Wednesday, March 11, 2009

I wants to Spend my Life’s Final days at Home: Jade Goody


Washington: Cancer-stricken Jade Goody has begged doctors to allow her to go home so that she could spend her final days with her beloved sons. The former Big Brother star has requested doctors at London’s Royal Marsden Hospital to let her return to Freddie, four, and five-year-old Bobby.

“She will be coming home tomorrow - but only if nurses are able to keep her pain at bay,” the Sun quoted Goody’s spokesman Max Clifford, as saying.

“The plan is she will leave in an ambulance under supervision of someone from the Marsden who will administer the epidural and pain control. Jade is desperate to get home with the boys.”

However, he added: “If doctors are not happy tomorrow morning she will not go home.”

Clifford said that Goody was `thrilled’ at the prospect of returning to the boys and new husband Jack Tweed.

“Jade knows she hasn’t very long and wants to be at home surrounded by loved ones and family,” he said.

Source: www.nhatky.in

World’s Wealth Destroyed over 45%


New York: Private equity company Blackstone Group LP CEO Stephen Schwarzman said on Tuesday that up to 45 percent of the world’s wealth has been destroyed by the global credit crisis.

“Between 40 and 45 percent of the world’s wealth has been destroyed in little less than a year and a half,” Schwarzman told an audience at the Japan Society. “This is absolutely unprecedented in our lifetime.”

But the U.S. government is committed to the preservation of financial institutions, he said, and will do whatever it takes to restart the economy.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner plans to unfreeze credit markets through a new program that will combine public and private capital in a fund that would buy bank toxic assets of up to $1 trillion.

“In all likelihood, that will have the private sector buy troubled assets to clean the banks out in terms of providing leverage … so that we can get more money back into the banking system,” Schwarzman said.

He expects the private sector to end up making “some good money doing that,” but added there were complex issues on how to price toxic assets.

He put part of the blame for the financial crisis to credit rating agencies.

“What’s pretty clear is that, if you were looking for one culprit out of the many, many, many culprits, you have to point your finger at the rating agencies,” he said.

Source: www.nhatky.in

India Win Hamilton ODI Series Against New Zealand


Hamilton: They rightly say records are meant to be broken. When Mohammad Azharuddin slammed a ton off just 62 deliveries, it was there to stay, but not forever. Sehwag, the Delhi dasher, tore apart the New Zealand bowling to become India’s fastest centurion of all times. He scored his third ton against New Zealand off just 60 odd balls.

India were declared the winners by 84 runs (D/L method) and they now have an unassailable lead of 3-0, which means they have won a series in New Zeakand for the first time in 33 years.

Virender Sehwag was declared the man of the match without a doubt for his breath taking innings that set the Seddon Park on fire.

When New Zealand had finished their innings at 270/5 off 47 overs, the spectators were sure they had a thrilling encounter in store. However, when the swashbuckling Viru unleashed his array of lethal shots, maneuvering his willow with ease, Hamilton looked like a park in a residential colony and the Kiwis had to run for cover.

Choosing to bat first for a change, New Zealand had started off cautiously saving wickets and later Ryder and McCullum let themselves loose to take the Black Caps to a flying start. Some sloppy effort in the field by the Indians ensured Ryder scored 46 and McCullum went on to score a flamboyant 77. Dhoni had missed a stumping chance early on in the innings and later Sehwag dropped a sitter to give McCullum two lives. However, the bowler to suffer remained the same – Yuvraj, who later dismissed Jesse Ryder who looked set for a consecutive century.

McCullum survived scare after scare to carve out 77 runs without much support from Ross Taylor (5), Jacob Oram (1) and Martin Guptill (25). Zaheer finally broke the McCullum jinx and caught the dashing right hander plumb in front of the wickets. Just when the Kiwis seemed to have lost their way, Peter McGlashan (56 off 42) and Grant Eliott (35 off 27) joined hands to bail the hosts out of trouble with a 95 run sixth wicket partnership posting a total of 270 in 47 overs. The overs were reduced due to the rain interruptions.

Amidst rain interruptions and revised targets, Sehwag did not stop. He went on and on firing all cylinders to all corners of the park. Rain interrupted Sehwag’s fireworks and the target was revised 263 in 43 overs after the second time rain played spoilsport and then to 220 in 36 overs after the rain Gods obliged again.

Riding on Sehwag’s blitzkrieg, India had scored 201 for no loss before the drizzle began again in the 24th over thereby making it definite for a result to be declared in case the game could not continue further. And that exactly happened. India were declared winners after 23.3 overs were bowled with India’s scorecard reading a fabulous 201/0.

Amidst Sehwag’s slam-bang, Gambhir’s contribution could not be ignored. The left hander scored 63 runs off 67 deliveries and played an anchor role to provide perfect support and cushion to the Hamilton Hurricane Sehwag whose final score read 125 off 74 deliveries which was studded with six thunderous hits into the stands and 14 shots that rolled into the fence.

The fifth and final ODI of the series will be played at Eden Park, Auckland on March 14.

Source: www.nhatky.in

Here comes Femina Miss India 2009!


The stage is set and it’s time to conquer the World, the Universe and the Earth as well! The 20 Pantaloons Femina Miss India 2009 finalists are ready to set the stage on fire. Confident, fun loving, graceful yet flamboyant — the girls are here to make their mark.

The 20 finalists who were unveiled in Mumbai on Monday (March 9), surely seem to be having a lot of fun but there’s a lot of hardwork and training coming their way for the next month — all in a bid to win the most coveted title.

Marc Robinson, Contestant Director said, “The training includes a lot of things, we have a schedule planned out for them. Ther is a diet, they’ve got hair and make up. So ther’s a lot of things that goes into it.”

Sandeep Soparkar, Trainer & Choreographer said, “I would see to it that the girls have the right postures because when they exercise a lot sometimes they develop the wrong posture.”

Their journey to success has just begun and the girls all geared up to fulfil their dream of winning the dazzling crowns. Only 3 would live their dreams on the grand finale on the 5th of April 2009.

Source: www.nhatky.in


Pakistani Crucial Political Situation


Islamabad: Amidst a political showdown between the government and the Opposition, Pakistan Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Wednesday met Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and discussed the political and security situation in the country.

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari, who is on a visit to Iran, is believed to have been asked not to return.

The two leaders met at a time when President Asif Ali Zardari is out of the country to attend a summit of the Economic Cooperation Organisation in Tehran.

Pakistani authorities on Tuesday launched a crackdown on rights activists, lawyers and opposition party activists in Islamabad and Punjab province ahead of a “long march” by the lawyers’ movement to pressure the government to reinstate judges sacked during the 2007 emergency by former President Pervez Musharraf.

Hundreds of people have been detained or placed under house arrest by the authorities, who have banned protests and rallies across Punjab and Sindh provinces.

Source: www.nhatky.in

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

DNA Samples Given by India to Interpol


NEW DELHI: India will pass on DNA samples of the lone surviving Mumbai attacker Ajmal Kasab and his nine dead accomplices to Interpol and Pakistan in current week, Indian newspaper report said.

Home secretary Madhukar Gupta discussed the matter with CBI director Ashwani Kumar — who heads India, Interpol — in a meeting. The discussion centred around what India could share with Interpol at this juncture.

The meeting was held a day after Interpol secretary general Ronald K Noble expressed anguish over India’s failure to share investigation details with the world police body. He was reported as saying in Islamabad that Interpol couldn’t do anything until India provided it with details including the DNA profiles.

A senior home ministry official, however, said, “It is not mandatory for India to share all investigation details with Interpol. We will only share the DNA samples and travel records of the dead and alive terrorists as it will be important to match these details not only with the world police body’s databank but also with what Pakistan intends to share with it.”

The home ministry official said whatever details India shares with Interpol would also be shared with Pakistan as part of New Delhi’s response to Islamabad’s 30 questions on the Indian dossier.

Though the home ministry has so far not forwarded these details — sent to it by the Mumbai Police — to the foreign ministry, officials said it would be done in a day or two so that India could pass it on to Pakistan this week.

Source: www.nhatky.in

DNA Samples Given by India to Interpol


NEW DELHI: India will pass on DNA samples of the lone surviving Mumbai attacker Ajmal Kasab and his nine dead accomplices to Interpol and Pakistan in current week, Indian newspaper report said.

Home secretary Madhukar Gupta discussed the matter with CBI director Ashwani Kumar — who heads India, Interpol — in a meeting. The discussion centred around what India could share with Interpol at this juncture.

The meeting was held a day after Interpol secretary general Ronald K Noble expressed anguish over India’s failure to share investigation details with the world police body. He was reported as saying in Islamabad that Interpol couldn’t do anything until India provided it with details including the DNA profiles.

A senior home ministry official, however, said, “It is not mandatory for India to share all investigation details with Interpol. We will only share the DNA samples and travel records of the dead and alive terrorists as it will be important to match these details not only with the world police body’s databank but also with what Pakistan intends to share with it.”

The home ministry official said whatever details India shares with Interpol would also be shared with Pakistan as part of New Delhi’s response to Islamabad’s 30 questions on the Indian dossier.

Though the home ministry has so far not forwarded these details — sent to it by the Mumbai Police — to the foreign ministry, officials said it would be done in a day or two so that India could pass it on to Pakistan this week.

Source: www.nhatky.in

Ragging Case, Aman’s family to action Against Medical College


GURGAON: A shocked family of the teenaged medical student, who was ragged and beaten to death allegedly by his seniors in Himachal Pradesh, today said the boy was subjected to immense violence and demanded action against the medical college where he was studying.

Aman Satya Kachroo (19), a first year student of Dr Rajendra Prasad medical college in Kangra, breathed his last on Sunday night in a hospital after being beaten up allegedly by four seniors.

“He was slapped many times, His head was shaved off. He was punched and kicked. He was hit on head and chest. He was forced to work on their project whole night,” Indira, Aman’s aunt, alleged.

Rohit Kachroo, his uncle, said Aman had told his parents about the ragging in the institute. “In fact, we should blame ourselves. He had told his parents about the ragging. We did not think, it will turn this violent,” Kachroo said.

Another relative remembered Aman as a “gentle boy” who was a hard worker. “He never entered into a confrontation with anyone. That was not his nature,” he said demanding stern action against the medical college.

Two of the four accused — Ajay Verma and Naveen Verma — were arrested on Monday while two others, Mukul Sharma and Abhinav Verma are on the run.
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Source: www.nhatky.in

4 Medical Student Charged for Murder


TANDA: The Himachal Pradesh police on Tuesday booked four senior medical students for causing the death of a first semester student on Sunday by ragging and severely beating him up in a government medical college in the hill state’s Kangra district.

The victim, 19-year-old Aman Kachroo, died on Sunday - a few hours after being ragged late Saturday by four final year students of the Rajindra Prasad medical college at Tanda town, 20 km from the district headquarter town of Kangra.

Police officials said that Kachroo died of head and other injuries sustained after being beaten up by drunk seniors during ragging.

Himachal inspector general of police (Law and Order) SR Mardi said that a case of murder (Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code) had been registered against the four senior students.

They had earlier been booked for culpable homicide (Section 304) by the police.

“After receiving the post-mortem report, the case has been converted to that of murder. Two have been arrested while two others are still absconding,” Mardi said.

The students arrested are Ajay Verma and Naveen Verma, deputy superintendent of police OP Jamwal said.

Abhinav Verma and Mukul Sharma were absconding, he added.

The role of the local police and the hospital authorities is under the scanner for not having reacted till the victim died.

Himachal health minister Rajiv Bindal said that a magisterial probe had been ordered into the incident.

“We will take strict action against the senior students who indulged in ragging and anyone else who showed laxity in curbing ragging. If a murder case has to registered against the senior students, it will be done on the basis of the post-mortem report,” Bindal said earlier.

Medical college principal S Sankhyan offered to resign from his post following the incident.

He said that all the four senior students had been suspended from the college for two years.

The hostel warden, Pradeep Bansal, and hostel manager, Deepak Verma, were suspended by the college authorities on Monday.

At least 13 other first semester students were ragged by their seniors in clear violation of Supreme Court guidelines which make ragging a crime and their complaint with the college authorities did not lead to any action to end their suffering.

The Tanda medical college has been infamous in this peaceful hill state for illegal ragging and other activities by senior students. Even state government doctors fear being posted in this college.

Kachroo, whose family originally hails from Jammu and Kashmir but is now settled in Gurgaon, was a brilliant student, family members said. His father is a doctor in Tanzania.

Source: www.nhatky.in

A Student of Medical Killed in Ragging


DHARAMSALA: A Delhi Public School student who had taken admission in a medical school in Himachal Pradesh last year met with a horrible death at the hands of seniors who are training to be doctors.

Aman Kachroo (19), who passed out of DPS International in Saket and enrolled at the Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College, Tanda, in Kangra last August had repeatedly complained to his parents about the brutal ragging that took place on campus — often by completely drunk third-year students. On Friday night and Saturday morning, the boy was beaten so badly that he died.

“Aman used to tell us about ragging but we never thought that it was so serious. The first-year students had complained to the college administration recently, but despite that, no steps were taken to stop ragging. We’ve lost our son, but many others can be saved if timely steps are taken,” his aunt Indira Dhar said on Monday. She said the body was being brought to Gurgaon where the parents have been living since the family moved back to India from Tanzania. Aman’s father is still a visiting faculty at the Dar-es-Salaam University.

Indira Dhar alleged that due to severe beatings at the hands of senior students, Aman sustained grievous injuries on his chest, ears and face. The hostel manager had asked the students to file a written complaint, but even then no action was taken.

That the faculty and college administration had looked away from the campus brutality was obvious. But even after the death was reported, administrators tried to pass off the death as a suicide. Only after the matter blew up and cops got involved, the principal, as a token gesture, rusticated four students suspected to be involved in the ragging.

Preliminary investigations reveal that the victim was under extreme stress following the ragging by third-year students and had collapsed on Sunday. We were informed of the incident around 9.30 pm,” Kangra SP Atul Fulelzele said. That implies that the college authorities did not call the cops for nearly an entire day after Aman died.

Virkin Dhar, the victim’s cousin, said he had told her that senior students used to rag juniors after getting drunk and the same thing happened on Saturday night, when they physical assaulted freshers. “We have come to know that senior students had punched and slapped Aman, inflicting internal injuries that proved to be fatal,” she said.

Himachal Pradesh government suspended the hostel warden and manager after the death became public. Terming it as an unfortunate incident, state health minister Rajiv Bindal said, “Strict action would be initiated against students who were involved in it. Police are looking into the matter and well ensure total transparency in the proceedings. An autopsy was done in-camera and in the presence of a lawyer.

According to Times Now, two senior medical college students have been arrested and the principal of the college has resigned.

Source: www.nhatky.in

Suicide Blast in Sri Lanka Mosque


COLOMBO: At least eight persons were killed and 20 including a Sri Lankan minister were wounded in suicide attack in a mosque in Sri Lankan south, police said. Sri Lankan Minister of Communication Mohinda Vijaysekera was also wounded in the attack, sources said.

A religious ceremony was being held in the mosque and local political leaders were also present in the mosque when a suicide bomber blown up, sources said.

Source: www.nhatky.in

Monday, March 9, 2009

Mastermind of Lahore attack identified


ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has zeroed in on the alleged mastermind of last week’s terror attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, a media report said on Monday.

“The Lahore police have named the mastermind as Mohammad Aqeel. A raid was conducted on his hideout but he managed to escape,” Geo TV said.

“His accomplice Talat has been arrested,” the channel added.

Eight Pakistanis, including six security personnel, were killed and six Sri Lankan players as well as the team’s assistant coach injured March 3 when the team bus was on its way to the Gaddafi Stadium for the third day’s play in the second cricket test. The tour was immediately called off and the Sri Lankan team was flown home the same evening.

Without naming India, Pakistan first saw a “foreign hand” in the attack but soon retracted, saying the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group could be involved.

Investigators have now been quoted as saying that the al-Qaida could be involved.

Source: www.nhatky.in

51% Stake of Sataym Selling Procedure Starts


Mumbai: Satyam Computer Services has begun the procedure of selecting an investor by inviting expressions of interest from bidders. SEBI has recently authorized Satyam to sell up to 51 percent stake.

Under the process that started on Monday, the bidders will have to submit detailed EoIs, along with proof of availability of funds of at least 1,500 crore rupees by March 20, Satyam said in a statement.

On Monday, the company issued an expression of interest, according to which there is no floor price for the bidders.

The interested investor may register with the company by March 12.

Based on the submitted EoIs, eligible bidders would be short-listed and given access to certain business, financial and legal diligence material of the company provided they sign a non-disclosure and non-solicitation agreement with Satyam, the company stated.

The process of the stake sale will involve 31 percent fresh equity shares and 20 percent open offer.

India Vs New Zealand 4th ODI At Hamilton


WELLINGTON: Captain Daniel Vettori will return to the New Zealand team and paceman Tim Southee has been dropped as the home side attempt to stop rampant India from sealing a one-day series victory.

Sachin Tendulkar’s brilliant unbeaten 163 led India to a 58-run win and a 2-0 series lead in Christchurch on Sunday, with two games left to play.
WATCH LIVE CRICKET MATCH
Vettori was missing from that game as he joined his wife, Mary, for the birth of their first child, but he will be back for the Hamilton match on Tuesday.

Southee paid the price for posting the most expensive 10-over bowling spell by a New Zealander in a one-day international with figures of 0-105 as India smashed 392 runs.

Vettori’s tight bowling will be even more important than usual in the absence of seam bowler Ian Butler, the only other bowler who has posted consistently respectable figures against India.

Butler, who was recalled to the New Zealand team this year after a five-year absence, strained a thigh muscle while bowling in Christchurch but the home side hope he will be available for the final one-dayer in Auckland on Saturday.

Uncapped Central Districts allrounder Ewen Thompson — who made his international Twenty20 debut against the West Indies in December — joins the squad of 12.

New Zealand squad
Daniel Vettori (captain), Grant Elliott, Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, Peter McGlashan, Kyle Mills, Iain O’Brien, Jacob Oram, Jeetan Patel, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor, Ewen Thompson.

Source: www.nhatky.in

India Linked in Bangladesh Mutiny: Islamists


Dhaka: As agents of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation arrived here to help probe last week’s mutiny, Right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami party on Sunday accused India of being behind the killings inside the Bangladesh border guards’ headquarters.

“The killing mission was executed from Indian intelligence headquarters through close monitoring,” Matiur Rahman Nizami, the chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, said while addressing a meeting of his party here.

“India pulled a masterstroke by destroying the border guards and trying to weaken Bangladesh’s Army and national security,” he said, claiming that Indian media ran the news of the carnage citing Indian intelligence sources before the local television stations could cover it.

Some Indian media, quoting intelligence sources, earlier pointed the finger at Jamaat claiming the Islamist group sparked the mutiny in Bangladesh to divert attention from the prosecution of Jamaat-e-Islami members on trial for war crimes committed in the 1971 war of independence.

Meanwhile, two agents of the FBI arrived here on Sunday to help Bangladesh probe the mutiny that left dozens of Army officers dead.

“They will sit with the Home Ministry officials on Monday to agree on terms of reference for their operation in Bangladesh during the investigation,” a ministry official said.

The agents are expected to visit the crime scene and examine the evidence along with investigators from the Criminal Investigation Department of the police, he added.

Source: www.nhatky.in

Former Israeli Prez Katsav with charged Sexual Offenses


Jerusalem: Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav will be charged with several serious sexual offenses including rape, Attorney General Menachem Mazuz has announced.

Mazuz is ready to indict Moshe Katsav on charges stemming from sexual offenses, including rape, allegedly committed while he was President and Tourism Minister.

The Justice Ministry has been plagued by complications in the case since it first broke in July 2006, including a failed plea bargain attempt and a draft indictment that was retracted. Mazuz decided on Sunday, after consultation with State Attorney Moshe Lador, to submit the new indictment.

The current draft charge sheet also includes allegations against Katsav concerning
sexual offenses
he allegedly committed against other female subordinates at the Tourism Ministry, as well as offenses committed while he was
president
(2000 to 2007).

“The decision was made after Mazuz and Lador came to the conclusion that the plaintiffs’ testimony must be considered and that there is sufficient evidence in the case to justify filing an indictment,” a statement from the State Attorney’s Office said.

The former president’s media adviser, Ronen Tsur, downplayed the decision, saying it did not “surprise one person in Israel.”

Moshe Katsav took into account that this would be the result when he rejected the plea bargain, and he’s happy for the chance to prove his innocence in a court of law,” Tsur said.

Source: www.nhatky.in

Pakistan Should Cooperate on 26/11: Musharraf


New Delhi: Pakistani government should cooperate in the Mumbai attacks case and those behind it should be punished, former President Pervez Musharraf has said even as he criticised India for “creating war hysteria” over the issue.

It was most unfortunate. It was a terrorist act. Terrorists have no nationality,” Musharraf said at a seminar when asked for his comment on the Mumbai attacks which was different from earlier terror acts.

“Pakistan government should cooperate because a terrorist act has taken place and anyone who has done it should be punished,” the former military ruler said.

He, however, said he could not say whether the attack had originated from Pakistan as he was “not privy” to details furnished by India.

At the same time, he was critical of India for saying on the very next day of the attack that it had originated from Pakistan.

“Shall we say the same about Lahore (attack)? People here should give considered statements,” Musharraf said.

Accusing India of creating “war hysteria” amid suggestions for surgical strikes after the attacks, he said with a warning tone “These are serious situations. Pakistan also has armed forces.”

‘Change attitude towards Pak’

India and Pakistan must change the way they treat each other and bury a “dirty past” to tackle growing militancy in the region together, Musharraf said further.

“The past has been dirty, the past has been bad, but don’t put the blame on Pakistan,” Musharraf said. “You tried to do damage to us, we were not sitting idle, we tried to damage you.”

He said both countries were to be blamed for decades of mistrust and dispute, but now need to move ahead.

“There is a need for attitudinal change, more in India less in Pakistan,” the former Army General said, referring to India’s regular allegations that Pakistan’s spy agency, the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), and the Pakistan Army were behind militant strikes in India.

Pakistan and India have fought three wars since independence from Britain in 1947 and came to the brink of a fourth after gunmen attacked the Indian Parliament in December 2001.

India also paused talks on a peace process between the two countries after it blamed Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba for the Mumbai attacks last November in which nearly 170 people died.

India says its nuclear-armed rival has done little to clamp down on militant activity on its soil.

Musharraf asked India to stop what he described as “Pakistan bashing” and instead urged New Delhi to help the ISI and Pakistan’s Army fight militancy in the region.

“Help the Pakistan Army and the ISI to tackle them (militants) and please don’t malign them,” the former Army Chief said, adding that Pakistan’s Army and the ISI wanted peace with India.

The former President, who stepped down in August last year, said the Army and the ISI were the best bets to fight the growing influence of the Taliban and militancy in Pakistan.

“Please don’t create misunderstanding in the world against the ISI and the Army,” he said.

Pakistani authorities have been criticized after gunmen fired at the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore on Tuesday.

“Pakistan is critical under the present circumstances to fight terrorism and extremism, Pakistan is critical to bring peace in the region,” Musharraf said.

The former Army General said the solution to end militancy in the region lay in finding a peaceful solution for Kashmir.

‘Handing over Dawood won’t help’

“Even if he (Dawood Ibrahim) is handed over, relations (between India and Pakistan) will not improve. I challenge,” Musharraf stated at the event when asked whether Pakistan could hand over Dawood as a confidence building measure.

When suggested that it may be given a try, the retired General said “if we fail, you will hand him over back to us.”

Musharraf, while interacting at the conclave, earlier claimed that he did not “know at all if he (Dawood) is in Pakistan”.

He made the claim, which was received with disbelief by the audience, even while underlining that India and Pakistan must not harbour each other’s terrorists.

Source: www.nhatky.in

LeT Instead off Al Qaeda as huge Threat to US


Islamabad: Indicative of the growing clout of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) despite an apparent crackdown by the Pakistani authorities, US security experts believe that the terror group and not Al Qaeda has emerged as the main threat and could well stage the next major attack on the American mainland.

“We are and should be concerned about the threat LeT poses, given its global network,” Juan Zarate, deputy national security adviser for counter-terrorism in the Bush administration, told the Chicago Tribune in an interview published Sunday.

According to Zarate, the FBI and other US intelligence agencies had been focussing on the LeT as the next big threat to US security even before the Nov 26-29, 2008, Mumbai terror attacks.

The Tribune quoted US authorities as saying that the LeT was in many ways a bigger threat than the Al Qaeda, whose leadership was on the run from numerous Predator strikes in the Pakistan’s northwestern tribal areas.

Zarate’s remarks come amidst reports that the LeT had got a new set of commanders to replace Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and Zarrar Shah who the Pakistani authorities detained after the Mumbai carnage that India has blamed on the terror group.

Pakistani investigators initially pointed to an LeT hand in last week’s attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore but later ascribed it to the Al Qaeda.

“We are and should be concerned about the threat LeT poses, given its global network,” Zarate told the Tribune.

“It doesn’t just reside in South Asia. It is an organisation that has potential reach all over the world, including the US,” he added.

Bruce Riedel, chairman of the Obama administration’s Pakistan-Afghanistan strategy review team, said he believed such a “global jihadist syndicate” of disaffected young Pakistanis was the most likely mechanism for launching an attack on US soil.

The Mumbai attacks, according to Riedel, was only the latest of several such by such militants on soft targets frequented by Americans, including hotels in Kabul and Islamabad.

The Mumbai mayhem had claimed the lives of over 170 people, including 26 foreigners - six of them American citizen. India had subsequently given the FBI access to Ajmal Amir Kasab, the sole terrorist captured alive during the carnage.

India says Kasab and nine other LeT operatives, all of whom were killed during the attacks that lasted for over 60 hours, had staged the assault.

India had also asked the FBI to examine evidence collected from five GPS phones used for coordinating the attack, requesting the FBI to analyse the data. The FBI established that the attack was mounted from the sea.

The Tribune said that Washington wanted Pakistan to not only dismantle LeT but also other similar groups founded during the Afghan war or later to participate in the insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir.

Quoting US and allied intelligence sources, the report claimed that potentially tens of thousands of Pakistanis had been trained in the LeT’s guerrilla camps in Pakistan, many of whom had gone on to fight for the Al Qaeda.

This includes a small number of US residents, some of who are believed to have returned home. Nearly a dozen Americans, including many members of the so-called Virginia Jihad Network, have been convicted in US courts of training at LeT camps and conspiring to provide material support to the group.

The US is also concerned about the thousands of disaffected Westerners and Pakistanis in Britain and other countries in Europe who travel frequently to Pakistan, the newspaper said.

Citizens of these countries do not need a visa for coming to the US.

An unknown number of those have trained in LeT camps, and after getting “indoctrinated in its hatred of the West and returning home, they were free to travel to the United States with virtually no background check”, the Tribune said.

Source: www.nhatky.in

Pak Army Begun to Flex its Muscle


NEW DELHI: The army in Pakistan has begun to flex its muscle. Pakistan’s army chief general Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani, who has so far kept a low profile, has asked President Asif Ali Zardari to ‘clean up the mess’ soon.

Well-placed military sources in Islamabad said Kiyani has been asked by the United States to bring some order in the region. After his recent visit to Washington, Kiyani held a meeting with top Pakistani army commanders on March 6 to share the concern of the US over the state of affairs in the country, especially after the dissolution of the Punjab government and the subsequent anti-government agitation that has plunged the country into another political crisis.

Zardari’s bid to settle scores with the opposition led by Sharif has now gone down well with Washington.

The Supreme Court last month effectively barred former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his younger brother Shahbaz Sharif, who are opposition leaders, from contesting elections.

The Sharifs and the PML-N, Pakistan’s second-largest party, have accused Zardari of being behind the court decision. Their supporters have taken to the streets and more strife is expected.

Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Sharifs’ party were bitter rivals in the 1990s, a turbulent decade in which Bhutto and Sharif both served as prime minister twice without completing a term. A military coup in late 1999 ousted Sharif and brought Musharraf to power.

Analysts fear a return of the politics of confrontation between the country’s two biggest parties.

Musharraf’s successor as army chief, General Ashfaq Kayani, has vowed to keep the army out of politics. But the danger is that if the crisis becomes acute the military, which has ruled for more than half Pakistan’s 61 years of history, will feel forced to act.

The army has little reason to back Sharif, even if Zardari is widely unpopular and disliked by hawkish elements who distrust his pro-West stance and dovishness towards India.

Sharif had bad relations with at least three army chiefs during the 1990s. Morever, the West is wary of Sharif, believing he panders to the religious/nationalist constituency that opposes the war on terrorism.

The United States wants Pakistan to focus on fighting the Taliban and al-Qaida, and doesn’t want the army diverted by politics or, analysts say, drawn into helping Sharif.

SOURCE: www.nhatky.in

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Sanjay Dixit Wins RCA Election


Jaipur: Riding on the wave of support from the Rajasthan government and prevailing anti-Modi sentiments, IAS officer Sanjay Dixit defeated IPL commissioner Lalit Modi for the top job in the RCA election by five votes on Sunday.

The AGM of RCA began at 10.00 am with 32 district units voting at the future cricket academy from 11.00 am to 1.00 pm. While Dixit polled 18 votes, Modi got just 13.

Dixit acknowledged that it was a tough challenge and expressed gratitude to the ‘whole public of Rajasthan’ for supporting his candidature.

“It was a tough challenge. We accepted it and were successful.”

“This is first step to undo all the corrupt practices prevalent during Modi’s tenure.”

“I thank not only the association members but also the public of Rajasthan for their love and affection.”

The RCA elections saw a complete rout of Modi and his entire faction with all his loyalists facing crashing defeats in election for other posts as well.

Ameen Pathan lost the election for the post of secretary 12-19 to Ashok Kumar Ohri, who is president of Churu District Cricket Association.

Modi’s embarrassing exit from the RCA will have no bearing on his position in the BCCI as well as the chairman and commissioner of the IPL.

Modi is also a vice president of the Punjab Cricket Association.

Modi held state government responsible for his defeat.

“I paid the price of being close to Vasundhara Raje (former Chief Minister of Rajasthan). The state government did whatever it could to defeat me.”

“But there will be no affect on IPL matches. They will be held in Jaipur only,” Modi said after the results.

The run up to the RCA election was marked by a series of allegation and counter allegations between the two rival groups which fought a fierce battle to gain control of the Association.

The date of the election was fixed by the Supreme Court after Modi challenged a decision to hold election on February 22.

Modi had run into a rough weather of late.

Last month, an FIR was lodged against Modi, alleging irregularities in disbursement of funds in tune of Rs 6 crores meant for the Jaipur blast victims during the IPL last year.

Source: www.nhatky.in

100 Cr is Being Losed by Dalal Street every 5 Minutes


MUMBAI: After a whopping loss of over Rs 40,00,000 crore in 2008, the stock market is continuing its free-fall and investors have lost an average of Rs 100 crore in every five minutes of trade in first two months of 2009.

Cumulatively, the total investors’ wealth has got eroded by about Rs 2,82,000 crore so far this year.

However, the meltdown has been less severe so far this year, as compared to 2008 when an average of Rs 100 crore was wiped off in just two minutes of trade, as per an analysis of stock market losses during 2008 and first two months of 2009.

During 2008, the total investors’ wealth, measured in terms of cumulative market capitalisation of all the listed companies, plummetted from close to Rs 72,00,000 crore to about Rs 31,00,000 crore.

So far in 2009, the investors’ wealth on Indian bourses has gone further down to about Rs 28,60,000 crore, as per the current market value of the listed companies.

There were a total of 246 trading sessions in 2008, while so far in 2009 trades have been conducted on 39 days.

Taking into account a trading session of five hours and 35 minutes every day (markets open at 0955 hours and close at 1530 hours), an average of Rs 20 crore has been lost in every minute of trade so far this year.

This average was, however, more than double at Rs 50 crore in every minute of trade in 2008.

In terms of Sensex movement, the benchmark index has lost more than 750 points in first two months of 2009. During the entire 2008, the Sensex plummetted by more than 10,000 points.

However, if we take into account the price-earnings ratio, the Indian market seems to have become a bit more expensive in the first two months of 2009. It had become cheaper by more than half during 2008 by this measure.

The price-earnings ratio of the Sensex currently stands at 12.82, which is higher than 12.16 at the beginning of the year. However, it had fallen sharply during 2008 from 26.94 at the end of the previous year.

Source: www.nhatky.in

LeT had Plans to set an Operation in Colaba


Mumbai: The Pakistan-based terror group, Lashkar-e-Toiba, had plans to set up an operational base in a rented accommodation in posh Colaba in south Mumbai in early 2008 to coordinate the 26/11 terror plan, according to investigators.

The plan could not materialize because of some reasons, and finally, the ‘operational base’ was set up in Room No.14, Batatawala Chawl, Nagpada, also in south Mumbai.

Incidentally, Badhwar Park in Colaba where the LeT planned to set up the operational base, is an exclusive multi-storeyed residential complex, housing some of the top officers of Indian Railways (IR), including high-ranking functionaries of Central Railway, Western Railway and Konkan Railway.

The choice of Badhwar Park was considered crucial to the entire scheme of the conspiracy for its proximity to the targeted locations.

This was corroborated by the fact that the terrorists selected the Machhimar (fishermen’s) Colony, opposite Badhwar Park, as the landing point and then dispersed to their respective destinations in five groups.

Details in the 11,000-plus page Mumbai Police charge sheet point to the Mumbai terror mission of the LeT as a well-planned strategy of its chief Hafiz Sayyed and chief of operations Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, according to Assistant Commissioner of Police A.T. Duraphe.

Indications are that the conspiracy could have been hatched in mid-2007 and finally implemented a year later, on Nov 26, 2008.

One of the arrested conspirators, Fahim Ansari, originally a resident of Motilal Nagar, Goregaon suburb in north-west Mumbai, was arrested in February 2008 by the Uttar Pradesh police and was handed over to Mumbai Police Dec 18, 2008. Between December 2007 and January 2008, under an assumed name of Sahil Pawaskar, he made unsuccessful attempts to rent a flat in the Badhwar Park.

Later, from the Nagpada room, Ansari conducted detailed reccee of iconic and important locations in Mumbai. He even procured a Reliance mobile number for his communications.

To camouflage his intentions, Ansari, known by over half a dozen aliases, enrolled himself for a course with SoftPro Computer Educational Council, located at Engineering Building, right opposite the Bombay Stock Exchange building - which was targeted in the March 12, 1993, terror attacks.

After completing the detailed groundwork, Ansari handed over the maps and other papers to Sabahuddin Ahmed, an important LeT functionary in India.

On his part, Sabahuddin got in touch with the LeT’s Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Abu Kaahfa and passed on the information to them.

“It was these maps and directions which enabled the arrested terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir, alias Kasab, and his nine associates to arrive with absolute precision at the targeted locations and to comprehend the topography and layout of the targets,” Duraphe noted.

When they finally struck Nov 26, 2008, they succeeded in killing over 170 people and injuring 300 more in the terror attack which lasted nearly 60 hours.

Source: www.nhatky.in

Chemical leak in Singapore Plant 3 Indian killed


Singapore: Three Indian workers were killed and two others badly injured in a toxic spill at a chemical plant in Singapore, officials said on Sunday. The workers suffered severe burns on Friday when nitric acid leaked from a heat exchange unit of the Chemic Industries plant located in Tuas, an industrial zone in the southwest of Singapore.

Officials said two workers were killed instantaneously when the leak occurred, while another died in the Singapore General Hospital late Saturday.

The injured workers were still in hospital. One of them was stated to be in critical condition with over 70 percent burns.

All work at the chemical plant has been stopped while authorities investigate the cause of the leak.

An employee of Chemic Industries refused to divulge any details about the incident or how the leak occurred. However, the three men who died were described by other employees of Chemic Industries as young married men whose families were in India.

Singapore has around 200,000 Indian industrial workers, most of whom are employed as skilled or unskilled labour in the marine engineering and construction industry.

Source: www.nhatky.in

More Than US Presidential Election, LS Polling To Cost


New Delhi: At a staggering Rs 10,000 crore, the Lok Sabha polls this summer would cost more than what Barack Obama and others spent in the US Presidential race.

According to information available with the US Federal Election Commission, Obama and other candidates collectively spent close to USD 1.8 billion (nearly Rs 8,000 crore) in the 2007-08 Presidential Elections.

A survey conducted by Centre for Media Studies (CMS) back home pegs the estimated amount to be spent on the Lok Sabha Elections, which would determine the next government in the country, at about Rs 10,000 crore (USD 2 billion).

This does not include the cost of holding Assembly Polls in states like Andhra Pradesh and Orissa.

While the cost of US elections was spread over a year, India would see the massive spending in a matter of months.

The estimated Rs 10,000 crore cost for the Lok Sabha elections includes about one-fourth or Rs 2,500 crore being spent through “unofficial money” or the cash to be paid to voters by the candidates, the CMS survey says.

The latest Presidential Elections in the US has been billed as the most expensive ever, with cost doubling from the previous elections held in 2004.

Similarly, the cost of general elections in India, according to CMS, is also set to more than double this year from about Rs 4,500 crore in last Lok Sabha polls and would be the highest in the history of the country.

According to the CMS study, the government spending would be about 20 percent of the total expenses, including about Rs 1,300 crore by Election Commission and about Rs 700 crore to be spent by various Central and state government agencies for purposes like photo identity cards, EVMs and polling booth.

Various political parties are expected to spend about Rs 1,650 crore from their party funds, which would include about Rs 1,000 crore from the two main parties — Congress and BJP alone.

In addition to spending by parties, candidates of the national parties are estimated to put in Rs 4,350 crore, while those from the regional parties are expected to spend another Rs 1,000 crore.

As per the information available with the US Federal Election Commission, Obama topped the list of all Presidential candidates by spending over USD 760 million — more than double the amount of about USD 358 million spent by his Republican rival John McCain.

Another Democrat Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton spent about USD 244 million.

According to another set of estimates for the US elections compiled by Washington-based think-tank Centre for Responsive Politics, the overall cost of the 2007-08 US federal elections was USD 5.3 billion, including about USD 2.4 billion on the presidential race.

Source: www.nhatky.in

Prez Rejected CEC Recommendation for Removal of Chawla


New Delhi: President Pratibha Patil on Sunday rejected Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) N Gopalaswami’s recommendation for removal of Naveen Chawla as EC.

In the first month of this year, Gopalaswami had forwarded a suo moto request to Patil demanding the removal of Chawla from the post, accusing him of partisanship.

A Rashtrapati Bhawan communique said President Pratibha Patil has accepted the government recommendation for rejection of the CEC’s report against Chawla and arrived at a “considered opinion”.

The government has recommended that the CEC’s report and the recommendation to remove Navin Chawla from the post of Election Commissioner may be rejected.”

“The President, after careful consideration of the report of the CEC, the government’s recommendation, constitutional provisions and the Supreme Court judgement, arrived at a considered opinion and has accepted the recommendation of the government,” Rashtrapati Bhawan spokesperson Archana Dutta said.

The confusion over Chawla’s stay as EC had to be cleared prior to the announcement of upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Reports claim that election dates could be announced in a couple of days, after Chawla resumes work following a leave taken due to some health problem.

Earlier, the BJP had also accused Chawla of being biased and close to Congress, and had asked the then President APJ Abdul Kalam to remove him from the Election Commission under Article 324(5), which the later forwarded to the Prime Minister. The BJP also sent a copy to the CEC as well.

Gopalaswami, in his affidavit to the apex court, had claimed that the CEC had suo motu power to recommend the removal of an Election Commissioner. Following this, the BJP withdrew its petition in the apex court and again took up the issue with the CEC.

The government had maintained in the Supreme Court that the CEC had no suo motu power to remove an Election Commissioner.

Chawla had last year raised serious objections to the holding of the Karnataka Assembly Elections in May but was over ruled.

Similarly, he is believed to have also had reservations over the conduct of Assembly Elections of Uttar Pradesh in the summer of 2007.

Gopalaswami’s term as CEC expires on April 20, and Chawla is most likely to take over from him.

Source: www.nhatky.in

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