Darjeeling, Kolkata, 26 August : Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has suspended its indefinite Darjeeling bandh till 30 August with effect from today following assurances from the CID.
Nicole Tamang, the prime suspect in Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League (ABGL) leader Madan Tamang's murder on 21 May, was slated to be produced in the court on 30 August. GJM Assistant General Secretary Binoy Tamang said, ''we have decided to postpone the bandh following assurances of speeding up the investigation process from the CID.'' The GJM had claimed that Nicole was 'murdered' while he was in the custody.Earlier, the West Bengal police had announced a cash prize of Rs 50,000 for any information leading to the re-arrest of fugitive Nicole Tamang, who fled from the CID custody at Pintail village in Siliguri on Sunday morning. Life in the hills was disrupted in the wake of an GJM-sponsored indefinite period bandh demanding Tamang's production in the court.
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'Ershad's military regime illegal' : Bangladesh High Court
Dhaka, 26 August : In a landmark verdict, the High Court has declared illegal the Seventh Amendment to the constitution that had legimatised the autocratic regime of military strongman Hussein Muhammad Ershad.
The bench of justices A H M Shamsuddin Chowdhury and Sheikh Mohammad Zakir Hossain handed down its ruling on Thursday. At the hearing on Wednesday, Anwar S Azim argued for the petitioner while additional attorneys general MK Rahman and Murad Reza represented the state. After the hearing, MK Rahman told journalists: "The constitution has no provisions for martial law or military rule. The then army chief HM Ershad illegally took over power."
Dhaka, 26 August : In a landmark verdict, the High Court has declared illegal the Seventh Amendment to the constitution that had legimatised the autocratic regime of military strongman Hussein Muhammad Ershad.
The bench of justices A H M Shamsuddin Chowdhury and Sheikh Mohammad Zakir Hossain handed down its ruling on Thursday. At the hearing on Wednesday, Anwar S Azim argued for the petitioner while additional attorneys general MK Rahman and Murad Reza represented the state. After the hearing, MK Rahman told journalists: "The constitution has no provisions for martial law or military rule. The then army chief HM Ershad illegally took over power."
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North East' power ministers move Centre on "China dam"
PTI, Shillong, 26 August : Power ministers of north-eastern states have asked the Centre to ensure that the dam over Bramhaputra, as planned by China, does not have an ecological and environmental fall-out in the region.Though unsure about the actual design of the dam, the power ministers, who met Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Petroleum Minister Murli Deorah in New Delhi yesterday, said the Centre should talk to China to see the Brahmaputra river did not get diverted.
"If the river is diverted, it will have a serious ecological and environmental impact on the region, particularly during the lean season," Meghalaya Power minister A T Mondal, also the Chairman of the North Eastern Regional Power Committee, told PTI over phone from Delhi.
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1st Maoist surrender for rehab package in West Midnapore
Jhargram, Kolkata, 26 August : Nearly a month after the West Bengal government announced a rehabilitation package for ultras who give up arms, a Maoists today surrendered before police in West Midnapore district.
"Shobhan Karak alias Bijoy, a Maoist squad member, surrendered with arms at the district Police Lines," Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar Verma told Bengal Newz. Bijoy was a resident of Goyaltore in the district, he said. "We will make a fixed deposit of 1.5 lakh in his name for three years and refer the case to rehabilitation committee," Verma said.
Jhargram, Kolkata, 26 August : Nearly a month after the West Bengal government announced a rehabilitation package for ultras who give up arms, a Maoists today surrendered before police in West Midnapore district.
"Shobhan Karak alias Bijoy, a Maoist squad member, surrendered with arms at the district Police Lines," Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar Verma told Bengal Newz. Bijoy was a resident of Goyaltore in the district, he said. "We will make a fixed deposit of 1.5 lakh in his name for three years and refer the case to rehabilitation committee," Verma said.
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Stephen Court owner remanded...Kolkata, 26 August : The owner of Stephen Court on Park Street here was today remanded in five days of police custody in connection with the fire that razed the heritage building on 23 March killing 43 people.
Sanjay Bagaria, was arrested from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday. "Though we demanded 14 days of police custody, the court has given five days of remand," an investigating officer said.
Six persons, including three directors of the building were listed in the charge sheet in connection with the fire. Liftman Tarun Bagaria and caretakers Ram Shankar Singh and Joy Praksh Singh were arrested earlier.
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Mother Teresa International film festival opens in Kolkata
Kolkata, 26 August : The Mother Teresa International Film Festival, 2010, got underway today with the premier of 'Mother Teresa' a documentary made by two American sisters about the Nobel laureate nun.
"I declare the festival open," Missionaries of Charity superior-general Sr Prema said at the function at Nandan film complex. Organised in collaboration with the MoC, the UNESCO and Catholic Relief Service, the festival opened with the 82 minute documentary made in 1986 by Ann and Jeanette Petrie of the US. Shot in 24 locations spanning 10 countries over five continents, the film is seen as a definitive work on the Nobel laureate nun.
Kolkata, 26 August : The Mother Teresa International Film Festival, 2010, got underway today with the premier of 'Mother Teresa' a documentary made by two American sisters about the Nobel laureate nun.
"I declare the festival open," Missionaries of Charity superior-general Sr Prema said at the function at Nandan film complex. Organised in collaboration with the MoC, the UNESCO and Catholic Relief Service, the festival opened with the 82 minute documentary made in 1986 by Ann and Jeanette Petrie of the US. Shot in 24 locations spanning 10 countries over five continents, the film is seen as a definitive work on the Nobel laureate nun.
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Two pro-Maoist activists held in Gyaneshwari tragedy case
IANS, Kolkata, 26 August : Two pro-Maoist activists were arrested from West Midnapore district Thursday in connection with the 28 May Gyaneshwari Express tragedy, in which 148 passengers were killed, police said."Dayamoy Mahato and Ram Mudi were arrested from Indiraboni area in Jhargram sub-division of the district," said Arun Bothra, Central Bureau of Investigation's Superintendent of Special Crime Branch (SCB) Kolkata. "The duo arrested by the CBI officials are active members of the pro-Maoist tribal body Peoples' Committee Against police Atrocities," a senior police officer of Jhargram said. Bothra said: "Both Dayamoy and Ram's names did not figure in the list of the wanted accused for whose capture cash rewards were announced by the CBI. During interrogation, we came to know about their involvement in the Gyaneshwari sabotage case and they were arrested."
With the arrest of Dayamoy and Ram, as many as 15 accused have been held in connection with the Gyaneshwari case, said the CBI officer.
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Heroin worth Rs 12 lakh (400 grams) seized in Mizoram
PTI, Aizawl, 26 August : About 400 grams of heroin, worth Rs 12 lakh in local market, were seized and six persons arrested by police and anti-drug cell of the Young Mizo Association (YMA) here, police said today.
The contraband was seized from the six persons by the joint force last night and it was suspected that the narcotics had been smuggled in from Myanmar via Manipur.
PTI, Aizawl, 26 August : About 400 grams of heroin, worth Rs 12 lakh in local market, were seized and six persons arrested by police and anti-drug cell of the Young Mizo Association (YMA) here, police said today.
The contraband was seized from the six persons by the joint force last night and it was suspected that the narcotics had been smuggled in from Myanmar via Manipur.
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Tagore being translated into ChineseKolkata, 26 August : Complete works of Rabindranath Tagore are being translated into Chinese, according to a city-based consortium which will participate in the Beijing international Book Fair beginning from 30 August.
A marble statue of Tagore will be installed in Shanghai to mark the poet's 150th birth anniversary, president of the Consortium for Books and Culture Debajyoti Dutta said here yesterday. He said there has been a sea-change in attitude of the Chinese authorities towards Rabindranath who visited that country in the first half the 20th century. Dutta said India is the theme country at the Beijing Book Fair.
The organisation would also focus on Tagore to mark the poet's 150th birth anniversary. He said that 28 organisations from India would take part in the fair
A marble statue of Tagore will be installed in Shanghai to mark the poet's 150th birth anniversary, president of the Consortium for Books and Culture Debajyoti Dutta said here yesterday. He said there has been a sea-change in attitude of the Chinese authorities towards Rabindranath who visited that country in the first half the 20th century. Dutta said India is the theme country at the Beijing Book Fair.
The organisation would also focus on Tagore to mark the poet's 150th birth anniversary. He said that 28 organisations from India would take part in the fair
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Former diplomat Devare seeks peoples' involvement in LEP
Agartala, 26 August : India has initiated several initiatives aimed at enhancing connectivity between the Northeast and Southeast Asian countries, but the cooperation and involvement of people of the region was essential for the success of Look East Policy (LEP), said former diplomat and Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs Sudhir Devare.
Interacting with the students and faculty members of Tripura Central University yesterday Devare highlighted that India had taken up some potential infrastructural projects under LEP for strengthening South Asian regional cooperation
Agartala, 26 August : India has initiated several initiatives aimed at enhancing connectivity between the Northeast and Southeast Asian countries, but the cooperation and involvement of people of the region was essential for the success of Look East Policy (LEP), said former diplomat and Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs Sudhir Devare.
Interacting with the students and faculty members of Tripura Central University yesterday Devare highlighted that India had taken up some potential infrastructural projects under LEP for strengthening South Asian regional cooperation
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Mother Teresa's birth centenary celebrations begins today
PTI, Kolkata, 26 August : The year-long birth centenary celebrations of Mother Teresa began today with a solemn mass here where Pope Benedict XVI exhorted her order, the Missionaries of Charity, to draw inspiration from her in serving the poor, the sick and the abandoned.
"I am confident that this year will be for the Church and the world an occasion of joyful gratitude to God for the inestimable gift that Mother Teresa was in her lifetime and continues to be through the affectionate and tireless work for you, her spiritual children," the Pope said in a message to MoC superior- general Sr Prema. The Pope said Teresa exemplified the message of St John "...if God loves us, we ought also to love one another. God abides in us and his love is perfected in us."The early morning mass at the first-floor chapel of Mother House was attended by Cardinal Telesphore Placidus Toppo of Ranchi besides 60 priests. Toppo said Mother Teresa's life was driven by a passion to build lives through forgiveness, healing, giving them respect and through making them true human beings in the image and likeness of God.
Archbishop of Kolkata Lucas Sirkar, Bishop of Baruipur Salvadore Lobo, Archbishop Emeritus Henry D'Souza were present as also Fr Brian Kolodeijchuk, the postulator for the cause of Teresa's sainthood. Balloons and pigeons were released after the mass. န Photos : AFP, Reuters (More Photos at www.facebook.com/bengalnewz )
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