Pak Army captures a terrorist involved in Lahore Police Centre attack

LAHORE: Terror struck Lahore for the second time in a month on Monday when heavily armed gunmen stormed a police academy near here killing at least 27 policemen in an eight-hour siege that ended with four terrorists being shot dead and six captured alive by security forces, reports PTI
“We hope to finish the operation within 40 minutes to an hour,” paramilitary Major Farhat Ali told Reuters at the site, after commandos took back control of the complex.

Television news channels showed jubilant police shouting praise to God and firing in the air, soon after an intense burst of firing inside the academy. Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik earlier said 52 police were wounded in the attack but gave no word on the number killed. Continue Reading

gambhir in action in second test at Napier

India’s formidable batsmen showed remarkable tenacity as the visitors returned from the brink of disaster to save the second cricket Test and maintain their 1-0 lead in the three-match series against New Zealand in Napier on Monday.Smarting from the ignominy of a follow on and facing the onerous task of saving the match, Gautam Gambhir (137) showed tremendous application to stay put in the crease for nearly 11 hours, forging crucial partnerships with Rahul Dravid (62), Sachin Tendulkar (64) and VVS Laxman (124 not out) in the process. Continue Reading

As many as five conversations between militants belonging to the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and their handlers in Pakistan, intercepted by Indian intelligence agencies, indicate a serious bid by the ISI to disrupt the general election and target Indian leaders during campaigning, Indian newspaper The Tribune said

Intercepts of LeT’s chatter made available to The Tribune clearly indicate the looming threat. One of the handlers is heard telling a militant, ” Janaab, public meeting se achcha koi mauka nahin hoga. Aap wahan jaa kei kaam kariye. Saara make-up aapko diya jayega ( There will not be a better opportunity than at public meetings. Go and carry out the work there. All equipment and explosives required will be supplied to you).

The Union Home Minister Mr P Chidambaram, who has already been briefed by intelligence agencies, has also deputed the DIB, Mr P C Haldar to brief the Election Commission.

” It is now obvious that Pakistan will go to any extent to ensure that our elections will be disrupted. It will be naïve to expect anything else.”

Contrary to Pakistan’s oft-repeated claims of curbing terror outfits and, more specifically, pulling the plug on LeT, the intercepts indicate they are actually alive and kicking. LeT, sources said, is clearly quite potent and plotting to create havoc in India. Continue Reading

Lalu and Paswan form alliance along with Mulayam against Congress

The Congress on Thursday suffered a setback in the run-up to next month’s general election as it lost an important ally in Tamil Nadu and faced the heat from its estranged allies in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, who have joined hands to form a formidable partnership against the grand old parties in these crucial states according to media reports.

The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) party, a key constituent of the DMK-led alliance, which swept the polls in Tamil Nadu in the last election, decided to align with the AIADMK. Continue Reading

Prime Minster Manmohan Singh with Cong president Sonia Gandhi after releasing party manifesto

An aggressive Manmohan Singh today made it known to his rivals that his recent heart bypass surgery had not diminished his energy or appetite for a good joust with his political opponents.

Striking a belligerent note at the release function of the party’s election manifesto, Manmohan Singh showed he was no pushover as he tore into the BJP, especially its prime ministerial nominee LK Advani, denounced Varun Gandhi’s controversial hate speeches and was not averse to taking a dig at the Left parties, describing them as “regressive”.

Advani’s repeated description of Manmohan Singh as a “weak prime minister” met with a stinging response. Hitting back at the BJP’s PM-in-waiting, Singh questioned Advani’s communal agenda and his contribution to the nation as the deputy prime minister. Continue Reading

A new series which features regional New South Wales has become the highest rating ever on Indian TV in the youth music genre, Minister Assisting the Premier on the Arts, Virginia Judge, said today. MTV Roadies Australia has been produced by Film and Casting TEMPLE, owned by Mr. Anupam Sharma.

Ms Judge said MTV Roadies Australia will draw visitors to New South Wales, with a format and popularity that make the show a virtual tourism advertisement for the state. Continue Reading

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the few infectious diseases fuelled by the HIV epidemic, according to this year’s World TB Day campaign. Observed on March 24 each year, the 2009 campaign, under the slogan I am stopping TB, aims to increase awareness of tuberculosis and its prevention in the community.

According to Mr Tadgh McMahon, the Manager of the Multicultural HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C Service (MHAHS), increasing awareness of tuberculosis (TB) has an important role in combating HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, as globally the two infections are closely related. Continue Reading

Lalit Modi with Cricket South Africa representative

South Africa will host the Indian Premier League (IPL) during April and May, it was confirmed on Tuesday. IPL commissioner Lalit Modi said both the ECB and BCCI recognised that there were logistical issues, including climate and permanent floodlights, which made South Africa a more practical choice in the timescale available.

The decision follows days of frenetic speculation over whether South Africa or England would earn the right to host the second edition of a dazzling show featuring the international stars of cricket. Continue Reading

Minister for Ageing Paul Lynch today praised the work of the Australian Hindi-Indian Association in promoting an active lifestyle of seniors. Mr Lynch said the Association had developed a seniors’ forum, Bridging the Intergeneration gap, as a result of a $1000 NSW Government grant for Seniors Week.

The forum, held at the Pennant Hills Community Centre, was one of about 700 events being held to celebrate Seniors Week. Mr Lynch said the NSW Government had provided funding for 289 events. Continue Reading

NSW Minister Virginia Judge

Minister for Citizenship Virginia Judge today announced that Indian community organisations will receive $25,200 from the Rees Government towards cultural festivities and the employment of a support worker. Ms Judge said the organisations received the funding under the 2008/09 CommunityDevelopment Grants Program.

“The Grants Program is designed to enhance community engagement and the creation of social networks by supporting projects that address issues of cultural diversity,” Ms Judge said. Continue Reading