Moonlit Taj entralls hundreds

      Agra (UP): Tourists, lovebirds and locals came in hundreds to view the Taj Mahal at night on Saturday, after the Supreme Court allowed visitors to gaze at the dazzling marble monument by moonlight for the first time in two decades (except one day in 2000).. Setting aside a ban put in place on security grounds, the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that the 17th-century symbol of love could open for five nights a month during the full moon for the next three months. The moonlight viewing will be part of celebrations to mark the white marble mausoleum's 350th anniversary, which are expected to draw millions of visitors. Night viewing was allowed for a day in 2000, but stopped again over concern about preserving the site. Dazzled by the sheer brilliance of the Moghul architectural wonder, tourists are jubliant at the rare chance to observe the wonder in night, which many historians have described a moment of eternity. The ban on night visits was imposed in 1984 following reports militants had targeted the monument, built by Emperor Shahjahan as a testament to his love for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

Policeman kills seven colleagues in Kashmir (Go To Top)

     Srinagar: A policeman ran amok at a security camp here after an argument and shot dead seven of his colleagues before he was gunned down, police said on Sunday. The incident took place overnight in a paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CPRF) camp in Baramulla district, north of Srinagar, the main city of Jammu and Kashmir state. Three were wounded. "In this our own constable Deka opened indiscriminate firing at his colleagues and killed six of them on the spot. We are inquiring into the reasons. He himself was also killed. Three others were injured and one died on his way to the hospital and two others are out of danger," said M.S. Aggarwal, Deputy Inspector General , CRPF.

Rail engine mows down 14 boys near Bhopal  (Go To Top)
by Ram Chandra Sahu

     Bhopal: At least 14 young boys were crushed to death by a railway engine at the Sukhi Semania railway station at around 12 noon today when they got down from the Swaran Jayanti Express. Many others were injured. The railway station is situated nearly 18 km from Bhopal. Most of the dead were going to participate in a Budha Mela held nearby. Six bodies have been identified till last reports came in. District Collector Sanjay Shukla reached the station to take stock of the situation and announced ex gratia relief of one lakh rupees to the families of each deceased, and 25,000 rupees to those of the injured.

PM arrives in Laos (Go To Top)
by Smita Prakash

     Vientiane (Laos): The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, arrived here today on a three-day visit to Laos for the third Indo-ASEAN Summit during which a long-term partnership pact for peace, progress and shared prosperity will be signed by the two sides. Dr. Singh and his delegation were received at the airport by his Laotian counterpart Bounnhang Vorachith The agreement will chart out the collective vision of India and the South East Asian countries in political, economic, science and technology, health, cultural and other key spheres. Earlier, before for Vientiane, the Prime minister said in a statement that "we expect to conclude a long-term partnership document between India and ASEAN during the summit." He also said that India attached high priority to strengthening and expanding the scope of India's mutually beneficial relations "with our neighbours in the East with whom we have profound civilisational ties". ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) groups Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos.

Mysterious disease claims 8 lives in Morena (Go To Top)

      Morena (MP): A mysterious disease has claimed the lives of eight people in Madhya Pradesh's Morena District. State health authorities are reportedly still grappling to contain the disease that is claiming new victims almost everyday. The Bhuravali village in the district has been most affected. Villagers claim that patients first suffer excruciating pain in the stomach and the chest and then die. Villagers have started believing the disease is a curse from the Gods. "At first it starts with pain in the stomach and chest and the patient just dies of the pain. Till now, eight people have died of this mysterious disease in the last one-and-half-months," said Ramhet, a villager. "Our health team is visiting this area daily. Our health workers are staying here. The Morena CMO has also visited this area and even I have visited the area many times," claimed Dr. H S Sagar, the Block Medical Officer of Kailash.