CEC

The first impression is crucial for an actor: Richa Panai

Chennai: Richa Panai, who couldn't impress as 'Dev Kanya' in her Telugu debut 'Yamudiki Mogudu', wants to make an impressive beginning in Tamil cinema with her maiden venture 'Manadhil Maayam Seidhai'. A love story with revenge backdrop, 'Manadhil Maayam Seidhai' also features Disha, Prince Cecil and Sethu Pillai. Directed by Suresh Kumar, the film's shooting starts Tuesday.

"It's very important that audiences recognise an actor from his or her debut film. Even though audiences appreciated my 'Dev Kanya' role in 'Yamudiki Mogudu', many couldn't recognise me in the character because of the makeup and get-up, hence I purposelly chose a simple character for my Tamil debut," Richa told IANS.

"Since I'm keen on doing more Tamil films, I thought it was essential for me to start with roles people can recognise me with before doing varied ones," she added. Richa, who dubbed in her own voice for 'Yamudiki Mogudu', wants to dub in other languages herself.

"I'm glad dubbing helped me drive away the fear of a language. It gave me a lot of confidence to learn my dialogues and mouth them on the sets while shooting. I plan to dub in other languages, but it will take time because I want to first get used to the language," said Richa, who also has Malayalam films 'Vaadamalli' and 'Sandwich' to her credit. ...more    

NASA invites public to send names, poems and messages to Mars

Washington: Want to be a part of space exploration history? NASA is inviting public to submit their names, short poems and personal messages online for a DVD to be carried aboard a spacecraft that will study the Martian atmosphere. The DVD will carry every name submitted. The public also is encouraged to submit a message in the form of a three-line poem, or haiku, NASA said. However, only three haikus...  

Player-power has bred success at Chelsea, says goalkeeper Petr Cech

"We had a lot of success thanks to the honesty and open mind everyone has in the dressing room," Cech was quoted as saying by British media. ...  

India to launch mission to Mars in 2013, says President

India will launch its first mission to Mars in 2013, President Pranab Mukherjee said on Thursday, as the emerging Asian nation looks to play catch up in the global space race alongside the United States, Russia and its giant neighbour China. ...  

Chelsea keeper Petr Cech wins sixth award at home

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has been named Czech Player of the Year for a record sixth time, said the domestic football association. ...  

Foster reveals she's gay, suggests she's retiring

Jodie Foster came out without really coming out, and suggested she was retiring from acting without exactly saying so, in a long, breathless and rambling speech at Sunday night's Golden Globe Awards. ...  

Terry may return for Chelsea under-21s this week

Terry could take his first step towards comeback by featuring for the club's under-21 team as an over-age player this week. ...  

Goalkeeper Cech happy with Chelsea back support

Chelsea have won their last three EPL matches and kept four clean sheets since Benitez took over last month following the sacking of di Matteo. ...  

No mining in Goa till environmental clearance obtained: SC

New Delhi: A Supreme Court panel has ruled that no mining activity will be allowed in Goa until all environmental clearances are obtained by the state government. The order comes following an inquiry report by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) into the illegal iron-ore mining in the state. The Supreme Court had earlier this year suspended iron ore export from the mines in the state after a report by the...  

Petr Cech backs spirited Chelsea to bounce back

Tokyo: Goalkeeper Petr Cech believes Chelsea will quickly rediscover their form after an alarming slide which saw the holders crash out of the Champions League at the group stage. The London club travel to Japan after Saturday's visit to Sunderland to play at the Club World Cup with intense pressure on interim coach Rafael Benitez to deliver. Bringing back the trophy would help ease tension on the beleaguered Spaniard, a...  

Chelsea players must share blame for Euro exit, says Cech

London: Chelsea's players must shoulder the blame for the Londoners becoming the first holders to leave the Champions League at the group stage, goalkeeper Petr Cech said after Wednesday's exit. The champions went out of the competition just 200 days after they won it in Munich under former manager Roberto Di Matteo. Di Matteo was sacked last month, and replaced with former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez in a deeply unpopular...  

Neil Armstrong to be buried at sea

Washington: US astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, will be buried at sea, family spokesperson Rick Miller said. Miller said on Thursday that no other details on the timing or the location of the burial were available, reported Xinhua. Neil Armstrong died on August 25 at the age of 82 following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures. Armstrong commanded the Apollo 11 spacecraft that landed on the moon...  

Jaya case: Acharya resigns from post of SPP

Bangalore: Citing inordinate delay in the trial of the disproportionate asset case against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, former Advocate General BV Acharya on Tuesday resigned as Special Public Prosecutor in the case. He submitted his resignation letter to the Principal Secretary, Home Department, citing inordinate delay in the trial, which he said had caused a lot of strain and also various attempts to dislodge him from the post which...  

NASA gives 3 firms $1.1 bn to build new spacecraft

Washington: NASA has given three firms a total of $1.1 billion to build a new range of "space taxis" that will take astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS), a media report said. The hi-tech spacecraft to be used to transport crew and supplies to the ISS will replace NASA's space shuttle which were decommissioned last year, the Daily Mail reported. The three firms are Sierra Nevada, Space X and...  

Sunita Williams: Russian spacecraft docks at ISS

Houston: Record-setting Indian-American cosmonaut Sunita Williams along with two other astronauts on Tuesday docked their Russian spacecraft at the International Space Station for a four-month stay. 46-year-old NASA astronaut Williams, Russian Soyuz Commander Yuri Malenchenko and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency flight engineer Akihiko Hoshide arrived at the ISS after two days in orbit. The trio docked its Soyuz TMA-05M spacecraft to the Rassvet module at around 10:21 IST, NASA said...  

Sunita Williams to vote from space for US Presidency

Houston: Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams, who took off for her second space mission on Sunday, will cast her vote from the International Space Station in the US presidential election to be held in November, just about a week before her return to the Earth. Forty-six-year-old NASA astronaut Williams, Russian Soyuz Commander Yuri Malenchenko and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency flight engineer Akihiko Hoshide took off their space journey on a Russian...  

Watch: The life and times of Sunita Williams

Indian-American NASA astronaut Sunita Williams created history on Sunday by becoming the first woman to head a space expedition. This is her second space visit. ...

Sunita Williams takes off on 2nd space visit

New Delhi: Indian-American NASA astronaut Sunita Williams took off on her second space visit at around 8.10 am on Sunday morning. With this expedition, Sunita Williams has become the first woman in history to head a space mission. Wishes and prayers began to pour in for Sunita as she got ready for her second space odyssey. The 46-year-old took off aboard the Soyuz spacecraft that lifted off from the Baikonur...