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The big day for Mother

          Kolkata, Oct 19: As dawn broke over Kolkata on Sunday hundreds from around the world, Christian and non-Christian, nuns and schoolchildren, gathered quietly at the flower-covered tomb of Mother Teresa to pray and give thanks. (Details)

Darjeeling ropeway mishap leaves four dead

          Siliguri, Oct 19: At least four tourists, including three women and a child, were killed and 11 others seriously injured when two ropeway cars operating between Singameri and Tukver in Darjeeling hill station of West Bengal detached from the cable and plummeted downhill, police said. The condition of the 11 injured, who were rushed to Darjeeling Sadar hospital, was stated to be serious.

          The accident occurred when the cable supporting the ropeway cars snapped in between the second and third pillars, police added. Two other ropeway cars with eight to 10 passengers which dangled in mid-air in between the first and second pillars were safely brought down.

Daler still on the run, brother remanded to custody till Oct 31

          Patiala, Oct 19: Pop singer Daler Mehndi allegedly involved in a human trafficking case has been on the run eluding police, while his brother Shamsher Singh has been remanded to judicial custody till October 31. Shamsher was produced in the court of senior sub-judge PS Dhanoa shortly before midnight last night. The court had last week issued non-bailable warrants for the arrest of Daler Mehndi, his wife Daljit Kaur, Shamsher's wife Balwinder Kaur and their three associates. Accompanied by Delhi police personnel, a team of Punjab police on Saturday conducted searches at Daler's farmhouse in Nilothi village in west Delhi. They also raided the singer's office in Vikaspuri in the national Capital.

Salman's hit-and-run case: M'tra Govt moves SC against HC order (Go To Top)

          Mumbai, Oct 19: The Maharashtra government has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay High Court order which dropped the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder framed against Bollywood actor Salman Khan in his hit- and-run case. The petition, filed on October 16, will come up for hearing after October 27 when the Apex Court reopens after vacations, official sources said on Sunday.

          In the wake of this development, the trial in a magistrate's court may not commence on October 21 and is likely to be adjourned until the SC decides the law point on whether the offence allegedly committed by the actor fell within the scope of section 304 (2) IPC, culpable homicide not amounting to murder which attracts ten years jail term. On October 6, a local court framed ten charges against Salman Khan, a year after he allegedly killed one person and injured four by ramming his vehicle into a roadside shop. The actor pleaded not guilty to all the charges framed against him under provisions of IPC, Motor Vehicles Act and Bombay Prohibition Act and said he was ready to face trial.

Potters do good business ahead of Diwali (Go To Top)

          Bangalore, Oct 19: Potters in India are doing brisk business as Diwali draws close. In Bangalore, people are thronging the market to buy traditional earthen lamps which are lit on the night of Diwali. Lighting up one's home with small earthen lamps is a tradition during Diwali. They are lit to welcome Goddess Lakshmi who ushers in prosperity.

          Making the earthen lamps or Diya, as it is popularly called, is a craft which the potters have perfected over generations. Raj Shekhar, an earthen lamp maker, says that this year he has made good profits. "The business is very good. After Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali too seems to be a good one. We have sold all our stock and are making new ones already," he said. Potters in Chennai have also made good business ahead of the festival.

          People across India are celebrating Diwali or the festival of lights on Saturday by offering prayers, presenting gifts and sweets to relatives and friends and bursting firecrackers. Candles and earthen lamps are lighted outside homes and people burn firecrackers bought specially for the occasion. Diwali, which falls in October-November, has its origins in the Hindu mythology. Legend has it that on this day, Lord Rama returned to his kingdom in Ayodhya after slaying the demon king Ravana. Millions of earthen lamps and candles were said to have been lit to mark the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and victory over Ravana. The festival is also celebrated in honour of Goddess Lakshmi. It is believed that Lakshmi enters only those homes that are clean and well-lit.

Pak `No' to increase in permanent UNSC seats (Go To Top)

         United Nations, Oct 19: Pakistan has said it is not in the favour of increasing the number of permanent members of the UN Security Council, as such a move would "serve the interests of few countries only and alienate the smaller ones". "Pakistan strongly advocates an increase in the category of non- permanent membership only, so as to proportionately reflect the one in the general membership of the United Nations, particularly in the large number of small and medium-sized states," Pakistan Minister of State for Law, Justice and Human Rights Raza Hayat Hiraj said at a plenary meeting of the assembly on Friday.

Muslim activists ask Pakistan to hand over the 20 'most wanted' (Go To Top)

          New Delhi, Oct 19: Dozens of Muslim activists on Sunday held a demonstration in the national Capital protesting against Pakistan's alleged role in promoting terrorism in India. Condemning Friday's militant attack on the residence of Kashmir chief minister, the activists, belonging to the All India Muslim Youth Committee (AIMYC), said Pakistan should hand over the 20 criminals sought by India. "We demand that Pakistan, if it really wants to extend a hand of friendship, should give us back the 20 terrorists our government has demanded from them. It should also stop the killing of innocent people. Pakistan has time and again done barbaric acts. We strongly oppose them," said AIMYC chairma Mohammad Shakeel Shifi.

UAE offers to extradite 23 wanted terrorists (Go To Top)
-by Vaibhav Verma

          Abu Dhabi (UAE), Oct 19: The UAE extraditing 23 persons wanted in India in connection with terrorist activity, including the recent Mumbai bomb blasts, is seen as a boost to the two nations coming together against terrorism. In discussions ahead of the banquet hosted by the Crown Prince of UAE Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahayan, President APJ Abdul Kalam thanked him for the step and expressed the hope that the strategic dialogue with the Gulf nation would firm up and concretise in the coming months.

Mohali test headed for draw (Go To Top)

          Chandigarh, Oct 19: India were very cautious in their approach at Mohali on Sunday. The runs came slowly and wickets kept falling at regular intervals. The Indians especially Yuvraj had a tough time facing Vettori, the Kiwi spinner. Vettori said that it would be difficult for the Kiwis to win the match if India avoided the follow-on, but added that his team would go all out for a win whatever the circumstances. The Kiwi strategy would be to polish off the remaining four Indian wickets quickly tomorrow morning. The Kiwi spinner said that he was happy with the day's proceedings, and his bowling.

          Though India have not yet avoided the follow-on, it is most likely that they will succeed in doing so. It seems that the second Test match is headed for a draw. Indian hopes of avoiding follow-on rest on Laxman who led a grim fightback with a patient unbeaten 86. Laxman played with a great deal of responsibility to steer India closer to the follow-on mark, which is still 41 runs away, with four wickets in hand and one day's play remaining. Laxman was batting on 86 while Anil Kumble was giving him company on one at draw of stumps on the penultimate day which saw very little fireworks from the Indian batsmen, much to the disappointment of a packed holiday crowd.

          The entire day fetched just 187 runs for the hosts and with no more recognised batsmen to come in, they were still not out of the woods on a track which has shown signs of providing some assistance to bowlers. Resuming at the overnight score of 203 for one in reply to New Zealand's mammoth first innings score of 630 for six declared, the home team was given a scare with the dismissal of two quick wickets but a laboured 112-run fourth wicket partnership between Tendulkar and Laxman steadied the ship to a great extent.

Ganguly ruled out of first ODI (Go To Top)

          Kolkata, Oct 19: Sourav Ganguly has been ruled out of the first one-dayer of the ensuing tri-series on October 23 and is also doubtful for the second ODI on October 26. The skipper had to undergo surgery for an abscess, for the second time in five days, in his left upper thigh at a private nursing home here on Saturday. The doctors have suggested that his hospitalisation period be extended at least till Wednesday.

          "There is marginal improvement in the wound but it is yet to be filled up and he needs some more dressing. For this hospitalisation period has to be extended at least till Wednesday," doctors attending on Ganguly told reporters at a press conference here on Sunday. Ganguly is now free from fever and had a good sleep last night. The doctors said: "He is comfortable, though the pain is still there."

The big day for Mother (Go To Top)

          (Contd) A mood of quiet celebration enveloped this teeming city just a few hours before Pope John Paul was due to beatify its most famous adopted daughter, the last step before sainthood for a woman already revered as the "Saint of the Gutters". Hundreds of foreigners and nuns prayed at the small chapel at the Missionaries of Charity, the order she founded with just 12 nuns more than half a century ago. As Rome still slept, Kolkata , one of the world's poorest and most overcrowded cities, began a day of celebrations that will last long into the night. In the chapel at the Missionaries of Charity, nuns in the order's distinctive blue-edged sari-like habit joined other worshippers kneeling before her tomb, touching their foreheads to the white marble. A bronze statue of the Macedonia-born nun, who died in 1997 at the age of 87, was garlanded with roses, and marigold leaves were strewn at her feet. School children and nuns, carrying the garlanded photograph of Mother Teresa marched through the streets to celebrate the beatification.

         Although many sceptics here doubt the miracle cure of a village woman in 1999 that prompted her beatification, thousands across India are expected to watch live broadcasts of the ceremony from Vatican City and join the celebrations. A special mass was also held in New Delhi led by Archbishop Vincent Concessao. Concessao welcoming the beatification said it was a moment of pride for the people the world over, especially India. Mother Teresa, who died in 1997 at the age of 87, spent decades serving the sick and destitute in Kolkata where she is still much loved. Her work won her the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.

          Pope John Paul is to beatify or declare blessed the world's most famous Catholic sister, putting her on the threshold of sainthood in record speed. Beatification is the last step before sainthood. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to pack St Peter's Square for the beatification of the woman revered by presidents, prime ministers, kings and queens, as well as Catholics and non- Catholics, for selfless devotion to the poor.

          A frail figure in her trademark white sari-style habit with blue borders, Mother Teresa became the world's most famous nun for decades of work among the sick and dying, the homeless and the lepers in one of the most impoverished cities on the earth. She launched her Missionaries of Charity order in 1950 with only 12 nuns. It has grown to 4,500 sisters in 133 countries running homes, schools and hospitals for the poor and dying.

          The 83-year-old Polish Pope, suffering from Parkinson's disease which is taking an increasingly visible toll on his health, so admired the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize winner that he bent Vatican rules to rush her towards sainthood. He considered bypassing normal procedures and making her a saint immediately, but that went too far for Church traditionalists. Before beatification the Church requires proof a candidate performed one miracle. Proof of a second one is needed before canonisation as a saint. The Pontiff granted a dispensation so the procedure for establishing her case for sainthood could be started two years after her death instead of the normal five years.

           The first miracle formally attributed to her concerned a young Indian woman, Monica Bersa, whose stomach cancer tumour shrank after she prayed to her in 1998, baffling doctors. A commission of doctors examined the case and said they had no ready explanation in medical science for the cure.

          Born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu on August 27, 1910, Mother Teresa was sent to India in 1928 as a young Sister of Loreto, an Irish community of nuns with a mission in Kolkata. She taught in the order's schools for two decades before leaving to devote herself to work in Kolkata's notorious slums. By 1971, her humble work had become so well-known that she won the Vatican's Pope John XXIII Peace Prize. Nehru Prize followed the next year and in 1979 she won the Balzan Prize for promoting peace and brotherhood among nations. Apart from caring for the poor, a cause close to John Paul's heart, Mother Teresa shared his outspoken opposition to abortion and artificial birth control. While she never hid the Christian inspiration to her vocation, Mother Teresa's work won admiration from Kolkata's Hindus and Muslims and even the Communists who have ruled West Bengal for 26 years.

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-ANI

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