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35th IFFI in Goa from November 29 to December 9

        New Delhi: The 35th International Film Festival of India 2004 will be held at Goa from November 29 to December 9. The main festival theatres are located in Campal in Goa's Panaji district. The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will show the Indian Panorama films, hold the Asian Competition Section as well as screen films from the across the globe. The Directorate of Film Festivals, government is organizing the festival in collaboration with the Government of Goa.

Apang to be Arunachal's 10th CM

       Itanagar: Gegong Apang will be sworn in as the tenth Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday at a function in the Durbar Hall of the Raj Bhawan here. Apang will be sworn in as the state's chief minister for the seventh time. Highly placed Congress sources said that Apang would take oath alone, while the other eleven ministers would be sworn-in later by the state's Governor, V C Pandey. Despite facing stiff opposition from Mithi loyalists, Apang managed to cobble a majority in the CLP, besides getting unconditional support from 13 Independents, two-member Arunachal Congress and the NCP. Born on January 10, 1947 at remote Karku village in Upper Siang district, Apang was elected from the Yingkiong-Pangin constituency on a Janata Party ticket in 1978 and was appointed as PWD and Agriculture Minister. He returned in the second assembly in January 1980 and became the Chief Minister for the first time on January 18 that year and has never looked back ever since.

Andhra Government begins talks with Naxalites (Go To Top)

        Hyderabad: The first-ever direct talks between Naxalites and the Andhra Pradesh government commenced here on Friday. Top leaders of the People's War Group and Janasakthi organisations, who are staying at a government guesthouse here for the last three days as `state guests', were escorted to the Dr. MCR HRD Institute in Hyderabad's posh Jubilee Hills area where the parleys began. The talks signal a new phase in the three-decade-long, blood- soaked history of Naxalite movement in the state. The state PW Secretary Ramakrishna, a school-teacher turned revolutionary who once carried a reward of Rs.12 lakh on his head, the Secretary of Andhra-Orissa Border Special Zone Committee Sudhakar, member of North Telangana Special Zone Secretary Ganesh and Janasakthi leaders Amar and Riaz are participating in the talks. The state Home Minister K Jana Reddy is leading a nine-member state government team comprising ministers and Congress leaders. Besides, a team of mediators headed by retired IAS official S R Sankaran is also assisting in the negotiations. A thick security blanket has been thrown around HRD Institute where the talks are being held. The Naxalite leaders arrived in a convoy of cars with police security and were escorted to the Board Room on the second floor of the HRD Institute where the negotiations began. Land distribution to the poor, putting an end to `World Bank dictated economic policies', democratic empowerment, separate state for Telangana and total prohibition form the core of naxal agenda during the talks which have generated enormous public interest.

Kalam celebrates 73rd birthday with a busy schedule (Go To Top)

         New Delhi: President APJ Abdul Kalam on Friday spent his 73rd birthday pursuing a packed schedule in Mysore, Pahalgaon and Ahmedabad. The President began his day attending a national youth conference at the Suttur Mutt near Mysore attended by thousands of youths. Later, he addressed students of an orphanage. Born on October 15, 1931 at Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu, Bharat Ratna Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam assumed the office of President on July 25, 2002. From a humble beginning, Kalam has had an unparalleled career as an aerospace and defence scientist. As an eminent aeronautical engineer, he contributed to the development of India's first Satellite Launch Vehicle SLV III and became the architect of the country's guided missile development programme that led to successful nuclear experiments. His day's engagements include addressing functions organised by the Lions' Club and DRDO in Pahalgaon (in Karnataka). He will meet a group of 315 physically handicapped children. Later in the day, he will travel to Ahmedabad where he will address an international energy conference and an international tourism seminar before returning to the capital tonight.

Five nations to be elected to UNSC (Go To Top)

         New York: In an election whose outcome has been known for months, Japan will win a two-year term on the UN Security Council on Friday along with Argentina, Denmark, Greece and Tanzania. Japan is expected to use its presence on the powerful UN body starting January 1, to spotlight its campaign for a permanent council seat. At last month's ministerial meeting of the U.N. General Assembly, the leaders of Japan, Germany, Brazil and India agreed to support each other's candidacies for permanent seats. The council currently consists of five permanent members with veto power the United States, Britain, Russia, China and France and 10 non-permanent members who serve two-year terms and have no power to veto resolutions. The 10 elected members - nominated by regional groups to give the council broad geographical representation - enjoy all other aspects of council membership, including the right to propose resolutions, chair committees and hold the rotating council presidency for one-month periods. Five countries are elected every year by the General Assembly to replace five retiring ones.

Bamboo flower may cause widespread famine and unrest (Go To Top)

         Aizawl: The government of the north-eastern Indian state of Mizoram is concerned these days about the fact that a certain species of bamboo is all set to flower after 48 years. The flowers, which are considered a bad omen by the Mizos, lead to the proliferation of rats, which in turn brings about a famine. The bamboo, which is known as "mautam" meaning famine by the locals, is from a small family of bamboo whose flowers produce protein rich seeds, which when consumed by rats leads to more fertility and reproduction amongst them. The rats then tend to attack the local farmers' crops as well as stored cereals and rice. The last time the bamboo had flowered in 1958, the famine it caused led to 20 years of guerilla warfare between Mizoram and Delhi, reports The Telegraph. The state officials are now reportedly taking frantic measures to stop the damage from taking place. Not only are they cutting down the bamboo trees, they are also providing farmers with pest control toxins and making a buffer stock. The state's chief minister, Zoramthanga, avers that the oncoming calamity could be used to their advantage as the bamboo could be used by cottage industries to make furniture and other goods. Zoramthanga, however, also says that Delhi needs to wake up to their plight, as they are fighting a losing battle since they have very few resources. "Bamboo flowering is a bad omen and we are concerned," the report quoted Zoramthanga, as saying.

Gogoi accepts NDFB's peace offer (Go To Top)

        Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has welcomed the unilateral six months ceasefire offer made by the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), and said, that he would immediately communicate it to the Centre for consideration. Gogoi said that NDFB president D.R. Nabla had directly sent him a letter expressing their group's willingness to halt its activities for six months in response to Gogoi's offer for a ceasefire. The NDFB has formally held out an olive branch to the Assam Government, offering to observe a ceasefire from today.

Abattoir at Ghazipur will hinder our operations: IAF (Go To Top)

       Hindan Air Force Station: A proposal to set up an abattoir in Ghazipur near the Hindan Air Force Base has set alarm bells ringing among the commanding officers of the base. Senior IAF officials contacted said any such move would hinder flight plans for operating fighters from the base. Officers speaking to ANI expressed concern over the fact that the waste matter from the abattoir could lure scavenging birds to the vicinity of the base, and thus affect the safe take off and landings of all planes in general and fighters in particular. Following past instances of bird hits, the IAF brass stopped operating fighter aircraft after 1996, and presently operates only helicopters and transport aircrafts. Squadron Leader Mahesh Upasani, the PRO of the IAF, told this correspondent that Hindan's proximity to New Delhi made it perfect for providing air cover to New Delhi, and added that this was the precise reason why the IAF wanted to now operate fighters from it. "IAF wants to provide air cover to New Delhi and does not want any impedance in its operations. If the abattoir comes up, it will be disastrous and seriously affect our operations. Also Hindan is the only airbase that can provide air cover to New Delhi. Post 9/11 we have to remain prepared for all sorts of contingencies", Upasani said. Apart from this fact, Upasani also said that the setting up of an abattoir was against all established legal norms. "The proposed abattoir is to come up at a distance of 8.8 kilometres from the airbase. The Indian Aircraft Act 1934, as amended in 1988 states that any such construction can come up only at a minimum distance of 10 kilometres. So, this construction is against norms, " he added.