Wait for Mumbai's grandest Ganesha gets cool
Devotees queuing up for 'Lalbaugcha Raja' pandal this year will no longer have to brave intense heat or heavy downpour to catch a glimpse of Mumbai's most famous deity, as the Ganesh Mandal hosting it has decided to set up air-conditioned enclosures for them. 'India is desperately short of submarines'
The first of a four-part special series on the country's critical, yet significantly delayed, submarine development programme. There is method in China's madness
It is time India learnt a lesson or two from China on how to win friends in a multipolar world. The billion-dollar face behind NY mosque?
Saudi Arabia's Al-Waleed bin Talal is back in the spotlight for allegedly being one of the financers of the mosque near 9/11 Ground Zero in downtown Manhattan. Hyderabad: Rains kill 3; damage Charminar
Overnight heavy rain in Hyderabad has claimed lives of three children of the same family, caused minor damage to the historic monument of Charminar and left several low lying areas under water. Pakistan releases 100 jailed Indian fishermen
Pakistan on Monday released 100 Indians, the first batch from the 442 Indian fishermen languishing in a jail in Karachi, after rights activists fought a legal battle in the Pakistani Supreme Court against their unlawful detention. For Tufail's family, the agony will never end
Krishnakumar Padmanabhan meets Mohammed Ashraf Mattoo, father of the 17-year-old Tufail whose killing on June 11 in Srinagar set off a vicious cycle of violence Pix: 'Spiderman' climbs 57 storeys for a cause
French "Spiderman", Alain Robert, was arrested on Monday after he scaled a 57-storey Sydney building, without ropes or a harness, to raise awareness about climate change. Carla Bruni is a prostitute, says Iran media
French First Lady Carla Bruni Sarkozy has been branded a 'prostitute' and a 'marriage breaker' in Iran after she criticised a Tehran court ruling of stoning a woman to death for adultery, a media report said. Maoists are coming forward to lay down arms
Efforts to wean away Maoists from the path of violence seems to be making progress going by the response to the government's surrender packages announced in Jharkhand and West Bengal a month back. A population trampled for the 'best-ever Games'
Sahim Salim finds that poor slum dwellers are paying the price for a government's dream of giving the world the 'best Commonwealth Games' 'Is Election Commission a vendor for the EVMs?'
The arrest of Hari K Prasad, who recently proved that Electronic Voting Machines can be hacked into and stolen, has shocked many. Pix: Trapped for 24 days, rescue 4 months away
Surviving on underground water, the men have been trapped underground longer than all but a few miners in recent history. And to make matters worse, no help is coming their way any sooner. Muslims, Jews among biggest supporters of Obama
A majority 78 per cent of Muslims and 61 per cent of Jews in the United States have remained among the most ardent supporters of President Barack Obama, whose overall job approval ratings have been falling sharply, according to the Gallup survey. 'Pakistan's flood-hit area larger than Italy'
Dr Rajiv Shah, administrator of the United States Agency for International Development and the highest ranking Indian American in the Barack Obama administration, while speaking on the devastating floods in Pakistan, said, "The scale and scope of this natural disaster is astronomical." How treated sewage is cleansing Mumbai shoreliness
Even as the environmentalists and marine zoologists are crying hoarse over the impact of the oil spill, there is good news as far as the shoreline near Mumbai is concerned. Pix: Trapped for 21 days, rescue 4 months away
Surviving on underground water, the men have been trapped underground longer than all but a few miners in recent history. And to make matters worse, no help is coming their way any sooner. Captured: Russian Prime Minister's daredevil ways
If one were to ask about a politician today who is zestful, adventurous and an activist in the real sense of the term, the search often begins and ends with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Is the PM shy of speaking in Parliament?
When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh vehemently defended the Civil Nuclear Liability Bill 2010, it was only the eighth time he had addressed Parliament since his government took charge in May 2009. Pix: Honour Mother Teresa, NYC tells Empire State
While the world celebrated the 100th birthday of Mother Teresa on August 26, hundreds of people participated in a protest rally in front of the Empire State Building in New York City. The authorities of the iconic building had refused to illuminate it in honour of her. 'These children have seen blood, sorrow and death'
How does it feel to be a doctor in Srinagar, as violence rages around you and there's a constant stream of patients being wheeled in? UP farmers sound the bugle against government
The battlelines have been drawn and the bugle has been sounded. Sahim Salim witnessed the anger amongst farmers against the government acquisition of their land for the Yamuna Expressway project. 'Kashmir's real picture scares New Delhi'
S A R Geelani, the Delhi University lecturer who was acquitted in the Parliament attack case four years ago, has embarked upon an India-wide tour to portray the real picture of the ongoing crisis in Kashmir. He talks to rediff.com's Vicky Nanjappa Malaysia's oldest Hindu temple on a postage stamp
Malaysia's oldest Hindu temple, the Sri Maha Mariamman temple, is now on a postage stamp. Remembering the 'Saint of the Gutter'
Simplicity, piety and charity headlined the life of Mother Teresa -- the 'Saint of the Gutter'. On her birth centenary, we trace the story of her extraordinary love and dedication for poor, homeless and the needy Shocking! Drought in the middle of India's floods
Overall, this is one of the best monsoon India has had in five years with the rain deficit at just 2 per cent. However, in East and the Northeast India, the overall rainfall deficit is as high as 21 per cent. Revealed: The reason behind Leh's devastation
Based on detailed analysis of weather data of last five years in Leh, Ladakh, scientists have attributed the recent cloudburst in the region to prolonged winters, which may be due to climate change. VOTE! Who is the hottest male politician?
Rediff.com brings you some politicians who have managed to make politics more interesting by simply being so darn cute. Images: Yamuna, Delhi's own river of sorrow
Sahim Salim travels to villages flooded by an overflowing Yamuna and assesses the damage that it has caused India's deadliest poacher gets 6-year jail term
Notorious poacher Sansar Chand was sentenced to six years jail by a Delhi court on Wednesday, in a case relating to seizure of a leopard skin in 1995, saying such offence should be dealt with "iron hands". Angelina Jolie top donor for Pak flood relief
Most Pakistani politicians have not matched the contributions made by Hollywood star Angelina Jolie and the national cricket team for the millions of people affected by devastating floods sweeping the country. 'Won't Muslims survive if they don't eat beef?'
Dr Mumtaz Ali, Karnataka minister for wakf and minorities welfare, in an interview to Vicky Nanjappa says a ban on cow slaughter does not mean that people will not survive. How India's EVMs could be manipulated
In a collaborative study, a team of Indian and international experts recently revealed that the electronic voting machines used in Indian elections are vulnerable to fraud. Excerpts from their report. Chinese jet crashed into ground, broke into two
The captain of the turbine jet was alive and recuperating in a local hospital, Xinhua reported. But Capt Qi Quanjun, lying on a hospital bed with tubes tucked around his body appeared traumatised and was unable to talk to the media Images: Faces of conflict
For over two months the Kashmir valley has simmered with discontent against the government as youth have thronged the streets demanding azaadi. Some human images from the conflict zone. Exclusive images: Games village far from ready
The exclusive pictures captured by rediff.com tell the story about how work is being done in haste. Ten pointers to a new India
From the humble cycle to reality television, Archana Masih points out the signs of a new Indian mindset. Delhi faces flood threat as Yamuna swells up
The 22-km long Yamuna river stretch in New Delhi continued to rise, and is now stated to be over 50 cm above the danger level, even as relentless heavy rains drenched the capital for the fifth consecutive day on Tuesday, reports Sahim Salim. Why Meira Kumar wants to quit Speaker's post
The 'mock Parliament' initiated by Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav on the MP's salary hike issue last week has turned out to be a major irritation for Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, who is reportedly contemplating stepping down. Empire State building faces a new threat!
The Empire State building, which stands tallest in New York -- the city of skyscrapers, is now facing a threat of being overshadowed by a proposed new tower just a stone throw away from the landmark. Hostage crises in public places
After Monday's tragic Manila bus hostage crisis, we look at the worst hostage situations in recent times. Why terrorists love the BlackBerry
Vicky Nanjappa finds out why the Indian government is so keen to access e-mails sent via the BlackBerry. 'Jihad tourism': How the Lashkar nets US recruits
Tracking the ideological journey of Times Square bomb plot accused Faisal Shahzad has led the investigators to an interesting concept known as 'jihad tourism', which has made Pakistan, the most preferred destination for people wanting to embrace jihad. Day after Manila hostage crisis, cops under fire
The death toll from Monday's hostage crisis in Manila climbed to 10 early Tuesday, with another hostage succumbing to injuries in a Manila hospital. Despite hike, Indian MPs are among the lowest paid
While many argue about the rationale behind the lawmakers' demand for a better pay, it is imperative to note that an Indian Member of Parliament's salary (before the government hiked it three by 300 per cent) was (and still is) a little more than a day's pay of his counterpart sitting in Singapore. 'It's beyond Islamophobia. It is hate of Muslims'
The proposed mosque near Ground Zero, just two blocks away from the site of the fallen World Trade Centre twin towers, recently drew hundreds of protesters. Malayalis celebrate return of Mahabali
Malayalis on Monday celebrated Onam, their spring festival commemorating the egalitarian Utopia under the reign of King Mahabali when people lived in plenty, prosperity and equality. Tollywood-drug mafia link exposed, actresses held
Close on the heels of exposing the alleged Tollywood-drug mafia link, the Hyderabad police on Monday claimed to have busted a high-profile prostitution racket and arrested eight persons, including two small-time Telugu film actresses, and a woman from Uzbekistan. How old bicycles are transforming young lives
After used clothes and old newspaper, it is now the turn of bicycles. These used and old bicycles are transforming the lives of poor school going children in rural areas of Bhopal, reports Shuriah Niazi. Images: Bloody end to Manila bus hijack
Law enforcers stormed a tourist bus that had been hijacked by a disguntled former police officer -- identified as Rolando Mendoza. Final showdown between Jagan, Rosaiah on Sep 2
September 2 may be the day of the final showdown between Jaganmohan Reddy and the Congress high command Pak flood damage exaggerated to get more aid?
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Quereshi at the special session of the UN General Assembly on August 19 had resulted in pledges worth nearly $800 million -- the major pledges being $150 million from the US and $100 million each from the UK and Saudi Arabia. Only China, which apparently suspected that the Pakistani authorities were exaggerating the estimate of the damages suffered, refrained from increasing its pledge beyond the initial amount of $10 million. If words could generate electricity in India...
For a country whose national capital has routine blackouts in its poshest colonies, not to mention the rest of the country, the debate on the advisability of nuclear power is bizarre, says Sanjaya Baru Why can't the Congress force its allies to behave?
If only the Congress were to say no longer will corruption, cronyism and inefficiency be subsidised at its expense. How Manu Sharma, Pappu Yadav spend time in jail
They are behind bars for heinous crimes but instead of sulking in their cells, some high-profile prisoners are using their 'expertise' to contribute towards bettering facilities in the Tihar jail and for its inmates. Why we should worry about China's defence budget
Indian defence planners have taken steps to ramp up the capabilities of armed forces to counter China's long-term plan, says Nitin Gokhale. Exclusive Images: The Shashi Tharoor wedding
In a typical Malayali wedding, former Union minister Shashi Tharoor wed Sunanda Pushkar at his ancestral home on Sunday. Pix: Things turn from bad to worse in Pakistan
A second wave of floods has inundated several areas in Balochistan even as the worst deluge in Pakistan's history led to mass evacuation in Sindh regions where around 3.6 million people have been affected and over 600,000 displaced. When Lalu became Prime Minister
For one and a half hours on the floor of the Lok Sabha, four key parties spanning the full spectrum of political opinion from left to right to centrist joined forces and put together a national government with Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav as the prime minister of the country. In Bellary, Sushma dreams of a BJP govt in Andhra
It was the turn of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka to hit back at the Congress and in a bid to do so, it held a mammoth rally in Bellary today. Sushma Swaraj who was invited by the organizers of the rally, the Reddy brothers said that the biggest dream of the Bharatiya Janata Party was to fly the flag of the party in Andhra Pradesh. What would Rajiv Gandhi look like today?
We felt impelled to ask ourselves, what if he had survived May 21, 1991? He would have turned 66 on Friday, yes, but what would he have looked like? Will the Mad Monk pull a surprise?
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard faces a tough electoral battle from 'Mad Monk' Tony Abbott. A Kashmiri cop on facing protestors
'When they get violent, we have to follow the orders issued to us.' What Dr Singh and the Saudi King have in common
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tops Newsweek magazine's list of 10 world leaders who have won respect across the globe. He is described as 'the leader other leaders love'. We are not terrorists: SL Tamils held in Canada
Now that the Canadian Immigration Refugee Board adjudicators have opened to the media hearings for the detention of the 492 Sri Lankan Tamils, who arrived in the Canadian waters on August 9 on board MV Sun Sea, a number of stories are coming out as to who these people are, more so of women and children, who are being kept in separate correctional facilities. How hunger and floods killed him in Pakistan
In flood-ravaged Pakistan, the government's awfully slow rescue operations are proving out to be largely ineffective, as the destitute victims' plight is turning irreparable, notes Tahir Ali. 'TRS not representative of Telangana aspirations'
The big question today is, who represents the movement. We don't know who represents the movement for a separate state. We do not even know if there is a leadership that will do right by Telangana and do right by the Indian Constitution, says Jyotirmaya Sharma, scholar Young India bristles with hope, confidence
Shishir Bhate believes India has the will and the skill to overcome hurdles and march ahead to become what many already call it: An economic superpower. Every fifth American thinks Obama is Muslim
Over a year and a half into Barack Obama's presidency, an increasing number of Americans -- nearly one in five -- incorrectly believe that he is a Muslim, reveals a new survey Votes are in: The hottest women politicians
Rediff.com brings to you the hottest women politicians around today. Take the poll at the end of the feature, because we'll be determining the winner in a week's time based on your votes and the results will be published right here! It's all about azaadi, stupid!
Yogi Sikand believes that contrary to what the Indian State might insist, it is not for economic development that the Kashmiris are out on the streets protesting today. Mosque near 9/11 site? No way, say New Yorkers
The debate about a building a mosque near the Ground Zero site where the twin towers of the World Trade Centre collapsed after the 9/11 bombing has been raging for several months. 'My 9-year-old son wants to fight for azaadi'
'My son says I am a coward for not going out to protest. He is not afraid. He is a typical Kashmiri youth.' Govt survey shows the sorry state of Muslims
Muslims' enrolment at secondary level of education is less than that of the scheduled castes, a government survey has indicated. Has Madani reached the end of the road?
Kerala-based People's Democratic Party leader Abdul Nasser Madani finds himself isolated, with mainstream parties in the state keeping away from him, despite past association, after he was named in the 2008 Bangalore blasts case. Rahul 'much more talented' than Rajiv: Khushwant
Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi is 'much more talented' than his father, the late Rajiv Gandhi who was 'not really a leader' but 'a boy scout' with some 'good ideas but none of them extraordinary.' That's writer Khushwant Singh in his latest book Chennai turns 371, grand celebrations planned
From a tiny fishing village to a high-tech metropolis with major automobile units, a thriving information technology industry and pride as the cultural capital of the South, it's been a long and eventful journey for Chennai, which turns 371 on Sunday. Why India needs a desi WikiLeaks
Indians have no way of knowing the truth about so many things that went wrong during our 63 years of freedom In Hyderabad this Ramzan? Don't miss the Haleem!
The cultural ethos of Hyderabad goes beyond the famous Charminar and the Mecca Masjid. Come Ramzan and the buzz around the bazaars in the city is obvious. Controversies stain Tirupati temple board
Hopping from one controversy to another, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam is facing serious allegations over irregularities in sale of tickets for paid rituals and 'missing' antique jewelry, offered to Lord Venkateshwara, the presiding deity of the famous temple. End of the political road for Satveer Chaudhary?
It was an ignominious defeat and perhaps the end of a political career of an Indian American state legislator who at one time held such promise that he was often touted as a future national politician either in the United States House of Representatives of US Senate, with some even arguing that he was gubernatorial material. Images: Building collapse in Thane, 10 dead
Located in the congested Gaondevi area in Kalwa west, the portion of Sonubai Niwas, a three-storied structure housing 12 tenements, came crashing down at 4.30 pm IST. Mumbai: Seabirds bear brunt of oil spill
The oil spill off Mumbai's coast has begun affected the marine life, as seen in a few instances at the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals hospital at Parel. Who is the biggest threat to Pakistan's security?
Shedding its India-centric phobia, Pakistan's main spy agency ISI has in its new threat assessment determined that Islamist militants, and not India pose the main threat to Pakistan. India is in a sorry state, but we'll survive this
Saisuresh Sivaswamy believes that glitz, glamour and 'ignited' minds apart, there exists an unbridgeable disconnect between the ruler and the ruled. Stunning images of India, by ace lensmen
photo-journalists are currently exhibiting their works at the Lalit kala Academy in New Delhi. Anisha Ralhan picks the eye-catchers 'China deploying newer missiles near India border'
Despite increased political and economic relationship between India and China, tensions remains along their border with rising instances of border violation and aggressive border patrolling by Chinese soldiers, the Pentagon has informed the United States Congress. Where does 'restraint' end, Mr Chidambaram?
As they nurse their wounds, police officers and their men recall how stones rained on them from lanes and by-lanes of Srinagar and other urban areas of the Valley. Pix: Fleeing Pakistanis face epidemic threat
A fresh wave of floods has forced thousands of people to flee their homes in southern Pakistan amid warnings that the situation could be further exacerbated due to continuing monsoon rains. China dumps most debris into space: Report
China, a relative newcomer to the space age, has topped the list of countries contributing to space debris, reports to a study by the Russian space agency Roscosmos. India's biggest temple turns 1000
The historic town of Thanjavur is getting ready for festivities as its world-famous Big Temple, an edifice of the great Chola kingdom, turns 1000. Pix: Rahul connects with a traumatised Leh
Dressed in his trademark white 'kurta pyjama', the 40-year-old Congress leader during his five-hour visit tried to pep up the spirits of people recovering from the trauma and empathised with them. Pics: When Indians jammed New York streets
The Federation of Indian Associations of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut celebrated the Independence Day by organising an India Day Parade on Sunday. Indians world over mark I-Day with gaiety
Patriotic fervour gripped Indians across the world today as they enthusiastically celebrated the country's 64th Independence Day by unfurling the tricolour and organising a series of cultural events and festivities. Meet the martyrs honoured by the President
The President has awarded Ashoka Chakra to (Late) Major Laishram Jyotin Singh (posthumous) and two Kirti Chakras (Posthumous) to Capt Davinder Singh Jass and Shri Vinod Kumar Choubey, Superintendent of Police, Chhattisgarh on the eve of Independence Day. PM unfurls the tricolour at Red Fort
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh unfurled the National Flag on the ramparts of the Red Fort on Sunday to celebrate the 64th Independence Day. After unfurling the tricolour, Dr Singh addressed the nation. PM's office has lost its value, says Advani
The office of the prime minister has lost its value and that is regrettable, said senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former deputy prime minister L K Advani at a rally at Mysore on Saturday, reports President asks Maoists to come for dialogue
Asking Maoists to abandon the path of violence, President Pratibha Patil on Saturday said they must come to the negotiating table for working out a solution. Addressing the nation on the eve of 64th Independence Day, she also said terrorism poses the biggest threat to global peace and to defeat it all nations should come together and ensure that terrorists do not get sanctuaries and financial assistance. Images: Colours of the tricolour
On August 15th as India celebrates its 63rd independence day, rediff.com presents a colourful tribute to the proud nation. I-Day vision: 'Let's empower our children'
'My vision for the future is that of a wholly child centric education system. We cannot afford to be the slaves of the past. We must keep ourselves in synch with the processes of change sweeping through the globe,' says Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal Freedom's just another word for Rasheeda
Fifteen minutes' drive from the prime minister's home lives the real India The story of Indian PMs and tiranga at Red Fort
When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh hoists the national flag from the ramparts of Red Fort on Independence Day on Sunday, it will be seven in a row for him, with only Jawahar Lal Nehru and Indira Gandhi ahead of the economist-turned-politician. Images: When Rahul Gandhi charmed Mysore youth
Unlike the usual studious silence, the auditorium at St Philomenas College in Mysore was roaring with excitement on Friday. Ladakh: Paradise shattered
Tarun Vijay, the Member of Parliament who has just returned from Ladakh, recalls the agony of a region devastated by last week's flash floods. Govt's options over Kalmadi: Sack or sideline
Even as Suresh Kalmadi continues to be in the eye of the storm and is continuing to battle charges of corruption, sources say that the government and the Congress party are looking at two options and weighing the pros and cons of implementing them in a bid to save the games as well as protect the government from further bad publicity on issues of corruption. 'A dialogue with the Maoists is the only solution'
'Operation Green Hunt has been a total failure. What have the joint forces achieved? Nothing!' says former Union revenue secretary and Trinamool adviser Debabrata Bandyopadhyay. US 'provokes' China; Yellow Sea tense
A Chinese general on Friday termed as 'flagrant provocation' United States' plans to send a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to the Yellow Sea and said the country would retaliate if 'offended.' Pix: The holy month of fasting begins
Share your special photographs of the holy month of Ramzan with us. Mail your photographs to citizen.reporter@rediffmail.com and we will publish the best images right here on rediff.com. Meet Srinagar's young stone-throwers
There's something different about the protests in the Kashmir valley this time round. Children and women are the ones hurling stones at the security forces. Sahim Salim traveled to the bylanes of Maisuma in Srinagar to meet the school-going protestors. Readers Speak: The BIGGEST problems India faces
As we prepare to celebrate India's 63rd birthday on August 5, we asked readers to identify top five problem areas that India needs to set right immediately. Meet the man who is giving US sleepless nights
WikiLeaks chief Julian Assange believes in transparency and the just reform of society Fear the superbug? Go easy on the antibiotics
Dr Rajeshwari, head of the Microbiology department at the Narayan Hrudalaya in Bengaluru tells rediff.com about the effects of NDM-1 and also the measures needed to curb the spread of this enzyme. 'Electronic Voting Machines are NOT tamper-proof!'
A group of IT experts from US have claimed that the Indian EVMs are not tamper-proof and asked the Election Commission to explore other forms of voting that provide "transparency" and security. Obama in Office: Low on ratings, but impressive
Does the remarkable slide in Obama's approval rating reflect an objective assessment of his performance as president? The school that posed a threat to the CWG
On July 7, the Delhi Development Authority 'brutally' demolished a structure that acted as a school for children from a juggi jhonpri cluster nearby, leaving 180 kids without a place to study. Images: When Mother Nature turns on humans
Rediff.com takes a look at some nations which have faced the unexpected fury of Mother Nature recently. Images: The Worst Enemies of the Press
Reporters Without Borders, a non governmental organisation advocating freedom of the press, has published its annual list of Predators of Press. Commuters say NO to autos, taxis in Mumbai
Taxis and autos in Mumbai may find it hard to get a passenger on Thursday following a protest call against the high-handedness of the unions besides faulty meters and drivers who refuse to travel short distances. Pak floods, China mudslides: Is it global warming?
Climate change experts are of the view that global warming predictions are correct and the world weather crisis that is causing floods in Pakistan, wildfires in Russia and landslides in China is evidences of that. Pix: Stunning heritage sites right here in India!
There are 23 cultural icons in India that have been listed by UNESCO in its world heritage list. CPM's AP meet an exercise in soul searching
The just-concluded meeting of it Extended Central Committee in Vijaywada has been an exercise in soul-searching for the Communist Party of India (Marxist) even as its heart (West Bengal) is bleeding. More than anything else, the entire thrust of the four-day session was on saving the "heart" and, as one senior leader put it, the skin (Kerala) of the party. The world's best intelligence agencies
A look at the best spy agencies in the world and their antecedents. Why a political solution will NOT work in Kashmir
The need of the hour is for India to connect with Kashmiris, emotionally connect with them. To listen to their woes, to their horror stories, to the repeated humiliations. Pix: The spill that can kill Mumbai's marine life
The impact of the oil spill off Mumbai on the marine life can be ascertained only after six months to a year, said well-known marine biologist Deepak Apte. Graphic: Most AIDS deaths, cases in Mumbai
Most AIDS deaths, cases in Mumbai Pix: Mumbai's fish mart braces for oilspill effect
The capsizing MSC Chitra is located just a few kilometres from Sassoon Dock, one of Mumbai's largest seafood docks. Seafood prices are starting to fall there. Pix: Foreigners, monks join rescue efforts in Leh
uthroties fear an outbreak of disease due to the short supply of food, fresh water and medicines. World's largest clock to tick in Mecca soon
The world's largest clock will soon start ticking atop a soaring skyscraper in Islam's holiest city of Mecca, according to a report on Tuesday. 'US shouldn't do nation-building in Afghanistan'
Former United States deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage discussed President Barack Obama's 'failure to define the goal in Afghanistan,' and a host of other issues with eminent American interviewer Charlie Rose Pix: Pak floods far worse than tsunami, says UN
The flood situation in Pakistan continues to be grim. What will the PM say to India on August 15?
The occasion provides the prime minister the opportunity to do some stocktaking of what his government has done during the past 12 months. Indian-American convicted for selling defence info
Indian-American Noshir S Gowadia, a former B-52 stealth bomber engineer, faces life imprisonment after a US federal jury convicted him of selling sensitive cruise missile technology and other classified information to China. Explained: An oil spill and its consequences
The recent oil spill in Mumbai has worried authorities and environmentalists alike. Rediff.com tells you why oil spills occur and the likely risks of such an environmental nightmare. Images: 16 days on, Congress yatra on Reddys' turf
After treading 300 km for 16 days, Karnataka's Congress leaders were a tired but a determined lot as they reached the land of high controversy, power and pelf -- Bellary. Pics: Mumbai oil spill stops, but hazards remain
The oil spill from MSC Chitra, which collided with another cargo ship near the Mumbai coast on Saturday, has stopped, Coast Guard sources said on Monday. Videos: Oil spill threatens Mumbai's coast
A foreign cargo ship, which collided with another vessel about 10 km off Mumbai harbour, tilted further spilling oil for the third day as Navy and Coast Guard made hectic efforts to contain the leak. Oil spill touches Mumbai-Raigad coast, CM worried
A foreign cargo ship, which collided with another vessel about 10 km off Mumbai harbour, tilted further spilling oil for the third day as Navy and Coast Guard made hectic efforts to contain the leak. Mission Maoists: Dantewada next on Mamata's list
Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee called for peace in Lalgarh in West Bengal during her rally at the Maoist-infested region on Monday. 'Fat Man' claimed 75000 lives on detonation
Sixty-five years on, rediff.com reflects on the day 'Fat Man' unleashed havoc on Nagasaki. Pix: Leh toll rises to 165; 81 foreigners rescued
Rescue and relief efforts were going on at war-footing in cloudburst-hit Leh region, as 81 foreigners and six tour guides were on Monday rescued by the Air Force from Zanskar Valley. The death toll has mounted to 165 and 400 others remain missing. The mountaineer changing lives in a hill village
Malika Virdi, a well- known Indian mountaineer, left the city to live the life of local folks in a remote hill village and usher in change. Pix: Mallika Sherawat glams up India Day parade
With more than 25 floats, three marching bands and hundreds of marchers, parade organizers and police agreed that the parade was the biggest in its history. What binds Amit Shah, Afzal Guru and Manu Sharma
Rediff.com takes a look at some controversial clients and high-profile cases taken up by Ram Jethmalani over the years. US 'heavy-lifted' nuclear deal, will India repay?
British Prime Minister David Cameron's recent comments in Bangalore on the "export of terror" by Pakistan have enormously pleased the Indian strategic establishment, but the fact is that India is already gearing up for the November visit of US President Barack Obama and is keenly aware that there is nothing like a defence deal to sweeten the mood. Why Kashmiris love protests and detest India
The trail of broken promises by an elected government is enough to break your heart. Images: Kashmiris wake up to normalcy after 9 days
After three days of incessant rains, clouds cleared in the Valley even as shops opened after nine days of relentless curfew on Sunday. Srinagar buzzed with activity as people flocked to markets with a vengeance, knowing that the next curfew might be imposed again as early as Monday. Obama's approval rating continues to dip
Just months ahead of the United States' midterm elections, a new poll has found that President Barack Obama's approval rating has matched his previous low of 44 percent. Rescue ops intensify in Leh; 132 dead, 600 missing
Twenty bodies were on Saturday pulled out from slush and debris in Leh town ravaged by flash floods, raising the toll to 132 even as rescuers intensified operations in the high altitude terrain to search for 600 missing people. Pix: Calm in Kashmir, RAF does flag march
Three youth were injured, one of them critically in security force firing in north Kashmir Sopore town Friday even as the Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel staged a flag march in parts of summer capital Srinagar this afternoon. Pix: Flash flood ravages Ladakh, over 100 killed
At least 103 people were killed and another 370 injured when flash floods triggered by torrential rains struck this Himalayan town in Ladakh region, northeast of Jammu and Kashmir, leaving a trail of death and destruction. Pix: When the clock stopped ticking in Hiroshima
It took one bomb to change the course of the Second World War. It took one bomb to obliterate and entire city and its residents. It took one bomb to redefine the meaning of the term super power. 'What we are demanding is our Quranic right'
'When I read the Tamil translation of the Quran, I discovered that all these practices had no sanction at all in the Quran. I increasingly came to realise the magnitude of the problems faced by many Muslim women, the need to address these, and also the fact that many Muslim men were wrongly interpreting Islam in a very patriarchal manner to justify the subordination and oppression of Muslim women,' says Daud Sharifa Khanum Why home ministry ban list doesn't include IM
The Union home ministry Web site lists 34 terrorist outfits, but not the Indian Mujahideen. Vicky Nanjappa finds out why. In Kashmir, echoes of the 1990s rebellion
The recent violence suggests that, after 20 years, Kashmir has indeed changed though not in the ways commonly suggested, says Sanjay Kak. 'Emerging star' Bilawal not to address UK rally
Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party 'and the most celebrated and politically controversial baby of Pakistan' Bilawal Bhutto Zardari dramatically declared on Thursday night that he would not address the much talked about Birmingham rally on Saturday, the News reported. Why the prime minister MUST visit Kashmir
The time is here and now, and the prime minister must visit Kashmir before Independence Day and spell his vision for the state, unilaterally, without fear or favour India's counter-terror efforts outdated, says US
"The Indian government's counterterrorism efforts remained hampered by its outdated and overburdened law enforcement and legal systems," said the US Department of State's annual Country Reports on Terrorism. On the Web: Kashmiri anger spills over
Even as the Valley remains curfew shut, Kashmiris are venting their angst and spreading the word through social networking websites and blogs. 103 killed in Leh flash floods; toll may go up
At least 103 people were killed and another 370 injured when flash floods triggered by torrential rains struck this Himalayan town in Ladakh region, northeast of Jammu and Kashmir, leaving a trail of death and destruction. Pakistan is still terror's playground
US State Department's annual 'Country Reports on Terrorism for the year 2009' said the Lashkar, said Pakistan's FATA and northwest continues to be a "safe haven" for Al Qaeda and Afghan insurgents. Problems plague advanced light helicopter Dhruv
Even after 10 years of its production, the indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv still depends heavily on imports as most of its components are procured from foreign sources, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has said. Pix: Mumbai stung by Malaria, 24 dead this year
Malaria has hit Mumbai with a vengeance. This year, the city has recorded one of the highest cases of Malaria so far. Till August 3, 24 people had died and 4,492 patients had been diagnosed with malarial infection. Pix: Karachi continues to burn; toll reaches 82
At least 24 more people were killed and over 200 injured as violence continued in Karachi, taking the total death toll to 82. Images: Nalanda on course for resurrection
According to The Independent, an ambitious plan to establish an international university with the same overarching vision as Nalanda -- and located alongside its physical ruins -- has been spearheaded by a team of international experts and leaders, among them the Nobel-winning economist Amartya Sen. When India's demands stunned Obama administration
India and United States continue to talk past each other on key bilateral and regional issues Vote for the hottest women politicians!
Rediff.com brings to you the hottest women politicians around today. Take the poll at the end of the feature, because we'll be determining the winner in a week's time based on your votes and the results will be published right here! US Trident sub stocks more nukes than India!
Stockpiles of the nations that are not recognised as nuclear weapon states under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty -- India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea -- are minuscule in comparison with those of Russia and the United States. Images: Pakistan faces 'worst flood in 80 years'
According to the United Nations Children's Fund, at least 30 lakh people have been affected by the devastating floods in Pakistan and most of them have not received any aid. In India, pictorial warnings don't deter smokers
The current pictorial health warnings used on Indian tobacco products are ineffective compared to the pictorial warnings mandated in 2006 and present international health warnings, as per a recent survey. Kerala professor attack: Principal speaks out
Newman College Principal Dr T M Joseph describes the events leading to the tragic attack on July 4, in which a professor's hand was chopped off. Kashmiris deny Lashkar link to protests
'If our protests were Lashkar sponsored, don't you think we would be using sophisticated weapons against the forces? How come only civilian deaths have been reported in the last two months and no security fatalities?' Mumbai's underworld is back in business
Are the silenced guns of the Mumbai police causing the Mumbai underworld to rear its head? Is there a connection with the fewer number of gangsters killed in alleged encounters by the Mumbai police in recent time and the underworld being again in the spotlight? Investigates . Don't bomb the Naxals!
In spite of being plagued by a variety of insurgencies over six decades, India has resolutely stuck to a counterinsurgency paradigm of proportionate force. We should stick with it, and not call in the heavy artillery or warplanes, says former IAF fighter pilot M P Anil Kumar. War log leaks: Can US make Pakistan behave?
South Asia watchers are mixed in their opinion about whether the exposure of the Pakistani Inter Service Intelligence's incestuous relationship with the Taliban would result in the Obama administration coming down hard on Pakistan's double-game. Why should India cut nukes when US sits on a pile?
While the Washington nuclear summit was a good gathering of international leaders, nobody believes its joint declaration will ensure nuclear security, says Prakash Shah. Ice lingam inside Amarnath cave shrine melts!
The Amarnath yatra is not only a great bondage between the Hindu pilgrims and local Muslims who facilitate the yatra, but has also helped maintained a deep relationship in thought and aspiration between Kashmir and other parts of India that has existed for thousands of years. Pix: Mobs defy curfew in JK, toll goes up to eight
Six more people were killed and 67 wounded on Monday in violence-hit Kashmir Valley even as mobs defied curfew and continued to target police stations, paramilitary camps and government offices. New Chief Election Commissioner loves jamming
Chief Election Commissioner Shahabuddin Yaqoob Quraishi still takes out time to jam with the who's who of Indian administration -- National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon and Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao. War against terror: US plans to step inside Pak
The United States has said that it is undertaking a major build-up of forces in eastern Afghanistan -- a stronghold of the Haqqani faction -- for a decisive push against terrorists' safe havens close to the borders of Pakistan. Disclosing this, US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates hinted that the operation could be one 'on both sides of the border.' 7 steps that can make a difference in Kashmir
For a long-term solution to the Kashmir problem, there is no substitute to opening a mass debate with representatives of all regions of the state and not just the valley, says Colonel Anil Athale (retd). J&K needs political handling, more forces: Omar
Concerns over the escalating crisis in Kashmir were voiced in Parliament on Monday by the Bharatiya Janata Party, which asked the Centre to outline the steps it was taking to contain the situation in the troubled state. WikiLeaks: With power comes responsibility
It has been consistently unearthing and disseminating concealed documents online for the last three years. But when it recently released the Afghan War Diary -- a confidential compilation of over 90,000 documents about the war in Afghanistan -- WikiLeaks hogged the limelight not only in the virtual world but in the physical one as well. Bloodstained story of the 'Bikini killer'
Hatchand Bhaonani Gurumukh Charles Sobhraj (born on April 6, 1944), better known as Charles Sobhraj, whose life sentence was on Friday last upheld by Nepal's Supreme Court in a 1975 murder case, has spent much of his life in and out of prison for a series of offences. Pix: Unstable Asian nations with dangerous nukes
Distrust is on the rise and Asian nations are in the race for acquiring nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons are the deadliest weapons created by man. Chelsea Clinton weds Marc Mezvinsky
Former United States first daughter Chelsea Clinton got married to her long time boyfriend Marc Mezvinsky in what was being billed as the 'wedding of the millennium' in a beautiful ceremony in the quaint town of Rhinebeck in New York. July 2010 | Jun 2010 | May 2010 | April 2010 | March 2010 | February 2010