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Showing posts from 2008

LeT ‘admits’ to role in attacks

Pakistan’s investigation into the Mumbai terrorist attacks has revealed “substantive links” between the 10 terrorists and the Lashkar-e-Taiba, according to a US media report.

Washington Steers A Consensus

American strategists think 26/11 could lead to greater Indo-US counter-terrorism cooperation.

Attacks stoke India-Pakistan tensions

NEW DELHI | The deadly terrorist attacks on Bombay last week threaten to reverse a gradually warming relationship between South Asia's two nuclear-armed rivals.

Terrorists planned a 9/11 in India

NEW DELHI | Ten terrorists who launched a wave of deadly attacks on Bombay last week wanted to create an Indian 9/11 and kill 5,000 people, according to a state official and information obtained from one of the captured gunmen.

2 Virginians among 160 dead in Bombay

NEW DELHI | Sporadic gunfire continued Saturday in the historic Taj Mahal hotel as one of the worst terrorist sprees in India's commercial capital drew to a close. By Saturday morning, the death toll had risen to 160, including five Americans.

Shaken India points finger at 'neighbors'

NEW DELHI -- Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday blamed militant groups in neighboring countries [-] almost certainly Pakistan [-] for plotting a series of terrorist attacks in the country's financial capital of Bombay, as commandos fought to regain control of the city and the death toll exceeded 125.

125 dead in 'India's 9/11'; siege at Taj over

India's armed services, working in tandem with police, elite commandoes and anti-terrorism squads, had been engaged in a bloody battle Thursday with terrorists who held hostages and who overnight transformed the bustling metropolis of Bombay into a city frozen by fear. Authorities said the death toll from the terrorist attacks, dubbed "India's 9/11" by the local media, stood at 125, including at least six foreigners, by Thursday evening.

G-20 battles division

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, warning that a slowdown of growth in the developing countries will push millions of people back into poverty and have an adverse effect on nutrition, health and education levels, on Saturday said it was imperative that growth in these countries was not affected.

Fashion designer Anand Jon convicted of sexual assault

Anand Jon has dressed celebrities across America in his creations. Now the Indian-born designer faces the prospect of donning an unimpressive prison jumpsuit, probably for the rest of his life.

Obama’s call, a sigh of relief for India

It will probably go down as the most-anticipated phone call in the history of US-India relations. On Wednesday, President-elect Barack Obama finally spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh prompting a sigh of relief from those concerned that India may not be a priority for the incoming leader of the US.

Obama admn likely to have many Indophiles

India is likely to have many friends in a future Barack Obama administration. Even a cursory glance at the names doing the rounds for top positions in President-elect Obama's Cabinet reveals many individuals who are at the very least mindful of the importance of the US-India relationship.

India, Pakistan: Obama may opt for dehyphenation

Washington: In the days after Barack Obama's historic election as the 44th President of the United States of America and its first black leader, there is anticipation of a seismic foreign policy shift and nations around the globe are wondering what an Obama presidency means for them. US-India relations, jump-started by the historic March 2000 visit to India by President Bill Clinton, and then carried to dizzying heights under President George W. Bush are unlikely to slow down.

Purple Inherits

The Civil War has ended. The 21st century has just begun.

"He Must Demonstrate Democracy Isn't A Cloak For Pursuing US Goals"

The importance of Obama's win, areas his administration is likely to focus on and what it will mean for US-India relations.

'More Has Been Read Into Kashmir Mediation Than Obama Intended'

Karl Inderfurth, an assistant secretary of state in the Clinton administration, is a key foreign policy advisor to Barack Obama, guiding him past the landmines of America's South Asia policy. He spoke to Ashish Kumar Sen on US-India relations. Excerpts:

Indian American Sonal Shah in Obama’s advisory team

President-elect Barack Obama has appointed an Indian-American, Sonal Shah, to his advisory board to assist in the smooth transition of power and many other Indian-Americans are also likely to play key roles in the Obama Administration.

‘Change has come’

History was made on Tuesday night as the United States of America decisively elected its first black president turning the page on an ugly past of racial prejudice and opening a chapter of hope and change. Barack Obama, a one-term Democratic senator from Illinois, trounced his Republican opponent, John McCain, by capturing key battleground states.

Obama opens with a landslide

Voters waited patiently outside St.Mary’s Court polling station in Northwest Washington, D.C., in a line that snaked around the block soon after polls opened at 7 a.m. on Tuesday. In what may perhaps be a sign of the change coming to America, a tiny New Hampshire town voted 15-6 for Barack Obama, the first time it has voted for a Democrat since 1968. The town of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, has a 60-year tradition of being first in the nation to vote and polls, which opened at midnight had a 100% turnout. Similar turnout was expected across the country.

Obama has solid lead, McCain is ‘back’

As one curtain comes down on two years of intense and at times bitter campaigning, another will go up on a new era in US politics as millions of Americans will go to the polls on Tuesday to elect their 44th President. They will make history regardless of whom they elect. A victory for Democratic nominee Barack Obama will make him America’s first black President, while a triumph for Republican nominee John McCain will make him the oldest.

Obama tries to gain ad-vantage

The 2008 US presidential election will be recorded in the annals of history as one of many firsts. On Wednesday night, Sen Barack Obama added two more to this expanding list when the Democrat presidential nominee aired a half-hour TV commercial - the first of its kind in the history of American elections - and for the first time in this election cycle campaigned with former President Bill Clinton, with whom he has had a strained relationship.

Can America Count?

There's a serious fear that vote 'purges' could mar the US elections

Protection of voters’ rights inadequate

On November 4 Americans will go to the polls to elect a new president. Their two main choices are Democratic Senator Barack Obama, who would make history as America’s first black president should he win, and Republican Senator John McCain, who at 72 would be America’s oldest president. Wendy Weiser directs work on voting rights and elections at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law. During the run-up to the 2004 and 2006 elections, she masterminded litigation and advocacy efforts that kept hundreds of thousands of voters from being disenfranchised. In an interview Weiser says she is concerned about the rise in vote suppression efforts across the country and the inability of some states to cope with the huge voter turnout expected this year.

Bush ex-secy Powell endorses Obama

In a major blow to John McCain, President George W. Bush’s former secretary of state Colin Powell on Sunday formally endorsed Barack Obama’s presidential bid, calling the Democrat a “transformational figure” who will “electrify our country . . . (and) the world”.

Severance Packaged

Layoffs are now a fact of life, NRI whizkids look to home.

N-deal a careful balance of rights and obligations for both parties: Pranab

“Many thought this day would never come,” secretary of state Condoleezza Rice acknowledged minutes before signing the the US-India civilian nuclear agreement at the state department on Friday. It was a photo finish. The deal was carried over the finish line by the momentum generated chiefly by President George W. Bush and Rice.

India, US sign 123 agreement

Secretary of state Condoleezza Rice and external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee today signed the US-India civilian nuclear agreement here. The signing ceremony was held at the ornate Benjamin Franklin Room at the state department.

123 law makes no change in fuel assurances: Bush

President George W. Bush on Wednesday allayed India’s concerns about nuclear fuel supply assurances, saying the legislation he was signing “does not change the fuel assurance commitments that the United States government has made to the government of India, as recorded in the 123 Agreement.”

Indian-American kills self, family

The troubled US economy has claimed its first known victims. An unemployed Indian-American man, upset over losing his high-profile job to the global financial meltdown and finding himself a pauper from a millionaire overnight by the plunging US stock market, killed his wife, three sons and mother-in-law before committing suicide himself outside Los Angeles over the weekend.

Indians Face The Heat

The Great American Dream fades into the sunset

Pink Slips On Mean Street

The bailout rejected, recession knocks

Obama tried to kill N-deal, says McCain

With presidential elections exactly a month away, it’s silly season once again in Washington. This was evident on Thursday, a day after the Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill authorising civilian nuclear cooperation between the US and India.

Palin, Biden agree unstable Pak dangerous

Democratic vice-presidential hopeful Senator Joseph Biden on Thursday night warned that another terrorist attack of America, if it were to happen, would come not from Iraq but from the “al Qaeda planning in the hills of Afghanistan and Pakistan.”

All clear for N-deal

The United States Senate on Wednesday night overwhelmingly voted in favour of overturning a three-decade ban on nuclear commerce with India. The final vote tally was 86-13.

123: US senate considers two amendments

The US Senate on Wednesday debated on the US-India civilian nuclear agreement and considered two amendments that sought to ensure US nuclear exports did not help boost India’s nuclear weapons programme or contribute to a future nuclear test.

Bush urges lawmakers to okay bailout plan

Snubbed by his own party in Congress the day before, President George W. Bush on Tuesday urged lawmakers to approve his financial bailout package and warned a failure to do so would mean a “painful and lasting” economic hardship for the United States.

Senate vote on N-deal today, says Reid

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is urging colleagues in the Senate to take up the US-India nuclear deal for a debate on Tuesday followed by a vote, which sources say could take place on Wednesday.

Sneaking Past The Gate

The GMAT exam, considered an impregnable format, finds it can be cheated on too

123 enters last lap

The House of Representatives in Washington on Saturday evening (Sunday morning in India) approved a civilian nuclear cooperation Bill that will lift a three-decade-old ban on nuclear commerce between the US and India.

Now, The Antithesis

A US senate bill resurrects India's Hyde Act fears, dirties the ground cleared for the nuclear deal ...

McCain, Obama spar over strikes in Pak

John McCain and Barack Obama sparred briefly over Pakistan in the first presidential debate in Oxford, Mississippi, on Friday night. McCain took Obama to task for threatening Pakistan with military strikes, a suggestion the Democrat promptly took umbrage at.

123 vote put off again

The House of Representatives on Friday (Saturday in India) debated a Bill on the US-India civilian nuclear deal but put off a vote even as a supporter of the initiative said delaying further action would be perceived in India as an insult to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

N-deal bogged down, Rice coming to seal it

The US House of Representatives was expected on Friday (Saturday in India) to debate and vote on a Bill that seeks to approve US-India civilian nuclear trade, even as efforts in the Senate appeared to have been stalled on Friday afternoon after a lawmaker blocked the deal from a vote.

US lawmakers agree on $700 b bailout

Republican and Democratic lawmakers on Thursday announced that they had reached an agreement on the outline of a $700 billion bailout plan to rescue the troubled US financial system.

US House further knots up nuke deal

Complicating matters further for the smooth passage of the US-India civilian nuclear agreement, two lawmakers have introduced competing bills in the House of Representatives.

Senate panel okays N-deal with a rider

A bill passed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday seeks to impose punitive measures in case India tests a nuclear weapon - provisions that sources describe as being harsher than those contained in the Hyde Act.

Pak still an ally: Bush

President George W. Bush met Pakistan’s newly elected President Asif Ali Zardari in New York on Tuesday and promised to help Pakistan improve its economy and security.

Bush & Co pin hopes on PM’s visit

Having shepherded the U.S.-India civilian nuclear agreement all the way up to Capitol Hill, President George W. Bush’s administration now hopes Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s September 25 visit to Washington will provide the momentum to push the deal over the finish line.

Pakistan building third reactor, says report

A US think-tank says Pakistan is close to completing construction of its second plutonium production reactor and is building a third. The Institute for Science and International Security says this may sharpen a nuclear arms race with India.

N-deal: India to dedicate 2 sites for US reactors

In an acknowledgement of the lead role the U.S. has played in helping end its nuclear isolation, India has promised to dedicate at least two sites for U.S. firms seeking to set up reactors under a civilian nuclear agreement. It has also committed to purchasing reactors from US firms.

Non-proliferation lobby busy trying to derail N-deal

The non-proliferation lobby is going all out to try and derail or at the very least, put the brakes on the US-India civilian nuclear agreement, which appears headed toward a photo-finish in Congress.

N-deal: Be done with it fast: Rice

As US lawmakers prepared to conduct a hearing on the US-India civilian nuclear agreement in what is the final step for the deal, secretary of state Condoleezza Rice was busy urging lawmakers to swiftly approve it.

N-deal’s fate to be known on Sept 26

Friends and foes of the US-India civilian nuclear agreement have begun lining up as the deal enters its final stage-Congressional approval. Having cleared hurdles at the IAEA and the NSG, the agreement must now win the support of the US Congress, which is scheduled to end its session on September 26.

Divert anti-terror aid to upgrade Pak F-16s, Bush admn to Congress

The Bush administration on Tuesday urged Congress to divert hundreds of millions of dollars from anti-terrorism funds to upgrade Pakistan’s ageing fleet of F-16s.

Through A Maze Of Mirrors

Tied down by lack of time, the deal awaits Congressional clearance.

Capitol Hill should not rush with deal: Democrat lawmakers

Even as the Bush Administration is asking Congress to speedily approve a US-India civilian nuclear agreement, three Democrat lawmakers are urging colleagues on Capitol Hill not to rush.

No sensitive N-tech for India: Report

Members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group privately agreed not to sell “sensitive technologies” to India, a decision that convinced opponents of the civil nuclear deal to eventually back the initiative, according to a report in the Washington Post.

Bush doctrine, what’s that, asks Palin

In her first major interview since Sen. John McCain picked her as his running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin all but proved her critics right as she fumbled through answers on questions of foreign policy. It is not likely, however, that her performance would put off her supporters, who relate to her social conservative beliefs.

Bush secretly okayed raids inside Pakistan

U. S. President George W. Bush “secretly approved” orders in July that for the first time allow U.S. Special Forces to conduct ground assaults inside Pakistan without permission from the Pakistani government, the New York Times reported on Thursday.

Bush presents deal to Congress, invites PM to White House on 25th

President George W. Bush on Wednesday presented a complete package on the U.S.-India civilian nuclear deal to Congress saying he had determined that it poses no “unreasonable risk” to security and should be approved this year.

Rice busy working the phones

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice wants to get a complete “package” of the U.S.-India civilian nuclear agreement to Congress for an up or down vote “within the next 24 to 48 hours,” a State Department spokesperson said on Tuesday.

‘Waiver must be consistent with US Act’

If the Bush administration wants to get the US-India civilian nuclear agreement wrapped up before the end of the year it must assure Congress that a recent India-specific waiver given by the Nuclear Suppliers Group is consistent with the US Act that enables nuclear cooperation with India, according to a senior lawmaker.

123 Deal: US to work on quick wrap up

An India-specific exemption from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was won only after a flurry of phone calls from President George W. Bush and secretary of state Condoleezza Rice to leaders of a handful of countries opposed to the deal.

The Bear Hunter

Republican V-P candidate Sarah Palin is catching flak. Did McCain get it wrong?

Did Palin have an affair?

Did Sarah Palin, Senator John McCain’s ultraconservative running mate and champion of family values, have an extramarital affair with her husband’s business partner? If a US supermarket tabloid is to be believed, Sarah did. But it’s not often that The National Enquirer is taken seriously. This time, however, the situation is slightly different.

White House calls it historic achievement

US President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh welcomed the decision by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to lift the nuclear trade embargo on India, the White House said on Saturday.

McCain accepts nomination

Eight years after being denied a shot at the White House by George W. Bush, Senator John McCain on Thursday formally accepted the Republican Party's presidential nomination promising Americans that “change is coming.”

US denies covering up N-deal details

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is under fire for purportedly misleading Parliament over the US-India nuclear deal. The Bush administration on Thursday denied it had tried to cover up details of the agreement in order to protect the Prime Minister.

Pak preparing for war on India: Obama

Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama says Pakistan is diverting US aid to prepare for a war against India.

I’m going to Washington to serve people: Palin

Sarah Palin, the Republican Party's presumptive vice-presidential nominee, lashed out at Democrats and the press on Wednesday night in what was arguably the most important speech of her political career.

No nuke trade if India tests: US

The Bush administration has assured members of Congress that the US has the right to terminate nuclear commerce with India in the event of a nuclear test by New Delhi, according to a correspondence revealed this week.

McCain’s surprise choice

The confetti had barely settled on the Democratic National Convention in Denver when Sen. John McCain unveiled what may be the biggest surprise of the 2008 campaign season: his choice of running mate.

McCain picks up female V-P candidate

Republican presidential candidate John McCain has picked a female running mate in a bid to woo both female and conservative voters, two groups the Arizona senator has struggled with.

Obama vows change, plays outsourcing card

Barack Obama accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for presidency at a Denver football stadium packed with adoring supporters on Thursday night. Amid raucous cheering Obama declared: “With profound gratitude and great humility, I accept your nomination for presidency of the US.”

Obama chosen nominee

In a historic session, the Democratic Party formally nominated Sen. Barack Obama as its presidential nominee in Denver on Wednesday night, making the senator from Illinois the first black presidential nominee of a major American political party.

‘No way. No McCain… Obama is my candidate’

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on Tuesday night dispelled speculation in the media that she is still smarting over her loss in the Democratic Party’s presidential primaries by telling her legions of fans that she is a “proud supporter of Barack Obama.”

'Legislating The Hyde Act Internationally Isn't The Right Way'

US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs on the hurdles that await the US-India nuclear deal, Pervez Musharraf's resignation, and developments in Kashmir.

Joe Biden is Obama’s V-P

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has picked former rival Joe Biden to be his running mate.

Sharif threatens to walk out

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has threatened to pull his party out of the ruling coalition with the Pakistan Peoples Party if his demand to reinstate sacked judges is not fulfilled soon.

Boucher: We are committed

As some countries in the Nuclear Suppliers Group expressed concern about a deal that allows nuclear commerce between the US and India, a Bush administration official says Washington is committed to securing a clean and unconditional waiver for India at the Vienna-based organisation.

He remains our partner: Rice

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Monday hailed Pervez Musharraf as a “friend of the United States” as the Pakistani president said he would resign rather than face impeachments charges.

Opponents still wary of non-proliferation issues

The US and India have their work cut out at the Nuclear Suppliers Group where they are seeking to win the approval of all member states for India-specific exemptions from nuclear trade restrictions.

Edwards admits to affair

Former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards admitted on Friday that he had an extra-marital affair in 2006 with a woman who produced videos for his campaign, but denied he was the father of her child, as had been reported in a supermarket tabloid.

Impeachment move Pak’s internal matter: US

The Bush Administration appeared to have ditched its longtime ally Pervez Musharraf even as Pakistan president faces impeachment in Islamabad.

Put off N-deal with India: US lawmaker

A prominent US lawmaker has asked the Bush administration to put off action on the US-India civilian nuclear agreement until next year unless it can assure the Congress that it is seeking an exemption from the nuclear suppliers group (NSG) that is in compliance with the Hyde Act and would suspend the deal if India tests a nuclear weapon.

Needed: A congressional miracle to seal the N-deal

It is doable but the N-deal faces some hurdles in Washington.

The Split-Second Paper Chase

New Delhi needs the N-deal fast. In election-bound US, the odds, at best, point to a photofinish.

ISI hand in Kabul embassy attack: US

US officials have concluded that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) provided “logistic support” to militants who attacked the Indian Embassy in Kabul last month, according to US media reports. The findings back up claims by New Delhi.

N-deal can be wrapped up before Bush leaves office

Former undersecretary of state R. Nicholas Burns, who till recently served as President George W. Bush's point person on the US-India civilian nuclear agreement, is optimistic that the deal can still be wrapped up before Bush leaves office in January but says the onus is on the Nuclear Suppliers Group to speedily approve the deal.

N-deal: Time running out for US Congress

US President George W. Bush telephoned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday and the two leaders reiterated their commitment to moving ahead with the civilian nuclear deal.

US confident, Blix backs N-deal

President George W. Bush's administration is confident India-specific safeguards will be approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency while a former director general of the agency expressed support for the U.S.-India civilian nuclear deal.

The Shared Past

For the Indians in the US, it's striking a chord—Obama is 'one of us'

How I Chased Obama...

I became the proverbial stalker, and they behaved as victims would: not take my calls or e-mails.

Interview with Sen. Barack Obama: 'I Am Reluctant To Seek Changes In The N-Deal'

In an exclusive interview, the US presidential hopeful speaks on a range of subjects: the nuclear deal, Mahatma Gandhi, his ability to reconcile Islam with modernity, and how he wouldn't have put all eggs in the Musharraf basket

Manekshaw was a legendary soldier: Obama

Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic Party's presumptive presidential nominee, on Monday offered his “deep condolences to the people of India” on Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw's death.

Obama picks Hillary’s Indian American adviser

Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton on Friday made their first joint appearance after a hard-fought contest at a campaign rally in a New Hampshire town not ironically named Unity. In keeping with the theme of the day, Obama picked a senior Indian American Clinton aide to serve as an adviser on his presidential campaign.

In the land of the free, fear still rules

Washington: On a recent summer morning, CNN was telling its viewers that Senator Barack Obama had spent yet another day urging Americans not to be afraid of him.

US lawmakers want access to A.Q. Khan

Four prominent members of the US Congress have asked the Bush administration to urge the government in Islamabad to make rogue scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan available for interrogation by US officials.

India cautioned on ties with Iran

India was admonished on Wednesday by a longtime friend in the US Congress for continuing its relationship with Iran.

US aid to Pakistan unaccounted for

Among the bills presented by Pakistan to the United States for its help in the so-called "war on terror" is one for the upkeep of its air defence radar.

Indian women 'get wild' in US soap

An American web mini series that portrays attractive young women as part of a "group of dangerous Indian beauties" is creating ripples in the expatriate Indian community.

‘The Love Guru’ gets thumbs down

Hollywood actor Mike Myers’ “The Love Guru,” panned by movie critics even before it hit theatres in America, is also getting a thumbs down from a Hindu group. The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) declared the movie to be vulgar and crude, but not anti-Hindu.

Any deal with terrorists will haunt Pak: Rice

US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice has issued a stern warning to Pakistan over Islamabad’s strategy of offering a truce to militants operating along the lawless Afghan border. Rice said on Wednesday that Washington had made it “very clear” that any deal with terrorists will come back “first and foremost” to “haunt Pakistan.”

US to work on it till Jan 20, Bush’s last day in office

As deadlines come and go, administration officials here, frustrated at attempts in India to block a civilian nuclear agreement, say they are committed to pushing the deal until January 20, President George Bush's last day in office.

Champion spellers

Why Indian children do so well in US spelling contests?

Golf Digest apologises to Sikhs

A US sports magazine, Golf Digest, has issued an apology to the Sikh community for using an image of Guru Arjun Dev in its May edition. Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) complained after the magazine featured an article titled “The Golf Guru” which answers readers’ questions about general topics associated with golf.

I’ll back Obama, says Hillary

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on Saturday suspended her historic 16-month-long presidential campaign and endorsed one-time rival senator Barack Obama on a hot and steamy Washington afternoon.

Bush misused Iraq intelligence: Report

A scathing Senate intelligence committee report says President George W. Bush and his administration “misrepresented the intelligence and threat” from Iraq on the eve of invasion in 2003.

Hillary to end campaign on Saturday

Hillary Rodham Clinton will end her presidential campaign on Saturday and endorse rival Barack Obama, according to her aides.

Finally, Obama the winner

Barack Obama late on Tuesday declared himself the "Democratic nominee for the post of the President of the USA ," but his rival, Hillary Rodham Clinton, refused to concede.

Democrats like Jason Rae hold key to nomination

Jason Rae was no average five year old. In November of 1992, as his parents headed out to the polling station, the young boy exhorted them to “vote for Bill!” Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton went on to become president.

Obama quits church membership

Senator Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, have ended their two-decade-long association with a black Chicago church, an acknowledgment that racially divisive preachings from pastors there had become a liability for his presidential campaign.

Hillary suffers another blow

The Democratic Party dealt a blow to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's White House dreams on Saturday making it now more than likely that the end of the road is near for her campaign.

Indian American spells success

S-a-m-e-e-r M-i-s-h-r-a. That’s how you spell success. The 13-year-old Indian American boy from West Lafayette, Indiana, won the coveted 2008 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington on Friday night.

Wind In The Grass

She's their favourite, but suppose Hillary loses.... Indians mull their options.

Consumption or energy?

Agriculture scientist Norman Ernest Borlaug, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970, played a significant role to usher in the Green Revolution by developing successive generations of disease-resistant, high-yield wheat varieties in the 1960s and the '70s. In an interview with Washington Times reporter Ashish Kumar Sen, Mr. Borlaug, 94, refutes President Bush's assertion that countries such as India and China are to blame for the shortage of food stocks and higher prices. The fault, he says, lies with the world's obsession with biofuels.

U.S. says biofuels not raising food prices

The Bush administration insists a growing demand from the burgeoning middle classes in developing nations, and not its focus on biofuels, is the key reason behind rising food prices.

Former Bush aide slams White House officials

The White House, led by President George W. Bush, sold the Iraq war to the American people with a slick "political propaganda campaign" aimed at "manipulating sources" and "downplaying the major reason for going to war." Those are the words not of a hardened Bush critic, of which there are many, but of the President's former spokesman Scott McClellan who has penned an explosive memoir, "What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception" due in bookstores on Monday.

McCain invites VP front-runner Jindal to his retreat

Bobby Jindal, the first Indian American Governor of a US state, has made to Senator John McCain’s shortlist of vice-presidential candidates. Jindal is one of the three Republican Party leaders the presumptive presidential candidate will meet with this Memorial Day weekend at his retreat outside Sedona, Arizona. The other two are McCain’s former rival for presidential nomination Mitt Romney and Florida Governor Charlie Crist.

Edward Kennedy diagnosed with brain tumour

Senator Edward M. Kennedy has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour, according to his physicians. Kennedy had been hospitalised in Boston over the weekend after he suffered a seizure.

Clinton wins battle in Kentucky

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton won the Democratic primary election in Kentucky on Tuesday night, but it was her rival, Senator Barack Obama, who claimed victory, telling supporters he had reached a "major milestone" in his campaign for the White House. Obama won the primary contest in Oregon.

Bush remark on Iran creates furore

Speaking thousands of miles away from home, US President George W. Bush on Thursday ignited a firestorm by telling the Israeli Knesset that those advocating a dialogue with countries like Iran are like people who favoured engaging Adolf Hitler.

Obama wins one-time rival’s support

Senator Barack Obama's presidential campaign received a prominent shot in the arm on Wednesday as one-time rival John Edwards endorsed him at an event in Michigan.

Hillary sweeps West Virginia; Obama still holds popular vote

There were no surprises on Tuesday as Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton pocketed a big win the West Virginia’s Democratic presidential primary contest trouncing Senator Barack Obama by a huge margin.

Ludhiana-born doc donates $2m

A prominent Indian-American has donated $2 million to establish an endowment for India studies at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. The endowment is the first of its kind in Washington.

'India Not To Blame For Food Crisis'

Agriculture scientist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman Ernest Borlaug played a significant role in ushering in India's Green Revolution, by developing successive generations of disease-resistant, high-yield wheat varieties. In an interview with Outlook, Borlaug refutes President George W. Bush's assertion that India is to blame for the shortage of food stocks and galloping prices.

In Its Own Maize

Blame your biofuel fixation, not India and China, Bush is told.

Hillary under pressure to quit

On the heels of a huge loss to Sen Barack Obama in North Carolina and a narrow victory in Indiana’s primary on Tuesday, Sen Hillary Rodham Clinton has come under intense pressure to quit the race for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination.

US tells Pak to get tough with militants

President George W. Bush’s administration has warned ally Pakistan to live up to its commitments in the war on terror and immediately bring violent tribal regions under control.

Obama on target, faint hope for Hillary

Barack Obama coasted to a convincing double-digit victory over Hillary Rodham Clinton in North Carolina last night, but lost Indiana’s primary to the New York Democrat by two points.

Laura Bush calls on India to help Burma

The Burmese government would be more likely to accept offers of help from India than it would from the United States, first lady Laura Bush said on Monday.

US clarifies Bush remark on food crisis

The White House on Monday sought to cool passions in India ignited by President George W. Bush’s remarks that an increased demand for food in India had contributed to the global food crisis.

Bush under fire over war on terror

President George W. Bush’s administration has come under fire in a new study for attempting to extend the White House’s power without congressional or judicial review.

‘Lack of supplies from India has driven up prices’

US President George W. Bush stirred up a hornet’s nest last week by suggesting a greater demand in India is to blame for rising global food prices.

Microsoft gives up bid on Yahoo!

Microsoft Corp abandoned on Saturday its $42.3-billion bid to buy Yahoo Inc.

Rights group wants doc’s trial shifted from Chhattisgarh

A human rights group has expressed concern that a prominent Indian physician and rights activist will not get a fair trial in Chhattisgarh where he faces criminal charges, including conspiracy and treason.

India ill-equipped to counter terror: US report

A new State Department report has taken a swipe at India’s law enforcement and legal systems, calling them “outdated and overburdened” and an obstacle to India’s counter-terrorism efforts.

Negotiator’s warning on Abbas govt’s future

A top Palestinian negotiator on Friday warned that the government of President Mahmoud Abbas would disappear if a peace deal was not negotiated with Israel by the end of this year. Saeb Erekat, who is also a senior Abbas aide, said the unchecked construction of Jewish settlements in the Palestinian territories were the biggest obstacle to this agreement.

N-deal bound by 123 agreement: Boucher

The US on Wednesday reiterated that the 123 Agreement and not the contentious Hyde Act would govern a civilian nuclear agreement it struck with India. Earlier this month, Congress party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi, on a visit to Washington, asserted India was bound by only the 123 Agreement and not the Hyde Act.

No finger-pointing at India, says US

Stung by criticism from India over a state department spokesman’s comments on Iran, a Bush administration official on Wednesday clarified that the spokesman was not “pointing the finger at India.”

Hillary takes Pennsylvania

Hillary Rodham Clinton kept alive her presidential campaign on Tuesday night by notching up a convincing victory over Barack Obama in Pennsylvania’s primary election.

N-deal on the back burner

After more than two years of intense negotiations that involved frequent flights between Washington and New Delhi, officials on both sides now appear resigned to the fact that the civilian nuclear deal will not be wrapped up any time soon.

Ah, The Human Race

Today China, tomorrow India? In the pro-Tibet, anti-repression march, are we on sure ground?

Fallen Pieces Of Silver

Grim tales of elderly parents abused by NRI children are rampant.

'We Can't Afford For India To Wait For Emission Cuts'

The top environmental advisor to US President, on climate change and India’s role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

3 Indian Americans sued for defamatory Sonia ad

The Congress’ US-based arm has filed a lawsuit against three Indian Americans claiming $100 million in damages for an advertisement that defames Sonia Gandhi.

Cost of lobbying nuclear deal rises

With the future of the Indo-US nuclear deal now uncertain, Washington is worried that the millions of dollars spent on lobbying could be in jeopardy.

Still time to move forward, says US

President George W. Bush’s administration continues to remain optimistic about the future of the civilian nuclear agreement with India but on Thursday noted that “time is running out.”

US waiting for clearance from Indian govt

President George W. Bush’s administration is “fully prepared” to submit details of a civilian nuclear agreement with India to the US Congress as soon as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government clears the remaining political hurdles in New Delhi.

Keep up war against terror, Bush tells Gilani

US President George W. Bush telephoned Pakistan’s new Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani early on Tuesday morning and urged him not to let Pakistan’s support for the war on terror waver.

Left testing our patience, says Pranab

External affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday admitted that efforts by the Manmohan Singh government’s Left partners to delay a civilian nuclear deal with the United States are “testing our patience.”

Govt clearing roadblocks, Pranab tells Rice

External affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee today reiterated New Delhi’s interest in implementing a landmark civilian nuclear deal with Washington, but admitted that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s coalition government was dealing with some “political problems”.

Has time run out for India-US nuclear deal?

When India's External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee meets US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice here on Monday he will be reminded that Washington is eager to wrap up a civilian nuclear agreement and that delays in Delhi are not helping matters.

Obama passport details breached, 2 sacked

The U.S. State Department on Thursday night said it fired two contractors and disciplined a third for accessing the passport file of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama.

Iraq war ‘noble, necessary & just’: Bush

President George W. Bush on Wednesday defended the Iraq war as "noble, necessary and just" and predicted victory even as anti-war groups demonstrated across the U.S. on the fifth anniversary of the start of the invasion.

Mahato murder: Another suspect held

The police on Thursday charged a suspect in the murder of Abhijit Mahato, an Indian student from Tatanagar who was studying at Duke University in North Carolina.

Minority Government Is No Problem

Last week, Indian foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee told Outlook it was not possible for a minority government to sign a major deal. To seek Washington's response to this, we interviewed the assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian affairs, Richard Boucher, who has invested considerable time and energy in the Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement. In a conversation with Ashish Kumar Sen, Boucher expressed opinions quite different from Pranab Mukherjee's.

Insecurity grips Indian students in US

Four Indian students have been killed at US universities in a span of less than a year. The violent deaths, a small part of the growing number of campus casualties, have shocked students across the country and raised questions about their safety.

Muslims seek Senator’s censure

Muslim rights groups are calling on the US Congress to censure a Republican lawmaker for his racist comments about Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama.

Obama wins Mississippi

Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama won a convincing victory over Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in the Mississippi primary on Tuesday extending his lead over the former First Lady.

Obama says no to ‘dream ticket’

Senator Barack Obama on Monday dismissed his rival's suggestions of a "dream ticket" and made it clear he was not running for vice- president of the USA.

Will Bush push McCain forward or pull him back?

Republican senator John McCain, who clinched his party’s presidential nomination on Tuesday, was at the White House on Wednesday morning to pick up a key endorsement from President George W. Bush.

Yet another bid to throw spanner in the works

As the U.S. and Indian governments scramble to push the civil nuclear agreement towards the finish line, the non-proliferation lobby in Washington is attempting to throw yet another spanner in the works.

McCain clinches Rep nomination; Hillary climbs back

Arizona Senator John McCain clinched the Republican Party’s presidential nomination on Tuesday night, while Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton kept her campaign alive by winning key states in the primary elections. Illinois Democratic Senator Barack Obama won easily in Vermont but lost to Clinton in Rhode Island, Texas and Ohio. Clinton’s victory in Rhode Island broke Obama’s streak of 12 straight wins.

One Wrong Mark, A Home Loan Lost

Credit bureau reports are not free of risk to consumer interest, as the US Public Interest Research Group (USPIRG) found.

Wrong Hoss

United States President George Bush's name wasn't on the ballot the day the Pakistanis went to the hustings. Yet the stunning rout of the Pakistan Muslim League (Qaid) is partially being attributed here to the close alliance the party's patron, President Pervez Musharraf, holds with the Bush administration.

A perfect 10 for Obama

Senator Barack Obama dealt a significant blow to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential dreams on Tuesday by decisively winning the Wisconsin primary and Hawaii caucuses - his ninth and 10th consecutive victories over the former first lady.

The Injun Incline

How do the India strategies of the US presidential hopefuls stack up?

Seven gunned down in US varsity

A gunman dressed in black emerged from behind a curtain at a lecture hall at Northern Illinois University (NIU) on Thursday and shot 21 persons, seven of them fatally, before killing himself.

Obama on a roll: Takes all 3 primaries; ditto McCain

Illinois Democratic Senator Barack Obama extended his winning streak on Tuesday night when he emerged triumphant in Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland and picked up enough delegates to vault past Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, the frontrunner for the party's presidential nomination.

Congressman Lantos dead

Congressman Tom Lantos, the Democratic chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and a prominent friend of India’s on Capitol Hill, died on Monday. He had been battling cancer of the oesophagus.

Obama closes in on Hillary

Barack Obama on Saturday won all four Democratic contests, cutting Hillary Clinton’s delegate lead.

Yard findings credible: US

President George W. Bush’s administration believes the Scotland Yard investigation into Benazir Bhutto’s death is “credible”, even though the Pakistan People’s Party has expressed incredulity at the findings.

The Other Side Of Trust

Microsoft's grand plans may run into US antitrust authorities bent on upholding competition.

McCain likely to be Republican nominee

Mitt Romney, a onetime favourite for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination, stunned supporters by suspending his campaign on Thursday. The former Massachusetts governor’s decision clears the path for Sen John McCain to be the Republican nominee in November.

We don’t want 2006-like truce in Pak: US

Even as Taliban militants declared a ceasefire in fighting with Pakistani troops on Wednesday, the Bush administration said it would oppose any truce that resembled an earlier deal struck by President Pervez Musharraf with the militants.

Super Tuesday: No clear winner in Democratic Party

Super Tuesday ended with no clear winner in the Democratic Party for the presidential nomination and a septuagenarian senator in the lead to claim the Republican Party’s nomination for the election in November.

In Exile From Truth

When Mahatma Gandhi's grandson wrote a blog accusing Israel and Jews of being the biggest players in a "culture of violence", he had hoped to stir up a "healthy discussion".

Trough Times Ahead

Remember the saying—"When the US sneezes, the world catches a cold"? Well, this was amply evident earlier this month as fears of a US recession sent global stockmarkets—including India's—into a tailspin.

'Power Cannot Be Carved Up On A Dictator's Table'

In an interview from Pakistan with our Washington correspondent , the new co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party discusses the assassination of his wife Benazir Bhutto, his concerns about Pakistan's ability to hold free elections, and his plans for the PPP.

Musharraf regime will try to rig polls: Zardari

In a freewheeling interview with The Tribune’s Washington correspondent Ashish Kumar Sen, Asif Ali Zardari, the new co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party discusses the assassination of his wife Benazir Bhutto, his concerns about Pakistan’s ability to hold free elections, and his plans for the PPP.

‘We want our rightful share in power’

The leader of Pakistan's largest opposition party is doubtful that the February 18 parliamentary elections in his country will be free or fair and wants the international community to monitor the vote.

Bush happy for Burns’ role

US President George W. Bush is “pleased” that Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs R. Nicholas Burns will continue to play a role in pushing the US-India nuclear deal toward the finish line, the White House said on Friday.

Out Here The Nano Is A No-No

The American always had his Model T. Sans radio, or air bags, he just won't fancy Tata's car.

Zardari seeks ‘international probe’

Snubbed by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, Asif Ali Zardari has written to United Nations secretary- general Ban Ki-moon urging him to initiate an "international investigation" into Benazir Bhutto's assassination.

US must pressurise Mush for fair poll: Experts

Lawmakers in the US must pressurise Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to ensure free and fair elections on February 18 or risk chaos in the country, a panel of foreign policy analysts told the Congress on Wednesday.

Bhutto's party open to deals, not 'dictatorship'

The leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party yesterday said he is willing to explore all possibilities for the return of democracy to his country, but none that would extend President Pervez Musharraf's "dictatorship." In an interview with The Washington Times, Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, said, "Coalitions and power-sharing are concepts under normal politics and constitutional rule. ... We are open to all options to ensure restoration of democracy, but we will not become part of any excuse to maintain dictatorship."

Bobby Jindal sworn in Louisiana Governor

Piyush Bobby Jindal, the son of Punjabi immigrants, was sworn in as Governor of Louisiana on Monday, first person of the Indian origin to serve as chief executive of an American state.

Indo-US N-Deal: Worried, critics shoot missive to 48 countries

Critics of the US-India civil nuclear deal shot off letters to four dozen countries this week, warning the governments that the agreement “would damage the already fragile nuclear nonproliferation system and set back efforts to achieve universal nuclear disarmament.”

The smile is back, Hillary wins New Hampshire

Democratic Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and Republican Senator John McCain won surprising victories in the New Hampshire primaries on Tuesday night keeping alive their chances of becoming their parties’ nominees for the presidential election in November.

Mush: I personally warned Bhutto

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf says he personally warned Benazir Bhutto about the threat to her life but in the end her luck ran out.

New polls show Obama way ahead of Hillary

Senator Barack Obama, fresh off a surprise victory in the Iowa Democratic caucuses, has taken a commanding double-digit lead over presidential rival Hillary Rodham Clinton, according to two state polls released on Sunday.

Democrats agree on right to pursue Osama in Pak

The Democratic presidential candidates agreed in a debate on Saturday night that the USA has the right to pursue Osama bin Laden in Pakistan regardless of whether it had permission from the government in Islamabad.

Bhutto may have been shot: Mush

Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf has for the first time conceded that Benazir Bhutto may have been killed by an assassin’s bullet, but said the former Prime Minister was responsible for her death.

South Asians propelled Obama to historic win

Many South Asians were among the record number of Democratic voters who propelled Barack Obama to a historic win in the Iowa caucuses on Thursday.

US should proceed wisely: Scholar

U.S. efforts to bring together Benazir Bhutto and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in an effort to form a power-sharing alliance have been criticised as “profoundly unwise” by a South Asia scholar in Washington.

Obama beats Hillary in first test; Huckabee wins Republican contest

The Iowa caucuses — the first step in the long road to the White House — threw up twin surprises on Thursday night when voters in the state picked Democratic senator Barack Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee from among a packed slate of candidates.

Mush preferred Scotland Yard to US help

Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf shunned an offer of help from the United States when he turned to Britain’s Scotland Yard for help investigating Benazir Bhutto’s assassination.

Scotland Yard to probe Bhutto death

Bowing to international calls for a transparent investigation into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf today asked Britain's Scotland Yard to assist in the probe.

Musharraf deploys army for elections

President Pervez Musharraf last night ordered the army to the streets of Pakistan ahead of delayed parliamentary elections, and he accepted a British — but not a U.S. — offer to help investigate the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

Chandigarh man in US kills daughter and her family

A 57-year-old man from Chandigarh set a fire that killed his pregnant daughter, her husband and the couple’s 3-year-old son because he was furious his son-in-law came from a lower caste and had not asked permission to marry his daughter.

Al-Qaida Link to Bhutto Killing: US not buying Pak claims

American intelligence officials are not accepting Pakistani claims that a militant with ties to Al-Qaida masterminded the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.