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Showing posts from 2011

Sudanese general linked to genocide monitoring Syrian violence

A Sudanese general linked to genocide in Darfur is leading an Arab League team to Syria to monitor the regime’s compliance with a promise to end its violent crackdown on anti-government protesters.

Sri Lankan ambassador promises accountability from war-crimes defendants

Sri Lanka will hold accountable every person accused of war crimes during its decades-long civil conflict, the island nation’s ambassador to the U.S. says.

U.N. and Iraq reach deal on Iranian dissidents

The United Nations and the Iraqi government have reached a deal to transfer more than 3,000 Iranian dissidents living in a camp north of Baghdad, potentially averting what international observers have warned would be a massacre.

U.S. cites ‘misunderstanding’ in deadly Pakistan operation

The U.S. military on Thursday acknowledged serious mistakes in a cross-border operation last month that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers and strained ties with the South Asian nation, but said U.S. forces had acted in self-defense.

Syrian forces reportedly kill more than 200

Syrian security forces this week killed more than 200 people on the eve of a visit by international observers monitoring Syria’s compliance with an Arab League peace plan, according to eyewitnesses, activists and opposition sources.

US call centre Bill has slim chance of becoming a law

A Bill that seeks to bar US firms that outsource call centre jobs from receiving federal grants and loans has created uproar in India, but is nowhere close to becoming a law.

Kim’s hand-picked successor holds credentials but lacks experience

There is no sure path for the transition of power in nuclear-armed North Korea, even as its citizens mourn the death of longtime dictator Kim Jong-il and praise the rise of his hand-picked successor, Kim Jong-un, regional analysts say.

South Sudan president denies arming rebels in north

South Sudan’s president said Friday that his country is not arming rebels in two of Sudan’s border states, from where more than 50,000 refugees have fled fighting in recent months, according to U.N. estimates.

Terrorist attack survivors outraged by White House guest

Survivors of a 1996 terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 U.S. servicemen are offended that an Iraqi official with ties to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was welcomed to the White House this week.

Conference outlines pathways to prosperity for South Sudan

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday urged the leaders of oil-rich South Sudan to manage natural resources prudently and warned them against falling prey to unscrupulous corporations and countries.

Violence mars investment scene in South Sudan

An escalation of violence with Sudan is challenging South Sudan’s fledgling government to attract desperately needed foreign investment.

Iraqi’s U.S. visit stirs ‘grave concern’

A top House Republican has expressed “grave concern” to President Obama about a visit to the White House by an Iraqi official who led a militia that was financed and armed by Iran.

Ex-Iran Guard commander visits White House with Iraq leader

A former commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, which the FBI says played a role in a 1996 terrorist attack that killed 19 U.S. servicemen, accompanied Iraq’s prime minister to the White House on Monday, attending an event at which President Obama trumpeted the end of the Iraq War.

U.S. eases sanctions on Sudanese oil industry

The Treasury Department has amended economic sanctions against Sudan by allowing U.S. companies to invest in South Sudan’s oil market, which has been dominated by China, India and Malaysia.

U.S. warns Iraq against eviction of foes of Iran

A senior U.S. official Wednesday warned Iraq against using violence to evict unarmed Iranian dissidents from a camp north of Baghdad by the end of the month, as a top member of Congress accused the State Department of moving at a snail’s pace to prevent what he called a possible massacre of the residents of Camp Ashraf.

Rohrabacher presses State on future of Iranian exiles

The Iraqi government is using the State Department’s terrorist designation of a group of Iranian dissidents as an excuse to crack down on the unarmed exiles in their camp north of Baghdad, a top Republican lawmaker said Tuesday.

The Wall And A Hard Place ‘

‘Careful what you wish for’: Warnings for Pandora’s new haunt.

Doctor sets out to heal Libya’s health care

Libya’s new health minister says rampant corruption and nepotism have taken a “terrible toll” on the North African nation’s health care system.

Syrian forces abused, killed kids, report says

Children were raped, tortured, illegally detained and shot dead in a crackdown by Syria's military and security forces on protesters for democracy, a U.N. investigation reported Monday.

New rebel alliance undermines Darfur peace effort

Sudanese rebels in Darfur have formed an alliance with other armed groups to overthrow the government in the capital, Khartoum, in a move that links separate conflicts in the North African nation and undermines ongoing peace efforts in Darfur.

Pakistani ambassador warns against U.S. aid cutoff

Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States on Wednesday warned against cutting off U.S. aid to his country, after a Republican presidential candidate called for an end to foreign assistance to the South Asian country where intelligence officials are suspected of supporting terrorists.

Keep The TV, Gimme Gold

Burglars strike Indian-American homes for gold.

Just A Head To Roll?

Even if you have devoured every word written on Rajat Gupta in the last few months, one question never quite goes away: Why did a man who spent a lifetime building up a reputation for unshakeable integrity throw it away so recklessly, by passing on boardroom secrets to a hedge fund billionaire?

A Miasma Of Doubt

Rajaratnam’s bile, and the confused attitude to corruption in India.

Afghans: Obama wasting time talking to terrorists

A group of senior Afghan lawmakers says the Obama administration is wasting its time in trying to make peace with the Haqqani Network, a Pakistan-based terrorist group U.S. officials have accused of killing Americans and attacking the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan.

The fall of an icon

If there is one question Silicon Valley venture capitalist Kanwal Rekhi would like to ask his longtime friend, Rajat K. Gupta, it would be this: "Why? Pray tell, why?" Gupta, the Kolkata-born former director of Goldman Sachs who shattered the proverbial glass ceiling in Corporate America when he became the first non-white and non-U.S.-born head of McKinsey & Co., is facing insider trading charges that carry a potential penalty of 105 years in prison.

U.N. envoy offers to mediate dispute over Camp Ashraf

A U.N. envoy on Thursday offered to broker the peaceful closing of a camp for Iranian exiles in Iraq where residents and U.S. lawmakers say an Iraqi military crackdown may be imminent.

Lawmakers fear Iranian dissidents face assault in Iraq

Nearly three dozen U.S. lawmakers are urging U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to prevent a fresh outbreak of violence at a camp for former Iranian resistance fighters in Iraq .

Ex-pats return to build a new African nation — South Sudan

JUBA, South Sudan — Sitting in fading daylight in the front yard of a small hotel in Africa’s newest nation, Jimmy Makuach recounts a life torn apart by civil war.

Professor elected as prime minister of Libya

Libya ’s interim leadership on Monday elected an electrical engineering professor who has taught in the United States as the country’s new prime minister.

Rajat Gupta held, pleads not guilty; out on $10mn bail

Rajat K Gupta, the Kolkota-born former director of Goldman Sachs and former global head of McKinsey & Co., on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to insider trading charges.

Clinton defends U.S. efforts to talk with terrorists

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Thursday defended the Obama administrations efforts to talk to the Taliban and an al Qaeda -linked terrorist network, but skeptical members of Congress said this approach cannot work without support from Pakistan .

Activists fear Egyptian military is crushing hopes from revolution

In the eight months since the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's ruling military has postponed presidential elections, extended a controversial emergency law, cracked down on peaceful demonstrators and arrested critics.

Gadhafi caught, killed in Libya

Moammar Gadhafi, who brutally ruled Libya for more than four decades, died of gunshot wounds after he was captured in his hometown of Sirte on Thursday, but his death leaves many challenges for the revolutionary council now ruling the oil-rich North African nation.

To Upset The Apple Cart-el

Why did India not figure in Steve Jobs’s vision?

U.S. wants all Myanmar political prisoners freed

Myanmar's military-backed government must release all political prisoners and stop violating the rights of ethnic minorities before it can expect normal relations with the United States, a top Obama administration official said Monday.

What happened to Obama?

When Barack Obama took the oath as the first black president of the United States of America on a frigid January morning in 2009, he inherited a nation that was deeply divided, embroiled in two unpopular wars halfway across the globe and sliding speedily into the treacherous abyss of an economic recession.

Virginian held on charges of surveilling foes of Assad

The Justice Department has charged a Syrian-born U.S. citizen with spying on Americans demonstrating against Syria’s Assad regime and passing that information on to Syria intelligence officers to intimidate the protesters.

Security forces abduct thousands in Syria

Scores of youths have been abducted from cities across Syria in what residents say is a campaign by the state’s security services to stoke sectarian tensions and break the back of a months-long protest against President Bashar Assad’s regime.

Arab Spring Hits The Street

Greed is no longer good? America’s have-nots put fatcats in the crosshairs of popular anger.

Shed Afghan-India paranoia for peace: Obama to Pakistan

President Barack Obama said on Thursday that he wants to help Pakistan realise that a peaceful relationship with India is in the best interest of the region, but he admitted that changing the Pakistani approach would be a challenge.

Son of Congo’s former dictator a candidate for president

The son of Congo’s former dictator vowed to use military force to crack down on Congolese soldiers and rebels who have kept up a years-long campaign of rape against civilians in the Central African nation, saying he will hold the guilty accountable if he is elected president.

U.N. veto called ‘green light’ for Assad

Syrians seeking the ouster of President Bashar Assad’s regime and European officials on Wednesday chided Russia and China for vetoing a U.N. resolution aimed at pressuring the embattled autocracy.

Western effort to end Assad’s crackdown fails

Russia and China on Tuesday vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution that called on Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime to respect human rights and stop using violence against civilians taking part in a months-long bid to oust the government.

Government ties killing of ex-president to Pakistan

The assassination of Afghanistan’s former president was plotted in Pakistan, the government said Sunday, increasing pressure on its neighbor that already is facing heat from the Obama administration about its ties to recent terrorist attacks.

Rebels fearful of Islamist takeover in Libya

Qatar’s support for a former jihadist leader who is now the top rebel commander in Tripoli, Libya, is causing unease among Libyan rebels who worry that the revolution that ended Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s four-decade rule is being hijacked by Islamists.

U.S. demands action on terrorist network

The United States on Tuesday demanded that Pakistan dismantle a terrorist network blamed for attacking a U.S. embassy as Pakistanis defended efforts to fight militants and demonstrated against the increasing U.S. pressure.

“There Are Concerns In Washington About Modi’s Role In 2002 Riots”

The coordinator of CRS report that named Narendra Modi as a potential prime ministerial candidate in 2014 on reactions in India.

Selective Morality

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi holds a dubious distinction, which is barely remembered now in the clamour around his supposed projection as a candidate for the post of prime minister in 2014.

Mullen: Pakistani spy agency assisting terrorists

Pakistan’s intelligence agency helped terrorists plan and conduct an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, last week, Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Thursday.

‘Growth In India Will Slow Down As The Economy Grows’

The man who describes himself as the “Lady Gaga of finance” contends that the global recession is a consequence of globalisation.

‘If We Resolve The Basics, Manufacturing Will Grow’

The man the Businessweek rates as one of the most popular and influential exponents of management on the various challenges before India—and India Inc.

Ex-Afghan president killed in bomb attack

A Taliban suicide bomber with explosives hidden in his turban killed a former Afghan president who headed a government council seeking peace with Taliban militants.

Libyan rebels press pro-Gadhafi forces on three fronts

Libyan rebels on Friday were engaged in fierce battles with forces loyal to Moammar Gadhafi in three of the ousted dictator’s remaining strongholds.

Rebels urge more NATO airstrikes

Libya’s new rulers urged the visiting leaders of Britain and France on Thursday to continue NATO airstrikes in the North African nation as rebels entered one of deposed dictator Moammar Gadhafi’s last remaining strongholds.

Indian Mujahideen on US terror blacklist

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Thursday designated the Indian Mujahideen (IM), an India-based terrorist group with ties to Pakistan, as a “Foreign Terrorist Organisation” and a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist”.

Jackie Kennedy found Indira pushy, horrible

Jacqueline Kennedy was sharply critical of world leaders, including Indira Gandhi, according to newly released audio tapes recorded months after the assassination of her husband, John F. Kennedy, in 1963.

‘Islamist, Hindu terror India’s twin worries’

India faces a twin threat from indigenous Islamist and Hindu terrorism, according to a new Congressional Research Service (CRS) report.

Terrorists attack U.S. Embassy in Kabul

Male Islamic militants dressed as women in head-to-toe burqas infiltrated the heart of the Afghan capital on Tuesday and attacked the U.S. Embassy and NATO headquarters, using weapons smuggled in truckloads of construction material, a senior Afghan security official said.

Sombre America pauses to remember victims of 9/11

Two men divided by politics came together on Sunday morning to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York and the Pentagon outside Washington.

US: Sad, Suspicious and Scared

Life in the United States of America changed on a crisp September morning 10 years ago. The deadliest terrorist attack on American soil resulted in a vicious racial backlash, the sting of which continues to be felt by Sikhs, Muslims and the South Asian community.

Lessons for India

While the United States has managed to prevent terrorists from striking on its soil since 9/11, the recent bomb blast outside the Delhi High Court left many in India wondering why India hasn’t been able to achieve a similar degree of success.

Gadhafi denies he’s in Niger; loyalists fire rockets at rebels

Forces loyal to Col. Moammar Gadhafi fired rockets at rebels on Thursday, hours after the ousted Libyan dictator denied he had fled to neighboring Niger.

Gadhafi backers in Niger, rebels say

A large convoy of Libyan military vehicles, led by Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s security chief, crossed into neighboring Niger on Monday night, as rebels negotiated a takeover of the regime’s remaining strongholds.

One Gadhafi son set to surrender, rebel forces say

One of the sons of ousted strongman Col. Moammar Gadhafi was negotiating his own surrender, Libyan rebels said Wednesday, while another son issued a defiant message saying that the regime would fight to the death.

Gadhafi’s wife, daughter and sons flee to Algeria

Moammar Gadhafi’s second wife, two sons and a daughter arrived in Algeria on Monday as rebels closed in on the Libyan dictator’s last stronghold.

China overtakes India in Sudan

‘Hello? Namaste ?” a voice called out from a mass of sweaty onlookers pressed up against each other to get a better look at the smartly attired military band that belted out South Sudan’s new anthem.

Retreating Gadhafi forces massacre detainees at two sites

Troops loyal to longtime Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi massacred more than 180 prisoners at two locations south of Tripoli this week, according to eyewitnesses and a survivor.

Female snipers resist rebels in Tripoli

Foreign female snipers in Tripoli mounted a fierce resistance against Libyan rebels Thursday, as fugitive dictator Moammar Gadhafi tried to rally last-ditch supporters to save his 42-year reign over the North African nation.

Rebels overrun Gadhafi’s compound in Tripoli

Libyan rebels breached Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s fortified military compound in Tripoli after a fierce firefight Tuesday evening but found no sign of the dictator or his family.

Gadhafi loyalists draw out fight

The euphoria that swept Tripoli, Libya, on Sunday appeared to dissipate early Monday, as residents learned that forces loyal to Col. Moammar Gadhafi still controlled parts of the capital and the longtime Libyan dictator remained at large.

Gadhafi's fate in question, sons detained

Libyan rebels captured Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s second-oldest son, and another son surrendered Sunday after the rebels stormed Tripoli, sparking massive celebrations in the Libyan capital.

Libyan rebels close in on Gadhafi

Rebels fighting to end Libyan strongman Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s 42-year reign seized control of one key oil town in the west of the country, but suffered setbacks in another in the east on Saturday.

Flight of Gadhafi is rumored

Rumors that Libya dictator Moammar Gadhafi is preparing to flee the country are being fueled by suspicious activity at two Tripoli airports, rebel sources told The Washington Times.

Gadhafi prepares for blitz of Scuds

Forces loyal to Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi are preparing an arsenal of Scud missiles for a full-scale assault on rebel positions, opposition sources told The Washington Times.

US concerned over Pak-LeT connection

The US is concerned about Pakistan’s continuing links with the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Haqqani Network yet must continue to maintain what two senior US officials described as a complicated relationship.

Rebels start to surround Gadhafi in capital

Libyan rebels advanced on the capital, Tripoli, from the west on Monday, threatening to encircle dictator Moammar Gadhafi, who also had another top aide flee his crumbling regime.

Pressures bear down on Sudanese strongman

A month after he lost part of his country to a new nation, Sudanese President Omar Bashir is facing multiple challenges that could destabilize his regime, Western officials and analysts say.

The Peacekeeper’s Child

Sexual misconduct by Indian soldiers and officers on UN duty in Congo raises disturbing questions.

Libyan rebel commander's death puzzling

Questions about last week’s suspicious death of the Libyan rebels’ top military commander abounded on Monday, even as France pledged an additional $260 million to the rebels’ cause and the United States reiterated its support for their government.

South Sudan continues custom of beating and jailing reporters

JUBA, South Sudan — Harassment, arbitrary detention and beatings come with the turf for journalists in South Sudan who dare to question the government’s actions, expose corruption or report the opposition’s point of view.

Libyan rebels seek weaponry from allies

Libyan rebels have asked their international allies, including the U.S., for heavy weaponry to help them topple Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s regime and capture the capital, Tripoli.

Anti-India lobbyist held in US

The US Justice Department has charged two US citizens in a decades-long conspiracy to illegally funnel millions of dollars from the Pakistan Government and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency to push the Kashmiri cause in Washington.

South Sudan facing population explosion

JUBA, South Sudan — Africa’s newest nation is only 3 days old, but it already is facing a humanitarian crisis, with about 1,000 people a day crowding into this dusty capital straining under the population crush.

South Sudan marks its independence

Juba, SOUTH SUDAN — Southern Sudanese and dignitaries from around the world watched the new flag of the Republic of South Sudan be raised for the first time at independence celebrations in the new country’s capital, Juba, on Saturday.

South Sudan the world’s newest nation

Juba, SOUTH SUDAN— South Sudan became the world’s newest nation and effectively one of the poorest on Saturday, but for at least today this grim fact did little to spoil the party in the streets of Juba.

When Sudan Prez will meet his detractors, face-to-face

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir’s decision to attend South Sudan’s independence celebrations in Juba on Saturday has created an awkward situation for delegations from countries that have been pressing for his arrest on a war crimes indictment.

South Sudan is the newest nation!

Juba is abuzz. As South Sudan prepares to declare independence on July 9, the capital city of the world’s newest nation is busy dressing up for a three-day celebration.

Bashir at South Sudan's independence day a problem

JUBA, SUDAN — Sudanese President Omar Bashir’s decision to attend South Sudan’s independence celebrations in Juba on Saturday has created potentially awkward situations for delegations from countries that have been pressing for his arrest on a war crimes indictment.

Challenges temper joy on eve of founding of South Sudan

JUBA, Sudan— An impromptu celebration broke out under the shade of a mahogany tree in the heart of Juba on Wednesday.

Apu’s At Work Here, Flonging The Pages

Indian-origin scribes have overcome old cultural stereotypes to ascend to the top.

Where Asok Comes To The Party

Second generation Indian Americans are making a mark in varied careers.

Libyan students in U.S., Canada to receive stipends again

QUEBEC CITY — Libyan students studying in the U.S. and Canada will begin receiving their scholarship money after the funds had been cut off under international sanctions against their home country.

Obama: Sudan’s violence stymies U.S. relations

The U.S. cannot improve relations with Sudan's government in Khartoum unless the north and the south end violence in an oil-rich region they both claim, President Obama said Wednesday.

Khartoum accused of ‘ethnic cleansing´

A senior Southern Sudanese official on Wednesday accused northern troops of “ethnic cleansing” near the internal border between the predominantly Muslim north and the mostly Christian and animist south.

Gadhafi forces flank key rebel-held Libyan city

With NATO’s attention mostly focused on Tripoli, troops led by two sons of Moammar Gadhafi have flanked Misrata in a pincer move aimed at retaking the key rebel-held city in Libya’s west.

Twitter, sex and politics

When Anthony Weiner, a Democratic congressman from New York, tearfully informed the world that he had sent inappropriate photographs of himself to women on Twitter, one couldn't help but be struck by a sense of deja vu.

US court lets Rana off on 26/11

Tahawwur Rana, a Chicago-based Pakistani native, was acquitted on Thursday by a US jury of conspiracy to provide material support to the terrorists who attacked Mumbai in November of 2008. More than 160 persons, including six Americans, were killed in that attack.

Haqqani terrorists threaten U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan

Continued support from Pakistan's military and intelligence agency for a major Islamic terrorist network is hamstringing the Obama administration’s efforts to withdraw U.S. troops from neighboring Afghanistan, according to Western officials and analysts.

Taliban, al Qaeda pursue peace deals

A large number of Taliban and al Qaeda fighters “have lost all hope” and are seeking peace deals with the Afghan government since U.S. commandos killed Osama bin Laden last month, a senior Afghan official told The Washington Times this week.

Delay U.S. aid until Islamabad reforms, report says

The United States must delay much of a $7.5 billion aid package to Pakistan until the South Asian ally riddled with corruption and anti-American militancy makes major economic reforms, according to a new report.

Pakistani who exposed al Qaeda cell found slain

A Pakistani journalist who wrote last week about the suspected infiltration of Pakistan's navy by al Qaeda terrorists was found dead Tuesday, two days after he went missing in Islamabad.

U.N. freeze hits Libyan students abroad

About 2,500 Libyan students and their families living in North America have become victims of the conflict raging in their homeland.

Congress raves over Israeli prime minister

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received a rapturous reception worthy of a rock star from lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle on Capitol Hill on Tuesday - a stark contrast to last week’s tense White House visit.

The Domineer

As skeletons peep out of Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s dirty closet, many Frenchmen cry conspiracy.

Sudan jeopardizes removal from terrorist list

Sudanese President Omar Bashir risks losing an opportunity to get his country off a U.S. terrorist list and normalize relations with Washington, if he continues ignoring demands to withdraw troops from the disputed oil-rich province of Abyei, a senior U.S. official said Monday.

Leaked cable says Pakistanis sabotaged own air missions

Pakistani airmen sabotaged their fighter jets to prevent them from participating in operations against militants along the border with Afghanistan, according to a leaked U.S. Embassy cable.

Libyan rebels want food, supplies from West

Libyan rebels are composing a list of items they say the West must buy for them, citing the Obama administration’s reluctance to formally recognize them as Libyans’ legitimate representatives or give them access to dictator Moammar Gadhafi’s frozen assets.

Arrest warrant sought for Gadhafi

The prosecutor for the International Criminal Court on Monday sought arrest warrants for Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, his son Seif al-Islam Gadhafi and his brother-in-law Abdullah Sanussi for crimes against humanity.

The Sole Spokesman

Except JuD, other militant outfits have refrained from direct sympathy for Osama.

That Faraway Hyper-Dystopia

The American street opens up on Pakistan.

Libyan rebels seek cash, recognition at White House

Libyan rebel leaders will plead with the White House on Friday to be officially recognized as the government of the embattled nation and for money when they meet face-to-face with top Obama administration officials eager to size up who they’ve been backing.

Weak Afghan army raises doubts over readiness

A deadly spring offensive launched by the Taliban in Afghanistan has put the spotlight on the countrys fledgling army, which Western officials and analysts say is being undermined by corruption, the lack of rule of law and a weak government in Kabul.

‘Before ’59, It Was An India-Tibet Border. Defence Bill Wasn’t High.’

The newly elected Kalon Tripa (prime minister) of the Tibetan government-in-exile prepares to take over the political role of the Dalai Lama

The Sheikh’s Story To Tell

What is Osama bin Laden’s legacy? And what does it hold for West Asia and the subcontinent?

Without bin Laden, Taliban may talk peace

Osama bin Laden’s death in a U.S. commando raid could shock Taliban militants, who once sheltered the al Qaeda leader, into peace talks with the Afghan government, according to Afghanistan’s ambassador in Washington.

Libyan rebels fear Gadhafi is preparing mustard gas

Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s troops in and around the rebel-held western Libyan city of Misrata have been issued gas masks, a sign that the regime may be preparing to use chemical weapons, rebels told The Washington Times on Wednesday.

Obama vetoes release of Osama photos

US President Barack Obama has decided not to release photographs of a dead Osama bin Laden out of concern that the graphic images may incite acts of terrorism or be used as by terrorists as a propaganda tool. US officials have described the photographs as gruesome.

US says Osama was unarmed

The White House on Tuesday revised its version of events surrounding Osama bin Laden's death saying that the Al-Qaida leader was unarmed and not hiding behind his wife, when he was fatally shot in an encounter with the US Special Forces in Pakistan on Sunday.

Pak either incompetent or involved: CIA chief

The CIA ruled out Pakistan as a partner in the Navy Seals’ operation to capture or kill Osama bin Laden because it feared Islamabad may alert the Al-Qaida leader, according to CIA Director Leon E Panetta.

Pak pushed to the wall over Osama taint

Osama bin Laden’s death in a firefight with US forces in a million-dollar mansion 30 miles outside Islamabad has raised questions about Pakistan’s complicity in concealing the Al-Qaida leader.

US forces kill Osama bin Laden inside Pakistan

OSAMA bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaida and the most recognisable face of global terrorism, was killed in a US military operation at a heavily fortified compound, around 60 km north of Islamabad, US President Barack Obama announced late on Sunday evening.

India welcomes ‘historic’ bin Laden death

India on Monday welcomed news of Osama bin Laden’s death as a “historic development” and “victorious milestone” in the global war against terrorism.

Brotherhood calls for U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, Iraq

The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt said the United States must withdraw its troops from Afghanistan and Iraq now that Osama bin Laden has been killed.

Karzai: Bin Laden death proves Afghanistan not ‘place of terrorism’

Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Osama bin Laden’s death in Pakistan proves that his country is “not the place of terrorism.”

Bin Laden’s hideout raises questions about what Pakistan knew

The death of Osama bin Laden in a million-dollar mansion about 35 miles outside the Pakistani capital and not in a secret mountain hideout raised questions Monday about Pakistani complicity in concealing the al Qaeda leader.

Musharraf: Bin Laden mission violated Pakistan

Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on Monday accused the U.S. of violating his country’s sovereignty by sending in special forces to kill Osama bin Laden.

Panel blacklists Egypt for religious oppression

Egypt systematically oppresses Christians and minority Muslim sects, according to a congressional commission that placed a key U.S. ally in the Arab world on a blacklist of nations that routinely abuse religious liberties.

Gates, British counterpart: Gadhafi´s HQ a valid target

U.S. and British defense officials Tuesday declared Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s headquarters in Tripoli a “legitimate” target, but denied that NATO is trying to kill the Libyan dictator.

Sudan’s ruling party keeps foes from drafting a new constitution

Southern Sudan will become Africa’s newest nation in July, but politicians are already squabbling among themselves and worrying Western supporters who hoped for a smooth passage to democracy after the continent’s longest civil war.

Gadhafi lays siege to west mountain towns

Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s forces have laid siege to towns in Libya’s Western Mountains, cutting off essential supplies and creating a humanitarian crisis among the mostly ethnic Berber population, rebels and other sources in Libya said.

British, French find resistance to more anti-Gadhafi airstrikes

NATO remained deeply divided over the future of the military campaign in Libya after foreign ministers meeting in Berlin Thursday debated calls for increased airstrikes against Moammar Gadhafi.

Arabs, West plan to fund Libyan rebels, possibly from Gadhafi’s accounts

Western and Arab leaders Wednesday agreed to provide ragtag Libyan rebels with “material support” and funds, possibly from Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s frozen foreign bank accounts, as they escalated international pressure on the Libyan dictator to relinquish power.

Libyan rebels: Colombian female snipers fighting for Gadhafi

Libyan rebels are receiving reports that female snipers from Colombia have joined other mercenaries fighting to keep dictator Moammar Gadhafi in power.

US-Pak intelligence ties hit a new low

The US-Pakistan cooperation in the fight against extremism appears to be in dire straits with a Pakistani official saying joint intelligence operations have been on hold since January, while a US news report on Tuesday said Pakistan has asked the CIA to suspend drone strikes on militants on its territory.

Worked at behest of Pak govt, ISI: Rana

David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Hussain Rana, accused in the 2008 Mumbai massacre plot, are expected to tell a Chicago court that they thought they were working for Lashkar-e-Toiba as well as Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence. Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian, is to go on trial on May 16.

Besieged Libyan city at center of stalemate

Pounded by Moammar Gadhafi’s forces for nearly 50 days, the largest rebel-held city in western Libya has become a symbol, a coveted prize in a civil war gripped in a bloody stalemate.

Libyan rebels blame airstrike lull on Turkey

Libyan rebels, angry about a lull in NATO airstrikes on dictator Moammar Gadhafi’s forces, are directing their rage at Turkey, the only Muslim member of the alliance.

Fear, hunger grip Tripoli as Gadhafi cracks down

Thousands of people in Tripoli live in fear of secret police as they struggle with a shortage of food and fuel approaching a humanitarian crisis, several current and former residents of the Libyan capital said Tuesday.

Gadhafi’s inner circle beginning to crack

Cracks are emerging in Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s inner circle, raising the possibility that the Libyan dictators grip on power may be weakening after 42 years.

Gadhafi son offers to step in for peace

Col. Moammar Gadhafi appeared to be scrambling for a political solution to the civil war in Libya, as his favorite son proposed a peace plan and a key envoy headed to Greece on Sunday with a message to the prime minister from the Libyan dictator.

Foes of Gadhafi demand trial for defector

Libyan dissidents and relatives of those killed in the bombing of an airliner over Scotland in 1988 said Thursday that Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s former foreign minister must be held accountable for his suspected role in acts of terrorism, despite his defection from the regime.

Libyan rebels blame retreat on lack of allied air cover

Forces loyal to Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi sent rebels on a full-scale retreat Wednesday from towns captured earlier this week, as resistance sources blamed a sudden lack of allied air cover and a shortage of arms for the rout.

Obama defends Libyan intervention

US President Barack Obama on Monday vigorously defended his decision to intervene in Libya saying to brush aside America’s responsibilities “to our fellow human beings under such circumstances would have been a betrayal of who we are.”

Rebels say Gadhafi uses rape as fear tactic in war

Libyan rebels say condoms and Viagra found on soldiers loyal to Col. Moammar Gadhafi are proof of a campaign of rape waged by the Libyan dictator to terrorize male and female opponents.

Rebels close in on Gadhafi hometown

Libyan rebels closed in on Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s tribal stronghold Sirte on Monday, but despite significant gains over the past few days, they predicted a bloody battle lies ahead.

NATO agrees to lead airstrikes against Gadhafi

NATO agreed Sunday to take command of the airstrikes over Libya from the U.S.-led coalition, as rebels advanced on the capital, Tripoli, seizing key coastal towns from forces loyal to Col. Moammar Gadhafi.

Gadhafi urged to split Libya with rebels

Aides close to Moammar Gadhafi are urging the Libyan dictator to crush the resistance in a rebel-held town close to the capital, Tripoli, and then propose a division of the country with the rebels holding the eastern part, rebel sources told The Washington Times on Thursday.

Coalition quibbling on Libya continues

The U.S.-led military coalition continued to bicker Wednesday over a new command structure for airstrikes in Libya, as allied warplanes began pounding Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s forces in the rebel-held city of Misurata, giving residents respite from a weeks-long siege.

Libya costs, mission unclear

The allies in the U.S.-led military operation in Libya debated a new command structure Tuesday, with differences over the ultimate aims and scope of the campaign impeding an agreement, as forces loyal to dictator Moammar Gadhafi shelled the coastal city of Misurata.

Libyan rebels call for coalition hits in smaller cities

The U.S.-led coalition pounded targets in Libya on Monday, extending the U.N.-mandated no-fly zone around the rebel-held town of Benghazi, as Pentagon officials insisted that they would soon hand over command of the operation to allies.

Arab League reconsiders action against Libya

A Western coalition Sunday kept up a barrage of airstrikes on Libya, while the head of the Arab League condemned the military action and called an emergency meeting to reconsider Arab support for the mission.

Gadhafi’s forces attack rebels in Benghazi

Libyan dictator Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s forces attacked the eastern city of Benghazi, the heart of the rebellion against the regime, and heavy fighting was reported from the western city of Misurata on Saturday.

UNSC resolution imposes no-fly zone over Libya

India’s decision to abstain from a United Nations Security Council vote to impose a no-fly zone over Libya has drawn criticism from rebels seeking to overthrow the Muammar Gaddafi’s regime.

Pro-Gadhafi forces continue assaults, despite government cease-fire

Residents of Misurata and Adjabiya in Libya said pro-Gadhafi forces were continuing an assault on their cities, hours after the Libyan government had announced a cease-fire in response to a U.N. Security Council resolution.

U.N. imposes no-fly zone over Libya

The U.N. Security Council on Thursday approved a resolution to impose a no-fly zone over Libya and take “all necessary measures” to protect civilians, even as Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s warplanes bombed Benghazi, the eastern city at the heart of the rebellion.

Poisonous snakes in Pak backyard biting neighbours: US

An “enduring solution” in Afghanistan is the best way to make Pakistan realise how to achieve its national security aims without “allowing elements on its soil who create problems for their neighbours,” Gen David Petraeus, top US commander in Afghanistan, told lawmakers in Washington on Tuesday.

Libya opposition a learned group

Engineers, doctors, professors and lawyers, some with Western degrees and all claiming support for a democratic Libya, make up the opposition that aims to topple Col. Moammar Gadhafi.

Libyan rebels fault U.S. inaction

Opponents of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafislammed the Obama administration Tuesday for failing to support a no-fly zone over the North African nation and recognize their provisional government as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people.

Gadhafi intimidating, detaining reporters

Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi is waging a campaign of intimidation against journalists and suspected opponents of his regime, according to Libyans and human rights groups.

On Corporate Secret Service

A posterboy for Indian Americans, Rajat Gupta is charged with financial misdeeds.

Libyan rebels put responsibility on U.S.

The U.S., European Union and Arab League will be to blame if Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi uses chemical and biological weapons against his opponents, Abdel Rahman Shalgam, Libya’s former envoy to the United Nations, said on Friday.

Gadhafi, opposition forces begin competing diplomatic offensives

Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi on Wednesday unleashed a diplomatic offensive to win international support for his embattled regime, while his opponents launched their own effort to gain recognition as the “sole legitimate representative of the Libyan people.”

Libyan rebels call for ‘surgical airstrikes’

Libyans facing daily bombardments by Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s forces are calling for foreign airstrikes against his strongholds as the United States and its allies continue to debate the imposition of a “no-fly zone” over Libya.

Gadhafi’s forces lay siege to rebel-held territories in Libya

Residents of some rebel-held cities in Libya were living in a state of siege Monday, as troops loyal to Col. Moammar Gadhafi launched air and ground attacks in an offensive aimed at winning back lost territory.

Pakistan minister murdered for criticism of Islam blasphemy law

The assassination of a second high-profile critic of Pakistan's blasphemy law Wednesday snuffed out any hope that the government will amend the decree that prescribes the death penalty for those insulting Islam.

Rebels fight off Gadhafi in west Libya

Rebel forces fended off Moammar Gadhafi’s troops in the western part of Libya on Tuesday, and thousands of people fleeing the violence massed at the North African nation’s borders prompting warnings from international aid groups of a humanitarian crisis.

Many Libyans oppose U.S. invasion

Many Libyans oppose the idea of Western troops on the shores of Tripoli, as the Obama administration and its allies on Monday said no option is off the table in their effort to oust longtime dictator Col. Moammar Gadhafi.

Gadhafi hits social media

After days of firing on unarmed protesters, Moammar Gadhafi‘s regime has turned its fury on those it blames for stoking the anti-government uprising: Libyan youths who spread revolution on Facebook and Twitter.

Gaddafi’s defiance a worry for world

Libyan dictator Col Muammar Gaddafi’s defiant pledge to die a ‘martyr’ and crack down on anti-government protesters has set off alarm bells in the international community and among human rights groups.

Gadhafi vows to ‘die’ rather than flee Libya

Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi vowed Tuesday to “die a martyr” rather than flee his embattled country, as tens of thousands of foreigners rushed across the borders to Tunisia or Egypt or caught emergency flights to Europe.

Gadhafi losing grip on Libya

The United States on Monday demanded an end to the “unacceptable bloodshed” in Libya with violence spreading in Tripoli, as Moammar Gadhafi appeared to be losing his iron grip on his oil-rich nation as it became swept up in the Arab uprisings gripping the Middle East.

TVU issue: US assures Rao of ‘fair solution’

The Obama administration has promised a “fair solution” in the case of Indian students who were enrolled at a sham university in California, according to Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao.

Justice to probe case of Pakistan shooting

The Justice Department plans to investigate the fatal shooting last month of two Pakistani men by a U.S. Consulate employee who said he killed them in self defense. The State Department, meanwhile, continues efforts to free the American from jail, complaining Pakistan violated diplomatic immunity by arresting him.

Southern Sudan faces steep challenges for foreign cash

Rebel attacks that have killed more than 200 people in southern Sudan underscore the challenges facing the fledgling nation as it seeks foreign investment, a senior southern Sudanese government official said Tuesday.

Egyptian protesters not seen accepting Suleiman as new leader

Gen. Omar Suleiman, who spent much of his career in the shadow of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, emerged in recent weeks as the man most likely to oversee a transition toward political reform in Egypt.

Lawmakers criticize Obama’s response to Egypt crisis

Republican and Democratic lawmakers criticized the Obama administration‘s response to the political crisis in Egypt during a congressional hearing on Wednesday.

Sudan’s terror-list removal untied from Darfur

The Obama administration intends to remove Sudan from a U.S. terrorist blacklistregardless of progress in the conflict-riddled province of Darfur. The move is likely to anger some members of Congress and human rights activists.

Muslim Brotherhood takes centrestage in Egypt

The Muslim Brotherhood favours cooperation with all countries and the West has no cause to fear its intentions, according to a senior member the Islamist group that could end up playing a prominent role in a future government in Egypt.

Sudan under pressure after south secedes

A decision by an overwhelming majority of southerners to secede from Sudan likely will put new pressure on President Omar al-Bashir’s fragile regime in a region rocked by anti-government protests.

Leaderless protest spawns crowded field for president

What began as a leaderless movement in the streets of Cairo has evolved into a crowded field of would-be power brokers hoping to lead a new government in Egypt.

Muslim Brotherhood cagey on government shift

The Muslim Brotherhood is seeking to make the most of its position as Egypt‘s largest and best-organized opposition group after initially declining to participate in the pro-democracy protests that have swept the nation.

The Third Degree

A fake university bust in the US nets Indian students. Were they just victims?

He Sleeps With Wolves

For decades, the United States has always harped on the universal virtue of democratic governance even as it bolstered despots in West Asia, choosing to condone repression in return for nurturing its interests in the region. It’s why Washington could never win the support of the Arab streets.

Arab rulers watch unrest for signs its contagious

Ripples of unrest spreading across the Arab world are prompting some governments there to brace for a tide of protests over unemployment and longtime autocratic rule.

Mubarak backers join fray in Egypt

The nine-day-old uprising in Egypt took a dark turn Wednesday, as pro-government demonstrators riding horses and camels clashed with pro-democracy protesters hurling rocks and Molotov cocktails in riots that broke out across the country.

King of Jordan fires government

The king of Jordan fired his government in a surprise move on Tuesday amid nationwide protests calling for political reforms, as similar demonstrations were sweeping through the Arab world.

Chinese Whisper Gets Louder

Hu’s US visit rakes up the issue of China’s abysmal human rights record.

Arabs brandishing people power

Economic grievances, including high levels of unemployment and rampant corruption, have been a key driver of protests erupting across the Arab world in recent weeks.

At 110, Pak N-stock shoots past India’s: Report

Pakistan has doubled the size of its nuclear stockpile over the past several years, edging past India and now has more than 100 deployed weapons, according to a Washington Post report.

Egyptian Muslims call out for ElBaradei

A leaderless uprising in Egypt rallied Sunday around Nobel laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, with the Muslim Brotherhood, the country’s largest opposition group, saying it will support him in negotiations with President Hosni Mubarak‘s regime.

Yemenis take to streets to demand ruler’s ouster

Protests for democratic reforms spread Thursday from Tunisia and Egypt to Yemen, where thousands of people gathered in the capital, Sanaa, to demand that the impoverished country’s longtime president step down.

U.S. supports Egyptians’ right to demonstrate

The Obama administration on Wednesday voiced its support for the Egyptian people’s rights to freedom of expression and assembly, as a second day of protests in Cairo saw police using tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse stone-throwing demonstrators.

Tunisia uprising sparks a wave of generosity

Autocratic regimes in the Arab world are trying to buy the support of their citizens, driven by fear that ripples from the political upheaval in Tunisia could also sweep them from power.

Al-Qaida man beheaded Pearl

Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was beheaded by Al-Qaida No. 3 Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and not the four men convicted by a Pakistani court in his murder, according to a new report.

Terrorist leader blacklisted by U.S. for mass murders

The Obama administration on Thursday blacklisted a senior leader of Pakistan-based militant group that has used suicide attacks to kill scores of people in Pakistan and Afghanistan, including seven Americans.

Probe uncovers problems in Pearl case

Pakistani authorities "knowingly used perjured testimony" and failed to pursue other leads in convicting four men of the 2002 murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, according to a report based on a 3 1/2-year probe of the case.

Much to be done for human rights: China

The Chinese President Hu Jintao on Wednesday acknowledged that “a lot still needs to be done in China, in terms of human rights.” Hu was speaking at the White House following a meeting with US President Barack Obama.

Wife of detained Chinese human rights lawyer seeks Obama’s help

The wife of Gao Zhisheng, a Chinese human rights lawyer who revealed details of the torture he was subjected to while in detention in China, says she has not heard from her husband since he went missing again in April of last year and fears for his life.

Split from north Sudan favored by south

Officials in Sudan said Wednesday that early results for a referendum on splitting the country in two show that more than 98 percent of voters in and near the south's capital of Juba voted for independence from the north.

Amnesty International makes accusations against Sri Lankan forces

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa is reportedly on a personal visit to the U.S., prompting calls from an international human rights group that he be investigated for his alleged role in torture and war crimes.

Wife of missing Chinese lawyer fears for his life

The wife of Gao Zhisheng, a Chinese human rights lawyer who revealed details of the torture he endured in detention in China, says she has not heard from her husband since he went missing again last April and fears for his life.

IAEA seeks permission from Myanmar for nuke inspectors to visit

The United Nations' nuclear watchdog has asked Myanmar's reclusive military junta to allow the agency's inspectors to visit amid growing concern that the Southeast Asian nation's rulers may be trying to build a nuclear weapon.

Rights group says China failed to keep promises

An international human rights group says China has allowed civil rights to be abused despite the communist government's plan to curb such abuses over the past two years.

U.S. plans to reward Sudan if vote goes well

The Obama administration is weighing options to give an early reward to Sudan's government if a referendum that would allow the southern part of the country to secede takes place without a hitch.

Sudan vote puts stability on the line

Fallout from an upcoming referendum on south Sudan's independence poses risks for the political stability of the northern part of the country, the security of the southern part and the economies of the northeast African region.

Pakistani governor opposed to blasphemy law slain

The governor of Pakistan's richest and most populous province, Punjab, was assassinated in Islamabad on Tuesday by one of his bodyguards, who said he was angered by the governor's opposition to the country's blasphemy laws.

Taliban benefits as Afghans' anti-drug efforts stall

Afghan efforts to eradicate opium-yielding poppy crops that fuel the Taliban-led insurgency have stalled as a result of a lack of incentives and adequate security for farmers who may be inclined to cut ties with the Taliban, according to Afghan and Western officials.