Rick Santorum, left, has proven to be a strong debater against rival Mitt Romney, right, as the two enter Wednesday night's Republican presidential candidates' debate in Arizone. (Associated Press)

WASHINGTON

U.S. Republican presidential hopefuls are again preparing to face each other on stage, with Rick Santorum expected to face intensified scrutiny in Arizona’s debate after emerging as the main challenger to Mitt Romney.

Wednesday night’s CNN candidates’ debate in Mesa marks the first event in which the surging Santorum has been cast as a top-tier candidate.

The former Pennsylvania senator and staunch social conservative has performed well in previous debates, especially when facing off against Romney on the health-care reform plan Romney introduced as Massachusetts governor, which was used as a model for President Barack Obama’s national plan.

But Santorum has triggered controversy in recent days for suggesting Obama’s policies were drawn from a “phoney theology … not found in the Bible” and was also forced to defend comments made in a 2008 speech, in which he said “Satan” was targeting the United States.

Santorum’s rivals, especially Romney and Ron Paul, are trying to undermine his claims to being a fiscal conservative, portraying him as a Washington insider who pushed for more federal spending for his home state.

Romney, in turn, has faced pointed attacks in previous debates over his job-creation record while governor and his private-sector career as a successful CEO of an investment banking firm that oversaw restructuring of companies and layoffs of employees.

Michigan race a dead heat

In Michigan, which holds its primary next Tuesday, the same night as Arizona, polls suggest Romney has pulled even with Santorum in the state after trailing the upstart candidate by double digits.

Romney, who has seen his juggernaut campaign shaken by a series of western primary and caucus losses to Santorum earlier this month, was born and raised in Michigan. His father was governor, and Romney was initially not expected to face a significant challenge there.

Santorum’s unexpected rise to the top of national polls has shaken up the race and left rival Newt Gingrich struggling to stay relevant ahead of so-called “Super Tuesday” in March, when 10 states hold primaries and caucuses.

Gingrich, who rode earlier strong debate performances to earn a surprise win in South Carolina in January but hasn’t won a state contest since, could also look to steal headlines in Wednesday night’s event and rejuvenate his campaign.

Paul, a Texas congressman, has seen solid and dedicated support throughout the nomination race, especially in caucus states. But the libertarian favourite, who advocates the removal of all U.S. soldiers from foreign bases and the elimination of the Federal Reserve, has yet to win a state contest outright and often finds himself on the periphery of debate exchanges.

-Reprinted with permission from CBC.ca

NEW DELHI

Taking another step on its proposal to introduce a common entrance test for engineering courses, the government Wednesday held talks with state education ministers and said that they had “in principle” agreed to bringing in the new format.

Talking to reporters after a meeting with state education ministers, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said the states “in principle” agreed to the proposal.

“After detailed deliberations, the proposal for a common national examination with effect from 2013 with weightage to state board results, normalised on the basis of percentiles formula, was endorsed in principle by States,” Sibal said.

Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Puducherry and West Bengal sought more time to study the details of the proposal, he said.

The ministry, making a presentation on the proposal, said the reform would not, in any way, affect reservations followed by states and the central government.

Sibal also called upon the states to cooperate in introduction of the National Vocational Educational Qualification Framework to qualitatively upgrade vocational education across the country.

The ministry also announced starting 100 community colleges on a pilot basis in 2012-13 and then scaling them up gradually.

BHOPAL

Two students of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM)-Indore have been expelled for allegedly taking drugs inside the institute premises, an official said Wednesday.

IIM-Indore board chairman L.N. Jhunjhunwala, after holding a meeting with the institute authorities, told media persons that he had ordered director M. Ravichandran to investigate the matter and find out the source of the drugs.

Jhunjhunwala has also ordered police investigation into the case.

Two students, Varun Yadav and Shailpa Nepali, were caught red-handed consuming some toxic substance in the institute premises. The exact nature of the drug is yet to be ascertained.

Yadav is a student of the post-graduate programme and Nepali was recently admitted in the newly-started integrated programme in management at IIM-Indore.

NEW DELHI

A day after its Facebook page got more than a lakh followers, the Delhi Traffic Police Wednesday said that “more technological improvements” will be brought in to improve city’s chaotic traffic condition.

“Yesterday the inevitable happened. Likes on this page went beyond one lakh. This makes one conscious of the huge responsibility traffic police will have to shoulder,” posted Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Satyendra Garg on Facebook.

“I am aware that the task is extremely difficult. At the same time we feel we have done somewhat well as so many people have connected to us,” he added.

Garg further said that he was expecting his transfer but since that has not happened he would continue to dedicate himself to the task of improving the traffic scenario of the metropolitan city.

“I thought two years in traffic police was more than enough. But maybe authorities wanted me to continue so I will rededicate myself to the task of improvement in traffic scene of Delhi,” he added.

Started in May 2010, the page is pivotal in providing information regarding traffic and prompt redressal of the same. It provides updates to Delhiites updates on traffic jams, road blocks and processions which affect traffic movement in the city.

JAMMU

Union Minister Farooq Abdullah Wednesday said the central government’s proposal to set up a National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) without consulting states was a “mistake”, and hoped it would soon be rectified.

“A mistake has been made and I am sure the centre would hold discussions with the states and sort out the matter,” he told reporters here.

“Terrorism cannot be fought effectively without the centre and the states being on the same wavelength,” he said.

His comments came less than 24 hours after his son and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Tuesday declared that “no discussions were held” between the states and the centre on setting up the NCTC.

Farooq Abdullah was speaking to the media at the conclusion of a meeting of the National Conference legislature party here Wednesday. Farooq is the president of the National Conference, which leads the ruling coalition in the state.

Many states, including two ruled by the central government’s allies – Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and Omar Abdullah of the National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir – have opposed the NCTC proposal in its present form.

NEW DELHI

There is simmering discontent among Pakistani Kashmiris against Islamabad’s misrule, activists from the region said Wednesday, urging India to shun its “defensive” Kashmir policy.

“Azad Kashmir (as Islamabad terms Pakistan-administered Kashmir) is free, of course. But free for Pakistanis only,” Mumtaz Khan, a Canada-based Pakistani Kashmiri activist, said at a seminar here on the status of the area.

Khan, who heads the International Center For Peace and Democracy (ICFPD) a Canada-based NGO, alleged that no politician could talk independently about the Kashmir issue in Pakistan because it is directly under the military’s control.

He said the people of the region, including Gilgit-Baltistan, had pinned their hopes on New Delhi but “India has been defensive in its Kashmir policy”.

“This has allowed Pakistan to take an aggressive stance,” he said, reminding the Indian government of a parliament resolution saying that Pakistan “must vacate the areas of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, which they have occupied through aggression”.

“India has faulted. You have violated your own constitution that says Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir is a disputed territory. You have to demonstrate something practically,” the activist said.

Senger Sering, another activist based in Washington and originally from Gilgit Baltistan, said people from his region wanted an independent republic and “that is why Pakistan is treats us worse than enemies”.

“There is institutionalized slavery. Pakistan has been eating out our resources and this slavery has been legalized by an ordinance,” Sering said, referring to the Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self Governance Order, 2009.

He alleged that “target killings” were rampant in the strategically located region rich with natural resources, particularly with a great potential for hydroelectricity.

The territory, where China has shown keen investment interest and is in fact developing many hydroelectricity projects and roads, is also a gateway to Central Asia.

But the area is ridden by violent incidents that Islamabad blames of sectarian groups, both Shias and Sunnis.

But Sering denied this, saying: “Target killings are done by mercenaries hired by (Pakistani spy agency) ISI.”

“They (killers) are coming from outside,” he said.

He alleged that the area is hugely militarized and the Pakistan Army controls everything.

“We have a bakery, the only bakery in the region. It is named Askari Bakery but is known as Military Bakery because it is run by the army,” he said.

Asking India to engage with activists from Pakistani Kashmir, he added that India should allow a symbolic representation for the region in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly.

“Let some activists be allowed to represent the region in the Kashmir assembly and legislative council,” he said, adding this was possible because constitutionally, they are citizens of India.

Tusshar Kapoor, who is still struggling to make a mark in Bollywood, is now following sister Ekta Kapoor’s footsteps – he has turned co-producer with “Chaar Din Ki Chandni” and says it’s all for money.

Tusshar told to IANS: “I have turned co-producer just for the greed for money as I am not being paid too much for the film. It’s a solo and it’s a huge discount for me as an actor. I agreed because I got to work with a hit director and actor. It makes the two ends meet, so I had to compensate.”

Directed by Samir Karnik, “Chaar Din Ki Chandni” stars Tusshar and Kulraj Randhawa in the lead roles and it is scheduled to release March 8. Unlike investing money through his sister Ekta’s banner Balaji Telefilms, Tusshar has pumped in money independently for the promotions.

“I have invested some amount in this as far as the promotions are concerned and that will be repaid once the film releases. I will have a small share in that (box office profit). It’s not under any banner, it’s just an agreement between me and Top Angles Productions,” he added.

However, Tusshar plans to take some marketing tips from Ekta to promote the film.

He said: “If I need some ideas for promotions, I can consult her because she has some brilliant ideas. I will have a conversation with her and ask her what I should do to promote ‘Chaar Din Ki Chandni’.”

Promotions strategy will include appearance on Ekta’s TV shows – “Pavitra Rishta” and “Bade Achche Lagte hain”.

“She has helped me because she got the ‘Pavitra Rishta’ tie-up done. Hopefully, I might go in with ‘Bade Achche Lagte hain’, if the channel approves,” the 35-year-old said.

Shirish Kunder has uninhibitedly admitted that actress Sonakshi Sinha’s role in his next directorial “Joker” is “cooler” than her part in her debut film “Dabangg”, which brought her instant success.

When a Twitterati asked Kunder: “Is Sonakshi’s role cooler than ‘Dabangg’, please reply,” he wrote back: “YES and she is there through the film.”

Sonakshi, daughter of veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha, was cast opposite Salman Khan in “Dabangg”. She played his love interest in the movie.

In “Joker”, a 3D project, Sonakshi will be seen opposite Akshay Kumar.

Amitabh Bachchan said doctors might remove the “central line” inserted in his neck by Wednesday night and that he will be discharged from the SevenHills Hospital in a few days.

“Things looking up… by night they may remove the ‘central line’, after which they give me the permission of discharge in couple of days,” the 69-year-old Bollywood megastar said on Twitter.

The veteran actor has been in hospital for over 10 days.

Amitabh was admitted Feb 11 for abdominal surgeries, after which he complained of acute pain. Doctors decided to keep him under observation by extending his stay.

In the past two days, Big B has been trying to get back to his normal self. His food intake has gone up, he has taken a shower, and now he even walks in the hospital room.

Big B quoted from a poem of his late poet father Harivanshrai Bachchan.

Translating it into English, he wrote: “When troubles overtook me, I cried, When greater troubles overtook me, I kept silent and when even greater troubles overtook me, I laughed – After all I live in this world.”

Bollywood actress Chitrangada Singh, who has bowled over her fans with her sultry looks and style in “Desi Boyz”, does not believe in following fashion trends, instead she considers herself a trend-setter.

“I think I follow a lot about how I feel, about who I am. If there is something I like out there, I definitely go out and do that. I don’t think I am a trend follower for sure. May be a trend setter yes,” the 35-year-old said here after being announced as the brand ambassador of Puma.

Chitrangada, who has adorned the cover page of many magazines, believes that fashion is not just for the classes.

“I don’t think fashion is something that is only for the classes. I am sure that it definitely goes beyond…if it survives the classes, it goes to the masses. So, I don’t think it is just restricted to the classes at all,” said Chitrangada.

“More than that I think style is far more important than fashion. I think that survives everything, be it classes or masses,” she added.

Chitrangada will soon be seen giving the item girls a run for their money in Shirish Kunder’s “Joker”. Chitrangada is also doing “I, Me Aur Main” opposite John Abraham.