north east online - north east india news: Dec 9, 2009

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Prince Charles borrowed £3k from cops to pay for travel

London, Dec 9 (ANI): It has emerged that Prince Charles had once borrowed nearly 3,000 pounds from protection officers to pay for his travel
expenses.

Charles, 61, returned 2,744.34 pounds to Scotland Yard after his Royal Protection team paid for what is thought to be flights abroad on a Metropolitan Police-issue corporate American Express card.

According to official documents, Clarence House paid the money back on December 4 2007, and the Met cashed the cheque on December 17 of that year.

The previous month Charles and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, had visited Turkey and Uganda. cotland Yard said it is normal procedure for protection officers to pay for things in this manner, with the money being repaid at a later date.

"On occasion, and if the need arises, protection officers will incur expenditure on behalf of principals, which are then repaid," the Telegraph quoted a spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police as telling the Independent.

But one member of the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) said the practice was widely unknown and was "totally unacceptable".

"The Royals should have known this was happening and they really ought to have known better," Jenny Jones, the Green Party member of the MPA and former deputy mayor of London, said.

"If they need things paid for then they should have their own office pay for it or give their protection teams their own cards or cash.

"They should not expect the Metropolitan Police to pay for things like flights and then casually pay it back at a later date," she stated.

Ken Wharfe, a former Metropolitan Police protection officer for Princess Diana, said it was commonplace amongst him and his former colleagues.

"It is very rare for members of the Royal Family to carry cash or credit cards so protection officers paying for things is quite a normal practice," he said.

"When I worked with the late Princess Diana I did this on numerous occasions for things like meals at restaurants to hotel bookings.

"It is usually for unofficial, private business and it is done for security reasons, to keep things as private as possible. Official trips are usually paid for by the individual Royal's office," he added.

A spokeswoman for Prince Charles said: "We would not comment on this matter." (ANI)

India ready with tiny spies in the skies

Bangalore, Dec 9 (PTI) They could be termed as tiny spies in the skies.

Weighing just 300 gms and 300 millimetres long, Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs) developed by India's aerospace scientists have a variety of applications, mainly in surveillance and disaster management.

These vehicles have a range of two to five kms, fly some 100 to 200 metres above ground for 30-40 minutes and take pictures of what's happening.

Significantly, they are not easily susceptible to radar detection as they are "not all of metal" and carbon fibres are used in making them, says Lt. Gen (Dr) V J Sundaram, one of the key scientists behind its conception.

In a typical battlefield scenario, MAVs come in handy as they can be sent a couple of kms ahead to survey the area where they would make an aerial circle, take images and come back, scientists said.

PM apologises for remarks by a Cong member against Vajpayee

New Delhi, Dec 9 (PTI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today apologised to the Lok Sabha on behalf of the government for certain "undesirable" remarks by a Congress member against former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

"Yesterday I was not present in the House. I have heard some undesirable remarks were made by a member of the ruling coalition which was inappropriate.

"On behalf of our government, I apologise to the House," Singh, who returned last night after a three-day visit to Russia, said.

BJP and allies had yesterday created pandemonium in the House after Beni Prasad Verma (Congress) used demeaning remarks against Vajpayee forcing two adjournments.

The NDA members were agitated when Verma used a derogatory word against the former Prime Minister during a debate on the Liberhan Commission report and demanded an apology from him.

Sonia turns 64

New Delhi, Dec 9 (PTI) Congress President Sonia Gandhi today turned 64 as leaders thronged her residence to greet her amidst drumbeats and colourful processions taken out by party workers here.

Union Ministers A K Antony and P Chidambaram, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Chief Minister's of several Congress-ruled states besides AICC office bearers visited Gandhi to personally greet her on the occasion.

Greeting her, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi said in Chennai that the UPA has "set a role model" for coalition governments in Indian politics.

Celebrations were also held at the Central Office of the party at 24 Akbar Road.Party workers also organised a 'hawan' on the occasion.

Party workers from Delhi, who had visited Gandhi earlier in the morning, said they have been asked by the leadership to celebrate the Congress President's birthday in a simple manner.

SSB to screen Nepali citizens to check Maoist entry

Mahrajganj (UP), Dec 9 (PTI) In a bid to check entry of Maoists from across porus Indo-Nepal border, the Shashastra Seema Bal would screen the Nepalese citizens who enter Uttar Pradesh through it.

"To prevent the movement of Nepalese Maoists in the border area, the security agencies have been asked to ascertain the identities of people before allowing them to cross over the border," SSB Commandant Lalit Kumar told PTI.

SSB has intensified vigilance on the border to stop infiltration specially during night hours, he said.

Other security agencies such as Indo-Nepal Border Police and Local Intelligence Unit had also been directed to be on alert at the border.

Patrolling at public places, including cinema halls, hotels, rail and bus stations, had also been intensified to ward off any untoward incident, the commandant said.

He said reports are there that a Maoist-led force has been constituted in Nepal which may enter India to create disturbance.

Its the govt of Mohd Bin Tughlaq: LF minister

Malda (WB), Dec 8 (PTI) A West Bengal minister has compared the functioning of the Left Front government with that of Mohammad Bin Tughlaq, the 14th century Sultan of Delhi known for his whimsical decisions.

"The government is being run like that of Mohammad Bin Tughlaq.... There is no unity or coordination among the ministers and everybody is doing what he likes. There is no collective responsibility," Fisheries Minister Kiranmoy Nanda told a Bengali tv channel.

An MLA from East Midnapore district where Nandigram is located, Nanda is a leader of the West Bengal Socialist Party, a constituent of the Left Front having four MLAs.

He alleged Left Front was following the culture of Congress that would yield no political dividend.

"These days the ministers are touring the districts and holding meetings.

Have patience on Telangana: Sonia tells Cong MPs

New Delhi, Dec 9 (PTI) Congress President Sonia Gandhi today told party MPs from the Telangana region in Andhra Pradesh to have "patience" on the separate statehood demand as she is seized of the matter.

She made the remarks to a group of MPs from the state who called on her to greet on her 64th birthday here.

The MPs also told her that the people of Telangana are "hoping that the Congress President will come to their rescue and take steps for the creation of Telangana."

"We told her about the Telangana demand. She asked us to be patient and that she is aware of the issue completely and will take a decision," Malkajgiri MP Sathyanarayana Sarvey told PTI.

Besides him, several MPs, including Karimnagar MP Ponnam Prabhakar was also present during the meeting.

Govt silent on timeframe for solution to Telangana

New Delhi, Dec 9 (PTI) Government today said a solution to the contentious Telengana issue is "under discussion" but did not give any timeframe for it.

Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily said the issue is under discussion but the government has not yet arrived at a decision to the issue, which hogged the limelight following violent protests by TRS and indefinite hunger strike by its chief K Chandrasekhar Rao.

"It (solution) is not decided yet. It is under discussion," Moily told reporters here.

Asked whether a solution will be arrived within a day or two, the Minister said, "we have not decided yet. Then how can I say that the issue will be solved within a day or two.

How can I give you a timeframe?"

However, he expressed confidence that the issue will be resolved, saying that all problems have a solution.

Ruckus over 26/11 report,Houses adjourned 6 times

Nagpur, Dec 9 (PTI) On the second day of Maharashtra Legislature winter session today, both the Houses witnessed ruckus over the 26/11 Pradhan Committee report and were adjourned six times.

When proceedings began, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan made it clear that the "leaked" report of the Pradhan Committee is not the same as the original report.

"The copy given to me by the opposition has no relation with the four copies we have. No photo copy of the original report went out," Chavan informed the legislative Council, replying to the issue raised by Opposition leaders.

"We will still check the copy with the original report and I have given it to the Home Minister for verification," Chavan said, adding that the Home Minister would reply the issue on Monday.

India’s involvement in terror attacks in Pak ‘regrettable’: Nawaz

Lahore, Dec.9 (ANI): Demanding the government to table proof regarding India’s involvement in terror activities in the country, Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif has said that it is ‘regrettable’ if New Delhi is fanning extremisms inside the country.

Interacting with media persons after visiting the people injured in Monday’s bomb blast at the Moon market here, Sharif said Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has told him about India’s hand in terror attacks in Balochistan and other parts of Pakistan.

“If India is involved, the government should make public proof of its involvement,” Sharif said.

He said Islamabad is committed to root out militancy and it would do whatever it takes to achieve its objectives.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has accused India of conspiring to destabilise Pakistan.

Talking to media persons here, Shahbaz said there is ample evidence to proof India’s involvement in terror attacks across the country.

He said India is involved in aggravating Balochistan’s problems and also supports the terrorists in Waziristan, The Daily Times reports.

Shahbaz criticized for General Pervez Musharraf led military regime for the country’s current turbulent situation.

“The flawed foreign policy of former president Pervez Musharraf has brought Pakistan to this point, where no one feels safe anymore,” he said. (ANI)

No retirement plan till June, says Karunanidhi

Chennai, Dec 9 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has asked his party workers and supporters to wait till June to know about his retirement plans.

M Karunanidhi has asked his supporters to be serene till June after which he will take a decision to continue as the Chief Minister of the State or hand over the reigns to M K Stalin.

"Please be patient till the World Tamil conference in June. There''s a long time. I will consider both views among cadres - to continue as Chief Minister or to pass the mantle to M K Stalin," said Karunanidhi.

In a statement here, Karunanidhi had expressed his desire to come closer to his supporters, which everybody understood for his retirement.

"After the Tamil meet I will get even more closer to you leaving aside politics and the ministerial positions," he said.

Different opinions began to crop up following Karunanidhi''s statement.

"It''s his personal opinion. We have not discussed this at any quarter," said K Anbazhagan, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister.

The political analysts point out that this could be the strategy of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi to fit in his son Stalin as the next Chief Minister ahead of the 2011 State elections. (ANI)

Justice Misra''s report on the reservation for minorities will be placed in Parliament: PM

New Delhi, Dec 9 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the report of the Ranganath Misra Committee would be placed in Parliament during the current session.

Ranganath Misra Committee deals with the issue of the reservation for the minorities'' class in employment, higher education and economic and developmental schemes funded by the government.

"We will place the report on the table of the House in this session," said Manmohan Singh in the Lok Sabha today.

The declaration came from the Prime Minister, after demands from the Samajwadi Party that the report be put up before the parliament without delay.

"I take note of this matter and we will place the report on the table of the House," said the Prime Minister.

Earlier on Tuesday, the same issue was raised in the Rajya Sabha demanding the report to be made public under the Right to Information (RTI) act.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister apologised in the House on behalf of Congress MP Beni Prasad Verma, who had made derogatory remarks against former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee in the debate on the Liberhan Commission report. (ANI)

BSF personnel detained Rajkhowa: P Chidambaram

New Delhi, Dec 9 (ANI): Union Home Minister P Chidambaram today said Arabinda Rajkhowa, the chairman of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) was detained by the Border Security Force (BSF) on the India-Bangladesh border, and later handed over to the Assam police.

Replying to the supplementaries during the question hour in the Rajya Sabha, Chidambaram said Rajkhowa, the rebel ULFA leader would be treated with dignity when talks take place for peace with them.

"If there is an offer of talks, we will be happy to hold talks," Chidambaram said adding the Centre was willing to talk to all insurgent groups of North East including ULFA if they lay down their arms and give up demand for sovereignty.

The Home Minister added that on receiving the information that the BSF has arrested two to three people, the police personnel from Assam reached the spot and took them into custody.

On talking about the other insurgent groups in Assam, Chidambaram said the government has appointed representatives to hold talks with them to accelerate the peace process. (ANI)

Copenhagen summit: Developing countries warn of ''absolute devastation''

Copenhagen (Denmark), Dec.9 (ANI): The Copenhagen climate summit was thrown into disarray last night after developing countries said the current plans for a deal on global warming condemned millions of people to “absolute devastation”.

The text was interpreted by developing countries as setting unequal limits on carbon emissions for developed and developing countries.

The row broke out after the draft text of a deal allegedly prepared by the Danish government emerged, which campaigners claimed favoured rich countries and risked squeezing poor nations out of the negotiations.

The draft agreement, published online by The Guardian, was interpreted by developing countries as setting unequal limits on carbon emissions for developed and developing countries – meaning that people in rich countries would be permitted to emit nearly twice as much.

They also expressed concern that a ''climate fund’ – supposed to provide financial assistance from richer nations to developing countries – would be run by the World Bank, under the control of developed nations.

Lumumba Stanislaus Di-Aping, the chief negotiator for the G77, a group of 130 developing nations including China, said the leaders of the rich world had a “moral obligation” to cut greenhouse gases.

He said failure to keep temperature rise below 2C (3.6F) would lead to the disappearance of island states and “certain death” for Africa.

He also said the United States President Barack Obama was condemning “the cousins and extended family of his own daughters to be destroyed to preserve the interests of the few”.

And he said the 10 billion dollar funding per annum proposed by Gordon Brown to help poor countries adapt to climate change was not enough to “buy developing nations citizens enough coffins”. (ANI)

Goa rape: Politician surrenders, Russian victim fearful

The Goa Police said they couldn't find him. Yet, John Fernandes, the South Goa politician accused of raping a Russian girl, spoke freely to NDTV on camera. (Watch: NDTV tracks down Goa rape accused) And on Wednesday afternoon, he arrived at the Crime Branch office voluntarily.

In his interview to NDTV, Fernandes denied that he raped a Russian girl on the first of December in his car after having dinner with the alleged victim and her friend.

Fernandes was granted anticipatory bail on Tuesday. He describes the case against him as politically motivated.

The alleged victim, who works at a five-star hotel in Goa, has written to the Russian consulate to say she wants to drop the case because she's worried about her safety. She claims that supporters of Fernandes assaulted her on Tuesday.

"I was sitting in the car along with my friend when a mob encircled us and tried to attack. Thankfully, car windows were pulled halfway up and they could not reach us," the girl told PTI last night.

The alleged victim and her boyfriend have repeatedly accused the police of trying to bully them into dropping the case. Fernandes lost the Assembly election in 2007 as a candidate of the Save the Goa Front.

The victim says Fernandes spiked her drink at dinner, and then offered her a lift home. She says she was raped after Fernandes and she dropped her friend home. However, her friend denies being dropped home first. Fernandes also says he was never alone with the alleged victim in the car.

What's clear is that the police's investigation has been remarkably lax. Fernandes has been neither interrogated nor arrested; the police claims it couldn't find him. His car, the alleged scene of the crime, has not been examined for evidence.

New UK immigration rules to hit Indian IT workers

London, Dec 9: In Jan 2010, United Kingdom's tighter immigration rules come into effect making it tougher for Indian IT professionals to move to Britain under inter-company transfers.

Under United Kingdom's new immigration rule, IT workers will need 12 months’ experience with their employer before they can be transferred to the UK. This is double the current requirement of six months experience.

The new visa rules also closes immigration category as a route to permanent settlement in UK. This comes as a major disappointment to the IT professionals who wish to settle in Britain after the stay of five years.

Further adding to the workers' woes, the Immigration officials have denied reports that the Tier 2 (Intra company transfer) category has a loophole which may work favourably for Indian IT companies.

Under this transfer, an employer can fill posts in UK operations by bringing across some of its existing foreign-based staff. This opens up jobs in the IT and other sectors for migrants who are paid less than resident workers.

However the Home Office chose to differ saying, “Workers coming to the UK in the Tier 2 (Intra company transfer) category must be paid the going rate."

Members of Parliament urge Centre to act to end Telangana impasse

New Delhi/Hyderabad, Dec 9 (ANI): Cutting across party lines, Members of Parliament on Wednesday urged the UPA Government at the Centre to step in to end the impasse over the Telangana issue in Andhra Pradesh.

Expressing alarm and concern over reports of the deteriorating health of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K Chandrashekhar Rao, they appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to initiate moves to end the stalemate.

Rao, whose fast unto death over a demand for a separate Telangana State continues for the eleventh day today, is admitted in the ICU of Hyderabad's Nizam Hospital. His medical condition has been described as critical.

Members of Parliament have appealed Rao to end his fast.

Meanwhile, TRS supporters have aggressively taken their campaign forward for a separate State.

Rao's family and supporters have also pleaded with him to end his fast, but the TRS chief is determined and adamant that only signals from the Center can make him change his decision.

With the situation outside Osmania University and the Andhra Pradesh Assembly particularly tense, security in Hyderabad has been increased. On December 10, all the groups in favour of the Telangana cause have called for a "Chalo Assembly" shutdown.

Police have imposed Section 144 in the region. There are around 12,500 policemen deployed outside Osmania University in anticipation of the unrest. To add to that, armed reserve police have been summoned from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to work with local policemen and security forces to prevent protesters from entering Hyderabad.

At Osmania University on Tuesday, the students defied a government order to vacate their hostels. Professors also threatened to quit if the police were not withdrawn from the campus. Students were baton charged by police on Monday.

The university closed down last week till the December 18 as a precaution against violence, but it remains in many ways the epicenter of the Telangana protest.

The Telangana issue is expected to dominate proceedings in the state assembly today as well. Earlier on Tuesday, the assembly was adjourned for the day following the raging of the Telangana issue.

The TRS wants Chief Minister K Rosiah to move a resolution on Telangana, so that parties can vote on the matter. However, this is dangerous for the ruling Congress, because this could expose its own divisions on the issue.

As Andhra's government struggles to maintain law and order, Chief Minister, K Rosaiah, has said it's upto the Congress' central command in Delhi to decide the issue. The government fears that reports of deteriorating health of TRS chief will incite violence in the state that is already simmering over the Telangana movement.

K Rosiah is expected to visit New Delhi today to meet Congress President Sonia Gandhi and seek her decision on the issue. (ANI)

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Somnath won't say sorry to get back to CPM
NDTV Correspondent, Wednesday December 9, 2009, Kolkata

AFP image
Former Speaker
Somnath Chatterjee has ruled out any possibility of applying to the CPM to return to the party.

After the Left debacle in the Lok Sabha polls and in the recent Assembly bypolls, a senior leader of the CPI-M had proposed at the party's state committee meeting last month that Somnath Chatterjee be brought back. Prakash Karat himself was present at the meeting.

But Chatterjee has ruled out any chance of him applying to the party for his reinstatement.

"Biman Bose, who is party secretary and Politburo member, has said (this)...since I have not applied, not said sorry, there is no scope of even thinking of revoking the expulsion...I am not keen at all...I am not going to do it...certainly not..." he said.

Somnath Chatterjee slammed the party's decision to expel him from the CPM because of his refusal to step down from the Speaker's post and pointed out that the party has paid for it.

"I am not going to apologise because I don't think I have done anything wrong. Consciously and unconsciously and even in retrospect I feel I was right and if they had accepted my position - in my view, they will not agree - the party's position would have gone up among the people. Today where is it? My agony is Left parties have become irrelevant...the alternative that was thought of by general secretary is almost a comic attempt in Indian politics and people have rebuffed it," Chatterjee said.

Several agencies working in tandem to check counterfeit currency menace: Govt.

New Delhi, Dec.8 (ANI): The Government on Tuesday said that to address the multi-dimensional aspects of the Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) menace, several agencies were working in tandem to thwart the nefarious activity related to it.

“To address the multi-dimensional aspects of the FICN menace, several agencies such as the RBI, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Intelligence Agencies of the Centre, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), etc. are working in tandem to thwart the nefarious activity related to Fake Indian Currency Notes,” said the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Ajay Maken stated in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

“Apart from the above, the State Governments have been asked to set up dedicated and well-equipped Cell under senior level supervision to comprehensively monitor and deal with organized crimes including FICN, besides other administrative measures. Further the offences under IPC relating to counterfeit currency have been includes in the Schedule to the National Investigation Agency Act, thereby empowering the National Investigation Agency to investigate and prosecute such offences. The issue has also been taken up consistently with the neighbouring countries in the bilateral fora,” Maken further stated in his reply.

Available inputs indicate that high quality Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICNs) are printed in a neighboring country and pushed into India through neighbouring countries.

Such inputs also indicate that, inter alia, activists of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a terrorist outfit, organized criminal networks and syndicates are reportedly involved in infusion and circulation of FICN in the country. (ANI)

Integrated security system to cover 2010 Commonwealth Games: Govt

New Delhi, Dec 8(ANI): The Government on Tuesday said that it has an action plan to set up an integrated security system (ISS) to cover all the venues and provide foolproof security for the Commonwealth Games to be held in the national capital in October 2010.

In written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Home M. Ramachandran, said that the Home Ministry has approved the installation of an integrated security system for all the competition, training and non-competition venues for the Commonwealth Games to be executed through an expenditure of Rs. 370 crore.

He also said an international security liaison group has been constituted by the ministry with representatives from various Central security agencies, Delhi Police, the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of External Affairs in liaison with the security administrators of all the participating countries in the Games.

The 2010 Commonwealth Games will be India’s first major international sports event after the 1982 Asian Games.

The Games are scheduled to be staged in India for the first time and in Asia for the second time. (ANI)

India, Russia see no difference in ‘Good’ or ‘Bad’ Taliban: Rao

By Naveen Kapoor

Onboard Air India One, Dec.8 (ANI): Giving a call to tackle the situation in Pakistan effectively, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao on Tuesday said that India and Russia have shown unanimity in seeing no
difference between ‘Good’ or ‘Bad’ Taliban.

“Russia and India are on the same side, when it comes to recognizing the very serious dimensions of the clear and present danger that we face from terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan," Rao told reporters onboard the special aircraft carrying Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and his entourage back home after completing a successful
summit-level visit to Moscow.

“Like India, Russia doesn’t see any validity that you can distinguish between so called ‘Good Taliban’ and ‘Bad Taliban’. That distinction doesn’t exist,” Rao said further.

India is extremely critical of any sort of deal or reconciliation with militants in Afghanistan as proposed in U.S. President Barack Obama''s new AFPAK policy.

Rao said that both India and Russia have also expressed the need for tackling the situation in Pakistan effectively. Both countries found convergence on the view that to settle the problem of terrorism that afflicts and dominates the Afghanistan landscape, there is a need for tackling the situation in Pakistan effectively. (ANI)

Resolving Kashmir issue “absolutely critical” to establish peace in South Asia: Mullen

Washington, Dec.9 (ANI) : US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen has said that the resolution of the Kashmir issue is critical for establishing peace in the region and to de-escalate the heightened tension between India and Pakistan.

Speaking to media persons at the Foreign Press Centre here, Mullen said : “De-tensioning the Kashmir border is “absolutely critical” to South Asian stability.”

“In the long-run, resolution of the border in the east in Kashmir is a very important outcome. Obviously, that is a principal concern to India and Pakistan. But there is a concern to many others in terms of stability of the region. I think that is a key part of what needs to happen in the future,” he added.

Welcoming India’s move to reduce troops presence in the Kashmir Valley, Mullen said it was a positive step, which would help certainly help in resolving the issue in the long run.

“The troops reduction adjustments that the Indians have proposed – I think executing those changes is a very positive step. I think the leadership, the political leadership, diplomatic leadership, the military leadership in both countries and in the region need to continue to encourage and also respond,” Mullen said.

He also commended Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s peace initiatives.

“It’s going to take outreach on part of both the countries. So, I am very positively moved by steps that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has taken with respect to this,” Admiral Mullen said.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has once again stressed that Pakistan’s stability is critical to the security of South Asia.

Speaking to US Global Leadership of Coalition in Washington, Clinton said the Obama administration is amplifying its diplomatic and development efforts in the region and considered civilian aid a key part of the overall partnership with regional players.

“We have also begun expanding our civilian effort in Pakistan, whose stability is essential to the security of that region and beyond,” The Daily Times quoted Clinton, as saying.

The top US diplomat highlighted that President Obama’s new Afghan strategy, while advocated sending more troops to Afghanistan, it also backed sending more civilian aid, as the Obama administration believes that the war on terror cannot be won only by military means.

“The beginning of President Karzai’s second term is such a window of opportunity, we will be sending 30,000 new American troops to Afghanistan and will be joined by 7,000 or more troops from our allies in NATO and ISAF. But we are also tripling the number of civilians on the ground, and we are seeing other countries come forward with additional commitments of civilians and civilian aid,” she added. (ANI)

FBI sending team to Pak to gather more information about Headley

Islamabad, Dec.9 (ANI): The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is reportedly sending a team to Pakistan to look for more information regarding David Coleman Headley, the alleged American terror suspect of Pakistani origin who was arrested in Chicago in October.

Headley has been accused of planning an attack on a Danish newspaper after it ran cartoons of Prophet Muhammad, and of his involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks
.
The FBI team, during its current visit to New Delhi, is said to have shared material it collected with Indian investigators about Headley’s involvement in the November 2008 attacks.

Headley, 49, has been charged in a 12-count criminal information with six counts of conspiracy to bomb public places in India, to murder and maim persons in India and Denmark, to provide material support to foreign terrorist plots, and to provide material support to Lashkar-e-Taiba, and six counts of aiding and abetting the murder of U.S. citizens in India.

According to the latest charges, Headley changed his name from Daood Gilani in February 2006, in Philadelphia, in order to present himself in India as an American who was neither Muslim nor Pakistani.

He later visited Mumbai five times, in September 2006, February and September 2007, and April and July 2008, and each time took pictures and made videos of various targets, including those attacked on 26 November, 2008.

After each trip that Headley took to India between September 2006 and July 2008, he allegedly returned to Pakistan, met with other co-conspirators and provided them with photographs, videos and oral descriptions of various locations. (ANI)

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