Flowers to heal Kashmir

Officials in Indian Kashmir have a new idea they hope will breathe life into a region drained by nearly three decades of fighting — flower power. The world’s largest tulip garden will soon bloom, they say, in the hope the promise of petals set against snow-capped mountains will lure tourists back to a land torn by years of separatist violence. “Over 350,000 tulip bulbs have already been planted in the garden,” said K.K. Sharma.

Wrestler in court

Former wrestler and actor Dara Singh has been asked to appear in an Agra court Feb 14 as a prosecution witness in a case filed 25 years ago. A wrestling match had been organised at the Ram Lila ground here Dec 14, 1982, but the match was not held according to norms and announcements made. This led a group of people to file an FIR at the Rakabganj. police station. Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashok Kumar has asked Dara Singh to appear in the court as a witness.

Appeal to Novartis

Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis’ legal challenge could block generic cancer and AIDS treatments to the developing world, patients’ rights advocates say. Novartis filed an appeal in Madras, India. If they wins its case, Indian companies could be banned from making generic versions of the drug, sold around the world for about 1-10th of the $2,600 price.

Son-in-law elopes

A young woman in India wants her husband back, even though he eloped with her mother. The local Family Counseling Center in Sehore said the woman approached them after her husband made clear his intentions on marrying the 15 year old mother-in-law. “He eloped with his mother-in-law together in Bhopal,” said Rajkumar Gupta.

Briton kept jailed

Britain has been unable to obtain the release of one of its citizens from a jail in India, despite the inmate’s health problems during his sentence. Backpacker Daniel Robinson has suffered bronchitis, pneumonia and a kidney infection during his jail time in India, the Mail on Sunday said. Robinson was traveling across Tibetan China last winter.