Falling Star
The uproar over the prime minister's threat to resign may be over with the NDA reaffirming its faith and promising to behave. But the incident has called into question Vajpayee's inclination to govern. Buffeted by crises, is he preparing for a last bow? A report.

The Political Bank
The never-dying saga of UTI pitches the Government and the Opposition into the usual slanging match. More skeletons fall out of the UTI cupboard proving that the institution has been misused by politicians of all hues.

Crouching Tiger
Discontent is brewing in the RSS and the VHP over the coalition-hampered BJP and a pacifist Vajpayee being unable to push through the saffron programme. How long will it be before they refuse to toe the BJP line?

The Centre
Cannot Hold
Prodded by the DMK to requisition the services of three IPS officers involved in the arrest of M. Karunanidhi, the NDA Government is dragged into a constitutional debate.

Unravelling The Plot
A week after Samajwadi MP Phoolan Devi was gunned down by masked murderers, all the men believed to be involved have been arrested. Yet many questions remain to be answered before the case is solved.

Space Invaders
Research reveals life on earth may have originated from outer space comets.

WILDLIFE: FAKE BIRDS

Wings Of Deception

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	MUNIAS A third of the Indian bird trade involves munias. Plain munias (left) fetch Rs 10, but the white-throated munia, dyed bright red and tagged as the rarer red munia is priced at Rs 50.
	*	*
	PARAKEET A dab of orange on the head with a vegetable dye called katha, is all that's required to transform the drab but popular rose-ringed parakeet to the more exotic Alexandrine or Malabar parakeet. The profit margins soar accordingly. The dyed birds can cost Rs 1,500.
	*	*
	OWLS Black magic rituals need horned owls. But they are rare. Traders resort to spotted owlets (left), dye them and stick feathers on them for "horns"(right).
	* Plain Originals * Dyed Exotic Birds

The wings of deception are spread right across the globe. On May 13, 2001, Rajinder, a bird smuggler from Meerut, was held at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport with 1,200 dyed red munias which he had declared as captive-bred Bengalese finches, which can be legally exported. The previous year his brother was caught at Mumbai's Sahar airport trying to smuggle 8,000 disguised birds, including munias, to Dubai via Pakistan. More than 200 such seizures have taken place in India since bird trade and export was banned in 1990-91. A traffic-India report says about 1.2 million Indian wild birds were smuggled to Europe via Kathmandu in 1994-95.

The cruelty towards birds is more difficult to document. "On average, only one of three birds actually survive," points out environmental lawyer Ritwick Dutta. The others die while being captured or during transportation. The traders are not bothered-the losses don't amount to much. One solution is better enforcement and awareness, but it's not so easy. "The profits are so high, local and foreign demand is steady and the fear of prosecution is minimal, so traders continue," says Ahmed.

Traders view obstacles posed by enforcement authorities as part of the game. In a shop opposite Delhi's Red Fort, surrounded by birds of all hues hanging from rickety old cages, veteran trader Salim Khan nonchalantly declares, "We get raided once a week. We go to the Tees Hazari courts, get out on bail of Rs 5,000, lose a few birds. Then we're back in business for the rest of the week." M.K. Ranjitsinh, who authored the WPA, is clear: "The caged bird trade should be eventually phased out." While pets are still in demand the millennia-old profession is unlikely to be snuffed out by mere suggestions and policies. The birds, unfortunately, are less resilient.

MetroScape

Man Of Many Parts
Dilip Chhabria is shifting gears. The 48-year-old ex-designer, rejuvenating the geriatric Ambassador and, sacrilege, redesigning the Mercedes, is diversifying.
more...

Looking Glass

Kolkata Aroma Bar:
The Address

Delhi Exhibition: Journey-Yatra

Bangalore Restauran t: Ai Cavalli

Bangalore Ice-dems : Stem dance theatre

Bangalore Furniture : Cinnamon

Kolkata & Delhi Play: Macbeth

Mumbai Photography : R. Veeresh Babu

Clinical tests of a controversial drug at a Kerala cancer institute exposes the vulnerability of the medical field to a larger malaise. An investigation by India Today Special Correspondent M.G. Radhakrishnan in
Trial And Error