Shutdown in Kashmir against Afzal's death sentence; Militants kill four people in Assam; Hooch claims four lives in Uttaranchal; Rushdie calls for Islamic Renaissance; RIL discovers 3.75 trillion cubic feet gas in Madhya Pradesh; Rajasthani marble faces competition from China's vitrified tiles; Potter fans spot movie blunder; Britney Spears' public shoot-out; Vito Corleone voted greatest movie character; Johnny Depp tops women's fantasy list; Harry Potter casts a spell on Jihadis; 'Kylie effect' doing wonders for breast cancer screening; 'The Dukes of Hazzard' rules the US box office; Spielberg criticised for 'War Of The Worlds'; Jessica Simpson is a shy girl; India Travel Times, Indian News, Tourism, Hotels, Airlines, Tour, Travel, Ayurveda, Yoga, Festival, Hindu, Taj Mahal, Kathakali, Dance,

Home Contact Us Dateline New Delhi, Monday, Aug 8, 2005

Shutdown in Kashmir against Afzal's death sentence

Srinagar: Schools and businesses were shut in Srinagar and traffic was sparse on the roads following the call given by the separatist organisations against the death sentence awarded to Mohammed Afzhal in Parliament attack case. Residents, who actively took part in the shut down, came in defence of Afzal saying he was innocent. "His death sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court while two others with him were freed. He is innocent. He has not done anything, so that is why we are participating in the shutdown," said Mohammad, a shopkeeper. Iqbal Ahmed, another shopkeeper said: "Our heart is crying because India is committing a big mistake by hanging an innocent man." The family of Afzal, who worked for the banned Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), has decided to make a mercy plea before the President for commuting his death sentence to life imprisonment. JeM's Pakistan based leader Maulana Masood Azhar and Tariq Ahmed have been declared proclaimed offenders in the case. Five gunmen stormed the heavily guarded parliament complex in Dec. 2001 and killed nine people before being shot dead by guards. Two others -- Shaukat Hussain Guru's death sentence was reduced to 10 years of imprisonment, while S.A.R.Geelani, a city college professor was acquitted in the case.

Militants kill four people in Assam (Go To Top)

Guwahati: Unidentified militants last night killed four people in Guwahati, in what is considered as heightened violence close to Independence Day on Aug. 15. Rebels triggered a bomb hidden in a bag at a bus stop in Boko, near Guwahati, and killing two people on the spot. Another two died in hospital. In a separate incident on Sunday, rebels also bombed an oil pipeline in the state. Police have said the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) was behind the blasts. The separatist group has warned of more violence if New Delhi ignores an offer of talks made last week. Rebels have, in the past, preferred to step up attacks on public places and key installations around India's Independence Day in a bid to draw international attention.

Hooch claims four lives in Uttaranchal (Go To Top)

Jaspur (Uttaranchal): At least four people have died and several others taken ill after consuming spurious liquor in Uttaranchal's Jaspur region on Sunday. Hospital authorities said several men complained of dizziness and vomiting after drinking at a roadside bar in the village and few men died on the spot. Others are receiving treatment at nearby hospitals in Rampur, Moradabad and Shahbad. They were stated to be stable condition. The incident is said to have taken place at a party organised by a scheduled caste woman after she was nominated to contest the local body elections. Hundreds of mostly poor people die annually after consuming spurious liquor, which is sold for as cheap as Rs.10 (a few cents) a pouch.

Rushdie calls for Islamic Renaissance (Go To Top)

Washington: Indian born British author Salman Rushdie has said that only a reform movement can bring in the basic elements of Islam into the modern age, and help it emerge as a religion of the present times, sans the ideology of jihad and martyrdom. "Nothing less than a reform movement will do to bring the core concepts of Islam into the modern age, a Muslim Reformation to combat not only the jihadist ideologues but also the dusty, stifling seminaries of the traditionalists, throwing open the windows to let in much-needed fresh air," he said in an article in the Washington Post on Sunday. Rushdie said that the "deeper alienations" that lead to terrorism might be more to do with the "closed communities" of the traditional Muslims in western countries rather than to the events taking place in Iraq and Afghanistan, adding that governments and community leaders inside the Muslim world should support reformation in the Muslim world, reports the Daily Times. He also lambasted British Premier Tony Blair for his reliance on traditional and orthodox Muslims to help eradicate Islamist radicalism.

RIL discovers 3.75 trillion cubic feet gas in Madhya Pradesh (Go To Top)

New Delhi: After deep sea blocks of Andhra Pradesh and Orissa coast, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), the country's largest private sector firm, has discovered 3.75 trillion cubic feet gas in east and west coal blocks of Sohagpur in Shahdol district of Madhya Pradesh. According to a senior Petroleum Ministry official, the Mukesh Ambani owned RIL have discovered a huge gas reserve in the region which has been certified by the government. "Reliance has completed first exploration phase in the Sohagpur blocks and is now entering the second phase," said V K Sibal, Director General of Hydrocarbons. He said that RIL would drill 12 development wells in the Sohagpur blocks

Rajasthani marble faces competition from China's vitrified tiles (Go To Top)
by Lokendra Singh

Kishangarh (Rajasthan): The world famous marble from Rajasthan is facing a stiff competition from vitrified tiles imported from China. The marble traders in Kishangarh, the hub of fine quality white marbles, are losing out as customers are attracted by the easy to handle ceramic tiles,which is cheaper. In recent years, export of marble to Southern India, where its demand used to be the highest, has come down drastically. Traders put the blame on the builder lobby, who cut costs by using the cheap tiles, a huge ratio of which is imported from China. Rajasthan's marble producers have introduced modern machines to improve the quality of marbles and make them competitive, but they cannot match the huge variety of colours of vitrified tiles and the ease with which they can be handled. Shyam Sunder, a vitrified tile-seller, says that the sales of tiles have almost doubled in the last two years. The Indian marbles industry is estimated at a 395,369,540,290.83 rupees (909 million dollars) and export comprises 5 per cent in 2004.Spain and China are the second and third largest exporters. India ranks 8th in terms of production.

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