Munda Sworn in New Jharkhand CM

          RANCHI: Arjun Munda was on Tuesday sworn in as the second chief minister of Jharkhand. Munda took over the reigns after Babulal Marandi had to quit following a revolt in the NDA alliance. Seven ministers belonging to the JD(U), Samata and independents resigned from the ministry over differences with Marandi. Besides the chief minister, six Cabinet ministers, including three rebel ministers in the previous Marandi regime, also took oath. Thirtyfive-year old Munda, who was the welfare minister in the Marandi Cabinet, was administered the oath ... (Contd)

Just 48 Hours for Saddam and Sons: Bush

          WASHINGTON: President George Bush has asked Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein to leave his country along with his sons within 48 hours and go into exile or, failing that, face a military attack. The soldiers of Iraq, he added, may save their lives by surrendering weapons.

           The window of diplomacy is now closed, Bush asserted in his 13- minute address to the nation at 8 pm on Monday night (0630 IST Tuesday). According to him, "all the decades of deceit and cruelty have now reached an end." The attack may commence at a time of "USA's choosing," once the UN staff and other foreigners have had time to leave the war zone.

          Directly telling the Iraqis and the army there that their fate would depend on their action, the US President urged them not to destroy the oilfields and use the chemical or biological arms against American troops or anyone else. He painted a rosy post- war picture for them : food and medicine, reconstruction of the economy, establishment of peace and democracy, end of the era of poison factories and torture chambers, in short, total liberation.

You Step Down as American President: Saddam Gives It Back (Go To Top)

          BAGHDAD: Rejecting the US ultimatum, Iraq has asked President Bush to step down, allowing the Americans to live peacefully in the world. Iraqi foreign minister Naji Sabri on Tuesday said Bush has isolated the US and the Americans are being identified in the world as aggressors due to his policies, he said. President Bush's failure to get support of the world for the war against Iraq has made the United States' position ridiculous in the world, he observed. The Arab League has also rejected the US ultimatum to Saddam accusing Washington of "acting outside international legality."

Vajpayee Still Hopes War Will Not Take Place (Go To Top)

          NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on Tuesday expressed the hope that the US would not carry out the threatened war on Iraq. Forty-eight hours before US President George W Bush's ultimatum to Saddam Hussein comes to an end, protests, criticism and hopes of diplomacy are being given a last chance the world over. "What a coincidence, when India talks about Gandhi peace prize, the world is on the verge of a war. But we should still hope that peace will prevail and violence will take a back seat," Vajpayee said at a function to confer the Gandhi Peace award to Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan.

           Vajpayee had said in parliament that India would not support any unilateral action against Baghdad outside the Security Council resolution. US troops in the Middle East have started preparations for an imminent assault on Iraq if Hussein does not flee his country by Thursday.

Third British Minister Resigns over Iraq (Go To Top)

          LONDON: A third British minister resigned on Tuesday to protest against Prime Minister Tony Blair's backing for a war on Iraq. Home office minister John Denham said he was quitting because he could not vote in support of the Government for a House of Commons motion to endorse a military strike on Baghdad. The leader of the House of Commons, Robin Cook, who was foreign minister during the Kosovo crisis, resigned on Monday, followed by junior health minister Lord Philip Hunt. But Claire Short, the international development secretary, who nine days ago called Blair's handling of the Iraq crisis "reckless," announced she would be staying in the Government.

Hu Calls Up Chirac and Putin (Go To Top)

          BEIJING: Chinese President Hu Jintao spoke on the phone with French President Jacques Chirac and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, saying the door to peace cannot close, State television reported. "The door to peace cannot be closed," Hu told Putin, China Central Television said. "Only the political resolution of the Iraqi issue within the framework of the United Nations is the correct way," Hu added.

Arab League Chief Calls Off Visit to Baghdad (Go To Top)

          CAIRO: Arab League secretary-general Amr Mussa called off on Tuesday a visit to Baghdad that was announced earlier by the Iraqi Government, an official at the Cairo-based organisation was quoted as saying. "Mussa's visit has been cancelled because it's impossible to undertake," the official told, confirming the Arab League chief had plans to travel to Baghdad on Tuesday. Mussa cancelled the visit after US President George W Bush gave an ultimatum overnight for his Iraqi counterpart Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq within 48 hours or face war, the official added.

Fire in Delhi Slum, Nine Killed (Go To Top)

          NEW DELHI: Nine people, including five children, were charred to death in a fire which swept through a slum here on Tuesday. A large number of hutments were also destroyed. The fire broke out in the slum located near the Red Fort. Said Mohammed Hashim, an eye-witness: "It was at around 2.30 am (local time) in the morning. There was a sound of crackers. I took my children to a safer place and when I came back, I saw that all my belongings had been burnt. Right in front of me five people lay dead."

           The flames which spread rapidly in the densely populated area were brought under control after almost three hours of fire- fighting. The injured, mostly women and children, were admitted to a local hospital. The cause of the fire is not yet known.

Sri Lanka Peace Talks Open in Japan (Go To Top)

          TOKYO: Sri Lanka's warring parties opened the latest round of formal peace negotiations on Tuesday, ending speculation over a possible rebel boycott to protest the sinking of one of their vessels. Both sides said they will address the issue of the Sri Lankan navy destroying a rebel vessel with the loss of 11 lives on March 10 before discussing political, economic and humanitarian issues in the next three days.

          The latest round is the sixth for the two sides in line with a Norwegian-led initiative which is strongly supported, among others, by Japan, the United States, European Union nations and India.

Nyas Chief Discounts Excavation as Evidence of Ayodhya Temple (Go To Top)

          AYODHYA: Mahant Paramhams Ramachandra Dass, chief of the VHP-backed Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, on Tuesday attacked the VHP leaders who criticised Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and BJP on the Ram temple issue and said the acquired land should be returned to him on the basis of earlier evidence and religious scriptures and not the ongoing excavation.

           Asked about the possibility of a dialogue, he shot back, "Muslims have never agreed to any solution through talks. No namaz has been offered there since 1934. When it was not a mosque why should I besiege them to return it to me? It rightfully belongs to me. Let the Muslims be honest and return Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura to us and establish goodwill in the country," he added.

Kidnapping: Customs Stop Coal Exports to Bangladesh (Go To Top)

          SHILLONG: Customs officials of the North-eastern circle have suspended the export of coal from Meghalaya and Assam to Bangladesh to press their demand for release of their inspector Dipak Mahanta and six exporters abducted by NDFB, PLF and ANVC militants, official sources said on Tuesday. Customs commissioner said here the militants had set March 20 as deadline for payment of Rs 30 lakh as ransom by the Customs department for release of its official. The militants also demanded an amount of one million dollars for the release of the coal exporters, he said.

          About 20 armed militants in military attire entered the customs station at Ghasuapara in South Garo hills on February 28 and abducted Mahanta and six exporters who were sitting there. On March 15, the customs department received a call from the self-styled captain of NDFB, Daimalu who demanded Rs 30 lakh for the release of Mahanta and gave a deadline of March 20 for payment or otherwise threatened to kill him.

           On March 5, a man identifying himself as from NDFB contacted the exporters office and asked for negotiation in Dhaka and accordingly seven persons representing the exporters reached Dhaka and met Daimalu on March 7. Daimalu demanded one million dollars for the release of the exporters who expressed their inability to pay. The customs commissioner said he had informed the Centre about the incident and instructed all the 13 land customs stations in Assam and Meghalaya to suspend their operation because of insecurity.

It Was a Riot of Colours All Around (Go To Top)

          NEW DELHI: Holi, the festival of colours, was celebrated in some parts of India on Tuesday (The Government has declared Holi on Wednesday, March 19). One of the most widely celebrated festivals in India, Holi signals the end of winter and the onset of spring. In Jammu, the fear of militant violence could not dampen the festive spirit as people came out in large numbers and played with colours. People applied 'gulal' or coloured powder on each other, distributed sweets and took out processions accompanied with drums and traditional Holi songs. In Mumbai, people came out on the streets, smearing 'gulal' and spraying coloured water from 'pichkaris', the traditional spray- pumps on each other. People in India's north-western Rajasthan celebrated the day as 'Phagutsav' or the spring festival.

India Donates 32 New Buses to Afghanistan (Go To Top)

          AMRITSAR: As part of its assistance for economic reconstruction in Afghanistan, India has sent 32 new buses to the war-ravaged country. The buses left for Afghanistan via Wagah border in Punjab on Monday. These have been designed specially to suit Afghan roads and terrain. "As you know after such a long battle, Kabul has been completely deserted with the residential areas destroyed. So the Indian Government is giving us 100 vehicles including dumpers and bulldozers," said Saifur Rehman, president of Afghan transport department.

           Around 300 more vehicles including trucks, semi-utility vehicles and ambulances would also be leaving for Afghanistan soon. India has already gifted two batches of buses and three aircrafts to Kabul. New Delhi, along with Iran and Russia, supported the Northern Alliance opposition group during its war with the Pakistani- backed Taliban, and has been pursuing political and commercial ties with the new regime in Kabul since it came to power in late 2001.

Munda Sworn in New Jharkhand CM (Go To Top)

          (Contd) ... of office and secrecy by Governor M Rama Jois at Raj Bhavan. Munda was directed by the Governor to prove his majority on the floor of the House in seven days. The new ministers who took oath included Pasupatinath Singh of the BJP, Samresh Singh of Jharkhand Vanachal Congress, Sudesh Mahato and Joba Manjhi from the All-Jharkhand Students Union and Independent Madhavlal Singh, a new-comer. Samresh Singh, Joba Manjhi and Samresh Singh had rebelled against the Marandi Government but returned to the NDA fold on Monday after Marandi quit at the height of dissident activities.

           The Governor had asked Munda after his unanimous election as the new leader of the NDA legislature party, to prove his majority on the floor of the House when he had called on him to formally stake claim to form the Government on Monday night. Munda's predecessor, Babulal Marandi, had resigned on Monday without facing a trial of strength in the Assembly after nearly a month of dissidence among NDA allies of the ruling BJP. Munda had submitted a list of 40 MLAs in his support to the Governor. The State Assembly has an effective strength of 79.

It's 'Unhealthy' ... Diana Had Said (Go To Top)

          LONDON: The ghost of princess Diana has once again come back to haunt the royals. Secret video diaries made by princess Diana allege that husband Charles had an 'unhealthy relationship' with a male aide, according to the Sunday Mirror. In the tapes, a tear-streaked Diana speaks rails against the 'stifling' monarchy, 'trapped in the Dark Ages.' Of Charles she says: 'He is too close to Fawcett - what can one do when your husband is in an unhealthy relationship with a servant?'

          Senior aide Michael Fawcett was the sacrificial lamb offered up by the royals after the recent investigation into improper conduct at the palace, though he was given a 500,000-pound pay- off and will be kept on as an adviser, says People News. 'Even the royal staff look down their noses at me,' continues Diana on one of the tapes. 'It's just awful. I am sure Fawcett's behind it. He has far too much influence.'

          The Sunday Mirror quotes a Scotland Yard source who claimed many of Diana's video tapes were thrown on a Fawcett-lit bonfire after her death in 1997, while prince Charles looked on. A police raid unearthed the current batch of tapes two years ago in the home of butler Paul Burrell. They were deemed too sensitive for use in his trial earlier this year, which collapsed when an absent- minded Queen 'remembered' a conversation she had with Burrell, proving he was innocent.

Madonna Irked by Gwyneth's Step-by-step Imitation (Go To Top)

          LONDON: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But for pop queen Madonna, actress Gwyneth Paltrow's craze of imitating her is turning to irritation for the singer. There are even rumours that this has cooled off the friendship between the two because Madge is so fed up with having a double. Some facts prove that Gwyneth actually imitates the singer- actress.

           Madonna, 44, married British film director Guy Ritchie in December 2000. Less than two years later, Oscar-winning Gwyneth, 30, linked up with British pop star Chris Martin. She is set to wed the Coldplay lead singer - five years her junior - next year, according to a report in TeenHollywood.com.

           Six months before Madge married Guy, she bought a 10 million pound, six-bed mansion in Belgravia, central London. Within 18 months Gwyneth announced she wanted to settle in London and then plumped for a one million pound, two-bedroom pad in a redbrick mansion block in nearby Kensington. The two even share a mutual friend - designer Stella McCartney. The pair have also used the same health clinic in posh Knightsbridge, West London.

           More interestingly, Madonna visited the Linda Meredith health and beauty clinic for a spot of yoga in November 2001. The following summer Gwyneth did the same. Both stars follow the same macro-biotic diets, based on whole-grains, vegetables, beans, seaweed and fermented soya products.