Category Archives: India

India’s female wrestlers threaten to hand back Olympic medals in harassment row

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President of Wrestling Federation of India accused of sexually harassing seven young female wrestlers

They were the first women to bring Olympic glory in the wrestling ring to India. But last week several of India’s top female wrestlers threatened to hand back their medals, accusing the authorities of ignoring their allegations of sexual harassment against the sport’s top official.

For the past 15 days, top wrestlers including Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik have staged a protest in the centre of Delhi, sacrificing their rigorous training schedules, sleeping in the rain and facing beatings by police.

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Businessman who alleges Indian kidnap plot wins Antiguan court ruling

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Fugitive Mehul Choksi claims UK-based group was part of alleged conspiracy to abduct him in 2021

A fugitive Indian-born businessman has won the first round of a court battle to prove that a UK-based group including a younger woman was part of an Indian intelligence service plot to lure him to a Caribbean villa to be kidnapped and extradited to his home country.

The high court of Antigua and Barbuda has found that Mehul Choksi has an “arguable” case in relation to his civil claim against the country’s attorney general and chief of police over the response to his alleged abduction and illegal rendition to Dominica in May 2021.

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Indian troops ordered to ‘shoot on sight’ amid violence in Manipur

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Thousands evacuated to army camps as authorities struggle to bring inter-ethnic tensions under control

Indian troops have been deployed to the north-eastern state of Manipur with orders to “shoot on sight” and enforce a curfew as deadly clashes between tribal and non-tribal groups continue for the third day.

The violence and arson has forced about 9,000 people to flee their homes in the remote state, which borders Myanmar. The state government has not given the number of deaths but the chief minister, N Biren Singh, said that “precious lives have been lost” and at least 20 people were reportedly injured, including two local politicians.

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Weather tracker: An unusually chilly start to May in India and eastern US

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Record minimum temperatures observed in northern India, as clashing conditions bring thunderstorms in US

It has been a historically chilly start to May in India, thanks to an unusually strong low-pressure system that moved in from the west, sweeping humid air from the Arabian Sea across the subcontinent. The resulting overcast skies reduced the heating effect from the sun, which combined with the brisk winds and abnormally high rainfall to lower temperatures significantly.

May is considered the final month of the Indian summer, before the monsoon season begins in June, and is the hottest time of the year for many parts of India. However, in the past week large parts of the country have been about 10C colder than normal, with many weather stations in northern India observing record minimum temperatures for the month.

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Pakistani minister flies to India for first visit by a senior official in 12 years

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Foreign minister plays down any prospect of reconciliation effort as he stresses trip to Goa is purely for regional summit

Pakistan’s foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, arrived in Goa on Thursday, the first visit to India by a senior Pakistani official in 12 years.

Yet few held out hope that the trip signalled efforts for reconciliation between the two neighbours and rivals. Speaking as he boarded the plane to Goa, where India is chairing the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) council of foreign ministers on Friday morning, Bhutto Zardari emphasised that his presence would be “focused exclusively on SCO” and avoided any mention of India.

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Indian anger and Chinese indifference quash hopes of border resolution

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Starkly different approaches to 2,100-mile line of actual control on show as defence ministers meet in Delhi

India’s defence minister has accused China of border aggressions that have “eroded the entire basis” of their relationship, as negotiations over the line of actual control (LAC) remain deadlocked.

On Thursday, China’s defence minister, Li Shangfu, landed in Delhi for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. It is the first visit to India by a Chinese minister since 2020, when 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers died in clashes along the Himalayan border in Ladakh and the two sides came the closest to war for almost 70 years.

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Indian study reveals about 3% of drugs ‘substandard’ amid official crackdown

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In wake of children’s cough syrup scandal, an expert says regulatory system is ‘grossly understaffed and underfunctional’

About 3% of drugs routinely taken by Indians for ailments such as hypertension, bacterial infections and allergies are “substandard”, according to a study of samples taken from factories by government inspectors.

Officials have been carrying out random checks on factories after a scandal over Indian-made cough syrups linked to the deaths of children, mostly in countries in Africa.

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Indian ministers rebuke Der Spiegel for ‘racist’ cartoon mocking population size

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German magazine accused of putting down India with caricature depicting population overtaking China

A cartoon in the German magazine Der Spiegel poking fun at India as it becomes more populous than China has been castigated as “racist” by Indian ministers.

The cartoon shows a rickety old Indian train packed with people and swarms of passengers atop it. On a parallel track, a sleek Chinese bullet train is seen with just two drivers, looking surprised at the sight of the Indian train.

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India overtakes China to become world’s most populous country

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Milestone marks the first time since 1950 that China has dropped to second place in global population ranks

India has overtaken China as the world’s most populous country, according to UN population estimates, the most significant shift in global demographics since records began.

According to the UN’s projections, which are calculated through a variety of factors including census data and birth and death rates, India now has a population of 1,425,775,850, surpassing China for the first time.

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Indian police arrest Sikh separatist preacher Amritpal Singh after weeks on run

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Singh surrendered in Punjab town of Moga, says a Sikh leader, as police appeal to public for calm

Indian police have arrested a separatist leader who revived calls for an independent Sikh homeland and the secession of India’s northern Punjab state, which has a history of violent insurgency.

Amritpal Singh had been on the run since March after capturing national attention in February when hundreds of his supporters stormed a police station in the Punjab town of Ajnala with wooden batons, swords and guns to demand the release of a jailed aide.

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Indian court acquits 69 people of murder of 11 Muslims during 2002 Gujarat riots

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Former minister from ruling BJP party among Hindus acquitted of killings in city of Ahmedabad

An Indian court has acquitted 69 Hindus, including a former minister from the ruling Bharatiya Janata party (BJP), of the murder of 11 Muslims during communal riots in the western state of Gujarat in 2002.

The case related to the deaths of 11 Muslims who were killed after their homes in the city of Ahmedabad were set alight by Hindu mobs who rampaged through the streets during communal riots that took place in February 2002. According to an investigation into the attack afterwards, “there was no police help received by the Muslims and they were simply at the mercy of the miscreants”.

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Rahul Gandhi could face jail and loss of seat after Indian court rejects plea

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Lawyers pledge to challenge ruling in higher court, saying they believe judiciary will ‘uphold justice’

The Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has been dealt a blow after a court rejected his plea for a stay on his recent defamation conviction, meaning he could face jail and will lose his parliamentary seat as he appeals against the guilty verdict.

On Thursday, a judge in Surat district court, in India’s western state of Gujarat, rejected his petition seeking a stay of conviction. The rejection of the plea means Gandhi, former leader of the Congress party and the most recognisable face of India’s political opposition, is disqualified from office and there will now be a byelection in his Kerala constituency.

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India’s population set to overtake China’s by June, UN figures show

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UN population officials say it is not possible to pinpoint a date because of uncertainty about data

India is expected to overtake China as the world’s most populous country with almost 3 million more people by the middle of this year, according to UN figures.

The State of World Population 2023 report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates India’s population will be 1.4286 billion by the end of June, compared with China’s 1.4257 billion.

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Severe heatwave engulfs Asia causing deaths and forcing schools to close

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Extreme temperatures described as ‘worst April heatwave in Asian history’ as records threatened in India, China, Thailand and Laos

A severe heatwave has swept across much of Asia, causing deaths and school closures in India and record-breaking temperatures in China.

Maximiliano Herrera, a climatologist and weather historian, described the unusually high temperatures as the “worst April heatwave in Asian history”.

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Northern Irish man dies and Indian man missing on Annapurna climb in Nepal

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Noel Hanna died during descent of world’s 10th highest mountain, say expedition organisers

A Northern Irish climber has died and an Indian climber is missing after falling into a crevasse in separate incidents on Mount Annapurna, the world’s 10th highest mountain.

Another Indian climber fell ill on the way down from the 8,091-metre (26,540ft) summit but survived after spending the night in harsh conditions on the mountain.

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India and Russia in ‘advanced talks’ over free trade agreement

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Deal would build closer economic ties as most western states push to isolate Moscow over Ukraine

India and Russia have entered “advanced negotiations” over a free trade agreement that aims to build closer economic ties as most western governments push to isolate Moscow over the war in Ukraine.

In a development likely to add to tensions in Washington, London and EU capitals, Russia and India’s trade ministers said on Monday the two countries were in talks to strike a free trade deal.

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India heatwave: temperatures hit 40C

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Indians warned to stay vigilant during spell of very hot weather. Elsewhere, sandstorms plague China

The heatwave that has been plaguing the states of West Bengal, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh in India is forecast to continue through the coming week. Daytime temperatures of 40C have been recorded for several consecutive days in these regions, about 5C above the seasonal average.

This excessive heat is linked to a north-westerly flow of air, which is also bringing much drier than usual conditions. The authorities have advised people to be vigilant about their health by staying hydrated, wearing breathable clothing and avoiding street food, which could easily go off in these conditions. They have also closed schools and universities for a week in response to schoolchildren complaining about headaches.

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Former MP and his brother shot dead on live TV in India

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Atiq Ahmed, jailed since 2019, was in police custody and taking questions from journalists when attackers struck

A former Indian MP convicted of kidnapping and facing murder and assault charges has been murdered along with his brother in a dramatic shooting broadcast live on TV.

Atiq Ahmed, a former MP who was serving a life sentence in jail, and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were in police custody outside a hospital in Prayagraj, in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, when three men fired more than 20 round of bullets at them from close range as they took questions from reporters. The two brothers died on the spot.

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Thirteen killed in India after bus carrying musicians falls into gorge

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Twenty-nine passengers also injured as vehicle slides off highway during journey from Pune to Mumbai

A passenger bus carrying dozens of members of a music troupe slid off a highway and fell into a gorge in western India on Saturday, killing 13 people and injuring 29 others, police said.

The bus was on its way to Mumbai, India’s financial capital, in Maharashtra state, from Pune city, where the musicians held a performance, said Atul Zende, a police officer. The exact cause of the crash was not immediately known.

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Indian government agency investigates BBC over foreign exchange rules

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Inquiry comes after tax raid on corporation’s offices and a documentary that was critical of PM Narendra Modi

India’s financial crimes agency is investigating the BBC over alleged violations of foreign exchange rules, less than two months after the corporation’s Indian headquarters were raided by tax inspectors.

According to officials, the latest investigation is being conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), a central government agency.

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