Thursday, July 17, 2008

Paris Hilton announces battle against gossipmongers

Los Angeles, Jul 17 : Paris Hilton is annoyed! In her latest MySpace blog posting titled “Clearing Up Rumors,” the socialite-singer-actress-businesswoman says she’s sick of gossip sites printing false rumors about her, so from now on she is going to address these head on.

She wastes no time in getting started on the latest rumor.“Page Six reported that I have moved into (boyfriend) Benji’s neighborhood, and that Nicole (Richie who lives with Benji’s twin brother Joel Madden) is upset by this…SO NOT TRUE! First of all, I don’t even live in Glendale. Secondly, I have my own home in a gated community in Beverly Hills — that’s where I live. I haven’t been to Glendale in months. Where do they come up with this?”

She continues: “I am thankful that I know who my true friends and colleagues are, and I encourage my fans to ignore worthless stories like this.”

The New York Post’s Page Six reported that Richie and Joel Madden, who have a six-month-old daughter, moved to Glendale to escape the publicity that was hounding them. But then Hilton and Benji Madden moved in next door, shattering their peace and angering Richie who starred in the TV show “The Simple Life” with Hilton and with whom she has had an on-off friendship.

Thinking of spreading a rumor about Paris? She’ll be after you.

“It’s not fair because these lies then spread like wildfire online … From now on I plan to address these when they come to my attention,” said Hilton.

It’s Hazarika’s turn to answer

Dibrugarh, Jul 17 : Ulfa peaceniks will face the “people’s court” tomorrow for the first time when leaders of the two pro-talks companies of the outfit’s 28 battalion will take questions from “the masses” during a rally in Tinsukia district.

Since they offered a ceasefire on June 24, the Ulfa leaders have been holding meetings of their own volition to put across their views to the people. Tomorrow’s meeting will be the first to be organised by a people’s organisation, which indicated today that there could be “some unpleasant questions” thrown to the rebel leaders.“We welcome their peace initiative. But how do they propose to go ahead with one section of the outfit staying away? What good will such a fractured peace move do to the state? There are many questions to which we would like to have answers,” said Monoj Bora, a social worker and a member of the organising group.

The 15-member platform of co-ordinators includes educationists, social workers, businessmen, advocates and journalists.

Bora said the idea to organise such a rally was to give an opportunity to the people to ask questions, if they have any, to the Ulfa leaders directly and without any hesitation.

Mrinal Hazarika and Jiten Dutta have agreed to attend the meeting and answer queries.

“The people have heard much about the Ulfa leaders’ intention to broker peace with the government. There are however, several questions, which we are sure will be raised during the meeting. We also hope that people would not let go of this opportunity and ask whatever questions they have. After all, the Ulfa has been saying that the outfit’s constitution clearly mentioned that the opinion of the people of Assam will be of topmost priority for the outfit to chart out its future course of action,” Bora said.

Some members of the platform feel the Ulfa leaders owe it to the people of Tinsukia.

“The declaration of ceasefire is encouraging since the people in Tinsukia has been facing the music for insurgency for almost three decades now. We have launched a door-to-door campaign during which we have also approached the common men, housewives, children and students to come forward and take part in the interactive session,” said Sushil Gogoi, another member of the organising committee.

“We have questions forthe Ulfa leaders, and we will ask them tomorrow,” Pranami Kakoty, a housewife, said.

Six more kids go missing bringing total to 19


Imphal, Jul 17 : With report of six more kids missing coming in today, the total number of children who have gone missing in the last one/two months has gone up to 19, though some have been handed back over to family members while two escaped.

Out of the six missing kids, reports have come in that one of them was kidnapped.
Of the six latest cas es of missing children, two are from Mayang Imphal while one child each has been reported missing from Thongju, Kyamgei, and Khongman.

A girl has been reportedly kidnapped from Khurai.

The two kids from Mayang Imphal, Wangkhei Leikai who have been missing since June 19 are identified as Kshetrimayum Suresh (11) son of Achou and Wangkheimayum Sahadeva (11) son of Noren.

Suresh is a Class V student while Sahadeva is a Class VI student.

Both of them studied at Modern High School, Mayang Imphal and both of them were taking Judo classes at club at Mayai Lambi.

With the family members and the local people launching a frantic search for the missing kids, it came to light that they are in the custody of the proscribed PREPAK.

The family members further said that they have come to know that the two kids left with a 14 year old child living next door to Suresh and identified as Akham Bobby.

Thereafter they came into contact with one Chongtham Jiban (22) of Laphupat but originally from Mayang Imphal, helped the two kids in reaching the PREPAK camp.

Thereafter family members along with meira paibis visited the camp of PREPAK on June 23, they said.

The family members were however not allowed to come to the camp and instead a team of meira paibis was allowed to proceed.

When the meira paibis urged them to hand over the two children, they were told that the children will surely come to meet their parents to bid farewell.

A Wakat Meepham was also staged at Mayang Imphal today.

Another kid from Kyamgei Awang Leikai identified as Pebam Biswajit (12) son of Rojit also went missing on June 22 .

Speaking to the media, Rojit today said that a member of the PREPAK (GS) conveyed that since Biswajit is among three brothers and three sisters, he can join the movement for the people.

Nothing was said about handing him back to the family members, he added.

Stating that they came to know that Bishwajit was in the custody of PREPAK after a hectic search, Rojit said that they have also come to know that his son along with one Sinam Somendro alias Bangar (18) of Thongju Part II and one youth from Kalikhong bought some clothes from Canchipur.

Bishwajit is a Class VII student of Ideal High School of Kyamgei.

Another child had also gone missing about 15 days before the disappearance of Bishwajit.

The kid is identified as Chirom Henry alias Khumit (12) son of Ranjit of Thongju Part II.

However no details about the kid are available at the moment.

On the other hand another 14 year old child from Khongman Zone V has also gone missing since 4 pm yesterday.

The child is identified as Keisham Kirankumar alias Nanao alias Dumdum son of Imo.

He left home yesterday after informing his parents that we off to Lilong to get some notes from a friend there.

The matter is yet to be reported to the police.

In another case report of the kidnapping of a 14 year old girl from Khurai Thoidingjam Leikai has come in.

In a statement, Easter Popular Club, Khurai identified the kidnapped girl as Moirangthem Romita (14) daughter of Raghumani.

A champion boxer, she has won many medals in the sub-junior category.

The grandson of the proprietor of Babu hotel and a non-Manipuri helper have been named behind the kidnapping and Babu himself had appended his signature on an agreement that the girl would be produced by July 17 .

A Wakat Meepham was held today at Thoubal Kiyam Siphai to urge for the release of Akoijam Bipinchandra (13) son and Akoijam Ajoy.

A similar sit-in was also staged at Uripok Achom Leikai to demand the release of two kids of the locality Nongthonbam Suresh (12) and Naosekpam Noren.

TSE

Record-breaking Pineapple cultivation

Hmarkhawlien, Jul 17 : In 1916, Welsh Presbyterian evangelist Rev. Watkin Roberts, who led a band of 15 Hmar families from Tripura to settle in the Hmarkhawlien area in Assam’s Cachar district, had taught the people to cultivate pineapples in this hilltop settlement.

In a few days, Hmarkhawlien will create a record of sorts when the farmers begin harvesting over one crore pineapples.Said to be the most succulent among pineapples in the whole world, the Hmar village’s produce is sold across the country. Ngursunthang, a Hmar tribal leader and former chairman of the Cachar Hill Tribal Welfare Board, said the pineapple farmers are now toying with the idea of “giving a brand name to their produce for better marketing and export to other countries”.

Hmarkhawlien is under Lakhipur subdivision of Cachar district.

The Hmarkhawlien pineapples are reckoned to be the sweetest among all pineapple varieties in India as during the monsoon period their sugar content varies between 16 and 28 per cent.Lalpansang Hmar, a pineapple orchard-owner in the village situated 30km east of the district headquarters town of Silchar, said the plant of this fruit is quite unique.

Three varieties of pineapple are generally grown in the farms of Hmarkhawlien. These are Queen, Queue and Giant. The Queue variety (locally known as Gaimpew) is grown in abundance.

However, without any proper marketing superstructure, the Hmars fail to command good prices for their produce. They are being constantly fleeced by the middlemen, alleged Ngursunthang.

Malaria claims 19 in Mizoram


Aizawl, Jul 17 : Nineteen people have died of malaria in Marpara village of western Mizoram in the last one month.

Medical sources today said 15 children, below the age of 16, and three adults had also died of the disease during June and July this year.A medical team, led by Dr Lalkailiana and SMEMO C Thangchhuana, has been rushed to the area. They said lack of medical facilities and awareness among the people was the main reason behind the epidemic, sources said.

The medical team also distributed anti-malaria medicines, mosquito nets and leaflets for awareness among the villagers, sources said.

UNI