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Nicole Kidman to visit tsunami affected countries

     Sydney: With a number of Hollywood celebrities stepping in to do their bit for tsunami victims, Oscar winner Nicole Kidman is also hoping to raise some money for the victims by visiting the affected countries on behalf of UNICEF. The "Moulin Rouge," who was named United Nation's citizen of the year last year, is reportedly planning to visit the Asian countries next week, reports The Sydney Morning Herald. The giant tsunami wave had been triggered by an earthquake which hit Indonesia on December 26 and affected 11 countries, resulting in a death toll of more than 150,000.

Jackie Chan Records Song for Tsunami Relief  (Go To Top)

     New York: After donating 64,000 dollars to UNICEF for the tsunami victims, action star Jackie Chan is all set to record a song to collect more funds for the relief process. According to The Hollywood Reporter,Chan will record the Cantonese version of "We Are the World" along with "House of Flying Daggers" actor Andy Lau and 70 other Hong Kong stars.The proceeds from the sale of the song will be donated for the tsunami victims.

Manmohan clears dual citizenship for NRIs (Go To Top)

     Mumbai: Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh today announced dual citizenship to all overseas Indians who had migrated from the country after January 26, 1950. The Prime Minister announced this after inaugurating the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas at the sprawling in Mumbai. "The government has decided to offer dual citizenship to all overseas Indians who have migrated from the country after January 26, 1950, as long as their home countries allow dual citizenship under their law," Singh said in his inaugural address. He said that the government would simplify the procedure for registration of People of Indian Origin (PIO) for granting them dual citizenship. Nearly 2000 delegates, representing the Indian diaspora from around 70 countries, are attending the event being held between January 7-9. It is being organised jointly by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). The meeting coincides with the anniversary of the return of Mahatma Gandhi to India on January 9, 1915, after staying for almost two decades in South Africa.

SC reserves order on Sankaracharya's bail plea (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: The Supreme Court today reserved its verdict on the petition filed by Kanchi Sankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati seeking bail in the Sankararaman murder case. In his bail plea the seer has submitted that in case he is granted bail he would give an undertaking that he will not visit the mutt till the investigating agency files the charge-sheet. The Tamil Nadu police had alleged that as most of the witnesses in the case were employees of the mutt, granting of bail to Sankaracharya would hinder the deposition against him. The state police had first alleged that Sankaracharya had directed withdrawal of money from three banks, including ICICI, for payment to the assailants. Later, it said that the money amounting to Rs 50 lakh was received by Sankaracharya from a sale of land and had been kept in his room since April till it was paid to the assailants.

Jharkhand crackdown on Maoists before polls (Go To Top)

     Ranchi: The Jharkhand police has in an effort to thwart any attempts by the Maoists to disrupt the forthcoming assembly polls in the state next month initiated on a crackdown against the insurgents. Police said they raided a Maoist training camp near a forest area and seized a huge quantity of arms and ammunition after a brief encounter. Police also claim to have arrested as many as 21 Maoists rebels. Jharkhand goes to polls in February. "We received around 5,000 pamphlets in which they have written against the assembly election and they were distributing them in every village," said Madhusudan Bavi, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Ranchi. Bavi said several Maoist rebels were also killed in the encounter but the extremists took their bodies away.