NEWS

New Delhi: Japan will simplify its visa rules from January 1 next year for Indians and issue multiple-entry-visa for short-term stay, according to the Japanese embassy.

The relaxed visa regime will not only have simplification of visa application documents but also expansion of scope of eligible applicants, it said.

Under the simplification of visa application documents, the applicant's employment certificate and explanation letter stating the reason will be exempted in cases of applying for multiple-entry-visa.

New Delhi: Tamil Nadu State Election Commissioner M Malik Ferozh Khan and its secretary S Rajasekar have tendered an unconditional apology in the Madras High Court on a contempt plea by the DMK over the poll body’s failure to conduct the civic elections as directed by the court.

They submitted that preparatory steps have been taken by the State Election Commission (SEC) for conducting the civic polls as directed by the court.

"There is neither wilful nor wanton disobedience" on complying with orders of the court on conducting the local body elections", they submitted and prayed to close the contempt petition.

New Delhi: Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will visit Ayodhya on November 16 and hold discussions with "all stakeholders" to find a peaceful resolution of the vexed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute.

Speaking at the 13th Nehru Memorial Lecture on Inner Peace, Outer Dynamism in Jawaharlal Nehru University, he announced that he would be mediating in Ayodhya dispute for a peaceful solution.

"I have no personal agenda, so I will be talking to all stakeholders. I will also meet UP CM Aditya Nath Yogi," he said.

New Delhi: The percentage of increase in fresh enrolments by Indians in US has halved in 2016-2017 to 12.3% from almost 25% the previous year, according to the latest Open Doors surveyconducted by the Institute of International Education. 

The year 2014-15 too had seen robust growth of 29.4%.

In global terms, the US saw a decline in fresh enrolments this year, with nearly 10,000 fewer candidates signing up; the new student count of about 2.9 lakh represents a 3% decrease from the previous year.