US embassy in Kabul torched
Islamabad: The abandoned US embassy in Kabul was torched by protesters today even as Afghanistan said a threat of US strikes had receded.

Though an aircraft carrier was spotted near the coast of Pakistan and US forces readied for a massive firepower launch in the region, there were new indications that such an eventuality might not happen so soon.

Meanwhile, Iran has refused to cooperate with the US in its anti-terrorism campaign saying the US was arrogant and of questionable competence.
Back to News Review index page   Currency converter

US targets Kashmiri terrorist groups
Washington: The United States of America today said its top priority was to get rid of the Taliban and Osama bin Laden. It will crackdown on other terrorist groups, including those in Jammu and Kashmir after the first objective was achieved.

This was clarified to India's national security advisor Brajesh Mishra, who met the US deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage. The US clarified that there was absolutely no change in cause with respect to India. India is believed to have expressed concerns about terrorist groups outside the first list of 27 groups named by the US.

The US indicated that its first priority is to go after the terrorist groups that attacked Washington DC. It gave some sort of assurance to India that it will also try and combat other terrorist groups. India is hopeful that some of the terrorist groups from Pakistan that are active in Kashmir will also be targeted. India has said that it is aware of the United States' priorities but it hopes that subsequent action on the other terrorist groups will also take place.
Back to News Review index page   Currency converter

Yogesh Shah arrested
Ahmedabad: The police in Ahmedabad today arrested Yogesh Shah wanted by the FBI and the Interpol for fraud and cheating of over $15 million in the United States.
Yogesh Shah was wanted in a number of cases of fraud and money laundering in the United States and has been on the run since December last year. The Interpol had issued a warrant for his arrest.

Promoter of Chicago-based Development Corporation, Mr Shah is alleged to have defrauded $15 million.
Back to News Review index page   Currency converter

20 killed in Jharkhand mine collapse
Ranchi: A coal mine caved in, crushing at least 20 workers in Jharkhand today. The dead included nine women in the Godda district in the mineral-rich state, said S P Singh, director for technology at the Eastern Coalfields Limited. Fourteen bodies had been recovered, Singh said.
The collapse appeared to have been caused by heavy rains in the remote thickly forested region.
Back to News Review index page   Currency converter

Nasscom, Mait may merge
New Delhi: Countrys two apex IT industry associations -National association of software companies (Nasscom) and Manufacturers Association of Information Technology (Mait)-are likely to merge soon in order to better leverage and synchronise their lobbying activities.
Indicating this, Nasscom president Kiran Karnik said both these organizations need to work more closely in order to develop and expand the domestic market for hardware and software. "Both the sectors cannot do without each other. The IT industry has been doing fine on the exports front. But in order to stand on both legs it needs to expand the domestic base," Karnik said. The software industry has to work hand-in-hand with the hardware industry to develop the domestic market, he added. Nasscom and Mait would jointly work-out a strategy over the next three months.
CII, Mait and Nasscom have joined hands to organise an IT fair in Mumbai in February 2002 to show case India's capability in IT and telecom. The domestic IT market in 2000-01 is pegged at around Rs 26,100 crore.
Back to News Review index page   Currency converter