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India, Pakistan vow to push forward peace process

         New Delhi: India and Pakistan on Wednesday vowed to continue with a composite dialogue aimed at resolving all disputes between them, including the most volatile Kashmir. The statement came hours before the departure of Pakistani Foreign Minister Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri who wrapped up peace talks with his Indian counterpart Natwar Singh on Monday. "The ministers held detailed and substantive discussions and reiterated the confidence that the Composite Dialogue will lead to peaceful settlement of all bilateral issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, to the satisfaction of both the sides. They agreed to continue with the serious dialogue to find a peaceful negotiated final settlement. They expressed their determination to take the process forward," foreign office spokesman Navtej Sarna told a news conference here. India and Pakistan said they made modest progress over the peace process but differences over Kashmir issue remained. The ministers announced a short list of agreements, including "technical level" talks in October or November on a railway to link between Rajasthan and Sindh. "The wide ranging proposals on confidence building, promotion of friendly exchanges, and enhancing trade and economic cooperation, made by the both sides, were examined and it was agreed that these would be discussed further," Sarna said.

Best Bakery case extended till September 15 (Go To Top)

         Mumbai: A local court on Wednesday sought fresh charges in a high-profile murder where 21 Hindus have been charged for slaying 14 people during 2002 religious riots in Gujarat. The special court in Mumbai, where the trial was shifted after allegations of bias against the Gujarat government, has asked the probe officals to come up with the new draft by September 15. The court also said that charges will be framed against those who were absconding, after they are held. "Five accused are still missing. If they are not arrested even then trial will have to start soon. Their trial will be held separately later. On September 15, the court will hear the charges framed on each of the accused," P.R Vakil, the special public prosecutor, said.

Communal tension in Maharashtrian town (Go To Top)

          Pratapgarh (Maharashtra): Police in a Pratapgarh are on high alert after Hindu radicals threatened to demolish the tomb of a Moughal army general. The tomb of Afzal Khan, a general in emperor Aurangazeb's army lies inside the fort of Hindu Maratha warror-king Chhatrapati Shivaji. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), has said 30,000 of its activists will storm the Pratapgarh fort near Maharashtra's Pune if the funding for the tomb is not stopped by September 12. A team of 10 commandos and 15 senior officers have been deployed at the site and 1500 riot policemen and other paramilitary personnel are guarding sensitive Muslim establishments in the picturesque town. "We have promulgated section 144 in the entire district for VHP and Hindu minded people who have intentions to come there and demolish the tomb, because if they succeed it is likely to cause serious law and order problem. So at any cost we will not allow it to happen," superintendent of police Chandrakant Kumbhar said.

BJP's Tiranga Yatra on Sept 10 (Go To Top)

          Bangalore: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced that it will go ahead with its controversial Tiranga Yatra. Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti will launch the 16-day Tiranga Yatra or national flag march from Hubli to Jallianwallah Bagh on September 10. The Yatra will begin from Hubli where Uma Bharti was jailed and will pass through Maharashtra right in the middle of the election campaign there. It will end in the historic Jalianwala Bagh on September 25. It will cover Dharwad, Kittur, Bidar, Gulbarga, Belgaum, Bagalkot and Bijapur before entering Maharashtra. The BJP had planned the Tiranga Yatra almost immediately after the Uma Bharti case surfaced where she was accused of inciting mob violence while trying to raise the national flag inside an Idgah in Hubli town. Meanwhile, the party continues to focus on the Veer Savarkar issue with senior leaders such as Sushma Swaraj scheduled to head an agitation in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. "BJP leader Sushma Swaraj will head the agitation. MLCs and MLAs will perform satyagraha in Andaman on September 21 in protest of the Congress's disrespect to Veer Savarkar," said BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitley.

Soren released from Jamtara jail (Go To Top)

          Jamtara (Ranchi): Jharkhand Mukti Morcha president Shibu Soren has been released from the Jamtara jail in Jharkhand. A court in Giridih issued his release order following completion of all formalities. Soren, a former Union coal minister, has been in judicial custody since August two after his surrender at the Jamtara court.

BSP protest against deregatory term on Mayawati (Go To Top)

        Lucknow: Agitated Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) workers took to the streets here to protest the use of a derogatory caste term against party president Mayawati. The Dainik Jagran had used a disparaging caste term for Mayawati. Agitated BSP workers shouted slogans against the editorial team of the Dainik Jagran. They burnt effigies of Mahendra Mohan the chief editor of the newspaper and urged his immediate arrest. The Meerut edition of the newspaper had printed a derogatory caste term for Mayawati. "This is a conspiracy against Mayawati. The deregatory comment is shameful. The BSP workers are agitated and they are coming onto the streets on their own. Mayawati has asked us to be restrained. Otherwise the protest would have turned violent. We demand the UP government to take action against the Chief Editor of Dainik Jagran, Mahendra Mohan and his associate Sanjay Gupta. The government should take legal action and arrest them. Otherwise we will intensify our protest," asserted Swami Prasad Maurya. The newspaper has already apologised for what it called an inadvertent mistake. Mayawati on her part is also contemplating legal action against the newspaper.

Cabinet meets to discuss Planning Commission's agenda (Go To Top)

         New Delhi: The cabinet met this morning to discuss threadbare the agenda of issues to be taken up by the Planning Commission on Thursday, including gross budgetary supports for fiscal 2004-05. Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and the Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahulwalia were among those who attended the meeting. Thursday's meeting is expected to take up the programs to be implemented by the UPA, pending issues of the Tenth Five-Year Plan (2002-07) and discuss the strategies to be adopted for a mid-term review. Apportioning the amount of 100 billion rupees is likely to be a challenging task, as the demands from the ministries are close to around 500 billion rupees.

Laywers stop work alleging police atrocities (Go To Top)

         New Delhi/Lucknow: Lawyers across the country stayed off work on Wednesday, demanding the release of their colleagues detained after last week's clashes with police. The Bar Council of India has demanded that the cases against them be withdrawn and that policemen involved in the fracas be suspended. "We will continue to protest till cases are filed against the four policemen (who had cane charged) and they are put in jail," B.P Singh, the vice president of the Awadh Bar Association said. "We want that the Director General of Police, Lucknow, should be suspended because the cane charge against the lawyers was ordered by him. The policemen who beat the lawyers should be identified and suspended and an enquiry, headed by a retired judge, should be ordered into the incident," said Dheer Singh, the working secretary of the New Delhi Lawyer's Association.

BJP top brass meets for strategy session (Go To Top)

         Bangalore: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held a meeting here today to devise its future strategy vis-a-vis current political developments. Top leaders including former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and leader of opposition Lal Krishna Advani attended the meeting. Among the issues likely to be raised are preparations for the Assembly elections in Maharashtra, tainted ministers and remarks questioning the BJP's ideology. A decision is also likely to be taken on the role to be played by former MP Chief Minister Uma Bharti after her recent release from judicial custody.

Pak Madrasas harbouring terrorists: Musharraf (Go To Top)

          Islamabad: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has admitted that a number of madarasas in the country are spreading extremism. He said such religious schools should be isolated and it should be ensured that they do not tarnish the image of Islam through spreading feelings of hatred in the society, the Daily Times reported today. The President also urged the genuine madrasas to check the activities of those schools harboring terrorists or those that were involved in spreading militancy in the name if Islam. He said his government had granted autonomy to the madrasas across the country and expected them to adopt modern disciplines so that pupils graduating from these institutions could make a respectable living for themselves as professionals in fields like medicine, banking and engineering. Musharraf asked the clerics and religious scholars to project the true image of Islam. He also reaffirmed the government's resolve against terrorism saying "there should be no doubt that we condemn terrorism and are against all forms of the menace."

10 mln dlrs for info to arrest Chechen rebels (Go To Top)

          Moscow: Russia has offered 10 million dollars for information leading to the arrest of Chechen rebel leaders Shamil Basayev and Aslan Maskhadov, reports say. According to the BBC, security services want any information that could help to "neutralise" the two following the Beslan school siege. Russia says it will launch pre-emptive strikes on bases used for training militants, a senior general said. The threats came as Beslan residents prepared to bury more of the 335 people killed in the bloody end to the siege. Russia confirmed it would step up its fight against rebel bases. "As for launching pre-emptive strikes on terrorist bases, we will carry out all measures to liquidate terrorist bases in any region of the world," General Yuri Baluevsky was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies. "However, this does not mean that we will launch nuclear strikes." The combined statements from the army and from the intelligence service suggest Russia's leadership is looking towards a military and not a political response to the string of attacks, says the BBC's.

Dravid is ICC's Player of the Year (Go To Top)

          London: Indian vice-captain Rahul Dravid was on Tuesday night named the world player of the year at the inaugural International Cricket Council (ICC) awards. A panel of 50 former cricketing greats, including national captains, umpires and referees selected Dravid. "I am really happy and honored to be selected and I think it's motivation to try and do well and maintain the standard," Dravid said after winning the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for being the best player in both forms of the game in the year upto July 31, 2004. West Indies captain Brian Lara was named in the world test eleven and one-day team, but took the time to congratulate Dravid and his team. "Congratulations to Rahul Dravid. He played really well. I watched that performance against Australia on TV in South Africa and I know the performances really warranted such an award tonight. Congratulations to him and his team," Lara said. England all rounder Andrew Flintoff was chosen as one-day international cricketer of the year to top off a memorable week for the 26-year-old after fiancie gave birth to a girl. "It's a stark contrast to probably three, two years ago when everything was going wrong, everything was falling apart around me. I'm just going with it. I'm lucky. I'm playing in a side, which is doing well. My job as an all rounder is made easier by some class players in the team," said Flintoff, who beat off competition from Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar and Adam Gilchrist.

          The awards, held at London's Alexandra Palace, were organized to coincide with the ICC Champions Trophy, which starts in England on Friday. Indian left arm seamer Irfan Pathan was named the world's best emerging player and Simon Taufel won the best umpire award. World test XI: Matthew Hayden, Herschelle Gibbs, Ricky Ponting (captain), Rahul Dravid, Brian Lara, Jacques Kallis, Adam Gilchrist, Chaminda Vaas, Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie, Steve Harmison World one-day XI: Adam Gilchrist, Sachin Tendulkar, Chris Gayle, Ricky Ponting (captain), Brian Lara, Virender Sehwag, Jacques Kallis, Andrew Flintoff, Shaun Pollock, Chaminda Vaas, Jason Gillespie.