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Black Day Against Killings; Bihar Bandh on Friday

          PATNA: The Opposition parties observed a black day in Bihar on Wednesday to protest against the State Government and demand the arrest of the policemen involved in the alleged fake encounter in which three youths were killed last Saturday.

          According to reports, NDA leaders, including former Union minister, Dr CP Thakur, Raghunath Jha (Samata) and Nand Kishore Yadav (BJP) led a procession wearing black ribbons around their mouth here. The leaders charged the Rabri Devi Government with trying to protect the policemen involved in the incident. They demanded immediate dismissal or resignation of the Rabri regime and said the agitation would continue till the State Government took proper steps.

           On Tuesday violence broke out during the Patna bandh called by the Opposition. Meanwhile, after the overwhelming response to Tuesday's bandh, the NDA, CPI-ML (L) and the Indian Federal Democratic Party gave separate calls for Bihar bandh on January 3. -ANI

Pak-Afghan Border Tense as Pak, US Troops Clash (Go To Top)

          PESHAWAR: The situation remained tense at Angoor Adda (Pak-Afghan border near Paktika province) on Tuesday following clashes between Pakistan's paramilitary troops and US soldiers a day earlier.

           Sources from Angoor Adda told the News that following the Monday incident, Pakistan deployed its regular army to assist its already deployed paramilitary forces, Waziristan Scouts, to safeguard the border. In the wee hours on Tuesday, unidentified attackers from inside Afghanistan again fired 12 rockets on Angoor Adda. The sources said a week ago, unknown assailants started firing on the US troops when they were on routine mobile duty at the nearby Paktika province.

          According to unconfirmed reports, heavy firing took place between the two sides resulting in the killing of seven US troops and injuring of one soldier from Waziristan Scouts. The sources said Wana officials rushed to the area and avoided bloodshed. Following the exchange of fire, the US gunship helicopters targeted a double-storey madressa-cum-mosque owned by Maulana Muhammad Hassan, former Taliban official. The US forces dropped three missiles on the madressa. Two fell on the madressa destroying its walls and rooms while one fell on the ground, the sources said. Meanwhile, officials of the two sides were said to be engaged in talks to normalize the situation.

Curfew in Gujarat After Clashes (Go To Top)

          DAHOD (Gujarat): Curfew was imposed on Gujarat's Dahod district following communal clashes in which four people were injured on Tuesday. Two shops were also set ablaze by the mobs. The police lobbed teargas shells to disperse them.

           According to the police, the trouble erupted after a tribal woman was teased by a group of persons in a predominantly Muslim residential area. The woman complained about the incident to her brother who confronted the eve-teasers and was allegedly beaten up. Thereafter, groups of both communities took to the streets, brandishing swords and other sharp-edged weapons. DK Patel, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Dahod, said two tribals were seriously injured in the attack.

Hindutva Being Given a Wrong Twist, Says Vajpayee (Go To Top)

          NEW DELHI: Hindutva is not different from Bharateeyata (Indianness) and pitting secularism against Hindutva is "incorrect and untenable." Thus did the Prime Minister affirm in his 'Musings from Goa,' released to the media on Tuesday, in which he criticized "some people" (read VHP) for projecting what he called a narrow version of Hindutva, an "unfortunate interpretation that runs contrary to its true spirit."

           Not only does his thought reflect a desire to wipe out fears raised by statements made by VHP leaders following Gujarat election results but also marks a new intensity in the battle of hearts and minds within the Sangh Parivar itself. Witness the assertions of KS Sudarshan, the shrill cries of Pravin Togadia or Ashok Singhal's criticism of LK Advani. Hindutva, Atal Behari Vajpayee stressed, was a forward-looking concept, reform-minded and against obscurantism.

           He quoted from Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore and Shri Aurobindo but, significantly, did not mention Veer Savarkar or Golwalkar who gave the concept an anti-minority twist. The musings also had its counsel to Pakistan. Vajpayee chastised Islamabad for aiding and abetting terrorism in India but also urged it to abandon the insistence on the so-called centrality of the Kashmir issue and open up trade and cultural ties as well as promote people-to-people contacts. This comes as somewhat of a contrast to the restrictions recently placed on Pakistani visitors.

          The Prime Minister also dwelt at length on issues of economic development and appealed for Government-public partnerships to tackle various problems.

Nainital, Mussoorie Greet 2003 in Snowy Style (Go To Top)

          NEW DELHI: It was a new year filled with fun, frolic and snow for people in the hill resorts of Nainital and Mussoorie, as the two towns received the season's first snow fall. Hundreds of people, tourists and residents alike, came out in the open as miles of forest landscape took on the colours of white and green, giving the entire region a festive look.

          Though the snow was welcomed by all, it was particularly enthralling for the tourists, most of whom were witnessing a snowfall for the first time. "I came here day before yesterday from Chandigarh and it is my good luck that I was able to see this snowfall," said Anupama Prakash, a tourist. "We have seen a lot of places, but never seen snowfall. It is for the first time that we are witnessing snowfall and I am feeling very good," added Rakesh Pratap, another tourist.

UAE Amnesty to Illegal Expatriates (Go To Top)

          DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has warned illegal immigrants either to leave the country within four months or be penalised. Illegal residents now face jail terms and financial penalties if they fail to do so during the grace period. According to unofficial estimates quoted by the Gulf News, up to 150,000 illegal immigrants are expected to take advantage of the amnesty which is the second one to be declared since 1996.

          The first amnesty, which lasted six months, saw about 200,000 illegal immigrants and over-stayers leave the UAE. Indians alone are estimated at more than 1.2 million and Pakistanis at more than 600,000.

ABCL Will Be Revived Soon: Bachchan (Go To Top)

          JAISALMER: Bollywood super-star Amitabh Bachchan has said that he would soon revive his company, ABCL, which had suffered huge financial losses in the past. The ABCL has already repaid 99 per cent of its debts and the remaining is being cleared to revive the company, Bachchan told reporters, adding that the company suffered huge losses when it organised Miss World pageant in Bangalore a few years ago.

           "A day before the Miss World pageant, the city Police Commissioner summoned me to a police station asking me to deposit Rs 2.50 crore for security arrangements. And only I know how I arranged this huge amount at two in the night. The Bangalore police is also demanding another Rs 2 crore", Bachchan stated.

           Though the company started off well, problems developed soon. The media also allegedly played a part in exaggerating the issue. "Every day, in bold letters it used to get published that Amitabh Bachchan owed huge income tax arrears whereas the fact was that the tax department had honoured me as the highest tax paying individual", Bachchan added. He said that the ABCL would now take up small projects, instead of big ones.

Bond Magic in Mumbai (Go To Top)

          MUMBAI: Mumbai rocked till the wee hours of the day as 2003 dawned. Several electrically charged venues of celebration offered excitement to the party animals of the city. One such venue was Shatranj Napoli, a restaurant which brought the Bond magic alive to all the die-hard fans of 'Die Another Day' to usher in the new year.

           Douglas James, the Bond double who performed James Bond-Pierce Brosnan's stunts in 'Die Another Day', flew down from the UK to Mumbai especially to delight all the Bond fans. James, who performed those jaw dropping thrills with masterful edge-of-the-seat fencing match, is a look-alike of Pierce Brosnan in every way. He thrilled the audience with a grand entry into the venue at the stroke of midnight by firing shots in the air to welcome the arrival of 2003.

          The entire restaurant took on the Bond look right from the big bang Bond gadgets, clips from Bond movies, laser beams, the glowing 007 ice cubes and the magnetic Bond signature music. According to Ashok Dattani, vice-president, of Shatranj Napoli, Mumbai'ites gathered at the venue had the opportunity to party with the Bond to the beats of band Gold Finger. Whether it was barbecue at the candle-lit roof-top or the Gold Finger band playing at the sports bar, Bond was in action across the place adding to the thrill of new year. The crowd was certainly "licensed to chill".

Bollywood Extravaganza Thrills Durban (Go To Top)

          DURBAN: Bollywood fans were recently treated to four hours of music, dance and comedy as the stars of the Indian screen performed a live show in Durban, South Africa. The man behind the Bollywood extravaganza was the legendary Amitabh Bachchan. Not surprising then that his show proved such a hit, considering his vast experience on the Indian screen and stage. Over the past 30 years he has starred in more than a hundred films.

          Bachchan was joined on stage by some of Bollywood's hottest talent, including Shah Rukh Khan, the star of Bollywood's debut at the Cannes Film Festival 'Devdas'. Shah Rukh Khan talked of the growing appetite for Indian cinema, due in part to the Western exposure the whole Bollywood culture has experienced over the last year.

          From 'Bend It Like Beckham' and 'The Guru' to Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Bombay Dreams', the singing and dancing world of Bollywood has taken the Western world by storm. Shah Rukh Khan has starred in most of the chart topping films that have recently come out of Bollywood - 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' which set the trend for Bollywood films in the 90s, 'Mohabbatein' opposite Amitabh Bachchan, as the legendary emperor Asoka in 'Asoka the Great' which he also produced, and 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham', the most successful Bollywood film of all time.

Pak Court Grants Bail to Al-Qaeda Suspects (Go To Top)

          LAHORE: Dr Ahmed Javad Khwaja, who was arrested on December 18 for his alleged links with Al-Qaeda, was granted bail by an anti-terrorism court here on Wednesday. Khwaja and his brother Naveed were arrested with seven family members, four of whom have since been released, in a midnight raid on their home by Pakistani and FBI agents hunting for Taliban and Al-Qaeda fugitives.

Indo-Pak Exchange of Information on Nuclear Facilities (Go To Top)

          ISLAMABAD: Continuing an annual practice, Pakistan and India on Wednesday exchanged information on each other's nuclear facilities. The exchange took place simultaneously at Islamabad and New Delhi through diplomatic channels. Each list has to mention, among other things, the exact locations of their nuclear installations.

           The agreement for exchange of information on nuclear facilities was signed in 1988 and came into effect in 1991. It stipulates that New Delhi and Islamabad must exchange lists on the first working day of every year. They have been doing so since then. Further, under the agreement, they are to refrain from attacking each other's nuclear facilities in the event of war.

        -ANI

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