Much good news for India today...

Abducted junior engineer released by Naxals.

The collector is safe and will be released in 48 hours

Four CWG scamsters arrested.

Ship, AI at hand to evacuate trapped Indians in Libya

Liberal and modern Darul Uloom VC stays on.

So much for now. There's always lots to read and much to see at rediff.com. Stay with us.

Junior engineer Pabitra Majhi who was released by Naxals near Malkangiri, Orissa this afternoon, addresses his first presser after visiting the collector's home.

First up is that the Naxals have said that the collector, Vineel Krishna, is safe and will be released in 48 hours.

He said both of them were kept in a cut-off area, an area where the local administration is not present, basically areas under Naxal control.

They were moved from place to place, but Majhi said heis not aware of the exact location of the area they were kept in. He said the Naxals abducted them from the Jantapai area and reiterated that they were not threatened.

He said the collector's health was fine and he was doing well -- they were given rice and dal every day, for the last seven days.

Majhi was debriefed by the police before he addressed the press meet.

Hours after Darul Uloom's Ghulam Mohammad Vastanvi was told he could stay on as the vice chancellor, rediff.com's Sahim Salim met him at the Darul guesthouse. His supporters, who somehow managed to get into the room, record every word he speaks on their cell phones with reverence.

An excerpt of the interveiw.

After so many days of anticipation and speculation, the verdict is finally out. How do you feel?

I feel great. I was ready to offer my resignation, but the Shoora did not accept it. I only have praise for Shoora at the moment. Now it is up to the investigating committee to file a report, after which the Shoora will take a final decision.

Much more on rediff.com shortly

For the culture vultures in Mumbai.

A retrospective show of Homai Vyarawalla's (she's India's first woman photo-journalist) work will be on at the NGMA Mumbai from 25thof February to the 10thof April.

Did Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah return home after three months abroad to prevent a coup de etat? Obviously, we won't get a crumb of news out of the kingdom to verify that, in the background of the domino-like effect of uprisings across Arab countries.

But the king has in fact, announced increased benefits for his citizens, as he returned after months in New York getting medical treatment. The kingdom has declared next Saturday a holiday to celebrate his return.

Anyway, the king has said there will be extra funds for housing, studying abroad and social security,reports the bbc.co.uk. In the three months he has been away, mass protests have changed the political landscape of the Middle East.

The Saudi king will speak at a new session of the Saudi Shura Council (Parliament) in which he is expected to comment on regional events.

Read more

Still no news on whether the Maoists have released the abducted district colletor, Vineel Krishna.Junior engineer Pabitra Majhi was releasedthis afternoon and has reached Malkangiri.

Meanwhile, the Orissa High Court today granted bail to top Maoist leader Ganti Prasadam, whose release is among the conditions set by the Naxals for the safe return of abducted DC.

The court granted him bail on a bond of Rs 20,000 with two sureties. Prasadam was among the five Naxal leaders whose release was demanded by abductors of Krishna and Majhi.

However, Dandapani Mohanty, one of the Maoist-chosen mediators, claimed that Prasadam would like to remain in jail despite getting bail till all 627 tribals were released from prison.

The dailymail.co.uk reports the story of a teenager who had a harrowing ordeal of being beaten up in an arranged marriage after her father tried to sell her for £10,000.

The 15-year-old girl was tricked into flying to Pakistan then forced to marry a 31-year-old man so he could get a British passport.

She has described how she feared she would died after being hit, scarred with broken glass and locked up for reusing to get married.

Sounds familiar? Read more

And another one...

Rakesh Jhunjhunwalatweets: I see that India TV is telecasting a revolutionary piece of Television programming - 'Makdee Manav ka Mystery'

We haven't checked this out but loved the name of the programme in this tweet.

Shiv Mishraby jhunjhunwala: Aajtak will telecast a special program on Libya and Colonel Gaddafi, titled "Kalankaari Karnal".

We told you a while ago that Pakistan will not be pursuing the extradition of former President Pervez Musharraf from the UK fora probe into the murder of former Pak PM Benazir Bhutto.

In this context, read the rediff.com story by Vicky Nanjappa on how Musharraf paved the way for Benazir's killing.

A few weeks before her murder, Bhutto sent an e-mail to newsanchor Wolf Blitzer at CNN in which she said she faced a threat to her life from then Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf.

Read more

As we wait for Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab to hang in our lifetime, India today said the involvement of state actors in Pakistan with terrorist groups has come to light on a number of occasions, including in the 26/11 attacks, and terror infrastructure continues to exist in that country.

"Inputs from central security agencies and through various open sources confirm that terrorist infrastructure continues to exist in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir by way of numerous training camps, communication centres and launching pads," Minister of State for Home Gurudas Kamat told the Rajya Sabha today.

CWG arrests coming in fast and furious. Fingers crossed it will our Suresh Kalmadi next.

Top CWG Organising Committee official K U K Reddy and director of a private firm Praveen Bakshi remanded in CBI custody for five days in an overlays supply case.

The two were arrested yesterday.

Reddy, a former IAF Group Captain was Additional Director General of Finance and Accounts in the Organising Committee, while Praveen Bakshi supplied overlays for the event. According to the CBI, Bakshi came under the scanner for charging hefty prices for sundry items supplied during the CWG.

With hundreds of Indian students of California-based Tri Valley University facing an uncertain future, the government today said it has asked US authorities to treat them as victims of fraud and allow them to study elsewhere in that country.

Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi, replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, said the matter has been taken up with the US department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, requesting them to treat the students as "victims of fraud and not criminals".

If you remember, the Tri Valley University was shut down on charges of massive visa fraud affecting hundreds of Indian students, who were studying in the university.

Details of evacuation for Indians in Libya.

Our New Delhi correspondent writes in to say that GK Vasan, who is the Union Minister for Shipping, has ordered the diversion ofa ship coming from Athens to go to Tripoli to bring home 1000 Indians stranded in Libiya.

The ship which was sailing to Tuticorin and Colombo was on its way from Athens. It is expected to reach Tripoli on Saturday.

Hours after former CWG OC secretary general Lalit Bhanot was called in by the CBI for questioning in the CWG scam, the investigative agency arrested him and former director general V K Verma.

The duo were arrested for purchasing scoring and result equipment from a Switzerland-based firm for a whopping 107 crore. According to sources the two had been instrumental in causing a loss of Rs 57 crore by accepting highly over-priced tenders.

The sight of two Iranian warships sailing through the Suez Canal heading toward the Mediterranean reminds us of the ushering in of a new era in the geopolitics of the Middle East. Seldom do we get to see the unceremonious departure of an entire era in current history.

From the blog by MK Bhadrakumar. Read more

Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao tweets on the evacuation of the 18,000 Indians stuck in Libya. Estimates say at least a 1000 dead in the country.

Nirupama Rao:From Egypt access to eastern coast of Libya relatively quick and less difficult.

Just spoke to our Ambassador in Tripoli. She awaits clearance for landing of our aircraft and for our ships. One ship arriving Egypt today.

Our Ambassador is in touch with our nurses in Benghazi. Regular civilian flights still operating in to and out of Tripoli, I understand.

She is also in touch with our Indian community in smaller Libyan cities. She and our Mission are doing their very best.

The Rajya Sabha today witnessed a heated exchange between Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma and BJP member Rajiv Pratap Rudy replying to a question on non-finalisation of accounts by some PSUs.

This is what Rudy said: "Instead of wasting time and giving one-line answer, you should have sent it to the concerned minister. You are a responsible minister," Rudy told Sharma during Question Hour.

We hope you have been following our super duper World Cup cricket commentary.

Also, as part of our WC boquet we have a new cricket-based show on wherestaffers Manu Shankarand Abhishek Mandetalk about the matches that they are dying to watch, those they'd rather not happen and those that are happening.

Through this all, the two pose some very difficult questions: Will Netherlands beat England in today's match at Nagpur or will the English spin attack do them in? Should Sachin Tendular retire?

And finally the big one: Munni ya Sheila? So buckle up and get set for a mad mad, ride through this World Cup!

Watch today's silly point

Couldn't give you the details on the what happened at the Darul Uloom Deoband meeting which ended a little earlier because of the Malkangiri story, but here it is now.

With votes going in his favour, the top clergy of Darul Uloom, Vice-Chancellor Maulana Ghulam Mohammed Vastanvi has been given a reprieve and will continue as the VC. Vastanvi stirred controversy by praising Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and it was believed he would be asked to quit.

The decision for him to continue comes largely due to the seminary's self-confessed need to bring in a change of image -- from staunch Islamists to a seminary seen to promote modernism and education -- which was spearheaded by Vastanvi.

The governing council knows that only Vastanvi,responsible for introducing computersin theeducation institutions controlled by the Uloom in Maharashtra, can bring about these changes. Basically, a move beyond only studying the Quran, which Vastanvi promised to bring about.

So for now he stays in. A three-member panel had been appointed to look into the violence that broke out immediately after his pro-Narendra Modi comments.

Maulana Abul Qassim Banarasi named assistant vice chancellor of Darul Uloom. When Vastanvi is not present at Deoband, which is often, Banarasi will act as the VC for all practical purposes.

Just in: Malkangiri Maoists have just released junior engineer Pabitra Majhi, which is to befollowed by district collector Vineel Krishna. Majhi is the first to be released, but there are no confirmations yet on whether Krishna has been released as well. He is supposed to have been released after Majhi.

The junior engineer has reached Janwai Ghat near Chitrakonda district andit will take at least three hours for him to reach Malkangiri. He was seen riding triple seat on a motorbike. There are believed to be logistical hiccups in the release of the collector. Both the men were abducted last week.

Much rage on Twitter at the Supreme Court's decision to let off three men convicted for gangrape after they agreed to a "compromise formula' with the victim -- they would pay her a fine of Rs 50,000 each.

The Hindustan Times report says that a bench comprising Justice Markandeya Katju and Justice Gyan Sudha Mishra upheld the conviction of the accused but did not order their imprisonment. It let them off after observing that they had spent three-and-a-half of the 10 years they were ordered to remain in prison.

Twitter rage...

SillyP0int Amit kumar
Dear Supreme Court I can see you are slowly transforming yourself from Watchdog to Lapdog.

abhi_pune Abhishek Sharma
Dear Supreme Court, there should be a law to punish those- who interfere in others life without permission

sreerajarasa Sreeraj Arasa
Dear Supreme court, dat was d biggest WTF justice evr!! Hw much money did those rapists pay u for not sentencing them despite d conviction!?

chechora_ saheb pathan
Dear Supreme Court how can u free rapists before time.

We told you first up this morning that Libya's interior minister had resigned to support anti-government protesters.

However, the Libyan government has now said he has been kidnapped. Abdul Fattah Younis al Abidi told CNN today that he resigned Monday after hearing that 300 unarmed civilians had been killed in Benghazi, Libya's second-largest city.

He accused Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi of planning to attack civilians on a wide scale. But the same day, Libyan state media reported that "gangs" in Benghazi had kidnapped him.

Read more

The Allahabad High Court today adjourned till Friday the hearing on a petition moved by the parents of Aarushi Talwar challenging a CBI court order making them accused in her murder and that of their domestic help, Hemraj, three years ago.

The petition has challenged the Ghaziabad court order of February 9 in which the couple has been made the accused on the basis of the CBI's closure report and also charged them with engaging in criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence.

On the Libya uprising.

Protesters have been allowed to enter the Libyan Embassy in Stockholm and have raised the flag of the monarchy that was toppled by Muammar Gaddafi's military coup in 1969.

About 50 protesters shouting "Libya, Libya" rallied outside the building last night and urged embassy staff to join them.

Three of the protesters were let into the building and raised the old flag from a flagpole to the cheers of the crowd below.

Diplomats inside the embassy supported the protesters but had not stepped down. On Monday three local staff at the embassy resigned to protest the Libyan government's crackdown on demonstrators.

As expected, Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Amir Kasab has decided to move the Supreme Court over the death penalty handed out to him by the Bombay High Court in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Next, of course, is the Presidential pardon. The Times of India had a story yesterday saying it would take at least till 2018 for Kasab's plea to come up before the President since 27 pleas are in queue.

Sometimes, democracy is not such a good thing.

For a quick read on what happened in court

BJPSushma Swaraj:I told the Government that 'Everything is standstill in Telangana. What is on is firing of rubber bullets, teargas and lathicharge.

I raised the issue of separate Telangana in the Lok Sabha today.

I assured the Prime Minister that we will provide requisit support for the passage of the Bill for Telangana.

The situation can be resolved by an assurance from the Prime Minister that a Bill for separate Telangana will be brought in.

Sushma Swaraj talks about the Parliament adjournement overthe Telangana statehood issue. Ten T-CongMPs have threatened to quit saying they will not allow the Parliament to function.

This has been said before, but no harm done in giving you a fresh smidgen of information

Using a mobile does affect your brain, medics have warned. The sun.co.uk reports that it may boost the chances of developing diseases like cancer. A major scientific study of hundreds of mobile users revealed signals emitted during calls can cause a seven per cent rise in chemical changes in the brain.

Read moreand do cut down on your calls

Just so you know, happening right now, is a decision on the fate of the top clergy of Darul Uloom, Vice-Chancellor Maulana Ghulam Mohammed Vastanvi.

Vastanvi stirred controversy by praising Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and it is believed he may be asked to quit.

The faction-ridden Majlis-e-Soora or governing council of Darul Uloom will hold the meeting to decide on the key post following the controversy, the first of its kind in the history of the seminary.

The 18-member council has two options -- either it could allow Vastanvi to continue with a gag order or ask him to step down.

Just in: The ICC will decide on Australian skipper Ricky Ponting today after it received an official complaint from the GCA. This is what happened yesterday.

Ponting smashed a LCD television set in the team's dressing room, apparently in a fit of anger, after he got run out against Zimbabwe, sources in the Gujarat Cricket Association said yesterday.

The incident took place immediately after Ponting was run out on 28 on Monday by a direct hit from Chris Mpofu in the Group A clash between Australia and Zimbabwe. GCA said that they had informed the Australian cricket authorities about the incident.

Busy day for CBI investigators today. After A Raja's brother, former CWG OC secretary general Lalit Bhanot has been summoned to the investigative agency's headquarters for questioning in connection with the 2G scam. It may be remembered that Bhanot is a close associate of former CWG OC boss Suresh Kalmadi.

Bhanot was removed from his post by sports minister Ajay Maken, three months after the October 3-14 Commonwealth Games was clouded by allegations of corruption.

Sources say Bhanot may be arrested soon.

After New Year's Day 2009, Western media reported thatSeif al-Islam el-Qaddafi, a son of the Libyan leader Col.Muammar el-Qaddafi, had paidMariah Carey$1 million to sing just four songs at a bash on the Caribbean island of St. Barts.

Read the Gaddafi family exploits detailed by WikiLeaks

Sorry, if this sounds like a homily, but it's a fact that terrible, evilpeople live long, healthy lives.

Thisstory is about those on the other end of life's spectrum -- people who make a positive difference and touch our lives every day -- Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

When shareholders meet Wednesday at the company's Cupertino, Calif., headquarters, the buzz will not be about Apple's next sleek new gadget or soaring profits, reports LA Times.

Much of the talk will be about Chief Executive Steve Jobs and what Apple would do without him. The secretive Apple has been reluctant to talk publicly about Jobs' battle with a rare form of pancreatic cancer and a liver transplant. But the uncertainty shrouding his latest leave of absence has unsettled investors and rankled corporate governance experts, who say the company's fortunes are inextricably linked to Jobs.

Read more

Just in: A Raja's brother reaches CBI headquarters for questioning in the 2G scam.

Kalia Perumal, brother of the former telcom minister, was just yesterday questioned for over three hours by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with its probe in the 2G spectrum scam.

Perumal, it may be remembered, is in Tihar jail with A Raja.

Alright, Congress Telangana MPs have met Pranab Mukherjee and have threatened to quit if the statehood issue is not resolved. The issue rocked the Budget session of Parliament as well as the Andhra Pradesh Assembly (in its fifth day today) as TDP, TRS, CPI and BJP members continued to disrupt proceedings demanding a resolution seeking separate statehood.

On the other hand, Congress MLAs loyal to rebel leader Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy too were on their feet on the fee reimbursement issue, leaving the government further embarrassed.

The House was adjourned thrice this morning as the Telangana protagonists remained adamant on their demand for a resolution on the statehood issue.

Former Australian captain Allan Border feels New Zealand would be more dangerous than usual in the World Cup match against Australia as the Black Caps have been motivated further by the earthquake that has devastated their country. (400 dead, at last count).

"They're a side that tend to lift against Australia and given the recent events in Christchurch, they've got the added incentive to do well," Border said.

"Not that that should make that much difference, but you've got that incentive in the back of your mind to lift for the sake of your countrymen. They're a dangerous opponent, there's no doubt about that," he said.

This seems to be a day for missing books.

A large number of books from former US President Thomas Jefferson's private collection have been discovered, more than 180 years after his heirs sold them off at an auction to pay off his debts.

Jefferson had several collections, including 6,700 books that he sold to the Library of Congress in 1815 after the British burned Washington. The former President immediately started another collection that swelled to 1,600 books by the time he died on July 4, 1826.

His relatives had auctioned that collection in 1829. But, there was no record of who bought the books.

Now, a team of researchers from the Jefferson Library at his home in Monticello, traced the trove of 74 books in the collection of Washington University in St Louis. The books discovered were among the last ones that the US's most bibliophilic president collected as well as read in the decade before he died.

Wonder how many books former US president George W Bush (the son) had in his collection, that he actually read. Just wondering.

Amid news that four Americans yatching off the coast of Oman were hijacked in the high seas, here's a video that gives you a inkling of what makes a pirate tick, so to speak.

Watch this video on cnn.com

In a departure from terror and Taliban, Gaddafi and goons, the bbc.co.uk has this story.

An unpublished and previously unknown Enid Blyton novel is believed to have turned up in an archive of the late children's author's work.

Mr Tumpy's Caravan is a 180-page fantasy story about a magical caravan. It was in a collection of manuscripts that was auctioned by the family of Blyton's eldest daughter in September.

Mr Tumpy's Caravan follows the adventures of a caravan with feet and a mind of its own. Together with Mr Tumpy, his friends and a dog called Bun-Dorg, it crosses an ocean before facing a dog-headed dragon in an attempt to save a princess's land.

For those sadly unaware of the magic of Enid Blyton, try her sometime. You will never look back, even as an adult.

An Iraqi immigrant to the US has been convicted in Arizona of the second degree murder of his daughter, in what prosecutors said was an honour killing, reports the bbc.co.uk.

Faleh Hassan Almaleki, 50, ran over 20-year-old Noor and Amal Khalaf, the mother of her boyfriend, in a car park in a suburb of Phoenix in October 2009.

Quick takes

-- A ship will take Indians from Libya to the port of Alexandria, Egypt. Air India will fly them back from there.

-- Maoists say they will release collector soon.

--Lok Sabha adjourns for nearly 30 minutes after uproar over
Telangana issue.

If you haven't heard what the certifiably mad Col Muammar Gaddafi said yesterday, here's what you should know. And tell us if we are wrong adjectivising him.

In a defiant and rambling 75-minute speech broadcast on state television, saying he vowing to crush the revolt by "rats and mercenaries" Gaddafi vowed: "I am not going to leave this land. I will die here as a martyr. I shall remain here defiant."

He also called on his supporters to "cleanse Libya house by house" unless the protesters surrendered. "All of you who love Muammar Gaddafi, go out on the streets, secure the streets, don't be afraid of them... Chase them, arrest them, hand them over," he said.

He portrayed the protesters as misguided youths who had been given drugs and money by a "small, sick group", and blamed "bearded men" - a reference to Islamist - and Libyans living abroad for fomenting the violence.

"The hour of work is here, the hour of onslaught is here, the hour of victory is here. No retreat, forward, forward, forward. Revolution, revolution," he shouted at the end of the speech, pumping both fists in the air.

The Indian government is mulling a sea-route pullout for the hundreds of Indians stuck in Libya. No planes are allowed to land in Libya as the country enters its ninth day of protests. The Indian government is firming up plans to evacuate the 18,000 Indiansstuck in the country on the brink of a civil war.

The US and some countries in Europe have already begun mass evacuations in military aircraft.

Nearly 300 people have been killed so far, according to Human Rights Watch. Earlier, Libya strongman Col Muammar Gaddafi urged his supporters to attack the "cockroaches" and "rats" protesting against his rule. Anyone who took up arms against Libya would be executed, he warned.

Almost half of Australians have anti-Muslim sentiments, while nearly 24 percent have a negative attitude towards Asians, the biggest survey ever done on racism in the country has revealed.

Among the 12,512 people surveyed Australia-wide, 48.6 percent were negative towards Muslims, Asians (23.8), indigenous Australians (27.9), Jews (23.3) and black Africans (27), the 12-year-survey said.

The survey also found 84 per cent of people had seen evidence of racial prejudice. It, however, found that New South Wales and Queensland to be the most racist states, while Victoria was one of the most tolerant.

Will the US finally intervene and rid the seas of 21st century pirates? It's historic policy of non-intervention unless an US citizen was involved may finally be called to order.

Last night, four Americans hijacked by Somali pirates off the coast of Oman were been killed by their captors. The US military said its forces trailing the vessel had responded to gunfire heard aboard, but found all the captives shot when they arrived.

The yacht S/V Quest, hijacked on Friday, was owned and sailed by Scott and Jean Adam of California. Also killed were two US passengers, Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle.

Rahm Emanuel, a former White House chief of staff, has realized his lifelong ambition to become mayor of Chicago.

With 97 percent of the vote in the Chicago mayor's race counted this evening, Emanuel, 51, had 55 percent, winning the mayoral election outright and avoiding a runoff in April.

On the eight day of captivity, Malkangiri district collector R V Krishna and a junior engineer have yet to be released by Maoistsin Orissa. News reports last night suggested that they had in fact been released, but the government today said negotiations were still on to ensure that the release was carried out smoothly. However, news is in that celebrations have already begun in Malkangiri as their release is imminent.

The Orissa government have already conceded to six of their 14 demands made by the Naxals.

Krishna, the 30-year-old IIT graduate-turned IAS officer, and Pabitra Majhi to "four sarpanchs" in the Govindpur area in Chitrakonda forests, about 150 km from Malkangiri.

Frantic hunt as NZ earthquake leaves 400 dead, missing(The Times of India)

Prime Minister John Key declared a national emergency as 75 bodies were recovered, punctuated by the rescue of about 30 overnight. |

Defiant Muammar Gaddafi says he is not going anywhere, willing to die a martyr(DNA)
Appearing on state television for the second time in two days, a fiery Gaddafi called himself a bedouin warrior who had brought glory to Libya, and rejected all calls for stepping down.

Libyan interior minister joins rebellion: Al-Jazeera(Hindustan Times)

Libyan Interior Minister Abdel Fatah Yunes has said today that he was resigning and called on the armed forces to back the week-long rebellion against veteran leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Godhra train burning case: Conflicting versions led to acquittal of 63(The Times of India)

One of the main reasons for the acquittals, say lawyers, were the conflicting versions of police probe.

Conspiracy hatched at Godhra guest house: court(The Hindu)

The judge maintained that on February 27, 2002, after the Sabarmati Express halted near "A" cabin of Godhra station following chain pulling, five of the accused broke open the vestibule between coaches S-6 and S-7, entered S-6, poured sizable quantity of petrol and set the coach aflame, causing the death of 59 people.

DMK's aversion to share power leaves Congress in a dilemma(The Hindu)

The Congress is not clear on how to proceed with the seat-sharing talks with the DMK in the event of not being able to reach an agreement on power-sharing.

Opposition takes government to task over "governance deficits" as budget session begins(DNA)

In a sharp attack on the government, the opposition today accused it of suffering from a leadership and competition "deficit," and questioned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement about "coalition compulsions."

Did Davis double-cross US as recruitment point man for Taliban?(The Times of India)

American official Raymond Davis, arrested for double murder, had "close links" with Taliban and was "instrumental" in recruiting youths for it, the media here claimed on Tuesday, close on the heels of reports in the US that he was a CIA agent tracking movements of terror groups like LeT.

Darul Uloom to decide fate of VC Vastanvi today(Hindustan Times)

The top clergy of Darul Uloom will meet today to decide the fate of seminary's Vice-Chancellor Maulana Ghulam Mohammed Vastanvi, who stirred a controversy by praising Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, amid speculation that he may be asked to quit.

World Cup: England beat the Netherlands by six wickets(DNA)

England beat the Netherlands by six wickets in their opening Cricket World Cup match at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium today