Glacier shrinking

India has admitted that global warming is severely affecting Himalayan glaciers and the Gangotri glacier, the source of river Ganga, is shrinking by 25-m every year. The Geological Survey of India has been conducting studies on the recession of the Gangotri glacier since 1935. The rate of shrinking of 30.2-km long Gangotri Glacier in the last three decades has been found to be more than the rate during the earlier decades.

Tusker elopes
 
A wild tusker from Jharkhand enacted a play of passion in the middle of the night, broke through the fence of a circus and eloped with a female circus elephant.  The incident occurred at Kumarbazar in Raniganj, around 175 km from Kolkatta, where the Olympic Circus had put up a tent. The old bull was drawn by the calls of the four female elephants.

Actor parties

Tamil Nadu has got yet another political outfit headed by an actor, Sarath Kumar, and he hopes to take power in the sprawling southern state by 2011. Announcing its name, the two-term former MP said his party would be known as AISMK or All India Equality People’s Party. This is the second party in the last two years set up by an actor in the state.

Killer hooch

At least 12 people died and nearly a dozen were taken ill after drinking country-made liquor in a border town in Nepal, known as a prime destination for pilgrims. Tragedy struck Janakpur in southern Nepal’s Dhanusha district, famed on both sides of the border for its Janaki temple, where devotees annually celebrate the wedding of Hindu Lord Ram and Sita.

Baby snatched

The district administration in Karnal, Haryana  has ordered a police investigation into a bizarre incident in which a village council took a newborn from his parents with the support of a state minister. The parents, both in their mid 20’s, belong to the same “gotra” (clan) and married against their community’s wishes.