'Karunanidhi's entire family involved in 2G scam'
Tearing into her arch-rival and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's "convoluted defence" of his daughter Kanimozhi on the 2G scam issue, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam supremo Jayalalithaa on Saturday demanded that his entire family be chargesheeted "if the interest of justice is to be met". Pak not doing enough to punish 26/11 culprits: UK
Pakistan is not doing enough to bring the perpetrators of the 26/11 attack to justice, former British foreign secretary David Miliband has stated, confirming the Indian position on this issue. No trace of Arunachal CM's chopper amid confusion
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu's chopper landed safely at Daporijo on Saturday afternoon, said a government spokesperson.The chopper had gone missing after it took off from Tawang at 9.45 am. The Air Force and the Army has launched search operations to locate the missing chopper. MIM leader attacked in Hyderabad, critical
Majlis-e-lttehad Muluslimeen legislator Akbaruddin Owaisi was critically injured in firing by a group of assailants in Hyderabad on Saturday. The assailants are believed to be followers of a local gangster Mohammed Pehlwan. They reportedly opened fire at Owaisi's vehicle. They also allegedly attacked him with sharp weapons when he was on his way to Barkas area of the city to attend some programmes in his constituency Chandrayangutta. Narendra Modi or Sanjeev Bhatt: Who is lying?
The shadow of his alleged post-Godhra vindictive reflexes continues to follow Narendra Modi, says B Raman 'My brother represents all 9/11 backlash victims'
After strong protests from the Sikh community, Arizona's Republican Governor Jan Brewer has vetoed a bill that sought to remove the name of Balbir Singh Sodhi, who was murdered four days after the 9/11 attacks, from a memorial panel. Video: Rajni's Rana, Baba's farewell
Rajnikanth's Rana PIX: Treats, tiaras at UK's royal street parties
Over 5,000 street parties were in full swing to celebrate the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton, breaking out the champagne, beer and cucumber sandwiches in Britain. The Royal fever has gripped the nation like never before. IMAGES: Pomp and pageantry of the Royal Procession
After being pronounced man and wife at Westminster Abbey, Prince William and Kate Middleton left for Buckingham Palace. Thousands of well-wishers lined the procession route as they cheered for the newlywed. Here are some stunning pictures from the royal procession. Just laws not enough to curb corruption: Arundhati
Author-turned-activist Arundhati Roy on Friday spoke at a convention against corruption organised by Coalition of Democratic Movements in New Delhi. Here's the full text of her speech: PIX: Prince William, Middleton are man and wife
Prince William and Kate Middleton were on Friday pronounced man and wife at the majestic Westminster Abbey in London where the couple exchanged vows in the presence of some 1,900 guests, while millions of people around the world watched the ceremony live on TV. Prema Sai Baba will be born in Doddamallur!
Doddamallur will play a significant part in the days to come, as this has been the village that has been identified by Sathya Sai Baba to be the place where his next incarnation Prema Sai Baba will be born. London: Millions tune in to royal wedding
The world's major television channels were tuned into the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on Friday, as crowds thronged the route to Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace in scenes that drew comparisons with the fairytale marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana in 1981. 'IAF pilot's life is more important than ties'
talks to former Indian Ambassador Naresh Chandra about the raminfications of New Delhi's decision to drop American fighter aircraft from the mother of all defence deals 'China, India don't have guts to resolve issues'
There will be always new areas for India and China to cooperate and collaborate, since they facing similar challengers, says China expert Dr Hu Shisheng. Harvard forced 'playboyish' Obama's dad to leave?
Even before the dust could settle on the controversy over United States President Barack Obama's birth certificate, new documents about his father have emerged claiming that Obama senior was forced to leave Harvard university amid concerns about his playboy ways. PHOTOS: Deadly tornadoes kill over 300 in US
Over 300 people were killed when dozens of deadly tornadoes, triggered by the storms of near-epic proportions wiped out entire towns across six southern American states, officials said on Friday. IAF Fighter jet deal: It's Rafale vs Typhoon
Which of the two aircraft will India chose? Let's take a closer look at the two aircraft. US enraged over India shooting down F-16, F-18
There is seething anger among the senior administration officials -- at State, Commerce and the Pentagon -- and representatives of business and industry that New Delhi's decision was wholly political and much of the finger-pointing was at Defence Minister A K Antony and the Defence Research and Development Organisation. PAC ruckus a black day in our democracy: Gadkari
Bharatiya Janata Party President Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday night the ruckus at the meeting of the Public Accounts Committee on the 2G spectrum scam represented a "black day" for the country's democracy and alleged that whatever happened there was done at the "direction" of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. Purulia arms drop, embarrassment to Indian intel
Though the Indian intelligence agencies were tipped off that the consignment of arms and ammunition would be dropped in Purulia, West Bengal they failed to avert the incident. Both the R 2G irony: Now Congress banks on JPC not PAC
Politics is going to get even more sharply polarised in the weeks and months to come. And the 2G scam is not going to die down so easily, says Neerja Chowdhury We saw people being bought for trust vote: Advani
Expressing deep displeasure over India's response to the WikiLeaks cables, veteran BJP leader L K Advani on Thursday said "even now, they (the United Progressive Alliance) should correct themselves". Was Arunima a national level athlete? Probe on
After the Government Railway Police claimed loopholes in sportsperson Arunima Sinha's version, a fresh controversy is brewing over her being a "national level player". Sai Baba had no will, we own the assets: Trust
Sathya Sai Baba had no will; Sathyajith has no membership in the trust; and the Sathya Sai Baba Central Trust will soon have a new chairman -- these are some of the points that have cropped up during the ongoing press conference of the trust at Puttaparthi a day after the spiritual leader was laid to rest. 2G report on PAC meet's agenda amid political war
The Public Accounts Committee met in New Delhi on Thursday with its chairman Murli Manohar Joshi saying the report on the 2G spectrum scam was on agenda and will be discussed on merit. In PHOTOS: The world's top 15 nuclear nations
Today nearly 440 nuclear reactors produce electricity around the world. More than 15 countries rely on nuclear power for 25 per cent or more of their electricity. In Europe and Japan, the nuclear share of electricity is over 30 per cent. In the US, nuclear power creates 20 per cent of electricity. 'India opened its doors and hearts to my family'
Following is the statement issued by Ambassador Roemer, announcing his decision to resign 'The Pandits are being missed in Kashmir'
The Kashmiri Pandits have lost hope of returning to that place in the Kashmir valley they once called home and that is one of contemporary India's biggest tragedies. reports on a people callously termed as 'migrants' in their own land. Real 26/11 villains and the danger they pose
With the arrest of Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative David Coleman Headley the attack on the offices of Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten that published the Prophet Mohammed cartoons was averted. But the masterminds of this attack are the ones who planned and executed the 26/11 strikes -- Sajid Mir, Abu Qahafa, Mazhar Iqbal and Major Iqbal. The US court may have named them conspirators in the Mumbai attacks, but the danger is far from over. They are still at large in Pakistan. 'Kashmiris have lost patience; they want peace'
A general battling an insurgency among an often hostile populace while labouring hard and openly to win hearts and minds is not usual, but that is what Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain, commander of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, has been at since taking charge four months earlier. PHOTOS: Yes, US President is indeed an American
Let's take a look at some snapshots from Barack Obama's early years... India to resume nuclear tests to counter China?
India may resume its nuclear tests taking advantage of the unrest in Middle East to counter China which it considers "a slumbering threat at its bedside," a state-run newspaper in Beijing said, describing New Delhi as a "super antagonist". Is Mayawati trying to foil Hazare's UP visit?
Barely 24 hours after the Lucknow University denied permission for a meeting to be addressed by social activist Anna Hazare on May 1, the state government has introduced measures that may put up impediments in the path of his proposed three-day visit to the state. BJP demands action against PM, Sonia in 2G scam
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday demanded action against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi in connection with the Commonwealth Games and 2G scams, saying the duo were director and producer of the "corruption movie". 'With black money, we are the richest nation'
Dr Subhash C Kashyap, former secretary-general of the Lok Sabha and a well-known expert on Parliamentary affairs, has been involved in fighting corruption for years. The former member of the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution speaks to Rediff.com's Claude Arpi about the root cause of the massive corruption permeating the Indian system and the need to find a solution. Read: PAC draft report that indicts Raja
The Public Accounts Committee has, in a draft report on 2G scam, strongly indicted former Telecom minister A Raja and came down heavily on the Prime Minister's Office and the Cabinet Secretariat for not taking "corrective action" while not sparing even the prime minister for "some unfortunate omissions". Kolkata poll diary: Voters brave sweltering heat
After taking a stroll in the bylanes of South Kolkata, moves on to North Kolkata in the sweltering heat as the day progresses, and talks to voters and supporters alike during the third phase polling of the West Bengal assembly elections Lobsang Sangay elected PM of exiled Tibet govt
Harvard scholar Lobsang Sangay was on Wednesday elected prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile and would take over the political duties relinquished by spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. Kanimozhi's 2G link: DMK stunned, Karuna anguished
The Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam on Wednesday decided not to walk out of the United Progressive Alliance at the Centre over the 2G issue and decided to fight the case legally. Images: Piety marks Sathya Sai Baba's last rites
A living God for millions of devotees, Sathya Sai Baba who passed away on Sunday was laid to rest at the Sai Kulwant Hall in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh amidst full state honours on Wednesday. 'Wasn't what Pandits experienced a genocide?'
'We are puppets. We have to go where the government takes us.' reports on Kashmiri Pandits facing a third migration after they fled their homeland in the late 1990s. Kanimozhi arrest: DMK to assess options today
Amid fresh strains with its key ally Congress, the Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam will hold a crucial meeting in Chennai on Wednesday to plan its next course of action in the wake of the Central Bureau of Investigation naming Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's daughter Kanimozhi in the second chargesheet in the 2G spectrum scam. Why extremists target Pakistani navy
Senior analyst explains why the Pakistani navy has been the favorrite target of jihadists. Revealed: Every step of 26/11 plan since 2005
The United States charged four more Pakistani conspirators with carrying the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The second superseding indictment filed by the federal prosecutors before a Chicago court on Monday, revealed how the attacks were planned since 2005. In a two part series, rediff.com explains in detail the 26/11 conspiracy. Kolkata poll diary: Will Bengal usher in 'change'?
As the crucial third phase polling of the West Bengal assembly elections begins on Wednesday morning, tries to gauge the political temperatures as she strolls through the by-lanes of poll-bound Kolkata. WB: Third phase to decide fate of Buddha, Mitra
An electorate of 1.44 crore is expected to vote on Wednesday in the crucial third phase of the West Bengal assembly polls spread over three districts of Kolkata and North and South 24 Parganas district to decide the fate of 479 candidates including Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. MUST WATCH: 'Netas' who faced shoe missiles
Rediff.com takes a look at politicians who have enjoyed some shoe therapy over the years. IMAGE: Did this woman kidnap a toddler?
For an affluent family based in south Delhi, hiring an unverified maid turned out to be a nightmarish mistake after she disappeared with their 18-month-old son within a week. PIX: PM, Sonia, Modi pay last respects to Sai Baba
Several senior leaders and dignitaries including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi visited Puttaparthi on Wednesday to pay their last respects to Sathya Sai Baba. 'Anna is a mascot, the people will triumph'
Devinder Sharma, distinguished food security expert who has been with India Against Corruption since its inception, talks about their future plans and where he hopes the movement will go and what they hope to achieve. Video: Slipper attack on Kalmadi in Delhi court
A man threw the slipper at 66-year-old Kalmadi, who was escorted by a posse of policemen, as he entered the court complex for being produced before a special CBI court. Sathya Sai Baba's funeral to be private affair
The burial of the body will take place between 9.00 am and 9.30 am on Wednesday, as per Hindu rites. Ordinary devotees still can't see their Baba
Ordinary devotees flocking Prasanthi Nilayam in Puttaparthi for a final darshan of Sathya Sai Baba are disappointed as they are unable to catch a glimpse of his mortal remains even as the rich and the mighty are being extended special privileges to get closer to his body. 'Is there no place for Pandits in this nation?'
27-year-old Vinod Dhar's entire family was massacred when he was just a teenager. He now has a government job and a flat alloted by the government in a township for Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu but almost a decade later, the horrors of that night remain with him. reports from Jammu. PHOTOS: Chernobyl, 25 years since nightmare began
At 1:23 am on April 26, 1986, operators in the control room of Reactor number 4 at the Chernobyl nuclear power facility botched a routine safety test, resulting in an explosion, and a fire that burned for 10 days. Who says Sathya Sai Baba's prophecy was wrong?
Vicky Nanajappa dared to question Sathya Sai Baba's devotees about the spiritual guru's prophesy that he would live till the age of 96. Here's what he found out Power struggles within Sathya Sai Central Trust
examines the tussles within the Sri Sathya Sai Baba Central Trust and options that would ensure a peaceful transition 'For the US, ISI is a terrorist organisation'
United States authorities have described Pakistan's powerful Inter-Services Intelligence agency as a terrorist organisation and considered it as much of a threat as the Al Qaeda and the Taliban, according to a secret document which also names Lashkar-e-Tayiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami. US charges 4 more Pakistanis for Mumbai attacks
Evidently on the strength of continuing information provided by Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative and Pakistani American David Coleman Headley alias Daood Gilani, who was an integral protagonist in the conspiracy that led to the horrific 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, four new Lashkar handlers of Headley have been chargesheeted in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Chicago). PHOTOS: Scintillating Uruguayan horse-taming fest
We are sure you have seen enough people getting hurt trying to tame bulls. But ever seen wild horses giving a hard time? If American forces capture Osama...
Al Qaeda terrorists have threatened to unleash a 'nuclear hellstorm' on the West if their leader and world's most wanted terrorist Osama bin Laden is nabbed. Why CBI charged Kanimozhi and spared Karuna's wife
The Central Bureau of Investigation, which named Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's daughter Kanimozhi as an accused in the 2G case, did so keeping in mind her "active role" in the operations of Kalaignar TV and her "conduct" in the Radia tapes. PIX: Thousands wait for last 'darshan' of Sai Baba
The outpouring of grief at Puttaparthi continued on Monday with over one lakh devotees visiting the temple town to say their final farewell to spiritual leader Sathya Sai Baba who passed away on Sunday morning. Libya: Air strike levels Gaddafi's compound
A North Atlantic Treaty Organisation air strike destroyed buildings inside Muammar Gaddafi's office in the capital Tripoli on Monday as forces loyal to the embattled leader pounded western Misurata, despite the regime announcing halt to operations in the besieged city. CWG: Kalmadi arrested by CBI, suspended by Cong
Suresh Kalmadi was on Monday arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation soon after he came in for interrogation at the agency's headquarters in New Delhi over alleged irregularities in the conduct of Queen's Baton Relay (QBR) held in London in 2009. CBI names Kanimozhi as co-conspirator in 2G scam
The Central Bureau of Investigation, in its second chargesheet filed on Monday, named Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's daughter Kanimozhi and several others for allegedly getting benefits out of the allocation of 2G spectrum to certain telecom firms. Why Kerala CM is walking Anna Hazare's path
Stepping up pressure on the Centre for a nationwide ban on endosulfan pesticide, Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan on Monday began a day-long fast in Thiruvananthapuram along with peoples' representatives, political leaders and civil rights activists to press for the demand. Bengal worst-governed state in India: Chidambaram
Ahead of the crucial third phase of assembly polls, Home Minister P Chidambaram on Monday said that West Bengal was the 'worst-governed' state in the country and blamed the CPI-M and its cadres for spreading violence and turning the state into a 'killing field'. Behind the power and miracles of Sathya Sai Baba
Rediff.com's analyses why Sathya Sai Baba stood out from the rest of the spiritual leaders in India Dhoni, Justin Bieber more influential than Obama!
He heads the most powerful country in the world, but yet United States President's influence in global affairs is seeing a steep decline. Last year, Obama ranked fourth on Time's Magazine list of 100 most influential people in the world. Since he first made it to the chart in 2005 he has been listed six times, but ever since his popularity has reduced drastically. Dilemma over Rs 40000 cr Sathya Sai Trust's future
reports about the uncertain future of the Rs 40,000 crore worth Sathya Sai Central Trust, which remains headless post the spiritual leader's demise. Sea of devotees floods teary Puttaparthi
Puttuparthi on Monday woke up to tears, pain and a vacuum left behind following the demise of Sathya Sai Baba. reports A House for Mr and Mrs Raina
After spending 20 years in squalid camps in Jammu, the Kashmiri Pandits, who fled their native Kashmir valley to escape ethnic cleansing, will finally move into a new township. But they are not home yet. reports from Jammu on the torment of the Pandits in exile, which remains one of contemporary India's worst tragedies. Why PM's 'secret talks' with Pak must be welcomed
Senior analyst N Raman argues that one should not be surprised if PM Manmohan Singh -- whether independently or under US nudging -- has authorised our army chief to enter into clandestine contact with his Pakistani counterpart to work out the details. Millions mourn as Sai Baba's mortal journey ends
The mortal remains of Sathya Sai Baba will be buried at Puttaparthi on Wednesday and a samadhi will be erected. Shattered devotees now wait for Prema Sai Baba
A life came to an end on Sunday and 6 million devotees are immersed in sorrow due to the passing away of their Bhagwan, Sathya Sai Baba at the age of 86. How Sathya Sai Baba inspired a million lives
From ordinary believers to the President of India, his clout spread far and wide but controversy also followed Puttaparthi Sathya Sai Baba all along. I am committed to the cause: Hegde
The Lokpal drafting panel which was constituted with great difficulty will continue to function the way it is with Justice N Santhosh Hegde deciding to stay on in the panel. Hegde spoke with following his decision to stay on in the panel. Left has failed Bengal for 34 years: Dr Singh
Launching a frontal attack on the ruling Left Front government, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Saturday said the law and order situation in West Bengal was a matter of "grave concern" and called for a change to give a fresh lease of life to the state. Will Hegde reconsider quitting Lokpal panel?
Justice Santosh Hegde on Saturday indicated that he may not resign from the joint drafting committee on Lokpal Bill after Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's statement that the government was looking forward to enacting a strong anti-corruption legislation. Terrorists' backbone broken: Pak army chief
Pakistani Army has "broken" the backbone of terrorists and will soon prevail over them, its powerful chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said on Saturday in an apparent riposte to the United States concerns about his force's capability to take on militants. Mamata drove Nano out of Bengal: Somnath
Putting behind the bitterness over his expulsion from the Communist Party of India-Marxist, at least for now, former Speaker Somnath Chatterjee plans to campaign for the party in the assembly elections as he still feels he is a Video:Watch flirt Ranbir and a strange short film
Video:Watch flirt Ranbir and a strange short film Sathya Sai Baba's devotees pray for a miracle
The devotees congregated at the Prashatni Nilayam, the official residence of the 86-year old godman, for prayers even as doctors said the the Sai Baba's response to their treatment was minimal. Debate: 'Lokpal Bill doesn't prevent corruption'
Noted filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and eminent historian K N Panikkar have raised questions on Anna Hazare's anti-corruption movement, accusing him of adopting an "authoritarian" approach in selecting civil society members in the joint drafting committee on Lokpal Bill. How the Anna Hazare movement was born
Devinder Sharma, distinguished food security expert who has been with the NGO India Against Corruption since its inception, gives excusive insights into the making of the Jantar Mantar hunger strike and the people's outbursts that followed. Modi fanned Gujarat riots, IPS officer tells SC
Senior Indian Police Service officer Sanjay Bhatt, who was posted in the Gujarat intelligence department, has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court accusing Chief Minister Narendra Modi of complicity in the 2002 Godhra case. Pak's ISI chief on Time's most influential list
Pakistan's ISI chief Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha has made it to the list of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world along with dignitaries like United States President Barrack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Buddhadeb gave WB only Singur, Nandigram: Mamata
Rubbishing charges that black money was used to fund the Trinamool Congress' poll campaign in West Bengal, party chief Mamata Banerjee on Friday claimed the "wild accusations" would not cut much ice with the electorate. The significance of Mamata's rise can't be ignored
explains how Mamata Banerjee's challenge, which poses a grave threat to the 34-year old rule of the Communist parties in West Bengal, cannot be ignored. 16 killed in gambling den blast in Karachi
At least 16 people were killed and around 40 injured in Pakistan's commercial capital of Karachi, when armed men raided a gambling club and threw hand grenades in one of the city's old areas, Ghas Mandi. Debate: Should Shanti Bhushan quit Lokpal panel?
Vicky Nanjappa and Sharat Pradhan ask a few intellectuals on the campaign against the Bhushans and what happens next. Minister fuels tension over Sai Baba's health
The condition of ailing Sathya Sai Baba deteriorated on Thursday with doctors saying that all his organs were showing poor response to treatment. "Low blood pressure and the non-functioning of liver have become a major cause for concern. The baba continues to be on ventilator support," Dr A N Safaya, Director, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Sciences, said in Puttaparthi. 'Digvijay's actions contrary to Sonia's reply'
Social activist Swami Agnivesh on Thursday claimed if Congress President Sonia Gandhi did not ask her party General Secretary Digvijay Singh to stop statements "contrary" to her commitment against corruption, her party's image would be affected. The last photos of a fallen lensman in Libya
Chris Hondros, a New York-based photographer for Getty Images covering the battle for control of Libyan city of Misratah, was killed in an attack on April 20 that left three other journalists wounded. WB: Nano's exit continues to haunt candidates
Five years after the Tatas abandoned their small car factory in favour of Gujarat frustrated by the land acquisition controversy, politics in the Singur assembly constituency still revolves around the failed project. What Prime Minister told India's civil servants
Admitting that there is little public tolerance now for the prevailing state of affairs on the issue of corruption, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said that his government is committed to face this challenge boldly as people expect swift and exemplary action William-Kate wedding: The frenzy in PHOTOS
The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton will be the biggest royal occasion in 30 years in Britain. Our movement has just begun, says Kiran Bedi
Anna Hazare's close aide and former 'super cop' Kiran Bedi tells that their anti-corruption movement has just begun, and gives full credit to the youth and people of India who made it 'their' movement. Happy to read Sonia's reply: Hazare
Here's a copy of Congress President Sonia Gandhi's letter to social activist Anna Hazare. Why THEY won't let Hazare's campaign succeed
analyses the aftermath of the Anna Hazare fast in New Delhi and says that war has broken out at multiple levels over the Lokpal bill. Obama's 'cheap health care' remark upsets India
In remarks that have sparked outrage in India, United States President Barack Obama has targeted "cheap health care" in countries like India and Mexico arguing that Americans should avail of "high quality" treatment available in the US. Kidnapped Karnit back home after dramatic rescue
Nearly two weeks after he was kidnapped outside his Mumbai home, a five-year-old boy was rescued by police safely on Wednesday in a flawless operation after he was traced in a remote village near Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh. 'Hazare's team making a mockery of our democracy'
In this interview with rediff.com's , Advocate M L Sharma says that he is not against an effective Lokpal bill, but that he is against the inclusion of five members, who by "no stretch of imagination represent the public." Chandigarh gets India's first UAV for police work
The UAVs, equipped with a high-power small camera to record the activities on the ground, are mainly used by armies around the world for surveillance and reconnaissance purposes. Don't doubt my commitment: Sonia tells Anna
Responding to Anna Hazare's complaint against her "colleagues", Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday assured him that she does not support "politics of smear campaign" and that she was strongly committed to the institution of Lokpal. CPI-M has turned Bengal bankrupt: Sonia
Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday claimed that West Bengal has been taken on a road of destruction under the 34-year Left Front rule and assured that the Congress-Trinamool alliance is determined to free the state from this "misrule". German Bakery case: Long road ahead for NIA
takes a look at the shortcomings of the German Bakery blast case until now, and the task that the National Investigating Agency has cut out for itself. Jagan hopes for landslide win in Andhra bypolls
All eyes in Andhra Pradesh are on the by-elections to the Kadapa Lok Sabha and Pulivendula assembly constituencies, from where Jagan Mohan Reddy and his mother Vijayalaxmi will be contesting. 'India does not have to worry about China's rise'
In July 2008, Shivanand Kanavi had a long conversation with strategic guru K Subrahmanyam on a variety of strategic and geo-political issues -- India's nuclear weapon programme, the India-US nuclear deal, Af-Pak, India's global ambitions... ISRO successfully sends 3 satellites into orbit
India's Polar Satellite Launch vehicle-C16 rocket on Wednesday successfully launched into orbit the latest remote sensing satellite Resourcesat-2 that would study and help manage natural resources along with two nano satellites. IMAGES: Around the world in last 24 hours
We bring you a presentation of some of the best photos from around the world in the last 24 hours. In north Bengal, netas 'dream' as voters struggle
visits Haldibari in North Bengal's Coochbehar district and realises that between political strategies and 'illogical' high hopes of leaders, lies the realm of the unattended, struggling voters. Shocking tale of child labour in national capital
goes out investigating the shocking death of 10-year-old Moin Khan, the latest victim of child labour in the country. Mukherjee, the 4th Indian-origin Pulitzer winner
Siddhartha Mukherjee has become the fourth person of Indian origin to bag the prestigious Pulitzer Prize, the first being Gobind Behari Lal way back in 1937. IN PHOTOS: Pitched battle in Libya 'kills 10,000'
The Libyan government has agreed to facilitate 'safe passage' to United Nations aid workers into Misurata, the western besieged town amid a severe humanitarian crisis as opposition leaders claimed that at least 10,000 people have been killed in the conflict since February. PIX: Anti-Jaitapur N-plant protest turns violent
A district hospital was ransacked and a few buses were torched on Tuesday in violence during the Shiv Sena bandh in Ratnagiri against police firing that claimed the life of one of the locals protesting the controversial Jaitapur nuclear power project. Binayak case: Why deliver inconsistent justice?
reflects on the element of inconsistency in the Indian judiciary, taking the case of activist Binayak Sen who was let off on bail on Friday by the Supreme Court months after he was sent to jail for a life term by the Raipur sessions court for colluding with Naxals Pak President slams army for terror links
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has accused the army, which covertly supports the 2008 Mumbai attacks perpetrator Lashkar-e-Tayiba, of playing a double game in the ongoing war on terror, and an "abundance of evidence backs him up," Bruce Riedel, a former Central Intelligence Agency officer, has said. 'Pass Lokpal bill by Aug 15, or face people's ire'
Backtracking on his Sunday's statement, Anna Hazare on Monday stuck to his August 15 deadline for passage of the Lokpal bill failing which he will resort to agitation. Why US-India bonhomie is making Pakistan paranoid
The strengthening ties between India and United States have made Pakistan paranoid. Fearing that US might just discard it, Pakistan is now turning to its "enduring friend" China, believe America's powerful couple in diplomatic circles -- former ambassadors Howard and Teresita Schaffer. Aziz Haniffa reports Tata leaving Singur was a serious mistake: Buddha
West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has said that the decision of the Tata Group to withdraw from the Singur project was a colossal one. I have never betrayed my country: Binayak Sen
Rights activist Binayak Sen, released on bail while serving a life sentence for sedition and links with Maoists, on Monday night asserted he is not a 'traitor' and said the Supreme Court observation in his case will have 'deep political implication.' PIX: Police firing kills anti-Jaitapur protestor
One villager was reportedly killed and five others injured in police firing during protests against setting up of a nuclear power plant at Jaitapur in Maharashtra. A horror I would never forget: Rajdhani passenger
Singh, along with his wife and two children were in B-7 coach, one of the coaches of the Mumbai-Delhi train which were gutted between Alot and Thuriya stations in Ratlam district, scampered out of the burning bogey in the dead of the night. Big fat desi wedding may soon be 'one-dish' affair
Perturbed over huge wastage of food on social events in the country, the government has said that it will study the "one-dish" law of Pakistan and similar legislations of other countries to deal with the problem. Few takers for Cong-TC alliance in north Bengal
As the first phase of assembly elections was underway, rediff.com's Indrani Mitra Roy toured north Bengal only to find that the Trinamool-Congress alliance has a few takers here. Most voters swore by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, a few referred to them as extortionists. 'I live a simple life, but even I am not spared'
Expressing his resentment at the recent smear campaign against civil society members by certain elements, including some within the Congress and the government, to derail the fight against corruption, social activist Anna Hazare shot off a strongly-worded letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Justice Iyer apologises for attack on Rahul Gandhi
Former Supreme Court judge Justice V R Krishna Iyer, who had launched a scathing attack on Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, on Monday sent an apology letter to him. Winds of change may not sway North Bengal
The much-hyped winds of change may not be blowing strongly enough for North Bengal, which seems reluctant to give up its red awning, finds Indrani Roy Mitra Anna may withdraw statement on Modi: Agnivesh
Social activist Swami Agnivesh has said that Anna Hazare may withdraw his statement praising Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, once information collected from the state is submitted to him. Banning the veil will not help Muslim women
Even Muslim critics of the face veil, who insist that it has no sanction in their reading of Islam, do not necessarily support the French ban, says Yoginder Sikand Working to improve rotten system: Rahul
Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi has reacted sharply to former Supreme Court judge V R Krishna Iyer's letter accusing him of being "silent" on corruption, saying he is working to improve a "rotten system" instead of just complaining and has no intention of being glorified as a hero. Digvijay wrong on agitation expenditure: Kejriwal
After Digvijay Singh questioned the funding of Anna Hazare's four-day hunger strike, Right to Information activist Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said the Congress leader was "wrong" in claiming that Rs 50 lakh had been spent for Delhi agitation and maintained that only Rs 32 lakh were used for the campaign over the last four months. 'Nine months' to end Japan's N-crisis
Under fire for its handling of the atomic crisis at radiation-leaking Fukushima nuclear complex, the plant's operator on Sunday said it aims to stabilise the facility within six to nine months, as United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton vowed unwavering support to tsunami-hit Japan during a solidarity visit to Tokyo. Will accept if Parliament rejects Bill: Hazare
In an apparent softening of stand, social activist Anna Hazare on Sunday said Parliament was supreme and would accept its decision if it rejects the Lokpal Bill. Hazare also showed some flexibility on the August 15 deadline he had set for passage of the Lokpal Bill by Parliament saying he was open to extending it if he found that the government was on the right path. I didn't know who I was helping: Pondy Lt Guv
Under scanner of the Enforcement Directorate for his alleged links with Hasan Ali Khan, Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Iqbal Singh has admitted recommending expeditious issuance of passport to the alleged tax evader but claimed he did not know him. Tweaked draft gives phone tapping powers to Lokpal
The new draft aimed at checking political and administrative corruption, which was presented to the government at the joint drafting committee meeting on Lokpal, retained the original provision to bring judges of the higher judiciary within the ambit of the Lokpal, notwithstanding the reservations of anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare. India, Kazakhstan ink civil nuclear agreement
Cementing their strategic partnership, India and Kazakhstan on Saturday signed an inter-governmental framework agreement on civil nuclear cooperation and some other key pacts, including a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty. Why should CBI probe illegal mining, asks K'tka CM
Sticking to its stand, the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Karnataka on Saturday asserted that it would not entrust the probe into the illegal mining issue to the Central Bureau of Investigation, but said a report would be submitted to the Supreme Court on the issues raised by a committee appointed by the apex court. Cong set to win in Bengal because of TC: Mamata
In an exclusive interview to CNN IBN, Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee says that the Congress was winning because of her leadership. Salman Khan's Ready
Salman Khan's Ready Jagan Reddy declares Rs 446 crore in assets!
YSR Congress Party President Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, who is contesting the by-poll from Kadapa Lok Sabha seat, on Friday declared that he and his spouse have assets worth Rs 445.70 crore and loans to the tune of Rs 10.12 crore. Hosni Mubarak could be hanged: Top judge
Ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak may be hanged or jailed for life if found guilty of ordering the killing of pro-democracy protesters, as he was shifted to a military hospital pending a transfer to prison, state media said. 'Does Communism mean people will become poorer?'
Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Friday stressed for a change of regime in West Bengal, saying that the Left Front Government had failed to utilise Central funds given to the state for its development. Get uranium, counter China: PM's agenda in Kazakh
India's attempts to make some headway in the Great Game in Central Asia may be the reason behind Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Kazakhstan, says Rediff.com's Nikhil Lakshman, who is travelling with the PM to the Kazakh capital of Sanya Indian reactors will soon shut on slightest tremor
Not taking any chance of India facing Fukushima-type nuclear disaster, the government is gearing up India's nuclear power plants and other reactors for automatic shutdown, requiring no human intervention, if any earthquakes of the least intensity strikes. 'People close to Anna are close to BJP as well'
Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Friday said people close to social activist Anna Hazare were "somehow close" to Bharatiya Janata Party and questioned the inclusion of father-son lawyer duo of Shanti and Prashant Bhushan in the ten-member joint drafting committee on Lokpal Bill. View: Why 'secular' Modi bashers must be ignored
Senior analyst feels that the so called 'secular' Modi bashers are doing a great disservice to India by quarantining the Gujarat chief minister in his past. Instead, the youth power should support Modi's Gujarat development model so that it spreads to other parts of the country. 'Time to begin the second freedom movement'
A powerful campaign has been launched against Hazare and the movement he led. 'Anti democratic', 'Fascist' are some of the adjectives hurled at him. There is a less than subtle attempt to paint him a Hindu fundamentalist, writes Colonel Anil Athale (retd) Lokpal act in 5 weeks, but issues persist
Rediff.com's looks at the stumbling blocks that need to be overcome before the Lokpal Act becomes a reality India's move to join US 26/11 lawsuit is risky
Rediff.com's spoke to experts about the Indian government's decision to become party to a lawsuit in the United States against the Pakistan government and its spy agency Inter Services Intelligence over their involvement in the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai Supreme Court grants bail to Binayak Sen
The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to rights activist Binayak Sen, who has been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by a Chhattisgarh trial court for sedition and helping Naxalites to set up a network to fight the state. Rana googly leaves PM on sticky wicket
Freezing or calling off the re-engagement process in the wake of Tahawwur Hussain Rana's confession on 26/11 will be an easy option, but that will take both India and Pakistan back into stewing in their past, feels strategic expert In PHOTOS: 15 amazing survival stories
Whether it be natural disasters, animal attacks or acts of violence, some survivors have overcome adversity and lived to tell their stories. I regret I couldn't die as a CPI-M member: Somnath
On the outskirts of Santiniketan, in a sprawling bungalow, lives an octogenarian gentleman with his wife. The hurly-burly of the outside world does not disturb the peace there. Confident over Kerala, tough fight in WB: Karat
Prakash Karat, the head (general secretary) of the country's premier Left party, the Communist Party of India -Marxist, tells Saubhadra Chatterji it won't be doomsday if they lose power in West Bengal. Fukushima and Chernobyl: What are the parallels?
There is a lot that seems to set Fukushima apart from Chenobyl, it is not clear why, after over three weeks, the Japanese have suddenly chosen to upgrade to Level 7 skipping Level 6. Have they and other countries that are helping them given up hope of retrieving the situation, asks nuclear safety expert L V Krishnan. MNS goes on a rampage, attacks pani puri vendors
The Maharashtra Navnirmal Sena took to the streets yet again, this time targeting the bhelpuri and pani puri vendors in Mumbai and Thane. The attacked came a day after a Mumbai tabloid exposed a vendor who was caught on camera while urinating in a container which was used to serve customers. End CPI-M's misrule, elect aam aadmi's govt: Rahul
Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandh on Thursday asked the people of West Bengal to end the 34-year-old 'misrule' of the Communist Party of India-Marxist and elect a government of the aam admi that would bring development and prosperity to the state. We'll continue acting like dictators: Anna Hazare
In his unassuming style Anna Hazare fielded a volley of questions -- related to charges of corruption in his trust, Narendra Modi, threat to his life from people who he has named as corrupt, his movement being propped up by the RSS and charges of him acting like a dictator --from the press without ever showing his fatigue after a 97-hour long fast unto death that ended on April 9. Here's Anna Hazare unplugged Politicians afraid of the recent awakening: Hazare
Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Thursday charged 'political and criminal forces' of trying to dilute the nationwide movement against graft by defaming and criticising the campaign for a comprehensive Lokpal bill. Help Cong-TC end CPI-M's misrule in Bengal: Rahul
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday asked the people of West Bengal to end the 34-year-old 'misrule' of the Communist Party of India-Marxist and elect a government of 'aam admi' that would bring development and prosperity to the state. India says its stand on 26/11 remains undiluted
India on Thursday said there was no dilution in its position that all those responsible for the Mumbai terror attack should be brought to justice expeditiously and the on-going dialogue with Pakistan will seek to address the country's terrorism-related concerns. TN polls: Jaya's stakes higher than 'DMK Family'
Though the stakes of both the Dravidian parties are high in these elections, Jayalalithaa has a little more to lose or gain than the state's First Family, says Neerja Chowdhury WB: Shouts of change, whispers of scepticism
Sumit Bhattacharya listens in to conversations in poll-bound Kolkata. Yoga in America: A checkered history
If you thought Swami Vivekananda was the first one to suggest yoga to Americans, think again, says . 'Electoral reforms no less imp than Lokpal Bill'
The Election Commission and the Law Ministry have joined hands to draw up a list of electoral reforms that seek to bar corrupt and criminal leaders from contesting polls, says Sheela Bhatt Hazare not right in praising Modi: Digvijay
Taking exception to Anna Hazare's praise for Narendra Modi, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Wednesday said the Gujarat Chief Minister had not even appointed a Lokayukta despite being in power for seven years. "I respect Anna Hazare a lot for taking up the fight against corruption. India, China get proactive on bilateral relations
Rediff.com's Editor-in-chief Nikhil Lakshman, who is traveling with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the BRICS summit in the Chinese town of Sanya, reports that the two Asian giants have agreed to set up a working mechanism to resolve irritants that have led to a deterioration in relations Videos: Mumbai celebrates Ram Navami with gaiety
Ram Navami, the birth anniversary of Lord Ram, was celebrated with religious fervour and gaiety across Mumbai. Thousands thronged temples in the morning and kirtans and classical dances were organisd to pay obeisance. Curtains down for Kerala's fierce poll battle
The rival fronts were locked in a fierce combat in most of the constituencies making it a close contest in the state, which had alternately voted for the LDF and UDF every five years and where even a small swing could be decisive. Anna is no Gandhi, but his agitation was needed
Even if Anna Hazare's protest is not an enduring solution, it would most certainly be a brake on the incorrigibility of the political and bureaucratic class, says Mahesh Vijapurkar. Singh discusses ways to strengthen ties with Hu
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese President Hu Jintao met in Sanya on Wednesday, with the Indian leader conveying the intention to expand cooperation in all areas and strengthen the strategic and economic partnership. Congress prays and hopes as Puducherry votes
Over 8.1 lakh voters are exercising their franchise in the union territory of Puducherry for the 30-member assembly where ruling Congress is contesting 17 seats. Tamil Nadu's closest poll battle reaches climax
Four and a half crore voters will decide the fate of 2,773 candidates. PHOTOS: When Indian and US navies met in Pacific
Malabar 2011 is the latest in a continuing series of exercises conducted to advance multinational maritime relationships and mutual security issues. Was freedom won so that corrupt could loot India?
That corruption has been eating into the vitals of India's economy is by now a foregone conclusion. It has also subverted, to a large extent, the political system and the parties that run it and most of the institutions of India, writes Prem Prakash. When PHOTOS tell the tale more than words
There are some stories, like the radiation fear shrouding Japan, that words can't describe and illustrate. In situations like these it falls to the photographers to find creative ways to capture the intangible. We bring you some such moments. N-reactors: 'India uses more robots than Japanese'
The most high-profile Indian participant at the Carnegie International Nuclear Policy Conference speaks to Govt responded to the masses, not Anna: Kejriwal
In an interview with rediff.com's Sahim Salim, Arvind Kejriwal, who played a key role in convincing the government to allow a joint panel, consisting of government and civil society members, for the drafting of the Lok Pal bill, explains why the Anna Hazare-led movement was such a huge success. IN PHOTOS: When the sun flares up
During its active stage, the star spews tonnes of plasma that can disrupt satellites and power grids, writes . Taxi Yoga: Road rage to road sage
talks to Andrew Vollo, who has been training New York taxi drivers in yoga and T'ai Chi for over eight years. At 92, Gowri Amma still packs a punch
Rediff.com's keeps up pace with India's oldest election candidate K R Gowri Amma, who has been campaigning vigorously in her 17th election 'Tibetan movement inspired by India's WC win'
On March 20, Tibetans voted to elect a new prime minister of the government-in-exile headquartered at Dharamshala. This contest assumed significance as the Dalai Lama stuck to his decision of quitting as the political head of the community. Awaiting Tibet's verdict, Harvard law scholar Dr Lobsang Sangay, the frontrunner in contest speaks about the Dalai Lama, the threat from China and how India's World Cup victory has given hope to the Tibetan cause. Don't need retirement age for politicians: VS
In a quick chat with rediff.com's Shobha Warrier before he started his campaign in Palakkad, VS claims that all is well between him and Vijayan. NYC 4 Anna: Indian Americans send message home
Hundreds of Indian-Americans came out in support of social activist Anna Hazare's anti-corruption crusade in New York. Rediff.com's Aseem Chhabra reports. The Left at a crossroads in Kerala
The "uncommitted" Malayali voter today has hardly any political choice available. Even if he were to choose the Congress-led UDF in the polls on April 13, he would be acutely conscious that five years hence he would have no choice but to revert to the communist-led LDF to run the successor government, writes Left's biggest USP may become its worst nightmare
The issue of acquiring farmland for industry is threatening to jolt West Bengal's Left Front, the world's longest-running democratically elected communist government, says Sumit Bhattacharya We don't need 'Mr India', we need governance
India needs sustainable political and governance reform, not 'Mr India'-type prime-time populism, says Sanjaya Baru Video: 'Out of this world' tribute to Yuri Gagarin
NASA astronaut Catherine Coleman has staged an "out of this world" concert, literally to salute 50 years of human spaceflight and the anniversary of the first launch of a human to space. Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin completed that milestone on April 12, 1961 Jaya, Karuna richest CM candidates; VS poorest
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam supremo Jayalalithaa has declared assets valued at Rs 51 crore, both movable and immovable, in her election affidavit. Japan now rates Fukushima at par with Chernobyl
Japan has decided to raise the severity level of the crisis at its tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant to the maximum seven on an international scale from the current status of five. Nuclear fault lines run deep
The slow-moving disaster at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan that is spreading a cloud of anxiety across the world has forced most nations to either suspend or review their nuclear power programmes, but not India. Pak can't be friends with India: Hafiz Saeed
Jamat ud Dawa chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed on Monday made a rare public appearance to lead the funeral prayers for Kashmiri leader Maulvi Showkat Ahmed Shah, killed in Srinagar last week, and used the occasion to rubbish the India-Pakistan cricket diplomacy while vowing for a "jihad" in Jammu and Kashmir. 'Yoga does not belong to any religion'
Yoga is a spiritual practice of self-improvement and bringing an individual closer to God, instructor Becky Crigger tells Arthur J Pais Kerala's youngest candidate is Rahul's choice
"I accept that in India children of politicians are in politics and there is nothing wrong in it but you won't be able to prevail and survive if you are not good," says 27-year-old Hibi Eden, president of the National Students Union and son of a former MP, selected by Rahul Gandhi to contest the Ernakulam assembly seat. The post-modernist politics of Kerala
M K Bhadrakumar, who is in Kerala covering the election, offers his take on how the importance of politics is receding for the average Malayali. I am not someone who gives up easily: Tharoor
Thiruvananthapuram member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor, star campaigner for the Congress-led United Democratic Front in the Kerala assembly elections, speaks to about all things political 'DMK's 2G scam has tarnished India's image'
In an interview with rediff.com's , Panruti Ramachandran talks about the DMDK's poll plans, its alliance with the AIADMK and also the political future of his party. In TN, Rajapaksa's friend seeks a second chance
visits Ramanathapuram in poll-bound Tamil Nadu and meets Congress MLA K Hasan Ali, whom his opponents dub as 'traitor' for being a friend to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse. Our fight a success thanks to the public: Agnivesh
Rediff.com's Onkar Singh caught up with Swami Agnivesh as he recounted talks with the government on the drafting of the much-talked about anti-corruption bill. If LDF returns, Kerala will be 'second WB': Antony
Claiming that the Left Democratic Front government in Kerala had little to show as its achievement, Defence Minister A K Antony on Monday said the state would become the 'second Bengal' if the Left alliance returned to power. States benefitted the most under UPA rule: Pranab
During his whirlwind election tour in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, also the United Progressive Alliance's chief interlocutor, tells Saubhadra Chatterji the government has its own way of moving against corruption: On human rights, US shouldn't lecture us: China
Hitting back at the United States, China on Sunday came out with a report on America's human rights record accusing Washington of turning a 'blind eye to its own terrible human rights situation.' 'There's anger against the government's ineptness'
What one saw Anna Hazare breaking his fast unto death after the government accepted his demands relating to the enactment of legislation to set up an independent institutional mechanism to deal with corruption, was the end of the initial tactical phase of this confrontation, and the beginning of the strategic phase, feels . None can stop us from returning to power: Buddha
Keeping pace with the high-pitch campaign by main opposition Trinamool Congress, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Saturday organised his first roadshow from his Jadavpur constituency and said the ruling Left Front would return to power for the eighth term. Left damaged development of Kerala, Bengal: PM
Accusing the Left parties of destroying the progress of West Bengal and Kerala during their rule, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said they were on the "wrong side" of history and pursuing policies not relevant to the changing times. Differing voices in P Chidambaram's Sivaganga
visits Union Home Minister P Chidambaram's Sivaganga constituency in poll bound Tamil Nadu, and tries to gauge its multi-layered political atmosphere. 'Anna's victory made us happier than WC win'
No sooner did Gandhian Anna Hazare broke his fast unto death by offering water to some women fasting with him, villagers in Ralegan Siddhi, his native place, some 250 km south east of Mumbai, celebrated the moment by bursting crackers and dancing. If Japan couldn't handle N-woes, how would India?
A 'pause-and-review' approach to nuclear power isn't extreme. Safety is too precious to be sacrificed to appease our nuclear lobby, writes Why Alagiri is southern TN's 'undisputed' leader
Known for his organisational skills, Union Minister and party's strongman M K Alagiri shies away from open electioneering. But he is always on the move, crisscrossing southern Tamil Nadu giving 'pep talks' to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam cadre PM and his advisers totally misread the situation
What is objectionable is not what the government has conceded to Anna Hazare's demands, but the manner in which it has conceded it, writes 'You woke up the government from its slumber'
Curtains were drawn on the anti-corruption campaign that drew instant nationwide support with a little girl giving the 73-year-old activist a glass of water at 10.45 am at Jantar Mantar, the nerve-centre of the agitation for a strong legislation to combat political and administrative graft. Must Watch: Poonam's dilemma; Viru's IPL challenge
Must Watch: Poonam Pandey's dilemma; Viru's IPL challenge 'Hope' to bring Lokpal Bill in Parl in July: PM
Terming the joining of hands of civil society and government on the Lokpal Bill issue as a step that augurs well for democracy, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said the government intended to introduce the "historic legislation" in the Monsoon Session of Parliament. Anna Hazare and his 80s revolution
Sunita Narain profiles the man who never took half steps to development and transformed a drought-hit village into a prosperous one back in the 1980s. PIX: Blast kills top cleric, Kashmir mourns
Maulana Showkat Ahmed Shah, chief of the Ahli-Hadees organisation in Jammu and Kashmir, was killed in a powerful bomb explosion outside a mosque in Maisuma locality near Srinagar's city centre Lal Chowk on Friday afternoon. Anna's villagers warn of self immolation
Prasanna D Zore and photographer Sanjay Sawant travel to Ralegan Siddhi, the Maharashtra village where Gandhian Anna Hazare started his long journey in the path of social activism 'There's no leader like Rahul Gandhi in India'
A farmer's son with no political lineage, K T Benny is one of the fresh faces handpicked by Rahul Gandhi in Kerala. Video: When a Gujarati campaigns for a 'Keralan'
Deepak Babaria, the All India Congress Committee secretary from Gujarat, was one of the many people on the stage before Defence Minister A K Antony's election address in Cheranalloor, Kochi. Video: A farmer's son fights his first election
A farmer's son with no political lineage, K T Benny was in for a surprise when his name came up as a candidate in the Kerala assembly election. Many in the state Congress also had not heard of the Youth Congress worker who turns 37 on April 13, the day of polling in Kerala. Even in absence, Perambalur feels Raja's presence
Having traversed through the DMK bastion of Thiruvarur and the AIADMK stronghold of Srirangam, concludes his poll journey in Peramabalur -- the hometown of jailed former telecom minister A Raja -- which slowly seems like slipping out of the DMK's hands. 'Left's done nothing, it'll pay for its mistakes'
Rediff.com's Indrani Roy Mitra caught up with Abhijit Mukherjee, son of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee during his campaign trail. Youth must be wary of 'anti-corruption ayatollahs'
'I am not prepared to accept that he has superior or a monopoly of wisdom on this issue and that we can do nothing better than to accept whatever he says or demands without subjecting it to scrutiny.' Kerala's most powerful Marxist speaks!
Pinarayi Vijayan is a name not many Indians are familiar with, but few state leaders have such a strangehold over their party as the secretary of the Communist Party of India-Marxist's Kerala unit has. Can you think of the leader of any other state political unit preventing his party's chief minister from getting a ticket to contest an assembly election? Hazare calls for jail bharo movement on April 13
Gandhian Anna Hazare on Friday announced a 'jail bharo' movement across the country on April 13 after the government rejected his demands of chairmanship of the joint drafting committee being given to a civil society member and for a formal notification. In Kerala CM's bastion, everyone speaks Red
In his constituency Malampuzha, locals can't get enough of Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, his policies and his caustic speeches, says Shobha Warrier PHOTOS: Resounding support for Hazare's campaign
writes an eyewitness account from Jantar Mantar square, the spot which activist Anna Hazare has chosen for his hunger strike, demanding changes in the Loik Pal bill. In PHOTOS: It's an odd, crazy world out there
We bring you a collection of some of the odd, crazy moments from around the world in recent weeks Can yoga be dangerous? Some think so
Yoga's connection with Hinduism is a cause of worry for some, finds Arthur J Pais No 'superbug' found in Delhi water, says India
India on Thursday came out strongly against a report on the presence of a drug resistant bacteria in the public water system of the capital, saying the motives behind it were not 'scientific' and the government will respond in an appropriate forum. Meet the most protected man after Kasab
Hasan Ali Khan, the Pune-based stud farm owner arrested on money laundering charges, is the second-most secure inmate of the Arthur Road jail after Ajmal Kasab, lodged like the Pakistani gunman on death row in the high-security 'Anda cell'. Will Pranab's son change the face of rural WB?
Rediff.com's Indrani Roy Mitra was in Nalhati in the Birbhum district near the Bengal-Jharkhand border on Wednesday to cover the campaign of Abhijit Mukherjee, a former corporate executive and son of Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. And here's what she saw. Rahul Gandhi seeks support in Sivaganga
A Ganesh Nadar reports on a public meeting addressed by Rahul Gandhi and P Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu. This should be the toughest poll: Bengal minister
If Mamata Banerjee is a fighter jet bombing the Left Front fortress of West Bengal, Gautam Deb is the Communist Party of India-Marxist's anti-aircraft gun. Will Oommen Chandy be Kerala's next CM?
After campaigning in Alleppey for the legendary K R Gowri Amma, Oommen Chandy spoke to Rediff.com's Shobha Warrier about forming the next government in the state, development in Kerala and more. Quiet campaign, red rallies and VS wave in Kerala
Campaigns for Kerala polls may have lost a bit of their grandeur, but they are still marked by occasional bursts of red, finds Shobha Warrier Mamata's paintings sold out for over Rs 1 crore!
Although Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's collection of 95 paintings were sold out within three days for a staggering price of more than a crore rupees, she refuses to be acknowledged as a painter. Images: FBI shuts 3 Indian jewellery stores
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation carried out search operations on three jewellery stores owned by Indian American and located in popular Indian market in Jersey City for their alleged involvement in money laundering. In Thiruvarur, a daughter seeks votes for the CM
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's daughter Selvi is sweating it out in Thiruvarur, seeking votes for her father. Despite odds stacked up against him, her father's AIADMK rival K M Rajendran is confident about causing an upset in the DMK chief's hometown. reports from Thiruvarur. Hazare fast Day 3: 'Netas cannot share the dais'
Social activist Anna Hazare's fast-unto-death entered the third day on Thursday even as a large number of people from various walks of life continued to extend support to the crusader for a stronger anti-corruption law. 'I never wrote that Gandhi was bisexual'
Joseph Lelyveld, whose book on Mahatma Gandhi has infuriated many, tells Arthur J Pais how the controversy went viral. Church shooting: Indian American convicted
Twenty-nine-year-old Joseph Pallipurath faces mandatory life term in prison without parole. It could even go up to three mandatory life sentences without parole, when Paterson Superior Court Judge Salem Ahto sentences him on May 27. Does yoga belong to Hinduism? The debate is on
Is it a Hindu thing? Is it a 'mongrel' tradition? Is it merely exercise? Arthur J Pais explores the debate that has America in a knot 'Binayak Sen provided safe hideouts to Naxals'
The Chhattisgarh government on Wednesday opposed the petition of rights activist Binayak Sen in the Supreme Court seeking bail and stay on his life term for his links with Maoists saying he was involved in providing safe hideouts and logistic support to hardcore Naxalites. What Anna Hazare said in his letter to PM
Anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday shot off a letter to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, slamming the reaction of his government and the Congress to his indefinite fast on Lokpal Bill issue, and urged him to show courage to take unprecedented steps to fight the menace. Who was the real Mona Lisa?
The art world's most enduring mystery surrounding the identity of the woman in Leonardo da Vinci's famous portrait Mona Lisa may soon be solved. On the campaign trail with Shashi Tharoor
accompanies Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on the campaign trail. 'When polls come, Congress gets suicidal'
'Communism does not charm Kerala's youth today'... 'If Gulf money stops coming, half of Kerala will stop eating'... 'Thank god for the Muslim League'... Writer Paul Zacharia takes on the fascinating world of Kerala politics. In the poll season, this Tamil star spares none
Hundreds of people wait in the scorching sun for over an hour at a street in Andipetti in Theni district of Tamil Nadu. Amma isn't the blessed one yet in her temple town
travels to temple town Srirangam in poll-bound Tamil Nadu, a seat which former chief minister J Jayalaithaa has chosen to contest. But will she be given a red-carpet welcome? In PHOTOS: Kashmir's scintillating tulip garden
Kashmir's famous tulip garden on the shores of the world famous Dal Lake is yet again in bloom with the advent of spring. 'After Rs 5000 bribes, who will vote for Rs 200?'
Tamil Nadu's political parties may be regretting their earlier tactics of bribing voters and buying votes. A Ganesh Nadar finds out why Corruption a bigger threat than Pak: Hazare
Activist Anna Hazare's campaign against corruption gathered steam as he received support from scores of people across India. But for Hazare this fight is nothing new. He first raised his voice against malpractices in the system in the early 90s, reports . FAQ: What is Lok Pal Bill? Why the ruckus over it?
An FAQ on the controversial anti-corruption bill Hazare begins fast unto death against corruption
Veteran social activist Anna Hazare started his indefinite fast unto death on Tuesday to press for the demand to involve civil society in formulation of the anti-graft Lokpal (ombudsman) bill. Buddha set to 'follow' Mamata's footsteps
With Mamata Banerjee's 'padayatras' drawing thousands, the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist not to be outdone has also planned a similar roadshow on coming Saturday by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in his Jadavpur constituency in southern Kolkata. Obama's flip-flop: 9/11 accused face Gitmo trial
In a volte-face, the Barack Obama administration on Tuesday said that the alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Muhammad and his four co-conspirators would now be tried in a military country instead of a civilian court. In A Raja's backyard, '2G scam' is unheard of
He may be cooling his heels in Delhi's Tihar Jail for his alleged involvement in the 2G scam, but the developmental work and the projects he executed in this reserved constituency are the main plank of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which is facing a tough competition from arch-rival All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. REWIND: The best PHOTOS of March
We bring you a presentation of some of the best photos from around the world in the month gone by. 'Let us fight a war against Karunanidhi's family'
catches up with Jayalalithaa on her campaign trail in Tuticorin district. Will he be the change West Bengal seeks?
Trinamool Congress candidate and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce And Industry secretary general Amit Mitra, pitted against Communist Party of India-Marxist candidate and West Bengal Finance minister Ashim Dasgupta, is confident that his party is heading for a victory at the forthcoming Assembly elections. PAC-JPC tussle over 2G probe has just begun
Corporate lobbyist Nira Radia appeared in no mood to co-operate with the Public Accounts Committee when she appeared before them for questioning on the 2G scam on Monday morning as her answers were 'evasive' and 'clever,' preferring to use the non-descript phrase, "I do not remember" in reply to most of the questions. 17 killed in Yemen as US pushes for Saleh's exit
Yemen came close to the brink on Monday as security forces shot dead 17 people among the thousands of anti-regime protesters who stormed the Governor's headquarters in the city of Taiz, and the United States appeared to be distancing itself from longtime ally Abdullah Ali Saleh. IMAGE: 32 killed as UN plane crashes in Congo
A United Nations plane with 33 people onboard crashed while attempting to land amid torrential rain in the DR Congo capital of Kinshasa on Monday, killing 32. Skeletons out of UPA's closet
tracks the cash-for-vote scam that rocked the government in 2008, the Bharatiya Janata Party's role in the entire episode and the latest WikiLeaks blow to the ruling combine. Why Pak's shrewdest politician is being hunted
Jamiat Ulema e Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, once considered as the patron of Taliban chief Mullah Omer, is today struggling to save his life in Pakistan, as Taliban and Al Qaeda members are chasing him like shadow. Pictorial warnings on tobacco stuff are useless!
The Union Health Ministry has admitted that the present pictorial warnings on tobacco products have not been effective as people did not understand their message of caution. View: Don't let Afridi rant vitiate Mohali spirit
We must take note of the feelings of hurt and bitterness coming out of Pakistan after the World Cup semi-final loss to India. But we should not allow these to create self-doubts in our mind about the wisdom of the exercise set in motion at Mohali, says B Raman Samjhauta Express blast probe is getting messier
The partisan political games being played by Indian investigative agencies seem to have boomeranged, observes WC terror threat thwarted, but danger ahead
The terror threat to the just-concluded cricket World Cup was thwarted, but this has only fuelled anti-India sentiments. Islamist extremists are bound to strike again and intelligent and security agencies cannot afford to relax, warns senior analyst B Raman. Cup win testifies Team India's hard work: Leaders
President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday night led the nation in hailing the Indian cricket team's World Cup triumph saying it is a testimony to the hard work of the players and the astute leadership of M S Dhoni. Libya: Fierce war on; Gaddafi rejects ceasefire
Fierce fighting raged on Saturday between the rebels and troops loyal to Muammar Gaddafi for the control of the eastern oil town of Brega as the government of the embattled leader dismissed conditions for a ceasefire as "mad". India, Pak should refrain from tit-for-tat tactics
Calibrated acceleration of the re-engagement process under the supervision of the two prime ministers is the need of the hour, says India shared Samjhauta blast report with us: Pak
Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that India has provided the Samjhauta Express train blast investigation report and that both countries have agreed to discuss Kashmir and other pending issues. REWIND: The best PHOTOS of the week gone by
We bring you a presentation of some of the best photos from around the world in the last week. Must see: The daring Poonam Pandey ; Bhajji's Tee
Must see: The daring Poonam Pandey ; Bhajji's Teesra AT A GLANCE: Rich, poor, criminals in TN poll fray
The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam will go to the polls this year with 43 candidates who have pending criminal charges against them, while their arch rival Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam has fielded 24 such candidates, according to a report by the National Election Watch. No-nonsense EC makes TN polls a drab affair
With the Election Commission keeping a hawk's eye on affairs, the usually flamboyant campaigning for Tamil Nadu polls has turned somewhat colourless, finds A Ganesh Nadar India, Pak should overcome 'war phobia': Gilani
Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Friday said that Pakistan and India should overcome 'war phobia' to address their outstanding issues as a 'third power' cannot come and do it for them. Don't need help to resolve issues with India: Pak
Pakistan has ruled out any possibility of involving the United States to resolve its outstanding issues with India as it clearly stated that both Islamabad and New Delhi should endeavour to "take ownership of their own affairs" without the interference of any third country. PIX: Guns, cameras, action at battleground Mumbai
Against the backdrop of terror threat, a thick security blanket has been thrown around Mumbai, turning it into a fortress, ahead of Saturday's World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka at the Wankhede stadium. 'Gaddafi is a lunatic; his theories are so stupid'
The spring issue of the Inspire magazine, extracts of which are available online, has a cover story called "The Tsunami of Change" written by firebrand Yemeni-American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki. Messenger sends PHOTOS from Mercury
NASA's Messenger spacecraft, the first ever to enter the orbit of Mercury, has fetched its first photo, the project's website said. Rs 16000,000,000: Amount splurged for CWG!
"It appears as if to economise was criminal and to splurge was civil." This was the observation made by the high-level Shunglu Committee, which found a loss of over Rs 1,600 crore in construction and renovation of venues for Commonwealth Games by different government agencies. 'Better literacy rate the best news in the census'
There's a lot of positive news in the population census findings, says C Chakravarty, consultant registrar general March 2011 | February 2011 | January 2011 | December 2010 | November 2010 | October 2010 | Sepetember 2010 | August 2010 | July 2010 | Jun 2010 | May 2010 | April 2010 | March 2010 | February 2010