Agartala, Jan. 24: The Congress finally announced its list of candidates for the Assembly elections in Tripura today. The party has put up 42 candidates for the polls, having already allotted the other 18 seats in the 60-member House to its alliance partner, the Indigenous National Party of Tripura.

Tripura PCC president Birajit Sinha, who returned from New Delhi with the list approved by AICC chief Sonia Gandhi today, released the list to newspersons. All 13 sitting MLAs of the party have been re-nominated. The list contains 19 new candidates and six women.

The party manifesto would be...

New Delhi, January 24: Top leaders of NSCN(I-M), who have just concluded talks with the Centre, would ask other northeastern insurgent groups to "be prepared to understand" the Centre?s point of view, if the Centre decides to hold parleys with them. "If Government of India would be prepared to talk to them (insurgent outfits), we shall certainly tell them that they should also be prepared to understand the Government.... we will also ask our friends to be prepared to find a better solution," NSCN (I-M) general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah said when asked what message they would like to give to...

Imphal, January 24: Minister of State for Agriculture, K Ranjit and Minister of State for Social Welfare DK Korungthang had a providential escape when militants armed to the teeth opened fire at their convoy from three directions today noon at Thingkangphai village in Chandel district. The security escort of the Ministers also returned fire and a fierce gun fight ensued with the militants for about 45 minutes. BSF DIG, PK Misra in a statement said that the two Ministers were abducted by the militants, but BSF personnel on being alerted launched a rescue mission and managed to free the two VIPs...

Guwahati, Jan. 23: The Union tourism ministry has identified four places in Assam and Meghalaya to set up tourism and cultural hubs which will project the cultural heritage of the area and link it up with places of tourism interest.

These four places are Kamakhya, Majuli Islands, Tawang and Shillong. The ministry has identified 36 hubs throughout the country to harmonise elements of tourism and culture.

The places will be equipped with documentation centres, handicraft emporiums and similar facilities with improved infrastructure.

Officials said the hubs would help promote unique cultural...

Silchar, Jan. 23: The projected cost of converting the 204-km metre gauge rail track between this town and Lumding station into the broad gauge, estimated at Rs 608 crore the project was launched in 1996, has escalated to Rs 1,400 crore.

Expressing concern over the escalation, a senior official of the North East Frontier Railway (construction) ascribed the hike to the ?niggardly flow of funds? from the railway ministry.

He said rain and occasional attacks by militants had slowed down the project and had resulted in cost escalation.

The official, however, hoped that the construction would...