The terror attack in Kabul was on the pattern of the 26/11 Mumbai carnage, with six to eight terrorists targeting two hotels and hunting for victims during the strike in which nine Indians were killed and 10 others injured.

Investigators suspect involvement of the Taliban, particularly the Haqqani group, in league with elements of Lashkar-e Taiba in Friday’s assault, sources said.

The attack was carried out in a coordinated manner with the terrorists first exploding bombs and then launching the armed assault, hunting for the targets, particularly the members of the Indian medical mission, a pattern seen in Mumbai during the 26/11 attack, sources added. Continue Reading

N D Tiwari’s continuance as Andhra Pradesh Governor appears to have become untenable with indications that the 86-year-old leader may be asked to go in the wake of a sting operation that purportedly showed him in a compromising position with three women. The Central Government has asked for a report from the state government and knowledgeable sources here said that he may be asked to quit the post following severe embarrassment to the Congress party. Meanwhile, to the last reports at the time of writing the report Mr. Tiwari has resigned and Congress has termed that he has taken a moral stand.

After the sting operation was telecast yesterday by the ABN Andhra Jyothi channel, the Raj Bhavan approached the Andhra Pradesh High Court and got a restraint order on the channel from telecasting the footage. Continue Reading

At least 27 MLAs and 5 MPS (mostly from Congress) tendered their resignations on Thursday over Union Govt’s decision to split Andhra Pradesh and create Telengana. According to another media reports the number of resignations have gone up to 60 with the MLAs saying they will be lynched by their constituents if they supported the move to create Telengana state.

Two senior Congress MLAs and former ministers JC Diwakar Reddy and DL Ravindra Reddy were among the early movers. While Diwakar Reddy represents Tadipatri Assembly constituency in the backward Anantapur district, Ravindra Reddy is from Mydukuru in Kadapa district of Rayalaseema. Continue Reading

A Pakistani anti-terror court on Wednesday framed charges against LeT’s operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and six others for involvement in the Mumbai attacks and declared 16 people, including Ajmal Amir Kasab, as proclaimed offenders.

Judge Malik Muhammad Akram Awan, who is conducting the trial at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi for security reasons, formally charged the seven suspects, sources said, adding the accused protested against their indictment. Continue Reading

Sachin at the celeberation to maek his 20 years in international cricket

By Ashok Kumar

Sachin Tendulkar has completed 20 years in international cricket. He may be 36 biologically, but as Sachin the legend, he is just 20 years of age. I look back at my first meeting with him and view the tributes from luminaries.

In December 1993, I was in Mumbai to welcome the New Year with my relatives and friends and Mumbai was playing Baroda in the West Zone Ranji Trophy final. I felt it to be great opportunity to see and interview the Vice-Captain of the Indian team Sachin Tendulkar on the eve of Indo-Lanka series. I went to the Wankhede Stadium and was greeted there by Sachin whose one of the lofty shots landed at my feet in the stands. Mumbai won the match and I saw Sachin relaxing with the entire team in a cubicle of the stadium building. I sent in my visiting (The Hindustan Times) card for Sachin and waited outside. After a few minutes, I saw Sachin standing outside amidst his fans holding my card in his left hand. I approached him and told him that it my card and wished to have a chat. “We’ll meet tomorrow after the One-day match,” the humble big man said in inviting tone. Continue Reading

 US President Barack Obama has decided to donate his about $1.4 million Nobel Peace prize money to charities, report agencies.

However, no decision has been made which charities or charity would get the prize money which the President would receive from the Nobel Committee at a function later this year.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said that Obama would himself travel to Oslo to receive the award.

Obama, who was himself surprised by this announcement, said the Nobel Peace award to him represents hopes of millions and millions throughout the world and is not just the achievements of one person. Continue Reading

 Indian-American Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, 57, has won this year’s Nobel Prize in chemistry, the Nobel Foundation announced on Wednesday.  He shares it with Thomas Steitz, an American, and Ada Yonath, an Israeli.

  The three scientists won the prize for their research into ribosomes, which are protein-producing structures found in all cells.  Ramakrishnan used X-ray crystallography — the same method used by the discoverers of DNA — to map the thousands of microscopic atoms that make up a ribosome.The Nobel committee described ribosomal protein synthesis as “one of life’s core processes.”  Antibiotics based on Ramakrishnan’s model will save lives and decrease suffering, the Committee added.Well known as ‘Venky’ in India’s scientific circles, Ramakrishnan, has been a visiting lecturer at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore, for many years. He was born and schooled at Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu and graduated from M.S. University in Vadodara, Gujarat, before moving to the United States for his Ph.D. from Ohio University. He is the seventh person of Indian origin to win the Nobel.“People here are very excited,” said P. Balaram, director of IISc.  “His is one of the most magnificent pieces of work in structural biology.”

After the students, it is now the turn of the Indian community as a whole. An Indian grocery shop worker is in hospital after getting blasted through the front window in an explosion triggered when three armed robbers set fire to the premises.

Police say three young males armed with knives entered the shop about 2100 hrs last night at Quakers Hill, in Sydney’s northwest.

They threatened Rajan Singh, the 33-year-old male employee and stole cash before setting the shop on fire and fleeing. The build-up of smoke and heat caused an explosion, blasting the employee out the front entrance and on to the footpath.

Although there are no racial overtones to the incident, but another employee lamented there are shops belonging to other communities but they are not attacked. He said the Indians are being targeted. The police officer investigating the incident speaking to a TV channel also ruled out any racial colour to the attack.

He sustained minor burns and smoke inhalation and was taken to Blacktown Hospital in a stable condition. Fire crews extinguished the blaze.

By Ashok Kumar

Immigration and Citizenship Minister Senator Chris Evans

Sydney:

While Australian Immigration and Citizenship Minister, Senator Chris Evans, in an effort to pre-empt the drop in Indian students’ enrolment for the July semesters assured the Indian community in Melbourne of full safety for the students, a report in the media said that the Indian students have now joined their ilk from Bangladesh and Cambodia as the highest risk groups for visa violations.

According to a review of the student visa program assessment levels, conducted by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship last September across all applicant countries, ranked Indian students alongside Bangladeshis and Cambodians as a level-four risk – the second highest risk category. No country currently ranks as a top level-five risk. Continue Reading

Students protesting in Harris Park

By Ashok Kumar

Sydney: In a positive step towards ensuring peace in the volatile Harris Park, the Mayor of Parramatta Mr. Tony Issac tonight called a meeting of the community leaders, student groups and businessmen and attended by Consul General of India Mr. Amit Dasgupta and Consul Mr. Gautam Roy, Police Superintendent Robert Redfern and officers of the local command where it was resolved to increase the police presence near the station area and main thoroughfares, increased visibility by installing more lights and more importantly installation of CCTV cameras.

Superintendent Redfern and Mr. Dasgupta allayed the fears of the students that their visa will be cancelled if they complain to police about the incidents. They assured that their visa status will not be affected.

Another meeting of the community leaders led by Dr. Yadu Singh discussed the various means to resolve the tension in Harris Park. The meeting suggested more police patrols to give the residents on assurance of protection. Continue Reading