Man penalised 50 pounds for slapping son

LONDON - A Briton, who slapped his 10-month-old son after he knocked down a photo frame, has been ordered to pay the baby 50 pounds in compensation, a media report said Thursday.

Court questions government on Air India aircraft deal

NEW DELHI - The Delhi High Court Thursday sought replies from the central government and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over allegations of losses caused to Air India due to unnecessary purchase of aircraft by the civil aviation ministry.

Plea seeking stay on 3G spectrum auction rejected

NEW DELHI - The Delhi High Court Thursday dismissed a plea demanding stay on 3G spectrum (radio waves) auction alleging that the department of telecom (DoT) was favouring certain operators.

RTI activist told not to reveal information on Padma awards

NEW DELHI - The home ministry has asked a Right to Information (RTI)activist not to share information about the prestigious Padma awards with the media even when there is no such provision in the RTI Act.

Justice Dinakaran will have to go on leave, says Moily

NEW DELHI - Union Minister for Law and Justice M. Veerapa Moily Thursday said Karnataka High Court Chief Justice P.D. Dinakaran is not above the law and he will have to abide by the Supreme Court Collegium’s advice to proceed on leave.

Court rejects Madhu Koda aide’s plea

RANCHI - The Jharkhand High Court Thursday rejected a plea of former chief minister Madhu Koda’s aide, Vinod Sinha, for removing the latter’s name from the probe into a Rs.2,500-crore money laundering scam.

Court ticks off LIC for faulty clauses

NEW DELHI - The Delhi High Court Thursday pulled up the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India for not acting “fairly or reasonably” in refusing an insurance claim and harassing consumers at large.

Kobad Ghandy’s medical treatment plea rejected

NEW DELHI - A city court dismissed Thursday an application of Maoist leader Kobad Ghandy for permission to be treated at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) or the Safdarjung Hospital.

Cabinet okays law against torture

NEW DELHI - Thirteen years after India signed an international treaty against torture, the union cabinet Thursday approved a proposal to introduce a legislation against torture.

Toddler chokes to death on sausage

LONDON - A nine-month-old boy in Britain choked to death after he was fed a frankfurter sausage, a media report said Thursday.

Cabinet’s nod for law against torture

NEW DELHI - The union cabinet Thursday approved a proposal to introduce a legislation on prevention of torture.

High court ruling to let US shooter represent India contested

NEW DELHI - The central government Thursday moved the Supreme Court challenging a Punjab and Haryana High Court ruling allowing a US citizen of Indian origin and Punjab police chief’s son to represent India in international rifle shooting events.

Nepal apex court summons PM over Indian deal

KATHMANDU - The controversy triggered by Nepal’s coalition government signing a passport contract with an Indian company continued to grow Thursday with the country’s top court summoning the prime minister and foreign minister for explanations and the opposition Maoist party beginning public protests.

Sudanese aid worker sues over ‘forced disappearance’ in Guantanamo case

Sudanese man sues after release from Guantanamo

France’s first lady dismisses rumors of infidelity in presidential couple as ‘insignificant’

French first lady dismisses rumors of infidelity

Kyrgyzstan riots toll rises to 40 (Second Lead, changing dateline)

Moscow, April 7 (IANS/RIA Novosti) The toll in the riots in the Kyrgyz capital has risen to 40 Wednesday as clashes between protesters and the police continued, forcing the president to declare a state of emergency to quell the unrest.

Court asks cop why charge sheet in 1984 riots case missing

NEW DELHI - A city court Wednesday summoned the then Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajiv Ranjan April 17 to explain why one of the charge sheets is missing in the 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases in which Congress leader Sajjan Kumar is an accused.

17 killed, over 140 injured in Kyrgyzstan riots

Bishkek, April 7 (IANS/RIA Novosti) At least 17 people were killed and more than 140 injured in the Kyrgyz capital Wednesday as protesters clashed with the police to demand the release of their detained leaders, officials said.

New York court issues summons against Indian minister Kamal Nath

CHANDIGARH - A court in New York has issued summons to union minister Kamal Nath following a civil lawsuit filed there by Sikhs for Justice, a US-based human rights advocacy group.

Minister assures legal aid for convicted Indians in UAE

NEW DELHI - Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi Wednesday assured Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal that all steps have been taken to provide legal aid to the 17 Indians on death row in Sharjah.

Regulate sports federations, court tells government

NEW DELHI - The Delhi High Court Wednesday asked the central government why guidelines aimed at regulating the functioning of various sports federation in the country were not being followed.

Delay in taking cop’s statement in Scarlet case questioned

PANAJI - In the British teenager Scarlett Keeling’s case, Goa Police took nearly one month to record statements of policemen who were the first to reach Anjuna beach where her body was found Feb 18, 2008, a defence counsel said Wednesday.

Ensure minimum wages to Games workers, orders high court

NEW DELHI - Expressing concern over the plight of workers at Commonwealth Games construction sites in the capital, the Delhi High Court Wednesday told the government to ensure that they get the minimum wages.

Sajjan wants more documents from CBI in 1984 riots case

NEW DELHI - Congress leader Sajjan Kumar Wednesday countered the refusal of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to hand over to him more documents related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases against him and claimed he was within his right to seek these.

Hight court bats for public prosecutors

NEW DELHI - The Delhi High Court Wednesday said lack of adequate number of public prosecutors is the main reason for the increasing pendency of cases and prisoners languishing in jails as undertrials.

Chandigarh cop gets two-year jail for bribe

CHANDIGARH - A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court Wednesday awarded two years’ rigorous imprisonment to a Chandigarh policeman for accepting a bribe of Rs.15,000 from a drug peddler presently lodged in a jail here.

Ex-Penthouse stripper sues Scores for using her image

NEW YORK - A former stripper has filed a lawsuit against Scores, saying that she never gave consent for her pictures to be used on their billboards.

Nepal Supreme Court orders govt to suspend Indian contract for passports

KATHMANDU - The Supreme Court of Nepal has issued an interim order asking the government not to proceed with the printing contract of Machine Readable Passport (MRP) on Wednesday.

Spain’s super judge Garzon indicted for abuse of power in civil war investigation

Spain’s judge Garzon charged with abuse of power

No code breach in posting information officer: Poll panel

NEW DELHI - The Election Commission of India (ECI) has said that there was no violation of the model code of conduct in appointment of a new information commissioner in the transparency commission on May 13, 2009 - the day votes were cast for the fifth and final phase of general elections.

Violence in the name of rights is wrong: NHRC

NEW DELHI - Condemning Tuesday\’s Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh in which 76 security personnel were killed, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Wednesday said any movement that resorts to violence loses its legitimacy.

Former child labourers campaign for missing kids

NEW DELHI - A theatre group of former child labourers has been enacting short skits and campaigning across Delhi along with an NGO to press the issue of missing kids and spread awareness in the capital.

Supreme Court’s special team verifies malnutrition complaint in UP village

ALLAHABAD - A special team of the Supreme Court has verified reports of malnourishment in Ganne village of Uttar Pradesh’s Allahabad District.

Nepal’s passport deal with India taken to court

KATHMANDU - The growing controversy in Nepal following the government’s decision to award a sensitive passport contract to an Indian company continued to snowball with two individuals now challenging the decision in court.

Court gives Tiwari time to reply in paternity suit

NEW DELHI - The Delhi High Court Wednesday gave former Andhra Pradesh governor N.D. Tiwari a last chance for filing his response in a paternity suit filed by a 34-year-old man who claims the Congress leader is his biological father.

Nepal’s decision to give MRP printing contract to India challenged in court

KATHMANDU - A writ petition was filed before Nepal’s Supreme Court on Tuesday against a government decision to award the contract for the printing of Machine Readable Passports (MRP) to an Indian government-owned firm.