News Kvartha

Mercedes Benz is all set to introduce a technology that would enable communication between two cars and also between driver and manufacturer, a top official of the German Luxury car maker said. "You get more and more connectivity between cars as well as between manufacturer and driver. We are developing an integrated system called 'My Mercedes'. This system gives all participants using an automobile a possibility to communicate (with one another). "There will be more and more communications coming up," Eberhard H Kern, Managing Director and CEO, Mercedes Benz India told PTI during his recent visit here. Kern added that their Research and Development centre in Bangalore would play a key role in developing the technology. According to a press release issued earlier this month by the company, each vehicle will be fitted with Car-to-X communication and it can transmit information on dangers to other road users and therefore contribute to enhancin...

Over 200 pilgrims were taken to safety from Badrinath today with the Uttarakhand government saying that only 500 more remained there with adequate food and medical care even as disposal of bodies in affected areas and transportation of relief material posed a fresh challenge. Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna said a 200-member team consisting of officials of various departments, including police, health, animal husbandry experts and sanitation, is being sent along with equipment provided by the NDRF to both Kedarnath and Rambada to extricate the bodies from the debris and expedite the process of their disposal. The last rites of those killed in Rambada too is likely to start in a couple of days, he told reporters here after a meeting of top officials to review the current situation in the flood-ravaged state. "Clearing tonnes of debris lying in the affected areas and extricating decaying bodies which may be lying under them is our top most priority at the moment," DGP Satyavra...

Call for greater enforcement in the district Kollam, June 30  – Police records would have us believe that there are no violations of COTPA - the tobacco control law - in the district but field reports and experts have a different story to tell. Results of an ongoing cancer survey conducted by Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in coastal wards of Kollam Corporation show that nearly 37% males smoke tobacco – much higher than the Kerala average of 27.9% and national average of 24.3% for males, as per the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (2009-10). The 2009-14 cancer survey, which covered 38,808 males above the age of 14, brought out that 30% of males were cigarette smokers, while 12% smoke bidis in Kollam corporation area. Even though the consumption of traditional pan with betel leaves and arecanut has decreased, 5% of this group was found using chewing tobacco products such as khaini and pan masala. Rural population in areas such as Mayyanad and Bootha...

Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia on Saturday said its Indian operations should begin later this year with flights for southern region and the company would also look at setting up some ancillary businesses in the country. “We are hopeful of starting Indian operations later this year with three aircraft serving Southern region,” AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes told reporters in Chennai. The airline would expand its services to other parts of the country in the second stage, he said. AirAsia would also look at setting up ancillary services like air travel insurance and duty free shops in the country, said Mr. Fernandes who came to Chennai on Saturday morning. AirAsia has already put in place a strong leadership team for its India operations, which is a joint venture with Tatas and Telestra Tradeplace. Former TCS chief S. Ramadorai has been appointed Chairman, while top industry leader Ratan Tata has been named as chief adviser to the board of AirAsia India. Besides, R. V...

Supreme Court Judge P. Sathasivam will take over as Chief Justice of India (CJI) after the expiry of present incumbent Altamas Kabir’s tenure. President Pranab Mukherjee has given his nod for the appointment of Justice Sathasivam as the next CJI, official sources said. The 64-year-old Justice Sathasivam joined as a permanent judge of the Madras High Court in January 1996 after which he was transferred to the Punjab and High Court in April 2007. He was appointed as a Supreme Court judge on August 21, 2007. Justice Sathasivam, who will be the 40th CJI, will have tenure till April 26, 2014. The incumbent Chief Justice retires on July 18, 2013 after having tenure of little over nine months. Justice Kabir was appointed CJI on September 29, 2012.

Days after 20 personnel of Indian Air Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and National Disaster Response Force involved in rescue operations in Uttarakhand died in a helicopter crash near Kedarnath, eight bodies are yet to be identified while two were still untraceable. On Friday, teams were sent to the homes of those killed to take DNA samples from their family members. The eight unidentified bodies are still lying in Dehradun as they cannot be sent to the families for want of identification. "We will be sending the DNA samples lifted from the immediate family members to the forensic laboratory in Hyderabad. They would match the details on a priority basis and help us in establishing the identity of those killed," said Ajay Chaddha, DG, ITBP. The chopper turned into a fireball as soon as it crashed. The bodies of jawans sitting near the fuel tank were charred beyond recognition. Regarding the two missing personnel, we have found only body parts, which we have put into bags...

While Gyanendra Singh, hailing from Utharakhand during arrived Kasargod. Gyanendra Singh, a social worker from Uttarakhand on an expedition to cover 6,000 km across 12 states with the message ‘Crime control and peace’, reached Kasargod on Friday evening. He is leaving for Mangalore from here on Saturday after having a meet with district collector P S Muhamed Sageer. From 2002, Gyanendra Singh has been consecutively undertaking cycle expeditions covering 14,775 km to disseminate world peace. This is the fifth of its kind, which started from Rameswaram in Tamilnadu on May 29.According to him the first cycle expedition,‘Sadbhavana Yathra’ was initiated following the Gujarat riots in 2002. After covering Tamil Nadu and Kerala, his expedition will more cover different states including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar and finally Utharakhand. He expects that he can reach his home on September after a long journey of four months. “My...

 Experienced opener Chris Gayle slammed 109 off 100 balls Friday as West Indies romped to a six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the opening one-day cricket international in the tri-nation Celkon Mobile Cup at Sabina Park. The 33-year-old Gayle blasted nine fours and seven sixes in posting his 21st one-day century as the hosts successfully chased down Sri Lanka's modest total of 208 all out off 48.3 overs. Gayle and Johnson Charles laid the platform for victory with an opening stand of 115 in 20.2 overs. Charles chipped in with 29. Earlier, ace spinner Sunil Narine grabbed 4-40 and fast bowler Ravi Rampaul took 3-38 to restrict the visitors to a below-par total on a true surface. Captain Angelo Mathews top-scored with an unbeaten 55 for the visitors, while veteran Mahela Jayawardene chipped in with 52. West Indies, which won the toss, fought back well after an opening stand of 62 in 13 overs between Jayawardene and left-hander Upul Tharanga. Captain Dwayne Bravo mad...

Four suspected Naxals killed a police constable in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district on Thursday. Raj Reddy Pocham Gaddewar was fired at from close range by four unidentified persons when he was returning home from a hospital in Assarali town around 2.30 p.m. He died of series injuries in the neck and chest, a police press release said. According to some eyewitnesses, the attackers pushed away Reddy’s wife and two children, and fired three rounds at him. The killing took place hardly 200 metres from the Assarali police station, where Reddy had been posted, and right in the middle of a crowded market. The attackers escaped under cover of the crowd.

Iraqi officials said a series of bombings targeting football fans has struck cafes in and around Baghdad, killing 16 and wounding dozens. The attacks struck in quick succession on Thursday night while the cafes were filled with patrons watching a football match. Police said five people were killed in Azamiyah, and another three were killed in Umm al-Maalif. Another blast struck Jbala, about 50 kilometres south of Baghdad, killing eight. Hospital officials confirmed the casualty toll.

The U.S. Senate passed sweeping legislation on Thursday offering the hope of citizenship to millions of immigrants living illegally in the shadows, while promising a military-style effort to secure the long-porous border with Mexico.  The issue sits atop President Barack Obama’s second-term agenda, but the bill’s prospects are highly uncertain in the Republican-controlled House, where many conservatives prefer more border security to any pathway to citizenship. The bill would amount to the most dramatic changes in decades to U.S. immigration laws. Some onlookers erupted in chants of “Yes, we can” after the vote result was announced. The developments marked an end to years of partisan gridlock on immigration. The shift started quickly after last year’s presidential election, when many Republican leaders concluded the party must show a more welcoming face to Hispanic voters who had given Mr. Obama more than 70 per cent of their support. “Now is the time when opponents will try t...

Kottayam: Kerala State Planning Board will bring out guidelines by next year for grama panchayats that can take part in Responsible Tourism initiatives, State Planning Board member C P John said today. Speaking at the three-day International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Kumarakom, he said the state has allocated Rs 4,000 crore for local self government bodies, but they do not have any guidelines to follow for spending on tourism. Local bodies can contribute enormously to responsible tourism but they need to be given the freedom to spend money on such projects from their own funds and specific directions on how to do so, C P John said. He added that the move will allow current destination panchayats to subsidise and provide other incentives to tourism oriented projects and facilitate their transformation from simple vacation spots to RT destinations. “It will institutionalise the interface between the tourism industry and local self government bodies,” said Shri C P John...

Democracy icon Nelson Mandela was "very critical" and "anything is imminent", his eldest daughter said, even as South African President Jacob Zuma today cancelled a trip to Mozambique as the anti-apartheid leader remains on life support in a hospital. "I re-iterate that Tata (father) is very critical that anything is imminent," Makaziwe Mandela said as the Mandela family gathered at the Mediclinic Heart Hospital to visit the peace icon who has been admitted since June 8 for a recurring lung ailment. "But I want to emphasise again that it's only God who knows when the time to go is and so we will wait with him, with Tata, as long for us as a family, he's still giving us hope opening his eyes he's still reactive to touch we will live with that hope until the final end comes," she said. even as South African President Jacob Zuma today cancelled a trip to Mozambique as the anti-apartheid leader remains on life support in...

Amid fears of epidemic outbreak, the mass cremation process in Kedarnath, worst-hit in the Uttarakhand flash floods, was expedited, even as air operations to evacuate stranded people from Badrinath was today halted with the weather packing up. "A total of 18 bodies have been cremated so far in Kedarnath. The next round of cremation will start only after formalities like identification, DNA sample preservation, post-mortem of the bodies are completed," DIG Sanjay Gunjyal, under whose supervision the exercise is taking place, said. A second team of doctors, forensic experts and police personnel has left for Kedarnath to complete the formalities, he said. The rescue operations and the mass cremation process have been affected because of bad weather, the DIG said, adding that the formalities for the cremation of the victims were also taking time. The cremation exercise had resumed yesterday after it was suspended because of inclement weather. The Health Department has w...

Gangster Abu Salem, an accused in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case, was today attacked inside Taloja Central Jail in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, police said. According to police sources, Salem was attacked by a person, presumably an inmate, identified as Jagtap. The jail officials did not disclose the nature of injuries sustained by Salem. This is the second attack on Salem inside a jail after he was deported from Portugal in 2005. He had faced attack at the Arthur Road jail here in 2010.

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister of Bahrain with Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, with K.C. Joseph, Minister of Rural Development, Culture & Norka, Dr. Mohan Kumar, Indian Ambassador to Bahrain  and Yusuff Ali M.A., Vice Chairman of Norka, Ravi Pillai, Media personality Soman Baby, Jamal Manakkadan, Chairman of Kalamassery Municipality, Juzer Rupawala, Regional Director of Lulu Bahrain and other guests at Riffa palace in Manama, Bahrain today. Manama: His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister today met Oommen Chandy, Chief Minister for the state of Kerala, India at Riffa Palace. During their meeting His Royal Highness emphasised the importance of boosting bilateral business and economic cooperation between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the state of Kerala, and India more widely, highlighting th...

Call to expand Responsible Tourism across more destinations in India International Conference on Responsible Tourism begins in Kumarakom Kottayam, June 27: The International Conference on Responsible Tourism (RT) opened today with agreement among all stakeholders that the tourism industry can remain sustainable in the long term only if it conserves the unique social, economic, cultural and environmental needs of individual destinations. Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Tourism (Independent Charge) Dr K Chiranjeevi, in his message to delegates at the conference, said that while India today can boast of an unparalleled range of destinations and products, it has much to do in developing these in a responsible manner. “Our concerns today include overreaching carrying capacity, the unhygienic conditions of our tourism destinations, lack of proper coordination in waste management practices, a lack of concern for nature and environment and above all lack of commitment to preserve o...

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna on Wednesday said the state government will provide “special economic package” to people whose properties have been destroyed in flash floods in Kedarnath area. “Even though there is no provision, we will provide a special economic package for the properties that have been destroyed in the flash floods in Kedarnath Valley,” he told a press conference in Dehradun. On relief assistance to be provided to farmers, Mr. Bahuguna said the state will provide Rs. 5,000 instead of Rs. 200 to farmers whose fields have been washed away by floods. The Chief Minister said a total of 15 choppers have been hired by the state government and they have been deployed with the affected districts to provide relief material to villages that cut-off due to the rains. “Within next 2-3 days, we will ensure that rations and other relief materials are provided to villages which are cut-off from the state highways. If helicopters are required for doing so, they will b...

The rupee on Wednesday tanked by a massive 106 paise to close at all-time low of 60.72 against dollar on heavy capital outflows and month-end dollar demand from importers, even as RBI intervened to stem the currency slide. The rupee resumed lower at 59.74 a dollar from overnight close of 59.66 at the Interbank Foreign Exchange (Forex) market and immediately touched a high of 59.72. As dollar demand surged, rupee continued to reel under pressure and touched an all—time intra—trade low of 60.76 and finally ended at 60.72, a steep fall of 106 paise or 1.78 per cent. On June 10, 2013, it had tumbled by 109 paise (1.91 pc). FIIs pulled out nearly Rs 550 crore from stocks today, taking the June outflows to about Rs 9,000 crore. In debt segment, they have pulled out Rs 27,850.20 crore till June 25. “RBI was seen (intervening) at 59.90 level during early trade and the rupee was trading in 5—10 paisa range. But, the moment, rupee touched 60, stop-loss was triggered, which led to sharp fal...

 Gold and silver prices tumbled to their lowest in nearly three years on Wednesday as investors liquidated precious metals after well-received US data fuelled fears the Federal Reserve would rein in its ultra-loose monetary policy. Spot gold slid to its lowest since September 2010 at $1,233.05 an ounce and was down 3.1 percent at $1,237.36 an ounce at 0807 GMT. U.S. gold futures for August delivery were down $37.90 an ounce at $1,237.20.

Kottayam, June 26: A key three-day international conference on Responsible Tourism (RT) attended by subject experts, researchers and practitioners from around the country and from abroad opens in Kumarakom tomorrow (Thursday, June 27). Dr. K. Chiranjeevi, Hon. Union Minister of State for Tourism (Independent Charge) will inaugurate the event which is being organised by the Department of Tourism in partnership with RT School@KITTS to review experiences and challenges in Responsible Tourism as well as discuss RT best practices that will help promote sustainable tourism in Kerala and globally. The inaugural function at 11.00 am at Backwater Ripples resort in Kumarakom will be presided over by Shri A P Anil Kumar, Hon. Minister for Tourism. Shri. Sitaram Yechury, Chairman, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture will deliver the keynote address and Shri. Suresh Kurup will be the guest of honour. Shri. Jose K. Mani, MP, will publish a brochure on Kumarak...

Thiruvananthapuram, June 26 – Creating a new chapter in scientific information sharing and knowledge building, the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) is launching SciGate-Kerala, an innovative online digital platform aimed at facili tating and increasing scientific collaboration. SciGate-Kerala, an acronym for Scientific Gate, Kerala, has been developed based on the policy measures enshrined in the National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy 2012 and Kerala’s Draft Science and Technology Policy. The platform will map scientists, researchers and faculty members not just in Kerala but also Keralites working in other states and countries. Those interested can easily register online by submitting basic personal information. Thereupon, the system will present a list of scientific publications based on the user’s name; the user just needs to select the right ones to build his/her profile. The user also has the freedom to upload pdf versions of...

K Narayana Kurup, one of the founding members of Kerala Congress who had been deputy speaker and four times Minister, has passed away. He was 86. Kurup, who was suffering from age related health problems, was admitted to a private hospital with fever last week. His end came by 2:30 pm on Wednesday. Born on October 23, 1927, to a wealthy agriculturist family at Karukachal, Kurup had his education in Chennai, Mumbai and Pune and joined the NSS College, Changanassery as a lecturer. Later he took up the mantle of an advocate from where he entered politics as a socialist. One of the earliest Lohiaists from Kerala, Kurup had represented his home constituency Vazhoor (now extinct) even before the formation of the State when he was elected to Travancore-Cochin Assembly on a Praja Socialist Party (PSP) ticket. His foray into the electoral politics after State reorganisation was in 1963 in a by election at Vazhoor segment necessitated by the death of V.K. Velappan, Minister of Health in the Min...

The attack on an Army convoy at Hyderpora in Srinagar on Monday, in which eight soldiers were killed, is believed to have been carried out by Pakistani terrorists belonging to the Lashkar-e-Toiba. Even though the Hizbul Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attack, security agencies are convinced that the two attackers were part of a group of 10 Pakistani LeT terrorists who had infiltrated in two batches last October. The Indian Express Editorial: UPA has failed to win political ground in Kashmir. The two men, sources said, were heard speaking in Urdu, indicating that they were from Pakistan and not Kashmiri-origin militants who make up much of Hizbul's cadre. While the hunt for the attackers is on, they said Monday's attack has confirmed the increased threat to the Amarnath Yatra. This had first emerged after the arrest of LeT divisional commander in north Kashmir, Fahadullah, a couple of months back. Security agencies learnt about the infiltration of the LeT terrorists...

Preferring to stay away from comparisons, former skipper Sourav Ganguly says current captain MS Dhoni has done "wonders to Indian cricket" and is poised to lead the country in the 2015 World Cup. 'Captain Cool' Dhoni once again lived upto the billing by leading India to ICC Champions Trophy triumph on Sunday. "Dhoni has been an outstanding captain. His record as captain is terrific. He still has a lot of cricket left in him and he has done wonders to Indian cricket," Ganguly said. "Dhoni backs players as well. People like (Suresh) Raina, (Ravindra) Jadeja, and Rohit Sharma have developed under him as players and has some terrific qualities as a leader," he was quoted as saying by 'NDTVSports.com'. For the 31-year-old Dhoni, winning the Champions Trophy completed a remarkable cycle of triumphs which started with the T20 World Cup in 2007. India also won the 2011 ODI World Cup under his leadership and the victory yesterday reaffirmed his s...

After days of dilly-dallying, the Congress on Tuesday announced its support to DMK candidate Kanimozhi in the Rajya Sabha polls from Tamil Nadu. The decision signals a possible revival of ties between Congress and its erstwhile ally, which had walked out of the United Progressive Alliance and the coalition government three months ago over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue. A statement from TNCC president B,S. Gnanadesikan said AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik, who is in charge of the party’s affairs in Tamil Nadu, conveyed the decision to him over phone. The Congress has five members in the State Assembly. The decision will be crucial in returning Ms. Kanimozhi to the Upper House, as it boosts the number of legislators supporting her to 32. In a House of 234 MLAs, the DMK has 23 members and has already roped in the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) and the Puthiya Tamizhagam (PT), two small parties that have two members each. The numbers have greatly increased the victory prospects of M...

The Centre on Monday unveiled the draft of its contentious National Water Framework Bill which seeks to provide "right to water", while stating that water allocation and pricing should be based on "economic principles". "Every individual has a right to a minimum quantity of potable water for essential health and hygiene and within easy reach of the household," states the draft. "The minimum quantity of potable water shall not be less than 25 litres per capita per day," it says, adding that the quantity must be fixed by the "appropriate government". "The state's responsibility for ensuring people's right to water shall remain despite corporatisation or privatisation of water services, and the privatisation of the service, where considered necessary and appropriate, shall be subject to this provision," says the draft bill, which also mandates that governments should specify the "quality standards" of water s...

In a tragic accident that underlines the risks pilots are taking to evacuate those stranded after the Uttarakhand flash floods, a Mi 17 V5 helicopter ferrying rescue personnel from the temple town of Kedarnath to a base camp crashed on Tuesday afternoon. All 20 people who were reportedly on board are feared dead. The Mi 17 V5 chopper, the very latest in the inventory of the Indian Air Force, went down while it was heading towards the temporary air base at Gaucher, and crashed in difficult terrain north of Gaurikund, the base camp for the 14 km trek up to Kedarnath. However, the IAF continued flying operations in the region after the chopper was first reported missing just after midday. While there are conflicting reports of casualties, sources said the toll could be as high as 20, as the helicopter was transporting back a delegation of ITBP and NDRF personnel who had been camping in Kedarnath, coordinating rescue operations for the past week. All five crew members on board the chopp...

Bollywood couple Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor have never admitted to being in a relationship, but what will the two rumoured lovers have to say about the picture that we came across on a social networking site? Katrina Kaif, who has played hide 'n' seek with the media and dodged every prying camera, was recently spotted dining out with her Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani co-star Ranbir Kapoor and his mother Neetu Kapoor during their trip to London. Ranbir Kapoor was recently in London for the promotions of Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani and it was during that time only Katrina was also visiting the city to meet her family. Katrina Kaif, who is currently shooting for Dhoom: 3 in Mumbai with Aamir Khan, took time out to spend some family time with her rumoured beau.

In a veiled threat to BJP leaders on the offensive against him after JD(U) parted ways with the NDA partner, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said that if he opened his mouth many of them would be in trouble.  "If I open my mouth a lot of people will be in trouble," Kumar told reporters on the sidelines of a programme here. BJP President Rajnath Singh, who addressed a party rally here yesterday, had trashed JD(U)'s allegations that Narendra Modi was an autocratic and divisive leader. He had attacked JD(U) for 'suddenly' finding fault with the Gujarat chief minister and his leadership after being part of the alliance for 17 years. The BJP President had also questioned Kumar's growing proximity to the Congress. Singh's predecessor Nitin Gadkari has accused Kumar of playing vote bank politics to fulfil his Prime Ministerial ambitions. Former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, former NDA convenor Nandkishore Yadav, Rajiv Pratap Singh Rudy, Shahn...

In a brazen attack on the eve of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit , suspected Hizbul Mujahideen militants today ambushed an Army convoy killing eight Army jawans and injuring 19 others near Hyderpora area on the outskirts of the city. The attack, the second in three days and the deadliest so far this year, was claimed to have been carried out by pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen but security establishment believes that it was handiwork of the banned Lashker-e-Taiba terror outfit. Security has been beefed up across the state in view of the attack as intelligence inputs suggested that the militants may try to carry out more such attacks during the VVIP visit. According to sources, unmanned aerial vehicles were also pressed into service to carry out technical surveillance of Pir Panjal and Zabarwan mountain ranges amid inputs that militants armed with rockets had formed their base in the ridges of these mountains. Today's audacious attack took place at 1635 hours nea...

Union Minister Dr K Chiranjeevi to inaugurate three-day event Thiruvananthapuram, June 24: Hon’ble Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism Dr K Chiranjeevi will inaugurate an international conference being organised in Kumarakom, Kottayam, to review the progress made by Kerala in implementing Responsible Tourism (RT) practices and to help develop a roadmap for the future. Organised by Department of Tourism in association with RT School@KITTS, the conference will be hosted by the Backwater Ripples resort at Kumarakom from June 27-29, 2013. RT is centred on local community engagement with a strong commitment to preserving the socio-cultural identity and the environment at destinations. Initiated in 1990s, RT is today widely accepted as an effective tool for ensuring sustainable development in tourism. Around 150 delegates will take part in the conference including from countries that are the forefront of RT implementation, such as Gambia, Bhutan and Sri La...

Tamil actor Dhanush's Bollywood debut  Raanjhanaa , which opened to mixed reviews last Friday, has collected Rs 21 crore in the first three days. The movie had an ordinary start on Friday (June 21). Earlier, film critic Taran Adarsh said on Saturday that Raanjhanaa was growing from 'strength to strength with each show, after an ordinary start.' The jump was likely because of the terrific word of mouth for the film and Dhanush's acting. Shubhra Gupta The Indian Express film critic says: The playfulness and intensity that Dhanush, making his Bollywood debut, exhibits consistently is what keeps the film ticking. His complete surrender to the role leads to the kind of unselfconsciousness that is so absent in Bollywood newbies who try playing lovers. Dhanush, whose phenomenal act as a UP Brahmin youth, has earned him heaps of praises from audiences and Bollywood insiders alike. Taran Adarsh further wrote that the movie, which is also dubbed in Tamil, will ha...

Kedarnath Valley, the temple town which was the epicentre of the floods and landslides, was also cleared of all stranded pilgrims in stepped up rescue operations amid intermittent rains which led to evacuation of 12,000 pilgrims and tourists. With MeT department warning of adverse weather in the region from tomorrow, the multi-agency operations involving Army, IAF, ITBP and NDRF among others raced against time to try to rescue remaining 10,000 stranded people stuck in three areas including Badrinath. Air operations had to be also briefly suspended due to bad weather. "At least 5,000 people must have been killed in the deluge that inflicted heavy damage on vast tracts of land especially in Kedarnath valley," Disaster Management Minister Yashpal Arya told reporters at Jolly Grant airport on his return from an aerial survey of affected areas. The official death toll as of yesterday was put at 680 while Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna said the death toll is lik...

MANJESHWARAM : The residential premises of late Rashtrakavi Manjeshwara Govinda Pai would shortly get facelift and would emerge as a vibrant cultural and literary centre as Union Minister of Petroleum M. Veerappa Moily offered to fully meet financial assistance for the project. The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) foundation would meet the entireexpense to renovate the Govinda Pai Memorial building into a museum, a library and an auditorium as part of the long cherished ‘Gulivindu’ project that aims to develop his ancestral house here into a national level centre of literature, culture and research to enrich and promote the language studies, Mr. Moily said. Mr. Moily was speaking after opening the guest house ‘Vaishakhi’, built at cost of around Rs. 14 lakhs sanctioned by C. H. Kunhambu, former Manjeshwaram MLA, from his local area development (LAD) fund and inaugurating construction works of the second auditorium ‘Saketha’ at the residential premises where the late liter...

Actor couple Hema Malini and Dharmendra's younger daughter Ahana got engaged here to Delhi-based businessman Vaibhav Vora. Last year in June, Esha Deol tied the knot with businessman Bharat Takhtani. "We all are very happy. Vaibhav is a very nice boy. It was a special day for us. Our blessings are with them," Hema told PTI. Ahana and Vaibhav have reportedly been seeing each other for few months. Wearing a pink-purple coloured Indian outfit, Ahana looked elegant at the ceremony which was held yesterday from 6.30 pm onwards at Hema's residence in Juhu. Ahana is a trained Odissi dancer and has performed stage shows with her mother and sister Esha. Apart from classical dancing, she is also interested in fashion designing. The family has not yet decided on the exact date of marriage."Both the families will sit and decide about the marriage date which should be convenient to all," Hema said.

With the BJP set to launch a sustained attack on its former ally from next week through public meetings in 141 Assembly segments from where the JD(U) contested in the last assembly elections, the JD(U) has decided to launch a counter-offensive by calling a meeting of Muslims here on July 1 to target Narendra Modi. The meeting has been called by the All India Pasmanda Muslim Mehaz — an apolitical forum run by JD(U) Rajya Sabha member Ali Anwar. Sources said that it has been decided that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who was recently anointed BJP campaign committee chairman, will be targeted at the meeting. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will be chief guest at the function, which is likely to be attended by over 5,000 Pasmanda (OBC) Muslim representatives, including prominent social and religious leaders from the community. The slogan for the meeting, to be organised at the Mazharul Haque Stadium, is: "Nitish Kumar mat ghabrana, tere pichhe secular jamana ". AIPMM chair...

A 13-year-old student from Ara has become the youngest in the country to crack the IIT-JEE entrance examination at 13. He was also the youngest to crack the test last year at 12 but had reappeared this year to improve his all India ranking. Satyam, son of a farmer from Bakhorapur village, had completed his class XII from Senior Secondary School, Kota with 85 per cent marks. He appeared from IIT Mumbai this year and got all India rank of 679. Last year, he had appeared from the Chennai zone and had got All India rank of 8137. Satyam, told ,"It feels great to be the youngest in the country to have achieved this. I had been preparing at Kota for IIT-JEE test for two years. I had to take special permission from authorities concerned last year to appear at the age of 12". Satyam said while his parents lived at the Ara village, he lived with his grand mother and uncle at Kota. His father Siddhnath Singh said: "My son is a child prodigy. We had sent him to right place and to...