United Nations, May 13 :  UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the release of four Filipino peacekeepers captured by Syrian rebels in the Golan Heights last week.

They had been detained May 7 in the vicinity of Al Jamlah in the area of limitation.

Appreciating the assistance of Qatar and of others involved in securing their safe release, the secretary-general emphasised to all parties the impartiality of UN peacekeepers in a statement.

United Nations, March 29 : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Friday said that he is "deeply disappointed" at the failure of the final UN conference to adopt a treaty by consensus which would help regulate the multi-billion-dollar international arms trade.

"The secretary-general is deeply disappointed with the failure of the Final United Nations Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty to reach an agreement on a treaty text," said a statement issued here by Ban's spokesman.

Johannesburg, March 29 : Former South African president Nelson Mandela was responding to medical treatment for a recurrence of a lung infection, the presidency said late Thursday.

The 94-year-old, who served as South African president from 1994 to 1999, was hospitalised Wednesday night. He spent 27 years in prison before being elected the country's first black president after the end of apartheid.

"He remains under treatment and observation in hospital," Xinhua quoted the presidential spokesperson, Mac Maharaj, as saying.

Tbilisi, March 26 : Lawmakers in Georgia have approved changes to the constitution that will reduce President Mikheil Saakashvili's authority and tip the balance of power to the prime minister.

The changes, which include stripping the president of the right to dismiss the government without parliamentary approval, mark a new victory for billionaire prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, whose Georgian Dream coalition triumphed in the October elections.

New Delhi, March 20 : Visiting Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi met top Indian Muslim leaders and asked them to play a more positive role, stressing there is no other country in the world that is as multi-religious as India. He sought deepening of ties with India.

Morsi took out time from his hectic schedule to meet Muslim leaders and asked them to play a more active and positive role in the socio-economic development of India, which he described as a "multi-religious country that is highly respected in the international community".

Shillong, March 12 : Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul M. Sangma Tuesday formed his new council of ministers by inducting 11 members from the Congress.

Mukul Sangma also scripted new political history in the state by inducting three women legislators as ministers.

Of the 25 women who contested the recently concluded assembly elections, only four - Ampareen Lyngdoh, Roshan Warjri, Deborah C. Marak and Dikkanchi D. Shira - won the assembly polls. Shira is Sangma's wife.

New Delhi, Feb 17 : Congress President Sonia Gandhi has said the matter pertaining to grant of minority status to Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) is an issue of great concern and her party will do its best to ensure that the varsity gets autonomy.

"On our part, we will do our best to help the university in ensuring its autonomy and its historical character," she told the 60th annual convocation of AMU through audio conferencing after her visit was cancelled due to inclement weather yesterday.

New Delhi, Jan. 26 : Leaders and activists of the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) celebrated India's 64th Republic Day on Saturday with patriotic fervour and enthusiasm.

The people of the country get to witness the military valour and country''s rich cultural heritage during the parade.

Newly appointed BJP president Rajnath Singh unfurled the Indian flag and everyone stood in attention as they sang the national anthem.

New Delhi, Jan. 25 : Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde will undertake a two-day visit of Bangladesh from Monday on the invitation of his Bangladeshi counterpart Dr. Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir.

Shinde is expected to hold discussions with Alamgir, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and also call on Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka.

During his visit, India and Bangladesh are also expected to sign an extradition treaty and a Revised travel agreement following bilateral discussions between the two Home Ministers.

Davos (Switzerland), Jan. 25 : Amid today''s gloomy headlines, are we experiencing the best period in world history? That''s the provocative question that a panel of experts, including a top Indian government official, tackled today at a breakfast session at the World Economic Forum''s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

New Delhi, Jan 25 : Reacting to David Headley's sentencing, Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid said on Friday that in India the trial of the Pakistani origin American would have been more severe and would have been given longer term a longer jail term for 26/11 Mumbai attack.

Headley, an American had admitted scouting targets for the 2008 militant raid on Mumbai and later agreed to testify against the plotters to avoid the death penalty, was sentenced on Thursday (January 24) to 35 years in prison.

New Delhi, Jan 24 : BJP president Rajnath Singh on Thursday attacked Sushil Kumar Shinde for his recent "Hindu terror" remarks, saying that he needs to understand that he is the Home Minister of the country.

Shinde had made the controversial remark on the final day of the Congress Party's Chintan Shivir in Jaipur. He had accused the BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of holding terror-training camps and promoting "Hindu terrorism" in the country.

New Delhi, Jan. 24 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will hold nationwide protests from today against Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde for his recent "Hindu terror" remarks.

Newly elected party president Rajnath Singh on Wednesday lashed out at Shinde over his controversial ''Hindu terror'' remark, saying that the party will hold a massive nationwide protest against him from Thursday.

New Delhi, Jan 23 : Janata Dal- United (JD-U) chief Sharad Yadav on Wednesday congratulated Rajnath Singh on his election as the BJP president.

"I congratulate BJP and Rajnathji from the bottom of my heart," Yadav told ANI.

"He is a knowledgeable man. I am sure the party will grow under his leadership," he said.

"The alliance that NDA is I am sure with Rajnath Singh becoming the president, I feel that NDA will expand and we will grow," he added.

New Delhi, Jan 23 : Welcoming Rajnath Singh as the new BJP president, outgoing party chief Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said the latter''s leadership skills would take the BJP to victory in the 2014 general elections.

New Delhi, Jan 23 : Congratulating Rajnath Singh on his election as the next BJP president, senior party leader L. K. Advani said the former now held the responsibility of leading the BJP to victory in the 2014 general elections.

"The responsibility of victory in assembly and general elections in the next two years lies on Rajnath Singh. Rajnath Singh has to revive the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, where the party''s position is painful," Advani told media here.

New Delhi, Jan 23 : Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Rajnath Singh, who is all set to return as the BJP national president.

In a day of dramatic developments capped by Nitin Gadkari's resignation, Rajnath Singh emerged as the frontrunner in the BJP presidential poll battle.

Modi tweeted: "I called up Shri Rajnath Singh ji & congratulated him. He brings with him vast experience of both organisation & administration."

New Delhi, Jan 23 : Former BJP president Rajnath Singh is all set return as the party national president after incumbent Nitin Gadkari announced that he will not seek an second term.

In a day of dramatic developments capped by Gadkari's announcement, Rajnath Singh emerged as the frontrunner in the BJP presidential poll battle.

Today is the last day of filing nominations for the BJP polls and Rajnath Singh is likely to be nominated for the post this evening itself.

New Delhi, Jan 22 : Thousands of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) supporters clashed with the police outside the Rohini court complex here on Tuesday just ahead of a Delhi court's order on sentence against former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala, his son Ajay Chautala and 53 others guilty of illegally recruiting 3,206 junior basic trained (JBT) teachers.

Just ahead of the court proceedings, thousands of supporters of Chautalas gathered outside the Rohini court and clashed with policemen.

New Delhi, Jan 22 : Leaders of non-gazetted officer Association of Andhra Pradesh met Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and expressed opposition against the bifurcation of separate Telangana state.

Talking to the mediapersons on Monday evening, General Secretary of Andhra Pradesh Non Gazetted Officer Association, Ashak Babu, accompanied by other members urged Shinde not to carve out Telangana from Andhra Pradesh state.