Excavation Begins in Ayodhya

                   AYODHYA: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) began excavation at the acquired portion of the disputed site here on Wednesday amid tight security. The excavation is carried out to ascertain if a temple existed at the site before the recently-demolished Babri mosque was built there during Muslim rule. Even as the digging process started, Muslim leaders expressed apprehension of manipulation and fabrication of the facts that might be discovered during excavation. The process began around 10.30 am after a general survey of the site and lay-out of the trenches in the presence of contending parties as per fresh guidelines of the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court. Zafariyab Geelani of Sunni Waqf Central Board, achaeologists RK Takran and Mohammed Abid, VHP organising secretary Champat Rai, historians Ranjana Agnihotri and Prasad were among those present during the survey carried out by ASI team led by Dr BR Mani.

BSP Rally to Reply to Mulayam (Go To Top)

          LUCKNOW: The never-say-die BSP leader and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati has said she will organise a huge public rally to "expose" her two arch rival political parties - the Samajwadi Party and the Congress. Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, Mayawati said the rally would be held on April 14. The proposed rally would coincide with Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar's birth anniversary. She said the rally would target the two Opposition parties in the State for their political "conspiracy" against her through a videotape which showed her asking party MPs and MLAs to divert a portion of their constituency development fund to party fund.

          She said the "doctored" video cassette was released with the motive of tarnishing her party's image. "Both the Samajwadi Party and the Congress are hand-in-glove in this conspiracy," she added. The chief minister said the cassette was recorded in February 2001. Questioning the timing of release of the video tape, Mayawati said, "it could have been used in Assembly elections held in February 2002, or in May 2002 when I became chief minister or in February 2003 when by-elections were held in the State."

           In another related development, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav had on Monday said that it was the BSP leaders only who had recorded the video tape and handed over to him. He said, "they were not happy with Mayawati's style of functioning".

India Opposed to Unilateral Action Against Iraq (Go To Top)

          NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said on Wednesday India was opposed to any unilateral action against Iraq saying it would have disastrous consequences for the United Nations and world order. "If unilateralism prevails, the UN would be deeply scarred with disastrous consequences for the world order. The Government of India would strongly urge that no military action be taken which does not have the collective concurrence of the international community," Vajpayee told the Lok Sabha. Washington has said it will attack Iraq even if it fails to secure a fresh United Nations resolution backing a US-led invasion.

           India is not a member of the Security Council that is due to decide this week on a resolution paving the way for war. Meanwhile, the Congress Party demanded the Central Government to come up with a stand, like other major world powers, against the United States. Vajpayee has been under pressure from Opposition parties to make a clear statement on India's position on Iraq. They have accused him of trying to duck the issue to avoid souring ties with Washington, which have been improving in recent years.

Hope in Nepal: Maoists Surface for Talks (Go To Top)

          KATHMANDU: Leaders of Nepal's Maoist rebels emerged in public for the first time in 16 months on Tuesday to meet leftist political parties spurring hopes that they may be ready to hold peace talks in the Himalyan kingdom. Politburo member of the Maoist party Dinanath Sharma held more than three hours of talks with 10 leftist political groups in Kathmandu. "This is a meeting for making conducive atmosphere in a friendly way and we have been unified to consolidate solidarity against the regressive action and for the development of a way out. Also we have agreed to launch a peaceful struggle to achieve this. We have come here ceasing the warfare for a peaceful way out," Sharma told reporters. (Details)

         Suspected Jaish Militant Shot Dead in Noida (Go To Top)

          NOIDA (Uttar Pradesh): A man suspected to be a member of Jaish-e-Mohammed was killed by Uttar Pradesh police in Noida, on Delhi border, early on Wednesday. Giving out details of the incident, a senior police officer of Ghaziabad district said the man was an area commander of the banned Pakistani outfit. The action took place in Sector 24 at about 4 am. A special operations team of the UP police swooped on the terrorist's hideout and confronted him in a flat after surrounding it. The terrorist tried to open fire but was shot dead in the process.

           "This man had a lot of aliases. His real name is Mohammed Aslam and was mostly known as Manzoor Dar. His other alias is Sirauddin Khan," Rajiv Verma, senior superintendent of police, told reporters. One AK-47 gun, two magazines and two grenades were seized from the slain militant, according to him.

15 Killed in NY Copter Crash (Go To Top)

          WASHINGTON: At least 15 people were killed and several critically injured as a US helicopter crashed in New York, sources said on Wednesday. The helicopter crashed at an army post between Antwerp and Philadelphia. Rescue teams were rushed to the site, said the sources.

Pak Hints Bin Laden May be Caught Soon (Go To Top)

          WASHINGTON: Some "bigger fish" may be in the net soon, Pakistani envoy Ashraf Qazi has said, indirectly hinting at the possibility of closing in on Osama Bin Laden. "There is reason to believe that hopefully in the future we might even have some bigger fish captured and hopefully we will get on top of this problem of terrorism as such," he was quoted as saying by the Age.

           This remark is in line with statements by officials in Pakistan that an Al Qaeda suspect known as Massood, arrested in Peshawar last week, had been in contact with Bin Laden. Since the arrest on March 1 of Al Qaeda leader Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, said to be the mastermind of 9/11 and closely linked to the outfit's south-east Asian cells, 10 more suspects have been taken into custody.

Puff Daddy's 'Diddy Drinks' (Go To Top)

          WASHINGTON: Rap mughal Puff Daddy has decided to hit the drinks market with his own brand of drinks called 'Diddy Drinks'. The sexy man seems to have good understanding about the importance of a quality drink at a party. And, in his mind, regular guzzling of Cristal and Courvoisier makes him the perfect person to head a drinks label, according to a report in People News. Hip hop and expensive drinks have recently made a firm association. Puff also plans to open his own night club in Miami and a chain of boutiques throughout the US.

No Washing Dirty Linen in Public, Kylie Pulls Out of TV Show (Go To Top)

          LONDON: Kylie Minogue has decided not to take part in Australia's top television talk show in order to escape queries about her ex-boy friend James Gooding. She had a slot on Rove Live while in Melbourne for the fashion festival later this week, but pulled out after Gooding's kiss-and-tell revelations, according to a report in the Sun. "She wanted to talk about her new lingerie range but fears she will only be asked to dish the dirt on James. She is above that," a source close to Kylie said.

'The Most Desirable Babe on the Net' (Go To Top)

          SYDNEY: Former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson is still considered to be one of the hottest women on the Internet, according to a new poll. Sexy Anderson was named the world's most downloaded babe in a survey for Loaded magazine, says a report in News.com.au. For the survey, the researchers compiled top tens of all the most desirable 'babes' on the planet, according to their occupations.

          The findings revealed that in the top model section, Kelly Brook was pipped by Doritos girl Ali Landry, while Holly Valance beat Kylie Minogue as the top pop babe. In the film section, Catherine Zeta Jones came third, behind Estella Warren and Halle Berry.

Paltrow not Getting Married to Coldplay Frontman (Go To Top)

          WASHINGTON: Actress Gwyneth Paltrow (30) and Chris Martin (26), lead singer of British band Coldplay, are not engaged or getting married. They are not engaged to be married, despite reports that circulated over the past few days, Paltrow's publicist told Zap2it.com. "The story is 100 per cent fabricated," the publicist was quoted as saying by People.com. Earlier, Sunday Mirror had quoted a supposed friend of the supposed groom-to-be, saying, "He can't wait till she becomes his wife. It will make him feel complete."