Ahead of 9/11 anniversary, Gitmo photos of mastermind Khalid Sheikh on the web

The first photographs of the self-proclaimed 9/11 mastermind at Guantanamo Bay have cropped up on the Internet, and experts say the images of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed are being used by terrorist groups to inspire attacks against the United States.

The photographs, taken in July by the Red Cross at the Guantanamo detention centre in Cuba, show Mohammed in a white robe, a red-patterned headdress and a long salt-and-pepper beard.

They are the first known images of Mohammed since shot taken upon his capture in Pakistan in March 2003 showing him in a white T-shirt, with disheveled hair and a moustache. Since then, only courtroom sketches from his trial have been available.

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Mortal threat, says United States, as Pak troops rush to stop Taliban

Tightening their grip on Pakistan’s restive northwest, Taliban militants today attacked the Frontier Constabulary sent to stop their advance in Buner, just 100 km from Islamabad, and swept into Shangla, another district near the Swat Valley. One policeman was killed and another wounded in the attack in Buner while tension gripped Shangla after more than 30 Taliban fighters moved in and began patrolling a market in the area.

As US mounted pressure on Pakistan to act against the Taliban — US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told lawmakers in Washington “I think the Pakistani government is basically abdicating to the Taliban and the extremists” while Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned that failure to confront the threat could affect US-Pakistani relations —Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said his government would consider “other options” to check the “Talibanisation”.

Swat’s militants have entered Buner in large numbers, establishing checkpoints, patrolling roads and spreading fear.

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Month after United States sanctions,disgraced A Q Khan is free

Pakistan’s disgraced scientist A Q Khan, accused of running a clandestine nuclear proliferation ring, was today declared a free citizen by a court here amid reports of a secret pact with the government, five years after being placed under house arrest.

Shortly after the Islamabad High Court announced its order, 72-year-old Khan, wanted for questioning by US and other investigators,said he was“not obliged”to answer to any foreigner or anybody, except his government.

Relief for Khan, considered as the father of the country’s atomic bomb, came from the Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court Sardar Mohd Aslam who said the scientist was a free citizen subject to certain security measures. “The petitioner (Khan) is a free citizen,” the judge said while disposing off a petition after hearing counsels for the government and the scientist in a closed-door session.

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A 10-ball night, but only one couple mattered

In Obama's neighbourhood on Tuesday night, Mary J Blige couldn’t stop the tears up onstage. Stevie Wonder was on the keyboard. And when the new President mixed with the crowd, ABC cut to commercial.

Even with those mystery moments, it was a glittering start to a 10-ball night, a night when it didn’t seem to matter that the temperature was less than 28 degrees and the wind was cutting through the thickest overcoats.

Obama launched it with the Neighborhood Ball at the Walter E Washington Convention Center, a party where the new President and the first lady shared the stage for their first dance with Beyonce. Obama, confronted with one of the entertainment world’s hottest babes, kept his eyes on the first lady, Michelle Obama.

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Ties very good, let’s do better: Prime Minister to Obama

US President-elect Barack Obama has described the India-US strategic relationship as a “very important partnership”, and said his administration would like to work with New Delhi on all important global issues.

Obama called Prime Minister Manmohan Singh this morning, the PMO said. The PM had earlier clarified that Obama and he had been unable to talk because of scheduling constraints.

The PM congratulated Obama warmly and said that his “historic victory was a source of inspiration for oppressed people all over the world”, a PMO statement said. Obama “praised the Prime Minister’s contribution to the progress of India both as Minister of Finance earlier and now as Prime Minister”. Singh told Obama that “relations between India and the United States were very good, but we cannot be satisfied with the status quo”.

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United States House clears nuclear deal, Prime Minister says happy but wait for final outcome

India and US are now just one step away from closing a 38-month Herculean effort to have a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement between the two countries after the House of Representatives cleared the agreement with a two-thirds majority late Saturday night. The pact now rolls over to the Senate where a senator backed by five others has moved an “on hold” anonymous motion that has got the Senate leadership back on its toes to have it passed early next week.

Singh, meanwhile, is all set to preside over the signing of a similar agreement with France as Department of Atomic Energy head Anil Kakodkar joined his delegation in France. The two countries will also sign a path-breaking space launch agreement, where medium-weight French satellites will be launched by the PSLV.

The news of the House approval — 298 votes in favour, 117 opposed — broke minutes before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was to address the Indian community, setting the stage for his speech in which he thanked the US Administration for their efforts. Later, on his way to Marseille for the Indo-EU summit, Singh gave his first reactions. “I have just heard that the House has passed the Bill which will now go to the US Senate.

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For first time, United States made gun seized in the Valley

For the first time in the Valley, a US-made gun has been recovered from militants killed in an encounter three days ago. While militants have been known to use Chinese, Russian and Japanese weapons in the state, security forces had never recovered one of US origin.

The gun its butt burnt has markings of Colt's Firearms, Colt Industries, Hartford, USA, etched on its body, right above the trigger.The black plastic magazine, recovered intact, has markings of THERMOLD D.& D INC WILSON, N.C., USA.

The police said the gun has 22 rounds of slim but long bullets in its magazine, and is probably an SMG (submachine gun). Deputy Inspector General, Baramulla range, B Srinivasan said that they suspected that the gun was a used Pakistani army weapon.

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