Frankfurt - Despite signs of cautious economic optimism emerging around the world, German chemicals giant BASF AG said Wednesday it saw no signs that the global crisis was easing, and announced moves to place up to 3,000 employees on shorter work weeks.

"We have to make adjustments," said BASF personnel chief, Harald Schwager. "An end to the global crisis is still not in sight."

Nowadays producers can’t even depend upon the channel to properly publicize their shows. Take for example, Sidhant Cinevision head honcho Manish Goswami. He had to hire a private PR for the publicity of his NDTV Imagine show, Dehleez.

Our sources say that the channel is not happy with the rating of the show and may even take a call on it post the IPL. The source further adds that internally the channel has asked its team not to dedicate time and attention to Dehleez. Hence the poor producer had no other alternative but to hire his own guys, in order to create some buzz around the show of a married woman, who goes out to work.

Patna, Apr. 15 : Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Railway Minister Lalu Yadav has said that there is no political power in the country capable of breaking the Yadav Front that includes himself, Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan.

In an interview to Times Now, Lalu said: I will not respond to hypothetical situations. I can only say that the Yadav front is unbreakable. Those who want to join the NDA can do so, but we have kept all our options open as far as the Third Front is concerned."

For the first time in her career, Kalabhavan Mani would get an opportun

Manila - The Philippine government is closely monitoring the condition of 120 Filipino seamen being held by pirates in hijacked ships off Somalia, a senior official said Wednesday.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the Philippines is also planning to prohibit the deployment of Filipino seamen on ships that would pass through the African country's dangerous waters.

New Delhi, Apr 15 : Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today said that no effort can be made to have peace talks with Pakistan unless Islamabad takes strict action against the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks.

Interacting with members of the Editors Guild of India, Dr. Singh rejected as "not true" Pakistan's contention that India has not provided sufficient evidence to Pakistan in connection with the 26/11 attacks.