GUWAHATI, February 26: The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa has said his organisation favours a plebiscite in Assam to decide once and for all whether the people support his outfit's demand for sovereignty or prefer to stay with India. The ULFA leader, however, made it clear that any plebiscite would have to be held under the supervision of a "neutral country or an international body", and with an electoral list comprising only indigenous people. In an exclusive interview with TheNewspaperToday through e-mail, Rajkhowa, 45, on Thursday answered questions on the...

KOHIMA, February 25: In an attempt to broaden the scope for peace in Nagaland, Union home minister L.K. Advani today said the Centre was considering proposals to extend the current ceasefire to other areas of the Northeast. He said the Centre was considering the S.C. Jamir government's proposal to declare ceasefire with three other Naga outfits. The current three-and-a-half-year-old truce is between the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) and the government. Advani said a three-pronged strategy has been chalked out to expedite the peace process and weed out insurgency from the...

IMPHAL, February 25: Just a day after the portfolios of the 34 ministers of the People's Front government were announced, the ministry is already in trouble with three Cabinet ministers submitting their resignation letters to the Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam. Nimaichand Luwang, who was allotted health and family welfare, Kh Amutombi, minister, planning, tourism and cooperation and M Manihar Singh, minister, veterinary and animal husbandry and arts and culture, reportedly submitted their resignation letters yesterday itself. Nimaichand, speaking to IFP over the telephone, said the three of...

GUWAHATI, February 24: Noted journalist and litterateur, late Munin Borkotoky, ushered in a modern trend in Assamese literature through his unique style of writing, said Bhabendra Nath Saikia today. Speaking at the sixth Munin Borkotoky Award presentation ceremony here this afternoon, Saikia said that despite his limited number of creations in the genres of short story, poems and drama, each of his creations are landmarks in Assamese literature. Late Borkotoky carried on his creative pursuits also as an impartial critique of the literary and cultural scenario of the state, said Saikia. Saikia...

DIBRUGARH, February 24: Its a case against modern medical science, if Voltaire's words could speak aloud : "The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while Nature cures the disease." Not many would agree that Nature, which takes as little as possible of anything, can provide a cure for all ailments. But when patrons of herbal medicine guarantee a cure for some incurable malady like diabetes and asthma and camp in your city unless the efficacy of their herbs is proved, sceptics might score their own goal. The Bhils of Madhya Pradesh have been treating their ailments with herbs and...