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June 19, 2013
PHOTOS: Swollen Yamuna leaves 15,000 homeless in Delhi
Threat of flood loomed large over the national capital as the water level in Yamuna rose well above the danger mark and is set to go up significantly with Haryana releasing over nine lakh cusecs of water into the river in the last two days.
STUNNING PHOTOS: Military might at the Paris Air Show
The 50th International Paris Air Show, which began on Monday at the Le Bourget exhibition centre, will culminate on June 23 and will bring together all the aviation industry's players across the globe to showcase the latest technological innovations. More than 2100 exhibitors from 45 countries are showcasing their flying wonders in the 192,000 square metres of exhibition space.
PHOTOS: Massive devastation at Uttarakhand
The famous Kedarnath shrine and the surrounding valley have been severely damaged and submerged in mud and slush after unprecedented flash floods hit the area and other parts of Uttarakhand.
Dilli Gupshup: Will Jayalalithaa fill NDA's vacuum?
Will Jayalalithaa fill the vacuum created after Nitish Kumar's exit from BJP-led NDA? Why the UPA government's Cabinet reshuffle ended with a whimper... Why the food security bill was stalled at the last moment... All this and more in this week's Dilli Gupshup.
June 18, 2013
Why Obama, Putin look so glum
Russian President Vladimir Putin and United States President Barack Obama on Monday held face-to-face talks on Syria on the sidelines of the G8 summit in Lough Erne, Britain.
Flood fury: Army deployed for rescue efforts
As large parts of the nation reel under incessant rains and floods, leading to breakdown of communications, the army is helping in disaster management efforts.
Photos: Death toll in North India monsoon fury rises to 130
Rains continued to lash most parts of north India on Tuesday, affecting normal life in the region.
DON'T MISS! BEST PHOTOS in the last 48 hours
Defining photographs clicked across the globe in the last 48 hours.
IN PHOTOS: When Kashmiri Pandits returned to the Valley
Thousands of Kashmiri Pandits kept their annual date with the Khir Bhawani festival at north Kashmir's Tullamulla temple, about 30 kms from summer capital Srinagar, on Monday.
June 17, 2013
Pix: 50 dead as landslides, floods wreak havoc in north India
Monsoon woes gripped several parts of north India today as heavy rains wreaked havoc in the hill states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, leaving over 50 people dead and hundreds stranded, while several parts in Haryana were flooded after water level of Yamuna rose alarmingly.
BJP to 'expose' Nitish; will play CDs of him praising Modi
Embittered by Janata Dal-United snapping ties with the National Democratic Alliance, Bihar Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to expose the "duplicity" of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar by playing CDs of his speeches before people in which he "consistently praised" Narendra Modi since the 2002 riots.
IN PHOTOS: When Pope blessed Harley riders
Pope Francis blessed thousands of Harley Davidson riders in the Vatican city during the four day celebration marking the American bike manufacturer's 110th anniversary.
Meet the new ministers in Union Council
Eight new faces were inducted in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's council of ministers on Monday, with Sisram Ola and Oscar Fernandes making a re-entry after a gap of four years.
Monsoon mayhem: Delhi airport, world's second best, submerged
Heavy rains lashed New Delhi for the second day in a row causing water-logging and subsequent traffic chaos in various parts of the city.
BJP betrayed Atal, Advani; left us with no option: Nitish
A day after Janata Dal-United snapped ties with the National Democratic Alliance, a combative Nitish Kumar on Monday rejected Bharatiya Janata Party's charge of betrayal and squarely blamed it for the break-up of the 17-year-old alliance, saying his party was left with "no other way" in the "new era" within BJP.
Why we cannot write off L K Advani yet
At much personal cost, Advani is wise enough now to understand that BJP is not capable of winning 272 seats in the Lok Sabha on its own. He knows that most top leaders in the party as well as regional satraps are uneasy about an uncompromising, dictatorial leader like Modi dousing their future aspirations. He feels he still may be a compromise candidate acceptable to most allies, says
June 16, 2013
JD-U-BJP break-up: 'Divorce between 2 mismatching partners'
The 17-year-old alliance between Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United and the Bharatiya Janaya Party is over. Here is how political parties reacted to the break up.
Photos: Heavy rains hit train services, make Mumbai crawl
Heavy rains continued to lash Mumbai and the adjoining Thane district, causing water-logging in the city and the suburbs and hitting suburban train services on the central line as the tracks were flooded.
It's official! Nitish splits with BJP, trust vote on Wednesday
The 17-year-old alliance between the Janata Dal-United and the Bharatiya Janata Party will come to an end on Sunday. An announcement to this effect will be made following a crucial meeting of the JD-U at 12.30 pm.
June 15, 2013
Which avatar of Modi would India like to see?
From someone who broke minority assertiveness in Gujarat to someone who eschews caste and creed for national pride -- this is how Narendra Modi bids to win over India, says Gyan Varma
June 14, 2013
'I hope Bihar doesn't pay a price for BJP-JD-U split'
In an interview with the , Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley says that the Third front is a failed idea
IN PIX: Iran votes to elect Ahmadinejad's successor
Iran on Friday began voting to elect its next president. The first round in the eleventh election for the president was held on Friday.
Top 20 dramatic PHOTOS shot this week
Rediff.com brings for you a collection of some of the best photos shot around the world this week
Chalo Assembly hits Hyderabad; do or die for AP CM, TRS
Andhra Pradesh capital Hyderabad on Friday resembled a fortress with 10,000 policemen from the state and 2000 Central paramilitary force personnel deployed in view of the 'Chalo Assembly' protest called by pro-Telangana parties that began this morning.
Photos: The many LOVELY 'friends' of Casanova Putin
When Russian President Vladimir Putin and his wife Lyudmila Putina announced on national television that they were divorcing after 30 years together, many Russians thought it was an elaborately staged hoax.
Pakistan's only WAR-READY female fighter pilot
Every day, Ayesha Farooq, a 26-year-old woman, dons her olive green scarf to cover her hair and puts on a combat helmet to cover her hair -- for she is the first female war-ready fighter pilot in the all-male Pakistani air force.
June 13, 2013
Modi is 'Bhasmasur', has consumed his mentor Advani: Ramesh
Taking a dig at developments in the Bharatiya Janata Party, Union Minister Jairam Ramesh described Narendra Modi as 'Bhasmasur', a mythological character known for trying to destroy his creator, and said the Gujarat Chief Minister has "consumed" his mentor L K Advani.
PHOTOS: Himalayan airfares can't deter the Kashmir tourist
The steep hike in airfares is making Kashmir out of bounds for most travellers, leading many business-owners to fear that the tourists may be forced to look for another holiday destination, says Mukhtar Shah.
PIX: Inside the wonder called Luminarium
British artist Alan Parkinson poses in his inflatable sculpture called Luminarium before its opening on the ground of the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva
June 12, 2013
Row in Australia over PM Gillard's 'small breasts' menu
An Australian opposition leader has sparked a controversy by using "grossly sexist and offensive" words to describe Prime Minister Julia Gillard's body at a party fundraiser menu. The menu offered up "Julia Gillard Kentucky Fried Quail -- Small Breasts, Huge Thighs and a Big Red Box".
PIX: Raj Thackeray's warrant cancelled in exam violence case
A Mumbai court on Wednesday cancelled the warrant issued against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray after he appeared in a case registered against him for violence during Railway Recruitment Board examinations at a college in suburban Bandra in October 2008.
IN PHOTOS: Indian Air Force greets the 'Hulk'
The Indian Air Force Wednesday flew its first heavy-lift strategic transport aircraft Boeing C-17 Globemaster III to home, becoming the newest operator of the leading airlifter.
Modi and Advani: The two faces of BJP's Hindutva
The differences between the two leaders underscore a major transition point in the political evolution of the saffron party
RSS is the real WINNER in Modi-Advani tussle
Rarely have the fortunes of a political party been so inversely related to the future of a few of its key leaders, says
PIX: What bodyguards do when they have nothing to do
Rediff.com presents some interesting photographs of bodyguards idling around as their bosses attend the Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly.
Most violent nations: India in the same league as Pakistan
A report compiled by Sydney-based think tank Institute of Economics and Peace has said that the world became less peaceful over the last one year, with a sharp rise in the number of homicides.
REWIND: Best images in the last 24 hours
We bring you some of the best pictures from around the globe in the last 24 hours.
No jeans, mobile phones for Brahmin girls: BJP MP
'We are under attack from Western culture, our culture doesn't teach us to wear jeans,' says Bharatiya Janata Party MP Raghunandan Sharma.
June 11, 2013
UPA to bring ordinance to implement Food Security Bill
Most Congress leaders felt the government should introduce an ordinance so that the party can get the credit for the legislation that will provide food security to millions in the country.
PICS: Mahim building collapse death toll rises to 10
The death toll in the building collapse at central Mumbai has mounted to 10 as three more bodies were recovered from the debris on Tuesday the evening, a civic official said.
Advani-BJP tiff resolved as RSS intervenes
Bharatiya Janata Party Tuesday reached a truce with sulking patriarch L K Advani who agreed not to press for his resignation from key party posts after Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh intervened to end the two-day crisis triggered by his opposition to Narendra Modi's elevation.
Minorities won't be happy with Modi's elevation: Patnaik
In an interview to CNN-IBN, Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal Chief Naveen Patnaik reiterated his stand that the Third Front would be an alternative to the BJP and the Congress in 2014.
PHOTOS: Chinese return to space, this time for 15 days
China on Tuesday successfully launched its fifth and longest manned space mission with three astronauts, including a woman, on board 'Shenzhou-10' as part of the Communist giant's efforts to build a permanent space lab of its own by 2020
Rise and unwilling fall of Indian politics' 'Bhishma Pitamah'
The BJP was leveraging Hindu religious leaders who'd banded under the Vishwa Hindu Parishad for building a Ram temple at the site of a masjid, notes .
RSS wants Advani to be respected; there's no pressure: BJP
Bharatiya Janata Party President Rajnath Singh on Tuesday denied reports that the party was under pressure from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh over the crisis triggered by the resignation of senior leader L K Advani from all party positions.
This 'clean' auto plans to go from Bengaluru to London
Its creator, Naveen Rabelli aims to complete the journey in 90 days
Can the Congress 'tame' Modi?
What were BJP leaders Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley hiding? Why does the Madhya Pradesh chief minister need a mediator?What is Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde's latest gaffe? All this and more in this week's Dilli Gupshup...
Children of Syria: Childhood lost in violence and conflict
Stirring images that tell a story of the children of conflict.
June 10, 2013
Mahim building collapse: 3 dead, several still trapped
Several people are feared trapped under the debris when a portion of a five-storey building collapsed in Mahim in central Mumbai on Monday evening
Difficult to stay in ventilator-supported NDA: JD-U
Janata Dal-United on Monday gave first indications of parting ways with the National Democratic Alliance, saying it is "difficult" to remain in the alliance which is on "ventilator support" in the wake of resignation of L K Advani from top BJP posts and anointment of Narendra Modi as party's campaign committee chief for next Lok Sabha polls.
BJP: The party with differences
Narendra Modi takes centre stage, but not a PM candidate yet, says Business Standard.
Warning to BJP chief: Modi chops off hands that promote him
Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh on Monday cautioned BJP President Rajnath Singh against the Gujarat Chief Minister, saying Narendra Modi has always "chopped off" the hands, which promoted him.
INSIDE STORY: Modi's game plan for the top post in 2014
speaks to BJP insiders and those privy to Modi's thinking to piece together the Gujarat's strongman plan/journey that aims for the biggest prize in Indian politics.
Manic Monday: Torrential rains cripple Mumbai; traffic hit
Torrential rains continued to lash Mumbai and coastal parts of Maharashtra for the second consecutive day on Monday, disrupting normal life in the region.
June 08, 2013
The Modi storm has left the Congress VERY nervous
Although the ruling Congress realises that it cannot hope for a repeat of its 2009 performance, it hopes that differences within BJP and NDA over naming Narendra Modi as the PM candidate may work in its favour, notes .
PIX: Five dead as gunman goes on rampage in California
At least six people were killed as a gunman went on a rampage in Southern California, before being shot down by the police at a college library, some three miles away from where United States President Barack Obama was attending a fundraiser.
June 07, 2013
Is opposition to Modi reason for Advani skipping BJP meet?
Bharatiya Janata Party patriarch L K Advani's absence in Panaji on Friday cast a shadow on the national executive meeting beginning on Saturday raising doubts whether the party would go ahead with its plans to announce Narendra Modi as head of the campaign committee for the Lok Sabha elections.
In PHOTOS: A peek into the isolated lives of North Koreans
Rediff.com brings you photographs of daily life from inside the world's most militarised country.
Top 15 DRAMATIC photos shot this week
Rediff.com takes a look at the most dramatic moments from around the globe this week
Beneath the deceptive calm, despair, anger brew in Kashmir
For the Kashmiri people, the gun remains India's main face, and coercion or deception by New Delhi dominates their consciousness, says Praful Bidwai after a recent visit to the valley.
June 06, 2013
Professor uses nanotechnology to build affordable water filter
Professor T Pradeep talks about the nano material he and his associates have fabricated and how it can be used in an affordable water filter in an interview with Rediff.com's .
'Terrorists have nothing to hope for in their life'
Meet Professor V S Subrahmanian, who has made predicting acts of terrorism his business.
ICONIC PHOTOS: Woman in Red ignites Turkey
The image of the "woman in red" has become the leitmotif for female protesters during the ongoing violent anti-government demonstrations in Turkey's capital Ankara and in Istanbul.
90pc of nurses use cellphones while assisting surgeries: Study
Around 90 per cent of nurses and 50 per cent of operation theatre technicians employed in various Delhi hospitals use their mobile phones while assisting surgeries, apart from 10 per cent of doctors who check SMSes during the procedure, a study has claimed.
The most POWERFUL photos over the past year: Part III
Rediff.com brings you some of the award-winning pictures from bestselling Reuters Our World Now collector's series. This is the final part of the series
No hot pants on this bus! Cover up, says Beijing police
As complaints of sexual harassment of women in public transport increased in Beijing, the Beijing Police has warned women against wearing "minimal clothing" like mini skirts or hot pants while travelling in buses and subways.
June 05, 2013
Election victories boost Modi's PM dreams
As Narendra Modi continues his ascendancy with impressive victories in the by-elections, Congress insiders are disturbed that party Vice-President Rahul Gandhi failed to understand the ground reality, reports Anita Katyal.
In Photos: 'Lion of Punjab' scripts history as Pak PM
Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz chief Nawaz Sharif was on Wednesday formally elected Pakistan's prime minister by an overwhelming majority in the National Assembly, setting the stage for an unprecedented third term as premier.
Reshuffle blues: Will Shukla go and Bansal return?
The disquiet over Kapil Sibal... Modi's rise rattles the UPA... Nitin Gadkari is missed... All this, and more, in this week's Dilli Gupshup
What is the crisis in Turkey all about?
So, what caused the situation to take a turn for the worse, why have the people of Turkey turned against the government? We answer a few of these questions.
The most POWERFUL photos over the past year: Part II
Rediff.com brings you some of the award-winning pictures from bestselling Reuters Our World Now collector's series.
June 04, 2013
BJP's Goa meet to focus on national security
National security and corruption will be the BJP's poll plank for the coming Lok Sabha election, reveals Sheela Bhatt.
NDA will WIN over 300 seats in 2014 polls: BJP
Calling the United Progressive Alliance a "minority government" and ruling out the possibility of a Third Front government, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday claimed that the National Democratic Alliance would come to power after the 2014 elections.
'Nitish Kumar is a one-man-show, isn't Gujarat also so?'
'We had become buffoons with Lalu. If you were a Bihari you were seen as a buffoon -- that has changed. Now there's a pride in being Bihari.' Archana Masih reports on the changes in Bihar.
FLASHBACK: When tanks rolled down Tiananmen Square
Thousands of Chinese are on Tuesday observing the 24th anniversary of the bloody military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square.
Why RTI verdict is BAD NEWS for India's politicians
A full bench of the Central Information Commission on Monday passed a historic judgment, stating that political parties would under the ambit of the Right to Information Act). While the CIC verdict was made about a case connected to the Communist Party of India, fresh complaints may be filed against all other parties before the CIC to secure a similar verdict and put them under the ambit of the RTI.
The most wanted desi jihadis and Naxals
The National Investigation Agency is tracking down terrorists hiding in Uttar Pradesh and Naxals in Andhra Pradesh.
China's first lady steals the show in Latin America
China's new first lady Peng Liyuan continued with her charm offensive demonstrating her musical talent during a recent visit to Latin America along with her husband President Xi Jinping.
Away from home, troops fall for extra-marital affairs?
Denial of leave to army personnel, including officers and soldiers, may tempt them to have extra-marital affairs and in extreme cases, they may also resort to misbehaviour and flirting, an army study has said.
Go topless this summer in New York!
Earlier this year in February, the New York Police Department decided to go soft on city dwellers looking to soak up the sun.
IMAGES: Worst flood in 70 years inundates central Europe
We bring forth images from various European countries, including Germany, Austria, Czech Republic and Poland, which are experiencing reportedly the worst flooding in the last 70 years.
PHOTOS: Israeli women soldiers in the line of fire
A look at some of the beautiful women serving in the Israeli combat forces
'Spirituality and religiosity complement each other'
Sunanda Leelaram has dedicated her life to teach Vedanta, a body of knowledge that expounds the technique of life and living. Rediff.com's Arthur J Pais speaks to Sunandaji, who is currently is on a multi-city North American tour.
June 03, 2013
Pakistan has 10 more nukes than India!
India has added roughly 10 nuclear warheads for a total of 90 to 110 in 2012; Pakistan has increased its warheads by about 10 to between 100 and 120; and China now has 250 against 240 in 2012, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said in its annual report.
The most POWERFUL photos over the past year
The most POWERFUL photos over the past year
Why Indians won't trust Henry Kissinger
How does India take to the mellowed Dr Kissinger? India's elites may have dropped their earlier allergy toward him, but they are on guard still, feels Ambassador .
Netizens beware! China could be snooping around
China is the "most active source" of national and industrial cyber espionage in the world, a report by US-based telecom major Verizon alleged.
June 01, 2013
PIX: Two Hizbul commanders gunned down in encounter
Two top militant commanders of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit were gunned down by security forces in a fierce gun battle that lasted over 24 hours and ended Saturday evening in south Kashmir's Shopian district.
Photos: Second wave of tornadoes slams Oklahoma, 9 killed
At least nine people were killed and over 100 others injured after a series of deadly tornadoes hit Oklahoma City, days after the region was battered by a monster storm that claimed 24 lives.
May 31, 2013
Why are politicians baying for Srinivasan's blood?
Arvind Kejriwal accused Robert Vadra of participating in questionable land deals. Those were just allegations, but so are the crimes supposedly committed by Gurunath Meiyappan. But one is a businessman's son-in-law and the other is a politician's son-in-law. And so, predictably, they were treated differently by the politicians, says T V R Shenoy.
Chhattisgarh massacre: Shocking details emerge!
Gruesome details are slowly emerging about the infamous Chhattisgarh massacre.
Citizens and police unite for Surat's 'third eye'
Surat's businessmen and citizens collect funds to help the police build a state-of-the-art surveillance system that will provide real-time video coverage of the city. reports.
Dr Singh's BIGGEST regret and his take on IPL scandal
Rejecting reports about a rift between him and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday asserted that there was no truth in them as the two worked together almost on all issues.
DRAMATIC pix: Topless protests, France's 1st gay marriage...
Rediff.com takes a look at the most dramatic events that unfolded across the globe in the last 24 hours.
Pakistan, Nigeria are Christian KILLING fields: Report
The killing of Christians is reportedly on the rise in Islamic countries such as Pakistan, Nigeria and Egypt according to a human rights group, with the Vatican claiming that 1,00,000 Christians are being killed each year.
'The Maoists had to show something to the people'
'This was long expected because Mahendra Karma was on the Maoists's hit list... I don't think the Maoists cared as much about the consequences as they cared about the fact that they had to get rid of Mahendra Karma. Whatever else they do or don't do now, they can say they have revenged Salwa Judum.' Sociologist Nandini Sundar on the Maoist massacre and its aftermath.
May 30, 2013
How the government suppresses dissent
The mother of intolerance is the Union home ministry, run by ultra-conservative bureaucrats who are inclined to take a hard line on matters ranging from fighting insurgencies to putting citizens under surveillance to outlawing dissident groups, says Praful Bidwai.
Major blow! Congress stalwart Keshav Rao joins TRS
Senior Congress leader from Andhra Pradesh Keshav Rao resigned from his party on Thursday and joined the K Chandrashekhar Rao-led Telangana Rashtra Samithi in Hyderabad.
IN PHOTOS: The mesmerising Mount Everest through ages
As the world celebrates the 60th anniversary of the first successful expedition to the peak of Mount Everest, and countless stories attached to it, we present some scintillating images of the Big Daddy clicked through the ages.
'1984 riots a genocide launched by some Congress leaders'
Over 100 members of the Sikh community held a protest in front of a federal court on Wednesday to protest the alleged role of Congress leaders in the 1984 riots.
May 29, 2013
PM, Abe script next level of Indo-Japan strategy
Rediff.com's , who is travelling with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Japan, reports from the significant bilateral meeting with Japanese Premier Shizo Abe in Tokyo.
'The tribal cause is a mask to further the Naxal agenda'
'We need a two-track approach -- one that deals with the leadership of the Naxals, who wish to overthrow the Indian State and the other, which focuses on the concerns of the people they pretend/claim to serve. There is clearly a need to recognise tribal populations as victims -- first of State apathy and discrimination and then of the Naxal agenda.' We again highlight Union Minister 's Sardar Patel memorial lecture.
Young mountaineer wants to get involved in Himalayan cleanup
On the 60th anniversary of the conquest of Mt Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, Krushnaa Patil, one of the youngest mountaineers to scale not only Everest but most of the other major peaks in the world, tells she now wants to get involved with the cleanup of the mountains.
For Everest @ 60, Giripremi leads double assault on peaks
To mark the 60th anniversary of the conquest of Mt Everest, Pune's Giripremi led simultaneous climbs on the world's tallest peak as well as the Mt Lhotse, the world's fourth tallest. Ashish Mane, who climbed Lhotse as part of the expedition and who scaled Everest last year, speaks to about the experience
PICS: The 'cool' quotient this Indian summer
Temperatures across the plains in north India on Tuesday hovered over 43 degrees Celsius at several places with the region getting little relief from the summer sun which continues to beat down with all its intensity.
May 28, 2013
Maoists are no longer motivated by ideologies: Jairam
In an exclusive interview with CNN-IBN's Deputy Editor Sagarika Ghose, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said that there was nothing ideological about Maoists anymore, as they were extortionists and criminals.
Manmohan Singh's love affair with Japan
On the eve of his talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh minced no words while expressing his intense love for the Asian giant, reports , who is accompanying the PM to Japan and Thailand.
Photos: This flag is BIGGER than 3 football fields!
A tiny Romanian village has entered the record books for unfurling the largest flag ever made.
Hooked and high, Punjab snorts in a chemical cloud
From traditional heroin and cocaine to over-the-counter medicines, drugs hang heavy over Punjab's future with 70 per cent of youth believed to be affected by the problem. travels across the state to find out how the government is tackling the menace.
How to tackle the growing menace of Naxalism
The Maoist insurgency is a blatantly illegal and no-holds-barred war against the Indian State, against the idea and existence of Indian democracy, and that includes the poor tribals and farmers for whose cause the Maoists claim to fight. It is not only ignorant but also extremely dangerous to romanticise the Naxal cause, says
REWIND: Best images in the last 24 hours
We bring you some of the best pictures from around the globe in the last 24 hours.
May 27, 2013
People of India have fondness for people of Japan: PM
Manmohan Singh's visit will have a special focus on giving boost to cooperation in defence, economic and energy, reports rediff.com's who is travelling with the prime minister.
Re-assessing Nehru: 'Naive' or realist?
Colonel (retd) Anil Athale take a critical look at Jawaharlal Nehru's foreign and defence policy contributions and failures.
The Maoists are looking to overthrow the Indian State by 2050
The power of the left-wing extremist groups is immense and they can, in one sense, if they want to, bring many sectors of the Indian economy to its knees, warns former home secretary GK Pillai
Centre-state squabble must end to counter Maoist threat
Fancy solutions by armchair experts are of no use to thousands of valiant CRPF jawans and local police who are fighting lone battles, says retired IPS officer
'We are over-reacting to Saudi Arabia's Nitaqat crisis'
'The problems faced by migrants remain the same for the last 20, 30 years -- salaries not being paid properly, exploitation by agents, etc. This is the biggest problem and not what the Saudi government implements now,' migration expert Dr Irudaya Rajan tells Rediff.com's Shobha Warier.
The 'world' wants to buy this China-Pak fighter jet
As Chinese Premier Li Keqiang wrapped up his "impressive" visit to Pakistan to firm up their economic and military ties, a Pakistan official said "numerous countries" are interested in obtaining JF-17 Thunder fighter jet jointly developed by both the countries.
IN PHOTOS: Playing catch-up with a TORNADO
We bring forth recent and archival Reuters images of these bravehearts, aka the storm chasers!
15 STUNNING photos from the week that was!
We present some of the most dramatic photographs clicked across the globe since the last week.
May 26, 2013
'This could be the Maoists' final push'
A day after Maoists gunned down the founder of anti-Maoist militia Salwa Judum, Mahendra Karma, spoke with Rahul Pandita, author of 'Hello, Bastar: The Untold Story of India's Maoist Movement', for his insights into what he terms as the ageing Maoist leadership's "one final push to their war against the State in their lifetime."
Will not bow down before Naxalism: PM Singh
Asserting that the country will never bow down before Naxalism, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday said government will pursue the perpetrators of the crime with urgency and is committed to bringing them to justice.
May 25, 2013
It's eat, sleep and no work for Sanjay Dutt in Yerwada jail
The high rise walls of Yerwada central jail in Pune maintain a stony silence but curious passers-by in this suburban area have been taking a momentary pause to look at the imposing gates behind which Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt has started his 42-month sentence.
May 24, 2013
Breathe in for a calm life, breathe out for happiness
Chennai-based Indian School of Breathing founder Dr Sukanya explains how breathing and meditation are key to a happy and longer life.
How Indian media helped defuse crisis with China
By sensitising the entire nation of this unprovoked incursion and the resultant mood of anger among Indians, the media had set into motion rapid official and diplomatic developments not only in New Delhi but also in Beijing, writes Air Marshal (retd) Bhushan Gokhale.
Photos: Why the War on Terror needs these killer 'birds'
We present some recent and archival Reuters images of unmanned drone being developed across the globe.
10 STUNNING photographs from across the planet
We present some of the best photographs clicked in the recent past across the world.
May 23, 2013
'We took a U-turn under Nitish Kumar'
What is Change really like in Bihar? Once seen as India's basket-case, what is its turnaround story like? Archana Masih reports from India's other most talked about state.
The 3 idiots of Indian cricket or the 3 scapegoats?
This mess is not limited to Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan, but has spread to include other, more famous and better connected, both cricketers and non-cricketers. If so, we may never unearth all the facts. But in all seriousness we have to ask if match-fixing in cricket truly deserves this level of attention, asks T V R Shenoy.
Why won't the Gandhis do it?
Sonia and Rahul Gandhi's inflexibility has left the Congress searching for a new leader. But not in the way you think.
Mumbai's local trains kill over 2000 people every year!
Train accidents on suburban Mumbai local routes has claimed 23,473 lives in the past 11 years, information sought under the Right to Information Act has revealed.
Kudankulam: The judgment and beyond
Regardless of the wisdom contained in the Supreme Court judgment, we need to go beyond it, commission the plant after making sure, through an international inspection, that it is safe, create a fool-proof disaster management system and make a pledge that India will progressively move towards elimination of nuclear power within a time frame, says
IMPRESSIONS: When Sonia Gandhi chided Dilliwalas
, who attended the United Progressive Alliance's fourth anniversary event on Wednesday, shares some gupshup picked up from 7, Race Course Road.
Akhilesh's Band, Baaja, Baraat idea for Maya's parks
Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati's dream projects, including memorials and parks in the name of Dalit icons in Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow, would now witness marriages and cultural events with the Akhilesh Yadav government deciding to use the space for public purposes.
12-year-old Sathwik spells Chimborazo right to win Bee
Sathwik Karnik, an Indian-origin boy from Massachusetts has won this year's National Geographic Bee contest after gruelling rounds testing his geographic knowledge about lions in Botswana, mountain ranges in Asia and port cities in England.
15 DRAMATIC moments captured on lens
We present some of the most dramatic photographs clicked across the globe in the last few days.
17 ways to take on an aggressive China
India needs an integrated policy to deal with China. breaks it into 17 steps.
Sonia Gandhi 9th most POWERFUL woman in the world: Forbes
United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi and India-origin PepsiCo chief Indra Nooyi figure among the top 10 in the global list of most powerful women, in the league of leaders like Angela Merkel, Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton.
Lashkar terrorist killed in Srinagar encounter
Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorist Hilal Moulvi alias Khalid was gunned down in an encounter on Thursday morning in the in the heart of Jammu and Kashmir capital Srinagar.
May 22, 2013
PIX: 'Soldier beheaded' in suspected terror attack in London
In a suspected terror attack, a person believed to be British soldier was Wednesday beheaded in London by two men, who were shot and wounded by the police.
Supersonic BrahMos tested from INS Tarkash
India on Wednesday successfully test fired the 290-km range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from the Navy's latest guided missile frigate INS Tarkash off the coast of Goa.
UPA-II all about scams, corruption: BJPThe Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday sought to paint a dismal picture of United Progressive Alliance-II holding it responsible for the economic gloom and failure to give the country leadership while accusing it of diminishing the role of the prime minister.
Police turf war MESSES up IPL spot fixing probe
Delhi and Mumbai Police have been at logger heads in the past. But the ongoing tussle between the two police forces in connection with the spot fixing scandal in the Indian Premier League has made a mess of the investigation.
Spot Fixing: BIG names being kept under wraps?
More and more dirt is likely to spill out in the spot fixing scandal in the days ahead. But are some key players being protected by the police because of political pressure? Renu Mittal reports
The mystery of Delhi's missing girls
Reuters photographer Mansi Thapliyal spent time with the families of young girls who have gone missing in India's capital New Delhi, photographing them with their missing daughter's belongings. Between January 1 and May 8, 2013, 725 children in Delhi were reported missing and are untraced, according to data from India's Zonal Integrated Police Network website.
15 DRAMATIC moments captured on lens
We present some of the most dramatic photographs clicked across the globe in the last few days.
May 21, 2013
UPA does not deserve another term: Opinion poll
An opinion poll survey conducted by CNN-IBN shows that people are dissatisfied with the present UPA government and majority believe the UPA-II government does not deserve another term to rule.
When UPA almost announced free mobiles for poor...
After nine years in power, the United Progressive Alliance faces the question of credibility, says
PHOTOS: The real villains of Jalna
The struggle for water in the drought-hit Jalna district of Maharashtra through eyes of rediff.com's .
UP: 199 monumental scamsters and 1 question mark
Uttar Pradesh Lokayukta indicted 199 government officials, including two ministers, in the Rs 1,410 cr memorial scam. However, the omission of then chief minister Mayawati from the list has raised eyebrows. reports
PHOTOS: They defy DEATH, with style!
We present recent and archive Reuters images of daredevils performing out-of-the-world stunts.
Tornado ravages Oklahoma; 20 kids among 90 killed
At least 51 people, including 20 children, were killed when a massive tornado struck an area outside the American city of Oklahoma on Monday afternoon, officials said.
Staggering '83 pc Indians see China as major security threat'
A staggering 83 per cent of Indians view China as a major security threat, even as 63 per cent would like relation with the neighbouring country to be strengthened, an opinion poll has claimed.
May 20, 2013
UPA set for debacle in LS polls, NDA to gain: Survey
A countrywide survey done ABP News and Nielsen spells doom for the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance.If Lok Sabha polls were held right now, says the survey, the UPA will win only 136 of the 543 seats in the Lower House.
World is big enough to fit both our dreams: PM to Li
Taking stock of "lessons learnt" from the recent stand-off in Ladakh after a Chinese incursion there, India and China on Monday decided on further measures for maintaining peace and tranquility along their border.
Incursion shows that Chinese think our leadership is weak
The effect of India being perceived as a nation with a weak leadership on countries like Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and a host of others in south and southeast Asia, or the terror establishment across the border and their sleeper cells on our soil, can be profound, points out Brigadier Sapan Kumar Chatterji (retd)
Photos: Delhi sizzles at 46 degrees C, hottest day of season
Delhiites on Sunday reeled under heat wave conditions with the mercury soaring to over 46 degrees Celsius in some parts of the capital, which recorded the hottest day of the season so far.
Ties will suffer if no peace on border: Dr Singh to China PM
In a firm message to China, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday night voiced India's serious concern over the recent Chinese incursion in Ladakh and told his counterpart Li Keqiang that in the absence of peace and tranquility along the border, bilateral ties will suffer as the two leaders held hour-long cordial but candid talks.
PHOTOS: Indian Army terminates insurgents on US soil
Highlights of the Indo-US military exercise codenamed Yudh Abhyas 2013
May 19, 2013
IN PHOTOS: Chinese premier's three-day India visit begins
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived in New Delhi on a three-day state visit. He was received by Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahmed and senior ministry officials including Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai.
Oppn acting against the interests of poor, says Rahul
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has criticised the Opposition parties for stalling the Food Security Bill in Parliament, and asserted the United Progressive Alliance government was determined to enact the legislation for the benefit of people.
May 18, 2013
Li's visit: Will China give up its border bhaigiri?
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang visit to India, starting on Sunday, to break new ground amid recent border stand-off, could also focus on the need for settlement of border dispute besides boosting trade, Chinese analysts said in Beijing
24 HOURS: JLo's moves, Obama in pre-school and MORE
We present some of the most dramatic photographs clicked across the globe in the last 24 hours.
May 17, 2013
FAQs on cricket betting: Absence of action tells the real tale
As another murky saga of betting in cricket surfaces, raises some frequently asked questions on the subject and provides answers.
Sanjay Dutt restless in tiny 'anda cell meant for terrorists'
Actor Sanjay Dutt is feeling 'suffocated' in his egg-shaped high-security anda cell, which is generally used to house terror suspects and hardcore criminals, at the Arthur Road Jail in central Mumbai.
27 years later, Li Keqiang returns to India as Chinese premier
It's the fond memories of the Taj Mahal and the hospitality of Indians that bring Li Keqiang back to India, this time as the premier of the world's most populous nation.
Yudh Abhyas: Indian Army goes hunting in the US
Highlights of the ongoing Indo-US military exercise codenamed Yudh Abhyas 2013
All decks cleared for Srinivasan's bid to a top US court
The US Senate judiciary committee's unanimous approval to Srikanth 'Sri' Srinivasan's nomination has ensured his confirmation by Senate to be a slam dunk; and seat on influential DC Appeals Court could be catalyst toward the Indian American judge's Supreme Court nomination, reports Aziz Haniffa.
24 HOURS: Chidambaram's new avatar and MORE
We present some of the most dramatic photographs clicked across the globe in the last 24 hours.
May 16, 2013
24 HOURS: 10 STUNNING moments from around the world
We present some of the most dramatic photographs clicked across the globe in the last 24 hours.
Sanjay Dutt enters jail with Gita, Ramayan
Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt on Thursday surrendered before a designated TADA court in south Mumbai to serve a three-and-a-half year sentence in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts case.
PHOTOS: Indian Army's Yudh Abhyas @Fort Bragg
Yudh Abhyas, the annual bilateral soldier training between India and the United States, is on at the Fort Bragg military base in North Carolina.
Why Afghan President's India visit is well-timed
Hamid Karzai's visit also comes amidst a number of diplomatic developments in and around New Delhi
May 15, 2013
'Supreme Court wants CBI to be politically-neutral'
'The court would like to make the CBI politically neutral so that they behave as professionals and they are not influenced by somebody in power,' constitutional expert Anil Divan tells
PICS: Indian, US troops hold 'Yudh Abhyas' at Fort Bragg
Can Indian and American troops join hands to carry out a successful peacekeeping mission in a third country to rescue innocent civilians, whose lives are threatened either by their own regime or armed opposition?
Ladakh standoff revived India's distrust of China
India should make it clear that relations in the economic and other fields cannot improve without satisfactory progress in the border talks, feels senior analyst
'Nobody is snatching away the lions from Gujarat'
'Some fear that Gujarat's tourism potential will be lost. That's wrong. Gujarat has such wonderful places. And they have developed such a wonderful system of tourism for the Asiatic lion. That will continue.' Rediff.com's Vaihayasi Pande Daniel discusses the April 15 Supreme Court order -- where a pride or two of lions will move from the Gir forest in Gujarat to Madhya Pradesh, with Dr Asad R Rahmani, director, Bombay Natural History Society.
X-47B, the new silent killer over water
The United States Navy has for the first time launched an unmanned aircraft the size of a fighter jet from a warship in the Atlantic Ocean, as it wades deeper into America's drone programme amid growing concerns over the legality of its escalating surveillance and lethal strikes.
'Hindus, Muslims, Christians voted for Modi in Gujarat'
Ever since the Sivagiri Mutt in Kerala invited Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the chief guest of the Sree Narayana Dharma Meemamsa Parishad, Kerala politics has taken a new direction.
10 DRAMATIC moments captured on lens
We present some of the most dramatic photographs clicked across the globe in the past 48 hours.
May 14, 2013
Sanjay Dutt won't be given more time to surrender: SC
The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to grant more time to Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt to surrender to undergo remaining three-and-a-half-year jail term in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case.
Guj govt withholds decision on Kodnani's death penalty
Under attack from right wing forces, Gujarat government on Tuesday kept on hold its decision to seek death penalty for former minister Maya Kodnani, Babu Bajrangi and eight others in the 2002 Naroda Patiya riots case.
'Politicians are never punished; they are above the law'
'What I have been going through for the last 17 years is much more than what I suffered in those 42 days. I am dying every single moment of my life for the last 17 years,' the Suryanelli rape case victim tells Shobha Warrier.
May 13, 2013
The 4 Congressmen eyeing Bansal's Chandigarh seat
Former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal's Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat is up for grabs. And there are quite a few in the reckoning. reports
China intrusion: Government is misleading people!
India by withdrawing its troops from Depsang Plains of Ladakh de-facto has conceded this territory to China. It needs certain special talents to interpret an ignominious defeat as a diplomatic victory, says Ravindra Narayan Ravi
No rift at the top, Dr Singh to remain PM till 2014: Cong
Rejecting as a "malicious campaign" media reports suggesting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may be replaced by his party soon, the Congress on Monday night said there is "no doubt" that he will continue till 2014.
Why Dr Manmohan Singh won't go in a hurry
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's Rajya Sabha term is ending next month. There is virtually no doubt that Manmohan would get re-nominated from Assam but a section of the Congress is said to be "hoping against hope" that he opts out.
'Jayalalithaa will not win a single Lok Sabha seat'
'...If the power situation does not improve in Tamil Nadu. The Congress will not allow the plant to start.' As the Supreme Court clears the decks for commissioning the controversial Koodankulam nuclear plant, A Ganesh Nadar checks the mood in the villages, the epi-centre of the protests.
When Siddaramaiah sought writers' blessings
In a state where religious sentiment and superstition is common among politicians, Karnataka's new Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah began his tenure by meeting writers. Vicky Nanjappa finds out why.
PIX: World's Rhinos could soon be gone, gone forever
A recent report warns that the world's rhinos could vanish in the next two decades if rampant poaching isn't curbed.
Nawaz victory a new opportunity for Ind-Pak ties
Nawaz Sharif's re-election ppens new chances to transform Indo-Pak economic ties, and with this, the rest of the relationship, says
Vindictive politics is not my cup of tea: Siddaramaiah
In an interview with rediff.com's , Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah says that the state will see a lot of change. "I am here to do my work and put the state back on track," he says.
Atheist Siddaramaiah and God's changing role in politics
Karnataka Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah's 'atheism'is not a new trend in Indian politics, points out Archis Mohan.
Modi's US video blitz: India has lost trust in UPA govt
Asserting that he has given a new meaning to "development" during his 12-year rule in Gujarat, Chief Minister Narendra Modi has said that the greatest challenge facing India is restoring the trust of the people.
Was the Chinese intrusion really a PLA strike against Xi?
Could some frustrated Chinese generals have decided to teach India a lesson to sink Xi Jinping's world dream, asks Claude Arpi.
The PMO, the coal scam, the missing sentence and the CBI
Did the principal secretary to the prime minister authorise the controversial meeting a joint secretary at the PMO had at the CBI headquarters to discuss the coal scam report, asks T V R Shenoy.
Dr Singh was once a King, but...
Into his 10 year, Manmohan Singh is struggling to retrieve his legacy -- thanks to bad luck, a bad situation and at least two very bad calls, says
May 12, 2013
Nawaz Sharif set for third term as Pak PM
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party took an unassailable lead over its rivals in landmark general elections that witnessed a huge turnout despite Taliban threats and bomb attacks.
May 11, 2013
Resignation is the ONLY option for PM: BJP
Sharpening its attack in the wake of resignations of two Union ministers on charges of impropriety, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to do an honest introspection and step down as it is the "only option" for him.
Pakistanis vote in historic polls, 24 killed in violence
Defying Taliban death threats and violence that claimed 24 lives, millions of Pakistanis on Saturday voted in a landmark general election that marked the first democratic transition in the country's 66-year history.
As scams pile up, PM's Teflon coating wears off
There will be even less Teflon left if the court asks the joint secretary concerned in the Prime Minister's Office to testify who instructed him to vet the CBI's report to the court, says
Don't miss:Interesting videos this weekDon't miss:Interesting videos this week
May 10, 2013
Siddaramaiah to be new chief minister of Karnataka
Although the Congress claims that it was a unanimous decision, there were at least 30 legislators who were not in favour of Siddaramaiah.
Sanjay Dutt will go to jail on May 15; SC rejects plea
The Supreme Court on Friday rejected actor Sanjay Dutt's plea, seeking review of the judgment upholding his conviction under the Arms Act and sentencing him to five years in jail in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.
Who will be Karnataka's next chief minister?
Even as the Congress Legislature Party is set to meet on Friday afternoon to elect the new Karnataka chief minister, at the moment, it appears that it would be a closely contested battle between Siddaramaiah and Mallikarjuna Kharge.
Rahman has no problem with Vande Mataram, but this MP does
'This is not the first time I have refused to stand for this particular song and this will not be the last time,' Lok Sabha MP Shafiqur Rahman Barq tells Rediff.com's A Ganesh Nadar. 'I have no problems with Jana Gana Mana.'
DON'T MISS! The week's MOST DRAMATIC photographs
We present some of the most dramatic photographs clicked across the globe in the past week.
INFOGRAPHIC: How the BJP lost KarnatakaThis graphic divined from the Karnataka election results by rediff's Data Journalism team shows how the Congress won the election. Which planet do you live on?
'We had been talking for two hours about India and America and we stopped and looked at each other. "The issues are the same," said my hyper-successful and patriotic NRI friend, his hidden Indian self somewhere wanting to empathise. Yes, I agreed, only the planets that we inhabit seem different, notes B S Prakash.
Why is sulking Gadkari not talking to Rajnath?
A little over three months after taking charge as president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Rajnath Singh has managed to annoy his predecessor, Nitin Gadkari, by not standing by the former party chief in his fight against corruption allegations.
May 09, 2013
'India, China may sometimes hold hands or race each other'
Before embarking on a two-day visit to China on May 9, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid interacted with members of the Chinese media and fielded questions about India's trade ties with the Communist nation and the recent stand-off in Ladakh
Pakistan poll promises: Peace, not posturing with India
Pakistan's major political parties have pledged to work for better relations with India and to resolve outstanding issues like the Kashmir dispute through dialogue while pushing economic ties.
For Ajit Jogi, it's no less than a thrill to walk again
After being bound to a wheelchair for nearly nine years, Ajit Jogi took his first steps this week with the help of bionic supporters. talks to the former Chhattisgarh chief minister about his new pair of 'e-legs'.
This is how we preserve the birthplace of a great writer
The man who wrote two of the 20th century's greatest novels, Animal Farm and 1984, was born in Motihari. But few come to the sleepy Bihar town seeking George Orwell.
'Indian Special Forces are tied up in bureaucratic hierarchy'
Special Forces are a vital element of national power, possessing enormous freedom of action and should be fruitfully employed to successfully meet future challenges, say Lieutenant General P C Katoch and journalist Saikat Dutta.
Why is Mumbai abandoning its civic hospitals?
By deserting public hospitals we are dismantling our public health-care system, says Dr Sanjay Nagral.
Why Sonia can't get PM to sack his ministers
Congress President Sonia Gandhi has come across tough resistance from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the issue of sacking tainted ministers in his Cabinet. For now, Dr Singh is having it his way, but voices of dissent are growing louder. reports.
Pakistan Polls: The men who MATTER
We bring you a brief profile of candidates from several political parties who are in the fray in the upcoming election.
May 08, 2013
'Is there any comparison between Modi and Rahul Gandhi?'
'You need, in a national leader, some broad qualities like tolerance, like humanism. You need a neutral attitude to religion. No way can Modi match these qualities. His mind is communal,' Madhusudan Mistry, the Congress general secretary in charge of Karnataka, tells Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt in an exclusive interview.
Congress smiles won't last forever. Here's why
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress leaders may be rejoicing over the impressive victory the party scored in Karnataka, but the celebrations could well be short-lived as the UPA government's credibility stands at an all-time low. reports
Karnataka verdict: WHO said WHAT
Here are some reactions post counting of votes in Karnataka
Koodankulam: 'It takes time to make a plant operational'
'We are restricting the media because of the difficulties we are facing with the media. The public have been visiting the plant regularly,' says R S Sundar, site director at the controversial Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project in Tamil Nadu. 'The public is knowledgeable. They ask as many questions as journalists. We have faced tough questions from them, clarified their doubts and convinced them.'
In Photos: Congress storms BJP's bastion in Karnataka
The Congress is racing towards the finishing line in Karnataka's electoral race, with victories and leads in 120 seats in the 224-member assembly.
Karnataka polls: Meet the WINNERS and LOSERS
Karnaka Janata Party's Shobha Karandlage, who is considered close to B S Yeddyurappa, has lost in Rajajinagar despite a massive election campaign.
K'taka: Cong gets majority, BJP suffers HUMILIATING defeat
The Bharatiya Janata Party was on Wednesday decimated in the Karnataka assembly elections with Congress set to form a government, may be on its own, wresting power after a gap of seven years.
May 07, 2013
Shah Rukh SHOULD be allowed in Wankhede: Raj Thackeray
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday stated that actor Shahrukh Khan should be allowed entry in the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai.
Karnataka's BIG DAY: What the parties are looking for
Wednesday's keenly-watched counting to the Karnataka assembly election will have varying significances for different political parties, reports .
Scar of Depsang: The message China deliveredThe Chinese return to their previous position is a lesson that we will have to learn if we want to live as a proud and powerful nation. A weak and meek government is neither respected by its electorate nor by the neighbours whom it wants to befriend, says
'Pak soil shouldn't be used for any design against India'Former prime minister of Pakistan and Pakistan Muslim League-(N) Nawaz Sharif, in an interview to CNN-IBN, talks of the importance to resolve the Kashmir issue peacefully while promising to reactivate back channel negotiations between India and Pakistan.
Railway scandal: Will Narain Rao Manjunath reveal all?
profiles Narain Rao Manjunath, one of the key accused in the Railways bribery scandal.
AZAN: The EXPLOSIVE new jihadi magazine
Jihadis in Afghanistan and Pakistan have come up with another explosive terror journal that attacks Pakistan government for turning its back on 'traditional enemy' India among other things, points out.
Meet the Indian-Americans 'champions of change'
The 'Champions of Change' programme was created as an opportunity for the White house to feature groups of Americans, individuals, businesses and organisations, who are doing extraordinary things to empower and inspire members of their communities.
Why India deserves a better Food Security Bill
'Any meaningful food security programme should aim at gradually reducing the number of hungry dependent on government support,' says . 'This is only possible if the government had looked at the entire issue in a sincere manner. I don't think at any stage the government was honest in its approach. It had simply worked and reworked the Food Security Bill keeping the 2014 election in mind.'
PHOTOS: Barack Obama defeated... in golf politics
US President Barack Obama lost a golf match while playing with two Republican senators, Saxby Chambliss and Bob Corker.
IN PIX: Americans simply love their GUNS!
What explains the America's attachment to guns?
Why India's top law officer is under attack
'On April 30, the Supreme Court spoke on the need to further insulate the CBI from political interference. Come May 8, perhaps their Lordships could also extend protection to the law officers too -- simultaneously sending out the message that the Attorney General is much more than a professional doing his duty to the ministry of the day, that he owes a higher duty as an officer of the court,' says T V R Shenoy.
Why the govt should promote the right kind of porn
A ban on porn will be unenforceable and a waste of resources, warns
CBI has never been autonomous: Arun Bhagat
Arun Bhagat, former Central Bureau of Investigation additional director and Intelligence Bureau retiree tells that the CBI has never been autonomous, thanks to government interference in cases involving important personalities
May 06, 2013
China acts coy on troop withdrawal from Ladakh
Tacitly acknowledging the withdrawal of its troops from Depsang Valley in Ladakh, China on Monday said the "stand-off incident" with India has been resolved through "fruitful consultations," keeping the larger interests of bilateral relations in mind.
PMO, Ashwani tweaked coal-gate report: CBI
Central Bureau of Investigation Director Ranjit Sinha on Monday admitted before the Supreme Court that certain changes were made in the coalgate draft report on suggestions given by Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, Attorney General G E Vanahvati and the officials of PMO and Coal Ministry.
US panel wants Modi included on lookout list besides visa ban
Katrina Lantos Swett, chair, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, tells Rediff.com's that the USCIRF will be uncompromising about denying Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi entry into the US.
Exclusive! 'An honest Minister keeps Railways honest'
'The Railway Board -- and every official in the ministry -- functions according to the whims and fancies of the Railway Minister,' former railways minister Dinesh Trivedi tells Rediff.com's A Ganesh Nadar in an exclusive interview. 'It is the system that needs to be changed. It has to go from a one person-oriented ministry to an organisation-oriented ministry. The system should be transparent.'
Why should the people of Bengal suffer lung cancer?
Mamata Banerjee has announced a Rs 500 crore relief package to assuage those who lost their money to the Saradha chit fund. As West Bengal is dancing on the edge of bankruptcy, this money will be raised from taxes on tobacco. Having already seen their savings go up in smoke the people of West Bengal must now puff away whatever is left, says T V R Shenoy.
Pawan Kumar Bansal's fall from grace
Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal may have been quick to deny any role in Railway Board bribery scandal and ask for a thorough CBI probe. But his image as an honest man, whose integrity could not be challenged, has been demolished. reports
The Chinese can be driven out in minutes, but...
The Chinese intrusion into Indian territory in Ladakh seemed to be a trial balloon for dealing with troublesome Indian positions
Congress set to emerge winner in Karnataka: Exit polls
The Congress is likely to emerge winner in the Karnataka assembly elections while the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party could end up a distant loser, exit polls and predictions by television channels claimed.
May 05, 2013
Pawan Bansal, Ashwani Kumar to stay for now
The United Progressive Alliance on Sunday decided not to oblige the opposition by asking for the resignation of Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, whose nephew was arrested in a bribery case, as also Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, who is in the eye of a storm over the coal-gate controversy.
K'taka records 69 pc voter turnout as polling ends
An estimated 69 per cent of the about 4.36 crore electorate voted in the largely peaceful assembly polls in Karnataka on Sunday amid projections that the beleaguered ruling Bharatiya Janata Party was on a sticky wicket against a resurgent Congress.
May 04, 2013
Exclusive! Rahul Gandhi's corporate work culture
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi is using modern management techniques, which he picked up during his stint as a strategy consultant abroad, to revamp his party. But the moot question is: will they work? reports
Bansal's stay in Cabinet hangs in balance
Railway Minister P K Bansal's continuance in the Union Cabinet hung in balance on Saturday night as the Congress and the government received a fresh battering in the wake of the arrest of his nephew on the charge of accepting bribe to fix plum position in the Railway Board.
May 03, 2013
Karnataka: Why YOU must vote on May 5
Vote right and vote responsibly. Make your vote count for a better Bangalore, says in this special column for Rediff.com
Sarabjit Singh cremated with full state honours
The mortal remains of Sarabjit Singh, who died after being brutally assaulted by fellow inmates in a Lahore jail, were consigned to flames in his native village in Bikhiwind on Friday afternoon with state honours.
PICS: NASA probe captures MONSTER hurricane on Saturn
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration 's Cassini spacecraft has provided scientists the first close-up, visible-light views of a behemoth hurricane swirling around Saturn's north pole.
Why is Rahul ignoring the Congress 'war-room'?
The Congress is desperate for good news from Karnataka. Why is Modi campaign in Karnataka followed closely? Why is S M Krishna sulking? All this and more in this week's Dilli Gupshup.
India-China stand-off: Sun Tzu in action'The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting' said the famed ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu. That seems to be the ploy behind the Chinese intrusion in Ladakh, says Colonel (retd)
'The BJP must project Modi if it wants to win power'
Baba Ramdev spoke to in Rajkot, Gujarat, where he recently held a one-day yoga camp, which was attended by nearly 50,000 women and men.
May 02, 2013
'We had no clue about threat to Sarabjit life'
Pakistan Punjab Province caretaker Chief Minister Najam Sethi rejected any conspiracy behind Sarabjit's death in an interview to CNN-IBN's Karan Thapar after Sarabjit Singh's death.
Modi in Mangalore: We need a Congress-free India
From flattening Rahul Gandhi to ridiculing UPA's 'weak foreign policy', the charismatic Narendra Modi did not disappoint BJP supporters while addressing his much-anticipated rally at Mangalore.
Border intrusion: 'China will not ignore provocations'
Criticising the Indian media and opposition parties for "creating trouble" for Sino-India ties, an official daily in Beijing on Thursday blamed New Delhi for "maintaining silence and ambiguity" over "provocative" reports of intrusion by Chinese troops into Despang valley in Ladakh.
Pakistan backstabbed India, says Sarabjit's sister
The sister of Sarabjit Singh, the death row prisoner who died on Thursday, accused Pakistan of backstabbing India and said she would fight for 'other Sarabjits' languishing in Pakistani jails.
'It's a cold blooded murder; truth must come out'
India on Thursday demanded justice from Pakistan after the death of Sarabjit Singh in a 'barbaric' attack in a Lahore jail with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying it was "'particularly regrettable" it did not heed pleas to take a humanitarian view of the prisoner's case.
Avoid short dresses, holding hands in public in India: ADB
Indians are conservative, curious and women here are expected to dress modestly to avoid sexual harassment. This is the advice given out by the Asian Development Bank to all its delegates visiting India for the annual meeting beginning in Greater Noida on Thursday.
Our government failed us: Sarabjit's sister
'The worst has happened to us. My brother could have returned to India, but our government did not take effective and strong initiatives.' Sarabjit Singh's sister tells Rediff.com's Onkar Singh.
April 30, 2013
MASSIVE breach of trust: SC on CBI's coal report sharing
The Supreme Court, which is hearing Central Burea of Investigation director's affidavit in the coal scam on Tuesday, observed that a massive breach of trust has taken place in sharing of information with the executive, which has shaken the entire process.
Karnataka polls: 681 crorepatis, 220 criminals
Here are some numbers that help put the Karnataka assembly elections in perspective
IN PHOTOS: 600 Chinese join rush to live in MARS
Over 600 Chinese have applied to join an ambitious Dutch aerospace project that plans to send humans on a one-way trip to Mars for permanent settlement.
Sajjan Kumar ACQUITTED in anti-Sikh riots case
Congress leader Sajjan Kumar was on Tuesday acquitted of all charges by a Delhi court in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in which he and five others were accused.
PICS: STUNNING winners of 2013 World Photography Awards
Rediff.com presents the winning photographs. Feast your eyes!
April 29, 2013
Is the Trinamool Congress warming up to the BJP?
While the Trinamool may be wary of a pre-poll alliance with the saffron party, it could support the NDA from the outside if the alliance can muster the numbers in the next general elections, says
Why Karnataka makes Manmohan 'unhappy'
Taking on the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Karnataka, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday charged that "bad governance" and "corruption" had slackened state's progress and a sense of insecurity was prevalent among the minorities.
Arrogant VIP culture has no buyers abroad, Mr Azam Khan!
Some sort of VIP culture exists everywhere. India's, however, is unique in its pervasiveness and its arrogance. And, while unique, it isn't really something that can be exported.
Sulking Krishna adds to Congress cup of woes in Karnataka
The Congress has been hit by rebellion and a three way split in Karnataka.
PHOTOS: When animals cross the road
We present a selection of Reuters images of animals crossing the road, clicked worldwide.
Oppn can't attack PM for BOTH coal-gate and 2G scam
If the PM had just chosen to behave as if there wasn't anything wrong about existing systems, he wouldn't have been in such trouble today, says
April 28, 2013
VIDEO: Send Sarabjit to India for treatment, says wifeSarabjit Singh, currently in coma in a hospital in Lahore following a brutal assault, should be sent to India for better treatment, his wife on Sunday said in an emotional appeal to Pakistani authorities. PM using law minister as a shield on coal-gate: BJP
Attacking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the coal block issue, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday announced its plan for a two-day agitation in all state capitals from May 4 against the government's "abominable attempt" to "cover up the massive corruption".
April 27, 2013
President honours India's bravest soldiers
defence personnel were awarded the Shaurya Charkra for their acts of bravery, including Captain A Rahul Ramesh and Naik Krishna Kumar who were given the honour posthumously.
In Shikaripura, voters love 'serial weeper' Yeddyurappa
Many well wishers of Yeddyurappa are still hopeful that he will go back to the BJP fold, says Vicky Nanjappa
Coal-gate: The CBI-government nexus SHAMES the nationBut it's nice to see the CBI telling the truth overtly and exposing the government that it serves covertly, says .
April 26, 2013
Sonia takes on the 'China problem'
She has advised External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid to meet ex-Congressman K Natwar Singh, who is an acknowledged hand at diplomacy.
BJP may lose its hold over Republic of Bellary
In Bellary, the election campaigns are mellow and the flamboyance is missing, reports
BJP wants PM, law minister's heads to roll in coal-gate
With CBI admitting that it had shared its status report on coal block allocation scam with Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, the Bharatiya Janata Party has demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh alleging that he was using the law ministry to save himself from the probe in the case.
The riches to rags story of Bellary
reports on the sharp economic differences that prevail in Bellary despite its riches and resources
Shettar likely to pull off 5th win, but with lower margin
A win on his home turf Hubli has become a matter of both survival and prestige for Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar as he is going the whole hog for a fifth victory from Hubli-Dharwad constituency.
Both law minister and PMO saw coal scam report: CBI admits
Setting off a political bombshell, Central Bureau of Investigation Director Ranjit Sinha on Friday submitted before the Supreme Court that the agency's status report on coal allocation scam was "shared" with Law Minister Ashwani Kumar "as desired by him" and that senior officials of PMO and Coal ministry had also seen it.
The women behind Karnataka's vote seekers
As candidates in the May 5 Karnataka assembly polls leave no stone unturned to woo the voters, their spouses are doing their bit to ensure that their better halves taste success.
SHOCKING PHOTOS: The FILTHY Maha Kumbh 'after party'
On the eve of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's lecture on the so-called success of the Maha Kumbh Mela to a gathering at Harvard, visits the Sangam at Allahabad to photograph the disturbing aftermath of the mela. Along with Bharat Lal Seth, he suggests a presentation for the CM.
Pre-poll survey: Cong likely to DEMOLISH BJP in K'taka
The pre-poll conducted by CSDS for CNN-IBN shows that the Congress party is set to improve its position in the upcoming Karnataka assembly elections and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party will likely suffer major losses.
April 25, 2013
No evidence that Modi incited rioters, says SIT
The lawyer of the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team, which has given a clean chit to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in 2002 post-Godhra riots case after investigating complaint filed by Zakia Jafri, on Thursday said that "Modi has never said that go and kill people".
Despite Ladakh standoff, Khurshid to visit China on May 9
External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid will go ahead with his visit to China on May 9 notwithstanding the ongoing standoff between Indian troops and Chinese forces which intruded deep inside Depsang Valley in Ladakh ten days back.
Army wants to transfer top generals amid China border row
As a tense stand-off continues on the Sino-Indian border in Ladakh, where a Chinese patrol has apparently established a camp eight km inside India, the ministry of defence is confronted with a difficult decision -- an inexplicable army proposal to shift top generals, which would see key hotspots being placed under new commanders, unfamiliar with the situation.
'Nitish Kumar is a darling of the national middle class'
'His image may have gone down a little because he is talking about poverty and underdeveloped states. That is not the way to sell yourself nationally,' Bihar's best known economist and social scientist Dr Shaibal Gupta tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih.
TOP PIX: Kick to anti-Mush lawyer, Obama's wink, more
We present some of the best photographs from across the world clicked in the last 48 hours.
April 24, 2013
In Photos: 100 killed in Bangladesh building collapse
In Photos: 80 killed in Bangladesh building collapse
Nobody can challenge H D Kumaraswamy here!
travels to Janata Dal-Secular leader H D Kumaraswamy's constituency, Ramnagar to assess the mood of the voters there
Why Mamatadi must own up Saradha responsibility
Insensitive utterances like 'Whatever lost is lost' (as Mamata Banerjee was heard telling the media) or 'The government did not ask these people to put their money in Saradha' (as stated by one of Banerjee's cabinet ministers) will not go down well with the people of Bengal, warns Indrani Roy.
PHOTOS: Kids who grew up to become Boston bombers
We present Reuters images relating to the early life of the two Boston Marathon bombings suspects, including images from their former hometown and schools.
'Modi may help BJP win, but he is bad for the party'
In the final part, Prof Shiva Visvanathan talks some more about Modi's chances of becoming PM, the professor's stay in Gujarat and how he was finally ousted from there.
April 23, 2013
Here's what YOU must know about Karnataka election!
gives a lowdown on the Karnataka assembly election
IM's loose leadership moves between Pakistan and Gulf
'When one speaks to Indian intelligence officials, they will tell you "We actually have a better understanding of Pakistani groups than we have of our own indigenous networks".'
Tribute: The violin falls silent
It was five years ago that I spent an evening with Lalgudi Jayaraman, but the music still rings in my ears and the images are still fresh in my memory, writes
Lashkar's Saeed may run for political office in Pakistan
'Many in Pakistan were thinking about taking Saeed from the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and making him the pole around which they would bring in and demilitarise militants and turn them into a political entity in Pakistan.'
Coal-gate: BJP says PM must GO; Sonia says NO WAY!
Intensifying its attack on the government over the coal block allocation scam, Bharatiya Janata Party demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and sacking of Law Minister Ashwani Kumar.
Indian Army matches China man-for-man on the border!
If China's White Paper figures are authentic, the Indian Army, with 1.2 million soldiers, is 50 per cent larger than the PLAA.Ajai Shukla reports
Army tells brigades to plug holes on China border
Chinese may adopt similar tactics to test the nerves of the Indian establishment, reports RS Chauhan
'Nitish Kumar is Bihar's main trigger of change'
In Gujarat, the system is such that even if Narendra Modi is not there, the growth will continue. But in a place like Bihar it is different, it will still matter who is the CEO of the state,' says social scientist-economist Dr Shaibal Gupta.
PIX: Life will never be the same in quake-hit Sichuan
We present defining Reuters images from the aftermath of a 6.6 magnitude earthquake that hit a remote, mostly rural and mountainous area in Sichuan province, China on Saturday.
April 22, 2013
Ready to quit, but will that stop rape: Delhi Police chief
Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar on Monday ruled out his resignation in the wake of alleged police insensitivity in dealing with the child rape case but promised exemplary action against policemen found lax in handling it.
BJP, Congress divvy up Mangalore on religious lines
The coastal city of Mangalore is turning into a major battleground between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress for the forthcoming state election.
Second part of Budget session begins on a stormy note
Even as the government prepared the ground for a fruitful session by reaching out to main opposition BJP on the Land Acquisition Bill, new disclosures in the media might play a spoiler for it.
'In the long run, Modi can be dangerous for India'
Professor Shiv Visvanathan talks of the dangers of celebrating of reign of Narendra Modi and why the Gujarat chief minister may be as bad bet as prime minister.
Sonia, Manmohan among top five most influential Asians
Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and All India Congress Committee Vice President Rahul Gandhi have been named among top 5 in the world's 100 most influential list of Asians topped by China's new President Xi Jinping.
'One hardly finds a rich person going to the gallows'
In India, the death penalty, as it is used now, is discriminatory. It's arbitrary and capricious nature renders it unconstitutional, says Justice A P Shah
April 21, 2013
Manmohan and co set for another Opposition whack!
Even as the government prepared the ground for a fruitful session by reaching out to main opposition BJP on the Land Acquisition Bill, new disclosures in the media might play a spoiler for it.
Mukesh Ambani gets 'Z' category security
The home ministry has tasked country's lead anti-Naxal operations force Central Reserve Police Force to take the responsibility with immediate effect after the proposal to this effect was cleared by the office of Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde.
China quake toll rises; 195 dead, over 10,000 injured
Rescue operations are being carried out on a war footing
'Congress is the biggest communal party in India'
BJP president Rajnath Singh talks on issues like Modi as PM, ties with JD-U and Congress's tainted secular creditials.
Protests continue over 5-yr-old's rape; PM makes an appeal
Protesters on Sunday gathered outside Police Headquarters and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences for the second day to express solidarity with the five-year-old girl who was raped by her neighbour and demanded the resignation of Commissioner Neeraj Kumar
April 20, 2013
As BJP sharpens its knife, PM goes to Pranab for help
The long meeting between President Pranab and the PM comes amid a heightened threat perception that the UPA government may not be able to complete its term, says
Child rape: Protests rock Delhi, accused held in Bihar
Child rape: Protests rock Delhi, accused arrested in Bihar
In PHOTOS: Major earthquake hits China, 161 killed
At least 72 people were killed and hundreds of others injured on Saturday, when a powerful 7.0-magnitude earthquake rocked southwest China's Sichuan province causing massive destruction.
PICS: Jubilant Bostonians celebrate after suspect's arrest
Hundreds of Northeastern University students gather in Hemenway Street to celebrate the capture of suspected Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in Boston.
Watch:The best videos of the weekWatch:The best videos of the week PIX: How drama unfolded during 2nd Boston bomber's arrest
The second Chechen-origin suspect believed to have been responsible for the Boston marathon terror attack is now in custody, Boston police said on Saturday.
April 19, 2013
'Sunil will not even harm an ant'
Akhil Tripathi, father of the missing student who was wrongly identified as a suspect, tells Rediff.com's
Shettar all set for a cakewalk in Hubli-Dharwad
Hubli-Dharwad Central, from where Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar is contesting, is definitely a constituency to watch out for in the upcoming Karnataka assembly election.
6-year-old girl makes Akhilesh crack the whip
After a year-long complacence, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has at last started cracking the whip on those whose acts of omission or commission were giving a bad name to his government.
K'taka poll: This Cong MLA owns 19 cars, but can't drive
profiles Congress MLA Priya Krishna, whose passion for cars is not deterred by the fact that he cannot drive.
1 Boston bombing suspect shot dead, suspect # 2 on the run
Police are hunting in Watertown, 10-km from Boston, for someone they believe is the white-hatted "suspect number two" in the Marathon bombings, after a police officer was shot dead last night on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus.
'If it hadn't been for Godhra, Modi would be history'
Modi believes that if he is at the helm of affairs in the Bharatiya Janata Party and the party gets 190 seats, he will have a reasonable chance of becoming prime minister, feels Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
Chidambaram, Aamir Khan on Time's most influential list
Finance Minister P Chidambaram and actor Aamir Khan have been named by Time magazine among the 100 most influential people in the world in its annual list of global achievers that also includes teenaged Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai and US President Barack Obama.
Musharraf arrested, grilled at his farmhouse 'sub jail'
The arrest came a day after the Islamabad High Court ordered the arrest of Musharraf for not cooperating with police officials investigating a case registered against him for detaining dozens of judges, including Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, during the 2007 emergency.
PHOTOS: Are these the Boston marathon bombers?
In the video footage from surveillance cameras along the route of the marathon, the two men are seen walking together on the sidewalks in the direction of the finish line.
Narendra Modi vs Rahul Gandhi: It's a battle of ideas
Poverty in the Indian context can never be wiped through direct state intervention. Kalavati is a classical example of this. The only way of eradicating it is by encouraging personal initiatives. Jasuben is a classical example of this, says
Can social media impact LS polls? Govt doesn't think so!
A study shows that Facebook and Twitter could have an influence in at least 160 Lok Sabha seats triggering a debate but two senior Union ministers -- Manish Tewari (information and broadcasting) and Kapil Sibal (information technology and telecom) -- disagree.
April 18, 2013
'We will find you', Obama tells Boston marathon bombers
United States President Barack Obama on Thursday condoled the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings here in an emotional inter-faith service, vowing to find those responsible for this "senseless" act as he stressed that a "bomb cannot beat us" and the nation will "finish the race."
PHOTOS: Sporadic violence as Thane grinds to standstill
A bandh called by major political parties in Thane against ongoing demolition of illegal structures without providing alternate accommodation to the occupants was observed on Thursday with some persons damaging at least 12 buses in the wee hours, police said.
Pune bakery blast convict gets DEATH sentence
Mirza Himayat Baig, the lone convicted accused in the German Bakery blast case, was on Thursday sentenced to death by a Pune sessions court.
PHOTOS: Deadly devastation at Texas factory
Scenes of destruction at the fertizer plant in Waco, Texas that blew up late Wednesday night
High drama follows Pak court order to arrest MusharrafSoon after the court order, Musharraf's security team quickly rushed him out of the courtroom to his black SUV without being stopped.
Bandh begins in Thane on violent note; 12 buses damaged
Parties, including Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena, gave call to the dawn-to-dusk shutdown against the razing of illegal buildings by Thane Municipal Corporation while demanding that alternate accommodation be provided to residents who will be displaced in the drive.
Retired telecom staffer owned bike used in Bengaluru blast
K S Sankaranarayanan was shocked when police knocked his door and told him that the bike had been used in the blast.
Heartwarming: Catholic priest donates kidney to Muslim man
They were strangers who met on a bus. They believe God brought them together. reports on an incredible story of kindness and giving from Kerala.
K'taka: Kumaraswamy, wife richest couple in poll fray
Janata Dal-Secular Karnataka unit President and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy and his wife Anita, contesting the May 5 Assembly elections, have together declared assets worth Rs 123 crore.
Many feared dead in Texas fertilizer plant blast, 200 hurt
The West Fertilizer Plant is located about 30 km north of Waco, which is observing the 20th anniversary of the deadly confrontation between federal authorities and heavily armed locals. About 76 people were killed in that operation.
April 17, 2013
VIDEO: NCP leader's son arrested for running over girlSenior Nationalist Congress Party leader Abdul Qadeer Maulana's 17-year-old son has been arrested in Aurangabad, Mahrashtra, a day after the SUV car he was driving hit two minor girls and their uncle, killing the younger girl on the spot, police said on Wednesday. PIX: Vehicles in flames, chaos at Bangalore blast site
A loud bang and the next moment three cars went up in flames and a bike blown to smithereens, recounted witnesses to a terror strike outside the Bharatiya Janata Party office in Bangalore buzzing with activity ahead of the May 5 Assembly polls.
In PHOTOS: London halts for Margaret Thatcher's funeral
Margaret Thatcher's funeral procession brought London to a standstill on Wednesday morning as military personnel and members of the public lined the streets amid a light drizzle to pay their respects to the 'Iron Lady'.
Entering God's darbar: Inside the Golden Temple
A journey to the Sri Harmandir Sahib, also called the Golden Temple, in Amritsar can evoke purity and peace in even the faithless, writes
Pressure cooker bombs used in Boston blasts
The Boston bombs were lethal devices consisting of metal, nails and ball bearings crammed into pressure cookers, it has emerged.
Gandhiji among leaders most admired by CEOs globally
Mahatma Gandhi figures among the top three most admired leaders of the world, said a global survey of CEOs conducted by accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.
SC gives Sanjay Dutt four more weeks to surrender
In a relief to Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, the Supreme Court on Wednesday granted four weeks time to the actor to surrender to undergo remaining three-and-a-half- year jail term for illegally possessing firearms in connection with the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.
Rediff Ballot: 76 pc pick Modi as next PM, 5 pc for Rahul
Rediff.com drew up a list of probable candidates who could occupy the PM's post. Over the past seven days, 64,275 readers cast their votes (figures as on 11 am on Monday, April 15) and here's their verdict .
April 16, 2013
PIX: Major earthquake rocks Iran, Pak; tremors in N India
A major earthquake measuring 7.8 on the richter scale rocked the Iran-Pakistan border on Tuesday, tremors of which were experienced in North India, including New Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab and Gujarat.
Boston blasts: 'It felt like a huge cannon'
A 78-year-old veteran American runner, knocked down by the huge impact of the two bombs that hit the Boston Marathon, has become an Internet sensation after he managed to get up and finish the race.
PIX: CM aspirant Siddaramiah needs to win big at Varuna
tries to gauge the sentiments at politically significant Varuna constituency in southern Karnataka, from where Congress leader Siddharamaiah hopes to win big to bolster his chief ministerial prospects.
Why the BJP is winning the war on social media
The high-voltage outbursts of netizens over #Feku (Gujarat Chief minister Narendra Modi) versus #Pappu (Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi) is not the real issue. It's how parties are using social media to get their message across, says BJP cyber cell chief .
Has Modi underestimated Dr Singh?
Is Chiranjeevi the tourism ministry's secret weapon? Why is Vijay Mallya upset with Veerappa Moily? What in-house problem is the railway minister grappling with? All this, and more, in this week's Dilli Gupshup...
Inside Nitish Kumar's Janata Darbar
A young girl wants to correct her father's name in her school certificate; a man wants his three year unpaid rent from a government doctor, an athlete wants an archery set... Scenes from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Darbar, recorded by Rediff.com's .
Advani is the tallest leader in BJP: Shivraj Singh Chauhan
The debate on prime ministerial candidate is futile and leaders should talk about this only before the Parliamentary board, says Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan in an exclusive interview to CNN-IBN.
PHOTOS: A painful, tragic end to Boston Marathon
Some photos from the spot where the twin blasts went off
Why the Boston Marathon became a target
A list of facts about the Boston Marathon
Major US cities on alert after Boston blasts
Several mega cities in the US, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, have been put on alert after two explosions in Boston.
PIX: Twin blasts at Boston Marathon; 3 dead, over 140 hurt
The two blasts occurred within seconds at a sidewalk along the route of the Boston Marathon, where thousands of people had lined up to cheer on the marathoners.
April 15, 2013
Jaipur: Accident victim cries for help, ignored by allIn a shocking case of public apathy, a man clutching on to his son lay on the road crying for help inside a tunnel next to the bodies of his wife and infant daughter with nobody stopping by for around 40 minutes after a speeding truck hit his motorcycle. Parrikar says NO to Playboy club in Goa
Bowing to pressure from within the Bharatiya Janata Party against the United States-based Playboy club's move to open its facility in the coastal state, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday said the application would not be considered by his government on "technical grounds".
Sanjay Dutt moves SC, seeks more time to surrender
Actor Sanjay Dutt, who has been sentenced to five years in jail for illegal possession of weapons in a case linked to the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts, on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking more time to surrender.
Gujarat's lions will go to Madhya Pradesh
A bench of Justices K S Radhakrishnan and C K Prasad has given six months time to the wildlife authorities concerned for trans-locating the lions.
Mamata promises to learn from mistakes
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that her government might have committed '2 or 3' mistakes in the past two years, but would learn from them in the New Year.
The Rs 4,500 crore question for A K Antony
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, the Bengaluru-based public sector aircraft builder, has challenged the Indian Air Force's plan to purchase more Pilatus trainer aircraft by building a basic trainer aircraft, using its own funding.
German Bakery bomber convicted
The quantum of sentence would be pronounced on April 18.
Weird superstitions of Karnataka politicians
The strange practices that politicians adopt before they file their nomination papers
Why India performs so poorly in fighting hunger
Dr Purnima Menon is a research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute's Poverty, Health and Nutrition Division, and is based at IFPRI's Asia office in New Delhi. She conducts applied nutrition research in the South Asia region, with a focus on programs and policies to improve maternal and child nutrition.
'India must use special forces better against Pak, China'
Rediff.com's talks to Lieutenant General P C Katoch and journalist Saikat Dutta on how India has failed to strategically employ its considerable number of special forces especially in creating deterrence against the asymmetric war unleashed upon us by both Pakistan and China since past several years, and that we need to right this urgently.
April 14, 2013
Nitish's veiled threat: Will act if our voice not heard
Issuing a veiled threat to Bharatiya Janata Party over Narendra Modi's much-speculated projection as its prime ministerial candidate, Janata Dal-United on Sunday said attempts to bring 'genetic modification' will bring about negative results and it will take a decision if its voice is not heard.
'Rahul's critics must know he's Cong V-P, not India's PM'
External Affairs Minister and senior Congress leader from Uttar Pradesh, Salman Khurshid, tells that the Bharatiya Janata Party is extending support to Narendra Modi out of sheer desperation, for the party sees in him a trump card to power.
April 13, 2013
It is STUPID to use 1984 riots to defend Narendra Modi
Of all the many arguments in Indian politics that are stupid, hypocritical and wrong -- and there are many -- the one exculpating Modi because of 1984 is the most dangerous, says
Rogue UPA will never allow honest CBI probe: BJPAmid reports of alleged interference in the Central Bureau of Investigation's probe into the coal scam, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley on Saturday demanded the constitution of a special investigation team to probe the scam.
Bill Clinton vs Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi
Bill Clinton's address had lessons for both Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi, says
Gandhi and Thatcher: Were two 'Iron Ladies' too many?
Equally admired and loathed, both Indira Gandhi and Margaret Thatcher have been so often memorialised in biography, novels and film that it's difficult to separate fact from fiction, says
The interesting videos this week!The interesting videos this week
April 12, 2013
Get ready to be stripped at Delhi airport!
You may soon be asked to take off your shoes and belts, and jewellery if you are wearing, at the security check counters of the Indira Gandhi International airport in New Delhi.
'Modi is very calculative; he doesn't need friends'
Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, author of Narendra Modi: The Man, The Times, about Modi's vision, his psyche and his future that seems to be intricately linked with the future of India.
Dynasty rules: From Kim to Kim in North Korea
Rediff.com takes a look at the dictatorial journey of the Kims -- from 'The Great Leader' and the father of the nation Kim Il-sung, to the 'Dear Leader' Kim Jong-il, and what little is known about the 'Great Successor' -- Kim Jong Un.
SC drops militant Bhullar's plea for lifer; he will hang
The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed condemned prisoner and Khalistan Liberation Force terrorist Devinderpal Singh Bhullar's plea for commutation of his death sentence to life imprisonment on ground of delay in deciding his mercy plea.
The Hindus of Pakistan: Nobody's children
The Indian government needs to do more. India's responsibility towards the Hindus of Pakistan is not a matter of gratis; it is a political and legal obligation, says
April 11, 2013
Sidhu sidelined by BJP, feels suffocated, says wife
Stirring up a controversy over continuance of cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu in the Bharatiya Janata Partu, his wife said he has "gone back to the profession where he is respected".
PHOTOS: The bizarre car stunts by young Saudis
There's nothing more thrilling for the young generation of Saudi Arabian than sidewall skiing or driving on two wheels.
April 10, 2013
With Yeddyurappa and Reddy out, BJP is now clean: Gowda
Forget the first three years of BJP rule in Karnataka as a bad dream and look at the honest governance provided after Yeddyurappa stepped down from power, says Sadananda Gowda, the former chief minister of Karnataka.
'Why is Sharad Pawar mum on nephew Ajit's drought remark?'
The Shiv Sena on Wednesday asked why Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar was "silent" on the issue of the controversial remarks made by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on drought and load shedding.
Communists face TMC ire on WB streets for insulting MamataAccording to reports, the Trinamool Congress workers are staging rallies, holding protests in Kolkata and other parts of the state to protest against the SFI attack on their leaders. Understanding Pak DNA: Why it can't be friends with India
Except for people to people contacts, everything else cultural exchange, sports, trade etc should be conditional on Pakistan giving up its terror strategy. It is time to tell Pakistan that its 'death by thousand cuts' policy will not work, says Colonel (retd) Anil Athale
The notorious link that Modi and Thatcher share
What ties together Thatcher and Modi is that their respective economic and political approaches are rigged in controversy, notes .
Photos: FUNKY GRAFFITI brings ghost ship back to life
A 1956-grounded streamer, built by the makers of the Titanic, has been transformed by graffitists from an old, rusting wreck into funky floating art gallery.
April 09, 2013
Daughter gets justice 31 years after father's killing
Set up by his own colleagues, Kinjal Singh's father, deputy superintendent of police K P Singh was killed in a fake encounter. reports on the fight for justice.
Modi woos Mamata on her turf; trains guns at Manmohan
But once again, Narendra Modi side-stepped questions on his prime ministerial ambitions, simply stating that he is an "apolitical person".
Life after winning 5 crores
A new house, an inverter for electricity and a scooty are the material things Sushil Kumar has acquired from his prize money. But what he misses most is his cycle. meets the first winner of Rs 5 crores on KBC at his home in Motihari, Bihar.
Saudi jobs rule: Indians hiding in their homes
As Saudi Arabia imposes its 10 percent reservations of jobs for locals stringently, there is a fear psychosis in the kingdom. "They would have arrested us if we had stayed back," says one Indian who returned. "I am not going back. I will find some work here."
The daughter who chose not to live at Rashtrapati Bhavan
Sharmistha Mukherjee, the fiercely independent daughter of the President of India, would rather not have her life and her father's official position cross paths.
Why it is wrong to compare Rahul Gandhi with Modi
The comparison, cleverly engineered, appears to work for Modi each and every time as he is a better orator, better informed, a politician of the masses, and certainly not diffident or shy. One almost feels sorry for Rahul Gandhi pitted against a politician who has calibrated his rise so successfully, and is still working to ensure national and international acceptability, says
How India must counter the China-Pakistan nuclear axis
Indian policy makers would be well advised to disabuse themselves of the notion of a Sino-Indian convergence in managing Pakistan. China doesn't do sentimentality in foreign policy, India should follow suit, says
April 08, 2013
Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher: Life in picturesFormer British prime minister Margaret Thatcher was the country's only female premier. She was a towering figure in post-war British and world politics.
Thatcher, a British leader who was both loved and hated
Dubbed the Iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher, Britain's longest serving prime minister, has had a lasting impact on post-war British politics and beyond. And she was both loved and hated.
When Thatcher praised Rajiv, Manmohan for liberalisation
Margaret Thatcher had once hailed former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's vision for India's economic liberalisation, which was "boldly initiated" by the then finance minister Manmohan Singh.
Modi wows women with Jasubehn's pizza, pokes fun at Rahul
After corporates and youth, it was the turn of woman power that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Monday sought to woo in his bid to reach out to audiences nationwide in a speech that also had digs at Rahul Gandhi and the woman Governor in his state.
British Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher dies after stroke
Thatcher's spokesman Lord Bell said: "It is with great sadness that Mark and Carol Thatcher announced that their mother Baroness Thatcher died peacefully following a stroke this morning."
'It seems Musharraf is taken seriously only in India'
Rajiv Dogra, former ambassador and India's last Consul General to Karachi, talks to Avantika Bhuyan about the reigning mood in Pakistan and people's perception of Pervez Musharraf.
Rajiv was Swedish jet deal's middleman in 1970s: WikiLeaks
This revelation was made by The Hindu, in investigative collaboration with WikiLeaks, after accessing a new set of US diplomatic communications titled the 'Kissinger Cables'.
Terror's favourite target braces for the next strike
Twenty years after the 1993 blasts, Maximum City is still struggling with its security cover, says
Short life of LeT terrorists: They join at 16, die at 21!
A staggering 94 per cent of fresh recruits of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba see Jammu and Kashmir as a "fighting front" and hail mostly from Pakistan's Punjab province from families having links with the powerful army and intelligence network, according to a United States military report.
8 countries that are UNSAFE for women tourists
Recent cases have put the spotlight on the safety of women travellers around the world.
April 06, 2013
Modi slams Rahul: India beehive for Cong, mother for BJP
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attacked Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi for terming India a "beehive", saying he was shocked that someone could describe `mother India' thus.
Take notes UPA! Here are Pranab's tips on good governance
President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday delivered the 14th D P Kohli Memorial Lecture on the topic of 'Good Governance: Empowering Institutions, Society and Public' on the occasion of the golden jubilee celebrations of the Central Bureau of Investigation in Delhi.
Watch: The BEST videos of the weekWatch: The BEST videos of the week Does Modi want nothing to do with Karnataka?
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Friday kept away from BJP's Central Election Committee that met to finalise tickets for Karnataka polls, amid rumours that he did not want to get himself involved in the campaign where the party may not fare well due to corruption charges.
PHOTOS: Rescue ops called off at collapse site, toll 74
Heartbreaking tales like a male survivor losing 13 of his family members unfolded, as rescuers armed with sensor-fitted equipment still looked for survivors and bodies in the debris of bricks, mortar and twisted steel, a day after the collapse at Shil-Phata in Daighar in Mumbra.
April 05, 2013
Dawood handling terror cash via Bank of Baroda in Bahamas?
Fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim is still allegedly laundering blood money through the Bank of Baroda's branch in the tax havens in Nassau, Bahamas.
PIX: K'taka Assembly poll not short on glamour quotient
While ticket aspirants, particularly in the Congress, are waiting with bated breath for announcement of the list for the May five Assembly polls, one thing appears certain at this stage itself -- that the elections would not be short on the glamour quotient.
Third term as PM? Not ruling in or out, says Dr Singh
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday dismissed as a "useless" the debate over two power centres even as he did not rule out his accepting the third term.
How Narendra Modi rules by changing the laws
Gujarat Chief Minister Modi has started changing laws that go against him. In last state assembly session he introduced three bills to change the prevailing legal provisions that were inconvenient to him, says .
42pc K'taka ministers have crime record, 75pc crorepatis
About 42 per cent ministers in Karnataka self-declared criminal cases pending against them in their affidavits filed during the last held assembly elections in 2008.
Obama, the anti-Christ? One in 4 Americans thinks so
About one in four Americans suspect that President Barack Obama might be the antichrist, a new poll has found.
PHOTOS: Thane building collapse toll mounts to 44Heartbreaking tales like a male survivor losing 13 of his family members unfolded, as rescuers armed with sensor-fitted equipment still looked for survivors and bodies in the debris of bricks, mortar and twisted steel, a day after the collapse at Shil-Phata in Daighar in Mumbra.
April 04, 2013
Modi: I want to repay my debt to Mother India
Virtually acknowledging his prime ministerial ambition, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said it is the duty of every child to repay the debt he owes to "Mother India".
Sunita's gyan to kids: Listen to your mother, shun drugsAmerican astronaut of Indian origin, Sunita Williams on Thursday charmed the students of Mumbai, who had gathered at the Nehru Science Centre to listen to her experiences in space travel. Rahul@CII: This is how my politics is different from Modi
The Congress vice president made a political speech to the mandarins of corporate India. He charmed them with his good intentions but left them unsure with his ability to get things done. analyses the Congress scion's address at the CII.
Manmohan Singhji can't solve everything, says Rahul
"These are irrelevant questions. It's all smoke." This was how Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi described speculation about his becoming the prime minister and getting married while addressing business barons of the country.
Islamic law is BEST, believe 40 pc of Pakistan's youth
Ahead of crucial elections which will mark the first democratic transition in Pakistan's history, more than 90 per cent of the youth believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, while nearly 40 per cent think Shariah or Islamic law would be the best political system, a survey said.
Sudipta Gupta's death: 'What kind of fascism is this?'
Bengal is seething with anger over the death of a young Students' Federation of India leader Sudipta Gupta on Tuesday.
April 03, 2013
School girls to Sunita Williams: Please never forget India
Astronaut Sunita Williams was clearly overwhelmed by the love and affection she received upon her visit to Mumbai. reports
VIDEOS: Furore in Kolkata over student leader's deathThe blame game between the opposition Communist Party of India - Marxist and the ruling Trinamool Congress -- over the death of Student's Federation of India Sudipto Gupta -- intensified on Wednesday. PHOTOS: When world leaders go on vacation
Everyone deserves a break from the routine life. And politicians are no exception.
'Hypertension is leading cause of death in urban areas'
In this exclusive interview with Rediff.com's from Jaipur, Dr Gupta talks about the study and what the urban population to do to fight hypertension.
PHOTOS: In Ayodhya, no place for this Ram
One of the longest running Ramleela performances in the world has been stopped for the first time in nine years due to non-release of funds by the Uttar Pradesh government, an official said on Tuesday.
Inside the latest power debate in Congress
While the likes of AICC General Secretary Digvijaya Singh strongly root for ending the Congress party's twin power centre formula and projecting Rahul Gandhi as the next prime minister, there are others who feel that this is the ideal path to follow. reports
April 02, 2013
'Modi will not actively campaign for Karnataka polls'
It appears to be difficult to predict who would be the clear winner in the May 5 Karnataka assembly elections, but according to leading psephologist Sandeep Shastri, the Congress looks to be on top of the table for now.
PIRATES! Sailor recounts the hijack of Royal Grace
After almost 12 months in captivity and the death of an officer, 21 crewmen of merchant navy tanker Royal Grace were set free. Rediff.com's spoke to one of the captives, a 24-year-old junior electrical officer.
PHOTOS: Obamas let the Easter Egg Roll @ White House
The 135th annual White House Easter Egg Roll saw more than 30,000 people visiting the South Lawn for games, stories, and, of course, the traditional egg roll.
PIX: Rajinikanth, Kamal Hasan fast for Tamils in Lanka
The South Indian Film Artistes' association -- also known as the Thenindiya Nadigar Sangam -- on Tuesday organised a one-day hunger strike to protest against the alleged atrocities committed against the Tamil community in Sri Lanka.
Photos: Saudi Arabia allows women to ride bikes, but...
Saudi Arabian authorities have now allowed women to ride buggies and bikes in public.
DON'T MISS: The most SPECTACULAR photos of March
We bring you a presentation of some of the best photos from around the world in the month gone by
April 01, 2013
Rahul falters in his choices
Is Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi listening to the right people before making crucial decisions? reports.
VIDEO: Sunita Williams discusses space walk, 'samosas'She holds a world record for the longest space flight by a woman. But as a child, Indian American astronaut Sunita Williams never wanted to become an astronaut. YouTube announces 'shutdown after 8-year experiment'
In an elaborate April Fool's prank, YouTube has announced that it will be shutting down after eight years and will no longer accept videos.
IN PHOTOS: Getting to school at ALL COSTS
We present some stunning images of students across the world attending school despite difficult circumstances and situations.
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