INDIA

India’s NHRC issues notice to home ministry over Amnesty Int’l halting operations

India’s National Human Rights Commission today issued a notice to the Home Ministry over rights group Amnesty International deciding to halt its operations in the country after alleging “witch-hunt” by the government, officials said today according to our New Delhi correspondent.
India to allow schools, colleges to reopen from Oct 15

Schools and colleges across India will be allowed to reopen from October 15 as the government tonight announced a fresh phase of lifting of Covid-19 curbs.
Babri Masjid demolition case: All 32 accused including LK Advani acquitted

A special court in India acquitted all the 32 accused, including Bharatiya Janata Party veterans Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti, in the 28-year-old case relating to the demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, saying “there is no conclusive proof” against them.
6th JCC meeting begins: Dhaka, Delhi to discuss water sharing, transport bubble

The 6th Bangladesh-India Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) meeting began this afternoon with a special focus on water sharing, projects under India-financed LoC, connectivity, trade and energy cooperation, officials said.
Rights group Amnesty halts India operations, says faces harassment

Human rights group Amnesty International said on Tuesday it is stopping its work in India because the government has frozen its bank accounts in the latest action against it for speaking out about rights violations.
India to buy assault rifles, anti-airfield weapon

India has approved the acquisition of military equipment, including an anti-airfield weapon and assault rifles, from the United States at an approximate cost of Rs 2,290 crore.
Need better cooperation for development of region: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has emphasised on the need for better cooperation with neighbouring countries for the development of the people of the sub-continent.
Former Indian BJP leader Jaswant Singh passes away

India’s former foreign, defence and finance minister Jaswant Singh, a close associate of ex-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, died in New Delhi today following a protracted bout of illness.
Harley-Davidson to shut India plant, in talks with Hero MotoCorp for distribution: sources

Harley-Davidson Inc is in advanced talks with India’s Hero MotoCorp for a distribution deal which will allow the US company’s motorcycles to be sold in India, after it stops local manufacturing there, three sources have told Reuters.
BSF seizes 100kg Hilsa being smuggled into India

India’s Border Security Force has seized 100kg of Hilsa -- worth Rs 2 lakh -- while the consignment was allegedly being smuggled from Bangladesh into India through Petrapole integrated check-post in West Bengal.
Drugs in Bollywood: NCB summons Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan, Shraddha Kapoor

India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), which is investigating the alleged Bollywood-drug nexus, may summon actor Deepika Padukone, NCB sources have said.
Rahul Gandhi accuses Modi of ‘destroying relationship with neighbours’

Former President of India’s Congress party Rahul Gandhi has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “destroying the web of relationships” that his party had cultivated over the years with India’s neighbouring countries.
Taj Mahal open to tourists after over 6 months

After remaining closed to tourists for over six months due to coronavirus, the world heritage site Taj Mahal in Agra reopened today with strict health safety guidelines, media reports said.
10 killed in Maharashtra building collapse

Ten people were killed in their sleep and 20 feared trapped as a portion of a three-storey building collapsed in Bhiwandi town of western Indian state of Maharashtra today, Indian police said.
Indian Covid-19 test kit named after Feluda gets green light

India has given green signal to the commercial launch of a new coronavirus-detection technology named after master director Satyajit Ray’s iconic detective Feluda aka Prodosh Mitter.
India-Japan look to work closely in Bangladesh-Myanmar

India and Japan are looking at working together in countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said.
‘India to allow 25k-tonne onion export to Bangladesh on special consideration’

The Indian government is likely to grant its authorities a special permission to export 25,000 tonnes of onion to Bangladesh.
India’s Onion ban ‘undermines’ earlier discussions: foreign ministry

India’s sudden ban on onion exports undermined earlier discussions regarding such restrictions on essential food items, Dhaka has said in a letter to Delhi, as price of the kitchen staple skyrocketed immediately after Delhi’s ban announcement.
India takes steps to allow at least 1,000 trucks to carry onion to Bangladesh

The officials of the Indian external affairs ministry have begun talks with the commerce ministry officials on the issue of allowing at least 1,000 trucks containing onions to proceed to Bangladesh to supply the kitchen staple.
Judgment in Babri Masjid demolition case on September 30

A special court in Lucknow will pronounce judgment in the 28-year-old case relating to the demolition of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya on September 30.
India's onion export ban: farmers’ unrest in Maharashtra as prices decline

The Indian government’s move to ban the export of onion has sparked a farmers’ unrest in Maharashtra while nearly hundreds of trucks carrying an estimated 25,000 tonnes of onion were stranded on the Bangladesh border with West Bengal.
BGB-BSF border conference rescheduled for Sept 16-19

The conference between Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF), which was postponed two days ago, will now take place from September 16-19.
India bans export of onions

India today announced a ban on the export of onions with immediate effect, stoking fears of a crisis of the vegetable in Bangladeshi markets.
India says China laying cables to bolster communications at border flashpoint

Two Indian officials have said Chinese troops were laying a network of optical fibre cables at a western Himalayan flashpoint with India, suggesting they were digging in for the long haul despite high-level talks aimed at resolving a standoff there.
Covid-19 vaccine may be ready by first quarter of 2021: India health minister

Indian Health Minister Harsh Vardhan today said Covid-19 vaccine may be ready in the country by the first quarter of 2021 and that he would be the first to offer himself for receiving the vaccine “if people have a trust deficit”.
Fishing trawler ‘smuggling sarees’ to Bangladesh seized in India

Indian customs officials intercepted a fishing trawler “smuggling sarees and other garments worth about Rs 3.3 crore” to Bangladesh, from South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.
West Bengal preparing to send back 650 Bangladeshis

The West Bengal state government has started the official procedure to send back 650 Bangladeshi prisoners who have completed their sentences but are still languishing in different jails in the state.
India and China to ‘quickly disengage’ from border standoff

India and China have agreed on a five-point plan for resolving the prolonged military face-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
Covid-19 in India: Daily spike close to 1 lakh, highest deaths recorded

India today moved very close to the grim milestone of one lakh Covid-19 positive cases in a single-day.
Covid-19: India considering phase-3 clinical trial, production of Russia vaccine

India is actively considering Russia’s request for holding phase-3 clinical trial and production of its Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V by Indian firms, officials say.