'This speech is going to be more of a punishment. I spoke too much this afternoon' A tireless Prime Minister Narendra Modi left over 700 notable luminaries in peals of laughter with his quick wit and sense of humour during a dinner and reception hosted by Indian Ambassador Subrahmanyam Jaishankar at the Taj-owned, The Pierre Hotel. In the presence of the who's who of desi Americans and US lawmakers, Modi once again thanked the Indian-Americans for their contributions and discussed his plans of developing India and the ties he hopes to nurture with America. Aziz Haniffa/Rediff.com presents a sneak-peak into the festive, grand dinner.
'The Pakistan government, we were told, has a plan to renovate several Hindu temples and Buddhist sites, which over the years have fallen into disrepair. The aim is to create a pilgrimage circuit to attract visitors from all over the subcontinent.'
Four Kansas residents who wrote letters to Barack Obama about their struggle and success in US's heartland were in for a surprise when they were taken out for a dinner by the President.
United States President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have arrived in Vietnam and are getting ready for their second meeting in just nine months. The two leaders, who have a history of insult-hurling and name-calling, plan to discuss nuclear weapons on Wednesday and Thursday in Hanoi. The meetings are a follow-up to their first summit last June, when they signed a vaguely worded agreement promising to work toward denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.
For far too long, people in J&K have felt the government doesn't exist for them.' 'My first priority is to make them feel that not only does it exist, it is there to work for them.
The driver, Yang Zanyun, 54, first ploughed through the people with his vehicle and later got out of it and went on a rampage attacking people with a knife.
Simone Biles claimed a record-equalling 23rd medal at the gymnastics world championships on Saturday, leading an American one-two finish in the vault final in Stuttgart.
The G20 summit has failed to heal the rift over US plans for military action against the embattled Syrian regime, as American President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin could not reach consensus on Friday during "candid and constructive" talks.
'KRN's journey from a humble cottage in Uzhavoor to Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi was no less spectacular than that of Abraham Lincoln from the log cabin to the White House'.
'This was the first ever visit by a President in a re-election year so it sent a strong signal of the priority of the relationship and the desire to continue to strengthen it.'
Ahead of the G-20 summit in Osaka this week, Xi has reasserted China's role as a global player, points out Dr Rajaram Panda.
'He is not the leader of the party in the Rajya Sabha or the Lok Sabha. He is just an MP.' 'In the order of precedence of the Republic of India, Rahul Gandhi is at 21st position,' says Sudhir Bisht.
Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare's trip to the United States and participation in the India Independence Day Parade, was "to meet NRIs and connect with like-minded people in the United States and get their support -- wake them up -- for the next anti-corruption agitation in India."
'The TMC has become a private limited company.'
I kept insisting that Rs 100 notes were in short supply and there was an urgent need to augment the supply of 100 rupee notes while also rapidly bringing into circulation the proposed new Rs 500 notes. But this was easier said than done because all the note printing machines of the RBI were programmed for printing Rs 2,000 notes and required at least three weeks before the machines could print the new Rs 500 currency notes. The availability of currency paper posed another major bottleneck, and it had to be imported. It was decided to immediately start printing the Rs 500 notes. It was only when the supply of the new Rs 500 notes started improving and the process of change of cassettes at the ATMs gathered momentum that the situation began limping back to normal. A fascinating excerpt from former SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar's The Custodian of Trust: A Banker's Memoir, five years after demonetisation, November 8.
For the current generation, enchanted by the monarchy but unaware of its past, The Crown may well perform the role of a history textbook, notes Dhruv Munjal.
In her weekly QnA with Rediff readers, life coach and mental health guru Anu Krishna addresses issues relating to mental health and offers solutions.
'Painting opponents as the enemy of the State, using fake news, making wild allegations about rival parties, curtailing civil liberties and challenging the Constitution itself are worrying developments.'
Her decision is being seen in the political circle as an outcome of the heightened tussle between the TMC and the BJP in West Bengal.
Vardhan said the 15-member central team of doctors and para-medics will be replaced by a team with similar strength for further 10 days, ensuring continuity of care of admitted cases.
While Ramdev claimed that Ayurved-based 'Coronil and Swasari' medicine have shown 100 per cent favourable results during clinical trials on COVID-19 infected patients except those on a life support system, the Ayush Ministry sought from the company detailed report on composition, testing and other data of the drugs.
Party sources said Kumar drove to Gandhi's Tughlaq Lane residence and discussed about graft charges against Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasdad's son, Tejashwi Yadav.
The 74-year-old real estate mogul-turned politician, who radically changed politics in the corridors of power in Washington, DC over the past four tumultuous years, was impeached for a second time on the charges of 'incitement of insurrection' for the violent storming of the United States Capitol by his supporters just days before the end of his four-year term.
The deadly coronavirus has forced us to adopt new ways of life.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh skipped his usual attire of pristine white to take part in a photo-op with United States President Barack Obama and the top leaders of Asia.
India is going into the longest lockdown in the world, with the least amount of notice given to its people and the least preparation by its government.
'He was a very fierce competitor. 'I got to learn a lot from him in terms of his discipline, focus and his routines, like how one has to prepare for the game.'
The views are stunning, the skies are blue, the forests are lush and, wonder of wonders, thanks to the discipline of the tea estate, even man isn't vile, discover Renu Bahal Wadhwa and T C A Srinivasa Raghavan after a trip to Kerala's breathtakingly beautiful hill retreat.
Trump had a hastily-arranged bilateral meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani
'It is a ticking time bomb if the authorities don't come forward to help these hapless people.'
Spain midfielder Koke revealed he and his team mates have been unable to watch some World Cup games because it interferes with their 'siesta', the traditional afternoon nap.
Raj Iyengar tells us how he met his wife Taru Dewan.
Tennis already sets the bar with equal prize money paid to women and men at Grand Slam tournaments
The canteens would provide breakfast at Rs 5 and lunch and dinner at a cost of Rs 10.
Here are some great photographs of daily life during the Great Depression of the 1930s in the United States.
While ex-lovers Vishal Aditya Singh and Madhurima Tuli weren't seeing eye-to-eye, they have finally broken the ice and looks like they may patch-up by the end of their Bigg Boss journey.
England left-hander Gary Ballance has admitted that a dinner with skipper Alastair Cook helped get his focus back in the game after he came in the news for his shirtless act in an inebriated state at a Nottingham pub after the conclusion of the first Test at Trent Bridge.
'Everybody knows that any solution would upstage and expose official bungling.' 'That is something Mrs Sitharaman's masters will not allow.' 'No matter how high the cost in human misery, they will squander a fortune on the unnecessary Central Vista extravaganza,' notes Sunanda K Datta-Ray.
Clinton and Trump came face-to-face at a white-tie charity dinner at the Waldorf Astoria, barely 24 hours after they clashed with each other at the third and final vitriolic presidential debate in Las Vegas.
Yogini and wellness entrepreneur Radhika Iyer Talati tells you how simple modifications in your lifestyle can help you lead a healthy life.
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