Saturday, December 18, 2010, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 2:30 am (IST)

Hindu radicals bigger threat than LeT: Rahul
WikiLeaks cables on India trigger political blame game
Washington/New Delhi, Dec 17
In what has come as a major embarrassment for the Congress and triggered a political storm, a leaked American diplomatic cable reveals that Rahul Gandhi had told US Ambassador to India Timothy J Roemer that growth of ‘radicalised Hindu groups” posed a bigger threat to the country than militant groups like the Laskhar-e-Toiba (LeT).

Widespread torture in J&K, says Red Cross

CWG organisers still owe millions to foreign firms
London, December 17
Foreign companies are planning legal action against organisers of the New Delhi Commonwealth Games, claiming they are still owed millions for their work on the opening and closing ceremonies and are being blocked from taking their equipment out of India.

Tech snag delays flights at T3
New Delhi, December 17
Several flights were delayed after the computerised system used for checking-in passengers collapsed for about an hour at Terminal 3 of the IGI airport today. “Computerised checking-in system at terminal-3 of the IGI airport collapsed at around 4.30 pm and it could only be restored after an hour,” an airport source said.

K’taka Governor back to BJP-bashing
Bangalore, December 17
After a brief lull, Karnataka Governor HR Bhardwaj was on Friday back to his old game-of needling the BJP-led government in the state. Bhardwaj today told reporters here that the state government has “failed” to check illegal mining and demanded that Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa reply to his recent letters on illegal mining and alleged land scams.

Dragon & elephant should tango: Wen
New Delhi/Beijing December 17
"The dragon and the elephant should tango," Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao suggested today. He came up with this quip to emphasise the need for the two Asian giants, whose rivalry has been compared to that between the dragon (China) and elephant (India), to come closer. He told a group of editors and scholars before leaving for Pakistan, "The dragon and the elephant should tango and that should become the consensus between the two countries."

Maoists gun down 6 in Purulia
Kolkata, December 17
Six persons, including a village pradhan, were gunned down by Maoists at Jhalda in Purulia last night. According to information, about a dozen Maoists carrying AK-47 rifles and other weapons attacked Jhalda village and abducted six Forward Bloc workers from their houses. Those abducted included a woman and the village pradhan. Their bodies were later found on the Purulia-Jhalda road.

US drone attacks kill 26 Pak militants
Peshawar, December 17
Stepping up attacks in the restive Khyber tribal region of northwest Pakistan, US drones fired missiles at three terrorist hideouts today, killing at least 26 militants. The drones fired several missiles at three bases of the banned Lashkar-e-Islam group in Tirah area of Khyber tribal agency, official sources said. (Details on world page)

India’s Tour of South Africa
Proteas in cruise control
 Centurion, December 17
South Africa were comfortably placed at 366 for two in their first innings in reply to India's paltry 136 at the end of second day's play in the first cricket Test here today. Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis were unbeaten on 116 and 102, respectively. The hosts now lead by 230 runs. Earlier, Alviro Petersen struck a sparkling 77 as South Africa increased their first innings lead to 156 after 71 overs. (Details on sports page)

Sonia to pen a book on saying no to PM-ship London, December 17 Congress President Sonia Gandhi has promised to write a book detailing the tense moments in 2004 when she stepped aside in favour of Manmohan Singh for the prime ministership after the UPA emerged victorious in the general elections. Stating that she is often asked why she turned down the top job, Gandhi told a visiting US dignitary in New Delhi in 2006 that "I am often asked about this, but tell people that I will write a book someday with the whole story," according to a secret US cable releasd by WikiLeaks. The 2006 cable details Gandhi's meeting with Maria Shriver, the First Lady of California and wife of Governor Arnold Shwarznegger.