Dibrugarh/Guwahati, June 10: Cinema halls across Assam turned into high-security zones with gun-toting police and paramilitary personnel positioned at the entrances and filmgoers being screened with metal detectors to avert a repeat of the grenade blast that rocked a hall in Tinsukia. Suspected Ulfa militants yesterday lobbed a grenade on viewers seated in the stalls of Tinsukia’s Paradise cinema hall at the start of the matinee show. As many as 21 were injured, one of whom died at Dibrugarh Medical College and Hospital today.

The government asked officials in all districts to convene meetings...

Guwahati/New Delhi, June 10: Assam’s preparations for the 2005 National Games received a major jolt with the only private firm in talks with Dispur to construct the National Games village having almost thrown in the towel. The back-off comes in less than 24 hours of the cabinet approving the land price recommended by the committee headed by chief secretary J.P. Rajkhowa.

The cabinet last night approved the Rs 5 lakh per katha recommended by the Rajkhowa Committee for the 70 bigha plot belonging to the water resources department on which the village is supposed to come up.

Sources said...

Imphal, June 10: The 4th death anniversary of Arambam Somorendra was successfully observed in different parts of the State today under the guidance of Arambam Somorendra Memorial Trust. As a part of the observation, 4th Arambam Somorendra Memorial Observation Committee 2004 Wangkhei also observed the death anniversary by organizing a function at Wangkhei Puja Lampak. The function was attended by former Director of DDK Imphal N Pahari, observation committee chairman Sh Shamu and N Amurei Rtd Director Eco and Statistics Dept, W Tomchou Singh Rtd additional Director of Education (SIE) as the...

GUWAHATI, June 10 (IANS): The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) is seeking a "political solution" to end decades of violent insurgency in the region that has left thousands dead. "As a revolutionary group, we want an honourable and acceptable political solution to the long years of conflict," Arabinda Rajkhowa, chief of the banned ULFA, said in a statement.

He was reacting to New Delhi’s offers to hold peace talks with separatist groups in the north-eastern region.

"It now depends on the Indian Government’s sincerity in holding talks with us. We have always been hearing of successive...

GUWAHATI, June 10: Eighteen elegant showrooms at the Indian Exposition Mart at Noida, New Delhi would soon be graced with fashion wears and handicrafts exclusively from the North-east. The North Eastern Development Finance Corporation’s (NEDFi) proposal to book the stalls in the proposed India Exposition Mart at New Delhi, developed by the Export Promotion Council of Handicrafts has been approved and sanctioned by the North Eastern Council (NEC). The permanent stalls have been taken on lease by NEDFi at a cost of Rs 2.34 crore. The money has been sanctioned by the NEC.

The objective is to...