NEWS

New Delhi: Sri Lankan President MaithripalaSirisena has lifted the nationwide state of emergency imposed on the 6th of this month to control violence against minority Muslim establishments in Kandy district. 

The Gazette to end the emergency was signed last night soon after the return of the President from his visit abroad. In a message, MrSirisena said, upon assessing the public safety situation, he has decided to revoke the state of emergency.

The emergency was initially meant for one week but had to be extended by few days owing to the President being away from the country.

New Delhi: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has affirmed India takes nuclear non-proliferation very seriously and unlike some of its neighbours, it does not believe in "dirty bombs", making an oblique reference to Pakistan.

Speaking at a book release function here, Sitharaman, said India is complying with nuclear non-proliferation regulations despite not being a signatory to the non-proliferation treaty (NPT). "We are signing nuclear treaties as a commitment to non-proliferation and are not supportive of illegal spread," she said.

New Delhi: The Left parties have backed the no-confidence motions moved by the Telugu Desam Party and YSR Congress justifying the protests by the Andhra parties and asserted Modi government's betrayal of the Andhra cause was "inexcusable"

CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury tweeted his support to TDP. He said, "CPM supports the no-confidence motion being brought against the BJP government. Its betrayal of the promise of special status for Andhra Pradesh is inexcusable. Its all-round failure and evasion of parliamentary accountability needs to be highlighted."

New Delhi: Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari has said that the country would soon have potable water from sea at five paise per litre.

Trials for conversion of sea water into potable water have started in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, said the minister of River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation. 

Gadkari was addressing the inaugural session of a two-day Nadi Mahotsav (River Festival) at Bandrabhan on the banks of Narmada river in Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh. He expressed concern over the condition of rivers in India while praising Madhya Pradesh government for its efforts towards water conservation and cited Nagpur's sale of treated sewage water to thermal power stations.