Vandals Of History Afghanistan's Taliban regime remains undeterred from its hard-line agenda of destroying historically valuable Buddhist idols. A look at the present regime and its slide to orthodox fundamentalism at a time when a drought has ravaged its economy and people.

Taking On the Family
Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Laloo Yadav is once again facing a tough fight for survival--this time prompted by a near revolt in the RJD fuelled by rumours of a dynastic takeover. Ranjan Yadav has emerged as a potential rival to Rabri Devi, enjoying the support of both the party rebels and the NDA allies.

Chennai Confusion
The upshot of the great Tamil circus: Jayalalitha needs Moopanar, but not the Congress.

Creepy Acquisition
With Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha determined to bring corporate payslips comprehensively into the taxman's dragnet, the salaried class is having a few palpitations. For them, it means that a long era of tax-free emoluments is coming to an end.

"Indians lack unity"
Two of cricket's finest brains met for a rare conversation:Bishen Singh Bedi takes on the role of interviewer for Aaj Tak, seeking to get into the mind of Australian captain Stephen Waugh.

Revenge Of the Bears The sudden fall in share-prices points to yet another rigging controversy, and raises questions about the efficacy and credibility of SEBI as a regulator.

NEWSNOTES

Voices

"I am responsible for this situation. I have given birth to the new leadership during the last 10 years and now they are after my blood."
Laloo Prasad Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal president, on the dissidence in his party, at a rally in Patna

"Meetings are held to cement alliances. I don't understand how one can hold a meeting to break an understanding."
Pranab Mukherjee, West Bengal Congress president, denying he met Mamata Banerjee to break an alliance with her party

"A leader's job is not to note down what others say. He should be able to take decisions and carry along his supporters with him."
K. Karunakaran, senior Congress leader, reacting to A.K. Antony's claim that he was not in a position to take decisions

"I fear horses and as far as polo is concerned, I am as big a zero as the polo ball. Let them play football or gulli-danda. I'll show them."
Shah Rukh Khan, film star, while declining to participate in an exhibition polo match in New Delhi

VIS-A-VIS

"It is up to Mamata Banerjee to decide whether she wants to keep the company of the BJP or not."
Anil Shastri, AICC General secretary

"They tell me to snap ties with the BJP. I want to tell them they would do well to snap ties with the communists."
Mamata Banerjee, President, Trinamool Congress

MetroScape
Triple Act
What I would love to do more than anything else in the world is to write another play," says Gurcharan Das. "But I don't know if I have the courage." He should have dollops of it, going by the audience reaction to his 9 Jakhoo Hill--performed to mark the release of Three English Plays by Das --at Delhi's India Habitat Centre
last week.
more...

Looking Glass

Delhi and Mumbai: Adventure One Sport

Mumbai: Smooth Bar

Delhi: Good Earth Showroom

Polo, like many other events, is bringing about the resurgence of the almost forgotten royals. A chance, writes INDIA TODAY's Principal Correspondent Anshul Avijit, to say Maharaja again with an unctuous post-modernist gusto in Despatches.

"The only obvious competition is in bhangra," say the Pakistani duo of the music group, Strings, in conversation with INDIA TODAY's Sonia Faleiro in
Interviews.