Betwa Sharma

Stories by Betwa Sharma

Cancun climate talks headed nowhere: Minister

Cancun climate talks headed nowhere: Minister

Rediff.com   20 Sep 2010

The Climate Change conference in Copenhagen last year yielded the contentious and non-binding Copenhagen Accord.

US needs stimulus to keep recession away

US needs stimulus to keep recession away

Rediff.com   17 Sep 2010

The UN Trade and Development Report 2010, released this week, has said the fundamental causes of the economic crisis have not been addressed and 'remain a toxic threat to stable and inclusive growth and the sustainability of the recovery'.

Pak man charged with funding Times Square bomber

Pak man charged with funding Times Square bomber

Rediff.com   16 Sep 2010

Mohammad Younis, an immigrant from Pakistan living in the United States, has been charged for providing money to Faisal Shahzad, who has pleaded guilty for trying to blow up part of Times Square in May this year. Younis, who lives in Long Island, allegedly gave thousands of dollars to Shahzad as part of a 'hawala' money transfer from Pakistan. However, Younis, 44, was unaware that money would be used in a terror plot.

New York mosque dispute is about 'Islam in America

New York mosque dispute is about 'Islam in America

Rediff.com   2 Sep 2010

The dispute over the mosque near Ground Zero in New York is not a battle over "real estate" but it will have an impact on Islam in America, according to Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, who is the main developer of the controversial Islamic Centre.

Pachauri not to quit before completing 5th report

Pachauri not to quit before completing 5th report

Rediff.com   31 Aug 2010

Pachauri was responding to queries on Monday about how he intended to implement several recommendations made by the InterAcademy Council, which conducted a review of the working of the IPCC following widespread criticism stemming from erroneous conclusions in its fourth report.

'Obama and co. guilty of criminal negligence'

'Obama and co. guilty of criminal negligence'

Rediff.com   30 Aug 2010

The administration's attempt to buy an unused prison in Thomson, Illinois to relocate the 180 remaining detainees in Guantanamo Bay, which also includes the five conspirators, has also been blocked by the Republicans, the New York Daily News reported.

'NY mosque won't take funds from Hamas, Iran'

'NY mosque won't take funds from Hamas, Iran'

Rediff.com   28 Aug 2010

The main developer of the controversial 'Ground Zero' mosque that has sharply divided New Yorkers, has said the centre is not inviting funds from Iran, Hamas or any organisation that has "un-American" values.

Karzai's key aide on CIA payroll, says NYT report

Karzai's key aide on CIA payroll, says NYT report

Rediff.com   26 Aug 2010

Mohamed Zia Salehi, chief of administration for the National Security Council, has been receiving money from the US intelligence service for years, the New York Times reported.

New York cabbie stabbed for being Muslim

New York cabbie stabbed for being Muslim

Rediff.com   26 Aug 2010

A Muslim cab driver,Ahmed H Sharif, was stabbed several times by a New York man after being asked "are you Muslim," according to New York City cops, who arrested 21-year-old Michael Enright on Tuesday.

Pentagon may be behind rape charges: Assange

Pentagon may be behind rape charges: Assange

Rediff.com   23 Aug 2010

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange believes that the Pentagon could be behind the false rape charges that were filed against him on Friday by Swedish prosecutors and then withdrawn after a few hours. "I don't know who is behind this but we have been warned that the Pentagon plans to use dirty tricks to spoil things for us," Assange told Swedish daily Aftonbladet. So far, Pentagon has not reacted to the charge.

'India,UN missions owe no property tax to NYC'

'India,UN missions owe no property tax to NYC'

Rediff.com   18 Aug 2010

The three judge panel of the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan upheld the the State Department intervention in 2009, which exempts taxes on property owned by foreign governments and UN missions that housed diplomatic staff.

NYC buses to show ad against mosque near 9/11 site

NYC buses to show ad against mosque near 9/11 site

Rediff.com   12 Aug 2010

'While the MTA does not endorse the views expressed in this or other ads that appear on the transit system, the advertisement purchased by a group opposing a planned mosque near the World Trade Centre was accepted today after its review under MTA's advertising guidelines and governing legal standards,' the MTA said in a statement

When NYC bomber Shahzad met Taliban chief Mehsud

When NYC bomber Shahzad met Taliban chief Mehsud

Rediff.com   23 Jul 2010

Faisal Shahzad, the man behind the failed Times Square bombing plot, is seen in a new video footage along with Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud, with the two shaking hands and hugging each other. After his arrest, the Pakistani American had claimed that he had met Mehsud and a host of other radical leaders, but investigators had then said they were yet to verify his claims. The video that has emerged shows a man who appears to be Shahzad shaking hands with Mehsud.

NYC a potetial target on X'mas day: Report

NYC a potetial target on X'mas day: Report

Rediff.com   17 Jul 2010

"The extremists allegedly discussed conducting the attack on December 25, to coincide with the Christmas holiday," it added. The report did not identify the individuals or group that was hatching the plan and it is not clear what happened to this gathered intelligence.

BP plugs oil leak in Gulf of Mexico

BP plugs oil leak in Gulf of Mexico

Rediff.com   16 Jul 2010

Despite the initial success in tamping down the oil flow, no-one is giving the all clear signal just yet and the testing for oil pressure will continue for two days.

Taliban training monkeys for jihad?

Taliban training monkeys for jihad?

Rediff.com   15 Jul 2010

The US-led forces fighting the Taliban fighters in Afghanistan might soon encounter 'gun-totting' monkeys, trained for 'jihad', if a rumour doing the rounds in the Chinese media is to be believed.

Indian peacekeeper accused of sexual misconduct

Indian peacekeeper accused of sexual misconduct

Rediff.com   15 Jul 2010

An Indian peacekeeper has been accused of sexual misconduct in the UN peacekeeping mission in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Anayansi Lopez of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations has said.

Sudan President Bashir charged with genocide

Sudan President Bashir charged with genocide

Rediff.com   13 Jul 2010

The Court's pre-trial chamber said that there are reasonable grounds to believe that Bashir is responsible for three counts of genocide against the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa ethnic groups in the region. The charges include genocide by killing; genocide by causing serious bodily or mental harm; and genocide by deliberately inflicting conditions of life meant to destroy each target group.

Closing Guantanamo Bay not a priority: NYT

Closing Guantanamo Bay not a priority: NYT

Rediff.com   26 Jun 2010

President Barack Obama may not be able to fulfill his promise of closing down infamous Guantanamo Bay by the end of his term because of political opposition and "inertia" on part of the administration, a media report said on Saturday. The initial date for shutting down the detention facility was 2010 but there has been considerable resistance to the proposal that the prisoners be shifted to a prison in Illinois, according to the New York Times.

India is S Asia's largest heroin consumer: UN

India is S Asia's largest heroin consumer: UN

Rediff.com   24 Jun 2010

India is the highest consumer of heroin in South Asia and also appears to be producing its own opium poppy, which is the raw material for heroin, according to the latest report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).