AIZAWL, April 20: Budget session of the Mizoram Assembly, which commenced from March 20, was adjourned sine die by Speaker R Lalawia this evening, reports PTI. The House on Thursday passed the State annual budget for 2001-2002 amounting to Rs 1,147.91 crore having an estimated budgetary deficit of Rs 148.59 crore as presented by Chief Minister Zoramthanga, who holds finance portfolio on March 20. During the session of the 429 starred questions admitted, 63 questions were responded to by ministers in the Assembly while the rest were replied in writing. Out of 82 private resolutions admitted...

IMPHAL, April 20: Union minister of state Thounaojam Chaoba, today lodged a First Information Report, FIR against his erstwhile comrade-in-arms and former state Chief Minister Wahengbam Nipamacha and two others at the Parliament street police station in New Delhi on charges of forgery of signatures and fabrication of affidavits in the name of six MLAs belonging to the Chaoba group. In the FIR, copies of which was made available to the press, Chaoba charged that former Chief Minister Wahengbam Nipamacha, G Joykumar Sharma, and P Achou Singh had colluded and forged the signatures of six MLAs...

IMPHAL, April 20: The Amnesty International has called for the immediate release of the president of United Naga Council (UNC), an apex body of the Naga community in Manipur, Paul Leo who was abducted by suspected Kuki militants on Tuesday. According to an Amnesty International press release which was made available to the press here, taking KS Paul Leo as their hostage by armed Kuki group on his way to Imphal is a violation of International Humanitarian Law. The statement also said that the abduction incident took place only a few days after the massacre of at least seven people belonging to...

IMPHAL, April 20: The NSCN(IM) has categorically stated that it was not in any involved in the April 12 attack at Keithelmanbi that left seven Kuki villagers dead. Reacting strongly against some reports that the NSCN(IM) was behind the attack the Naga rebel group in a message faxed this evening stated that news reports which said the NSCN(IM) was behind the attack is concocted and without basis. The underground outfit also questioned the credibility of the report. The allegation is nothing but an attempt to drive a wedge amongst the Nagas and Kukis and to tarnish the image of the NSCN. Far...

IMPHAL, April 20: Tribal welfare minister Haokholet Kipgen has rushed to Keithelmanbi to secure the release of United Naga Council president K.S. Paul Leo, who was abducted by the Kuki National Front (Military Council) last Tuesday. Kipgen, a Kuki, has been appointed by Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam to diffuse the crisis over Leo's abduction. Hopes for an early release of Leo emerged with the abductors toning down their demand of a complete halt in Nationalist Social Council of Nagalim's (Isak-Muivah) support to the Kuki Revolutionary Army, a rival outfit. Buckling under public pressure...