Indian Sub-continent

17 killed as heavy rains lash Pune city, district

Pune, Sep 26 (PTI) At least 17 persons were killed in rain-related incidents after intense showers battered Pune city and parts of the district on Wednesday and Thursday, officials said.

The district administration declared holiday on Friday for schools in the city as well in the tehsils of Haveli, Bhor, Purandar and Baramati.

Malaysian schoolboy wins top prize at international robotics contest in India

NEW DELHI, Sept 27 (NNN-BERNAMA) — A Malaysian schoolboy displayed great skills in building and launching water rockets by winning an international contest in India.

Danish Muslim, the winner of the Water Rocket Challenge at the World Robotics Championship, is studying in the sixth grade at primary school of SK Tun Hussein Onn in Kuala Lumpur.

The 12-year-old participated in the contest with his father Muslim Tamsir as his teammate.

Thousands of Young boys detained and tortured by Security Forces in Indian Administered Kashmir

Around 13,000 children, mainly boys, have been detained in Kashmir since its autonomous status was revoked on Aug 5.

According to The Telegraph, a report, led by the National Federation of Indian Women, detailed claims that boys - some as young as 14 - had been imprisoned for up to 45 days, and families were paying up to 60,000 rupees for their children’s release.

India: RBI allows PMC customers to withdraw Rs 10,000

Mumbai, Sep 26 (PTI) In a relief to the harried customers of crisis-hit Punjab & Maharashtra Cooperative Bank, the Reserve Bank Thursday increased the cash withdrawal limit to Rs 10,000 per account, which will help over 60 percent customers of the crippled lender.

The RBI had Tuesday imposed a slew of restrictions on the bank for six months, allowing withdrawal of only Rs 1,000 for the bank's depositors, leaving the customers, who are typically not from the well-heeled a worried lot.

India: Court to hear sexually exploited law student's bail plea

Shahjanhanpur (UP), Sep 26 (PTI) A Shahjanhanpur court on Thursday decided to hear on September 30 the bail plea of a woman law student arrested for allegedly trying to extort Rs 5 crore from BJP leader Swami Chinmayanand, held on charges of sexually exploiting her.

District Judge Ram Babu Sharma slated September 30 to hear the student's bail application, filed in the sessions court today.

India: UGC asks varsities to send correct degree verification reports to Indian missions abroad

New Delhi, Sep 26 (PTI) The University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed all varsities to correctly and expeditiously send degree verification reports to Indian Missions abroad.

As a procedure, the Ministry of Education in foreign countries seeks verification reports on degrees issued to Indian students for job purposes. The consulate then issues 'Genuineness Certificates' after getting verification reports from universities in India.

Kashmir: People living in fear, no democracy in J-K: Azad

Jammu, Sep 25 (PTI) Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday said there is no democracy in Jammu and Kashmir and people are living in fear after the Centre scrapped the state's special status on August 5.

Azad was talking to the media as he concluded his six-day tour of the state.

India: HC stays Azam Khan's arrest in land-grab cases

Allahabad, Sep 25 (PTI) The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday stayed the arrest of senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan in 27 cases of alleged grabbing of land.

A two-judge of justices Manoj Mishra and Manju Rani Chauhan passed the order on a petition filed by the former Uttar Pradesh minister, challenging the FIRs registered between July 13 and 20.

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