The Delhi government has missed a second deadline for installing global positioning systems in buses and sought more time from the high court which granted it four months to finish the task.

Railways have decided to introduce air conditioning facilities in locomotives to reduce fatigue level of loco pilots and improve their efficiency.

Only about half the population in the worst Maoist-hit areas have enrolled their names and gave personal information in the just concluded census operations, forcing the government to think of launching a special drive in such regions.

As Sonia Gandhi is set to get reelected as the Congress president this month, a senior leader has advocated the need for the party to abandon the UPA experiment in the next Lok Sabha polls.

Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi on Sunday insisted that the UK-based firm at the centre of a corruption row that has hit CWG OC was recommended by the Indian high commission despite an embarrassing denial issued by it.

Ace shuttler and world number two Saina Nehwal was on Friday selected for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, the country’s highest sporting honour, putting the icing on the cake to her sensational 2010.

Five political parties lost their status as state parties on Friday, according to the Election Commission. They are the JD(U), SP, PMK, MDMK and Arun-achal Congress Party.

US President Barack Obama, who will pay a state visit to India in early November, is expected to address a joint session of Parliament on November 9, government sources said Friday. In view of this, Parliament’s Winter Sess-ion, which usually begins in the second week of November, is likely to be advanced.
Mr Obama, who is likely to be accompanied by wife Michelle and their two daughters, will also visit Agra, the sources said.

The Organisation Committee of the Commonweath Games 2010, headed by Mr Suresh Kalmadi, is heading for further trouble with the UK government writing to the Indian high commission in London seeking a probe into an alleged scam involving the CWG.

Terming the situation in Jammu and Kashmir as “not yet normal”, Union home minister P. Chidambaram on Friday said efforts are on to hold a “quiet dialogue” with all shades of opinion in the Valley.