19 August, 2013

Anna Hazare leads largest India Day parade in US

Social activist Anna Hazare and Bollywood star Vidya Balan led America's largest India Day parade in Manhattan, as Indian New Yorkers waving the country's tricolour flags celebrated India's 67th Independence Day. The 33rd annual India Day parade down Madison Avenue Sunday featured 40

colourful floats, marching bands and convertibles and thousands of cheering revellers marching to the beat of dhols or the Indian drums.

Another highlight of the parade was a replica of the Red Fort in an 80 by 10 feet area in Manhattan near the parade route to showcase India's heritage.

Politics has become a form of business, says Govindacharya

Former RSS ideologue and Save Democracy Front chairperson KN Govindacharya on Sunday alleged that politics has become a form of business venture which is leading to mega scams in the country.
He stressed that what is required at this juncture is not yet another political party but an alternative political culture which ensures transparency and accountability voluntarily.

He was speaking at the day-long convention of Save Democracy Front on ‘providing an alternative political culture’ organised by Ekta Parishad here.

In July, over 60 leaders and activists had come together under the leadership of Govindacharya to offer an alternative to “pro-West, pro-rich and corrupt policies of major political parties”

Puddles on Gorai beach raise suspicions of oil spill

Large puddles of thick black oil littered the Gorai beach over the weekend, fuelling speculations about a possible oil spill in the sea near the coast.

Locals told HT that the muddy black oil, resembling molten tar, was washed ashore during high tide and was deposited on the sand and the rocky barrier that has been erected to prevent high tide from entering residential compounds along the coastline.

“Normally, during the first week of monsoon, minor oil residues are found on the beach, ostensibly released (or leaked) from ships passing the coast. But this kind of spill has never been noticed at a time when the monsoon is on the retreat,” said the owner of a shack by the beach, requesting anonymity.

World's fastest man Bolt does it time and again, wins 'golden triple'

Usain Bolt equalled the record for the number of world golds won when he anchored the Jamaican 4x100m relay team to victory at the World Athletics Championships on Sunday. It was the Jamaican's eighth world gold medal after winning the 100 and 200m at the Berlin worlds in 2009, the 200m in Daegu in 2011, the 100 and 200m in Moscow this week, as well as golds as part of the winning Jamaican 4x100m relay squads in both 2009, 2011 and now 2013.

Third consecutive pole for Narain in Auto GP

Indian racer Narain Karthikeyan clinched his third consecutive pole position as his side, Super Nova International, locked the front row for the Nurburgring race in the Auto GP World Series, in Nurburgring, Germany.

Narain secured pole position with a lap time of 1:18.330, while his Italian teammate Vittorio Ghirelli was two-tenths behind at the Nurburgring Circuit.