July 4, 2009
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Vikram Seth strikes 1.7 mn pound publishing deal

By Binoo K. John

New Delhi, July 2 (IANS) Indian writer Vikram Seth, who is working on a sequel to his blockbuster novel "A Suitable Boy", has finalised a deal worth around 1.7 million pounds to move his entire back list to Penguin UK, sources close to the deal said.

A lonely child who never grew up

By Nada Weigelt

Los Angeles, July 3 (DPA) It could be weeks before the world finally knows what killed Michael Jackson. What became clearer than ever in the week since the unexpected death of the legendary singer was that the self-proclaimed King of Pop was just a knight in mournful armour, a deeply insecure, lonely child who seemed to have never grown up.

Kashmir tense after Baramullah killings

By IANS

Srinagar, June 30 (IANS) Curfew continued in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla town for the second day and restrictions were extended to other places in the valley Tuesday, a day after two protestors were killed in clashes with police following an allegation by a woman that she had been harassed by cops.

India again demands expansion of UN Security Council

By IANS

United Nations, June 23 (IANS) India has reiterated its demand for "real reform" of the UN Security Council with expansion in both permanent and non-permanent membership of the world body's top decision making organ.

Tibetan exiles mull ways to break impasse with Chinese

By IANS

Dharamsala, June 22 (IANS) The Tibetan government-in-exile in this Himachal Pradesh town is deliberating upon ways to break the impasse with the Chinese for restarting the dialogue process on the future of Tibet, says a Tibetan official.

Sri Lankan minister denies moves to extend Rajapakse's term

By Xinhua

Colombo, June 22 (Xinhua) A senior Sri Lankan minister Sunday rejected reports that the government was considering moves to extend President Mahinda Rajapakse's term for another six years without an election.

Rural India must be part of big growth story: Sachin Pilot

By Murali Krishnan

New Delhi, June 22 (IANS) Bridging the digital divide so that the 'other India' has access to high-speed broadband connectivity and getting villages into the tele-loop are top priorities for Minister of State for Communications and IT Sachin Pilot.

Winds of change greet Shivshankar Menon in Nepal

By Sudeshna Sarkar

Kathmandu, June 20 (IANS) Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon's much awaited two-day visit to Nepal to bail out the jeopardised peace process began Saturday amidst new winds of change blowing through the fledgling republic.

India is a source, destination and transit country for human trafficking

By Arun Kumar

Washington, June 17 (IANS) Saying that New Delhi is not doing enough to curb human smuggling, the US has placed India on Tier 2 watch list of countries in a report on global trafficking released by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Himalayas warming faster than global average

By Richa Sharma

New Delhi, June 4 (IANS) Northwestern Himalayas has become 1.4 degrees Celsius warmer in the last 100 years, a far higher level of warming than the 0.5-1.1 degrees for the rest of the globe, Indian scientists have found.

GM bankruptcy opens up new opportunities for India

By IANS

Chennai, June 3 (IANS) The decision of General Motors (GM) to file for bankruptcy could create a new supply chain for Indian and Chinese auto component makers, say industry analysts.

Media frenzy must end: Australia not an unsafe place for Indians

By Rajni Luthra

Most Indian homes in Australia have had this phone call from concerned family in India by now. "Are you alright? What are they doing to you guys over there?" It's almost as if Australian gangs are roaming the trains seeking out Indians to bash up, or roaming the streets seeking out Indian homes to throw petrol bombs into.

Manmohan Singh's second shot to make India safe

By Maja Daruwala

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh hopes for an India safe from terrorist attacks, extremist insurgencies and communal violence. He wants to work very hard at it. At every important meeting after his party's strengthened return to power, he has repeatedly spoken of national security.

Foreign policy vital for India's trade, economy: Krishna

By Fakir Balaji

Bangalore, May 30 (IANS) Indian foreign policy will be pro-active in pursuit of its trade and economic ties with all countries in an interdependent world, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said Friday.

Prabhakaran's parents in protective custody

By IANS

Colombo, May 28 (IANS) The parents of the now dead Tamil Tigers chief Velupillai Prabhakaran are in the "protective custody" of the Sri Lankan government, a media report said Thursday.

Caution sets in over proposed Bharti, MTN telecom pact

By Fakir Hassen

Johannesburg, May 27 (IANS) After the initial enthusiasm over the $23-billion telecom deal proposed by India's Bharti Airtel and South Africa's MTN, analysts have turned cautious, even fearing the transaction may not have presented a fair value for shareholders.

Indian Sikh guru dies in Austrian gurdwara attack, six arrested

By IANS

Vienna, May 25 (IANS) An Indian Sikh guru died in the Austrian capital Monday following an armed attack at a gurdwara the previous day. Six people have been arrested for their suspected role in the clash that injured at least 15 people and sparked widespread violence in India's Punjab state.

India wants to move forward on nuclear deal

By Arun Kumar

Washington, May 22 (IANS) India has assured US industry that the India-US civil nuclear deal was very high on the priority of the new government and it would very much like to move forward on it.

US does not know location of all Pakistan nukes

By Arun Kumar

Washington, May 19 (IANS) A top US official added fuel to the row over reports that Pakistan may be using US military assistance to expand its nuclear arsenal by saying Washington does not know the location of all of Pakistan's atomic weapons.

Manmohan Singh's reassuring return for Obama administration

By Mayank Chhaya

The clarity of the electoral outcome in India and the return of Manmohan Singh as prime minister are bound to reassure the Obama administration as it struggles to battle mortal threats emanating from the Pakistan-Afghanistan region.

Indian democracy loses to Chinese efficiency - by 160 votes

By Dipankar De Sarkar

London, May 13 (IANS) As millions of Indians prepared for Wednesday's last round of elections, India's much-lauded democracy was given a thorough drubbing by China's efficiency-driven one-party system.

Labourers fight for Rs.60 a week

By Sujeet Kumar

Raipur, May 1 (IANS) Workers around the world celebrated International Labour Day Friday, but Kesar Bai was not one of them. The 40-year-old daily wager continued to jostle with 500 others in a labourers' mart in this Chhattisgarh capital to find work. She considers herself lucky if she is hired for a day in a week.

Karmapa Lama wishes to return to Tibet someday

By Jaideep Sarin

Dharamsala (Himachal Pradesh), April 19 (IANS) Like the Dalai Lama who escaped from Tibet in 1959, the second highest Tibetan monk, the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, secretly arrived in India nearly 10 years ago as a teenager. But his desire to return "one day" remains provided Tibetans are able to live with "full religious and other freedom".

India must have grand strategic design in its foreign policy

By Rajiv Sikri

There is need for new thinking in India's foreign policy. In today's complicated and fast-changing geo-political situation, India has wisely diversified its foreign policy options, but must retain flexibility in order to be able to pursue an independent foreign policy, on which there is an overwhelming national consensus.

Tibetans coming to terms with women Buddhist masters

Buddhist nuns outside their nunnery in the Druk headquarters (IANS Photo).

By Madhusree Chatterjee

Kathmandu, April 13 (IANS) The 800-year-old Tibetan Drukpa lineage of Buddhism - based in Nepal and practised in Bhutan and India - is empowering women, reviving the ancient tradition of women masters and monks that the Buddha encouraged.

Oh, where have all the sparrows gone?



By V N Balakrishna

Ahmedabad, Feb 15 (IANS) William Wordsworth's "vision of delight", in his poem "The Sparrow's Nest", has almost gone missing from our lives as sparrows have long since stopped building nests in our homes and neighbourhoods.

Hope for Chiru, as Pashmina shawls make comeback

A worker spinning Pashmina in Srinagar, IANS photo


By Sanjeeb Baruah

New Delhi, Dec 26 (IANS) There was a time when the Tibetan antelope Chiru used to be slaughtered en masse for wool to make expensive Shahtoosh shawls. But today more and more Kashmiri artisans who produced these are switching to Pashmina, giving the endangered species a new lease of life.

Liberhan report will hurt Advani the most



L K Advani

By Amulya Ganguli

The M.S. Liberhan report on the Babri Masjid demolition could not have come at a worse time for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

'Loose nukes greatest danger in Pakistan'

By Arun Kumar

Washington, July 3 (IANS) The threat of insiders in the nuclear establishment working with outsiders seeking a bomb is nowhere greater than in Pakistan, according to a former officer of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Gay sex is no crime, says court, religious leaders protest

By IANS

New Delhi, July 2 (IANS) The Delhi High Court ruled Thursday that gay sex among consenting adults was no crime, a landmark event that triggered celebrations by gay activists but which leaders of all major religions in the country denounced in unison.

US freezes assets of 4 Pakistanis for Mumbai train bombings

By Arun Kumar

Washington, July 2 (IANS) The US has frozen the assets of four Pakistani terrorists for alleged involvement in a series of terrorist activities in India, including the July 2006 train bombing in Mumbai and February 2007 bombing in the Samjhauta Express.

China postpones controversial web filtering software installation

By Xinhua

Beijing, July 1(Xinhua) Amid widespread international criticism, China Tuesday announced that it would delay the mandatory installation of the controversial "Green Dam-Youth Escort" filtering software on new computers.

'Cocktail of issues' behind attacks on Indians, says Australian MP

By Murali Krishnan

Sydney, June 30 (IANS) The disconnect between the "established Indian order" and students was a matter of concern, says a prominent Australian parliamentarian who blames a "cocktail of issues" for the recent attacks on Indian students in his country.

Anand Model should be replicated for inclusive growth

By Animesh Banerjee

Traditional growth models are the legacy of the industrialization era that started a couple of centuries ago. The approach meant leveraging lowest cost resources with an aim of maximizing benefits to the owners of the enterprise.

'Thanks to n-deal, US and India poised to become global partners'

By Arun Kumar

Washington, June 26 (IANS) With the India-US civil nuclear deal establishing a new level of trust between the two countries, New Delhi and Washington are poised to become "global partners" to help shape the 21st century, says a senior US official.

A lion task: second home for Gir's big cats remains mired

By Sanjeeb Baruah


Two Gir lions. Pic: Mayank Chhaya

New Delhi, June 23 (IANS) India's Asiatic lions are the most vulnerable of all the big cats as they live in a single area in Gujarat, making them prone to diseases as well as other threats, and yet calls for creating a second home by the scientific community have been repeatedly ignored, say experts.

India 'unofficially' blacklisting us: South African arms maker

By Fakir Hassen

Johannesburg, June 21 (IANS) An "unofficial" blacklisting by India has resulted in South African arms manufacturer Denel losing two billion rands in revenue, a company executive has told parliament.

Rajapaksa committed to power sharing, feels Japan

By M R Narayan Swamy

New Delhi, June 13 (IANS) Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa is committed to sharing power with the minorities, now that he has crushed the Tamil Tigers. This is the feeling of Japan, whose Special Envoy Yasushi Akashi held extensive discussions with the president this week.

India's growth data has brightened revival hopes

By Susham Ramachandran

A new Indian government under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has taken charge for the second successive term at a time when there appear to be glimmers of light on the horizon for a revival of the economy that had slowed last year after logging an impressive annual growth of nine percent in the preceding three years.

Fifth day of violent protests in Kashmir, JKLF's Yasin Malik arrested

By IANS

Srinagar, June 5 (IANS) Amid high drama, detained separatist leader Yasin Malik was freed from his house here by a mob before being held by the police again Friday, even as nearly 80 people were injured on the fifth day of violent protests across the Kashmir Valley over the alleged rape and murder of two women.

Arrested LeT man was close aide of Hafiz Saeed: Delhi Police

By IANS

New Delhi, June 5 (IANS) Mohammed Umer Madani, a top operative of Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) who was arrested here Thursday, headed the outfit's activities in Nepal and is a close aide of LeT founder Hafiz Saeed, accused of masterminding the Mumbai terror attacks, Delhi Police said Friday.

India elects its first woman Speaker



India's first woman Speaker of Parliament Meira Kumar (Pic: www.india.gov.in)

By IANS

New Delhi, June 4 (IANS) History was made in India Wednesday when diplomat-turned-politician Meira Kumar, 64, became the first woman speaker of the Lok Sabha - the lower house of parliament - with MPs cutting across party lines supporting the election of the Dalit leader.

Australians worry assaults could scare away Indian students

By IANS

Sydney, June 3 (DPA) Australian universities warned Wednesday that Indian students would go elsewhere if their safety in Australia was not assured.

US 'rubbish peanuts' won't help Pakistan win war against terror: Editorial

By IANS

Islamabad, May 30 (IANS) The "rubbish peanuts" the US is offering Pakistan won't help it win the war against terror, an editorial in a leading English daily said Saturday, noting that the price this country would have to pay "far outweighs" the $700 million Washington is offering annually for the next five years.

Pakistan making more deadly, deliverable nukes: US think tank

By Arun Kumar

Washington, May 29 (IANS) Pakistan is likely supplementing or replacing its current uranium-based nuclear weapon arsenal with plutonium-based weapons that will be more destructive and deliverable, says a US think tank.

Pakistan's n-assets may fall into terrorist hands: US report

By Arun Kumar

Washington, May 28 (IANS) Chronic political instability in Pakistan and the current offensive against the Taliban has raised fears that Islamabad's strategic nuclear assets could be obtained by terrorists or used by elements in the Pakistani government, US lawmakers have been told.

25 years after death, Bhindranwale lives through posters, stickers

By Jaideep Sarin

Amritsar, May 26 (IANS) Twenty-five years after he was killed in an army operation on the Golden Temple complex here, Sikh ideologue Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale continues to live on in Punjab through stickers, posters, T-shirt photos and even key-chains.

India, Pakistan on the side of Sri Lanka in rights battle with West

By M R Narayan Swamy

New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) India and Pakistan find themselves on the same side with Sri Lanka as Europe accuses Colombo of "war crimes" against the Tamils.

China' growing clout in global bodies worries India

By Manish Chand

New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) China's blocking of a development loan for India at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has stirred anxieties here about Beijing using its clout in multilateral fora to flog bilateral issues.

US Congress approves spy plane deal with India

By Gulshan Luthra

New Delhi, April 14 (IANS) The US Congress has approved the sale of eight Boeing P8-I multi-mission spy planes to India, apparently clearing the decks for transfer of a variety of other sophisticated defence systems by the Obama administration to New Delhi.



International
 

Acclaimed painter Tyeb Mehta dead

By IANS

Mumbai, July 2 (IANS) Tyeb Mehta, one of India's most critically acclaimed artists, died of a cardiac arrest here early Thursday, according to family sources. He was 84.



Kabir Khan's 'New York' gets good press in US

By IANS

Washington, July 4 (IANS) 'New York', the first big Bollywood film to hit America after the industry strike, has won good reviews from US media with the New York Times praising its portrayal of problems faced by a Muslim minority.

'New York' is on post-9/11 prejudices: Kabir Khan

By Robin Bansal

New Delhi, June 14 (IANS) Director Kabir Khan is ready with his second directorial venture "New York" and says the film highlights prejudices against certain nationalities and religions across the world after the 9/11 attacks in the US.

Thank you 'babumoshai', Rajesh Khanna tells Big B

By Radhika Bhirani

Macau, June14 (IANS) Bollywood veteran Rajesh Khanna was at his dramatic best when he received the life time achievement trophy at the International Indian Film Academy(IIFA) awards here from his "Anand" co-star Amitabh Bachchan late Saturday night.

I write songs for myself, not for commerce: Prasoon Joshi

By Radhika Bhirani

Macau, June 13 (IANS) Bollywood's acclaimed film lyricist Prasoon Joshi, whose heart-warming work in "Taare Zameen Par" won many awards, said he writes songs only for himself and not to generate business.