If Kashmir is solved, will LeT men drive taxis?: Brit MP

Lakshar-e-Toiba (LeT), the Pakistan-based terror group blamed for the Mumbai attacks, will not give up terrorism if the Kashmir problem were to be solved tomorrow, a senior British MP said Friday. "Will Laskhar-e-Toiba then go back to driving taxis? Of course they won't. They have tasted violence," said Stephen Pound of the ruling Labour Party.

Pound, former chairman of Labour Friends of India, a parliamentary lobby, was speaking after British Foreign Secretary Thursday upset New Delhi by claiming India needed to resolve the Kashmir dispute in order to combat LeT. Miliband made his comments while criticising the War on Terror, saying "the best antidote to the terrorist threat in the long term is cooperation."

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Outrage over Pak artist's removal by MNS

In Mumbai there is outrage after a Pakistani stand up comedian Shakeel Siddiqui was forcibly removed from a TV set by members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). The act by Raj Thackeray's men has received a divided response from Mumbai's artistic community.

Some like flute maestro Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia have strongly condemned the action. "I will really respect and appreciate their coming in my country. They would be my guests. Just because a few people decide to spread terror does not make a terrorist out of all Pakistanis," said Pandit Chaurasia.

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Young boy pushed down in well by his friend in Punjab

One young boy Sonu of JCT mills colony Phagwara,was pushed down in a well by his own friend Sanjeev Kumar after a minor quarrel near new Model Town on wednesday night.

According to the reports received here last night,the victim had to spent whole night in the dry well and was pulled out by several residents with the help of local fire brigade after hearing his cry.Sonu was admitted in local civil hospital in injured condition.Police has registered a case and searching for the alleged accused Sanjeev who was still at large.

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Russia, Ukraine plan gas crisis talks

Ukraine prepared on Friday to host a summit of eastern European chiefs of state ahead of new talks on its gas war with Moscow, as Europe batted aside a Kremlin proposal for a summit in Moscow to resolve a feud that has left millions of Europeans freezing. Ukraine would hold a summit of six eastern European presidents in Kiev on Friday for talks on its gas war with Russia, the Ukrainian presidential spokesman told a news agency on Thursday.

President Viktor Yushchenko was expecting "his five counterparts from eastern Europe, including Poland's Lech Kaczynski and Lithuania's Valdas Adamkus who had confirmed their participation," Larisa Mudrak told the news agency.

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Sainz plunges out of Dakar Rally

Race leader Carlos Sainz crashed out of the Dakar Rally when his Volkswagen tumbled into a ravine and rolled over, robbing the double world rally champion of victory. The Spaniard had started the 12th stage with a 27-minute lead over his American Volkswagen teammate Mark Miller and was comfortably on course for a maiden win in the gruelling event on Saturday.

But that was before disaster struck after 79km of the 220km stage. "We couldn't see. Suddenly, a four-metre deep hole appeared in front of us. We fell into it and landed on our roof. I braked but I couldn't stop," said Sainz.