Cabinet orders inquiry into Gujarat snooping
The cabinet Thursday ordered a commission of inquiry into the alleged snooping of a young woman by the Gujarat Police, allegedly at the behest of then state home minister Amit Shah, informed sources said. They said the decision was taken at a cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The inquiry will look into the "physical/electronic surveillance" in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi "allegedly without authorization", an official...

Truth alone triumphs, tweets Modi after SC relief in Gujarat riots case
After a metropolitan magistrate in Ahmedabad gave Narendra Modi clean chit in 2002 Gulbarg society case by rejecting Zakia Jafri's plea against SIT's clean chit, the BJP Prime Ministerial candidate sent out a three word tweet in Hindi: Satyamev Jayate, along with English translation: Truth Alone Triumphs. On Thursday while his government completed first year of the third term, Gujarat Chief Minister Modi was away in Goa to attend wedding ceremony of his counterpart Manohar...

Sudhakaran hits out at Deshabhimani on FB
CPM leader G. Sudhakaran on Wednesday hit out at Deshabhimani on his Facebook page over the Consumerfed report. The report alleged that Sudhakaran made the Kerala State Co-operative Consumers' Federation (Consumerfed) an inefficient body during his time at the helm. Slamming the report, the Left leader said Consumerfed began its golden run during his tenure as minister of Co-operation. Meanwhile, General Manager of the pro left-wing newspaper, EP Jayarajan, backed Sudhakaran...

Egypt designates Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist group
The Egyptian government intensified its crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood on Wednesday, formally listing the group as a terrorist organisation after accusing it of carrying out a suicide bomb attack on a police station that killed 16 people. The move marked a major escalation in the army-backed government's campaign to suppress the Islamist movement that propelled Mohamed Morsi to the presidency 18 months ago but has been driven underground since the army toppled him in...

Arvind Kejriwal and his AAP ministers to be sworn in on Saturday
Arvind Kejriwal will be sworn in as Delhi's new Chief Minister at noon on Saturday in the capital's sprawling Ramlila Maidan, from where he launched a massive campaign in 2011 along with his mentor Anna Hazare for a Lokpal or an anti-corruption ombudsman. Six newly elected members of Mr Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will also take oath as ministers in the Delhi cabinet.

Why do I support Aranmula International Airport Project Campaign?
  Jose Pinto Stephen               Almost a month and half ago Kerala Vision initiated a video campaign in favor of Vizhinjam Mother Port Project and it became a big success. We got lots of positive feedbacks from Pravasi Malayalees all around the world. And by the Grace of God Vizhinjam Mother Port got environmental clearance from the Central Government of India within two weeks from when we started our video...

Sand mining in full swing at Malappuram
Despite prohibition orders from the National Green Tribunal and the District Collector, sand mining from river beds is continuing in full swing at Mampad, here. Though the police have set up special squads to stop river sand mining, the latest revelation has exposed the inefficiency of the team in curbing the illegal activity. According to the residents of the area, the mining activity happens round the clock. The mining takes place not just in Chaliyar River, but also in Kadalundi...

Coalition parties stake claim for Congress seats
As the Congress high command instructed that its candidates should be announced as early as possible, pressure has begun to rise in the UDF for Lok Sabha seats. Both the Indian Union Muslim League and Kerala Congress(M) are demanding one more seat each. Socialist Janata’s stand is that it needs a seat. Congress has not made its position clear on these demands. The main headache is that these parties are seeking the sitting seats of Congress. At the same time, discussions or moves...

Law intern hints at filing police complaint against Justice Ganguly
 A former law intern, who accused ex-Supreme Court judge A K Ganguly of sexual harassment, has hit back at him for denying the charges and hinted that she may file a police complaint. "Those who have been spreading rumours and politicizing the issue, are doing so out of prejudice and malice to obfuscate the issue and escape scrutiny and accountability," the intern wrote on her blog on Legally India. Her comments came a day after Justice Ganguly had written an...

India, Pakistan's DGMOs meet at Wagah-Attari border
he much anticipated meeting between Director Generals Military Operations (DGMO) of India and Pakistan took place today along the Wagah-Attari border to work out a mechanism to ease tension and ensure peace at the Line of Control (LoC). The Indian side was led by Lieutenant General Vinod Bhatia while Major General Aamer Riaz headed the Pakistani side. A Brigadier and three Lieutenant Colonels from each side also participated in the talks. Official sources in Islamabad said...

Aam Aadmi Party to name ministers on Wednesday
The AAP will name its ministers in Delhi Wednesday, party leader Manish Sisodia said Tuesday, a day after the AAP staked claim to form a government. "The names will be announced tomorrow (Wednesday). It will be done before the swearing in ceremony takes place," Sisodia told the media. He added that the date for oath taking had not been finalized yet. Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal has said he and his ministers will take oath at the Ramlila...

Ilayaraja suffers heart attack
Music maestro Ilayaraja suffered a mild heart attack at his residence in Chennai on Monday morning. Aged 70, the legend is currently undergoing treatment at a Chennai hospital. Prayers for the mastero has been pouring in from across the flim fraternity. The living legends' latest film 'Thalaimuraigal' hit the screens a few days ago and has been receiving good reviews for the content and the music as well. Ilaiyaraaja has composed over 4500 songs and provided film scores for...

Thiruvanchoor knows Abhilash Muraleedharan for the past 12 years
Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan on Sunday said that he had known Abhilash Muraleedharan for the past 12 years. While reacting to P C George's statement of his son having business links with entrepreneur Adhilash, Thiruvanchoor said his son, Arjun, is a consultant of Abhilash's company. “Arjun was offered the job only on his merits and not because his father was a minister. I am ready to face any kind of probe over this matter.” “Arjun was offered...

Centre mulls fresh incentives for IT companies
The Central government is working out a new scheme to provide fresh incentives to information technology (IT) companies following demands from the industry, said a minister. The decision comes after the income tax benefits to new IT companies set up under the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) ended in 2011. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Minister of State for Communications, Information Technology and Shipping Milind Deora said the finance ministry was working this...

Country under a wave of corruption: Pinarayi
Lashing out at the State and Central governments, CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan alleged on Monday that the country is under a wave of corruption. “Prime Minister  Manmohan Singh and Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy are under the shadow of allegations. Policies of both Centre and State governments are supporting corrupt people,” alleged the Pinarayi, while inaugurating the secretariat siege organised by the pro-CPM Democratic Youth Federation of India...

Tehelka case: Tarun Tejpal's judicial custody extended by 12 days
  A local court today extended the judicial custody of Tehelka founder editor Tarun Tejpal for 12 days even as his lawyer moved a bail petition. Judicial Magistrate First Class Sarika Faldesai extended the judicial custody of Tejpal, after his initial 12-day custody expired today. Tejpal, who is accused of sexually assaulting a woman journalist, has been lodged in Sada sub jail near Vasco town. The lawyers representing Tejpal today moved a petition before the district...

AAP announces it will form govt in Delhi; Kejriwal meets LG
Ending almost two-week-long deadlock, the Aam Admi Party — born out of Anna Hazare's anti-corruption agitation — on Monday decided to form government in the national capital by taking outside support from the Congress to which the newbie handed a crushing defeat in the December 4 assembly polls. AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal met Delhi lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung and gave a letter expressing readiness to form the government. The swearing-in ceremony will take place at...

Malayalam actor Dileep not paying service tax
Raids at the home and offices of Malayalam actor Dileep Saturday revealed that he has evaded payment of service tax, said central excise and service tax officials. The over 12-hour raid that began Saturday morning took place at multiple places, including his residence near here, and offices that are into production and distribution. A press statement issued by the central excise department said the raids were based on intelligence reports that the 45-year-old Dileep evaded payment of...

Devyani case resolution complicated by marriage to US-born 'wine philosopher'
India and the United States could soon be clinking glasses and saying "cheers" over resolution of the l'affaire Devyani Khobragade — if they can get around the minor wrinkle arising from her marriage to a celebrated Indian-American oenophile - a wine expert. The solution to the week-long spat is almost at hand with US agreeing to India shifting her to its Permanent UN Mission in New York (from the Indian Consulate where she is currently the deputy), which will give...

The solution to the Devyani Khobragade issue
The solution to the Devyani Khobragade issue is almost at hand with the US agreeing to India shifting her to its Permanent UN Mission in New York which will give her full diplomatic immunity from prosecution as long as she is there. Although Washington has said the immunity will not be retroactive and charges against her will remain in the books, it is understood that she will not be prosecuted for the length of time she is accredited to UN. Criminal jurisdiction will kick in the moment...

Majority of Indian Americans Side with Arrest of Diplomat: Survey
BOSTON, Mass., United States     A majority of Indian Americans believe the United States was justified in arresting India’s New York Deputy Consul General Devyani Khobragade, according to a survey conducted this week by Boston-based INE Media, Inc. In addition, a vast majority of Indians also agreed that Khobragade took advantage of her domestic worker, Sangeeta Richard, and paid her a mere fraction of legal minimum wage. Nearly half of those surveyed, however,...

Kannur witnesses mass transfer of police chiefs
The top order of Kannur police has witnessed a mass transfer in the wake of stone-pelting attack on Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy that had taken place in October last. Rahul R Nair, SP, has been transferred to Alappuzha. DySP, P Sukumaran has been shifted to Narcotic Cell in Wayanad and DySP, Special Branch, Prijeesh Thottathil has been shifted to Crime Records Bureau in Malappuram. The DGP had earlier ordered for the transfer of police chiefs following the attack on the...

President Pranab Mukherjee to arrive in Kerala today for 2-day visit
President Pranab Mukherjee will arrive here on Monday for a two-day visit to the state capital. On his first official visit to the state as President, Mukherjee would arrive here in the evening by a special aircraft and stay at the Raj Bhavan. He will inaugurate the Viswa Malayala Mahotsavam (World Malayalam Festival) and address MLAs as part of the ongoing 125th anniversary celebrations of the state Assembly on October 30, official sources said. The three-day World Malayalam Festival...

Sussanne Roshan parties with Bollywood stars post separation; Hrithik stays away
Sussanne, who recently separated from Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan, feels that no one should be blamed for their split. As the couple decided to part ways, there were rumours of Arjun Rampal's involvement in the split following the alleged growing friendship between Sussanne and the model-actor. "You can't blame anyone for this. It is sad to blame anyone. We are close knit of friends... its not right to blame anyone," Sussanne who made her first appearance after...

Review petition filed on criminalising gay sex
The government has filed a review petition on the Supreme Court judgment reinstating Article 377 that criminalises homosexuality, Law Minister Kapil Sibal said Firday. "The government has filed the review petition on (section) 377 in the Supreme Court today (Friday). Let's hope the right to personal choices is preserved," Sibal said in a comment on Twitter. The apex court Dec 11 set aside the Delhi High Court verdict of 2009, which had decriminalised consensual sexual...

DMK will contest polls with existing alliance parties: Karunanidhi
Dismissing media reports suggesting DMK would align with BJP, party chief M Karunanidhi today clarified that his party would contest the Lok Sabha polls with existing partners in the alliance. Speaking after his son and party treasurer M K Stalin read out his speech, which said some journalists reported facts far from DMK's official stand in the party General Council meeting on forming alliances,he said "The press should not twist facts to their fancy. This is not only...

We were frightened, says Indian domestic worker's family
The family of Sangeeta Richard, the former maid of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade, has alleged that they were frightened on several occasions as demands were made on them to bring the domestic worker back to India. A report in New York Times quoted a person close to Richard's family as describing several episodes that frightened her family members. In one case, Richard's husband Philip, while bicycling with one of his children, was confronted by a man with a gun who...

Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma passes away
Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma (91), the last ruling monarch of the Kingdom of Travancore passed away today early morning at 2.20am. He was admitted in the ICU due to his deteriorating health conditions on 6 December 2013. Though he showed some improvements in the middle,  he bid adieu to the world today early morning. The cremation of the body will be conducted before sun set at the Kavadiyar Palace grounds today.

​Kerala Congress-led coalition's chief whip waves Modi images
It was an unusual sight Sunday to see P.C. George, vice-chairman of the Kerala Congress-Mani, and chief whip of the Congress-led ruling coalition in the state, waving a T-shirt with images of BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on it. The Kerala Congress-Mani is the third-largest ally of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) coalition government in Kerala. And its vice-chairman, 62-year-old PC George, six-time legislator, is not one unfamiliar with...

1964 land acquisition act likely to be restored
The State Revenue department has proposed a draft to restore the land acquisition act to its original state, passed in the year 1964. The proposal states that there will be an increase in the allocation of land to immigrants in the Idukki district. Certain clauses regarding the transfer of ownership of land have also been removed. In 1964, the law stated that the the owners could possess up to 4 acres of land and would have the right to transfer the ownership as per their convenience....