India’s densely populated cities with poorly designed buildings makes 68 per cent of our urban population vulnerable to earthquakes.
“There are 344 towns which fall in the Zone 5 category (high risk category) making them amongst the most damage prone cities in the planet,” pointed out Shashidhar Reddy, vice-chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority.

The ruling Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh is apparently losing faith in Thakurs who are, one by one, being shown the exit door.

India made clear on Wednesday that it has basic differences of perception with the major Western powers, including the US, over sensitive questions pertaining to Iran and recent developments in the Arab world involving efforts at regime change and the use of force.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) S.Y. Quraishi on Wednesday rejected the idea of right to recall an elected MP favoured by social activist Anna Hazare, as impractical and emphasised that the move could have a destabilising effect on the entire system.

Responding to Advocate-General B.V. Acharya’s comments that the former Lokayukta, Justice Santosh Hegde, did not follow the principles of “natural justice” while indicting officers and elected representatives in his second mining

While there has been much speculation about top Ulfa commander Paresh Baruah’s business interests in Bangladesh, Indian intelligence agencies have prepared a detailed report with graphic details about Baruah’s investments and income. The explosive report, accessed by this newspaper, shows Baruah has investments in real estate, the health sector, textiles, shipping, power projects and restaurants.

In a move that seems geared to take the heat off former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and the Bellary-based Gali Janardhan Reddy brothers, indicted in the Lokayukta mining report, the advocate-general has told the state

The Delhi high court on Wednesday allowed the plea of Mr Suresh Nanda, accused by the CBI of receiving a huge kickback in the 2000 Israeli Barak missile purchase deal, to go abroad for two weeks after he furnished a surety of `50 crore to ensure his return.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi started meeting party leaders, including Union ministers, from Tuesday.

Sanjay Sharma (in the driver’s seat), who set off from London for New Delhi by road in an autorickshaw called “Flying Rani”, poses with his India-leg team members A.M.