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There are several reasons why the BJP has been unable to celebrate the Allahabad high court's endorsement of the Ramjanambhoomi issue by its acceptance of the disputed site in Ayodhya as the birthplace of the Hindu deity. One is that the intervening two decades have devalued the temple card since the voters have seen through its cynical purpose. Besides, the party has realized that a recrudescence of communal violence will hurt it unlike in the 1990s - and even in Gujarat in 2002 - when such outbreaks actually helped it to win elections.

In August it was the inter-party crisis that hit the relations between Akali Dal and BJP. In October, an intra-party crisis having wider political and administrative implications has erupted in the Akali Dal.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There is no mistaking it. The Congress campaign for the local body elections has been severely weakened, ironically, by a singularly tactless move made by a Congress leader himself: party spokesman, Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

BHOPAL: “Earlier we had to put our hand on mouth while entering into this village, but things have changed now. In the village we can feel the freshness and cleanliness in the village. In each house of the village, there is toilet, bathroom and water reuse system installed in it. This has resulted into better health conditions and less number of diseases is reported from the village.” Panchayat Secretary of Sankota of Dharmapuri Block in Dhar district explains the change taken place in the village.

When the Ayodhya verdict came on September 30, the mood was that of calm and reconciliation. There were clear signs of disappointment among sections of the minorities but no jarring noises. That was a day when peace and tranquility was every one's priority. Yet a week after the high court order, political parties are struggling hard to work out the right kind of strategies to take the best out of the Muslim frustration.

JAIPUR: Why the Congress Government led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is busy scripting the “end” of the rural employment guarantee scheme in Rajasthan where, ironically, it had very much succeeded during the BJP's rule? What is more unfortunate is that Union Minister incharge of the prestigious scheme, C.P. Joshi, belongs to Rajasthan, but seems busy to ensure that village sarpanches and gram sabhas carry on the “loot” of crores of funds, with no fear of being held accountable for their criminal act.

The war of words between China and the United States of America over valuation of Renminbi (RMB), the Chinese currency, or Yuan, more commonly, is hotting up. It has a potential to turn into a much bigger conflict engulfing the entire global trade and commerce. The subject at issue between the world's two biggest economies has reached almost a boiling point with the USA already in the process of enacting a law that will force China make exchange rate reform for Yuan in keeping with global practices. A bill has already been introduced by the US House of Representatives, which, if becomes a law, will arm the US government take penal action against imports from China should the latter fail to raise the value of Yuan to represent its real worth in keeping with the world trade rules.

New York: The United Nations health agency today unveiled new guidelines designed to facilitate the management of depression, alcohol use disorders, epilepsy and other common mental disorders in the primary health-care setting.

NEW DELHI: Taking “serious note” of the remarks by former Pakistan President Parvez Musharraf that Pakistan had trained terrorists to infiltrate into this country, Defence Minister Mr A.K. Antony today said the global community must 'persuade and compel' Pakistan to destroy all terror camps on its territory.

NEW DELHI: Indian Air Force (IAF) which celebrates its 78th anniversary tomorrow got a boost with the Defence Ministers of india and Russia finalising two multi-million rupee projects to jointly develop Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) and Multirole Transport Aircraft (MTA)under
which India would get 250 to 300 FGFA and 45 transport aircraft to be jointly developed by the two countries.