Here's a number you can mull over: The Jaitapur nuclear plant requires 5200 crore litres of water every single day.

Also: The toll in the Arunachal Pradesh chopper crash: 16 dead, one person untraceable, four injured, one safe.

And dearies, the stories that made the headlines...

1. 83% turnout signals end of Left: Mamata
2. Rs 3000 reward for braveheart Rajdhani staff
3. Jairam: Shocked, worried at Jaitapur firing
4. Fukushima robot probe: Workers can re-enter
5. Pak test fires nuclear-capable missile
6. Hazare should not keep politicians out: Swamy
7. Shiney challenges rape conviction
8. Pak trying to secure drone technology: Gilani
9. Violence in Jaitapur, mob ransacks hospital
10. PMO nod for questioning Puducherry Lt governor
11. England's Flower in running for India coach

Buoyed by the high 83.75 per cent turnout in North Bengal in the first phase of Assembly elections, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee today claimed that the CPI(M) would would be routed there. "CPI(M) is going to be ousted from power in West Bengal this time. The Left Front will not even get 10 of the 54 seats in North Bengal," Banerjee told an election rally in North 24 Parganas district adjoining Kolkata.

"People want change from Marxist misrule. The Trinamool begins its victory lap from North Bengal where we were not that strong till the other day," she said.

Over a month to go, but the news is that India's monsoon is most likely to be normal for the second consecutive year, news that that could bring cheer to the largely farm-dependent economy.

Bizarre, but true.

A British firm have brewed the first beer laced with Viagra. The new tipple, which is guaranteed to beat brewer's droop, goes on sale this week. Downing just three bottles is equivalent to taking one of the blue pills which enhance men's sexual performance. The brew, called Royal Virility Performance, has been specially created to mark the forthcoming Royal Wedding.

Status of the sedition case against Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, writer Arundhati Roy and four others for making alleged anti-India speeches last year.

The Delhi city police today told a court that it was still probing the sedition case and that complainant Sushil Pandit has been asked to join the probe.

Certainly doesn't compare, except for similar charges, but after bail was granted to Dr Binayak Sen, will this case end without a murmur?

Both the railways and passengers on board the Mumbai-Delhi Rajdhani acknowledged that it was the alertness and prompt action of nine pantry staffers that helped save lives of hundreds of passengers when the pantry car caught fire gutting a total of three bogeys.

In return, the railways have lauded them with a slap in the face -- what else doyou call a cash reward of Rs 3,000, which as is always the case,takes years to reach the beneficiary.

At the same time, the railways gave Rs 10.6 lakh to 212 passengers (Rs 5,000 per passenger) as ex-gratia for the inconvenience and loss of baggage.

Health alert and a frightening one at that. Remember though, most of these alerts are rubbished soon after they are publishes by another scientific group.

This is for the millions of us who sit in front of a computer all day at work -- research shows spending 10 years or more in a sedentary job almost doubles the risk of some types of bowel cancer.

The report carried in the dailymail.co.uk also says that researchers found even workers who regularly keep fit or go to the gym are still twice as likely to get a tumour.

Read more and get acidity to boot

R RAJAGOPALANtweets: Enforcement Directorate is likely to take possession of the passport of Dr Iqbal Singh. A normal drill done to any one being interrogated.

See our 12.10 pm post for the background.

Update on the Jaitapur issue.

The Shiv Sena has demanded that the postmortem of Tabrez Sejkar be videographed and conducted in presence of members of the 'Manvadhikar Sameeti.'

The leaders also demanded immediate suspension and slapping of section 302 of IPC (murder) on Circle officer Ajit Pawar who gave shooting orders yesterday.

The bandh turned violent with protesters opposing the passage of the proposed 9900 MW Nuclear Power Plant in Jaitapur. They pelted stones on the building of Ratnagiri civil hospital where dead body of Tavrez is kept for postmortem besides setting some state transport buses on fire.

The Jaitapur nuclear power project with six nuclear rectors of 1,650 MW each would be one of the largest N-power projects in the world.

Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh says he is shocked and worried by the firing in Jaitapur, Maharashtra. He says he can't be blamed for it as the Shiv Sena is politicising the issue. Toll so far: One dead, but fresh clashes between police and protestors on. By the way, protestors are not allowing a post-mortem on the deceased, identified as Tabrez Sehkar. Five injured protesters have been rushed to the Ratnagiri Civil Hospital.

For all of you who just joined us, here's what's happening in Jaitapur

Wonder how many chapatis were made from the atta Hasan Ali Khan pisaoed in the chakki at Arthur Road jail, Mumbai.

But jail authorities may have to lend the Pune-based stud farm owner Hasan Ali to Patna. Alocal court today asked the Patna police to produce Khan, arrested in a multi-crore money laundering scam, before it by April 30.

The Patna police had on March 24 seized documents from the Regional Passport Office there relating to passports being issued on a fake address to Hasan Ali Khan.

In fact, it's in this very case, that Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Iqbal Singh has been accused of helping facilitate the fake passport. Today, the PMO orderedthe ED toquestion Singh.

There's really no accounting for taste. Or all those polled have the memory of an earthworm.

A poll in the UK has indicated that Kate Middleton's marriage to Prince William will make her the third most beautiful royal in history, beating the late Diana, into fourth place.

Middleton, who will become part of the royal family when she marries William on April 29, came third in the survey, one place ahead of Princess of Wales.

Princess Grace of Monaco - also known as the Oscar-winning actress Grace Kelly - topped the list, with a 91 per cent approval rating, closely followed by Queen Rania of Jordan, on 90 per cent. Middleton had an approval rating of 84 percent, with the late Princess Diana close behind on 82 per cent.

Here's what the robot probe sent into the bowels of the Fukushima nuclear reactor in Japan has revealed.

Cnn.com reports thata robot probe found sauna-like conditions inside the No 2 reactor building at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant but lower levels of radiation than in other damaged units.

Reactor No 2 is believed to be leaking water, thousands of tons of which are filling the basement of its turbine plant and utility tunnels.

Temperatures up to 41 degrees Celsiusand humidity ranging from 94-99 percent fogged up the lenses of the probe's cameras, forcing operators to withdraw the device after a few minutes.

But the radiation levels were low enough that workers might be able to re-enter the building for short periods of time, Tokyo Electric officials said.

More neighbourhood news.

Pakistan's military says it has test-fired a newly developed short-range missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead. A military statement says the "Hatf 9" missile was successfully launched from an undisclosed location on Tuesday. It says the missile has a range of 60 kilometers (35 miles) and can carry nuclear warheads with high accuracy.

Pakistan PM Yousuf Raza Gilani said the country was trying to secure Drone spy plane technology from the US and seeking enhanced intelligence sharing so that it can act on its own against militants. (And at a stretch, India?)

Gilani raised the issue of drone strikes with a visiting Congressional delegation led by Speaker of the US House of Representatives, John Boehner, and said American lawmakers should influence the Obama administration to agree on a joint strategy under which drone technology could be transferred to Pakistan.

Here's an interesting read from the Dawn newspaper: Pakistani sues US over Drone strike

In Mumbai, the son of a corporate bigwig was arrested in a hit-and-run case inwhich a motorcyclist seriously wounded. Ankush Shahra (24), son of Dinesh Shahra, managing director of Ruchi Soya (the guys who make the rubbery soya nuggets), was arrested after a hot chase by the police after his Porsche rammed into a motorcycle at Marine Drive.

Ankush, who was allegedly drunk, tried to escape in his car, but was chased down after a beat constable and some onlookers alerted the local police station.

CNN IBN saysa mystery ship, MV Danacia Sunrise has been detained by the Mumbai ATS after it was intercepted two days ago.

The NSG searched the ship with sniffer dogs and satellite phone conversations are being analysed. The crew also reveals that some call data has been erased and that they threw two AK-47 rifles into the sea. The ship has no cargo.The ship was intercepted on the basis of a RAW alert.

More on thatas we get it.

Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy today said Gadhian activitist Anna Hazare should have politicians on his side.Lauding Hazare for his fight for a Jan Lokpal Bill, Swamy said he was surrounded by 'NGOs who are bogus.'

'Unfortunately Hazare is surrounded by NGOs who are bogus. He needs politicians to handle politicians,' Swamy said.

Praising Hazare, who went on a fast-unto-death pressing for a Lokpal Bill with more teeth, Swamy, however, rued that "the basic error of Hazare was to keep the politicians out."

"His team should have some politicians," Swamy said.

Reacting to the controversy surrounding the CD allegedly containing former Law Minister Shanthi Bhushan's conversations with SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, Swamy said "why didnt those who were aware of the CD approach the police."

The condition of athlete Arunima 'Sonu' Sinha has turned serious. Sonu was moved to AIIMS, New Delhi, from Lucknow's CSMMU hospital, after her condition worsened during the second operation conducted there to prevent infection. Doctors say the infection is spreading fast in her body and she is in danger of developing septicemia. Sonu, 25, had lost her left leg after being pushed off a train by robbers in Bareilly on April 11.

Apparently it's not just Britain and that's interested in the upcoming William-Kate wedding, people here are too. Actually the wordfor Britain would be obsessed, not just interested.

Wonder what Kate Middleton's parents feel to be soon related to the Queen of England,apart from the huge disparity in wealth, of course.

But Kate's parents aren't exactly poor. The dailymail.co.uk, which has been reporting on every bit of information they can lay their hands on, on the the wedding, says the Middletons are worth £300million.

Read more

The Shiv Sena has gets its Andy Warhol moment in Jaitapur, Maharashtra.

The bandh called by the Sena in coastal Ratnagiri district to condemn the police firing on anti-nuclear power project demonstrators in Jaitapur turned violent today with a mob ransacking a district hospital and torching buses.

The mob attacked the district hospital and damaged its postmortem wing in Ratnagiri besides setting on fire some state transport buses and other vehicles, officials said.

With the Opposition sharpening its attack on the ruling Democratic Front government over the proposed 9900 MW Nuclear Power Project in Jaitapur, the Leader of Opposition in legislative Assembly Eknath Khadse demanded a judicial probe into yesterday's police firing in which one person was killed.

Rediff.com's Vicky Nanjappa has this lovely story from Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh.

Handicapped by a brand new party known as the YSR Congress party and the lack of a permanent symbol, his opponents have decided to counter him in a unique manner.

His opponents have managed to find 10 independent candidates with the same name -- Y Jaganmohan Reddy who will contest the elections against the real Jagan Mohan Reddy.

And it does not end here. Jagan's mother Vijalaxmi too will face similar competition from six of her namesakes. In the Kadappa assembly elections she would be up against six other candidates with the same name.

Read the full story shortly on rediff.com

Bollywood actor Shiney Ahuja, who was sentenced to seven years' rigorous imprisonment for raping his domestic maid, has approached the Bombay High Court challenging his conviction.

The actor's appeal was admitted today and his plea for bail has been posted for hearing on April 27 by Justice A R Joshi.

Shiney, in his appeal, has stated that the lower court has erred in law while convicting him and that he has been falsely implicated in the case.

On March 30, relying on circumstantial evidence, a fast track court had convicted Shiney, although the victim had turned hostile during the trial.

Ahuja was acquitted of the charges of criminal intimidation and wrongful confinement.

The circumstantial evidence that nailed Ahuja:

1. The DNA report was positive
2. The hymen was torn
3. There were blood marks on the victim's clothes
4. Semen was found on the quilt and curtains
5. Shiney's hand bore scratch marks of the victim.

Point is, even if he is acquitted of rape charges, which is unlikely, Shiney's career as an actor is over. He wasn't really an established, saleable face and this kind of taint is not what a producer wants to work with. Never mind, the actresses.

Just in: There's been a tyre burst on a Hyderabad-Chennai SpiceJet flight. The rear tyre of the plane burst during landing. The good news is that all 96 passengers and crew are safe.

Serial whiner Sreesanth tweets: Plss stop linking me. i am single and working hard on getting better on my game and I am loving my life. want to surely win more n more matches

I am not getting married to anyone now..its only cricket .., cricket and cricket now..want to set high standards .we r the world champs.

So, who is he being linked with?

The PMO gives its nod to the Enforcement Directorate for questioning Puducherry Governor Iqbal Singh over alleged links with Hasan Ali.

Singh will be questioned by the ED on his alleged links with money laundering suspect Hasan Ali Khan. Singh had come under the scanner after reports surfaced that he had helped Khan get his passport.

The matter came to light during questioning of Congress leader Amlendu Pandey by the directorate about his relations with Khan.

A jittery Jayalalithaa today demanded that the Election Commission take "sufficient safeguards" including deploying Central paramilitary forces during counting of votes on May 13 and videograph the entire process.

The AIADMK chief urged that the counting process should commence in the presence of an EC-deputed observer and "he should be present throughout the counting process till the declaration of election is made by the Returning Officer."

It may be remembered that Jaya had asked the EC to maintain strict vigil when Tamil Nadu went to the polls on April 13, along with Kerala and Puducherry. Jaya had said she expected poll violence as the DMK had not paid the police, responsible for security, at the polling booths. However, no security breach was reported.

Meanwhile, Fidel Castro confirmed he had resigned from the top leadership of the Cuba Communist Party.

"Raul knew that I would not accept a formal role in the party today," Castro said in an article on the Cubadebate.cu portal, referring to his brother Raul and his own absence from the party's new Central Committee, elected yesterday.

Castro, 84, had served as first secretary in the Central Committee of the party -- which underpins the country's Communist government -- since the party's creation in 1965.

It's about time the grand old man of communism/revolution called it a day (in politics, of course).

The defence team of Raj Rajaratnam, the Indian-origin billionaire co-founder of the Galleon Group who has been accused of making tens of millions of dollars on insider tips, rested their case on Monday without calling Rajaratnam to the witness stand.

Rajaratnam's lawyers said in court that their client had used information from analyst research reports, media reports and other information that was available to the public to make investment decisions and not, as prosecutors allege, illegal tips.

From the Pakistani paper, Express Tribune: Top military officials from Pakistan and the United States willmeet this weekin the latest effort to repair ties damaged by a series of diplomatic rows between the two countries, particularly the continuing drone strikes in the tribal areas by America's CIA.

US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen will be in Islamabad to discuss with Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani the issues that have two countries, said Pakistani and American officials.

On We the People (NDTV) over the weekend, interesting show on parents of gay children. Warm, sensible and no rants. Watch it if there's a repeat. And lookout for the Punju granny, who stole the show.

Today, the Supreme Court deferred its hearing on the issue of legalisation and decriminalisation of gay sex among consenting adults in private.

A bench headed by Justice G S Singhvi adjourned the matter without specifying the date of the next hearing and said it would be taken up after summer vacations.

The apex court was hearing a bunch of petitions filed by gay rights activists and also by political, social and religious organisations, who have opposed the Delhi High Court verdict decriminalising homosexual behaviour.

Sources in India have indicated that Flower is on a shortlist to replace coach Gary Kirsten, who left after the World Cup final.

India is likely to appoint an interim coach before making a long-term appointment. They will tour England later this summer and the ECB will want to clear up Flower's future before then.

Update on the condition of Sathya Sai Baba: The seer's condition continues to be critical. He has been undergoing treatment for multi-organ dysfunction.

"His vital system including liver are showing minimal response to treatment, which is a cause of worry to the treating doctors," a medical bulletin issued this morning by the Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences said.

He continues to be on ventilatory support and his blood pressure continues to show periodic fluctuation which is being corrected by appropriate drugs, it said.

First up, it seems England cricket coach Andy Flower is among the few who have been reportedly shortlisted by the BCCI for the India job left vacant by Gary Kirsten.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Flower, along with Duncan Fletcher, are among the shortlisted candidates for the post vacated by Kirsten after India's World Cup triumph.

Read the rediff.com story on remembering Gary Kirsten

Don't know about yours, but our day began with a peek of Shane Warne's undies. He flashed them during a TV chat show. For those into details, they are navy and red stripes. Ewww.

Anyway, the day's top stories...

Pantry car hero saves 150 lives in burning Rajdhani (The Times of India)

Thanks to Pawan Kumar, not a single passenger was injured as 3 bogies of the Mumbai-Delhi Rajdhani were reduced to cinders early Monday morning. Read

Income Tax department to review all property deals to unearth black money (The Times of India)

The plan is to start the scrutiny from Delhi and the NCR, comprising Gurgaon and Noida, & subsequently turn it into an all-India exercise. Read

Arunima brought to AIIMS; she will walk again: Docs (The Times of India)

The condition of Arunima Sinha, the volleyball player who lost her left leg after being thrown out of a moving train in Bareilly last week, is stable. She was brought to the AIIMS Trauma Centre in New Delhi on Monday afternoon. Read

Probe Shiv Sena 'deal' with Dow, demands NCP (DNA)
The NCP alleged that Shiv Sena MP Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil attempted to strike a deal between Dow Chemicals and protesters opposing a proposed chemical plant by the US firm near Pune. Read

Relief for ex-CJI, I-T dept says his tax details cannot be disclosed (The Indian Express)

The Additional Commissioner of Income Tax, Kochi range the I-T Department's appellate authority under the Right to Information Act on Monday upheld former chief justice of India K G Balakrishnan's stand that his Income Tax details could not be revealed to a third party. Read

Siddhartha Mukherjee wins 2011 Pulitzer prize (The Indian Express)
The NRI physician's acclaimed book on cancer has won in the general non-fiction category. Read

UN, Muammar Gaddafi reach deal for humanitarian aid in Libya (DNA)
Noting that half a million people had fled the country and tens of thousands did not have basic needs, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said, 'We have very serious humanitarian problems'. Read

Online viewership of Indian Premier League rises 62% (The Times of India)

With IPL 4 entering its second week, it is clear that not only it's a hit, it is also breaking new ground when it comes to online viewership. Read