Indian Health Minister, Anbumani Ramadoss passed a controversial statement by saying that the fight against AIDS will be significantly advanced when homosexuality is legalized in the country.

The minister feels that the fight against the deadly virus could be advanced if the government doesn’t consider homosexuality as a crime and encourage gays and lesbians to come out of the closet.

Presently, under section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, having sex with the same gender is a criminal act as it is “against the order of the nature.”

New Delhi, Aug 12 : WTO Director General Pascal Lamy will meet Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh here today to find ways for picking up the threads from last month''s failed trade talks in Geneva.

During his two-day visit, Lamy will also hold talks with Union Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath, and also with representatives of the Indian industry.

Guwahati, August 11 : Suspected ULFA militants hurled a hand grenade at the office of the Superintendent of Police, in Bongaigaon district of Lower Assam, in run up to Independence Day.

No casualty was reported in the blast.

The grenade was lobbed by ULFA militants at around 5:30 a. m , from a market place, that was located behind the office in Bongaigaon town.

The grenade is said to have exploded in the office verandah, shattering glass panes, but not causing much damage to the building.

Police have launched a manhunt to nab those involved behind the blast.

Abu Dhabi, August 11 : Three Indian workers, who were duped by a recruitment agent in India, and were left stranded in the UAE, have been provided with air tickets to home.

According to a report in Gulf News, the victims are from the state of Tamil Nadu, who arrived in UAE as a group of ten after they each paid the agent 100,000 Indian rupees.

However, the agent only provided them with visit visas and disappeared upon their arrival in the UAE.

The workers had been promised food and shelter until they were fully settled in their new positions, but were shocked after realizing that they had been tricked.

The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is all set to launch various online courses from this week.

In a statement released on Sunday, the university said that it will extend its distance learning programmes.

Latha Pillai, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of IGNOU said that the university in collaboration with Sri Aurobindo Centre for Advanced Research (SACAR), Puducherry will launch Online Ph D, M Phil, M A, PG Diploma and PG Certificates courses from 15th of August.

Srinagar, India  - Police fired in the air and used rubber pellets, tear gas, water cannons and batons to disperse thousands of protestors in the streets of towns in the northern Indian state Jammu and Kashmir Monday, officials and witnesses said.

The demonstrators, mostly fruit growers, were attempting to march towards Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administrated Kashmir to protest what they called the "economic blockade" of the Kashmir valley by Hindu activists in the southern Jammu district.

Kashmir, a disputed region between India and Pakistan, is divided into two parts, one administered by Pakistan and the other by India.