How political New Delhi's cancer causes India pain
The UPA has failed over the last three years because it is in denial mode, refusing to accept that so much is rotten inside the government and the party, says Sheela Bhatt.

Pak military may bow to US pressure on NATO supplies
As the United States has clearly linked an invitation to Pakistan to attend the upcoming Chicago summit on Afghanistan's future to the resumption of the NATO supply line, the Pakistani military leadership seems willing to reopen the supply routes which could perhaps win Islamabad a seat at the Chicago meet, scheduled for May 21-22.

'Let no one speak anything against the RAW'
Former Research and Analysis Wing chief C D Sahay comes to the defence of the agency in the backdrop of the 'fake' terror alert and says that one vital piece of information at a critical movement is worth everything.

'America not a safe place to live anymore'
Twenty-year-old Rahul Sharma, a student in the United States, was shot in the head and killed in Fremont's Centerville neighborhood, Ritu Jha reports.

Prasoon Joshi: Manto's impact is imprinted on me forever
On Saadat Hasan Manto's 100th birth anniversary, writer-lyricist-ad filmmaker Prasoon Joshi talks about the writer who he first couldn't fathom and was prohibited from reading and yet went on to become one of his favourites.

After Daniel Pearl, another Jew becomes Qaeda's target
Warren Weinstein, the first American citizen to be taken hostage by Al Qaeda linked terrorists in Pakistan since Daniel Pearl, is also a Jewish American like the ill-fated journalist. Amir Mir reports

'When confronted by a mugger, don't try to be a hero'
The murders of Indian students in the United States in the last few years has been a reason of worry for not only students but also their parents in India. Arthur J Pais reports

The hate crime that wasn't
Amid speculations that Andhra Pradesh students in America were targeted for robbery and murders, came the news of Soumya Tummala Reddy, a 22-year-old electrical engineering student at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, who was shot to death near a lake close to Chicago in September 2008.

Maoist abductions: How long will we make deals?
Our policies on hostage crises have been marked by significant tentativeness and not surprisingly, these have been exploited by the extremists, points out Bibhu Prasad Routray

Prez poll: Sushma queers BJP pitch, helps Cong powerplay
If Sharad Pawar, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Karunanidhi and the Left parties endorse the Congress's game-plan, it is difficult to see how Sonia Gandhi's choice will fail to become President, reports Sheela Bhatt

Talks FAIL: Pakistan still wants an apology, US says NO
Continuation of drone strikes and US's reluctance to tender an apology over the killing of 24 Pakistani soldiers proved to be stumbling blocks in the talks between United States and Pakistan, reports Tahir Ali

Stealth frigate INS Teg adds might to Indian Navy
INS Teg, which has been inducted into the Indian Navy, incorporates innovative stealth technologies to reduce her radar cross-section, infrared and magnetic signatures, as well as radiated underwater noise, reports RS Chauhan

Of Mamata and Mati
There's more to the mob attacking the Jadavpur University professor than meets the eye, says Sunanda K Dutta-Ray

Delhi, Dhaka ramp up visits to solve thorny issues
Agreements on Teesta River water sharing, land boundaries and extradition remain in limbo in spite of friendly relations between India and Bangladesh, says Syed Tashfin Chowdhury

Indian MPs send strong message to Lankan President
An Indian parliamentary delegation's visit to Sri Lanka sent a clear message to the Sri Lankan government on the need to tackle the political grievances of the Sri Lankan Tamil community. Shubha Singh reports.

Pakistan: Demographic disparity can worsen faultlines
For a rapidly radicalising State, uneven population growth among various ethnic groups can be catastrophic, warns Alok Bansal

'Full security keeps Maoists away, and villagers too'
Kidnapped Sukma collector Alex Paul Menon's friend and collector of Bastar district in Chhattisgarh, Ponnusamy Anbalagan, speaks to A Ganesh Nadar

Former IB chief: Maoists won't hurt collector
'Menon's kidnappers are unlikely to behave like the radical Islamists who have a tendency to displease their own people and community. The Maoists are shrewd and will bargain hard, but not behave recklessly. Young Christians are their primary constituency and they bank heavily on them in the jungles.'

Ties with Iran: Will India be able to avoid US wrath?
India's Ambassador to Washington, DC, Nirupama Rao and her team are doing everything to avoid American wrath, and the resultant legislation of sanctions, against India for not whole-heartedly joining the US-led efforts to isolate Iran. Aziz Haniffa reports

Is this Pakistani POW still holed up in an Indian jail?
Some families in Pakistan are still holding on to the hope of seeing their loved ones -- soldiers of the Pakistan Army who went missing during the 1971 War and never returned. Tahir Ali reports

'We can't have a bureaucracy that's 100 pc risk averse'
Many of our civil servants would rank among the best in the world... The civil servants in our country should fight the tendency of not taking decisions because of the fear that things might go wrong and they might be penalised for that... Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh addresses bureaucrats on the Civil Services Day

Exclusive: STOP AP's mining, Cong minister tells guv
In a startling development, a Union minister and Congress leader has dashed off a letter to the Andhra Pradesh governor, urging him to take action against the state government ruled by his own party

Slain Pak scribe's wish: to visit relatives in Nagpur
Finally the home ministry relented and agreed to grant Murtaza Rizvi a visa and he was scheduled to come to India on June 30, 2012, before fate intervened in the form of his murderer(s), reports A Ganesh Nadar

Special: Enforced disappearances on the rise in B'desh
Human rights organisations believe that enforced disappearances are replacing extra judicial killings in Bangladesh. In most cases the victims were 'arrested' by men claiming to be law enforcement officials, reports Syed Tashfin Chowdhury.

Rajya Sabha to consider repealing Sibal's IT Rules
The Left parties have decided to back the annulment motion and efforts are on to mobilise members of Parliament across party lines. If the motion is accepted by the Rajya Sabha, it will be sent to the Lok Sabha, probably in the monsoon session, reports Shivam Vij