India

New Delhi, Oct 31 (PTI) All central laws such as the anti-corruption act and provisions of the IPC will be applicable in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh from Thursday, according to a notification issued by the Union Home Ministry.

Some of these laws were until now not applicable to the state of Jammu and Kashmir, because of its special status under Article 370 and Article 35.

Rourkela (Odisha), Oct 31 (PTI) A woman was raped allegedly by her boyfriend and his two associates in Odisha's Sundergarh district, while her female companion managed to flee, police said on Thursday.

All the three accused were arrested.

The victim went near a forest under Kumarmunda police station limits on Tuesday evening after her boyfriend called her up asking her to meet him there. She went there along with another woman, according to the FIR.

New Delhi, Oct 31 (PTI) India has lost a case filed by the US at the WTO against domestic export incentives as the dispute settlement panel on Thursday concluded that these schemes are inconsistent with the international trade norms.

With this ruling, India will have to re-work these incentive schemes to comply with the WTO ruling. However, it can file appeal against the ruling at the appellate body of the WTO dispute settlement mechanism.

Mumbai, Nov 1 (PTI) Maharashtra will have chief minister from the Shiv Sena, senior party leader Sanjay Raut said on Friday amid standoff with ally BJP over sharing the top post.

Talking to reporters here, he said there has been no talks yet between the BJP and the Sena on government formation.

The Maharashtra chief minister will be from the Shiv Sena, he asserted.

New Delhi, Nov 1 (PTI) A Supreme Court mandated panel on Friday declared a public health emergency in the Delhi-NCR region and banned construction activity till November 5.

As pollution level in the region entered the "severe plus" category, the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority also banned the bursting of crackers during the winter season.

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed wide-ranging agreements in New Delhi on Friday to deepen strategic cooperation and exchanged notes on ways to boost bilateral trade.

Merkel, accompanied by several cabinet colleagues and a business delegation, is in India on a three-day visit that began on Thursday.

Berhampur (Odisha), Nov 1 (PTI) Over 20 families in Ganjam district have not been given ration supply after a panchayat body decided to stop the benefits from reaching people who were found defecating in open.

According to a decision taken at a panchayat meeting on October 20, the distribution of ration under the public distribution system (PDS) was stopped to over 20 families in last 11 days, Sushant Swain, the sarpanch of Goutami panchayat in Sanakhemundi block, said.

New Delhi, Nov 1 (PTI) The Delhi government on Friday decided to shut all schools till November 5 after a Supreme Court mandated panel declared a public health emergency in the Delhi-NCR region in the wake of rising level of pollution.

As the pollution level in the region entered the "severe plus" category", the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority banned construction activity till November 5 and bursting of crackers during the winter season.

New Delhi, Nov 1 (PTI) A number of agreements will be signed between India and Germany signifying their broad-based ties and the "very close" relationship between the two countries, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday

She made the remarks after being received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan where she was accorded a ceremonial welcome after arriving here on Thursday night on a two-day visit

Kanpur: Skull-capped Abdul Ali is a mature man. His views always reflect what he feels genuinely on any particular or general topic. With increasing age and burgeoning responsibility, there came enough changes in his life. He has now become more spiritual and attends the gathering of the people deeply immersed in religious beliefs. Those who have seen him from the youthful days do startle by his changed attitude.