What the stars say about Saif-Kareena pair

 

Kareena & Saif

The hot and happening Saif-Kareena pair have been drawing a lot of media attention with their Public Displays of Affection. But, is this a hook up that is meant to last for a long time? Read on to find out what Astroyogi predicts!

Orissa gets fair share from Centre: Ramesh

Straight Talk: Jairam Ramesh

Bhubaneswar/Berhampur, Aug. 13: Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh, who raised hackles in the ruling Biju Janata Dal in his previousavatar as the minister for environment and forests, today appeared keen to dispel the impression that the Centre was neglecting Orissa.

Court refuses exemption for Jayalalithaa

A Special Court in Bangalore on Friday refused to exempt Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa from personal appearance for recording her statement in the disproportionate assets case.

B.M. Mallikarjunaiah, Judge, Special Court, and 36th Additional City Civil and Sessions Court, rejected two separate pleas by Ms. Jayalalithaa seeking permission to answer the court's questions under Section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Cr.PC) by way of written statement or through videoconferencing.

Pranab Mukherjee meets BJP brass to make House work

NEW DELHI: With two weeks of the monsoon session gone without many bills passed, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee reached out to the BJP brass on Friday to ensure smooth functioning of Parliament, promising the opposition that issues would be taken up while seeking support for government business.

Govt reaches out to BJP for smooth passage of pending Bills

With two weeks of the Monsoon Session having passed without much significant business, Leader of the House in Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee and the Parliamentary Affairs Minister today reached out to the BJP top brass, including L K Advani, to discuss smooth passage of pending bills in the House.

Govt taps Paresh's friends to include him in peace talks

GUWAHATI: New Delhi is mulling ways to open a channel of communication with fugitive Ulfa commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah and persuade him to join the ongoing peace process between the government and the outfit's pro-talks faction.

Gunmen fire on motorists on Indian highway; 1 dead

Indian police say suspected rebels have fired guns at motorists on a highway in India's insurgency-wracked north-east, killing one person and wounding five others. -- PHOTO: AP

GAUHATI (AP) - Indian police say suspected rebels have fired guns at motorists on a highway in India's insurgency-wracked north-east, killing one person and wounding five others.

15 killed, 7 injured in road accident

Shimla, Aug 14 (PTI) Fifteen persons were killed and seven others injured when a bus carrying a troupe of folk dancers from Leh in Jammu and Kashmir plunged into a deep gorge in Lahaul and Spiti district, police said today. 

Homestay high: Himachal expects 100,000 weekend tourists

Shimla: For Indians, there`s a long weekend ahead and nearly 100,000 tourists are expected to make their way up to Himachal Pradesh. But while driving away from the city`s madding crowd, opting for a homestay might be a better idea instead of already overbooked hotels.

According to tourism department estimates, over 100,000 tourists, mainly from the plains of north India, are likely to visit the state during the three-day weekend that starts with Raksha Bandhan Saturday and ends with Independence Day Aug 15.

All doors not yet shut, feel Rajiv assassins

VELLORE: Following media reports that the clemency petition of Rajiv killers, Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan, has been rejected by the President of India, representing the Government of India, the trio have started meeting their counsels to explore legal avenues to escape the gallows.

Former Indian PM Gandhi’s killers to hang

India’s president has rejected mercy pleas from three men convicted of the 1991 assassination of then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, paving the way for their execution, an official told a foreign news agency. 

Court to hear Centre's plea for recall of order on black money

“The order directly interferes with functions and obligations of Executive”

The Centre has succeeded in its efforts at getting its application to recall/modify the July 4 order on ‘black money' listed for regular hearing, with the matter coming up on August 16 before a three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court.

2009 Jharkhand assembly election the latest on Congress website

NEW DELHI: Is the country's main ruling party, the Congress, living in the past? Is it still to embrace the digital era in which every political party tries to communicate about itself almost round the clock to the outside world through various multimedia platforms, including the internet and social media? 

Subbarami Reddy conducts special pujas for Sonia's health

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has endeared herself to the people of the country and would return from the United States after medical treatment in sound health to once again take the nation on the path of progress, Rajya Sabha Member T. Subbarami Reddy has said.

Nitish's mask has come off, says Paswan

Accusing Nitish Kumar of practising double standards on corruption, LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan on Sunday said his "mask" has come off with reports of a CBI officer testifying in a Ranchi court that the Bihar Chief Minister had received money in the fodder scam.

Nitish ties rakhi to tree

CLAIMING KINSHIP WITH NATURE: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar tying a rakhi to a tree for creating awareness about protection of trees on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, in Patna on Saturday. Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi is with him. Photo: Ranjeet Kumar

In a symbolic gesture, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday tied a rakhi to a tree and said his government was committed to protecting the environment and creating awareness among the people about it.

Cong dismisses Modi''s charge against Chidambaram

New Delhi, Aug 14 (PTI) Congress today dismissed Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's charge against Home Minister P Chidambaram of "promoting indiscipline" in the police force, suggesting that finding truth behind the riots in 2002 was "more important than disciplining the officers". 

Modi protests remarks made by Chidambaram

Seeks Mammohan Singh's intervention

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking his intervention after Home Minister P. Chidambaram's remarks quoting service rules for IPS officers under which they could invoke them to write to the Centre.

Mr. Modi has chosen to interpret the remarks as “encouraging indiscipline among some police officers of the Gujarat cadre” who have recently been active in submitting statements and affidavits to the Supreme Court and other bodies set up to investigate the 2002 riots in the State.

‘Encouraging indiscipline'

A statement from the Bharatiya Janata Party in New Delhi confirmed the writing of the letter, which had charged Mr. Chidambaram with “intervening” in favour of “some delinquent police officers” and “encouraging indiscipline”, Mr. Modi's letter has also alleged that the Home Minister's remarks were against protocol in a federal structure.

Mr. Modi's letter goes on to say it was an attempt to weaken a “progressive” and “development-oriented” State.

In response to a question from the press here on Friday on whether the Centre would protect Gujarat police officers who had spoken out boldly on the Gujarat riots, Mr. Chidambaram noted that if the officers who invoked certain service rules, the Centre would look into it.

He mentioned that there were certain service rules that could be invoked in certain situations and it was up to the officers concerned to invoke those rules.

‘Federal structure ignored'

While on Friday BJP leader Arun Jaitley chose to respond angrily to Mr. Chidambaram, accusing him of ignoring the federal structure in the country, the party on Saturday first issued a strong statement and later released the contents (not the text) of Mr. Modi's letter to the Prime Minister.

Andhra: Deletion of clause triggers war of words

HYDERABAD: The deletion of Clause 14 (f) from the Presidential Order on employment zones triggered a war of words between Congress leaders from the Telangana and Seemandhra regions on Saturday.

Indian Muslims have Hindu ancestry: Subramanian Swamy

Karan Thapar: Hello and welcome to Devil's Advocate. In a recent article in DNA Subramanian Swamy has said that Indian Muslims must either proudly accept and acknowledge their Hindu ancestors and legacy or be disenfranchised. To many that feels like hateful, communal prejudice. But how does Doctor Swamy defend himself. That is the key issue I should put today to Subramanian Swamy himself.

Lessons in history: Pakistan’s bright future

To value the progress of Pakistani Muslims, we should look at the demographics of pre-1947. – Photo courtesy Citizens Archive of Pakistan

Come August 14, Pakistan’s Independence Day, there is nothing but doom and gloom all around, or at least that’s what the media would have us believe. One e-mail heading reads “Division of Pakistan is about to start by 14th August 2011.” Such pessimism is absolutely uncalled for and the news of Pakistan’s demise is totally immature.

Bantwal: Sadananda Gowda Visits Kalladka, Recalls Association with RSS

Bantwal, Aug 13: Chief minister Sadananda Gowda on Saturday August 13 visited Shree Rama Vidya Kendra, Kalladka and took part in a Raksha Bandhan programme.

Addressing the gathering, Gowda said that he had served as an RSS worker where he developed a sense of punctuality and sincerity, and added that senior leader of RSS Dr Prabhakar Bhat Kalladka had always guided him.

"When I was the president of the party, Bhat encouraged me to lead the party. Even now he supports me and advises me to walk on the path of righteousness. The wishes of Sangha leaders have driven me to success," he said.

Jaya demands apology from US Vice Consul

CHENNAI: Strongly condemning the anti-Tamil remark that smacked of racism made by Maureen Chao, a Vice Consul in the US Consulate in Chennai, while speaking at a programme in SRM University on Friday, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Saturday demanded an apology from the official.

US diplomat Tamil comment row: Jayalalithaa demands apology

Chennai:  Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has demanded an apology from a US diplomat, caught in a row after her remarks of "dirty and dark" Tamilians. 

The AIADMK chief has said that US vice-counsul should withdraw the remark and apologise.
 

Rains claim 24 lives in UP and West Bengal

NEW DELHI: Rains on Sunday continued to wreak havoc in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh where at least 24 people were killed as monsoon held fort in most parts of the country.

The maximum and minimum temperature in the national capital, which received 1.9 mm of rains, was recorded at 32.56 deg C and 25.6 deg C. 

Floods claim 14 lives in West Bengal

PTIVillagers watch as water of river Kangsabati is released from Mukutmanipur Dam in Bankura district of West Bengal on Friday. Photo: PTI

Hooghly and Howrah districts declared flood-hit

The continuous heavy rainfall for the past one week that submerged vast swathes of several districts, resulted in breaches in embankments of various rivers and caused a “flood-like situation” in a couple of districts has claimed 14 lives so far, according to the West Bengal government on Saturday.

Anna Hazare's fast: Law does not allow anyone to commit suicide, says Pranab

KOLKATA: Hinting that the government would not allow social activist Anna Hazare to continue his fast indefinitely, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Sunday said no one was allowed to commit suicide as per the Indian law. 

Mukherjee also termed as unconstitutional Hazare's demand for a strong anti-graft law. 

Anna Hazare denies Congress charge

Challenging the Congress to prove the allegations of corruption levelled against him, social activist Anna Hazare on Sunday announced that he would continue his indefinite fast until he is either cleared of the charges or an FIR lodged against him. ``I will continue with his proposed fast even if civil society's version of Lokpal bill is cleared in Parliament,’’ he told reporters here soon after the Congress unearthed the 2005 Justice P.B. Sawant Commission report that had found him guilty of misappropriation of funds.

No place for negative thoughts, says Dhoni

M.S. Dhoni, who lost his first Test series as India captain, conceded his team had been outplayed in all departments, but stressed the importance of not giving in to negative, self-defeating thoughts in the aftermath.

“Our batting just didn't click, we haven't put enough runs on the board,” he said after the conclusion of the third Test in Edgbaston, a day ahead of schedule.

Veteran actor Shammi Kapoor no more

Veteran actor Shammi Kapoor, who ruled the late 1950s and 1960s with his unique style and versatile range, passed away today at the Breach Candy Hospital here, family sources said.

He was 79. He is survived by his wife Neela Devi, son Aditya Raj and daughter Kanchan Desai.

Anna writes to PM; accuses govt of 'murdering' democracy

Peeved at being denied permission to hold an indefinite fast from August 16 on a venue desired by him, Anna Hazare today wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, accusing the government of "crushing" the fundamental rights of people.

Shammi Kapoor was full of life: Sharmila Tagore

Bollywood mourns the death of Shammi Kapoor

Sharmila Tagore and Saira Banu who made their Bollywood debuts with Shammi Kapoor in "Kashmir Ki Kali" and " Junglee" respectively said they will miss the star who was "high spirited and so full of life". 

Sharmila Tagore, who made her foray into Hindi films with Shammi Kapoor in 1961 romantic movie "Kashmir Ki Kali" and later featured with him in the hit movie "An Evening In Paris", is very sad and upset by the loss of such a wonderful person.

"He had so much courage and so much of energy, which was just wonderful. He was a fun loving person," she told a news channel.

Support and caution pour in for Anna

Supporting social activist Anna Hazare’s crusade against corruption, former Lok Sabha Speaker P.A.Sangma has pointed out that the draft Jan Lok Pal Bill, seeking to bring the Prime Minister, MPs and Judges under the ambit of Lok Pal, was fraught with serious danger to the very existence of Parliamentary democracy under which Legislature and judiciary are most sacrosanct.