India

New Delhi, Apr 29: The government on Wednesday approved enhancing the minimum punishment for taking or giving bribes from six months to three years and the maximum punishment from five years to seven years. At a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the cabinet gave its approval to amend the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 by pursuing the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill

Chandigarh, Apr 29: Haryana Agriculture Minister O P Dhankar has stoked a controversy with insensitive remarks that farmers who commit suicide are "cowards" and "criminals", drawing severe flak from the Opposition with Rahul Gandhi raking it up in Parliament today. "Committing suicide is a crime, according to Indian law. Any person who commits suicide escapes from his responsibilities and leaves

Mumbai, Apr 29: The Bombay High Court today declined to stay provisions of a recent Maharashtra law which prohibits possession, transportation and consumption of meat of cow, bulls and bullocks even if the animals have been slaughtered outside Maharashtra. A division bench headed by Justice V M Kanade was of the view that no stay can be given until the final hearing of a bunch of petitions

New Delhi, April 28: Nearly 5,400 Indians have been brought back from quake-hit Nepal as India continued its relief and rescue efforts in the Himalayan country which is reeling under impact of a massive earthquake. Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said that 5,400 Indians had been brought back by various means including civil and military planes and by road. He said that a team of officials was in

New Delhi, Apr 27: Stepping up its relief and rescue efforts, India has evacuated 1,935 stranded Indians from earthquake-hit Nepal, even as a fresh feeble tremor today jolted the battered Himalayan nation. The Indian Air Force flew 12 sorties to bring back Indian nationals including many children. "Despite bad weather in Nepal, IAF continued its operation last night. As of now, IAF has evacuated 1

New Delhi, Apr 26: Government today announced a compensation of Rs two lakh to the families of those who lost their lives in the powerful quake that struck various parts of India leaving 53 dead. Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, bordering Nepal, were the worst-hit parts of India in yesterday's quake measuring 7.9 on the Richter Scale. "GoI has announced a compensation of Rs. 2 lakh to

New Delhi, Apr 26: Nearly 550 Indians have been evacuated by the IAF from quake-hit Nepal even as India stepped up its relief and rescue mission with 10 flights and 12 helicopters scheduled to carry specialists and equipment to Kathmandu today. Since 10:40 PM last night, four IAF aircraft have landed from Nepal with 546 Indians on board. The first aircraft to land was a C-130J with 55 passengers

Washington, Apr 25: Expressing concern over Indian action against the Ford Foundation and Greenpeace India, the US is seeking a clarification from New Delhi for limiting "a necessary and critical debate within Indian society." "We are aware that the Ministry of Home Affairs suspended the registration of Greenpeace India and has placed the Ford Foundation on a prior permission watch list," State

Singapore, Apr 25: Two Indian nationals in Singapore were today hailed as heroes and commended for saving a dangling toddler stuck between the rails on a parapet of a second floor apartment block. S Shammugun Nathan, 35, and P Muthukumar, 24, were both lauded by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) for their bravery act yesterday. Both are working in the construction sector here and were on a

Katwa/Barrackpore, Apr 25: One person was shot dead while another suffered bullet injury in Burdwan and North 24 Parganas districts as voting began in 91 municipalities across West Bengal today. Thirty-year old Indrajit Singh was shot at from point blank range at a polling booth near Katwa bus stand in Burdwan district. He died on the spot. District Magistrate Saumitra Mohan confirmed the death