Thursday, February 16, 2006, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Exservicemen take to streets
Army to remain secular, says Pranab
New Delhi, February 15
As Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee today sought to put to rest the raging controversy over the survey of Muslims in the Indian Army by saying that the Indian armed forces were totally “secular and apolitical”, a number of former defence officials and other ranks led by former Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lieut-Gen Niranjan Malik (retd) took to the streets here, saying any religious headcount in the armed forces could undermine its apolitical, professional character.

Exservicemen under the banner of Sainik Kalyan Manch demonstrating against the survey of serving Muslim soldiers, sailors and airmen of all ranks, before submitting a memorandum to the President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, at Parliament Street in New Delhi on Wednesday. — Tribune photo by Rajeev Tyagi

Malik to meet PM tomorrow
Srinagar, February 15
Two days after getting an invitation to meet the Prime Minister, the JKLF chairman, Mohammad Yaseen Malik, here today announced his party’s decision to meet Dr Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Friday. A two-member team comprising Malik and general secretary Ghulam Rasool Dar will meet the Prime Minister.

Yaseen Malik at a press conference in Srinagar on Wednesday. — Tribune photo

EC fails to break deadlock on state funding
New Delhi, February 15
An all-party meeting, convened by the Election Commission today, failed to evolve a consensus on the state funding of election, which is aimed at curbing money power in elections.

Indian sailor beaten to death over cartoon row in UAE
Dubai, February 15
An Indian sailor was allegedly beaten to death by his colleagues on board a Norwegian oil tanker in the international waters off the coast of Fujairah in the UAE following an argument over the cartoon row.

3 more killed in Pak violence
Islamabad, February 15
Violent protests in Pakistan against publication of Prophet Mohammad’s cartoons in European dailies claimed three more lives today as thousands of people went on the rampage burning cinema halls and western businesses in northwestern city of Peshawar.

India: The Tasks Ahead
   SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

125TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS,
INAUGURAL SESSION

	PUNJAB: Farmers may get Rs 20 as bonus on wheat
	HARYANA: INLD observes warning day
	HIMACHAL: Check copying, CM tells teachers, SDMs
	J&K: Move on posts of Police Commissioner remains on hold
	CHANDIGARH: MC chief loses no-trust vote
	LUDHIANA: NRI girl kidnapped a day before marriage
	DELHI: Gangsters in guise of lawyers shoot criminal
	Opinions: Tying the knot
	BUSINESS: Mangalore Refinery to expand with Rs 12,800 cr
	NATION: Tough Budget session for government
	WORLD: Pak quake-hit being sexually abused: UN report
	SPORTS: Will it be a decider?

In video (28k, 56k)

A Pakistani man runs past a bus set on fire by protesters in Peshawar on Wednesday. Three persons died, including a young boy, during violent protests in Pakistan on Wednesday against cartoons of Prophet Mohammad published in European newspapers, security officials said. — Reuters

Order on marriage registration to apply to all religions: SC
New Delhi, February 15
The Supreme Court’s directive on compulsory registration of marriages would apply to the people of all religious communities in the country and rules have to be framed by the Centre and states accordingly.

French court blocks Clemenceau transfer to India
Paris, February 15
France’s highest court, the State Council, today ordered Paris to suspend the transfer to India of the asbestos-lined decommissioned warship Clemenceau.

Snow, rain break dry spell in HP Reckong Peo, February 15 The piercing cold wave gripping the middle and upper hill areas of Kinnaur district and the adjoining Spiti valley in Himachal Pradesh continued unabated on the second day today as the upper hill areas of the entire tribal belt experienced intermittent snowfall since Monday night.