The deadly 2008 terror attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul was sanctioned and monitored by senior officials of Pakistan's ISI, according to a new book.The suicide car bomb attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul on July 7, 2008 left 58 people - including two top Indian officials - killed and over 140 injured."The embassy bombing was no operation by rogue ISI agents acting on their own. It was sanctioned and monitored by the most senior officials in Pakistani intelligence," wrote senior journalist Carlotta Gall in her latest book 'The Wrong Enemy: America in Afghanistan 2001-2004', to be out next month.The then Bush Administration, that received advance intelligence information, mainly through intercepts of phone calls, could not prevent the deadly attack, wrote Gall, one of the only women Western reporters on the ground in Afghanistan after 9/11 and covered the Af-Pak conflict for 10 years.The bombing of the Indian Embassy in Kabul "revealed the clearest evidence of ISI complicity in its planning and execution", according to excerpts from the book provided to PTI."American and Afghan surveillance intercepted phone calls from ISI officials in Pakistan and heard them planning the attack with the militants in Kabul in the days leading up to the bombing. At the time, intelligence officials monitoring the calls did not know what was being planned, but the involvement of a high-level official in promoting a terrorist attack was clear."The evidence was so damning that the Bush administration dispatched the deputy chief of the CIA, Stephen Kappes, to Islamabad to remonstrate with the Pakistanis. The bomber struck, however, before Kappes reached Pakistan," she said."Investigators found the bomber's cell phone in the wreckage of his exploded car. They tracked down his collaborator in Kabul, the man who had provided the logistics for the attack. That facilitator, an Afghan, had been in direct contact with Pakistan by telephone," Gall wrote."The number he had called belonged to a high-level ISI official in Peshawar. The official had sufficient seniority that he reported directly to ISI headquarters in Islamabad.The embassy bombing was no operation by rogue ISI agents acting on their own. It was sanctioned and monitored by the most senior officials in Pakistani intelligence," she claimed in her book, running into more than 300 pages. While Pakistan has repeatedly denied its involvement in the Indian Embassy attack, several mainstream US newspapers, including The New York Times, and the governments of India and Afghanistan have accused the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of being behind the attack.In her book, Gall said the choice of attack was revealing.She wrote: "An attack on the Indian Embassy and the military attache, longtime foes of Pakistan, could be explained by Pakistan as stemming from 60 years of antagonistic relations."But this was not a subtle attack needling an old foe. It was a massive car bomb detonated in the centre of a capital city; designed to cause maximum injury and terror. The plan was also to terrify and undermine the confidence of the Afghans and their government, sending a message not just to India but to the forty-two countries that were contributing to the NATO-led international force to rebuild Afghanistan.""The aim was to make the cost too high for everyone to continue backing the (Afghan President Hamid) Karzai government. The ISI wanted them all to go home," she wrote.According to Gall, as the Afghan government investigated the attack on the Indian Embassy, they became convinced that the "ISI was working with al Qaeda, the Taliban, the Haqqanis, and Pakistani groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba," which was behind most of the attacks on Indian targets.""You think after so many years of this, we don't know who our enemy is?" a senior Afghan security official retorted when I questioned his findings. His American counterparts knew as well but just could not admit what Pakistan was doing, out of hubris, he said."They always have the evidence, but they think the viability of Pakistan is more important," Gall wrote.However, Pakistan denied all this, she said.(Agencies)
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India will free up another 10 million tonnes of wheat in the open market, Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said on Thursday (24 July) after a cabinet meeting, as part of efforts to keep a lid on food prices.The government buys rice and wheat from local farmers to build reserves and to sell subsidised food to the poor.India's retail food inflation eased to 7.97 percent in June from 9.56 per cent in May after the government took steps to check hoardings and curb exports of onions and potatoes.(Reuters)
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Snapping 4-day falling streak, gold prices rose by Rs 20 at Rs 30,350 per 10 gram here Saturday on low level buying by stockists and retailers amid firm trend in global markets.However, silver extended losses for the 5th day and fell further by Rs 250 to Rs 44,950 per kg.Traders said the global prices were driven up amid tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine, increasing demand for gold as a safe investment.Gold in New York, which normally set price trend on the domestic front, rose by 0.4 per cent to 1,336 dollar an ounce.On the domestic front, gold of 99.9 and 99.5 per cent purity recovered by Rs 20 each to reach Rs 30,350 and Rs 30,150 per ten gram respectively. It had lost Rs 500 in last four days. Sovereign also rose by Rs 50 at Rs 25,250 per piece of eight gram.On the other hand, silver ready fell by Rs 250 to Rs 44,950 per kg and weekly-based delivery by Rs 270 to Rs 44,650 per kg. The white metal had lost Rs 2,000 in the previous four sessions.Meanwhile, silver coins held steady at Rs 84,000 for buying and Rs 85,000 for selling of 100 pieces.(PTI)
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Both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress are facing protests from disgruntled members over the selection of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls. Congress is further hampered by Cabinet ministers like P Chidambaram and Manish Tiwari refusing to fight for the Lok Sabha elections. BJP, on the other hand, has to deal with senior politicians who are not in the Modi camp, gettting sidelined. On 21 March, BJP snubbed senior leader Jaswant Singh by denying him a ticket in the Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan and instead decided to field recent entrant Col Sonaram Choudhary (recently defected from Congress) in Barmer, which Singh was seeking. The denial of ticket to Singh, who is considered close to L K Advani, comes a day after the party patriarch was virtually forced to choose the Gandhinagar seat in Gujarat, against his wishes to contest from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh.There is speculation that Singh might contest as an independent but there was no confirmation. Read Also: Congress's Deserting ShipThe changing power equations in Rajasthan, with Vasundhara Raje registering a thumping victory in the assembly elections, have apparently forced the party to deny him the ticket and give it to Choudhary, a jat leader from the area.What was expected to be a two-way fight between Congress and UPA has taken a new turn with the emergence of Aam Admi Party (AAP). Born of a street movement against graft scandals related to the sale of natural resources over the last decade, the AAP has also gained ground, alleging corruption in both main parties.It may not win many seats, but is setting the election agenda by harping on high utility prices and crony capitalism.Exuding self-confidence, Modi has won the support of many middle-class Indians who even a year ago would not have voted for a man accused by critics of failing to stop, or even tacitly encouraging, a spasm of Hindu-Muslim bloodshed in Gujarat in 2002. Modi has denied any wrongdoing and the Supreme Court has said there is not enough evidence to pursue investigations.However, India's fragmented political landscape and first-past-the-post system in parliamentary polls makes results hard to predict, meaning a BJP victory is by no means assured.Voting will be held in nine stages staggered between April 7 and May 12 to help security forces keep control. Violence, ballot-rigging and vote-buying have often marred past electionsFight For Ticket In Modi's Home State GujaratCongress saw opposition regarding the selection of candidates for the Ahmedabad-West (SC), Kutch (SC) and Banaskantha seats and ruling BJP in Mehsana, Dahod and Kheda.Both BJP and Congress have announced nominations for 21 of the total 26 seats.After Congress nominated Ishwar Makwana for Ahmedabad-West (SC) seat, sitting party MLA from Dariyapur Gyasuddin Shaikh raised his objection. In his representation to Gujarat Congress leaders, Shaikh claimed that Makwana is an 'imported' candidate."Makwana is basically from BJP and hails from Mehsana.When we already have strong Dalit leaders here, what was the need to import such candidates," asked Shaikh, referring to former IPS officer Rajan Priyadarshi and former IAS officer P K Valera. Both of them joined Congress after retirement."Both Priyadarshi and Valera are very learned and dedicated leaders. We have suggested their names for Ahmedabad West seat. However, since it didn't happen, I expressed my dissatisfaction to the high command," he said.Similarly, some Congress workers are unhappy over its candidate for Kutch seat that is reserved for the SC category.After the selection of Jamnagar-based Dinesh Parmar for the seat, local Dalit leaders as well as supporters of other 'hopeful' candidates approached Kutch Congress president Navalsinh Jadeja yesterday to register their protest.However, Jadeja is unfazed by the protests. "Some of our leaders and workers approached me and conveyed their concern to me. But I believe that our Dalit leaders will remain with us to fight against BJP," said Jadeja terming their protest as "minor". In Banaskantha, Maldhari community is unhappy over the selection of Joitabhai Patel by Congress. According to the community leaders, Congress "betrayed" them."Three months ago, we had asked Congress leaders to select a Maldhari leader for at least one seat, that is Banaskantha, where large number of Maldharis dwell. Though they assured us that a ticket will be given to our leader Raghu Desai, they betrayed us by nominating Patel," said Nagji Desai, president of Maldhari Ekta Samiti.Desai called a meeting here today and gave 48-hour "ultimatum" to Congress to reverse its decision."Maldharis are considered a strong force in Banashkantha with 1.70 lakh voters. If Congress fails to fulfil our demand, we will decide our strategy after 48 hours," said Desai.Just like Congress, BJP is also facing similar protests and anger over the selection of their candidates for Mehsana, Kheda and Dahod. Though BJP has not declared its candidate for Kheda seat yet, local leaders staged protest over the delay and possibility of selection of an 'outsider'.Devusinh Chauhan, who lost against Congress leader Dinsha Patel in 2009, is considered a "favourite" among local BJP leaders and workers."We want the high command to select Devusinh. We don't want any outsider here," said Jayantibhai Sodha, president of Kheda Jilla Panchayat.To mount pressure on BJP high command, Sodha and 500 other BJP workers staged a protest in front of Kheda BJP office today.Devusinh lost to Patel with a thin margin of 846 votes in 2009 and according to sources BJP is not keen to repeat candidates who lost earlier. Meanwhile, party workers heard a rumour that party had selected someone else.In Mehsana, local Patel leaders are unhappy over the selection of sitting MP Jayshreeben Patel as BJP candidateSecretary of Unjha based Umiya Mata Temple Trust wrote a letter to BJP leaders expressing dissatisfaction."We wanted the party to give ticket to a strong candidate.There were many such leaders who were in the list, such as A K Patel and N L Patel. But, they were ignored. Thus, I have written a letter to party high command to reverse the decision," said Vikram Patel, who represents more than seven lakh Kadva Patel families in north Gujarat.In Dahod, seven-time Congress MP Somji Damor, who had crossed over to BJP, expressed agony over his rejection for Dahod seat.BJP has given ticket to Jaswantsinh Bhabhor for Dahod. "I have been ignored by my party since long. I even made representations earlier," Damor, who joined BJP after he lost in 2009, said. "Though I never asked for ticket, the party could have given ticket to my son Vanraj, who can easily win.Now, I am keeping my options open," Damor said.However, senior Congress and BJP leaders termed these issues as "minor"."Congress is having a democratic system, in which anyone can freely make their representation. Thus, party high command will take appropriate steps in the coming days about the issues raised by our leaders and workers about the selection of candidates. There is no question of dissatisfaction, as none of them said that they would go against the party if their demands are not met," said Gujarat Congress spokesperson Mansih Doshi."Only central parliamentary board has the authority to decide about the candidates. The issue of dissatisfaction is artificially created and hyped by some people. Even Patel community is not against us. Only some people of that community have problems. Thus, we are not worried about it," said senior BJP leader and Minister of State for Home Rajnikant Patel(Agencies)
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CBI has questioned T K A Nair, advisor to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in connection with alleged irregularities in allocation of coal blocks which included granting of a block to Hindalco at Talabira despite it being rejected by a screening committee of Coal Ministry.As the agency prepares its submission before the Supreme Court later next week, CBI sources said that a detailed questionnaire had been sent to Nair which was replied by him.The questions included those on coal policy and allocation of coal blocks when the Prime Minister was in charge of the coal ministry between 2006 and 2009.The replies of Nair were sought on delay in auctioning of coal blocks, missing coal files and events leading to the Talabira coal block being given to Hindalco in which the CBI has registered a case against then Coal Secretary P C Parakh and Chairman of Aditya Birla Group Kumar Mangalam Birla.The CBI would now be informing the Supreme Court about the replies sent by Nair.The agency has already examined two former PMO officials --Vini Mahajan and Ashish Gupta-?who were posted in the PMO between 2006 and 2009.Mahajan, a 1987-batch IAS officer from Punjab cadre, was a Director with the PMO during the period and has now been repatriated back to the state where she is Principal Secretary level officer. Gupta, an IPS-officer of 1989-batch from Uttar Pradesh cadre, who was the vigilance officer in the PMO, has also gone back to his cadre. The CBI questions revolved around granting of Talabira coal mines in Odhisa to Hindalco as the agency has alleged in its FIR that the company got the coal block even after being rejected by the screening committee.It alleged that the only material change that took place between rejection of Hindalco's application by the screening committee and allotment were two letters routed to the then Coal Secretary P C Parakh through the PMO and his personal meeting with Kumar Mangalam Birla.CBI will be filing its final reports in five coal scam cases before March 26.CBI has filed 16 FIRs which included those against AMR Iron and Steel, JLD Yavatmal Energy, Vini Iron and Steel Udyog, JAS Infrastructure Capital Pvt Ltd, Grace Industries, Jindal Steel and Power, Rathi Steel and Power Ltd, Jharkhand Ispat, Green Infrastructure, Kamal Sponge, Pushp Steel, Hindalco, BLA Industries, Castron Technologies and Castron Mining and Nav Bharat Power Private Limited.These FIRs were registered after the agency probed three preliminary enquiries related to coal block allocation between 2006 and 2009, 1993 and 2004 and projects given under a government scheme.(Agencies)
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Two weeks after a Malaysia Airlines jet carrying 239 people vanished, an international search deep in the southern Indian Ocean stepped up on Saturday (22 March) even as Australia cautioned the investigation's best lead remained a tentative one.Officials are bracing for the "long haul" as searches by more than two dozen countries turn up little but frustration and fresh questions about Flight MH370 which vanished on a scheduled flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8.Six aircraft and two merchant ships are now scouring an area of the remote southern Indian Ocean where suspected debris was spotted by satellite earlier this week.Australia, which announced the potential find and is coordinating the rescue, has cautioned the objects might be a lost shipping container or other debris."Even though this is not a definite lead, it is probably more solid than any other lead around the world and that is why so much effort and interest is being put into this search," acting Australian Prime Minister Warren Truss told reporters at a Perth airforce base.China, Japan and India are sending more planes and Australian and Chinese navy vessels are also steaming towards the zone, more than 2,000km (1,200 miles) southwest of Perth.Weather conditions are good, with 10 km (6 miles) of visibility, according to search officials - a crucial boost for a search that is relying more on human eyes than the technical wizardry of the most advanced aircraft in the world."While these aircraft are equipped with very advanced technology, much of this search is actually visual," said Truss, who also warned that the objects detected by satellites may now be at the bottom of the Indian Ocean."It is a very remote area, but we intend to continue the search until we are absolutely satisfied that further searching would be futile, and that day is not in sight," he said.Australian Maritime Safety Authority spokesman John Young said the operation was still considered search and rescue."The plan is we want to find these objects because they are the best lead to where we might find people to be rescued," he said.Clock TickingMalaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said searchers were facing the "long haul" but were conscious that the clock was ticking. The plane's "black box" voice and data recorder only transmits an electronic signal for about 30 days before its battery dies, after which it will be far more difficult to locate.Aircraft and ships have also renewed the search in the Andaman Sea between India and Thailand, going over areas that have already been exhaustively swept to find some clue to unlock one of the biggest mysteries in modern aviation.Investigators suspect the Boeing 777, which took off from Kuala Lumpur for Beijing shortly after midnight on March 8, was deliberately diverted thousands of miles from its scheduled path. They say they are focusing on hijacking or sabotage but have not ruled out technical problems.The Telegraph newspaper published what it said was a transcript of communications between the cockpit of Flight MH370 and Malaysian air control, but few if any new clues emerged.The search itself has strained ties between China and Malaysia, with Beijing repeatedly leaning on the Southeast Asian nation to step up its hunt and do a better job at looking after the relatives of the Chinese passengers.For families of the passengers, the process has proved to be an emotionally wrenching battle to elicit information, their angst fuelled by a steady stream of speculation and false leads.Some experts have argued that the reluctance to share sensitive radar data and capabilities in a region fraught with suspicion amid China's military rise and territorial disputes may have hampered the search.Two people familiar with the investigation said the search had been slowed in some cases by delays over the paperwork to allow foreign maritime surveillance aircraft into territorial waters without a formal diplomatic request.Truss said he was grateful for the search craft offered by China and others, which are expected to arrive at the Australian airforce base on Saturday.Australian rescue coordinators said they are awaiting confirmation of the planes and ships offered before they are included in any search schedules. break-page-breakUS Spends $2.5 mn In Search For Malaysian Jet The US military's search for the missing Malaysian jetliner has cost $2.5 million so far, the Pentagon estimated on Friday (21 March), adding it has set aside about $4 million for the hunt so far, enough to cover operations through early April.It was the first disclosure of costs for the US ships and aircraft joining the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-370, which went missing almost two weeks ago with 239 people aboard.The United States initially dispatched the Navy's guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd, as well as the USS Pinckney, to comb the seas for any signs of wreckage. They have been withdrawn.Two US spy planes are now hunting for the jet, including an advanced P-8A Poseidon designed to spot submarines.Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steve Warren acknowledged that some of the costs of the hunt would have been money spent regardless. He did not say whether the United States might seek any reimbursement from Malaysia."As of now, we've set aside $4 million to aid in the search. Based on our current expenditures, we expect these funds will last until sometime in the beginning of April," Warren said.That is not a deadline, however. At the Pentagon on Thursday, spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said: "We're going to stay with this as long as the Malaysians need our help."Earlier on Friday, Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said via Twitter he would speak to U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel about the need for "pinger locator hydrophones".The Navy has a system called a "Towed Pinger Locator", an underwater listening device towed behind ships that is used to search for downed Navy and commercial aircraft at depths of up to 20,000 feet (6000 meters), according to the U.S. Navy's website.The P-8 spy plane also carries sonobuoys that can be dropped into the sea and use sonar signals to search the waters below.The Pentagon confirmed the call but did not immediately provide details on any requests.The international team hunting Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in the remote southern Indian Ocean failed to turn up anything on Friday, and Australia's deputy prime minister said the suspected debris may have sunk.International aircraft and ships have also renewed a search in the Andaman Sea between India and Thailand, going over areas that have already been exhaustively swept to find some clues.Beyond dispatching the P-8A Poseidon, the US Navy has also dispatched its P-3 spy plane. That aircraft was expected to shift its search toward the remote Cocos Islands from the Bay of Bengal, the Pentagon said."I don't have an exact timeline (for the shift in search area). I believe over the weekend," Warren said. (Reuters)
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The rupee was trading at 60.14/15, after hitting 60.1225, its highest since July 17 and versus previous close of 60.24/25.Importer dollar demand to meet month-end payment commitments will limit gains in the Indian unit.The rupee is seen in 60.00 to 60.30 range during the day.Most Asian units trading stronger against the dollar.Foreign fund flows into the domestic sharemarket to remain key factor determining rupee direction. The Nifty is trading up 0.43 per cent.Asian stocks edge up as risk aversion triggered by recent geopolitical tensions continues to ebb.(Reuters)
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The rupee is trading higher at 61.03/05 vs previous close of 61.34/35, tracking strength in equities. Local shares up 0.5 per cent, tracking regional peers.Foreign investors bought Indian shares worth $117.87 million on Thursday (20 March) when the benchmark BSE Sensex fell 0.4 per cent, provisional exchange data shows, highlighting the strong overseas interest for Indian equities.The dollar's index against six major currencies currently down 0.05 per cent.Most other Asian currencies trading mixed compared with the dollar.The US dollar hovered near a three-week peak against a basket of major currencies early on Friday, but could struggle to extend gains as investors awaited more clarity on the US Federal Reserve's policy path.(Reuters)
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Making his wealth public a day before stepping into the fray, Infosys co-founder and Congress candidate from Bangalore South, Nandan Nilekani has declared that he and his wife Rohini Nilekani have assets worth Rs 7,700 crore. "I started out with 200 rupees in my pocket, when I graduated from IIT; ...we founded Infosys with Rs 10,000," Nilekani's media team, quoting him, said. "Today, because of the success of a company built from scratch, Nandan and Rohini have assets of Rs 7,700 crore," a release issued by the media team said. His formidable opponent and five-time Lok Sabha member from Bangalore South, Ananth Kumar of BJP has declared himself poorer than his wife Tejaswani. In an affidavit filed yesterday, Kumar has declared his total assets stands at Rs 51.12 lakh, while Tejaswani owns assets worth of Rs 3.86 crore. Total assets owned by the family is Rs 4.4 crore. Chief architect of UPA'S flagship "Aadhar" scheme, Nilekani took the political plunge on March 9, when he joined Congress, a day after the party named him as its candidate from Bangalore South. Bangalore South has been a hostile terrain for Congress which had been tasting defeat since the late 1970s, barring in 1989 when former Chief Minister late R Gundu Rao had won. Nilekani said, "Most of our wealth, almost 80 per cent remains in Infosys shares; ...This wealth was created while Infosys brought lakhs of jobs to Bengaluru. The company also shared a lot of wealth with our employees through ESOPs (employee stock ownership plan)." He said he still owns 1.45 per cent, and Rohini 1.3 per cent of Infosys. Saying he is proud of the fact that his wealth is completely transparent, he said, "I haven't made any of my money illegally, or hid it in investments outside the country." "Nothing is hidden in someone else's bank account. It is all completely transparent, and tax-paid," he added. Since 1999, both are said to have donated almost Rs 400 crore of their wealth to various causes and charities. "I have worked in the social sector for more than 15 years now...and when I came into some money through the sale of Infosys shares, I was able to spend more on my philanthropy," Rohini Nilekani said. Nilekani and Rohini have prioritised their philanthropy into areas like water, governance, education.(Agencies)
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Gold prices fell for the third- straight day by dropping Rs 255 to Rs 30,425 per 10 grams in the national capital on Thursday (20 March) on sustained selling by stockists in tandem with weakening global trend. Silver followed suit and lost Rs 540 at Rs 45,700 per kg on poor offtake by industrial units and coin makers. Traders said the sentiment remained bearish on stockists selling and weakening global trend as Federal Reserve signalled a rise in interest rates while further reducing monetary stimulus, boosting the dollar and curbing demand for the metal. Gold in Singapore, which normally sets the price trend on the domestic front, fell by 0.3 per cent to $1,325.66 an ounce and silver traded tad lower at $20.59 an ounce from 20.61 yesterday. On the domestic front, gold of 99.9 and 99.5 per cent purity plunged by Rs 255 each to Rs 30,425 and Rs 30,225 per 10 grams, respectively. It had lost Rs 150 in last two trade. Sovereigns also declined by Rs 100 at Rs 25,200 per piece of eight grams. Similarly, silver ready dropped by Rs 540 to Rs 45,700 and weekly-based delivery by Rs 340 to Rs 45,500 per kg. The white metal had lost Rs 960 in the previous two days. Silver coins too tumbled by Rs 1,000 to Rs 85,000 for buying and Rs 86,000 for selling of 100 pieces.(Agencies)
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