SHILLONG, April 12 – The two-day North East Tourism Summit which concluded here last evening has entrusted the North Eastern Council (NEC) with the task of initiating action to formulate a regional tourism policy for speedy and coordinated development of the untapped potentials of tourism in the region.

The valedictory session yesterday also recommended immediate setting up of air taxi services in the region with Guwahati as the hub in order to connect all major tourist spots in the North-east. The summit, attended by officials of the state government local and national tour operators...

Shillong, April 12: Meghalaya police have pieced together tell-tale signs of the proscribed Ulfa’s nexus with the Taliban in Afghanistan and Korean gunrunners following the recent seizure of a large cache of sophisticated weaponry from the outfit’s hideouts at Phulbari in West Garo Hills district.

Police have seized during raids over the past three days “a mini-truckload” of sophisticated weapons, including 96 rocket-propelled grenades, 11 large rockets, eight rocket launchers, 15 anti-tank devices, 680 rounds of 12.76 MMG ammunition, two AK-56 rifles, several rounds of bullets for AK-series...

Imphal, April 12: The Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF) has warned Manipur police that it would launch an offensive against the force if police commandos do not desist from “killing” its cadre after capturing them.

In a statement issued on the eve of the outfit’s “martyrs’ day,” which will be observed tomorrow, the RPF — the political wing of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) — accused the state police of killing “revolutionaries” after arresting them.

It said during the past 20 years, nearly 200 cadre of the outfit have been killed by the force. Of these, 136 were killed by torture in...

Guwahati, April 12: The North Eastern Development Financial Corporation Ltd (NEDFi) has launched a special drive to help women entrepreneurs in the Northeast during this fiscal year.

Disclosing this to newspersons last night, NEDFi chairman-cum-managing director J.P. Saikia said the premier financial institution, which assists self-employment in the region, plans to train over 200 entrepreneurs with special emphasis on the fairer sex.

“We will be holding five training programmes exclusively for women and those who successfully complete the course will be given financial assistance under our...

April 13: Strife-torn Cachar continued to be rocked by violence while tension simmered in neighbouring North Cachar Hills district though there were no fresh incidents of violence.

In the continuing ethnic clashes in Cachar, four more houses were set ablaze in Nutan Punji area as four police outposts were put up in Hmar and Dimasa-dominated areas and police patrolling intensified.

Police sources said unidentified men torched four houses belonging to Hmar and Nepali communities. The militants also opened fire before escaping to the nearby jungles. The police also recovered a body from the...