This financial world, experts now tell us was sometimes almost a make believe, a maya, which had got disconnected with the real economy of homes and factories.

Behaviour analysts are also divided on where the habit originated. Some believe that kissing, in fact, is a Vedic habit. Vaughn Bryant, an anthropologist from Texas quoted in the International Herald Tribune, believes that the first recorded kiss, around 1500 BC, is in scriptures which mention people sniffing with their mouths; later Vedic texts describe lovers "setting mouth to mouth".

Model-turned-actress Sushmita Sen, who has been on a long hiatus of more than a year, is planning to return with a bang this year with three back to back releases.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh is all set to be elected as the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party Legislature Party in Raipur on Wedesday paving the way for his heading the party-led government for the second successive term.

More than Congress legislator Karma's loss, it's the victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party's Bheema Mandavi which surprises many; for, the Communist Party of India's candidate Manish Kunjam's anti-Salwa Judum campaign in Dantewada had made the latter a favourite among the rural masses. Kunjam had seemed a sure winner in case Karma fell from grace

For Raman Singh, who spearheaded BJP's victory campaign in Chattisgarh for the second successive term, it was the organisational skills and the ability to push populist economic programmes that made him stand out among other party leaders.

Subhash Ghai's bad luck continued in the lucrative North American territory where his Yuvvraaj grossed a meager $264,000 on 77 screens in three days.

But Citi's woes might call for more visionary and charismatic leadership than he can offer.

Some 581 Tibetan representatives from all over the world are taking part in the six-day meeting, making it the largest political meeting of Tibetan exiles ever held since coming into exile in 1959. More than 17,000 Tibetans in Tibet have also contributed their say on the meeting, and a summary of their opinion and views have been prepared and would be discussed during this important "special meeting"

An estimated 53 per cent of the 63.9 lakh voters on Friday exercised their right to franchise in 39 Assembly seats of Naxal-hit Chattisgarh, where polling was held in the first phase, election officials said.While a maximum of 70 per cent turnout was reported in Dhamtari district, 65 per cent of voters cast their ballots in Mahasumund, district electoral officials said.In Maoist-infested Bastar and Dantewara, the turnout was 60 per cent and 45 per cent respectively.

Selvam was out on bail after a few hours for $125,000. The police took away the computers from his home for further investigation.

Hinting that he was planning to retire, the Dalai Lama has said he has 'given up' on efforts to convince China to allow greater autonomy for Tibet after having led the Tibetans' struggle for half a century.

For many years, the Nathan family in suburban Washington, DC harboured a secret. Soon after the weekend visit to the Hindu temple, the family sneaked into McDonald's and feasted on burgers.

"Rae Bareli and Amethi were the 'karma bhoomi' of Feroze Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. It is also the 'karma bhoomi' of mine and Rahul. Rae Bareli and Amethi are like my home. I want to ask, can anyone prevent me from coming to my home? No one can," she said in a brief interaction with reporters near the railway station in Lalganj, about 20 km away.

Several persons, mostly women and children, were feared drowned when a boat capsized in Harohar River in Bihar's Sheikhpura district on Thursday, according to the police.The mishap occurred near Bavghat under Ghatkusumbha block when the victims, all residents of Panapur village, were going to immerse the idols of Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati after Karma Puja.Some 40 people were said to be traveling in the boat when it overturned and sank, sources said.

We spotted a treasure trove of desi talent dotting the credits of the September 5 release, The Accidental Husband starring Uma Thurman and Colin Firth.

Does the UPA think the common citizen of India is a nitwit and that he does not understand that on one hand, if the Government of India keeps pointing fingers at Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence, or at some Bangladesh outfit, it is to deflect the fact that most of the recent terror attacks have been perpetrated by Indian Muslims, with or without Pakistani or Bangladeshi (or Al Qaeda) help?

Lessons learnt from our elders in the art of negotiation dictate that we must win in the negotiation game, and win at any cost.

The tagline for The Love Guru, the Mike Myers comedy which upset some Hindus, said: His Karma Is Huge but bad karma caught up with the $60 million film which had an anemic opening in North America with $14 million.

A survey of 1,100 scientists across 130 universities and research institutes across the country threw up interesting results as 29 per cent believed in the philosophy of 'karma', 26 per cent accepted the principle of life after death and seven per cent researchers gave credence to existence of ghosts.

The 50-year made the offending statements during the Cannes Film Festival, where she was quoted as saying that the Sichuan earthquake was a result of 'bad karma' due to China's policy on Tibet.

Prashant Rasaily was the runner-up in Gateway To Hollywood, a reality television show which gave a chance to budding filmmakers to go to Hollywood. Even though Prashant did not win, he bagged a prestigious project -- he will assist Anurag Basu in the Hrithik Roshan-starrer, Kites.

'My best friend just moved to San Francisco, doesn't really know anyone there. You guys should really get together,' the passenger was telling the air hostess, who he had first seen, half an hour back.

Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta on his latest venture unusually titled Woodstock Villa starring newcomer Sikander Kher and Neha Uberoi, and more.

The world financial markets were close to breakdown just a month or so ago. While the rest of the world's central banks missed the big picture, not so the US Fed led by Prof. Ben Bernanke. His timely interventions, and a worldview of what works and what does not, has most likely helped avert a global financial meltdown; if such a meltdown had occurred, it would have affected all of us quite severely.

The helpline, called the 'Honour Network' is a dedicated forced marriage and honour-based violence helpline, staffed by survivors offering emotional and practical support and set up by the British government. The British foreign office has a dedicated Forced Marriage Unit to deal with such incidents in the Indian sub-continent. Set up in 2005, it handles 5,000 enquiries and up to 400 cases per year.

'From the information available about the movie, it appears to be lampooning Hinduism and Hindus and using Hindu terms frivolously,' says Rajan Zed.

Krishan Attri, the British army's first Hindu chaplain, uses extracts from the Mahabharata to counsel British soldiers going to war in Iraq or Afghanistan. Attri uses the Bhagwad Gita to explain the necessity of going to war to British Hindu soldiers deputed in Iraq or Afghanistan. There are 470 Hindus in Britain's armed forces.

Indian-American author Rishi Reddi has been by selected as one of the recipients of the 2007 L L Winship/PEN New England Awards. Reddi is being honoured in the fiction category for her book Karma and Other Stories. The L L Winship/PEN New England Awards are given annually to books with a setting in the US region of New England or authors from that region.

First Look: Dalai Lama with Speaker of United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi

Equity shares or equity mutual funds are not suited for investment horizons less than 3 years in our view. for a one and a half year period consider FMPs or bank deposits, says personal finance expert Rahul Goel.

US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns -- the chief interlocutor of the US-India civilian nuclear deal -- who will resign in March, has said he is elated that India has asked its Ambassador to Washington Ronen Sen to stay on for another year, describing it as "good karma".

Chhattisgarh House rule says that anyone entering the well of the House would be automatically suspended.

Columnist Sidin Sunny Vadukut gives us his take on the hue and cry the Indian moral police are forever raising over minor issues.

With Taare Zameen Par hitting pay dirt and repeating the success of brand PVR, Ajay Bijli seems to be on a roll.

A look at children who became movie stars.

'India's gift to this planet during this century will be to restore to the world its true sense; to recharge humanity with the real meaning and spirit of life. Which is why this Diwali should symbolise for all Indians, the rekindling of this Light in their hearts.'

Over 270 applications from foreign institutional investors (FIIs) are awaiting the Securities and Exchange Board of India's (Sebi) clearance as the debate on the speedy clearance of registrations by the capital market regulator rages on. In fact, during the last one year, the Sebi has cleared a total of 141 applications, an average of about 12 registrations a month.

India remains the only island of hope and coexistence in a strife-torn region from the edge of Israel to the Far East, presenting united colours of unbelievable diversities and differences, establishing an astounding level of mature relationships with a common cultural thread.

The actor has an interesting role in Frozen, his 150th movie.