India

Majitha (Pb), Jan 27: Setting at rest speculation, Rahul Gandhi today announced that Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh will be the party's chief ministerial face in the high-stakes Assembly polls. 74-year-old Amarinder, who is fighting his last election, will be the next Chief Minister, if the party forms government in Punjab. Rahul, addressing the rally in the pocket-borough of Punjab

Srinagar, Jan 27: Bodies of four missing soldiers were today recovered from avalanche-hit Gurez sector, taking the death toll in the incident to 14, police said here. "Four bodies of soldiers were recovered from the avalanche site by rescue teams in Gurez today. The death toll of army personnel has now risen to 14," a police official said. Two avalanches hit army personnel in Gurez sector on

Lucknow, Jan 27: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to defer presentation of the Union Budget till the completion of poll process in five states. The letter sent to the prime minister earlier this week cited the Election Commission directive on January 23 asking the Central government not to announce any specific scheme

Shillong, Jan 27: In a major development, Meghalaya Governor V Shanmuganathan on Thursday night resigned from his post, news agency reported. Shanmuganathan's resignation came after a section of Raj Bhavan employees demanded his removal for "seriously compromising" the dignity of the gubernatorial office. Shanmuganathan was facing sexual harassment charges. Official sources said 67-year-old

Shillong, Jan 26: A section of employees of the Raj Bhavan here has written to the Prime Minister and the President demanding immediate removal of Meghalaya Governor V Shanmuganathan for "seriously compromising" the dignity of the gubernatorial office. "We expect the hon'ble Prime Minister to take action and remove the incumbent Governor of Meghalaya and restore the dignity of Raj Bhavan," a

Srinagar/New Delhi, Jan 26: Tucked away in the remote hills of south Kashmir, it is jubilation all around at the Rashtriya Rifles unit as three of its personnel have been awarded Sena Medal for having gunned down dreaded militant commander Burhan Wani whose killing plunged the valley into a welter of violence that lasted for months. As details of the July 8 operation last year emerge, it

New Delhi, Jan 26: Worried over Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi tried to persuade then Pakistan President Zia-ul-Haq in 1980 to join an Indian-sponsored regional strategy to effectively deal with the "occupation", according to a declassified CIA report. The report said Indira sought to form a regional grouping to exert diplomatic pressure on the Soviets to confine

Srinagar, Jan 26: Ten soldiers were killed as two avalanches hit Gurez Sector of Kashmir, an army official said today. An avalanche hit an army camp in Gurez sector of Bandipora district near the Line of Control last evening in which several soldiers were trapped, the army official said. He said rescue operations were launched and seven soldiers including a Junior Commissioned Officer were saved.

New Delhi, Jan 26: The national capital was today wrapped in an unprecedented security cover with thousands of security force personnel keeping a hawk-eye vigil to ward off any terror strike or untoward incident during the 68th Republic Day celebrations. Mobile hit teams, anti-aircraft guns and sharpshooters were deployed to keep a watch on the eight-km-long parade route from Rajpath to Red Fort

New Delhi, Jan 26: People across India on Thursday celebrated the 68th Republic Day to mark the adoption of its own Constitution on January 26 in 1950, which was the consequence of tireless efforts by the drafting committee headed by Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar or “Father of Indian Constitution”. As people gear up to celebrate the occasion, the national capital has been brought under ground-to-air