Talaaq or lovers’ tiff
New Delhi, March 6
On Friday it was not clear if Congress and Samajwadi Party were heading for a talaaq or if they were engaged in a mere lovers’ tiff. The honeymoon seemed to be over and the two parties appeared to be drifting apart. What, however, was also clear is that both are willing to clutch at straws if they can escape from drowning.

Liquor baron wins over Gandhi
Washington/New Delhi, March 6
In an ironical twist, it was left to liquor baron Vijay Mallya to bid over Rs. 10 crore ( $2 million), which includes the commission to be paid to the auction house in New York, to buy the lot of personal belongings of Mahatma Gandhi that were put on auction by Los Angeles-based filmmaker and pacifist, James Otis.

Items owned by Mahatma Gandhi on display before being auctioned in New York on Thursday. — Reuters

PC: Pak should dismantle terror infrastructure

Hyderabad, March 6 Sending out a strong message to Pakistan, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram today said Islamabad must get down to the task of dismantling infrastructure of terrorism and declare zero tolerance towards terrorist activities. He warned the neighbouring country that allowing terror infrastructure to continue would be like riding a tiger. “You know what happens if you ride a tiger,” Chidambaram told a press conference here.

Home Minister P Chidambaram during a meeting to review security situation in Hyderabad on Friday. — PTI

Yet another setback for Rodrigues

Chandigarh, March 6 In yet another setback to General SF Rodrigues (Retd), the union government has directed the UT Administrator to restore the Adviser’s authority to write annual confidential reports (ACRs) of his subordinate officers.

Pradeep Mehra

Gen SF Rodrigues

Haryana Lok Ayukta to probe Tohana
colony case
Chandigarh, March 6
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked Haryana Lok Ayukta to look into the Tohana illegal colony case allegedly involving state-cadre IAS officer OP Langayan, the former deputy commissioner of Fathehabad, and other state functionaries. The colony, allegedly set up in connivance with the state government officials, now stands demolished.

Jaya’s anti-Centre protest welcomed
Chennai, March 6
In a severe embarrassment to the Congress, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and UPA ally M Karunanidhi today welcomed AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa’s hunger protest “condemning the Centre for not taking steps to immediately stop the war in Sri Lanka”.

Last salute of a powerful flying machine Halwara, March 6 An emotional Wg Cdr YJ Joshi took the last flight of MiG-23 BN at the Air Force Station here today before the aircraft was phased out of active service. In a formal ceremony, Wing Commander Joshi handed over the pilot notes to Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major, Chief of Air Staff, to mark the phasing out of the fighter planes after 27 years of active deployment. BOW OUT: MiG-23 fighter plane, on its last flight at Halwara, near Ludhiana, on Friday. Tribune photo: Himanshu Mahajan