India
Court lifts media ban on Delhi gang-rape trial
Mar 22, 2013 03:45 EDT
An Indian court overturned a gag order on Friday that prevented media access to the trial of four men charged over the fatal gang-rape of a student on a bus in New Delhi last December, lawyers said.
Sri Lanka state media slams UN panel after rights vote
Mar 22, 2013 03:23 EDT
Sri Lankan state media called Friday for the dismantling of the UN human rights chief's office after Colombo was angered by a resolution calling for a probe into alleged war crimes in the island.
Putin welcomes China's Xi for landmark talks
Mar 22, 2013 02:13 EDT
Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's new leader Xi Jinping are to hold landmark talks Friday in the hope of further cementing the two countries' partnership with a range of strategic agreements.
Murder trial Italian marines on way back to Delhi
Mar 22, 2013 01:31 EDT
Two Italian marines flew back to India on Friday to face murder charges, after Rome dramatically reversed a decision that they would not return which had triggered a diplomatic firestorm.
Murder charge Italian marines on way to Delhi: India
Mar 22, 2013 00:28 EDT
Two Italian marines charged with murder in India are on their way back to New Delhi after the government in Rome agreed they should return to face trial, the foreign ministry said on Friday.
Putin welcomes China's Xi for landmark talks
Mar 21, 2013 22:49 EDT
Russia's President Vladimir Putin and China's new leader Xi Jinping are to hold landmark talks on Friday in the hope of further cementing the two countries' partnership with a range of economic and strategic agreements.
Italy says will send marines back to India for trial
Mar 21, 2013 21:03 EDT
Italy said two marines on trial for murder in India would return to the country by Friday, a stunning turnaround after Rome earlier unleashed a diplomatic furore by saying they would not go back.
Ton-up Gayle, Chanderpaul put Windies on top
Mar 21, 2013 18:03 EDT
Contrasting centuries by Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Chris Gayle tightened West Indies' grip over Zimbabwe on the second day of the second and final Test at Windsor Park on Thursday.
Brazil, China to ink deal on trade in national currency
Mar 21, 2013 17:45 EDT
Brazil hopes to sign a bilateral accord with China to promote trade in their national currencies at next week's BRICS summit of the world's five emerging powers, Trade and Industry Minister Fernando Pimentel said Thursday.
Italy says will send its marines back to India for trial
Mar 21, 2013 15:39 EDT
Italy said two marines on trial for murder in India would return to the country by Friday, in a stunning turnaround after Rome earlier unleashed a diplomatic furore by saying they would not go back.
Sri Lanka must launch rights abuse probe: UN body
Mar 21, 2013 13:59 EDT
Sri Lanka must launch an in-depth probe into claims that government troops killed 40,000 civilians during a 2009 offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels that ended its three-decade civil war, the UN Human Rights Council said Thursday.
India's upper house passes tougher rape law
Mar 21, 2013 13:27 EDT
India's upper house on Thursday gave its seal of approval to a new bill toughening punishment for sex offenders, including the death penalty if a victim dies.
India upholds death penalty over 1993 Mumbai blasts
Mar 21, 2013 13:24 EDT
India's top court upheld the death penalty on Thursday for a mastermind of the country's deadliest series of attacks and ruled a Bollywood star who bought weapons from the bombers must return to jail.
Thai students set for mass tablet computer handout
Mar 21, 2013 12:08 EDT
Thailand plans to distribute about 1.7 million tablet computers to students and teachers this year in the world's largest handout of the devices for education, officials said Thursday.
Sri Lanka to take back Indian-owned oil facilities
Mar 21, 2013 10:35 EDT
Sri Lanka announced on Thursday plans to take back part of a strategic oil storage depot from a state-run Indian firm after Delhi supported international calls to probe war crimes on the island.
Kiradech shines as Donald struggles in Malaysia
Mar 21, 2013 09:31 EDT
Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat staked out an early lead as world number three Luke Donald struggled to settle in Thursday on a rain-interrupted first day's play at the Maybank Malaysian Open.
India a laggard in Internet revolution: Google boss
Mar 21, 2013 08:28 EDT
Google chairman Eric Schmidt warned Thursday that India was lagging badly behind in harnessing the power of the Internet because of its failure to invest in high-speed telecom networks.
Sri Lanka to seize part of India oil depot after UN vote
Mar 21, 2013 08:27 EDT
Sri Lanka announced on Thursday it would repossess part of a strategic oil storage depot from a state-run Indian firm after Delhi supported international calls to probe war crimes on the island.
Sri Lanka protests ahead of UN vote on war crimes
Mar 21, 2013 03:51 EDT
Sri Lankan pro-government activists protested outside the US embassy in Colombo on Thursday as the UN Human Rights Council was set to vote on a resolution pressing for a war crimes probe against Sri Lanka.
Wrestlers grapple with 2020 lockout
Mar 21, 2013 03:38 EDT
While his sweat-drenched charges lock limbs in the open-air ring, kitted out in nothing more than a loin cloth, Raj Singh shudders as he contemplates how their Olympic dream could be shattered.
Facts from the Wikipedia page:
| Republic of India
भारत गणराज्य*
Bhārat Gaṇarājya | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||
| Motto: "Satyameva Jayate" (Sanskrit) सत्यमेव जयते (Devanāgarī) "Truth Alone Triumphs"[1] | ||||||
| Anthem: Jana Gana Mana Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people[2] | ||||||
| National Song[4] Vande Mataram I bow to thee, Mother[3] | ||||||
.svg) | ||||||
| Capital | New Delhi 28°36.8′N 77°12.5′E / 28.6133°N 77.2083°E | |||||
| Largest city | Mumbai | |||||
| Official languages |
Hindi in the Devanagari script is the official language of the Union[5] and English the "subsidiary official language".[6]
| |||||
| Constitutional languages | ||||||
| Demonym | Indian | |||||
| Government | Federal republic, parliamentary democracy[8] | |||||
| - | President | Pratibha Patil | ||||
| - | Prime Minister | Manmohan Singh | ||||
| - | Chief Justice | K. G. Balakrishnan | ||||
| Legislature | Sansad | |||||
| - | Upper House | Rajya Sabha | ||||
| - | Lower House | Lok Sabha | ||||
| Independence | from United Kingdom | |||||
| - | Declared | 15 August 1947 | ||||
| - | Republic | 26 January 1950 | ||||
| Area | ||||||
| - | Total | 3,287,240 km2 ‡(7th) 1,269,210 sq mi | ||||
| - | Water (%) | 9.56 | ||||
| Population | ||||||
| - | 2009 estimate | 1,198,003,000[9] (2nd) | ||||
| - | 2001 census | 1,028,610,328[10] | ||||
| - | Density | 364.4/km2 (32nd) 943.9/sq mi | ||||
| GDP (PPP) | 2008 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $3.298 trillion[11] (4th) | ||||
| - | Per capita | $2,780[11] (130th) | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | 2008 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $1.206 trillion[11] (12th) | ||||
| - | Per capita | $1,017[11] (143rd) | ||||
| Gini (2004) | 36.8[12] | |||||
| HDI (2007) | 0.612[13] (medium) (134th) | |||||
| Currency | Indian rupee (₨) (INR) | |||||
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) | |||||
| - | Summer (DST) | not observed (UTC+5:30) | ||||
| Drives on the | left | |||||
| Internet TLD | .in | |||||
| Calling code | 91 | |||||
|
Non-numbered Footnotes:
* Bharat Ganarajya, that is, the Republic of India in Hindi,[8] written in the Devanāgarī script. See also other official names
‡ This is the figure as per the United Nations though the Indian government lists the total area as 3,287,260 square kilometres.[14] | ||||||
