India

India: Avian Bird Flu Virus Detected in eastern India

Date: September 21st, 2011 |

After the H5 strand of the avian bird flu virus was detected in eastern India, authorities ordered the immediate culling of poultry to thwart the spread of the virus. According to the Indian agricultural ministry, the virus was detected in two villages in the state of West Bengal. Federal authorities have called for a ban [read more]

India: Armed Bodo Tribesmen Abduct Wildlife Workers, Vow New Campaign for Separate State

Date: February 9th, 2011 |

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Bodo tribal groups in Assam in northeastern India vowed to renew their campaign for a separate state that they abandoned in 2003 when they settled for an autonomous region within Assam. A few hours after the announcement on Feb. 6, 20 of them abducted six World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) officials who were on [read more]

India: Multi-Entry Visa Rules Require 2-Month Gap for Tourists, but Exempt Medical Tourists

Date: January 19th, 2011 |

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New visa rules have clarified the requirement that tourists on multi-entry visas must remain out of the country for two months before returning. If your itinerary takes you from India to a neighboring country (Nepal, for instance) and has you returning to India before going home, the two-month requirement will be waived so long as [read more]

India: Fog Snarls Travel in Northern India; Road Rage Increases in Delhi

Date: December 29th, 2010 |

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Several days of heavy fog in northern India disrupted train and air schedules, delaying trains for hours and canceling many flights out of Delhi. Forecasts called for many more foggy days so travel could be disrupted indefinitely. Dense winter fog is common in Delhi and the surrounding area. In other news, road rage is rising [read more]

India: Touts Face New Penalties in Delhi; Goa’s Tourist Season Draws Hawkers; Ayodhya Court Decision Greeted with Calm

Date: October 6th, 2010 |

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A new law put in place in New Delhi Oct. 1 is designed to protect tourists from a scourge as old as India itself: touts. The Delhi Prevention of Touting and Malpractices against Tourists ordinance imposes a penalty of up to one year in prison and a fine of 10,000 rupees ($226). Anyone caught cheating [read more]

Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka: U.S. State Department Issues Alert for ICC Cricket World Cup

Date: February 23rd, 2011 |

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The U.S. State Department issued an alert for travelers to Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka for the ICC Cricket World Cup Feb. 19-April 2. Though no specific threat information exists, the State Department warned that such high profile events can be targets for terrorist attacks. Since local authorities are responsible for the security around individual [read more]

India: The Life of a Tout Just Gets Tougher

Date: February 2nd, 2011 |

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The life of a tout in India isn’t easy, and in Rajasthan’s Jaipur it’s about to get tougher. The Tourist Assistant Force, a special tourist police division, rounds up touts who harass tourists or lead them to showrooms where prices are inflated and the touts get kickbacks. Once in custody, the TAF hands them over [read more]

India: Tourist Police Coming to Kolkata

Date: January 12th, 2011 |

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To take the sting out of arrival in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), a special tourist police force composed of former army personnel will be put in place soon at the airport and two of the city’s busiest railway stations, Howrah and Sealdah. The 100 officers will man booths at these transit hubs as well as such [read more]

India: Goa Police Enforce No-Smoking Ban

Date: November 23rd, 2010 |

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Police in Goa launched an anti-smoking campaign on the state’s popular beaches aimed both at second-hand tobacco smoke and drug users. They are targeting restaurants and beach shacks that offer the smoking of hookahs (water pipes) and insisting that the establishments post no smoking signs and remove ash trays from the premises. Restaurants that violate [read more]

India: Commonwealth Games Threatened by Construction Delays, Security Issues

Date: September 22nd, 2010 |

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With the Commonwealth Games set for Oct. 3-13 in New Delhi, concerns are growing that the venue will not be ready and the events will be affected, possibly canceled. Many buildings remain unfinished and a footbridge built to connect the main stadium to a parking lot collapsed Sept. 21, injuring 23 workers, five of them [read more]

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