Vienna - India was about to take a key step towards implementing its nuclear trade deal with the United States on Friday, as the UN nuclear watchdog's board met to decide on an inspection protocol with the Asian nation.

Diplomats said ahead of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors meeting they did not expect any of the 35 board members to block the inspection agreement, even though some are concerned about possible loopholes that might allow India to cease inspections.

Khar, Aug 1 : The Pakistan unit of the Taliban - Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) – has described as ‘baseless’ the statement made by Adviser to the Pakistan PM on Interior Affairs Rehman Malik saying that TTP was getting funds from India.

Dismissing the statement, TTP spokesman Maulvi Umer said that it was totally unfounded as the TTP was fighting jihad against India and considered it as an enemy.

Mumbai, Aug 1: Indian Navy''s e-procurement portal was launched by Vice Admiral K Raina AVSM, Chief of Logistics at Material Organisation in Mumbai.

The adoption of the dynamic procurement model is a pioneering step towards bringing about greater objectivity, accountability and openness in procurement activities.

This e-governance initiative allows for faster, more efficient handling of tendering action, receipt or evaluation of Quotes and placement of orders.

Integrated with the Navy''s Integrated Logistics Management System (ILMS), it is expected to greatly improve workflow, speed, accuracy and data integrity.

New Delhi, Aug. 1: Afghan President Hamid Karzai will pay a three-day state visit to India from August 4.

A spokesman of the Indian External Affairs Ministry said that Karzai would be visiting New Delhi after attending the 15th SAARC Summit in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Afghan Foreign Affairs Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta and the country’s National Security Advisor Dr. Zalmai Rasoul.

The visit assumes significance in the wake of the recent bombing of the Indian Embassy in Kabul in which over 50 people, including an Indian diplomat and an Indian Army brigadier were killed.

New Delhi, Aug 1 : The condition of Union Minister for Human Resource Development Arjun Singh, who is suffering from a stomach infection, is improving, the doctors attending to him said today.

The veteran Congress leader was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) two days ago following complaint of severe stomachache.

“His condition is stable and he is improving,” said Dr. D K Sharma, Medical Superintendent, AIIMS.

New Delhi - At least 23 Nepalese pilgrims were killed and 10 were missing and feared dead after their bus crashed into a river in India's northern mountainous state of Uttarkhand, police said Friday.

The bus, which was carrying 38 passengers, skidded off a mountain road Thursday night and fell about 46 metres into the Alaknanda River near Chamoli.

Five people survived and were being treated at a government hospital in the town 160 kilometres east of the state capital, Dehradun.