India

Dhaka, Feb 16: External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid today said that all procedures were "strictly followed" by the UPA government in the controversial VVIP chopper deal and the matter should not be politicised. "I don't think it is right to politicise the issue. It is a matter of national interest. All procedures were strictly followed by the government," he told Indian journalists

Srinagar, Feb 16: Curfew was today lifted from Kashmir Valley and mobile Internet services restored, a week after the restrictions were imposed following hanging of Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru. "Curfew has been lifted from all the ten districts in the Valley," a police spokesman said. However, normal life remained affected as hardline Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah

United Nations, Feb 16: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and resolve issues peacefully after a Pakistani soldier who intruded into the Indian territory was killed by the Indian Army along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. Ban's spokesperson Martin Nesirky told reporters here yesterday that the UN Chief was aware of the latest incident on

New Delhi, Feb 16: Petrol and diesel became dearer by Rs 1.50 and 45 paise per litre respectively from Friday midnight. The hike does not take into account local sales tax or value added tax (VAT), which varies from state to state. The pump price of petrol will now be Rs 69.06 per litre in Delhi, Rs 75.91 in Mumbai, Rs 72.16 in Chennai, Rs 76.62 in Kolkata and Rs 76.04 in Bangalore. The effective

Mumbai, Feb 16: Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai, whose reports on various scams had raised the hackles of those in the government, says people who have the mandate to rule are typical "bullies". Rai, who is due to retire in May this year, also said on Friday that time alone will tell whether he will join politics. The government auditor said that public officials often make the statement

New Delhi, Feb 15: Indian troops have killed the Pakistani soldier who had crossed the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector of Jammu and Kashmir to attack an Indian post, Army said on Friday. The Indian Army has acceded to the Pakistan Army Director General of Military Operations request to return the body of the Pakistani soldier. The Pakistan Army had on Thursday said that one of its

New Delhi, Feb 15: The Supreme Court on Friday held that telecom companies which were unsuccessful in availing fresh 2G spectrum and those which did not participate in the auction process will cease to operate "forthwith". However, telecom companies which were successful in the fresh auction held on November 12 and 14, 2012 will be asked to start their services in the respective circles

New Delhi, Feb 15: Union minister Vayalar Ravi on Thursday apologized for his sexist remarks against a woman journalist when he was asked about Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson PJ Kurien's role in Suryanelli gang-rape case. "I am sorry for the comment. I have already conveyed my regret for the remark to the TV channel in which the journalist works," Ravi told PTI. When a lady journalist asked him

New Delhi, Feb 15: The Union home ministry is learnt to have recommended rejection of mercy petitions in five more cases as it seeks to speedily dispose of all the cases of death row convicts pending with it. Seeking to have a swift closure on the cases of those who have filed mercy pleas against capital punishment awarded to them, the ministry has sent all the pending files to President Pranab

Bangalore, Feb 14: Former chief justice of Karnataka high court Y. Bhaskar Rao, who Thursday took over as the state's Lokayukta (ombudsman), declined to respond to allegations that he had illegally obtained a house plot in Bangalore. Rao, 75, was administered the oath of office at Raj Bhavan by Governor H.R. Bhardwaj, filling up the Lokayukta post that has been lying vacant for over 17 months