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21 burnt to death in Jalpaiguri trade union clash

          Siliguri, Nov 6: Twenty-one people were reportedly burnt to death when the house of a trade union leader where they had assembled was set on fire following a clash over recruitment of a labour incharge in a tea garden in Jalpaiguri on Thursday. The incident occurred around 8.30 a.m. when a large group of people assembled at the house of the secretary of Mazdoor Union, Tarakeshwar Lohar, and protested against the recruitment from outside the garden, a senior police officer said. The angry mob later set on fire Lohar's house trapping all the 21 victims inside, he said, adding that all the bodies were charred beyond recognition.

Decision on Naina Sahni murder case postponed again

          New Delhi, Nov 6: A trial court, which has convicted former Youth Congress president Sushil Sharma in the Naina Sahni murder case, on Thursday decided to postpone sentencing of the accused to Friday. Additional Sessions Judge G P Thareja fixed the date of sentencing after hearing Sharma's counsel on the quantum of punishment to be given to the convicts for their diabolical act. Main convict Sushil offered no arguments and said he would bow to the court's judgment. However, Keshav Kumar, the former manager of the Bagiya Restaurant, where Sahni's body was burnt, said he had suffered eight and a half years of imprisonment which should be a sufficient punishment.

UNF awaits Ranil's return

          Colombo, Nov 6: The ruling United National Front in Sri Lanka has said it would wait for Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe return from the United States, before announcing its future course of action. Wickremasinghe is scheduled to arrive here on Friday after completing a weeklong visit to Washington and other American cities. A senior government official here said arrangements were being made to give a "rousing welcome" to the Prime Minister when he returns home. Ruling party parliamentarians, ministers and leading activists are expected to assemble at the Bandaranaike Airport to receive him.

          While he was away, President Chandrika Kumaratunga imposed a short-term emergency across the island nation, prorogued Parliament and sacked three key ministers of the cabinet, citing fears of instability in the wake of what she termed was a dubious pact with the rebel LTTE. Meanwhile, Wickremesinghe told reporters in Washington on Wednesday that he would "sort it out" when he returned home.

Seven tribesmen burnt alive in UP (Go To Top)

          Lucknow, Nov 6: Seven members of a tribal family were burnt alive inside their house by people of another caste in Unnao district on Thursday, police said. A group of people belonging to another caste, known to be Dalits, set ablaze the house of a tribal caste family in the village Fatehpur Chaurasi. A case has been filed against at least ten Dalits.

Two militants killed in Shopian encounter (Go To Top)

          Shopian (J-K), Nov 6: Security forces on Thursday killed two militants in an encounter in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. Two army personnel were also injured in the encounter which began on Wednesday evening. Abdul Butt, a local resident, said the militants were hiding in his brother's house. "I just know that two militants entered my brother's house. I have no idea as to when they entered here," he said. More than a dozen separatist groups are battling security forces in Kashmir. India accuses Pakistan of fomenting violence in Kashmir, a charge Pakistan denies. Indian authorities say more than 40,000 people have been killed in the revolt.

Manipur terrorist blast kills two soldiers (Go To Top)

          Imphal, Nov 6: Two soldiers were killed and three others were injured by a powerful bomb explosion that was triggered by suspected United National Liberation Front insurgents in the Moreh area of Manipur's Chandel district late on Wednesday night. Delayed reports reaching here on Thursday said that the explosion took place as personnel of the 37th battalion of the Assam Rifles were returning to their camp after collecting water from Moreh, about 120 km south-east of Imphal.

          While one soldier died on the spot, the other died while being taken to hospital. The injured were said to be out of danger. Sources in Chandel district said that the insurgents had managed to cross over to neighboring Myanmar after the explosion.

Musharraf calls for ceasefire at LoC, Indo-Pak arms balance (Go To Top)

          Islamabad, Nov 6: Expressing his frustration over what he called India's stubbornness in solving the Kashmir dispute through UN dispensation and its brushing aside of Pakistan's peace overtures, President Pervez Musharraf proposed the establishment of a cease-fire on the Line of Control (LoC) separating the two countries as well as maintenance of a bilateral arms balance.

          "The Pak-India stand-off persists due to India's stubbornness in not giving right of self-determination to Kashmiris. Pakistan is ready to enter into dialogue with India for establishment of durable peace in the region," Online News quoted Musharraf as saying in an interview with the Korea Herald. Musharraf alleged that India was not doing enough to bring thaw in the strained relations, but rather was busy acquiring weapons worth billions of rupees from different countries, including Israel. The test firings of ballistic missiles and a fifty per cent increase in India's defence budget over the last three years were a vivid manifestation of "India's hegemonic designs in the region," he claimed.

          He also termed his five-day tour of China as a successful one and expressed the hope that the bilateral ties between Pakistan and China would be boosted further. "During my meetings with the Chinese leadership, I discussed new avenues of cooperation between the two sides especially on political, diplomatic, economic and business fronts", he said. "We have a rich history of defence ties ranging from exchange of expertise between training and cooperation in various defence fields," he added.

Pak ready for whatever suits India, but start talks: Kasuri (Go To Top)

          London, Nov 6: Pakistan is ready to hold talks with India under whatever format the latter chooses, but the dialogue process must be activated, said the country's Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri. "Islamabad is ready to listen to the international community and can have bilateral, trilateral, multi-lateral talks with India. New Delhi can choose the format of talks," the News quoted Kasuri as saying on Wednesday. Expressing Pakistan's readiness for a dialogue with India, he said that Islamabad was ready to make peace with New Delhi, as staging a war between the two nuclear powers would be a disaster. Pakistan, he said, would continue to raise the Kashmir issue at all possible international forums, as it was an "international dispute" and could be solved only by respecting the self- determination aspirations of the Kashmiris. He was addressing the Pakistan Parliamentary Group in the House of Commons soon after his talks with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw.

Demand for campaign material up as Assembly polls near (Go To Top)

          New Delhi, Nov 6: With elections round the corner in five states, demand for campaign material has shot up in New Delhi. Mizoram elects a new Assembly on November 20, while Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh would go to the polls on December 1. The Congress which is in power in all the states going to the polls except Mizoram, faces the Bharatiya Janata Party as the main opponent.

          In the early phase of the poll campaign, banners, posters and caps in party colours are much in demand. However, the Election Commission has taken a fizz out of the election campaign by prescribing stringent punishment for candidates exceeding limits on spending. "The candidate has to fill his election register on a daily basis and has to produce before the registrar on every third day. The entries have to be very detailed and then the photocopy of the extract of the election expense register would also be put on the notice board. The idea is that it should be made public, and if anyone has a complaint, I mean that he is making more expenditure than he has incurred, that would be scrutinised," Arun Goyal, chief electoral officer of Delhi, said.

          According to EC directives the contestants for the Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh can spend a maximum of one million rupees. For Delhi, it is 900,000 and for the north-east the limit is 500,000 rupees. The EC has also made it mandatory for candidates to take permission from persons concerned before pasting posters on walls. Those violating the norms can attrat jail term of six months and a fine of 1,000 rupees. This has dampened the spirit of businessmen dealing in campaign material. "Election Commission's ban on putting up posters in the city has hit our trade a lot," Arun, a badge-seller, said. Usually the election campaing in India is marked by acrimonious sloganeering and defacing of public property by posters.

Khalistani Sikhs launch campaign to mark 1984 anniversary (Go To Top)
-by Trevor Barnard

          London, Nov 6: British Sikhs committed to the concept of Khalistan have begun a year-long campaign of Parliamentary lobbying to mark the twentieth anniversary of what they call "the genocide of Sikhs in 1984". It is being co-ordinated by the Sikh Secretariat, supported by the Sikh Federation (UK) and the National Council of Gurdwaras. The Federation was formed recently as a "political party" to promote Sikh interests in the UK, and is busy setting up 65 branches across the country, covering 150 Parliamentary constituencies; one of its main aims is to work for the establishment of Khalaistan. The National Council of Gurdwaras was launched at the same time - at a national convention of Sikhs held in Birmingham in September - and is said to represent 250 gurdwaras.

          The campaign to mark the events of 1984 was launched at the House of Commons on Wednesday, when Sikhs from around the country met their constituency MPs and put to them in person the issues for which they want political support. The two main issues are: setting up a United Nations Commission to investigate the events of 1984; and the right of self-determination for the Sikh people. In a statement issued for the campaign launch, Amrik Singh, Chairman of the Sikh Federation (UK), said: "British Sikhs will not rest until the Sikh nation gets justice for the genocide of Sikhs in 1984". And he added: "Given past treaties and the unique Anglo-Sikh history, the British Government are under a moral obligation to insist, at an international level, that the Sikh people be given the right to self-determination".

          The campaign organisers are asking the MPs from constituencies that have large Sikh communities to arrange a programme of Parliamentary measures, culminating in a formal debate in November of next year to mark the 20th anniversary of what are termed the "Sikh pogroms". They believe they have the electoral strength to influence MPs' attitudes on various issues. Several MPs, both Labour and Conservative, who have Sikh constituents, spoke at Wednesday's launch at the House of Commons. All were sympathetic to the Sikhs' main domestic demand, which is for official recognition as a separate minority, and to Sikh complaints on human rights in India, but none mentioned the main issues of a UN commission on genocide or self-determination.

ICICI to open first branch in London (Go To Top)

          London, Nov 6: ICICI Bank, India's second largest bank, will open its first overseas office in London's Knightsbridge area on Thursday and also announce its partnership with LloydsTSB. The new ICICI office will be jointly opened by Paul Boateng, MP and Chief Secretary to the Treasury, at 6:15 p.m. (local time) and K.V. Kamath, Managing Director and CEO, ICICI Group and Chairman ICICI Bank (UK) as well as ICICI Bank UK CEO Sonjoy Chatterjee. ICICI Bank UK's partnership with Lloyds TSB plc is the first strategic tie-up of its kind among major banking groups in the UK.

Bottomlines

Any takers for Jackson's Bentley? (Go To Top)

          London, Nov 6 :The latest to join the long list of items to be auctioned by pop star Michael Jackson is a custom-built 22011 Bentley Arnage Red Label Turbosedan. The car was recently used in a video for a charity record titled "What more can I give". It seems as though Jackson's facial meltdowm is coinciding with his financial meltdown. According to People News, the car's ceiling has been signed by the likes of Beyonce Knowles, Nick Carter and Tom Petty, all of whom performed in the video. Craig Jackson, the auctioneer and a possible relation of Michael, said: "This will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for somebody to own a truly special car."

Prince William bags a date with Beyonce! (Go To Top)

          London, Nov 6: Prince William has bagged a date with his crush, sexy Beyonce Knowles. The 21-year old heir asked for tickets to the "Crazy In Love" singer's gig at London's Wembley Arena for the coming week and has also snagged backstage passes where he'll meet his latest crush. According to the Sun, William's father Prince Charles revealed his son's crush when he met her at this summer's party in the Park concert. "Both my sons have your album and I think Wills quite fancies you," says Charles. Beyonce has also reportedly confirmed she has a soft spot for the blond royal, "Wills is very good-looking".

Mariah Carey does a Monroe! (Go To Top)

          London, Nov 6: Mariah Carey's desire to become an actress has come through once again. The pop star will play Marilyn Monroe on stage. According to People News, the diva will be coming to London to perform in a production of the "Sleeping Prince", a play made famous by its silver screen adaptation, "The Prince and the Showgirl", which starred Monroe and Laurence Olivier. The songstress will be playing the role taken by one of last century's greatest screen icons (Monroe), and is expected to begin rehearsals early next year. "The stage is appealing to stars. Mariah Carey wants to get rid of the glitz and the tassels. She wants to be an actress. She's not this diva", said producer Bill Kenwright, unwilling to be drawn on whether or not Carey would be taking to the boards.

Madonna, on how rumours ruin lives (Go To Top)

          London, Nov 6: Pop queen Madonna's second in the series of children's books will be dedicated to teachers all over the world. According to People News, less than two months after her debut as a children's author, the singer has returned to publishing with "Mr. Peabody's Apples." Peabody's Apples is a charming tale about how rumours can ruin a person's life, as Peabody, a primary school teacher, finds himself accused of a crime he didn't commit. "This book was inspired by a nearly 300-year-old story that was told to me by my Kabbalah teacher. When I began to write books for children, I decided to share the essence of this story with them. I hope I have done justice to this story", the "Material Girl" star gushed. The book takes a more conventional approach to a picture book than Madonna's previous book, "The English Roses," which debuted atop The New York Times' list of children's best sellers and remained there for five weeks. Next up in the star's five-book deal with Callaway Editions is "Yakov and the Seven Thieves," due out in spring 2004.

Pamela Anderson does a 'striptease' (Go To Top)

          London, Nov 6: Pamela Anderson will be playing the most exciting role of her career as a lap dancing secret agent called Erotica Jones. Erotica Jones is a secret agent who is a masked superhero at day fighting crimes against women and a stripper at night. Erotica's armoury includes a lipstick laser, wall-climbing stilettos and heavy bust to act as lie -detectors. The ex-Baywatch beauty is very excited about her role as secret agent. She is reported to have told the Loaded magazine, "When I was growing up I always wanted to be a stripper, so I've kind of achieved my ambition with this show. In terms of personality, she's almost identical to me in that she's strong, smart, sexy and - let's face it - a bit of a slut." The sexy blonde says that she has always dreamt of being a stripper. Interestingly, Pamela is the inspiration and the voice of a character in a cartoon series called Stripperella. Pamela has, however, barred her two kids from watching the PG- rated cartoon, Stripperella. But they managed to watch some part of the adult cartoon one day by hiding behind the settee. According to the Sun, Pamela says, 'I suddenly heard them teasing me, 'Mommy's a cartoon, Mommy's a cartoon.' I don't know how much they saw but they didn't make a big deal of it.' Pamela is single and ready to mingle again after breaking up with fianci Kid Rock. She admits that her single status has not deprived her from sex. She says, "I'm getting what I need - with no strings attached!"

"I fainted and I found out I was pregnant": Blanchett (Go To Top)

         New York, Nov 6: She fainted and thought she had a gastro problem, but Oscar-nominated Aussie actress Cate Blanchett was actually pregnant. The "Elizabeth" star passed out on the set of her new flick "The Life Aquatic" while she was being fitted with a prosthetic belly. "I was having the prosthetic belly fitted and I fainted and I thought, `That's really odd.' I thought I had a gastro problem and I found out I was pregnant!" rate the music.com quoted her as saying. "It was a very weird experience having a bodycast fitted - you have to take your clothes off, so you're naked, and they cover you in plaster of Paris on the front and the back and it's quite claustrophobic and you can't breathe a lot." "So I fainted and I must've smashed the cast. They put all this black plastic around me, so I woke up and, if you faint, you don't know where you are for the first few minutes. I woke up in black plastic, covered in plaster, naked. I thought, `This is the end!'" added Blanchett. Ironically, she plays a pregnant mum in the flick. The baby, due next year, will be Blanchett's second child. She already has a two-year-old son Dashiell.

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