Land of Jewels (Sana Leibak)

Indian Americans disappoint Tamang: Undated: While the reigning Indian Idol Prashant Tamang had a good time on his four-city US tour that ended Monday, the organisers were disappointed by the low turnout of Indian Americans at his concerts. "At Tamang's New York performance, the audience of about 1,700 was predominantly Nepalis and Tibetans. Only about 30 Indian Americans attended," said Kashish, who managed the concert at the Jacob Javits Centre December 8. "The proportion of Indian Americans at the Atlanta concert December 9 too was abysmal," he added. "The tour that opened with concerts at Washington DC and Boston was not a financial success," Kashish said. "But then profit was not our motive. It was to introduce him to the Nepali community here," he said. Tamang himself said he had a good time on the tour as it was a dream come true for him. "Ever since I was a child, I had wanted to visit China and America," he said at a press...

Gaisal ghost strikes again: Nijbari (Phansidewa), Dec. 10: Death struck at express speed but this time the casualty was one. More than 1,000 passengers of the 4055 DN Brahmputra Mail had a miraculous escape when 14 of the 17 coaches jumped tracks here last night (Sunday night). In 1999, the same train -- Delhi-bound Brahmaputra Mail -- had a head-on collision with the Delhi-Guwahati Avadh-Assam Express in Gaisal, killing at least 300 passengers. The Gaisal ghost came back again on December 23, 2003 when 11 coaches of the train got derailed in Malda. There were no casualties then. The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), which is not ruling out sabotage, claimed that 66 people were injured though eyewitnesses said the figure would be at least 100. “Of the 66, 30 were released after first aid while the others are under treatment at different hospitals in and around Siliguri,” said T. Rabha, the chief public relations officer of the NFR. Most people were asleep when the bogies jumped tracks ...