As the MAMI film festival kicks off, Aseem Chhabra picks the must watch Indian movies.
'I used to go to Sanjay Dutt, give him the scene, and then act it out.' 'He would say, 'Arrey, Girishbhai kar lunga'.' 'But I would insist: 'Nahin, main karke dikhane chahta hoon'.' He said this was the first time in his career that someone was acting out the scene for him!'
A day before the declaration of abolition of monarchy, the Maoists in Nepal agreed to the provision of a ceremonial president with executive powers to prime minister. Initially, the Maoists wanted a presidential system and a ceremonial prime minister. However, other major political parties--Nepali Congress and UML-- wanted the prime minister with executive powers and a ceremonial president.
The death toll in the worst-ever mountaineering accident on Mount Everest on Saturday rose to 13 as rescuers dug out a body buried under piles of snow, a day after a massive avalanche struck the world's highest peak killing 12 Nepalese Sherpa guides.
We trace the actress as she shoots for her new film in North India.
A Muzaffarnagar court on Wednesday issued warrants against a Bahujan Samaj Party MLA and his brother, accused of raping and forcefully confining 48 circus artists from Nepal. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Sumit Chandra issued the bailable warrants against BSP MLA from Bulandshahar Mohammed Azim and his brother Mohammed Yunus.
Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala on Thursday resigned from his post, ending a two-month long deadlock to pave the way for the country's first ever Maoist-led government. Koirala, 83, announced his resignation while addressing the Constituent Assembly, which was elected in April to rewrite the constitution and govern the Himalayan nation, Nepali Congress Assembly member Tirtha Ram Dangol said.
The latest updates from the Malayalam film industry.
Maoist chief Prachanda was on Wednesday elected by lawmakers as Nepal's Prime Minister for a second time.
Bihar police on Tuesday claimed to have unearthed a suspected ISI link to target the railways with arrest of three persons in East Champaran district of the state bordering Nepal and are being interrogated to find out if they had a role in the derailment at Kanpur Dehat in November and elsewhere.
The Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist, Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF) at a meeting held Monday night agreed in principle to form a coalition government under the leadership of former rebels, NC spokesman Arjun Narsingh Khatri Chhetri said.
According to sources close to the director, he had made a presentation to former US secretary of state Collin Powell and later to the director of the FBI and his deputy and told them that those involved in the hijacking were roaming freely in Pakistan.
The Seven Party Alliance, which has been at the centrestage of the democratic movement in Nepal and was instrumental in the transition of the nation from a monarchy to a republic, is virtually defunct. The Himalayan nation is witnessing a new round of political alignments and re-alignments with the CPN-UML joining hands with the CPN-Maoists, leaving behind the Nepali Congress.The UML and Maoists have reached an agreement to seek consensus with other parties on amendments.
Nepal's major parties on Wednesday failed to break an impasse over the formation of a new government as efforts to strike a deal on sharing of power proved futile. During crucial talks in Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's residence here, the Maoists rejected a proposal from Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML to amend the interim constitution to remove a provision requiring two-thirds majority for forming or unseating the government.
Ending a political deadlock, Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala on Saturday invited the Maoists to form a government, more than a month after they emerged as the biggest party in the Constituent Assembly polls.
Beijing views the India-based Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, as a separatist trying to split the Himalayan region from China.
The Maoists in Nepal spearheaded by Prachanda today surged ahead in the landmark constituent assembly polls, winning 14 seats and leading in 65 of the remaining 240 constituencies. Prachanda, 53, chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist who led a decade-long insurgency in the country to overthrow the monarchy, defeated his closest rival Rajendra Kumar K.C of the Nepali Congress in Kathmandu.
The elections, which are set to usher in democracy ending the 40-year monarchy, saw the first seat going to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's Nepali Congress party, whose candidate Prkash Man Singh won one of the constituencies in Kathmandu. Maoist chairman Prachanda, Maoist war time strategist Ram Bahadur Thpa (Badal), its spokesman Krishna Bahadur Mahara and two female Maoist leaders Pampha Bhushal and Hisila Yami are leading in their respective constituencies.
Nepal's Maoist leaders have suggested a referendum to decide the fate of the monarchy if the country is not declared a republic through parliament. Maoist chairman Prachanda and his deputy Dr Babu Ram Bhattarai, recommended a referendum to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala during their meeting on Sunday.
The three conspirators Abdul Latif, Dalip Kumar and Yusuf Nepali have been lodged in the high security Patiala Central Jail since their arrest about eight years ago. The three were accused of helping the hijackers in procuring fake passports and other papers and also helping them take weapons aboard the aircraft that was hijacked.
This is the meaning of the victory of the Maoists in the elections to the first popularly elected constituent assembly in south Asia. This is the victory of the Nepali people against their feudal oppressors, the triumph of popular sentiment over the malicious propaganda of the media, the success of the republic over the kingdom, the attainment of sovereignty against foreign interference and the conquest of Kathmandu by the rest of Nepal.
Heading towards a landslide victory in the historic Nepal polls and poised to form the next government, the Maoists have crossed the 100-mark by winning 110 seats out of the 200 results declared (according to reports that last came in). Poll analysts say it will be difficult for the Maoists to get clear cut majority in the 601-seat assembly in which 575 are elected and 26 are nominated by the new Councils of Ministers.
Sangamesh Hunagund sends us this picture with actress Meera Jasmine.
King Gyanendra Monday held talks with former prime ministers of Nepal.
Powell agreed that her number one task in Nepal would be to focus on what the US could do to be supportive, without being viewed as interfering or managing it.
Aseem Chhabra on his friend, the firebrand Nepali journalist Kanak Mani Dixit, who was arrested last week. Aseem, who has known Dixit for 35 years, believes the charges are trumped up.
Nepal on Tuesday banned an Indian couple from mountain climbing in the country for 10 years after they tried to fake a successful ascent of Mount Everest with digitally altered photographs, officials said.
Terming the remarks of a Red FM radio jockey against the Gorkha community as derogatory, the govt has banned the radio channel for 7 days.The remarks about the winner of Indian Idol Prashant Tamang had triggered violent clashes in Siliguri last week.
The peace talks between the government and the Maoists, which were postponed about a month ago, will resume in Kathmandu on Monday.
The announcement comes after a week of protests against him.
The formation of the new government, which was expected on Friday, was delayed due to last-minute wrangling over the distribution of portfolios.
'We keep saying that we have a very close historical, cultural, linguistic and religious affinity with Nepal. Then why be so insensitive that we cannot find time to talk to them for more than 5-6 months'
Expressing concern over the recent Maoist activities, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during a recent meeting with a UML team in Delhi had said that the unity between the Nepali Congress and UML be strengthened.
a procession by fans of Indian Idol Prashant Tamang clashed with locals, following dispute over passage for an ambulance near the Siliguri Sub-divisional hospital on Friday.
'The world does not care about the tension on our border.' 'India has to emerge as a strong economic power.' 'Respect comes when the world sees a country with a direction and leadership that has a vision,' points out Ramesh Menon.
'There is an observable difference between Nepalis and Lankans and the rest of us.' 'It would serve us well to understand where this difference comes from and, if it is something that is better in some way, how it is that we can access it,' says Aakar Patel.
Four Babbar Khalsa terrorists were arrested in Chandigarh Tuesday morning, a day after three militants of the outfit, including its India operations chief, were taken into custody in Delhi.
Their common agenda was to destabilise peace, democracy and the political set-up through insurgency and violence in both countries, Pandey said.