Sachin Tendulkar arrives at a hotel in Ahmed-abad on Saturday for the first Test between India and Sri Lanka. Sachin will become the 16th player in the history of the game to have an international career spanning more than 20 years on Sunday, but the Master Blaster is still well sh-ort of former English all-rounder Wilfred Rhodes’ mark of 30 years, 315 days. PHOTO: PTI

Indian ambassador to Afghanistan Jayant Prasad talks to Afghan farmers as they display apples at Kabul airport on Thursday before an Air India flight carrying three tonnes of Afghan apples took off for New Delhi in Kabul’s first step to explore international markets for its agricultural produce. In three days, 20 tonnes of Afghan apples will hit markets in India. PHOTO: AFP

Los Angeles: Slumdog Millionaire has not yet finished its victorious run at award ceremonies as the Mumbai-based potboiler has picked up five nods at the 2009 European Film Awards.

Kolkata: Few people know that legendary playback singer Kishore Kumar had offered financial help to his maternal uncle Satyajit Ray, who was facing a financial crunch while shooting Pather Panchali in 1955.

Nov. 9: India launch their 2011 World Cup campaign against Bangladesh in Dhaka on February 19 — the opening fixture of the event — and the country will host its first match on the next day in Chennai, the International Cricket Council announced here on Monday. Placed in Group B, alongside South Africa, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland and Netherlands, India will host 29 out of a total of 49 games of the quadrennial tournament, including the final and a semifinal.

Nov. 9: The BJP central leadership is apparently upset with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for the Sangh’s attempt to take complete control of the organisation and thrust a leader of its choice as the new BJP chief. Sources disclosed that some of the top leaders of the organisation were holding parleys to take on the RSS and get the organisation out of its grip.

Nov. 8: There were doubts whether Australia would be able to hold onto the number one position with ace bowler Glenn McGrath having hung up his boots, Brett Lee injured frequently and Mitchell Johnson not being consistent enough with his performance. However, this series win will certainly silence detractors.

Nov. 8: The British Prime Minister, Mr Gordon Brown’s, proposal of a glo-bal financial transactions levy has found no support amongst the G20 nations.Mr Brown, who addressed G20 finance ministers at St. Andrews on Saturday, urged the G20 to investigate ways to provide a fairer balance of risks and rewards between taxpayers, citizens, shareholders and bank employees.

Nov. 8: Though the crisis in the state BJP has finally come to an end, it has taken a heavy toll on the state with the cost of the trips undertaken by ministers and MLAs running into several lakhs.