Lalit Modi, the former IPL chief in exile, has lashed out at the Indian cricket board (BCCI) for its running of the lucrative Twenty20 league while alleging that the 2009 auction was rigged in favour of the Chennai Super Kings, whose owner is the current BCCI president, N Srinivasan.

Speaking to CNN-IBN, Modi alleged that when he was in charge of the IPL, the rules were tweaked to allow former England allrounder Andrew Flintoff to remains with Chennai. "The Flintoff auction was rigged," he said. 

Bizarre news: The world's first aphrodisiac pie has been created by luxury pie maker Charlie Bigham. Bigham's bizarre pastry claims to boost the libido with 'sexually stimulating' ingredients -- and is so potent it carries a health warning. Bull testicles are rich in testosterone and have long been used in India and China to increase sex drives.

Read the story on the Sun.

Update on the Maldives story from Firstpost.com:

Sources close to Nasheed's family told Firstpost that the president was forced to resign today, by the mutineering police. He had essentially lost control of the country's armed forces. When he went to the Presidential office today, he was taken to the police station and was asked to resign or go into custody. He had no other option but to resign.

News Flash: Union Home Ministry seeks report from Delhi Police on baby Falak; terms it as a case of human trafficking.

Today, the three-year-old sister of battered baby Falak, who is undergoing treatment in AIIMS, has been traced by Delhi Police to Bihar while searches are on to locate their elder brother. Sanobar, the elder sister of Falak, was located in Muzaffarpur yesterday, a day after investigators managed to
locate their mother Munni, who was tricked into a second marriage allegedly by three women. 

Efforts are on to locate their five-year-old brother. Falak, meanwhile, has shown no signs of improvement and remains in a critical condition.

News from the theatre of the absurd: Terming the Valentine's day as a manifestation of western culture, the Shri Ram Sene today asked parents and youths to celebrate February 14 as the mother-father day across the country. 

"We appeal to Jammu and Kashmir youths not to celebrate the Valentine's day. We also appeal to parents and youths to celebrate it as the mother-father day across the country," SRS Jammu head Rajiv Mahajan said.

SRS activists would keep a strict watch on hotels, restaurants, parks, theatres and gift shops and those found indulging in vulgar behaviour on February 14 would not be spared, he warned.

On Rediff.com: BEWARE: These Indian cities DON'T love lovers!

A January 2012 story on the challenge the Maldives faces from Islam. Read

And another story on the Maldives: Rising fundamentalism oppressing Maldivian women. Read

In other news:

China today vowed to "resolutely crack down" any attempt to incite unrest, blaming overseas activist groups and the Dalai Lama of instigating the recent
spate of self-immolations by Buddhist monks and violent clashes in Tibetan-inhabited areas. 

Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said clashes last month between Tibetans and security forces in Sichuan province were the work of "criminals" and were instigated by overseas groups advocating for Tibetan independence.

Meanwhile, the Financial Times says that the elected leader of the Tibetan government in exile has warned of an impending Chinese military crackdown across the restive Himalayan plateau and urged western governments to press Beijing to exercise restraint.

The Eurofighter Typhoon is competing with Dassault's Rafale for the contract to replenish India's fleet BAE Systems, Europe's largest defence contractor, has signalled its willingness to reduce the price of the Eurofighter Typhoon to win back a $20bn Indian tender from France's Dassault.

Ian King, BAE's chief executive, told the Financial Times that BAE needed to consult with its partners in Germany, Italy and Spain, but said all options were open.

"I will be discussing with our partners what we do next. In my view, all options are on the table," he told the Financial Times.

Update on the situation in the Maldives.

Maldives main opposition party vowed today to protect the "constitutional rights" of resigned president Mohamed Nasheed, amid calls for him to be taken into military custody and charged with corruption. 

"We have asked the military to ensure president Nasheed's constitutional rights are upheld," said Mohamed Shareef, spokesman for former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's Progressive Party of Maldives.  

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said the Supreme Court statute was not aimed at protecting acts of crime. "AFSPA is for legitimate protection and not for protection of the acts of crime. And that is something we have always maintained," Omar said.

"I do not think the armed forces have to commit rape, murder or any other such activities in order to perform their duties. Therefore the observation of the Supreme Court is correct," he said.

Questioning the extent to which the army can claim blanket immunity under AFSPA, the Supreme Court had said rape and murder committed by its personnel should be considered a "normal crime", and that there is "no question of sanction" from the government before prosecution of offenders in such cases.

Long unchallenged, Pakistan's top spy agency faces a flurry of court actions that subject its darkest operations to unusual scrutiny, amid growing calls for new restrictions on its largely untrammeled powers.

The NYT on the court challenges faced by the ISI. Read

Upset over the massive support to MK Stalin in the DMK General Council,   Union Minister MK Alagiri also his elder brother, suddenly left for Malaysia for a week's holiday.

Insiders in DMK say that out of 1247 members, 1150 supported Stalin.

On the New York Times' India blogs: Photojournalist and documentary photographer Pablo Bartholomew may be best known internationally for his iconic image of the Bhopal tragedy, and more recently for his work as a news photographer covering events from unrest in Sri Lanka to farmer suicides.

See

Sahara will continue to support the Pune IPL team, but there is no question of sponsoring the Indian cricket team, Sahara chief Subrata Roy tells CNN-IBN in an exclusive Interview with Rajdeep Sardesai.

Excerpts:

On reconciliation with the BCCI:

"I cant say at this stage. We have to appreciate one thing; we have already announced a huge plan for social work including development of sports which will involve thousand crores of rupees.

I have nothing against anybody. I also have an open mind and have several concerns...First concern is that our players this year should not be deprived of playing IPL.

This is really bad for them. It is important that they should play. I have already requested BCCI to get them in any organisation so that they can play in this IPL also."

And this is what Maldives president President Mohamed Nasheed said in his statement as he resigned as head of government.

1. "I resign because I am not a person who wishes to rule with the use of power.

2. I believe that if the government were to remain in power it would require the use force which would harm many citizens.

3. I resign because I believe that if the government continues to stay in power, it is very likely that we may face foreign 

4."I have always wished the citizens of this country well, now and into the future.

5 I have made this decision and I wish for your prosperity in this life and the life after.

Indian fishermen in more than 600 fishing boats returned without fishing at Rameswaram here after Sri Lankan Naval personnel allegedly pelted stones
and bottles to prevent them from crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line near Katchativu, fisheries department officials said today.

Stones and glass pieces were found strewn in more than 30 boats, and fishermen in more than 600 boats had to return last night without fishing, they said. Katchatheevu is an islet ceded to Sri Lanka by India in 1974.

The fishermen claimed they could not get any fish in the Indian waters.

This is the statement by the Ministry of External Affairs on the situation in Maldives.

"We have noted the decision of President Mohamed Nasheed to resign in favour of Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed. This is an internal matter of the Maldives, to be resolved by Maldivians. We hope that all issues will be resolved in a peaceful and democratic manner. India has traditionally enjoyed close ties of friendship and cooperation with the Maldives.

"We remain committed to extending the fullest support and cooperation to the Government of Maldives in its endeavour to promote peace and progress in the Maldives and the prosperity and well being of its people.

"We continue to closely monitor the situation in the Maldives and understand that the Indian expatriate community there is safe."

Quick takes.

Suu Kyi hits the campaign trail in Myanmar: Crowds of supporters greeted Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi with thunderous applause as she embarked today on her first campaign tripsince becoming an official candidate for April elections. 

Death toll in building collapse rises to 20 in Pak: The death toll in the collapse of a factory in this eastern Pakistani city rose to 20 today when rescue workers retrieved more bodies even as officials said they feared that about 30 others might still be buried in the rubble.

US closes Syrian embassy as diplomacy collapses: The US has closed its embassy in Syria and Britain recalled its ambassador to Damascus in a new
Western push to get President Bashar Assad to leave power and halt the murderous grind in Syria, now among the deadliest conflicts of the Arab Spring.

Here's more on the just announced dates of the railway budget and the general budget.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will unveil the Union Budget for 2012-13 on March 16 in the Lok Sabha. The budget session will begin on March 12 with President Pratibha Patil addressing the joint sitting of members of both the Houses of Parliament. 

While the rail budget will be presented on March 14, the Economic Survey will be tabled on March 15. 

"We will be recommending to the President that budget session may be summoned on March 12 and continue up to March 30. The address by the President would be on March 12.

The second part of the budget session will be held from April 24 to May 22. 

The budget session, which generally starts in the third week of February, has been delayed this time due to the ongoing Assembly elections in five states, including Uttar Pradesh. The model code of conduct is in force till March 9 when the election process would be completed.

Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray did what he does best -- make headlines. Explaining what makes nephews turn against their uncles, Bal Thackeray launched a veiled attack on estranged nephew Raj, saying nephews get 'tickled' when they see their uncles being hailed.

"Leadership goes into their heads. When they see their uncles being hailed by the masses, they get 'gudgulya' (tickled)," Thackeray said, in reply to a query on the rise of nephews in Maharashtra's political families -- for instance, Raj Thackeray, Ajit Pawar (Sharad Pawar's nephew) and Gopinath Munde's estranged nephew Dhananjay.

"He (Raj) is the one who broke away from us. He was moulded in Matoshri (the Sena chief's bungalow in suburban Bandra)," Thackeray said, in an interview to a Marathi news channel.

When asked if he thought Raj would return, Thackeray said, "Wanting (for Raj to return) is one thing. But after all, it is the Thackeray blood (in him)."

Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed in his TV address says: 'Continuing in power would result in use of force'.

See our 13:21 pm update for the background.

The public display of sleaze and sex at a recent party, organised by the Udupi district administration and the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation to promote tourism globally, has shamed the state and embarrassed the ruling BJP. Read the story on the Daily Mail.

Read

More on that.

The budget session of Parliament will begin on March 12 and will end on March 30. The Economic Survey will be released on the 15th.

News flash: The date for the Railway Budget and the General Budget has just been announced.

The railway budget is on March 14, followed by the General budget on March 16. The budget session ends on March 30.

More news updates: Initiating dialogue at diplomatic level post cancellation of Uninor's 2G licences, Norway's IT Minister Rigmor Aasrud today met telecom minister Kapil Sibal and discussed way forward while raising concern over its investments in Indian operations. Uninor, a joint venture between Norway's Telenor and Indian realty player Unitech with Norwegian firm holding over 67 per cent stake, offers services under Uninor brand across the country.
The Norway government, in turn, holds majority stake in Telenor.

Here's the background on that story.

Actor Akshay Khanna says he is not a fitness freak and doesn't understand Bollywood's obsession with six pack abs.  Akshay, who has spent more than a decade in the industry, insists having a perfect physique might make for a good
appearance on-screen but not for a good actor. 

"I don't think to prove yourself as an actor you have to be a fitness freak or have six pack abs... Looks are important when on screen but they are not the priority. I have known people who might not look very good but are fantastic actors."

Manappuram Finance today said its board of directors will meet on February 10 to discuss the caution letter issued by the RBI to it for allegedly accepting
public deposits in violation of rules. 

The meeting will discuss measures for further improving corporate governance of the company. 

Manappuram Finance's filing comes a day after the Reserve Bank cautioned it against accepting public deposits as the firm has converted itself into a non-deposit taking NBFC.

Just in: In what will come as a relief to the beleagured Kingfisher Airlines, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh has said airlines will now be allowed to import jet fuel directly. The Group of Ministers has also approved a financial restructuring package for Air India, while the cabinet is to take a final view soon. GoM has also agreeed to allow Air India to raise resources by issuing bonds or other means.  

Read this report for a clearer picture.

Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed has resigned following weeks of public protests over his controversial order to arrest a senior judge. Brig. Ahmed Shiyam told reporters Tuesday that Nasheed has agreed to step down and hand over the presidency to his deputy Mohammed Waheed Hassan.

Earlier today, soldiers fired rubber bullets and clashed with police officers who were defying a presidential order to end a protest against what they perceive as illegal orders by authorities.

Hundreds of police started demonstrating early today in the capital, Male, after officials ordered them to withdraw protection for government and opposition supporters protesting close to each other.

Gossip...

Sidhartha Mallya tweets: Been getting retweets about Ayesha Takia & KFA. not too sure who she is, an actor of some sorts?? But it seems something has upset her!!

And here's the story: Ayesha Takia fumes over 'misbehaviour' of Kingfisher Airlines staff. Read

Watch the NDTV interview with Robert Vadra, the man more famous as Priyanka Gandhi's husband.

It may not be true love, but Europe's oddest couple -- the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, and the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, nicknamed the Merkozys -- were, in the words of the Gallic suitor, "getting on better and better".

Read the story on the Guardian.

Meanwhile, our Delhi correspondent tells us that he Supreme Court today slammed the Andhra Pradesh government for not obeying its orders in implementing high security number plates for vehicles.

The court said, "We can't help, but note the unwarranted and willful disobedience by Andhra Pradesh."

The court issued a contempt notice to the state Principal Secretary, Road transport and Transport commissioner asking them why they should not be punished.

It also set April 30, 2012 as the deadline for all new vehicles to have high security number plates.

In more bizarre news: The Simpsons have joined Barbie on the list of dolls prohibited in Iran as part of a decades-long crackdown on signs of western culture. But US superheroes Superman and Spiderman are being allowed on sale because they help 'the oppressed'.

How much can Rahul Gandhi dent a confident BSP? Read the report on Firstpost.com

On the Telegraph, UK: By giving aid to its former colony, Britain risks falling behind in the race to build trade with a natural partner.

Read

Lovely read on the Guardian on Charles Dickens 200th birthday: A letter to the novelist by Claire Tomalin, who wrote his biography.

Read

And Google's tribute to the man... 

And here are the details as promised.

Economic growth is likely to fall to a three-year low of 6.9 per cent in 2011-12, mainly due to sharp slowdown in manufacturing, agriculture and mining sectors, against 8.4 per cent expansion in the last fiscal.

Agriculture and allied activities are likely to grow at 2.5 per cent in 2011-12, compared to a robust growth of 7 per cent in 2010-11, according to the Advanced Estimates released today by the Central Statistical Organisation. 

Manufacturing growth is also expected to drop down to 3.9 per cent in this fiscal from 7.6 per cent last year. 

The CSO's GDP growth projection is a tad lower than the 7 per cent forecast made by the Reserve Bank of India in its quarterly monetary policy review last month.

Remember AQ Khan, the man who made Pak nuclear capable? In an exclusive interview with iMediaEthics, Abdul Qadeer Khan, the metallurgist blamed by the West for making Pakistan a nuclear power, condemned inaccuracies in The Atlantic magazine's November 2005 cover story, which he says falsely accused him of a 'brazen act of illegality' when it claimed his Rawalpindi house was "built in blatant disregard of the law.'

Read the story on the Tribune.

A must read on rediff.com... Sheela Bhatt's interview with veteran journalist, author, Vinod Mehta. One of the country's most celebrated editors, Mehta last week stepped down as the editor-in-chief of Outlook, the news magazine he founded and edited for 17 years. But, he says, "If somebody thinks that I am out of Outlook, they are wrong. I am still very much here. I have just relinquished the day-to-day responsibilities."

Read

Also on cnn.com: The meaning behind the label: Designed by Apple in California. Assembled in China.

Read 

Europe continues to battle the intense cold and heavy snowfall and it is expected that the weather will stay the same till the end of the week. According to the web site accuweather.com, as of Sunday, at least 297 people have died in Ukraine, Poland, Italy and France.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation website said that in Ukraine, alone, 131 people have died, while 1,800 people have been hospitalized. About 75,000 others have sought warm shelter and food. The death toll in Poland is 53.

The Netherlands recorded its lowest temperature in 27 years. According to the BBC, temperatures in the town of Lelystad reached -21.8 degrees C, or -7 degrees F, on Saturday.

A Norwegian court concluded Monday that Anders Behring Breivik -- the man charged with killing 77 people last July, an attack he claimed merited a medal of honor -- can legally be kept in custody until his trial starts in April, according to court documents.

More on cnn.com

If you haven't read it yet, do so now...

Old style politicians who can't remember their own phone numbers, flounder without aides during campaign time...

A grand wedding -- no, not Ritesh and Genelia's -- but one that packed a big star show in politics...

A television bahu takes up the case of her fading popularity...

The Indian Railways in uniform -- ala Air India, eh?

That's the gupshup from the Dilli Durbar, a regular feature, exclusively on rediff.com.

It's gossip from political circles that you've always wanted to know...

Read

From tomorrow begins the polling for the first phase of the high voltage Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections for 55 seats in 10 districts. It will decide the fate
of two ministers, 31 MLAs and 15 former ministers. 

More than 1.70 lakh electorate would seal the fate of 862 candidates in the polling to be held in Sitapur, Barabanki, Faizabad, Ambedkar Nagar, Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Gonda, Siddharth Nagar and Basti amidst tight security.
Stakes are high for ruling BSP, Congress, SP and the BJP in the no holds barred fight for the 403 assembly seats. 

Here's what's happening around the world...

The United States has said that it is not engaged in business with Pakistan through lobbyists and is looking forward to talking to Islamabad after the
latter completes internal review of its ties with Washington.

"I don't have any knowledge of the letter one way or the other. But I will tell you that we don't do our business with Pakistan through its lobbyists," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said when asked about a letter written by a lobbyist urging the US to tender an apology to Pakistan for the November 26 NATO raid that killed 24 soldiers.

Good morning. Even as Facebook said yesterday that there was no proper case against the company, here's an interesting piece of news.

Apparently, the biggest threat to Facebook isn't Google or Twitter. It's the out-of-nowhere startup that allows people to do what they like to do on Facebook easier and faster.

More on that

Poll officer not transferred for stopping Vadra's convoy: EC (Hindustan Times)
The Election Commission has denied allegations that a poll observer was tranferred yesterday for ordering the stopping of a motorcycle rally of Congress campaigner and Priyanka Gandhi's husband Robert Vadra on the charge of violating the model code of conduct. Read

Robert Vadra hops on, says can contest polls (Indian Express)
Priyanka clarifies statement. Read

Israeli couple suspected of being agents, to be deported (The Times of India)
Central intelligence got an alert about a covert operation being carried out by suspected agents after the 26/11 attacks," says an intelligence officer in Kochi. Read

Ban order on Nair, three others to stay (The Hindu)
The United Progressive Alliance government is in no hurry to investigate any possible illegitimate financial gain by these or any other officials, government sources indicated. Read

No proper case against us, say Facebook, others (The Hindu)

The Delhi court had in December last year issued summons to 22 social networking websites asking them to remove "anti-religious" or "anti-social" content. Read

India aid to continue: UK (The Hindu)

Prime Minister David Cameron has re-affirmed Britains decision to continue its aid programme to India, amidst a row sparked by some ruling Conservative MPs demanding an end to it, and reports that India did not need it. Read