Betwa Sharma

Stories by Betwa Sharma

Hamas leader's son says he spied for Israel

Hamas leader's son says he spied for Israel

Rediff.com   3 Mar 2010

Mosab Yousef, the son of a founder of the Palestinian militant group, Hamas, says he was a spy for Israel's Shin Bet for a decade as he felt that the spy agency had more morality than his own people.

'Amateurs may have carried out Google hacking'

'Amateurs may have carried out Google hacking'

Rediff.com   3 Mar 2010

The hacking of Google that emanated from China could be the work of amateurs and was not linked to the government of that country, according to a study by a by a US-based technology firm.

India voices concerns on UN peacekeeping ops

India voices concerns on UN peacekeeping ops

Rediff.com   25 Feb 2010

The Indian envoy to the UN, Hardeep Singh Puri asked the Security Council to devise clear and achievable goals for missions serving in post-conflict areas around the world and provide greater resources for their implementation.

Indians in Haiti seek help to rebuild lives

Indians in Haiti seek help to rebuild lives

Rediff.com   18 Feb 2010

These people not only lost their homes and cars in the devastating January 12 earthquake of magnitude 7.0, but also the money they had in the banks which too collapsed in the tremor, the worst to hit the tiny Caribbean nation that claimed an estimated two lakh lives.

Bill Clinton undergoes heart operation

Bill Clinton undergoes heart operation

Rediff.com   12 Feb 2010

Former United States president Bill Clinton was taken to hospital after complaining of chest pains and has undergone a heart operation, his office said today.

Inside trading: Rajaratnam faces new charges

Inside trading: Rajaratnam faces new charges

Rediff.com   10 Feb 2010

The US federal prosecutors have come up with fresh charges against Sri Lanka-born billionaire Raj Rajaratnam based on new information they received from co-defendants who pleaded guilty in what has been described as the largest insider trading scam in the United States' history.

UN environment chief defends IPCC, slams sceptics

UN environment chief defends IPCC, slams sceptics

Rediff.com   8 Feb 2010

The 2007 report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change erroneously claimed that the Himalayan glaciers would melt away by 2035.

American media gears up to charge for online news

American media gears up to charge for online news

Rediff.com   6 Feb 2010

Certain publications like the Wall Street Journal and Newsday already charge for online articles, and New York Times will be doing so shortly. Now, the NY Times reports that other newspapers are following suit. "With advertising plummeting, many other publishers eager for a new source of revenue are considering making the switch, despite the risk of losing audience and advertising,"the Times wrote.

Climate change:55 nations pledge mitigation target

Climate change:55 nations pledge mitigation target

Rediff.com   2 Feb 2010

Some of the world's biggest polluters, the US, China, European Union and India, have reiterated their previous pledges of cutting emissions by 2020 that were widely regarded as weak, especially the 17 per cent reduction of carbon emissions from 2020 levels proposed by the US.

Author JD Salinger passes away

Author JD Salinger passes away

Rediff.com   29 Jan 2010

Best selling American author Jerome David 'JD' Salinger has died in New Hampshire where he lived for more than fifty years after stepping back from spotlight to live in quiet seclusion. He was 91. The author died of natural causes on Wednesday, according to a statement provided by his family to the American media.

If India and Pakistan have a nuclear showdown...

If India and Pakistan have a nuclear showdown...

Rediff.com   26 Jan 2010

"Just a limited regional nuclear exchange, for example between India and Pakistan, with each side attacking the other's major cities with 50 low-yield Hiroshima-sized weapons, would throw up major concentrations of soot into the stratosphere, which would remain there for long enough to cause unprecedented climate cooling worldwide, with major disruptive effects on global agriculture," says a report jointly produced by Japan and Australia on nuclear non-proliferation.

India vows support to rebuild quake-ravaged Haiti

India vows support to rebuild quake-ravaged Haiti

Rediff.com   23 Jan 2010

India, a co-sponsor in a General Assembly resolution that supports emergency relief and rehabilitation for Haiti earthquake victims, on Saturday assured its support in rebuilding the Caribbean nation. "We will do whatever is in our power to partner the people of Haiti in their journey to rebuild their lives and their nations," said Manjeev Singh Puri, India's deputy envoy to the United Nations.

Bolivia offers alternate climate talks in April

Bolivia offers alternate climate talks in April

Rediff.com   20 Jan 2010

Criticising the Copenhagen Climate Summit for being "limited to a group of countries", Bolivia will organise an alternative international talks in April on the issue.

Countries dispatch rescue teams to quake hit-Haiti

Countries dispatch rescue teams to quake hit-Haiti

Rediff.com   14 Jan 2010

Several countries have dispatched their rescue teams to Haiti to begin the search operations for those who are still buried under the rubble of collapsed buildings following a devastating quake.

Tipper X in Rajaratnam case; bail bid turned down

Tipper X in Rajaratnam case; bail bid turned down

Rediff.com   13 Jan 2010

The report by the Wall Street Journal said that this Tipper X is Thomas Hardin, a 32-year-old trader at hedge fund Lanexa Global Management.

Google threatens to shut down China operations

Google threatens to shut down China operations

Rediff.com   13 Jan 2010

Google on Wednesday threatened to shut down its operations in China after uncovering hacking attempts into email accounts of Chinese human rights activists, terming it as "highly sophisticated".

India inches closer to UN Security Council seat

India inches closer to UN Security Council seat

Rediff.com   12 Jan 2010

India inched closer to getting a non-permanent seat on the 15-member UNSC with its sole competitor from Asia, Kazakhstan, backing out of the crucial race.

Climate change deal among UN priority list

Climate change deal among UN priority list

Rediff.com   12 Jan 2010

UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday said getting a binding agreement sealed on climate change was among his top priorities for the year after the Copenhagen conference that marked "an important step forward".

UN chief vows to work for nuclear-free world

UN chief vows to work for nuclear-free world

Rediff.com   11 Jan 2010

United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon on Sunday vowed to work towards a world free of weapons of mass destruction noting that there is a 'new window of opportunity for disarmament and non-proliferation.'

Insider trading: McKinsey director pleads guilty

Insider trading: McKinsey director pleads guilty

Rediff.com   8 Jan 2010

Indian-American Anil Kumar, a former director of consulting firm McKinsey, has pleaded guilty to fraud charges in the largest insider trading case in the Untied States' history, admitting that he got $1 million for giving secret information to its alleged ringleader Raj Rajaratnam.