News for 'Friends of Free Media'

Is only Delhi's air polluted?

Is only Delhi's air polluted?

Rediff.com22 Nov 2017

'The answer is no, the entire country's is.' 'So why such obsession with Delhi?' 'But the most powerful people in India live here: The prime minister, civil servants, Supreme Court judges, MPs, diplomats, dadas of the media...' 'If they can't deal with their own problem, what chance does the rest of the country have, with its foul air, dying rivers, frothing lakes, and crumbling mountains?' says Shekhar Gupta.

APEC's Manila summit: Why India should care

APEC's Manila summit: Why India should care

Rediff.com20 Nov 2015

The 'Missing link in India's Act East Policy', as India's former foreign secretary Shyam Saran calls it, needs to be filled sooner rather than later, says Dr Rahul Mishra.

Rag pickers to rock stars: Meet Dharavi's slumdog millionaires

Rag pickers to rock stars: Meet Dharavi's slumdog millionaires

Rediff.com13 Oct 2015

A group of young guns led by Abhijit Jejurikar showed the world what they are capable of.

Meet the Castros!

Meet the Castros!

Rediff.com26 Nov 2016

'There is perfect coordination between them,' Vice-President Hamid Ansari said when Rediff.com asked what differences he had noted between Raul Castro and his elder brother. 'Commandante (Fidel Castro) remains the undisputed leader of the revolution.'

Football Briefs: Chhetri winner in running for 2017 AFC Cup Goal of Tournament

Football Briefs: Chhetri winner in running for 2017 AFC Cup Goal of Tournament

Rediff.com6 Nov 2017

News of all that's transpired on and off the football field

'God and I are this close,' Salman told me

'God and I are this close,' Salman told me

Rediff.com11 Dec 2015

Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com examines how Salman Khan went from a reviled, spoilt Bollywood brat to being a well-loved superstar.

Prescription from Pakistan: How one hospital is a model for Asia

Prescription from Pakistan: How one hospital is a model for Asia

Rediff.com24 Dec 2015

Pakistan's dismal public health system is rife with mismanagement and a paucity of resources. Amidst this shambolic system, one hospital in Karachi has been providing specialised healthcare to millions. Free of charge. As the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation celebrated 40 years of successful service, Dr Sanjay Nagral visited the facility and met the man who helms it, armed with the simple philosophy that 'No person should die only because they are unable to afford medical expenses.'

Soccer Extras: Former England defender Cole hangs up boots

Soccer Extras: Former England defender Cole hangs up boots

Rediff.com18 Aug 2019

News of all that's transpired on and off the football field

Sheena Bora Trial: Sanjeev's lawyer has Mekhail in a tangle

Sheena Bora Trial: Sanjeev's lawyer has Mekhail in a tangle

Rediff.com25 Aug 2018

And then came the chief moment of Friday. If the courtroom had a soundtrack, Beethoven's 9th would be playing, providing a triumphant, dramatic prologue to the production of this last clip. A woman reporter was asking Mekhail about Sanjeev Khanna. He says clearly, without mincing words, emphatically: 'Never seen him. First time I am hearing his name.'

This hero stops the plunder of India's past

This hero stops the plunder of India's past

Rediff.com14 Oct 2015

'Imagine how secure are our seaports and airports that 10,000 objects can leave every decade and our custodians are not even aware?' 'This kind of targeted looting when thieves pick and choose the best of Indian art and steal on an industrial basis will eventually impoverish our great land.'

Football Briefs: Spain players don't rule out strike over plans for US games

Football Briefs: Spain players don't rule out strike over plans for US games

Rediff.com23 Aug 2018

News of all that's transpired on and off the football field

Saying goodbye to America's best TV show

Saying goodbye to America's best TV show

Rediff.com6 Apr 2015

'That Mad Men is currently the best-written show and quite unlike anything else out there is an understatement.'

Soccer Extras: Neymar 'punches' fan after French Cup final

Soccer Extras: Neymar 'punches' fan after French Cup final

Rediff.com28 Apr 2019

News of all that's transpired on and off the football field

India has a mind of its own and flaunts it

India has a mind of its own and flaunts it

Rediff.com7 May 2015

'There is much symbolism in President Pranab Mukherjee's participation in the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow.'

Jennifer Aniston's secret to a hot bod and more fashion news

Jennifer Aniston's secret to a hot bod and more fashion news

Rediff.com20 Dec 2015

Welcome to the weekly fashion round-up, where we bring you the latest on supermodels, style, designers and everything in-between!

US expects India to talk to Pakistan

US expects India to talk to Pakistan

Rediff.com4 Apr 2018

'The Modi government would chaff at the very idea of holding talks with Pakistan, facilitated by Washington and under close US monitoring, when the 2019 poll is sailing into view.' 'But in politics and diplomacy, there may be moments when drinking from the chalice of poison is necessary,' says Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.

Raveena: Aamir has a right to his opinion

Raveena: Aamir has a right to his opinion

Rediff.com25 Nov 2015

What your favourite celebrities are saying on social media.

Modi @3: The view from the foreign office

Modi @3: The view from the foreign office

Rediff.com25 May 2017

Diplomats agree that amid stormy relations with China and Pakistan, Modi has posted impressive foreign policy successes, notes Aditi Phadnis.

How a Chinese firm is changing the face of global eCom

How a Chinese firm is changing the face of global eCom

Rediff.com16 May 2015

War on ebay explores Jack Ma's mercurial mind

Indian among Fortune's 10 most promising women entrepreneurs

Indian among Fortune's 10 most promising women entrepreneurs

Rediff.com10 Sep 2015

Every year Fortune honours 10 innovators, groundbreakers and game changers as 'Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs'.

Handwara: Quell passions, institute inquiry, let things cool down

Handwara: Quell passions, institute inquiry, let things cool down

Rediff.com14 Apr 2016

'The Army must always be balanced in response.' 'Rabble rousers will demand that it be given a free hand against anti-national elements in the streets. That is exactly what the adversaries want.' 'Burning the Kashmir Valley through the summer is their desire; the Army will never contribute to enhancing their aim,' says Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (retd), who served as the General Officer Commanding 15 Corps in Kashmir.

Modi visit to Bhutan to display 'special token of friendship'

Modi visit to Bhutan to display 'special token of friendship'

Rediff.com13 Jun 2014

Three weeks after taking over, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Bhutan on Sunday on his first foreign visit to demonstrate the "special token of friendship" for the country.

'What you are seeing in Karnataka is disgraceful'

'What you are seeing in Karnataka is disgraceful'

Rediff.com1 Feb 2019

'Who's providing all this money to the BJP? And who's providing all this money to the Congress?' 'Where did all this money come from?' 'Who is enabling all these MLAs to be bought for Rs 50, 60 crores?' 'There's one MLA on whose behalf somebody claimed that the BJP invited him for Rs 60 crores. Whose money is this?'

'Growth in last quarter dipped... but economy will recover'

'Growth in last quarter dipped... but economy will recover'

Rediff.com28 Sep 2017

'Challenges will come but we will stay the course. No big step can be taken if one is afraid of criticism. We will not flinch from criticism,' says Railways Minister Piyush Goyal.

Shameful that listed firms can't find women directors: Sebi

Shameful that listed firms can't find women directors: Sebi

Rediff.com20 Mar 2015

Sebi had asked all listed cos to mandatorily appoint at least one woman director.

Varnika Kundu: 'My fight is to make women fearless'

Varnika Kundu: 'My fight is to make women fearless'

Rediff.com11 Aug 2017

'I live in a privileged city, I have a privileged life, I was in a car.' 'If it can happen here, then there is literally no hope for women in rural India or smaller cities.' 'If more women think we can help ourselves, we can survive, and men would be a lot more hesitant to try something like this.'

Bollywood's hottest producer is just 32!

Bollywood's hottest producer is just 32!

Rediff.com9 Feb 2018

Rustom, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, PadMan... ...Vishal Bhardwaj's next with Deepika Padukone and Irrfan, John Abraham's Parmanu, Anushka Sharma's Pari, Abhishek Kapoor's Kedarnath, Anil Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's Fanney Khan, Shahid Kapoor's Batti Gul Meter Chalu... Meet Prernaa Arora, the young lady above the title...

Should child rapists be hanged?

Should child rapists be hanged?

Rediff.com6 Apr 2018

'You want to create a law to give the death penalty to those who kill cows.' 'But you don't want to give the death penalty to the man who rapes an 8-month-old baby.'

'Allegations of India helping the Balochs never proved'

'Allegations of India helping the Balochs never proved'

Rediff.com22 Jul 2015

'Pakistan has employed force to curb Baloch aspirations and rights. There have been charades of giving rights and concessions and packages, but all of them are hollow and meaningless and not even worth the paper these are written on.' 'Pakistan is appeasing China for the investments which will benefit them. The economic corridor with China will not only deprive the Baloch of their land and resources, but will turn them into a minority because of the influx of outsiders.' 'The Balochs want to be masters, not slaves and hired labour in their own land.'

Villain, victim or scapegoat?

Villain, victim or scapegoat?

Rediff.com18 May 2018

'NiMo having skipped, the next best bet is a high-profile banker.' 'Ms Usha happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.' 'Ms Usha's crime? That's as thin as it gets.'

EC introduces e-filing of poll affidavits for the first time

EC introduces e-filing of poll affidavits for the first time

Rediff.com6 Mar 2014

In a maiden initiative, the Election Commission has introduced e-filing of affidavits by candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha and assembly polls.

Football Extras: Mourinho to get his own TV show in Russia

Football Extras: Mourinho to get his own TV show in Russia

Rediff.com11 Feb 2019

News of all that's transpired on and off the football field

'Syria is central to Middle East peace'

'Syria is central to Middle East peace'

Rediff.com14 Feb 2014

'Why not ask for a change of leadership in Qatar, Bahrain or Saudi Arabia? Is there a constitution in Saudi Arabia? Are there elections in Saudi Arabia? Why no talk of democracy in these countries?' 'America said change the leader now, but is now ignoring the feelings of the Syrian moderate majority. Is that democracy,' asks H E Dr Riad Abbas, Syrian ambassador to India, in an interview to Cleo Paskal.

Sunanda told journo that she took flak for Tharoor in IPL Kochi row

Sunanda told journo that she took flak for Tharoor in IPL Kochi row

Rediff.com23 Jan 2015

A special investigation team of the Delhi police on Friday questioned senior journalist Nalini Singh in connection with the murder case of former union minister Shashi Tharoor's wife Sunanda Pushkar.

All about midnight drama and more in ISL 4

All about midnight drama and more in ISL 4

Rediff.com4 Jan 2018

Former Manchester United star and Indian Super League side ATK's coach Teddy Sheringham said it was unusual to finish a football game post midnight, something that he had never experienced in his long association with the game.

'Modi's marriage is a Shakespearean tragedy'

'Modi's marriage is a Shakespearean tragedy'

Rediff.com11 Apr 2014

'If 17-year-old Modi wanted to get out of the marriage, which was imposed on him by a socially backward society and his family, it's not only ethical but his right to walk out of the forced marriage...' 'Jashodaben, a highly conservative woman who understandably, by the social standards of India of the 1960s, opted to remain confined to the marriage instead of kicking Modi out from her life for not starting the marriage in the real sense...''In spite of media pressure, if she does not speak against Modi, it suggests that Modi has not ill-treated her or exploited her after parting ways.' Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt speaks to people in the know about the controversy over Narendra Modi's marriage.

Football Extras: Mbappe helps PSG extend lead

Football Extras: Mbappe helps PSG extend lead

Rediff.com18 Feb 2019

News of all that's transpired on and off the football field

Sheena Bora Trial: Mekhail and the murder

Sheena Bora Trial: Mekhail and the murder

Rediff.com25 Aug 2018

Pasbola wound up his cross examination, tabling a new narrative in the murder case. That Sheena Bora had been murdered not by her mother. But by her brother.

War on cash, India-Japan n-deal: Modi bends like Beckham

War on cash, India-Japan n-deal: Modi bends like Beckham

Rediff.com13 Nov 2016

'Modi's abject capitulation will play out badly in his core constituency.' 'The bulk of our strategic community is under the impression that India under Modi has already become a superpower.' 'They don't even want to look at the country's emaciated limbs or its asthmatic problems,' says Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.