Asia Cup Preview: India face Pakistan for continental supremacy

Mirpur: Big Picture

If India had beaten Bangladesh, their match against Pakistan would have been a preview to the final. Thanks to their inept bowling in the dying stages of their previous match, and some fearless Bangladesh batting, this tournament is still open. No team has bowed out of the tournament yet, including Sri Lanka, who are yet to open their account. If India and Bangladesh win their remaining games with bonus points, it will leave three teams tied on nine points, meaning the finalists will be decided on net run-rate. If the same two teams win without bonus points, then Bangladesh will go through because they beat India in the head-to-head. A win, tie, no-result, or even a loss without conceding a bonus point, for Pakistan tomorrow will guarantee them a place in the final.

Bangladesh's stunning turnaround has given tomorrow's clash greater context. The encounter promises to live up to the tournament's top-billing because these teams have hardly played each other, due to political reasons. India trumped Pakistan in the semi-final of the World Cup, so Pakistan have a score to settle. Despite being drubbed by England in the one-day series in the UAE, they still look a far more settled unit than India.

The gulf between the two teams lies in the bowling. Both attacks are spin-heavy, but Pakistan's is a league ahead in terms of experience and penetration, with the likes of Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi. Ajmal's doosras derailed Sri Lanka in the batting Powerplay and from that point on Sri Lanka were playing catch-up. India failed to run through the Bangladesh batting but they were still well-placed to defend 290. Swinging yorkers from Praveen Kumar and Irfan Pathan gave India a sniff, but the consistency was lacking. Yorkers made way for length deliveries and full tosses, which were either muscled over the ropes or sliced over point.

India's top order looks more reliable than Pakistan's, with their top three each having scored a century in the tournament. Sachin Tendulkar may well play with the kind of freedom missing over the last 12 months, after getting the monkey off his back. The Pakistan top order didn't look fluent against Sri Lanka, and the slow run-rate early led them to throw away their wickets.

Form Guide

(most recent first)
Pakistan WWLLL
India LWWLL

In the spotlight

Ravindra Jadeja is yet to justify the US$2million contract he earned from Chennai Super Kings with performances on the field. He underperformed in the Commonwealth Bank series with both bat and ball, though his fielding remains an asset. He was not used much as a bowler and failed to convert his opportunities with the bat, struggling to clear the bigger Australian grounds. There have been calls for the big-hitting Yusuf Pathan to replace him. However, Jadeja offers the variety of left-arm spin, to go with three offspinners.

Fifteen, 5, 12, 2 - scores you would not normally associate with Younis Khan. His last ODI half-century came against Afghanistan, and he has struggled against quality opposition. His shot-selection against Sri Lanka was poor; he attempted an extravagant flick to midwicket and ended up chipping it to mid-on. With Asad Shafiq in the reserves, Younis will have to justify his place with a big score. He is too experienced to endure a prolonged slump.

Misbah-ul-Haq's calm presence is the reason for Pakistan's upswing, and they would not want to lose his services for a crucial game because of a slow over-rate. The Pakistan captain will be suspended for one game if his side makes another transgression in the next 12 months after the team fell two overs short of the target against Sri Lanka. For tips on how to ensure a quick over-rate, Misbah would rather not consult his counterpart MS Dhoni, who has already been banned for a Test and ODI in recent months for the same offence.

Pitch and conditions

It rained in Mirpur the evening before the game but the forecast for Sunday suggests a full game should be possible. Should weather intervene, there is a reserve-day on Monday, and if the game cannot be held at all both sides will take two points.

Bat first or field? Going by the mixed results, it's hard to tell. Opinions on whether the pitches get slower or better for batting in the evening have varied. The team defending a target will also have to watch out for possible dew. After Bangladesh's heist, the captains may back their teams to chase down any target.

Teams

Ashok Dinda was all over the place against Bangladesh, going for 38 off 5.2 overs, so India could consider bringing back Vinay Kumar, if he recovers from injury. There's still no indication that Manoj Tiwary, who has warmed the bench for so long he may have set it on fire, will get a game.

India 1 Gautam Gambhir, 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Rohit Sharma, 5 MS Dhoni, 6 Suresh Raina, 7 Ravindra Jadeja/Yusuf Pathan, 8 Irfan Pathan, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Ashok Dinda/R Vinay Kumar, 11 Praveen Kumar

With Shahid Afridi not in the best of form with the bat, Pakistan are likely to play an extra batsman, with Umar Akmal taking the wicketkeeping gloves.

Pakistan 1 Mohammad Hafeez, 2 Nasir Jamshed, 3 Younis Khan, 4 Umar Akmal (wk), 5 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 6 Asad Shafiq, 7 Hammad Azam, 8 Shahid Afridi, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Saeed Ajmal, 11 Aizaz Cheema

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RGV's 26/11 movie goes on floors

By Hindustan Times

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma's most ambitious film on 26/11 Mumbai attacks finally goes on floors Friday and it will be shot in four different languages - Hindi, Marathi, English and Urdu. "Today is the 1st day of shooting of the most important film of my career The attacks of 26/11. That's
because it is on the most important event that ever happened... If not in scale and damage and tragedy, just in sheer complexity it beats even 9/11," Varma wrote on his Twitter page.

"It's being done with a completely new cast and is going to be shot in languages in which the actual people spoke that is Urdu, Hindi, English and Marathi," he added.

The film, being made at a budget of Rs.40 crore, will bring forth every aspect of the dreadful attacks that killed 166 people.

"The attacks of 26/11 will detail every aspect of the carnage beginning with the terrorists taking over Amar Solanki's trawler Kuber I want to thank all the officers who have given me unimaginable inputs and insights into this event which is making this film possible.

"The film is primarily meant for an international release and is being made at a budget of around Rs.40 crore," he posted.

Varma has roped in a theatre actor Sanjeev Jaiswal to play the role of Kasab, one of the prime accused of the attacks.

"The most important actor obviously is the guy who's going to play Kasab the reason being he becoming the face of the 26/11 attacks. I needed someone similar and also a great actor to be able to portray the complexities involved and I found him in a theatre actor called Sanjeev Jaiswal," he added.

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Surprise at India's assembly polls heralds a new kind of leader

New York:  Akhilesh Singh Yadav came through New Delhi this week for a victory lap of sorts, more than a week after he upended Indian politics. He met with many of the country's top leaders, accepting their congratulations, before he returned later in the week to India's largest state, Uttar Pradesh, where he was sworn in as new chief minister. Everywhere Mr. Yadav went, the irresistible scent of power followed.

Grown men flocked to him, plying him with bouquets of flowers and boxes of sweets, bending to touch his feet, pressing to be near him. The display of deference is a ritual of Indian politics, yet in a country governed by old men, Mr. Yadav represents something new: At 38, he is now India's youngest chief minister, overseeing a state with more than 200 million people, more of a country than a state.

"People have a lot of hope in me, that I can do something good," he said in an interview this week, as his cellphone buzzed with messages.

In a country where the public hunger for change is palpable, yet where politics often seems unchangeable, Mr. Yadav is suddenly, unexpectedly, a symbol of a new generation, featured on newspaper front pages and magazine covers, with photos of him riding his bicycle on campaign trips, as well as tidbits about his college affinity for the hard-rock band Metallica, his passion for soccer and accounts of his "love marriage."

The election in Uttar Pradesh, conducted in stages in February, with the results announced this month, was supposed to coronate India's better-known new generation leader, Rahul Gandhi, the heir to the fabled Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty, who made the state election a test of his popularity and political franchise. He failed to deliver, with voters instead endorsing Mr. Yadav.

Now all Mr. Yadav has to do is lift up the poorest state in India.

Like Mr. Gandhi, Mr. Yadav is the scion of a political family, if one rooted in the grittier, bare-knuckle traditions of Indian politics. His father, Mulayam Singh Yadav, is the founder of the regional Samajwadi Party, which drew support from Muslims and some of the lower Hindu castes, before falling out of favour in 2007.

The senior Mr. Yadav served three times as chief minister, but he oversaw an administration marred by corruption, as many party workers and officials were drawn from the ranks of toughs and mobsters. Even this year, half of the lawmakers elected from the Samajwadi Party had criminal cases pending against them, a pattern repeated in most parties competing in Uttar Pradesh.

What also made the party seem out of step were some of the positions espoused by the elder Mr. Yadav, who once opposed the use of English and computers as affronts to traditional Indian culture and village industries. To an aspirational young India, English and technology are the tools of upward mobility, a point not lost on the younger Mr. Yadav as he began to change the direction of his father's party.

"India has changed a lot," he said. "You see the amount of mobile phone penetration. It is huge here. People are slowly learning how to use computers. They want to move forward."

After a boyhood in Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Yadav attended an engineering college in southern India before graduate school in Sydney, Australia, where he studied environmental engineering and tasted the wider world.

"There was a lot of development in Australia," he recalled. "I had never seen this. It was a totally different world for me."

He returned to India and soon met the woman he wanted to marry, even though her family was from a different caste and background, in a country where most marriages are still arranged. "There was a little hesitation," Mr. Yadav recalled of his family's reaction, but he persisted in what is known as a "love marriage" until his family consented.

He and his wife, Dimple, were married in November 1999, and three months later he was elected to the lower house of Parliament. He was 26, one of the youngest members of his incoming class, but he remained mostly out of the political limelight until his father lost power in Uttar Pradesh. The son then gradually assumed a bigger role in the Samajwadi Party, becoming the state president in 2009.

In this year's race, Mr. Yadav did not initially attract much attention in an election framed as a showdown between two of the country's most powerful leaders, Mr. Gandhi and the state's incumbent chief minister, Mayawati, who uses one name. But Mr. Yadav began working the state, riding his bicycle for 120 miles to lead a "yatra," or march. He also adroitly repositioned his party to appeal to the modern sensibilities of the state's growing number of urban voters: He promised to distribute free tablet computers to students and hammered away at a positive message in what became a dirty political fight.

To combat his party's reputation for lawlessness, Mr. Yadav required the party's legislative candidates to submit applications and undergo vetting, even the party's established power brokers. He vetoed several candidates with criminal records and elevated candidates with clean reputations, including an academic from the state capital, Lucknow, who would win in an upset.

Mr. Yadav was careful not to forget his roots, though. He usually insisted on speaking in Hindi during interviews on India's English-language television channels, even though he speaks very good English. He also made a point to be accessible to voters, journalists, almost anyone, admitting that he loved glad-handing and meeting people.

It made a stark and appealing contrast to Mr. Gandhi, who is rarely accessible. While Mr. Gandhi arrived at rallies in helicopters, Mr. Yadav, the local boy, travelled on a bicycle or a customized campaign bus, stopping at villages for smaller gatherings.

"I found that cycling was a better way to connect with people rather than having large rallies," he said. "I was able to meet everyone."

Yet the scale of his party's victory surprised even Mr. Yadav. Analysts had predicted a split vote and a coalition government, possibly through an alliance of the Samajwadi Party with the Congress Party. But led by Mr. Yadav - and the political organization oiled by his father - the Samajwadi Party won a stunning 224 seats in the state assembly, a comfortable majority that meant a coalition partner was not necessary.

Then the only question was who would be chief minister, father or son. When the younger Mr. Yadav was given the job last week, the Samajwadi Party, once dismissed as a relic of India's old politics, suddenly possessed an altogether different ingredient: excitement and buzz.
"I'm quite happy and quite excited," Mr. Yadav said. "But the responsibility is big. This is a state, of course, but this is a country, population-wise."
At a news conference after his swearing-in this week, Mr. Yadav got an early taste of the pressures and challenges of running India's poorest but biggest state, as reporters peppered him with questions about his agenda and asked why many of his father's cronies still held positions of power.

"Our priority will be unemployment, the farmers and law and order," he said, smiling, as he noted that his party could no longer just act as an indignant opposition.

"From today onward, the responsibility is ours," he said.

Or, more precisely, the responsibility is his.

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Why Emraan would never accept awards

By Hindustan Times

Emraan Hashmi is never seen at Bollywood award functions, whether as a guest, performer or winner. This year, he was up for a Stardust Award in the category of Best Thriller/Action Actor for Murder 2 (2011) and had two nominations at the Apsara Awards — Best Actor in a Leading Role (Murder 2) and Best Actor In A Supporting Role (The Dirty Picture). He didn’t win and he’s not surprised. In fact, Emraan says that if he were to get an award now, he would not accept it.

“Audience appreciation matters more to me than this recognition. And I’d be happy if I could pass on an award meant for me to a contemporary who values it more and takes days out of his schedule every year to attend these functions,” he reasons, adding that he had once attended an awards night, but walked out after 20 minutes. “I know it was wrong to get up and leave but I just couldn’t sit through it anymore. So rather than insult a function again, I’ve decided not be there.”

Emraan, however, isn’t averse to performing at a show even though he hasn’t for the past three years because of time constraints: “Other actors need only a few hours of rehearsal but I have two left feet and require a few days’ practice. If I can make time for that towards the end of the year, you’ll see me on stage,” he says, adding that he wouldn’t agree to be a performer just to make money. “If that were the only criterion, I would have taken on projects of producers who were willing to pay me three times my market rate. Whether it’s a film or a function, I don’t want to do something I don’t believe in.”

Emraan Hashmi and Vidya Balan in The Dirty Picture

After nine years, Emraan seems to have finally made the A-list, with director Karan Johar saying that he’s a huge fan. He’s been signed on by Vishal Bhardwaj and Ekta Kapoor for Daayan, has three sequels — Jannat 2, Raaz 3D and Murder 3 — with the Bhatt camp lined up. There’s also talk of him doing a Dharma film to be directed by Rensil D’Souza and a YRF production with Parmeet Sethi as director. “I’m flattered by Karan’s remark, but for me the benchmark of success is the box-office,” Emraan says. “I’ve never yearned to be on any A, B or C list. It’s enough if I’m accepted by the audience.”

Emraan’s ‘A’ list
Apsara Film and Television Producers’ Guild Award: Nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and Best Actor in a Negative Role (Once Upon A Time In Mumbai, 2011), Best Actor in a Leading Role (Murder 2, 2012) and Best Actor in a Supporting Role (The Dirty Picture, 2012)

Screen Awards: Won for Best Villain (Murder, 2005, Once Upon...)

IIFA: Nominated for Best Performance in Negative Role (Gangster)

Zee Cine Awards: Nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Male (Once Upon...)

Stardust Awards: Nominated for Best Actor in an Ensemble Cast (Once Upon...), Best Thriller/Action Actor (Murder2)

Filmfare: Nominated for Best Performance in a Negative Role (Gangster), Best Supporting Actor (Once Upon...)

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Budget Bombshell: tax laws amended, could affect Vodafone case

Mumbai: 

In a move that could hurt foreign investment, the government has in the union budget today proposed changes to the Income Tax law that could shake foreign investor confidence. Analysts say the amendments could also give the government the right to tax Vodafone billions of dollars for its acquisition of Hutch.

In January, Vodafone won its case in the Supreme Court against the government, who had slapped a 2.2 billion dollar bill on the British telecom giant. The government has filed a review petition against that verdict in the Supreme Court – effectively, it has asked the court to re-consider its judgement.

Even as that case is being heard, the fine print to the budget presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee suggests changes to income tax laws retrospectively from 1962. The idea is to give India the right to tax cross-border deals if they involve Indian assets. Finance Secretary R S Gujral told NDTV Profit that Vodafone’s’ case will be decided in court, and that the changes proposed today will be used to assess current deals. According to Reuters, Mr Gujral said there was no plan to raise a fresh demand for taxes with Vodafone.

"We are examining this proposed decision with our lawyers, but we do not believe this retrospective change in tax law should have any impact on the final judgment handed down by the Supreme Court in our tax case. We continue to have faith in the Indian judicial system," a Vodafone spokesperson told NDTV.

Tax professionals said that the potential law change is likely to come in for challenge. "They have amended the law because the Supreme Court found the law deficient on some grounds," said Neeru Ahuja, a partner at Deloitte Haskins & Sells, referring to the Vodafone case. "Now of course the issue is: can the government legitimately do this," she said.

The proposed amendment in tax rules may also be also significant for other multi-national companies including Kraft Foods, SABMiller and AT&T Inc, which also face potential tax demands in India over cross-border deals.

In 2007, Vodafone acquired 67% stake in Hutchison Essar, a mobile phone operator in India in 2007. The deal was between, Vodafone International Holdings BV - a Dutch subsidiary of the UK firm and CGP Investments, a Cayman Islands company which held the Indian telecom assets of Hutchison.

The deal was for Rs 55,000 crore or $11.5 billion. The tax department said the sale was taxable because the assets acquired by Vodafone were based in India. It said that Indian laws make the buyer responsible for paying capital gains tax to the government.

Vodafone had failed to deduct or withhold capital gains tax at the time of purchase. Capital gains tax is imposed on the profit earned after selling an asset. Vodafone was slapped with a bill of 2.2 billion dollars. Vodafone claimed that India could not levy taxes because the transaction was made between non-Indian companies outside the country.

The Supreme Court agreed, stating that Indian tax officials do not have jurisdiction over a deal between two global companies, even if the assets involved in that deal are located in India.

Experts have expressed an outrage over the decision.“The government has challenged the Supreme Court,” Surjit Bhalla, chairman Ox(u)s Investment. “The decision will affect investor sentiment,” Ketan Dalal of PriceWaterhouseCoopers, a consultancy firm said.

(With inputs from Reuters)

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Dinesh Trivedi wants marching orders in writing from Mamata

New Delhi\Kolkata:  Dinesh Trivedi has refused to resign as Railways Minister till he receives orders in writing from his party chief, Mamata Banerjee. "Till the time the matter is absolutely clear, I have suggested I do not want to take anything verbal. For me, Parliament has more sanctity than anything. So, I suggested let Mamata write me a letter so that there is no confusion...I will perform my duty as a Railway Minister," Mr Trivedi told reporters in New Delhi today.

Acting on Ms Banerjee's behalf, party colleague Kalyan Banerjee has reportedly told Mr Trivedi that when he was made Railways Minister, he did not receive written notice; hence it's not required now.

Since Ms Banerjee wrote to the PM asking for Mr Trivedi's removal, he has defied her repeatedly. He has attended Parliament and refused to rollback the hike in passenger fares that led to her demanding his dismissal. On record, he has been deferential, stating that he will quit as soon as Ms Banerjee requests. The two have reportedly not spoken directly since Mr Trivedi presented his Rail Budget on Wednesday.

Ms Banerjee has said repeatedly that she wants Mukul Roy, also from her party, to be made the new Railways Minister. The Congress had asked her to wait till March 30 when Parliament breaks to make the change. She has allegedly indicated that is not acceptable. Today in Kolkata she said, "Mukul Roy will be next Railways Minister. He has been a Trinamool MP for six years already. He has been re-nominated to the Rajya Sabha this time. He is a good worker.  Now the government will have to decide."

However last night, it appeared that Ms Banerjee had lifted that deadline. "It is nothing to be hurried, nothing to be worried. The issue is being dealt with by the PM and Mamata," said Sudip Bandhopadhyay, who is from the Trinamool Congress (TMC). He added that the Prime Minister and Ms Banerjee spoke on Thursday night.

The lifting of the deadline for Mr Trivedi's removal suggested that Ms Banerjee was not immune to reports that the Congress has been considering replacing her in the ruling coalition at the Centre with Mulayam Singh Yadav and his Samajwadi Party MPs.

Sources in both the Congress and Ms Banerjee's party say that both sides are also close to resolving another large dispute. On Monday, in Parliament, the Prime Minister will address some of the concerns raised by Ms Banerjee to the new National Counter Terror Centre or NCTC. Ms Banerjee has said the NCTC's powers violate the autonomy of state governments and federalism. Her party moved amendments to the President's address to Parliament earlier this week, asking for a reference to the NCTC to be deleted. The President's address outlines the government's agenda; allies rarely ask for amendments. The BJP has moved similar amendments on the NCTC, and is likely to press for a vote. That could put Ms Banerjee's MPs in the awkward position of voting with the BJP and against the government. The PM, in his reply to the motion of thanks to the President's address on Monday, is expected to assuage Ms Banerjee's fears about the NCTC. That could help diffuse at least some of the tension between the political partners.

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Franchise on Sajid Khan's mind!

Hrithik-Suzzane spooted with brood!

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

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Headless body found in train in Chennai

Chennai:  A headless body of a man was found in the Grand Trunk Express in Chennai on Saturday.

The body was packed in a steel trunk which was found in the general compartment of the train.

The police has started a probe into the matter.

More details are awaited.

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Kalki to star in Ranbir-Deepika's film

Hrithik-Suzzane spooted with brood!

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WikiLeaks' Assange to run for Australian Senate

Sydney:  WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is planning to run for election to the Australian Senate, the organization announced on Saturday on Twitter.

Mr Assange, an Australian citizen, is on bail awaiting a British court decision on his appeal against extradition to Sweden on sexual assault allegations.

He strongly denies the claims, saying they are politically motivated and linked to the activities of WikiLeaks, which has published thousands of confidential documents on the Internet.

WikiLeaks said it appeared that the 40-year-old's current legal situation did not rule him out of running for Australia's upper house.

"We have discovered that it is possible for Julian Assange to run for the Australian Senate while detained," WikiLeaks said on Twitter.

"Julian has decided to run."

WikiLeaks said it will also field a candidate to run directly against Prime Minister Julia Gillard in her lower house electorate of Lalor, in Victoria, in the elections, which are due in 2013.

"...the state Julian will run for will be announced at the appropriate time," WikiLeaks said.

The Australian government has previously blasted WikiLeaks, with Ms Gillard describing its release of US diplomatic cables as "grossly irresponsible".

Her government ordered Australian police to investigate whether WikiLeaks had broken Australian law, but they reported back in 2010 it had not broken any under their jurisdiction in releasing the cables.

Mr Assange, a former computer hacker, is fighting being sent to Stockholm because he fears it would open the way for his extradition to the US to face charges of spying linked to the leaking of classified military documents by US soldier Bradley Manning.

Manning has been formally charged for allegedly turning over a trove of classified US documents to WikiLeaks in one of the most serious intelligence breaches in US history.

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Kunal Khemu turns action hero for Mahadkar's next

By Hindustan Times

Actor Kunal Khemu, who has pulled off serious as well as comedy roles, will now be seen in a hardcore action movie. After working with Kunal in his directorial debut Blood Money, Vishal Mahadkar has roped in the actor for his next untitled film. "I am doing a hardcore action thriller with Kunal Khemu. I always wanted to do an action film. Something I really enjoy watching, this is completely my space. Somewhere it is Kunal's space as well I think we are going to make a kick ass film as a team," Mahadkar told IANS.

Releasing March 30, Blood Money has been produced by Vishesh Films and Mahadkar's next ios also coming from the same banner.

"No discussion on the title as of now. The script is being written and when the script is ready we can decide whether to give it a title that has a franchise or not. But, as off now it's not a sequel. I like to cast only when my script is written. It's too early to talk about other characters," said Mahadkar.

The director promises to show some street brawls in the film.

"I just enjoy action films. You will see lot of fights, lot of street brawls but not like any explosions and that kind of action. I have little bit of action in Blood Money as well. That will be a fun space for me to explore," said the director.

Mahadkar believes Kunal is fit and need not work on his body.

"He is already super fit. Kunal agreed on the principle that character is going to be written keeping him in mind. We will be pushing him on the sets to run around and do all the crazy things to pull off a great action film," said the director

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I am yet to accept Dabangg 2 song

Hrithik-Suzzane spooted with brood!

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Bollywood raves about Sachin's 100th ton

By Hindustan Times

Sachin Tendulkar has created history by becoming the first batsman to score 100 international centuries. B-Town celebs like Amitabh Bachchan, Sonakshi Sinha, Abhishek Bachchan, Akshay Kumar and many more have posted congratulatory messages on Twitter.

Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan): T 685 - India breathes normally ..!! Sachin completes an incredible feat !! A hundred 100's .. Never done before, perhaps never after !!!

Lata Mangeshkar (@mangeshkarlata): Namaskar. Sachin ne aaj phir se itihaas racha hai. Sachin ko meri bahut shubhkamnayein aur badhaai.

Abhishek Bachchan (@juniorbachchan): CONGRATULARIONS SACHIN!!!! @sachin_rt WOW!!!! it's an honor to witness this master play. we're lucky. COME ON INDIA! how good is Sachin? he's the BEST. period! stop analyzing him. stop being cynical. just celebrate him! (sic)

Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar): Salute to the man who never gave up in spite of all the criticism. Finally he did it. #Sachin creates history in world cricket! Congrats to Sachin Hundredkar :D #Respect

Sonakshi Sinha (@sonakshisinha): Master blaster... Salute!

Madhur Bhandarkar (@mbhandarkar268): The god of cricket has proved again y he's called so. Congrats Sachin fr the century of tons. U make us proud always! (sic)

Ranveer Singh (@iRanveersingh): finally finally.thank u god. #sachin gets his #100th ton.congrats india.bahut intezar karwaya sachin ne. atlast thanx sachin. sau sau salam @sachin_rt tere naam..india party on...now my back pain has suddenly gone,feel like dancing. (sic)

Arjun Rampal (@rampalarjun): Phew!!! Love u Sachin, truly remarkable well deserved, thank you for making us enjoy every one of those Tons. Sooooo happppppyyyyyy. (sic)

Anupam Kher (@AnupamPkher): Once again Sachin gives us reason to smile, to celebrate, to dance, to scream with joy and to feel Proud to be an INDIAN. Jai Ho.:)

Riteish Deshmukh (@Riteishd): Sachin TON TONNA TON - all those who thought sachin should retire- time for them to retire from making such statements. (sic)

Lara Dutta Bhupathi (@DuttaLara): Congratulations Sachin! Even for the humility and grace in acknowledging such an amazing feat!! We celebrate your accomplishment and you!

Dhanush (@dhanushkraja): Hey come-u mama SACHIN !! All hail the god of cricket !! Hail sachin !! (sic)

Shobhaa De (@DeShobhaa): Chalo. 100th international cricket century in the bag.Congrats! Important milestone and all that. Ek announcement baki hai, bhai: Retirement.

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Al Qaeda leader calls for Arab Spring-style revolt in Pakistan

Dubai:  Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri has called on Pakistanis to revolt against their government and military in a video posted on the Internet on Friday, US monitors said.

In a 10-minute speech uploaded to jihadist forums, Mr Zawahiri argued that the Pakistani authorities only represented US interests, according to a statement from SITE Intelligence Group.

Zawahiri, shown standing in front of a green curtain, urged Pakistanis to follow the example of the Arab Spring as the military could not be expected to turn against America despite a deadly US strike on Pakistani troops in November.

"O our brothers in Pakistan! O our people in Pakistan! This treacherous army and bribe-taking government have plundered your wealth," he said in the video.

"They have ruined your economy and destroyed your world as well as your hereafter. What then are you waiting for?

"Take a lead from your brothers in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen and Syria who are standing up against oppression and oppressors with their bare chests exposed and offering sacrifices so that victory may be ordained for then."

Mr Zawahiri also said that unless its demands were met, Al-Qaeda would not release an elderly American development expert who was captured in Pakistan last August.

"By the grace of Allah, we, on our part, have captured the American Jew Warren Weinstein.

"He will not return to his family, by the will of Allah, until our demands are met, which include the release of Aafia Siddiqui, Sheikh Omar Abdul Rahman, the family of Shaikh Osama bin Laden, and every single person arrested on allegations of links with Al-Qaeda and Taliban."

Long Al-Qaeda's number two, Mr Zawahiri took over the helm of the group after Bin Laden was killed in May 2011 in a US special forces night raid deep in Pakistan.

The video is the latest of a number in which the militant chief has attempted to exploit the Arab uprisings.

Al-Qaeda has been absent from the popular protests that swept the Arab world last year, leading to the ouster of autocratic, secular leaders in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, and sparking unrest elsewhere.

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Pune BPO girl rape and murder case: Cab driver, accomplice found guilty

Pune:  A cab driver and his accomplice, accused of rape and murder of a 22-year-old BPO employee in Pune, were pronounced guilty of both charges by a Pune Court on Saturday. The sentence for the duo would be given by the court on Monday.

Jyoti Kumari Chowdhari, a BPO employee in a multinational company, was allegedly raped and murdered by the driver of company's pick-up car on November 1, 2007.

The driver Purushottam Borate had reportedly picked Ms Jyoti at 10 pm for her night shift in the BPO, situated at Hinjweadi area in Pune. According to reports, the driver was joined by his friend Pradeep Kokate in the cab. Ms Jyoti was talking on the phone with her boyfriend and did not realise where they were headed. At 11 pm Ms Jyoti's boyfriend heard her ask the driver why had he stopped the car after which the phone was disconnected and was unreachable, say reports.

Ms Jyoti's body was found next day at Gahunje village. She was raped and had been strangulated to death.

Ms Jyoti, who was from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, was a Science graduate from the University of Pune. She was staying with her sister and brother-in-law in Panchavati area of Pashan and had joined a call centre as an associate in December 2006.

The case had sent shock waves in the IT and BPO industry in Pune and had exposed the vulnerability and lack of safety of women employees working in BPO units and call centres.

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At Afghan prison, female visitors face invasive searches

Kabul:  Women visiting relatives at a notorious men's prison on the edge of Kabul have in recent weeks been subjected to invasive body-cavity searches at the order of the prison's commandant, who has told guards and American officials that the measure is needed to keep out contraband, Western and Afghan officials said.

Most male visitors get into the American-financed prison with a mere pat down. Almost all female visitors, meanwhile, undergo a vaginal search without reasonable suspicion or recourse.

"It was killing me to go through this disgusting way of body search," said a woman whose husband was imprisoned at the Pul-e-Charki prison, Afghanistan's largest detention centre, and who after dozens of visits is still being searched. "I was telling the female prison guard, 'this is against all human values and dignity.' "

American officials agree, as do some Afghan officials, and they have repeatedly pressed Interior Minster Bismillah Khan Mohammadi and the commandant of the prison, Gen. Muhammad Khan, to stop the practice.

Having been repeatedly rebuffed, the Americans on Thursday tried to use the best lever they have: they cut off all American financing to Pul-e-Charki until they can confirm that the invasive searches have stopped, two Western officials said. The United States has spent about $14.2 million on improvements at the prison since June 2009.  

But with no word yet on what impact the latest American move has had, Western officials and rights advocates here are viewing the hard line as a troubling sign: not just of waning Western influence as relations have worsened, but also for of maintaining hard-won gains in rights for women in Afghanistan as the prospect of a speeded-up American withdrawal has become a greater possibility.

This is not an oversimplified case of high-minded Westerners versus conservative Afghans. The West's role in Afghanistan empowered many Afghans to champion women's and minority rights in the past decade, and those home-grown reformers have helped establish most of the social changes that have been seen as encouraging steps here.

Yet the Afghans at the forefront of pressing for those rights are already finding themselves increasingly marginalized as Afghanistan's old guard flexes its muscles. In fact, the official in charge of all Afghanistan's civilian prisons, Gen. Amir Jamshid, has tried and failed to stop the invasive searches of women, his objections overridden by Mr. Mohammadi, the interior minister, Afghan and American officials said. Those officials spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid offending their Afghan counterparts.

Other worrying signs have appeared. President Hamid Karzai in December removed outspoken members of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, which is appointed by the government but acts independently. Then earlier this month, Afghanistan's Ulema Council, the country's highest religious authority, released a "code of conduct" that suggested it was permissible for a man to beat his wife under certain circumstances. President Karzai endorsed the code last week, in a move seen as part of his efforts to reach out to hard-liners among the Taliban ahead of an American withdrawal.

"There has been important progress made on human rights in the last 10 years largely due to brave Afghans inside and outside the government," said Heather Barr, the Afghanistan researcher for Human Rights Watch. "But they've needed international support and without it, they may see their work become impossible."

American officials cautioned that trouble at one prison did not herald the overall collapse of Western influence, and that they believed they could still effect change, especially a Pul-e-Charki, which houses about 7,000 convicts.

But they have so far failed to stop the invasive searches, which were first noticed by American mentors at the prison in mid-February, according to multiple American and Western officials.

The Americans have since then twice received assurances the practice would stop - once from General Khan and then later from Mr. Mohammadi, the minister. It has nonetheless continued, and the American Embassy said this week it was still discussing the matter with the Interior Ministry. It is not clear whether women face the same kinds of searches at Afghanistan's other civilian prisons.

Since June 2009, the United States has earmarked $26.8 million for renovations at the prison, and just over half of that has already been spent. "I don't think we'd be facing the same kind of resistance if this was last year or the year before," said one American official in Kabul. "We're going, and they know it."

A request from The New York Times to visit Pul-e-Charki was turned down by the Interior Ministry.

Saturday is the next visiting day at Pul-e-Charki, which is run by civilian authorities. General Khan, who comes from the police force, said in a telephone interview the searches would continue. "Stopping somebody hiding narcotics or mobile phone or banned items, that's not a violation of their rights," he said.

The prison, he said, was thick with Taliban detainees and rife with contraband and needed to be brought under control. He said Taliban commanders held there were plotting attacks in Kabul, a view shared by American officials.

General Khan said the invasive searches would stop once America bought an X-ray machine for the prison - a purchase American officials say they have no plans to make. He added that men suspected of smuggling could also face a similar kind of search. And he insisted that the searches were only conducted on "suspicious" women.

That account was countered by a female guard at the prison and by Western and Afghan officials familiar with the situation.

"We have been strictly ordered to search genital areas of all the women who are visiting the prisoners," said the guard, who asked not to be named for fear of losing her job. She added that even the prisoners, all of whom are men, are only patted down after meeting visitors.

She said that the guards sometimes find phones or drugs in some searches, but that she was still uncomfortable with the blanket order to search all women. She said many of her fellow guards felt the same, and they sometimes let women pass without a search when they can.

The Afghan woman who had been subjected to the searches said the practice had been going on since at least last year, though it had gotten stricter in the past few months. "I have been subjected to this humiliating type of body search more than 20 to 25 times," said the woman, who did not want to be identified because she felt ashamed.

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Five railway unions write to PM in support of Dinesh Trivedi

New Delhi:  His party, the Trinamool Congress, may not want him as the Railways Minister anymore but Dinesh Trivedi has found some much-needed backing from the behemoth that he is currently in charge of. Five railway unions have written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressing support for Mr Trivedi, urging him to "not allow the politicisation of the Indian Railways".

The unions have, in their letter, threatened to agitate if there is a rollback in hike in passenger fares. The rise in fares, which was announced in the Railways Budget presented by Mr Trivedi on Wednesday, had triggered a political storm with Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee throwing a fit. But this time, it wasn't the Congress but her own party man Mr Trivedi, who was at the receiving end of her anger. Ms Banerjee promptly shot off a letter to the Prime Minister, demanding Mr Trivedi's immediate removal as the Railways Minister. That was not all. She also asked all her leaders to go their respective constituencies to explain the "betrayal" by Mr Trivedi. Her party also wants the government the reverse the rise in fares.  

The unions, though, have made it clear that a rollback isn't acceptable to them if it is not met with a corresponding increase in support from the government exchequer. Mr Trivedi, who is facing flak from the Trinamool, has justified his decision to increase fares as one that would help raise funds for the development and modernisation of Railways. "If you roll back the fares, you have to roll back safety too," he has said. The fare hike he has announced is nominal - two paise per km for the cheapest tickets and 30 paise per kilometre for the most expensive ones.

Mamata Banerjee has already sounded out the government that she isn't willing to wait any further for Mr Trivedi's removal, reflecting in her announcement of the minister's replacement, Mukul Roy. "Mukul Roy will be next Railways Minister. He has been a Trinamool MP for six years already. He has been re-nominated to the Rajya Sabha this time. He is a good worker. Now the government will have to decide," she said in Kolkata today. With her party bringing in 19 crucial MPs to the table, the Congress which heads the UPA coalition, is also avoiding a fresh confrontation with Ms Banerjee and a resultant deterioration of the already-strained ties with her party. Dinesh Trivedi, who has defiantly stayed on as the Railways Minister so far, today made it clear that he would step down only in the event of Ms Banerjee putting down her order in writing. "Till the time the matter is absolutely clear, I have suggested I do not want to take anything verbal. For me, Parliament has more sanctity than anything. So, I suggested let Mamata write me a letter so that there is no confusion...I will perform my duty as a Railway Minister," Mr Trivedi told reporters in New Delhi today. (Read: Dinesh Trivedi wants marching orders in writing from Mamata) With the railway unions rallying around him, the beleaguered minister may finally have some hope.

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KJo a big fan of Emraan Hashmi!

Hrithik-Suzzane spooted with brood!

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Sachin rates his own commitment and scores 100/100

Mirpur: Sachin Tendulkar may have had to wait close to a year to achieve the historic feat of scoring 100 international centuries but the delay was certainly not due to any lack of effort, with the star batsman giving himself a mark of "100 out of 100" in terms of effort and commitment.

"There is one thing I can put my hand up and say that I am 100 percent sure about my effort and commitment. If they were lacking, then there would have been a question mark but in those areas in my book, I scored a 100 out of 100," Tendulkar told reporters here on Saturday.

The 38-year-old batsman said he was sure that the 100th century would come and it was just a matter of not taking things for granted.

"It is all about belief. I knew it will come but it was important that you don't take things for granted and keep working the way you usually do. Scoring runs and not scoring runs will always come across and it is part of a career and you can experience that when you have played long enough.

"I was pretty confident about what I was doing and the technique was right and I had the right people around me and I want to thank them," the legendary batsman said.

Tendulkar said that at one level, he could find a connect with Roger Federer considering the his wait for the World Cup was just like tennis legend's wait for his elusive French Open title.

"I don't know obviously what Federer had gone through but I am sure it was tough. I would not compare my 100th century with the French Open, rather it would be the World Cup. I had to wait 22 years and that wait was much longer."

After completing his century, it was a sense of relief for Tendulkar for achieving a feat that could remain unconquered for years to come.

"I have to admit I was relieved. This is now out of the way and I can start a new chapter. It was possibly the toughest phase of my life. There was so much hype and attention about the 100th hundred.

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Why Kareena will not do a "Dirty Picture"

By Hindustan Times

Kareena Kapoor feels Vidya Balan is the hero of 2011 and her performance in The Dirty Picture "has changed the game". The actor, however admits she would most likely not have taken up the film.

"I don't know if I would have taken the risk but even if I did I would have balanced it out by making sure there is a Salman or Shah Rukh in the film so that even if the film flops there is some thing that will balance it."

When posed with the question, Kareena paused a bit and said "I don't know, may be I should ask Saif this. He hasn't even watched it. Everytime I ask him to watch it he says yeah yeah, perhaps he's afraid that I'd want to do something similar."

While awed by Kahaani performance the astute observer pointed out, quite correctly that The Dirty Picture had its share of masala moments which pulled the crowd to the theaters - in terms of costumes, make-up and the "fake orgasm".

Asked if she's the fourth Khan today, Kareena, without batting an eyelid said: "Vidya is the true hero of 2011."

Kareena says though good scripts work, it is still the star power that rules the industry.

"There are a lot of director who come to me with brilliant scripts but don't have the money to finance it. But our industry sadly doesn't run only on good scripts, Bodyguard wasn't one of the best scripts but it earned so much because of Salman in it," Kareena said.

On marriage
Actor Kareena Kapoor, who is busy shooting for Madhur Bhandarkar's Heroine, says she will get married to beau Saif Ali Khan by the end of the year.

Reports suggested that the Bollywood couple was planning to tie the knot after the release of Saif's home production Agent Vinod this March but Kareena says they are in no rush.

"I will get married hopefully by the end of this year... because I am busy doing Heroine and I have to finish the film first. We are not yet going to announce the date. We are in no such rush but it will happen this year," said Kareena, who was in the Capital to attend the India Today Conclave.

The 31-year-old, who has been dating Saif since 2007, says she does not consider herself as a "star" but just "a simple girl in love".

"I am actually just a simple girl in love whose dreams have come true. Ever since I was 9, I would see Karisma (sister) rehearse and I would go backstage and repeat the same things. I always wanted to act and I know nothing other than acting. I have no degree and so I hope to act forever," she said.

On her Heroine role
Kareena has done a variety of role in her career spanning over a decade. She has given hits like Jab We Met, 3 Idiots, Omkara, Bodyguard and RA.One.

Talking about her film Heroine, Kareena said, "It's turning out pretty well... It's an exciting journey of an actress, she is slightly schizophrenic and she has got these different mood swings it's very difficult for me to do...But I am glad there is a role like this. It is fun not to stand behind Shah Rukh and Salman in a movie but prove yourself as an actor."

On male-dominated Bollywood
The actor, who comes from a filmy background, says things have changed a lot in Bollywood except the fact that male actors are still paid more than their female counterparts.

"How much ever things change in Bollywood, male actors have always been paid more than females... when it comes to numbers I am no where close to any of the Khans. So for me it's not about replacing the men in our industry but doing the best I can.

"There are a lot of women-centric roles that I am being offered and not just being an eye candy in the film. I think Vidya Balan's The Dirty Picture has changed the entire game," Kareena said.

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SRK-Katrina starrer not titled London Ishq

Hrithik-Suzzane spooted with brood!

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FHM magazine calls it a day!

By Hindustan Times

FHM’s publisher ACP announced on Thursday that the May issue of the magazine would be the last and its website would close at the same time. So far the company has refused to comment on the number of job losses, but according to BusinessDay, a source has said that about 10 jobs are likely to go.

Once dominant in the “lad’s mag” market that emerged from Britain in the 1990s, FHM - For Him Magazine - shocked market observers when it shed half its circulation in the last six months of last year.

It was a long way from the roaring days when, after launching in 1998, FHM and its main rival Ralph enjoyed strong circulation based around sharply designed and written glamour spreads, humour, sport and lifestyle.

But the launch of the more downmarket Zoo Weekly in 2006, followed by the global financial crisis, growth of online content and a splintering of the men’s magazine market into niche titles spelled trouble. Ralph died in 2010. Last year, FHM’s circulation fell from 50,154 copies a month to 26,026.

In a statement, ACP Magazines said it was “endeavouring to redeploy employees, however some redundancies are expected”.

“The decision to close a title is never an easy one and FHM is certainly no exception,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted chief executive Matt Stanton as saying.

“FHM is a terrific brand but, given the current market conditions, it has been difficult for ACP to make it a commercially viable proposition,” he said.

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Einstein can rest easy as neutrinos obey speed limit

London:  New research suggests neutrinos that appeared to break one of Einstein's fundamental theories by travelling faster than the speed of light actually keep within the universal speed limit after all.
The latest measurement of the sub-atomic particles' speed of flight from the CERN research centre in Geneva to Gran Sasso in central Italy contradicts an initial super-fast reading reported last September, which caused a scientific sensation.
Since then, more doubts have crept in about the original claims, especially after news last month that the first finding from the so-called OPERA experiment may have been distorted by faulty cabling.
The new analysis was done by researchers working on a separate experiment called ICARUS. Using independent timing data and measuring seven neutrinos in the beam sent from CERN, they found the time was exactly consistent with the speed of light.
Sandro Centro, an expert in high-energy physics and spokesman for the ICARUS experiment, said he believed the results of the new tests were conclusive.
"The speed of light and speed of neutrinos are the same," he said in a telephone interview after the team's findings were published online on Friday.
The earlier controversial OPERA study had clocked neutrinos covering the 730 km from CERN to Gran Sasso 60 nanoseconds - or 60 billionths of a second - faster than light.
"The evidence is beginning to point towards the OPERA result being an artefact of the measurement," CERN Research Director Sergio Bertolucci said in a statement.
But he added that the scientific community needed to be rigorous and further tests were planned in May using more pulsed beams from CERN to provide the final verdict.
Many scientists had been sceptical about the original measurements, which flew in the face of Albert Einstein's 1905 Special Theory of Relativity which states that nothing in the universe can travel faster than light, an assertion that underpins much of modern physics and cosmology.
The ICARUS team, working at the same Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) Gran Sasso laboratory, north-east of Rome, as colleagues on the OPERA project, had already queried the initial findings because the neutrinos did not appear to lose energy on their flight as would have happened if they had broken the light barrier.
"As it happens in science, someone repeats the same experiment and can come up with a different result," Fernando Ferroni, INFN's president said in a statement.
He said that after these latest results, doubts about the faster-than-light reading were "gaining more ground".
The ICARUS scientists used a vast chamber of liquid argon to detect the arrival of the neutrinos at the Gran Sasso laboratory, which is dug deep in a mountainside.

(Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012)

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Webcam spying case: Clementi's gay partner describes verdict on Ravi as 'just'

New York:  With Indian-origin student Dharun Ravi convicted in the webcam spying case, the family of his Rutgers roommate Tyler Clementi, who had committed suicide, say the case brought pain to many people and should serve as an example that others should be treated with respect.

Mr Ravi, 20, was found guilty by a jury yesterday on all 15 charges of bias intimidation, invasion of privacy and witness tampering that he faced for spying on Mr Clementi's sexual encounter with his male partner.

Mr Clementi's partner identified as MB, who was among the 30 witnesses to testify in the trial, issued a statement calling the verdict "just." MB said "for him to heal within and be a better person the redemption would have to begin and end within his own mind and heart.

"But we must be mindful that when one person truly hurts another, society must have the right to demand justice for all. And if that means that Ravi should be reminded that his type of conduct must be deterred, then so be it."

Mr Clementi had committed suicide in September 2010 after he found out that Ravi had seen him kissing another man, known in court records only as MB, and had then texted his other friends to watch the encounter online.

Mr Ravi will be sentenced on May 21 and faces a possible 10 year prison term and subsequent deportation to India. Mr Ravi sat expressionless in a packed New Jersey courtroom as the jury read out its verdict in the case, which has generated massive interest across the country and was being closely followed by the American media.

Mr Ravi's attorney Steven Altman has said he plans to appeal in the case.

After Mr Ravi's conviction Joe Clementi, the father of Tyler Clementi, read a statement to reporters in which he thanked the prosecutor's office for remaining sensitive to the family's concerns, and ensuring the privacy of his son and the protection of his friend MB.
"The trial was painful for us, as it would be for any parent who must sit and listen to people talk about bad and inappropriate things that were done to their child," Mr Clementi, accompanied by his wife, Jane and son James, said.

"We were here every day because we wanted to be here for our son and because we believe the trial was important because it dealt with important issues for our society and for our young people today."

He said his message to young people in college and high school is that "You're going to meet a lot of people in your lifetime. Some of these people you may not like. But just because you don't like them, does not mean you have to work against them. When you see somebody doing something wrong, tell them, "That's not right. Stop it."

"You can make the world a better place. The change you want to see in the world begins with you," he added.

The family set up a foundation in their son's name and hoped that the attention the case has got will help their efforts to sensitise young people "in the important areas of respect, privacy, responsibility in a digital world."

MB said the case has caused much hurt to too many innocent people. "Tyler was a good person and seeing his family go through the tortures of the trial was painful," he said.

He said he had hoped that a trial could have been avoided but it was Mr Ravi's decision to defend himself in court and now "he will have to live with it."

He added that even though he had testified in the case, he bore no malice or hatred toward Ravi.

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Warne, Dravid pay tribute to Tendulkar

New Delhi: Australia spin legend Shane Warne pleaded for an end to the talk of Sachin Tendulkar's retirement as he joined the international chorus of appreciation for the iconic Indian cricketer who scripted history by completing a century of international tons on Friday.

Apart from his close friend Warne, cricket legends such as Sir Vivian Richards, former Australian captai Ian Chappell, Ian Botham, Rahul Dravid, Kevin Pietersen and Tony Greig were among those who paid glowing tributes to the champion batsman.

"Congrats to Sachin on reaching his 100th international 100- just awesome buddy Please press no retirement Q'S and let Sachin enjoy the moment," Warne tweeted after Tendulkar reached the milestone against Bangladesh in an Asia Cup match in Mirpur on Friday.

The 114-run knock ended a year-long wait for the 38-year-old star batsman, whose 99th ton came during a World Cup match against South Africa in March 2011.

Tributes continued to pour in for the veteran from other parts of the world as well with former England captain Tony Greig calling him a fine ambassador of the game.

"Just woke up to the wonderful news that Sachin has made that century. Great player and wonderful ambassador for our great game," he said.

"Well played Sachin the little master...!!!" added legendary all-rounder Ian Botham.

England batsman Kevin Pietersen, who is in Sri Lanka for a series, said the effort was way beyond imagination.

"Seriously has anyone actually thought about what Sachin has done here?? 100 100's!!!! Absolutely unbelievable.. Batters dream!" he said.

Tendulkar's former team-mate and the recently-retired Rahul Dravid marvelled at his genius.

"What stands out in an exceptional career of unbelievable achievements is Sachin Tendulkar's ability to change, adapt and mould his batting according to the conditions around him. What makes him a phenomenal player is that he has done so many things, be it scoring the highest number of Test and one-day runs or scoring a century of international centuries," he said.

"What he has done is set a benchmark for future generations which, probably, would be almost impossible for anyone to emulate. He has created a new milestone, which to my mind, is like Don Bradman's average of 99.94, the most memorable feat that any cricketer has achieved.

"Like overtaking Bradman's average appears almost impossible today, Sachin's century feat too will in all probability stay forever," he added.

Similar words of appreciation came from former Australia captain Ian Chappell.

"The skill, the tenacity and the competitive urge still flows freely through the veins of Tendulkar. He seemed destined to conquer the batting Mount Everest from the moment it was said about him at the young age of 17, (when) Tendulkar scored his first Test century at Old Trafford," he said.

"The fact that Tendulkar has handled fame so well and maintained an attacking outlook throughout is a tribute to not only his skill but also his wonderfully alert mind.

"Considering the length of his career and the fact that he was able to renew his attacking desires, I would now rate Tendulkar slightly ahead of Brian Lara and comfortably in front of a fading Ricky Ponting."

West Indies legend Viv Richards described Tendulkar as a "genius" when it came to ability and a "Trojan" when it came to work ethics.

"I believe Sir Donald Bradman is the greatest of them all, but seeing Tendulkar bat, I can say that when he is in top flight, in a variety of conditions, I have seen the best.

"He has been a genius when it comes to ability, a Trojan when it comes to work ethic and manic when it comes to his focus. Yet we often miss the little things that make him both human and exceptional", Richards said.

"As a sportsman, I know how damaging an injury can be. For a batsman, an elbow injury and corrective surgery could be akin to a professional death knell. But the way Sachin overcame those setbacks and played at the highest level with unmatched distinction is special", he said.

Richards felt Tendulkar has earned the right to decide when to hang his boots.

"Friday's century was a testimony to Sachin Tendulkar's self belief and his unwavering focus. Many of his contemporaries who were spoken of in the same breath did not have the hunger and focus, which is why Sachin stands alone at the summit.

"And let it not be forgotten that he is no dour batsman, he still plays thrilling shots and has entertained more fans than any batsman has in the history of the game. All this with humility, bearing the burden of his team's batting and the expectations of his millions of fans," he said.

"I think Sachin has earned the right to decide when exactly he wants to put down his bat. He is mature and sensible individual and more importantly a very proud cricketer. He is not going to continue if he feels he is not performing up to his standards," he added.

Veteran Indian tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi also took to Twitter to appreciate Tendulkar's feat.

"...I guess chant today goes Sacccchiiiinnnn, Sachhhhhhiiiinnn.. Hmmm I have been chanting that for twenty years."

England Test captain Andrew Strauss also congratulated Tendulkar for reaching a milestone that is likely to remain unsurpassed.

"Sachin is a player by which all others are measured over the last 10-15 years, and for him to go out and get a hundred hundreds is an amazing achievement without precedent - it's unlikely to be achieved again," he told 'BBC Sports'.

Former England captain Nasser Hussain said even if the 100th ton had not come about, Tendulkar would still have remained a great player.

"Don Bradman is sometimes remembered, unfairly, as the batsman who did not quite average 100 in Test cricket. And there was a danger, as we all waited for Sachin Tendulkar to reach three figures again, that he would be remembered for the one international century he did not score, rather than the 99 he did. That would have been a shame - and completely unjust," he said.

"You could tell after he tucked that single off his pads on Friday in Dhaka how much it meant to him. He's been criticised in the past for being a closed book, a guy who doesn't show his feelings too easily. But you could see the more human side of him after he took his helmet off to celebrate," he added.

"...he's done it and no one can ever take the achievement away. Finally, he can move on. The mother of all monkeys has been removed."

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Wish I could hire Aamir to market my films: Anurag Kashyap

Hrithik-Suzzane spooted with brood!

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Ex-CPM MP Laxman Seth, 2 others arrested

Mumbai:  Former CPM MP Lakshman Seth was today arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) from Mumbai. Two other CPM leaders have also been arrested along with him.

The three ministers are wanted in connection with the disappearance of seven villagers in Nandigram in November 2007 when armed clashes had taken place between the Trinamool Congress and CPM.

The 7 missing villagers are believed to have been killed by the CPM and their bodies hidden away.

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Ketan Mehta's Rang Rasiya to release in May

By Hindustan Times

Ketan Mehta's historical saga Rang Rasiya will finally hit theatres this May after a delay of over three years.

The film is based on the life of the 19th century Indian painter Raja Ravi Varma. The film is directed and co-produced by Ketan Mehta, and stars Randeep Hooda and Nandana Sen in lead roles.

Ready since 2008, the film could not release due to various reasons including dispute between Mehta and the distributors. Also, the Censor Board had once objected to a topless scenes of Nandana Sen, who plays muse to 19th century painter, played by Randeep.

Initially, the film was supposed to release in 2008, later in February and November last year but now, it is releasing in May this year.

"Finally the film is releasing end of May. There were never any issues on the censor front, there were basically legal issues. There was some partnership and financial institutions that were involved and the issues needed to be sorted out,"

"It is an expensive film, historical epic with costumes and no big star cast...it has taken its time in getting a release and every film has its time. Also we have made it in English and Hindi," he said.

Rang Rasiya raised many eyebrows due to the skin show by Nandana. The director was criticised for presenting Nandana in the form of Indian goddesses.

Mehta says his film is about creative freedom. "It is not all about sensuality, the theme of the film is creative peace and freedom of expression. It is a relevant film today, despite the fact that it is set 100 years ago. It is a very contemporary film".

"Every film has its own destiny. I have made the film at that point of time when I felt there was climate of intolerance in India like M F Hussain was hounded out of the country, rogue elements beating up girls in Mysore... The film is in a sense response to the climate of intolerance," he said.

Rang Rasiya has travelled to festivals across the world including Cannes, London, New York and Chicago. It was also voted as the Best Film this summer in the London Film Festival.

"It went to London, New York, Sri Lanka, Kolkata and other film festivals and has been appreciated wherever it travelled," Mehta said. Now the filmmaker is gearing up for his next film, titled Noor.

"My next film is an international co-production one. It is an Indo-British-French co-production...it is called Noor. It is again a period film set up during the Second World War. The script is ready and the basic production tie-up is being worked out. There is no star cast in mind yet," he said.

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Imran in playboy days was called 'Im the Dim': Salman Rushdie

New Delhi:  Two months after he was forced to skip a literary fest in Jaipur, controversial writer Salman Rushdie tonight attended a function here amid tight security. The controversial author of 'The Satanic Verses', which was banned in India owing to protest from a section of Muslims, attended the 'India Today Conclave' at Taj Palace attended by a select group of invitees. The author at the Conclave, slammed Pakistan's cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan, who skipped the function because of Mr Rushdie's participation.

This is what Mr Rushdie said:

Imran was told well in advance I was coming. Imran is a man of the old school. Maybe he doesn't know how email works. This man wants to be the ruler of Pakistan. If you want to placate mullahs, don't leave a paper trail. Imran said I caused immeasurable hurt to Muslims. In real world, immeasurable hurt is caused by terrorists based in Pakistan who attack countries like India. Imran wants us to talk to lashkar. Imran is now scared of facing my bouncers. Two months ago on Indian TV I promised I would be here. I have to thank Imran Khan. I was going to speak at a less important session. I thank him for this promotion and for vacating this spot. Here he is trying to placate mullah and placate Army while presenting himself as the acceptable face of Pakistan. We don't need to give Imran Khan more publicity, which he needs. Have you noticed the physical resemblance between Imran and Gaddafi? Could cast Imran as a slightly better-looking Gaddafi. On whether he feels threatened by Imran Khan: More scared of the ex-girlfriends I've had than Imran Khan. In our time, essential freedoms are in danger of society. In India also, not just egalitarian states. Public apathy is also damaging. Ideally, a writer should not be the subject. Should be the observer, not observed. I would place a substantial bet that he has not read it (Satanic Verses). When Imran was a playboy in London, he was called Im the dim. Imran may have been born again. He will have to be judged by this (the new Imran). Those of us who knew the young Imran don't remember him like this. On the Congress- Years and years of kneeling down before every mullah did not work. It must feel sick. I am not very fond of..let me not mention Chetan Bhagat..and yet I believe he has the right to publish..and live (Mr Bhagat is in the audience). On Uttar Pradesh: Votebank politics going on again. Congress did this to no avail. Indian electorate is smarter than politicians and can see through them. 95 percent of the Muslims in India are not interested in the violence being done in their name. On politicians like Omar Abdullah, Akhilesh Yadav and Pranab Mukherjee boycotting the Conclave (as mentioned by Aatish Taseer, who is moderating the Conclave): I am impressed with my effect. Really, they're that scared of me? In the old days, we called this cowardice. On Omar and Akhilesh: Sad that leaders supposed to be the next generation are behaving in old-fashioned way. I hope they will grow up. I am not saying that I should be the only one to speak...only that I should also have the right to speak.

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Pakistan salutes record-setting Sachin Tendulkar

Karachi: Former cricketing greats and fans in Pakistan paid tribute Saturday to Indian batting superstar Sachin Tendulkar after he became the first player ever to score 100 international centuries.

"It is a great achievement which other players of his era and those who come after him will not even think of achieving," former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad told AFP, who featured in Tendulkar's first Test in Karachi in 1989.

"When he played against us in 1989 he showed glimpses of what was in store for world cricket and the kind of sincerity he has shown with the game has only made him immortal and prolonged his career to 23 years and he can still go on."

Miandad hailed the father of two, known variously as the "Little Master" or "Bombay Blaster", as a role model for the cricketing world.

"I congratulate Tendulkar on this rare feat and advise the future generation of players, wherever they live and wherever they play, to just follow Tendulkar's focus, dedication and hunger for success."

Another former Pakistan captain Moin Khan, who played against Tendulkar from 1992-2004, also joined the chorus of praise.

"He has achieved something which will be tough to match. He has been a trend-setter and if players try to emulate him we will get more and more great players, but his records will be tough to erase.

"Tendulkar's speciality is that he is very very professional, he loves the game and lusts for runs. With no controversy in his career he has been a role model to follow for future cricketers," said Moin.

"I would call him the Kohi-noor (a famous diamond) of world cricket," said former leg-spinner Abdul Qadir, who played in Tendulkar's first Test series.

"Great players are not those who do great achievements but those who, with their great character on and off the field, become role models. And Tendulkar is a role model."

Fans in the street also acknowledged Tendulkar's feat.

"Tendulkar is also adored in Pakistan and we are happy at his achievement. We are happy that he has not hit his 100th hundred against Pakistan," said Babar Khan, a local resident.

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Jannat 2 in copycat trouble!

Hrithik-Suzzane spooted with brood!

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

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It's selfish to retire when at the top: Tendulkar

Mirpur: Despite a phenomenal century of hundreds under his belt iconic batsman Sachin Tendulkar is in no mood to consider retirement as he feels going out on top is a "selfish thought".

Tendulkar struck his 100th international century in an Asia Cup match against Bangladesh on Friday, ending a year-long wait to get to the milestone which could remain unsurpassed.

But the 38-year-old is not even thinking about bidding adieu to his over two-decade long career just yet.

"My belief is that if I feel I can contribute, I am mentally there where I feel I am bringing value to the team then I should be playing. It's a very selfish thought that when you are at the top you should retire," Tendulkar told a news channel.

"When you are at the top, you should serve the nation. When I feel I am not in a frame of mind to contribute to nation, that's when I should retire not when somebody says. That's a selfish statement that one should retire on top," he explained.

The diminnutive right-hander, who sits on a pile of records and runs, admitted it was tough to deal with the hype around the 100th ton and the fact that the wait lingered on only made it harder.

"(There is) more of a relief because my 99th hundred was against South Africa (during the World Cup) and after that media didn't speak about my 100th hundred while the World Cup was on," he recalled.

"I missed the West Indies tour and somehow there is speculation that I wanted to score the 100 in England at Lord's but a hundred doesn't come as and when you want", he said.

"For the last one year, there were patches I was batting reasonably ok and some failures also but the whole package put together, it was possibly the toughest of my life. Last one year has been really tough," Tendulkar said.

Responding to the criticism against him that he was playing only for the milestone, Tendulkar said, "There are certain people I respect and there are certain people I don't respect. So I don't get affected by ones I don't respect, they have there opinions, it doesn't matter much they remain where they are."

"I don't bother much about them. Let them be where they are. I have got a bigger job of playing for India, score runs and win matches for India and I focus on that job instead of reacting to what they are saying," he retorted.

Asked whether the 100th ton was playing on his mind before it was hyped by the media, Tendulkar said he wasn't thinking about the stat.

"Earlier the 100th 100 wasn't on my mind at all, I was so focused on the World Cup. My biggest dream was to lift the World Cup and there could be no greater satisfaction for a player than to bring the World Cup home. That was the most important moment of my life.

"I don't think anything gets bigger than that. Personal milestones are created along that path where you have got a bigger goal and the bigger goal was to play for nation," he asserted.

Tendulkar said he was glad the hoopla around the hundred had finally ended.

"I am feeling like plenty of weight has been taken off my shoulders. I said that I have lost 50 kg yesterday but looking back it feels a little more than that. I am glad that it's all done with now.

"There are moments when you question youself, why is this happening because I was batting well. There was no specific reason to get out. It just happened. Sometimes you just have to accept what the almighty's plan is for you. I want to assure you that I won't stop trying my best," he said.

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US radio episode about Apple factory abuse retracted

Washington:  A popular US radio program on Friday retracted a story about harsh working conditions at factories that make Apple products in China, saying it contained "significant fabrications."
The 39-minute episode of "This American Life," which is distributed by Public Radio International, featured Mike Daisey, a monologist who recounted his visits to Foxconn factories in China and the abuses he encountered there.
Mr Daisey is the author of the one-man show "The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs," and the episode aired by This American Life was an excerpt from the show, which has been performed to packed audiences around the country.
This American Life executive producer Ira Glass said the episode was being retracted.
"We've learned that Mike Daisey's story about Apple in China -- which we broadcast in January -- contained significant fabrications," Mr Glass said in a statement. "We're retracting the story because we can't vouch for its truth."
Mr Glass said Mr Daisey's interpreter during his visit to Shenzhen in southern China had "disputed much of what Daisey has been saying on stage and on our show."
"Daisey lied to me and to This American Life producer Brian Reed during the fact checking we did on the story," Glass said. "That doesn't excuse the fact that we never should've put this on the air.
"In the end, this was our mistake."
This American Life said it will broadcast a programme detailing the errors in the story, "Mr. Daisey and the Apple Factory," the show's most popular podcast ever with 888,000 downloads.
"Some of the falsehoods found in Daisey's monologue are small ones: the number of factories Daisey visited in China, for instance, and the number of workers he spoke with," This American Life said. "Others are large.
"In his monologue he claims to have met a group of workers who were poisoned on an iPhone assembly line by a chemical called n-hexane," it said. "Apple's audits of its suppliers show that an incident like this occurred in a factory in China, but the factory wasn't located in Shenzhen, where Daisey visited."
In a statement on his blog, Mr Daisey said "I stand by my work."
"My show is a theatrical piece whose goal is to create a human connection between our gorgeous devices and the brutal circumstances from which they emerge," he said. "It uses a combination of fact, memoir, and dramatic license to tell its story, and I believe it does so with integrity.
"What I do is not journalism," Mr Daisey said. "The tools of the theater are not the same as the tools of journalism. For this reason, I regret that I allowed This American Life to air an excerpt from my monologue," he said.
"This American Life is essentially a journalistic, not a theatrical,  enterprise, and as such it operates under a different set of rules and expectations," he said.
"But this is my only regret," Mr Daisey continued. "I am proud that my work seems to have sparked a growing storm of attention and concern over the often appalling conditions under which many of the high-tech products we love so much are assembled in China."
Apple has repeatedly said it seeks to provide a safe working environment for workers in China and agreed in January to allow inspections of Foxconn plants by the Fair Labor Association.
The retraction of the This American Life report came on the same day as the new iPad went on sale around the world.
Protestors motivated by the reports of abuses at Foxconn factories in China staged demonstrations outside Apple stores in New York, San Francisco and other cities.

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I am not God, says Sachin Tendulkar

Mirpur: "I am not god, I am Sachin Tendulkar" - said the iconic India cricketer who watched in dejection as his 100th international century, which he described as the "toughest" of his career, was overshadowed by the team's shock loss to Bangladesh in an Asia Cup match here.

"Yes, I have to be honest. I am human and I have emotions so I was frustrated. It does play on your mind," Tendulkar told reporters at the post-match press conference after India lost by 5 wickets.

It took Sachin 36 balls to go from 80 to 100 on Friday and his 114-run knock came off 147 deliveries but the veteran insisted that personal milestone was the last thing on his mind.

"The hundred was not the only thing on my mind. I was thinking about getting a good total for the team. When I looked at the scoreboard, I was looking at the run-rate and what we needed to do; I was avoiding looking at my personal score," he said.

"I was not looking at the scoreboard. I just took it one ball at a time and looked to do it for the team. Even after completing my century, my job was not done."

Tendulkar, who endured a year-long wait to reach the 100th century, said the delay made him realise the value of a century and admitted that his patience was tested.

"After scoring 99 tons you are made to realise the value of a hundred. It's not easy, it was a testing period, but there were many people who helped me.

"There are opinions, some for some against. I don't read them, I have a job to do. Ups and downs are a part of life, there is no person who has not experienced it, and they teach you a lot in life," he said.

"I am glad about the journey. It has tested my patience, my character. So many people have had questions, I don't read any of them. Somebody who has not gone through this will have only questions, not answers.

"I felt even after 22 years, the cricket god was testing me over the last one year. I will be honest, I was frustrated at times, but I never gave up," Tendulkar added.

He has almost every international record under his belt but Tendulkar insisted that he does not play for milestones.

"I've never played cricket for milestones. While playing I have ended up breaking a few records, but that was never my goal. I play cricket just because I enjoy the game. The 100th hundred was the most difficult."

On what his future plans were after reaching the 100th hundred, Tendulkar said, "When I consider retirement, don't worry, I will not hide it from anyone. I will play as long as I am enjoying it and as long as I can contribute to the team.

"I don't play for milestones; that is a perception created by a few members of the media. I play cricket because I enjoy it."

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Sri Lanka war crimes: DMK top brass to meet on March 20 to discuss India's stand

Chennai:  The DMK's high level committee will meet on March 20 to discuss India's stand on the US resolution against Sri Lanka at a United National Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session in Geneva. Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M Karunanidhi had asked the Centre to support the US resolution on war crimes charges against Sri Lanka.

Mr Karunanidhi had said party would review its ties with the UPA if the Centre opposed the US resolution.

Mr Karunanidhi has gone on record saying, "The DMK will deem it as a betrayal of Tamils if the Centre does not support the resolution on Sri Lanka."

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had hinted that India would not support the US resolution. However, sources had earlier told NDTV that the government has assured the DMK that it will consider the sentiments while voting in UN.

After Trinamool Congress, the DMK is the largest ally of the Congress-led UPA with 18 members.

The DMK has not been the easiest partner for the Congress. Its relations with the DMK have not been the most cordial ever since Mr Karunanidhi's close aide A Raja and then his daughter Kanimozhi, went to jail in the 2G scam last year. The DMK, with its 18 MPs too has regularly given the Congress a hard time with its brinksmanship and opposition to key policy.

The allied party had embarrassed the government by disrupting the President's speech on the first day of the Budget session.

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Woman's headless body found chopped, stuffed in a bag

New Delhi:  A woman's headless dismembered body was found on Saturday stuffed in a bag near a park in north Delhi, police said.

"The body was found chopped in seven pieces, stuffed in a bag. The woman was around 25-years-old," a police official told IANS.

According to police, a case of murder has been registered at Sarai Rohilla police station and investigation has been taken up.

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Priyanka Chopra beats Sachin Tendulkar on Twitter

By Hindustan Times

Priyanka Chopra has more fans than cricketer Sanchin Tendulkar… at least on Twitter. The Bollywood star edged past the Little Master’s tally of 2,103,727 followers, with her own impressive figure of 2,156,056 adoring Tweeple.

“I can’t believe these numbers, and I certainly can't begin to compare myself to Sachin Tendulkar,” Priyanka insists, adding, “He is a legend who has brought fame, recognition and pride to our nation. He has been hugely popular on Twitter from the day he joined and I don’t think that is going to change.

The Fashion (2008) star admits that her numbers don’t really count when compared to the support Sachin enjoys. “His popularity, and the love and support he receives from millions of Indians continues to grow,” she adds.

The batsman, widely regarded as one of the greatest Indian sportsmen, is currently striving for the 100th century of his career. Priyanka hopes he will achieve it in the ongoing Asia Cup. “I wish him all the luck for the current series,” she says.

Interestingly, the female star has also surpassed the Khans — Shah Rukh, Salman and Aamir — on the micro-blogging site.

Shah Rukh trails his Don 2 co-star with 1,996,060 followers, while Salman Khan’s tally rounds up at 1, 849, 567 and Aamir’s at 1,820,618.

The only actor ahead of Priyanka is Amitabh Bachchan, who rules the marquee with 2,304,293 followers.

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Salman Rushdie on Akhilesh, Omar boycotting him at Delhi event

New Delhi:  At the India Today Conclave, Salman Rushdie was asked about his opinion on politicians who boycotted the event because of him. The list allegedly includes Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his counterpart in Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah.

"Sad that leaders supposed to be the next generation are behaving in old-fashioned way. I hope they will grow up," Mr Rushdie said at the event. He also said, "I am impressed with my effect. Really, they're that scared of me?"

On Twitter, Mr Abdullah responded, "Miss the conclave I'm afraid of an author. Come to Delhi & a communal clash breaks out in Jammu I'm incompetent. Honestly I'm glad I missed...I had a situation with the BJP VHP Bajrang Dal & others itching to inflame passions so I have no regrets about the decision to stay in Jammu...Plus Salman Rushdie doesn't even know I exist so do you really think he gives a toss whether I was there or not?? Get real :-)"

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Mamata was aware of the fare hike before Railway Budget: Sources

New Delhi/Kolkata:  In the midst of all the noise that she has made over demanding the removal of party man Dinesh Trivedi as Railways Minister over the hike in passenger fares, it has now emerged that Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was reportedly aware of the proposed increase in rates before the Railways Budget.

Sources have told NDTV that Ms Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, and Gautam Sanyal, who is her Special Secretary were in the loop of the politically-sensitive decision. Not just that, leaders from the Opposition, sources say, were also asked for their views on the Budget before the hike in fares was finalised. Most leaders, cutting across party lines, admitted that an increase in fares was inevitable, sources add.

The revelation would come as a huge embarrassment for Ms Banerjee, who has been stinging in her criticism of Mr Trivedi and is adamant over his removal as the Railways Minister over the hike in fares. Her accusations of "betrayal" levelled against Mr Trivedi could also fall flat given the fact that she had reportedly been consulted over the hike - a bold move and the first in nine years that has put Mr Trivedi in the eye of a storm after he presented his maiden Railways Budget on Wednesday.

But the minister seems unfazed. As the government contemplates over Ms Banerjee's demand for his ouster, Mr Trivedi said, ""I expect the PM to do what the PM should do". He has also refused to resign as Railways Minister till he receives orders in writing from his party chief, Ms Banerjee. "Till the time the matter is absolutely clear, I have suggested I do not want to take anything verbal. For me, Parliament has more sanctity than anything. So, I suggested let Mamata write me a letter so that there is no confusion...I will perform my duty as a Railway Minister," Mr Trivedi told reporters in New Delhi today.

Acting on Ms Banerjee's behalf, party colleague Kalyan Banerjee, earlier in the day, reportedly told Mr Trivedi that when he was made Railways Minister, he did not receive written notice; hence it was not required now. Something that was reiterated by senior party leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay who said that there will be nothing in writing to Dinesh Trivedi. 

Since Ms Banerjee wrote to the PM asking for Mr Trivedi's removal, he has defied her repeatedly. He has attended Parliament and refused to rollback the hike in passenger fares that led to her demanding his dismissal. On record, he has been deferential, stating that he will quit as soon as Ms Banerjee requests. The two have reportedly not spoken directly since Mr Trivedi presented his Rail Budget on Wednesday.

Ms Banerjee has said repeatedly that she wants Mukul Roy, also from her party, to be made the new Railways Minister. The Congress had asked her to wait till March 30 when Parliament breaks to make the change. She has allegedly indicated that is not acceptable. Today in Kolkata she said, "Mukul Roy will be next Railways Minister. He has been a Trinamool MP for six years already. He has been re-nominated to the Rajya Sabha this time. He is a good worker. Now the government will have to decide."

However last night, it appeared that Ms Banerjee had lifted that deadline. "It is nothing to be hurried, nothing to be worried. The issue is being dealt with by the PM and Mamata," said Sudip Bandhopadhyay, who is from the Trinamool Congress (TMC). He added that the Prime Minister and Ms Banerjee spoke on Thursday night.

The lifting of the deadline for Mr Trivedi's removal suggested that Ms Banerjee was not immune to reports that the Congress has been considering replacing her in the ruling coalition at the Centre with Mulayam Singh Yadav and his Samajwadi Party MPs.

Sources in both the Congress and Ms Banerjee's party say that both sides are also close to resolving another large dispute. On Monday, in Parliament, the Prime Minister will address some of the concerns raised by Ms Banerjee to the new National Counter Terror Centre or NCTC. Ms Banerjee has said the NCTC's powers violate the autonomy of state governments and federalism. Her party moved amendments to the President's address to Parliament earlier this week, asking for a reference to the NCTC to be deleted. The President's address outlines the government's agenda; allies rarely ask for amendments. The BJP has moved similar amendments on the NCTC, and is likely to press for a vote. That could put Ms Banerjee's MPs in the awkward position of voting with the BJP and against the government. The PM, in his reply to the motion of thanks to the President's address on Monday, is expected to assuage Ms Banerjee's fears about the NCTC. That could help diffuse at least some of the tension between the political partners.

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