address to the nation from the Red Fort, PM Modi said the nation is proud of its space sector. The Prime Minister stated that India is working towards becoming self-reliant in the space sector.Citing several space missions, like Gaganyaan, Chandrayaa…

Sarkaghat, Aug 15 (IANS) Expressing concern over the growing impact of global warming and frequent natural calamities in Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday unfurled the national flag, inspected the parade and took the salute from an impressive march at the state-level Independence Day function here. The march past was presented by contingents of the police, Home Guards, NCC, ITBP, Uttrakhand Police, Third India Reserve Battalion of Pandoh, Mandi Police, traffic pol…

Imphal, Aug 15 (IANS) Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, who presided over the Independence Day celebrations in Manipur, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to peace, stability, and accelerated development, paving the way for restoring normalcy in Manipur. The ceremony commenced with the Governor hoisting the National Flag and taking the salute at the grand march past by 33 contingents at the 1st Manipur Rifles Parade Ground, Imphal.In his address, the Governor recalled Manipur’s pivotal role in…

Jaipur, Aug 15 (IANS) Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Friday said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has become self-reliant, happy, and prosperous, providing ample opportunities for every citizen to progress. The nation’s global credibility has risen, and India is moving towards becoming the third-largest economy.“Our double-engine government is working tirelessly to make Rajasthan prosperous and developed,” Chief Minister Sharma stated.Speaking at the 79…