India believes that Pakistan's strategic value to United States will remain the same even though Osama bin Laden, America's number one enemy was found right under the nose of the Pakistani army. India not only ruled out the American-style aggression to hunt down enemies, but reiterated that it would continue talks with Pakistan.
The issue of corruption will be tested when the results of Tamil Nadu assembly elections would be declared on May 13.
Adrian Levy, internationally famed journalist, currently with The Guardian, and author of bestseller Deception: Pakistan, the United States, and the Global Nuclear Weapons Conspiracy, claims that the deal between Pakistan and United States is in the offing, under which Pakistan will have some role in the future government of Afghanistan
Pakistan had no option but to assist United States forces while they carried out the operation against Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, according to a senior official in the Indian administration and a diplomat who is dealing closely with the neighbouring nation."Pakistan was told about the Abbottabad operation at the last minute by Americans, just about the time they were ready to strike. They had no option but to join in," he said.
According to a report in The Dawn, a prestigious Karachi daily, the operation that killed Osama bin Laden was carried out jointly by Pakistan's security forces and the Central Intelligence Agency.An official of the security forces, who is based in Peshawar, told the daily, "It was a joint operation between the CIA and Pakistani security forces."The Dawn quoted the official as saying, "It (operation) was carried out on very precise information."
Former NSA Brajesh Mishra told rediff.com, "One knew that the US was in Afghanistan to kill Osama. If they would get him, then their operation will be over. But, I believe the Taliban in Afghanistan is as dangerous as Osama's Al Qaeda. They are having a presence outside Afghanistan as well in Europe and even in the US."
Chief Election Commissioner Dr S Y Quraishi is not embarrassed by activist Anna Hazare's candid confession that Indian elections are corrupt and if he ever contested in one, he would end up losing his security deposit.When asked about Hazare's statement that Indian voters are not educated enough -- "they take a bottle of alcohol or Rs 500 and cast their vote" -- CEC Quraishi stated that the statement was not at all telling on his job. He argued, "Not at all, not at all."
CEC Dr S Y Quraishi in an exclusive chat explains his plans for ensuring an trouble free election in the five poll-bound states.
Indicating progress in talks with the government on the proposed formation of a committee for drafting the Lok Pak Bill, the emissaries of Anna Hazare on Friday evening said he will soon announce his decision which people would be "happy to hear."
Dinesh Trivedi, Union minister of state for health, had offered to resign in a letter written to Anna Hazare within first few hours of his fast at Jantar Mantar on April 5.
The case of Gujaratis also the eye-opener for all Indians, who are agitating for the Lokpal bill.
According to sources in the government, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is firmly against activist Anna Hazare's demand for formally constituting a joint committee, with representatives from the civil society and the government, to draft a strong anti-corruption bill. Hazare has been on an indefinite fast in New Delhi since Wednesday to press for his demand.Mukherjee has stopped the government from issuing a notification to make the joint committee formal.
Does Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh want to capitalise over the craze between the high-voltage World Cup semi-final between India and Pakistan? If high-level sources are to be believed the answer is a yes. One of the options that governments of both the nations is considering is to have more cricket matches between the two-arch rivals, sources told rediff.com.
"I am going to cheer for a good game of cricket," said Arun Jaitley, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, member of the Board of Control for Cricket in India and a powerful voice in the world of Indian cricket, who is in Mohali to witness the mega semi-final between India and Pakistan.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has invited Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi to join him to watch the much awaited World Cup semi final between India and Pakistan, and also to join in a special dinner organised in honour of visiting Pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday night.
A senior non-Congress MP, while briefing about their focus in the JPC on the 2G spectrum scam, said, "This JPC is very important. We understand the issue and we will fight tooth and nail to corner the government. My question is: can you sell petrol, milk or even vegetables in 2009 at the price of 2002? This government did it in the name of continuation of NDA's policy. How can you sell a new product at the price of an old product, at old rates?"
The prime minister's advisor offers proof that the government of working -- behind the scenes.
Experts tell the PM that India's nuclear power plants are designed differently from the ones in Japan, so a similar crisis is unlikely to happen here. Also it seems certain that events in Japan are unlikely to dampen India's nuclear energy plans. Sheela Bhatt reports.
The government of Egypt and Dubai has complained to India about the excessive media coverage given to relatives of the kidnapped Indian sailors by Somali pirates. According to them, the hype by the Indian media is not helping negotiators who are trying to strike a deal with pirates for the early release of the sailors.
"This is very, very shocking! The images are very dramatic on television," says Mihir Bhatt, managing director of the All India Disaster Mitigation Institute, on seeing the images of Tsunami-ravaged Japan.
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