Advantage Outsiders
With the balance tilted against it, the Taliban regime will soon find itself vanquished.

Lull Before The Storm
Amid calls for a quick and decisive end to the conflict, Afghanistan has been abuzz with talk of an imminent Northern Alliance ground war against the Taliban.

History's Pointers
The Soviet Union's 10 years campaign in Afghanistan — a conflict that led to a humiliating withdrawal and, some say, its eventual breakup
— can be a learning experience for
the US.

METROSCAPE

The spirited residents of Andheri-Versova tract in Mumbai have responded to an environment cause. When mangroves in their four lakh sq m area was threatened by as many as 47 prospective housing societies and developers dumping debris into backwaters, some of them asked the suburban collector and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for help. What they met with was the infamous bureaucratic red tape, with each department palming off the responsibility to the other.

The reason wasn't difficult to guess. The plots and buildings that had been sold by the state Government in what appears to be a violation of the CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) notification of 1991, now belong to people and organisations with immense clout-judges and advocates, MLAs and other politicos and film actors. In 2000 the activists mobilised into the save Andheri Versova Environment Forum with a core managing committee of 11 members. When pleas to the state Government and even an attempt to construct a police chowki in the area didn't work, they approached the Centre. Finally, in a positive move in early October, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests directed state and Mumbai authorities to stop all construction on the seaward side of Survey No. 161, Versova, and to furnish an Action Taken Report on all the directions. The deadline for the ATR is over and the BMC whines that the clearing would cost Rs 4 crore. "That's bullshit," says Usha Kiran, save chairperson who refuses to believe it so expensive, and wants BMC to clear the area so afforestation can begin. With 40 per cent of Maharashtra's total mangrove population being lost already, guess Mumbai's mangroves could do with more such committed forums.

Net Best Thing

Delhi's Kirori Mal College is on an e-ducating binge. From online admissions to online lectures, opinion polls, daily news, online tests, timetable, web magazine, paying guest accommodation for outstation students, previous years question papers, whew, ... everything is now considered Net worthy. "It's like dosas are out and we are now catering pizzas," says J.L. Sharma, lecturer of chemistry. So every time students miss Sharma's class they can log on to the Net. But teachers also add that this is merely an attempt to redefine education and not a replacement for regular classes. But what about bunking? "No," says Sharma. "In fact, students wait for me if I am late." He was talking with a straight face.

Qutub Colonnade's last run had a chilling ending ... the murder of Jessica Lall. Now the blood has been finally wiped off the floor. In its second avtaar, the Delhi lifestyle complex is returning with what owner Bina Ramani has labelled Style Mile, an eclectic conglomerate of 25 stores and restaurants (of the Mehrauli area) that have joined hands and vowed to become the definitive haunt for the shopper.

Outlets include restaurant Thai Wok, interiors Casa Paradox, Durian furniture and clothes by Style Mile co-conceptualiser Tarun Tahiliani. And for the festive season an additional 25 different "vendors" specialising in Diwali bric-a-brac have been called to set up stalls. "These are smart ladies, housewives, who don't know where to sell their stuff. We also have a reiki healer called Mandira," says Ramani. The ill-fated colonnade might need a few more of those.

MetroScape

Looking Glass

Mumbai Restaurant:
India Jones

Mumbai Puppetry Festival: Toccata

Bangalore Restaurant: Chung Wah

Kolkata Exhibition : Life Is Beautiful