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By IANS Srinagar : The Indian Army has challenged the jurisdiction of the Jammu and Kashmir Police in charging five army personnel in the infamous fake encounter cases, where civilians were kidnapped, framed as terrorists and killed. The army, in an application filed in the court of the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) here Thursday, has challenged the chargesheet filed by the special investigation team (SIT) probing the alleged staged shootouts that resulted in the killing of five civilians in Jammu and Kashmir.

By IANS

New Delhi/Ahmedabad : As more Gujarat police officials were arrested Thursday over the November 2005 staged killing of Ahmedabad resident Sohrabuddin Sheikh and his wife's subsequent murder, the Supreme Court held that it was a "prima facie" fit case to be probed by the Central Bureau of investigation.

The apex court also gave the Gujarat police "some more time" to complete its probe into the incident and deferred a final order on the issue to May 15.

By Xinhua Washington : US President George W. Bush and Congressional leaders met at the White House to find common ground for a new bill over war funding in Iraq that also includes a timeframe for withdrawing US troops. "I'm confident that we can reach agreement on a new spending bill," Bush said Wednesday. He said that Tuesday, when he vetoed the bill, "was a day that highlighted differences" and Wednesday was "a day where we can work together to find common ground". Describing the meeting as "very positive," Democrats, however, did not concede from their position on the war.

Bhopal: The Prophet of Islam Hazrat Mohammad (PBUH) is the savior of humanity who laid special emphasis on womenfolk. More than 1400 years ago when the Arabs were indulging in infanticide and killing the girl child Hazrat Mohammad (PBUH) put an end to it while spreading the message of equality, justice and brotherhood as enunciated by Islam.

By IANS New Delhi/Shimla : Heavy rain and hailstorm Wednesday brought a hugely welcome relief to north India, fried and frazzled for a whole week in searing heat. The widespread rain that brought a welcome fall in temperature was due to low pressure created over northwest India, said India Meteorological Department (IMD) here. "The upper air circulation due to low pressure areas in Punjab and Rajasthan are the primary reason for this weather condition," said IMD Director S.C. Bhan.

By IANS, Thane (Maharashtra) : The Gujarat police looked deeper into trouble Wednesday after family members of a Mumbra-based victim of an allegedly staged shootout demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or any other competent agency into her death in 2005.

By Vishnu Makhijani IANS Pallu (Rajasthan) : Tanks rumbled across the desert as helicopter gunships hovered overhead to provide protective cover even as hundreds of soldiers parachuted into "enemy" territory when night fell in an Indian Army war game to test its newly-acquired IT-based battlefield techniques. Elsewhere, soldiers scrambled across a water obstacle after a furious fire fight while helicopter borne troops surreptitiously penetrated into "enemy" territory to neutralise a radar installation and open an air corridor for the attacking forces.

By DPA, Islamabad : The case against Pakistan's suspended top judge was Wednesday adjourned at the sixth hearing amid tense scenes outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad. As police clashed briefly with protesters on the streets, a five- member panel of judges said it would convene again Thursday to hear the presidential reference for abuse of office against the non-functional Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. The panel dismissed the request of the defence counsel that the proceedings against Chaudhry should be halted as its authority had already been challenged in the Supreme Court.

By IANS New Delhi/Shimla : North India witnessed a respite from last week's scorching heat in a cascading effect after heavy rains and hailstorms lashed Shimla in Himachal Pradesh early Wednesday. Light rains and strong breeze in Delhi and Agra late Wednesday morning brought down temperatures and cheered people in the capital who had been staying indoors due to the searing heat. Foreign tourists in the city of Taj Mahal, who had been avoiding visits to the Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri, too welcomed the unexpected relief.

By IANS, Washington : Encouraged by "extensive progress" on the bilateral civil nuclear cooperation pact with India, US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns will be going to New Delhi later this month to reach a "final" 123 agreement that will pave the way for resumption of nuclear trade between the two countries.

By M.R. Narayan Swamy, Indo-Asian News Service New Delhi : It was towards the close of the 19th century when the teenager heard about the 1857 revolt for the first time. In no time Khwaja Hasan Nizami began to find out what really happened. In the years to come, he wrote 15 fine books on the Mutiny. Sadly, few survive with his family here.

By Gilles Verniers, IANS One significant trend emerging from the current assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh is the attempt made by most parties to broaden their support base by wooing social groups that did not figure in their traditional support base earlier. The Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which occupies the frontrunner position in every exit poll, best embodies this strategy of social coalition building, by mobilising the upper castes, not so long ago depicted as the arch-enemy of its core Dalit support base.

By TwoCircles.net staff reporter

Agra : It is the constitutional duty of the government to provide the minorities with their legitimate rights and privileges; if a court of law nullifies the minority status of Muslims, it would be un-constitutional and the government would stand duty bound to get such a pronouncement null and void, remarked Head Department of Law Aligarh Muslim University Aligarh Dr Shakeel Samdani. He was participating in a seminar on "If Muslims would not be Minority" organised here Monday under the aegis of Muslim Advocates Forum.

By IANS New Delhi : The Supreme Court has deferred to Thursday its verdict on the staged shootout of Ahmedabad resident Sohrabbudin Sheikh and...

By DPA

Tel Aviv : A minister of the Israeli Labour Party coalition partner announced his resignation Tuesday, becoming the first member of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's cabinet to quit over a report harshly criticizing his handling of last summer's war with Hezbollah.

By TwoCircles editorial team

A year ago, in the month of May, we set on a journey to unknown future. We had budget for six months of minimum operation but were hopeful that somehow we will pull it through. Even then it was an uncertain future, but we just wanted to show that it can be done. Muslims can have their own media and their own voice in the ever increasing din of media.

By TwoCircles.net staff reporter

New Delhi : Various organisations of Dalit Muslims and Christians staged a march from Ramlila Ground to Jantar Mantar here Monday to demand amendment to Article 341 of the Constitution, which restricts economically backward Muslims and Christians from the benefits of reservations.

With the waving of a green flag by Rajya Sabha member and Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind general secretary Maulana Mahmood Madani started the mammoth rally, which urged the Union Government to bring discrimination against Dalit Muslims and Christians to an end.