New Delhi, Dec 16 : The Government today introduced a Bill in Lok Sabha to formally set up a National Investigation Agency (NIA) and another legislation to strengthen laws against terror.

Introducing the Bill, Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram said there is need for setting up an agency at the Central level to investigate offences related to terrorism and certain other acts, which have national ramifications.

New Delhi, Dec 16 : In a bid to restore the trust hurt by tainted milk scandal, China has asked its food producers to rid their products of illegal additives.

The investigating team led by Health Ministry, the State Food and Drug Administration, and seven government departments have blacklisted 17 non-food substances that could be added to food production.

New Delhi, Dec. 16 : The Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), Josette Sheeran, today praised the close co-operation between the Government of India and WFP in pioneering innovative hunger solutions to combat global malnutrition.

New Delhi, Dec 16 : Indian pugilists Jitender Kumar, Akhil Kumar, A. L. Lakra and Dinesh Kumar received a warm welcome at the Indira Gandhi International Airport
(IGI) today on their return from Moscow where they clinched bronze medals at the Boxing World Cup.

The four boxers were hailed by the fans who had gathered at the airport to welcome them with flowers and music.

Boxer Akhil Kumar who had missed bronze at Beijing Olympics seemed extremely pleased with his performance at the Moscow World Cup.

With the aim to attract students towards science by the next few years, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has made announcement about the launching of ‘INSPIRE’ (Innovation In Science Pursuit for Inspired Research), a scholarship programme of the Department of Science & Technology in New Delhi. 

The Parliament has cleared the bill relating to salary hike of President, Vice-President and state Governors. 
Now they will get a three-fold increase in monthly salary.

The President will get Rs 1.50 lakh per month, Vice President Rs 1.25 lakh and Governors Rs 1.10 lakh. (Now its Rs 50,000, Rs 40,000 and Rs 36,000 respectively) 

The revised hike in salary and pension will come into effect from January 1, 2009. 

The President and Vice-President will also get a pension of 50 percent of their salaries.

The bill provides several other facilities for the former Presidents.