Amritsar, Oct. 21 : Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today criticized Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray for indulging in extremism through his party''s anti-north Indian tirade.

MNS activists have attracted widespread criticism from across the country for recently beating up several North Indian youths, who were to appear for interviews for Indian Railways'' Grade IV jobs.

Expressing concern over the unusual face of politics emerging from Maharashtra, Badal said: "He (Raj Thackeray) is doing wrong. If the tension escalates, it could break the country."

Tallinn - Estonian taxpayers have been subsidizing the Estonian first lady's love of rollerblading to the tune of nearly 30,000 kroons (2,500 US dollars), it was reported Tuesday.

A report in the Estonian business daily Aripaev said the public money was spent on plane tickets and accommodation for Evelin Ilves, wife of Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, on recent trips during which she took part in rollerblading marathons.

The office of the president confirmed to dpa Deutsche Presse- Agentur that the figures quoted by the press were accurate, but noted that the trips had included "official duties" as well as the freewheeling events.

Jakarta - Indonesia's parliament on Tuesday ratified a regional charter committing South-East Asian nations to the principles of democracy and human rights, and envisaging a single free-trade area by 2015.

The ratification bill was approved by all 10 factions in the House of Representatives. It will take effect after it is signed by the president.

Indonesia was the last member of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to ratify the charter after the Philippines signed up earlier this month, clearing the way for its formal adoption at a summit in Bangkok in December.

The charter commits the group to promote human rights and democracy, sets out rules for members and transforms ASEAN into a legal entity.

New Delhi, Oct 21 : Union Minister of Railways Lalu Prasad Yadav today said that Indian Railways is the lifeline of the nation and it is necessary to run fast moving trains in view of ever increasing passenger and freight traffic.

Tehran  - An Iranian woman who had been studying in California was arrested by Iranian police, reportedly for making unauthorised video interviews with women activists in Iran, the Tehran press reported Tuesday.

The daily Kargozaran reported that Esha Momeni, member of the Change for Equality campaign, was transferred to the notorious Evin prison after her arrest last week.

Momeni reportedly planned to make a film about women in Iran in general and woman activist Parvin Ardalan in particular.

Ardalan, 41, last year initiated a plan to collect one million signatures in Iran to amend the prevailing law on women's rights, which are not equal to those of men.

Dhaka- Bangladesh's interim government plans to reduce the fuel price by 8 to 12 per cent in the wake of the crude oil price fall on the global market, an official said Tuesday.

The decision will be finalised at a meeting of the council of advisers to be headed by the chief adviser to the interim government of Fakhruddin Ahmed sometime next week, he said.