1. Let Thackerays go without security: Nirupam
2. At 1000 kg, Oz unveils world's largest gold coin
3.  BJP thanks Digvijaya for 'decimating' Congress
4. Pune, Surat, Jaipur are world's fastest growing cities
5. New Mumbai ATM dispenses diamonds and gold
6. When Anjali stopped Sachin from quitting captaincy
7. Omar: State home minister knew of AFSPA rollback
8. Actor Ronit Roy gets bail in rash driving case
9. Why Rajat Gupta surrendered on Diwali day
10. Why Pak's tribal leaders will get free cameras
11. RAW, ISI should end confrontation: Musharraf
12. Gaddafis secret WMDs found in Libya: NTC
13. World population to hit 7 billion, but we will thrive: UN
14. AFSPA issue under MHA purview: Army chief
15. Savitri Jindal richest Indian woman: Forbes

Irked over Shiv Sena's tirade against him over his remarks on north Indians in Mumbai, Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam today dared the Thackerays to move
around without any security cover.

"I challenge those who say things against me. Let the three Thackerays move about without security," Nirupam said, without naming Sena leaders Uddhav, his son Aditya and MNS chief Raj Thackeray.

However, Nirupam 'excluded' Sena chief Bal Thackeray, saying, "I have respect for Balasaheb...there is a different place for him in my mind."

Earlier in the day, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the BJP must thank Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh's onslaught for working to ensure the downfall of the Congress.

"I need to compliment Digvijay Singh for his most important plan, that of completely decimating Congress by his outspoken and almost shameless way in which he is trying to criticise, all those who are campaigning against the corruption of the UPA government," he said.

"Good luck to him for his great plan, the more he speaks the more Congress loses its credibility," he added.

The much-awaited film We Need To Talk About Kevin, a story about a mother's troubled relationship with her son, has won best movie at the BFI London Film Festival awards.

Director Lynne Ramsay said the prize was "light at the end of the tunnel". Actress Candese Reid won best British newcomer for Junkhearts, Argentine Pablo Giorgelli won best first feature for Las Acacias and Werner Herzog won best documentary for Into the Abyss.

Meanwhile, the read the book which was made into the movie.

Oct. 31 is slated to be a momentous day in the world's history, as the symbolic date that the 7 billionth person will take her first breath, according to the United Nations Population Division.

Of course we will never know for sure when or where, exactly, the 7 billionth person is born (or if she is already among the living), though some demographers have pegged the Indian province Uttar Pradesh as the most likely locale, due to the sheer number of births expected in the region this year.

India is one of several countries and regions expected to experience a population explosion in the next few decades. Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune, Kanpur, Lucknow, Surat and Jaipur feature in the world's fastest growing cities. Read the report on the Daily Beast.

As Libya tries to gather itself in the aftermath of Muammar Gaddafi's killing, a Libyan American poet commemorates the dictator's overthrow with this poem.

An extract:

Five years old when the dictator took over in a coup

curfew shut our city down

Bloodless coup, they said

The many who thought this could be good.

The dictator, a young man, a shy recluse assumed the helm, bent in piety,

the dead sun of megalomania hidden in his eyes.

Read

As the accused in the cash-for-votes scandal wait it out in Tihar (only Amar Singh is out on bail), the former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
had told President George that the Indo-US nuclear deal had virtually collapsed as it was not not going to work and the entire administration had given up on it.
"I called the President (Bush). 'It isn't going to work. Singh just can't make it happen,' I said. 'Too bad,' he answered and didn't press further.

"Later that night Nick (Nicholas Burns-the then Under Secretary of State)  called to tell me what I already knew there wouldn't be a deal," writes Rice.
Rice describes in detail in her forthcoming book 'No Higher Honor' the riveting hours before the joint statement made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Bush on July 18, 2005 on the framework for the agreement that almost brought
UPA I government on the brink in July, 2008. 

Promises to be a bestseller...

Sri Sri Ravishankar reacts to Digvijaya Singh's comments asking him to stay away from the RSS and his tweet that after Plan A and Plan B (Ramdev and Anna) failed, is it now the turn of Plan C -- Sri Sri Ravishankar to take on the government.

Asked to comment on Digvijaya's statement, Sri Sri said he did not fear anyone and they could do whatever they pleased.  

Renewing his attack on Team Anna, Singh said that while Ramdev and Hazare were plan A and B of the Sanghj-BJP, Sri Sri Ravishankar is Plan C and asked the latter to be "wary" of the two organizations". Singh remarked on the microblogging site Twitter "Plan A, B and C are of Sangh/ BJP to divert the minds of the people from their involvement in terror activities to corruption."
Later talking to reporters, he said that Plan A of this over-all plan has been Baba Ramdev, B is Hazare and C is Sri Sri Ravishankar.

Over 20 days after the death of Steve Jobs, news about the Apple co-founder and genius, continues.

On the Daily Beast: While working on his biography of Steve Jobs, Walter Isaacson got a rare glimpse into the family life of a famously guarded man. What he found in the Jobs household astonished him. Read

Sachin Tendulkar shocked cricket bosses by resigning as captain in the middle of a Test series against South Africa and stayed on only after his wife had intervened.

Former BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele, in his newly-published book, 'I Was There - Memoirs of a Cricket Administrator', writes that Tendulkar's unsuccessful stint as captain had left him so disappointed that the iconic batsman did not even wait for the 1999-2000 South Africa series to get over before
resigning.

J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah says the state home minister had been kept in the loop on the decision to withdraw the AFSPA in key areas in the state. He tells CNN IBN that he can discuss the AFSPA if the coordination panel asks him to.

The J&K Congress president had alleged that the party was not consulted on the decision to rollback AFSPA.

The 'Udaan' star, who is a resident of Yari Road, was driving towards the home of his brother Rohit, also an actor, when the incident occurred. Both the vehicles were severely damaged, police said, adding that subsequently Ronit was arrested under IPC sections 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act of endangering life or personal safety of
others), adding that it is a bailable offence. Police are awaiting medical reports to confirm if the actor was drunk at the time of the mishap.

Speaking to mediapersons later, Sneha alleged that Ronit might have been driving his vehicle at the speed of at least 100km/hour. "His car came and hit ours with full speed. My sister has suffered head injury and my mother's left arm has been dislocated. He accompanied us to the hospital in a taxi but left soon after," she said.

Details of the Ronit Roy story...

Film and television star Ronit Roy was today arrested on the charges of rash and negligent driving after his speeding vehicle hit a moving four-wheeler
with four occupants of a family, injuring an woman seriously, in suburban Amboli, police said.

The 42-year-old actor was behind the wheels of his Mercedes when he rammed into a WagonR with four occupants at around 6.45 am on Linking Road near Sab TV lane, H Vhatkar, senior inspector at Amboli police station, said.

The occupants - identified as Deepak Darera (60), his wife Kaanta (56), and daughters Sneha (29) and Pooja (24) - who stay at suburban Andheri's Shashtri Nagar area, were on their way for a picnic to hill station Matheran, police said.
Kaanta sustained severe injuries on her back, Pooja had stitches on her head whereas Deepak injured his hand. Sneha received negligible injuries. All the four were taken to Kokilaben hospital by the actor himself following which the
injured were admitted, police said.

Even if you don't read the Chetan Bhagat interview (13:54 post), this para deserves your attention. The reference is to the 3 Idiots controversy.

GQ: Why would they want to rob you of credit?

Bhagat: That's the culture in Bollywood. Because they could. Why did Bill Clinton do it in his office? Because he could. People do it because they feel they can get away with it. They wanted to claim the story and collect the story awards. Simple as that.  

More of that?

More on the the big story today -- Rajat Gupta getting bail.

Rajat Gupta The Indian-American poster boy of Wall Street success felt it was auspicious to surrender on the day of the festival of lights, thinking that "gods will protect him". Gupta's fall from grace came on the day India was celebrating Diwali, a festival that marks the triumph of good over evil.
"He believed it was auspicious to surrender on Diwali," the Wall Street Journal quoted 62-year-old Gupta's childhood friend Anand Julka as saying.

President Asif Ali Zardari used the festival of Diwali yesterday to promise protection to minorities in overwhelmingly Muslim Pakistan.

"Let it be made clear yet again today that no one will be allowed to victimize and hound members of minority communities in the name of religion and faith," the president said in a message.

Zardari added: "We partake in Diwali celebrations also for promoting interfaith harmony as a means to fight religious apartheid and those who seek to impose their ideological agenda on the people.

"I also wish to reiterate our commitment to respect and uphold the UN resolution calling for interfaith harmony and the pledges made by the government and the party to safeguard the rights of all minorities."

First, a tweet by Salman Rushdie: Many of my friends had books turned into films and I don't think they have been exceptional films. Ian McEwan only has to sneeze and they make a movie of it...  

While Rushdie does not allude to Chetan Bhagat, it's an intersting observation, in the context of this interview on GQ, India.

There are few Indians who can call themselves 'God's chosen child' and get away with it. A Sachin Tendulkar or an Amitabh Bachchan might. Chetan Bhagat cannot. Yet he goes ahead and anoints himself exactly that. It's obvious Bhagat harbours grand notions of his own importance. And yet, one must acknowledge that the banker-turnedwriter has had a massive impact on book sales and reading habits in India

Read more

If you've just joined us, the world's population will reach seven billion on October 31, the UN has said, as it urges the global community to seize the opportunity and invest in health and education of its youth.

Now, a report in Prospect magazine says that the idea that growing human numbers will destroy the planet is nonsense. But over-consumption certainly will. Read

Right now: A high-level home ministry meet is on in New Delhi. Home minister P Chidambaram holds a meeting with home secretary UK Bansal, joint secretary internal security and IB officers.

It's a historic day for Delhi tomorrow and India, when its image as a growing
sports superpower will be put to test when it hosts the first ever Formula One Grand Prix beginning with the free practice session tomorrow.
Amid the Sebastian Vettels and Lewis Hamiltons, the racers of home team, Sahara Force India, would look to score points to make the country's entry into the glamorous world of F1 a memorable one.

The action begins with the free practice session tomorrow, followed by the qualifying on Saturday before the race on Sunday.

Rediff.com's Vicky Nanjappa reports:

Digvijaya Singh is at it again and this time in Bangalore. He made an open request to Sri Sri Ravishankar of the Art of Living foundation not to get involved with the RSS. Singh who is the General Secretary of the Congress was in Bangalore to meet with his grandson.

On his arrival in the city, he spoke with reporters at the airport and said that the RSS was involved in terror activities and in a bid to avoid being exposed they brought in various spiritual leaders to protect themselves.

First, they roped in Baba Ramdev, but when he was exposed, they dumped him. They then roped in Anna Hazare to divert from the key issue. Now that the Anna issue is over they are seeking the services of Sri Sri. "I respect him and Anna a lot and hope they do not involve themselves with the RSS which is trying to cover up its own activities," Digvijaya Singh said.

As Digvijaya Singh goes about his ritual of dissing Anna Hazare, a read from the New York Times by Manu Joseph, editor Open magazine, on fasts and political gatherings...

Public meetings in India, especially political gatherings, usually have the central figure seated in a red velvet chair that is the largest chair on the dais, or even in the district. On occasion, say, if he is on a death fast, this figure is on a thin white mattress. But there is always a small group of people who keep appearing on the dais to bend reverentially and whisper something extremely important into the ear of the Leader, who then nods. There is usually no dialogue.

Read

Ronit Roy's brother says none of the three people have been seriously injured. If the nature of the injuries are not serious, and if he was not driving the car under the influence of alcohol, it becomes easier for the TV actor to get bail.

Ronit Roy update: The actor's brother, Rohit Roy, claims that Ronit was not driving the car. One of the three people injured in the rash driving incident is serious. A case of rash and negligent driving has been filed against the actor. The actor will be presented before the Bandra court shortly.

Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh today, claimed that after Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare, Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravishankar would start a campaign soon.

Digvijaya tweeted: "Plan A - Baba Ramdev. Crashed. Plan B- Anna. ? Plan C - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar soon to start his campaign.' 

However, he did not clarify about who has put together these 'plans'. The Cong General Secretary also requested Anna and Sri Sri not get involved with the ?RSS since the bodY is 'involved in terrror attacks and is diverting attention from the Lokpal bill'.

From the Times, London: Digital cameras are to be handed out free to tribal leaders in Pakistan today to document the death and devastation caused by US drone strikes.

The number of remote-controlled drone strikes against suspected Taliban and al-Qaeda militants has increased hugely in the past two years, but residents of Waziristan say that the true death toll among innocent civilians is not being reported because journalists cannot get access to the region.

RAW and ISI, the intelligence agencies of India and Pakistan, should end their
confrontational course and initiate a process of rapprochement to stop "harming" each other, former Pakistani dictator Pervez  Musharraf has said.

"Afghanistan always has been anti-Pakistan because Soviet Union and India have very close relation in Afghanistan.  And the intelligence agency, KGB, RAW and KHAD of Afghanistan have always been in cooperation and talking since 1950s.

So we must not allow this to continue because then one must not grudge if Pakistan orders ISI to take countermeasures to protect its own interest," Musharraf said in response to a question at the Carnegie Endowment for Peace; a Washington-based eminent think-tank.

Related story on the NYT: The indictment of Rajat K Gupta on conspiracy and securities fraud charges presents the Justice Department with new challenges it has not faced in prosecuting other cases involving insider trading by the hedge fund manager Raj Rajaratnam.

Wiretaps of Mr Rajaratnam played a key role in his own conviction, but whether they will be admissible in court against Mr Gupta, a former Goldman Sachs director, will be a key point that could tip the balance of the case. Read

We told you earlier that Rajat Gupta, accused of passing insider information to his billionaire friend Raj Rajaratnam while he was director at Goldman Sachs and Procter & Gamble, has been released on bail.

In that backdrop, read this report in the NYT on how with Gupta's arrest, insider inquiry has gone beyond Wall Street. Read

The National Transitional Council has said the chemical warheads have been secured and would be made safe by experts.

They are from the Gaddafi era and are under guard until they can be handed over, a spokesperson said.

While Ronit Roy's alcohol test results are awaited at Cooper Hospital.... read this tweet:

"You booze, you loose". Another of those Indian highway gems, on the Bandra-Worli Sealink.

While we await details of the Ronit Roy story...

Here's Amitabh Bachchan on Twitter: Fake ID of mine being used to write opinions on Ra.One .. I have not even seen the film and shall always wish the best for ShahRukh. Of late a great amount of negative, malicious, completely untrue remarks being written against me .. I shall bear with silence .. but BEWARE THE FURY OF A SILENT MAN ... !!!!

The incident apparently took place at 7am at Amboli in suburban Mumbai. Ronit Roy has been taken to Cooper Hospital for an alcohol test. He was on his way home from a Diwali party when the incident occured. The results of the alcohol test are awaited. The condition of two of the three injured are said to be serious.

Roy has been reportedly taken to hospital for an alcohol test and has been detained for rash driving. Early reports say that three, not two people, were injured in the incident.

In Tunisia, an Islamic party wins the election.

In Libya, statements about adopting Sharia, or Islamic law, raise concerns about the future.

In Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood strategizes about how best to score political gains.

In the West, real fears arise that the Arab Spring will spawn new states more akin to the principles of al Qaeda and Hamas than fledgling democracies.

Read the story on cnn.com

Amid reports that the Army is opposed to withdrawal of controversial AFSPA from some areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Army Chief General V K Singh today said the issue is under the purview of the Home Ministry. He said the Army has already given its inputs on the issue.

"This (Armed Forces Special Powers Act) is within the purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs. They are debating this and we have given our inputs. I would not like to say anything more," he said.

The Congress, meanwhile, has said that it was not consulted on the Omar Abdullah's decision to partly revoke AFSPA and the decision was wrong if the armed forces were not consulted.

Forbes is out with its list of richest Indians.

A report on IBN Live says this time, a woman breaks the glass ceiling among India's richest for the first time -- Savitri Jindal at No. 5. Mukesh Ambani still maintains the top spot. The Forbes list of the world's richest people shows how India's Richie Rich club has not been immune to global recessionary trends.

The new list estimates that 100 richest Indians have lost 20 per cent of their total wealth, thanks to the global downturn. They are collectively worth $241 billion, down from $300 billion a year ago, due to a blood bath on Dalal Street and a falling rupee. Mukesh Ambani tops the richest Indians list for the fourth year in a row with a net worth of $22.6 billion, despite losing $4.4 billion. But his younger brother Anil Ambani is not so lucky - having slipped out of the top 10 to the 13th positon after a dip of $7.4 billion in his fortunes.

Detailed report shortly.

Social activist Anna Hazare today said he would continue his 'maun vrat (vow of silence)' on health ground. "My health still does not permit me to give up my 'maun vrat'. There is still some swelling on my feet and the knee troubles me a lot. 'Maun vrat' helps me heal my body from within and outside," Hazare wrote on his blog. 

"Verbal Communication with people is an exertion for me, leaving me very weak. Hence, keeping my physical condition in mind, I have taken the decision to go on with 'maun vrat'," he wrote.

The 74-year-old Gandhian has been on the vow of silence since October 16 at his native village Ralegan Siddhi in Maharashtra for "atma shanti (peace of soul)".

And of course, RaOne is trending on Twitter.   Here's the must-read from a fake Amitabh Bachchan. Saw #RA1. What a WASTE. Even the worst of Abhishek's like Drona were much better. May be SRK's mid age crises.  

And from Ramesh Srivats:  I regret to announce that in spite of much effort and expense by SRK, #RA1 is a dabba movie. Not boring. Just flat.

Madhuri Dixit-Nene tweets: Had an awesome first Diwali here in Mumbai. The city was full of lights and life! Looking forward to good things to come.

The actress and her family relocated to India recently.

Six persons, including a 12-year old boy, were injured in twin bomb blasts at a market complex here, officials said today. The first blast occurred at 9:00 pm last night near a bank, followed by the second explosion 10 minutes later near a
shop in the market area. 

The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals where their condition was stated to be out of danger, the officials said. No individual or group has so far come forward to claim responsibility for the attack, they said

Slain Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi''s son Saif al-Islam has offered to  'surrender' to the International Criminal Court in return for a guarantee of his safety.  

Gaddafi's 39-year-old son has been on the run since the NATO airstrike on the city of Sirte last Thursday that led to his father's capture and execution.  

A senior official in the National Transitional Council, Abdel Majid Mlegta, said Saif and former intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senussi, the ousted tyrant's brother-in-law, had been trying to broker a deal through a third country, believed to be Niger, to hand themselves in.  

Rajat Gupta pleads not guilty, released on bail (The Times of India)

Rajat Gupta is accused of passing insider information to his billionaire friend Raj Rajaratnam while he was director at Goldman Sachs and Procter & Gamble. Read

India asks Australia to withdraw travel advisory (The Hindu)

The language in the advisory is rather disproportionate and contrary to the current trend of tourism to India, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna told his Australian counterpart.  Read

Australia refuses to withdraw travel advisory (The Hindustan Times)

Australia has rejected India's demand to withdraw the travel advisory issued by them. Read

India's letter to Clinton on Tri Valley students being reviewed: US (Indian Express)
Of 1,500 former students, 435 are approved to be processed for transfer to other universities. Read

AFSPA move no reflection on Army role: Omar (Indian Express)

In a damage control mode, J-K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said the coalition governments efforts for revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act is no reflection on the role of Army in the state. Read

Army needs Rs 41,000 crore to rev up waning firepower (The Times of India)
The Navy and IAF may be on the modernization track at a pace thats much slower than desired, but its the Army which seems to be floundering. Read