Aizawl, Feb. 2: The Mizoram government is striving toward achieving the highest literacy rate in the country by 2005, education minister R. Lalthangliana said today.

?The government is striving to achieve the highest literacy rate in the country, surpassing Kerala, by 2005,? Lalthangliana said at a function organised by the state?s largest NGO Young Mizo Association (YMA). The NGO has declared 2004 as the Year for Safeguarding the Land and the People.

?I will request the YMA and all its members to work toward this end and help the government in its endeavour,? the minister said. He praised...

NEW DELHI, Feb 2 ? Asserting that the talks with NSCN (I-M) group were progressing well, Minister of State for Home ID Swami on Friday said the Government was open to hold dialogue with separatist groups including the Naxalites, reports PTI. ?We are committed to strengthen peace moves elsewhere also,? Swami said in Rajya Sabha referring to breakthrough made in talks with Bodo separatists and efforts to hold a dialogue with Hurriyat and other groups in Jammu and Kashmir.

At the same time, the Minister, who was replying to a private member?s resolution demanding special category status for...

AIZAWL, Feb 2 ? The 10th round of talks between the Mizoram Government and the Tripura-based underground Bru National Liberation Front (BNLF) might run into rough weather even as both the sides expressed optimism that they would settle the Bru problem this time around.

An official, who is involved in the negotiations, told PTI on condition of anonymity that the State Government was having serious doubts that the agreement to be made with the BNLF would end the Bru insurgency against Mizoram.

?We doubt that the BNLF would be able to rein in Bru underground splinter groups like tha Bru National...

UDALGURI, Feb 2 ? Renowned historians like Surya Kumar Bhuyan wrote Assams history ignoring the Rabhas, one of the important tribes of Assam and that is why people of Assam remained ignorant of the Rabha people and their art and culture, according to Sarbeswar Rabha, the vice president of All Rabha Students? Union (ARSU).

He was speaking at the main session of 12th biennial, 6th biennial and 17th joint conference of Darrang district committees of All Rabha Students? Union (ARSU), All Rabha Women?s Council (ARWC) and All Rabha National Council (ARNC) respectively here at the Bishnu Rabha...

Shillong, Feb. 1: Meghalaya police today claimed to have broken the backbone of the banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), citing the surrender of some top leaders of the group during the past fortnight as a sign of panic in its ranks.

?The reason for the cracks in the HNLC is very simple. The demolition of the outfit?s finance wing and our sustained crackdown on its combatant cadres during the last two years choked its lifeline, which is money,? a senior police official said.

?The distance between three top leaders of the outfit over various issues is growing. This is the key...