Here's another photograph of slain Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden that has emerged on the web. Though the veracity of the photograph is yet to be ascertained, many believe that this could be the real thing. Do you think so?

Just in: The Kerala government has announced Rs 5 crore compensation for Endosulfan victims.

Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan has been spearheading the agitation for countrywide ban on the manufacture, supply and use of the insecticide.
Endosulfan is an off-patent organochlorine insecticide and acaricide. The colourless solid has emerged as a highly controversial agrichemical due to its acute toxicity.
A Geneva Convention by the parties of Stockholm Convention decided to include endosulfan in the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) list last week, meaning that it would be eventually phased out from the world.
The insecticide is already banned in several European countries.

An anonymous call threatening to kill Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee have prompted security agencies to conduct searches in the National Capital Region to identify the caller.
The call made from a mobile phone was received at the Delhi Police Control Room on Tuesday evening, they said, adding thatthe caller threatened to kill Singh and Vajpayee.
During investigations, sources said, the number was traced to be active in Ghaziabad. However, they said, searches did not yield much result as the address used to procure the SIM card was found to be fake

Here's putting the record straight. Army chief General V K Singh has said that the Indian armed forces are 'competent' to carry out an operation similar to the one conducted by the United States in Pakistan against Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.
"I would like to say only this that if such a chance comes, then all the three arms (of the military) are competentto do this," Singh told media persons.
The statements assume significance as there had been demands after 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that India shouldcarry out surgical strikes on terror camps in Pakistan

Even as Air India's domestic operations remained crippled today with the pilots continuing their strike for the eighth day, informal efforts are reportedly on to initiate talks with the agitators.
The pilots, however, said they were yet to get any formal intimation about the talks, though Air India management claimed they were ready to hold discussions soon to resolve the crisis.
It is learnt that some "feelers" have been sent to the pilots since last night and the agitators have responded positively.
The ailing national airline operated 15 per cent or about 40 of its 320 scheduled daily domestic flights, including 10 each from Mumbai and Delhi.
Air India, which has sacked seven pilots and suspended six others, is suffering an estimated operational loss of Rs 26 crore per day on account of the stir. The management has also decided not to process the April salaries of the agitators till further instructions.

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Osama Bin Laden biographer Steve Coll writes in the New Yorker:

On where he was found:

It stretches credulity to think that a mansion of that scale could have been built and occupied by bin Laden for six years without its coming to the attention of anyone in the Pakistani Army.

On who was living with bin Laden:

Apparently, one of his adult sons was killed in the raid. Osama has more than a dozen sons. Some have returned to Saudi Arabia, but others have appeared in videos with their father, vowing to fight alongside him. It is conceivable that one of his sons could make a claim on Al Qaeda leadership in the years ahead.

On what Osama's death means for Al Qaeda:

Al Qaeda is more than just a centralized organization based in Pakistan. It is also a network of franchised or like-minded organizations, and an ideological movement in which followers sometimes act in isolation from leaders. The best guesstimates are that Al Qaeda has several hundred serious members or adherents in Pakistan, along the Pakistan side of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, and perhaps up to a hundred scattered around Afghanistan.

On the hunt itself:

My understanding is that, as of this spring, there were approximately forty legally designated, fugitive high-value targets at the top of the wanted-list system. If there were forty, I suppose there are now thirty-nine.

Read the full Steve Coll article here

For Mohammed Qasim, it was a shock to hear that he lived barely three yards away from world's most dreaded terrorist Osama bin Laden. All along, he found his neighbours -- identified by him as the Khans -- to be polite and a cut above the rest.Read more here...

Just in: Suresh Kalmadi has been sent to Tihar Jail for 14 days
The former Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman and congress MP, was be produced in the Patiala House court in New Delhi on Wednesday.
According to the CBI, Kalmadi was arrested for buying TSR (timing scoring and result) equipment from a Swiss firm, Swiss Timing, at inflated price of Rs 141 crore for the event.

The special Central Bureau of Investigation court at Patiala House, Delhi, today handed out 14-day judicial custody to Sacked Commonwealth Games (CWG) Organizing Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi.

His earlier, 8-day judicial custody ends today.

The CBI arrested Kalmadi on April 25 for fraud and conspiring with other officers of the OC to overpay a Swiss firm Rs 95 crores for timing and scorekeeping equipment that was used at different venues during the Commonwealth Games.

Just in: Suresh Kalmadi has been sent to Tihar Jail for 14 days
The former Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman and congress MP, was be produced in the Patiala House court in New Delhi on Wednesday.
According to the CBI, Kalmadi was arrested for buying TSR (timing scoring and result) equipment from a Swiss firm, Swiss Timing, at inflated price of Rs 141 crore for the event.

The man all of India loves to hate has been given 14 days judicial custody by the special CBI court today. More details in a bit.

Any remote chance that Andy Flower would replace Gary Kirsten as the India coach after an informal approach was removed last week when Duncan Fletcher was appointed to that job, having been tapped up midway through the World Cup. In truth, Flower did not need to be courted by India or any other country for Morris to offer new terms.

Over the past two years, England have risen from sixth to third in the ICC Test rankings, behind India and South Africa, and climbed to fifth in the one-day format. The possibility of progressing to the top position is a driving force for Flower, who is enthused by the depth of talent available.

"When I was appointed, I stated that I wanted to create a winning England team and I am very pleased with the advances we have made as a squad over the last two years in all formats of the game,' Flower said. "We have made no secret of our determination to become the No 1 side in the world and challenge for global titles, and I feel we have been making steady progress. I believe we have the talent amongst the playing squad and management team to help us realise our ambitions.'

Guess who's upset with US President Barack Obama's Operation Geronimo.
As the US celebrated the killing of Osama bin Laden, many American Indians have objected to use of 'Geronimo', an Apache leader in the 19th century, as the codename for mission to capture or kill the Al Qaeda leader.
As Bin Laden was felled in a US raid on his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, the military sent a message back tothe White House: "Geronimo EKIA" - enemy killed in action.
Geronimo was an Apache leader in the 19th century who spent many years fighting the Mexican and US armies until his surrender in 1886.
Loretta Tuell, staff director and chief counsel for the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, said it was inappropriateto link Geronimo, whom she called "one of the greatest Native American heroes," with one of the most hated enemies of the United States.

The American commandos who attacked Osama bin Laden's compound were operating under rules of engagement that all but assured the Al Qaeda leader would be killed, US officials have acknowledged, backing away from an initial account that bin Laden was armed and used a woman as a shield, the Los Angeles Times has reported.

The assault force was told to accept a surrender only if it could be sure he didn't have a bomb hidden under his clothing and posed no other danger.

Read more here

Pakistani authorities on Wednesday arrested the contractor who allegedly built the million-dollar complex where the Al Qaeda's Osama bin Laden was shot dead during a raid by US special forces in Abbottabad.

Gul Muhammad, who was also known as Gul Madah or Mithu Khan, was picked up from his residence near Bilal Town neighbourhood, near the garrison city of Abbottabad, where bin Laden's compound is located, TV news channels reported.

Muhammad, aged between 45 and 50 years, was detained by security forces at 2 am, the reports said.

Can Pakistan give up its involvement with, and encouragement of, terrorists? The question is exercising the world, but none more than the United States, especially after the killing of Osama bin Laden.

And, the popular view is that India is central in Pakistan's scheme of things, even if we wish it was otherwise. That's what influential mavens believe.

Given its obsession with India, Pakistan would never stop providing sanctuaries to terrorist outfits even if the Kashmir issue is resolved, and the US would never be able to persuade Islamabad to be a full partner in Afghanistan, influential American foreign policy expertshave told US lawmakers.

"There is no way, I would argue, the United States will be able to persuade Pakistan to become a full partner in Afghanistan and to stop providing a sanctuary to the Afghan Taliban, given Islamabad's obsession with India and its view of Afghanistan as a critical source of strategic depth in its struggle with India," Richard Hass of the Council on Foreign Relations said at a Congressional hearing.

"Even a solution to the Kashmir issue would not change this, and there is no solution to Kashmir in the offing, certainly not in a timeframe that would prove relevant," Hass said.

And his view is certainly not a minority one among his peers.

Pakistani authorities has arrested the contractor who allegedly built the million dollar complex where Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was shot dead during a raid by US special forces in Abbottabad.
Gul Muhammad, who was also known as Gul Madah or Mithu Khan, was picked up from his residence near Bilal Town neighbourhood, near the garrison city of Abbottabad, where bin Laden's compound is located, TV news channels reported.

Pakistani authorities has arrested the contractor who allegedly built the million dollar complex where Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was shot dead during a raid by US special forces in Abbottabad.
Gul Muhammad, who was also known as Gul Madah or Mithu Khan, was picked up from his residence near Bilal Town neighbourhood, near the garrison city of Abbottabad, where bin Laden's compound is located, TV news channels reported.

A Supreme Court bench has referred to Chief Justice of India S H Kapadia the bail plea of 2008 Bangalore blast accused Abdul Naseer Madani following differences between two judges on grant of bail to him.
The bench of justices Markandey Katju and Gyan Sudha Misra said it was referring the matter to the Chief Justice ofIndia for constituting another bench in view of differences between judges on the issue.
While Justice Katju appears to be in favour of granting bail to Madani, Justice Misra was strongly opposed to it in view of the serious allegations against the accused that impinges upon national security.
Madani is presently lodged in a Karnataka jail under judicial custody for his alleged involvement in the Bengaluru serial bomb blast and similar incidents in Ahmedabad, Surat and Jaipur

A relative and panchayat leader of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu's Assembly constituency has identified his body, according to Union Minister for Development of North Eastern region B K Handique.
He told media persons that the panchayat leader Thupten has identified the body of 56-year-old Dorjee while the other four bodies have been charred beyond recognition.
The minister, however, said that only after the divisional commissioner takes charge of the body and the formalities are completed, they could officially confirm news about Dorjee.

The chopper, carrying Khandu and four others, had crashed between Kyela and Lobothang near Tawang district five days ago.
The Pawan Hans AS350 B-3 helicopter carrying the chief minister took off from Tawang at 9.50 am on Saturday. The last radio contact with the ground was about 20 minutes after take off as it flew over the Sela Pass along the Chinese border perched at an altitude of 13,700 feet.
There were about 3,500 personnel deployed in the search operations.

The president of the California-based Tri-Valley University, Susan Xiao-Ping Su, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on the allegations of visa fraud and money laundering that affected nearly 1,500 Indian students.
Su, 41, was taken into custody on Monday morning at her Pleasanton, California, home by special agents of the Homeland Security Investigations of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
According to the indictment, Su admitted and maintained foreign students in exchange for tuition and other payments.

If sources are to be believed, the Centre plans to hike diesel prices by up to Rs 3 a litre soon after the assembly elections in five states are over next week, while an equivalent steep increase in petrol rates is also on card.

An Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is scheduled to meet on May 11 to mull on a hike in diesel prices

An increase in domestic LPG prices may also be discussed at the EGoM meeting that will decide on how the oil firms willbe compensated for their losses

Once the dust settles over Osama's killing, Will the United States and Pakistan remain friends? At least signs from the White House seem to indicate the possibility of the friendship continuing. Quite obviously, given the endgame in Afghanistan and the impending draw down of US troops in July, as well as the uncertainties that are arising in the Persian Gulf security (especially with regard to Saudi Arabia), the imperatives of US-Pakistan cooperation remain stronger than ever. Read more about this onM K Bhadrakumar's blog...

Just in: The Supreme Court has reserved its order on setting up a Special Investigation Team to probe cases relating to black money stashed away in foreign banks

Pakistan has described as "disquieting" CIA chief Leon Panetta's revelation that no intelligence about the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden was shared with Islamabad for fear that the operation would bejeopardised.

"Most of these things that have happened in terms of global anti-terror, Pakistan has played a pivotal role... So it's a little disquieting when we have comments like this," Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir told the BBC.

Bashir said Pakistan had a "pivotal role" in fighting terrorism. He said Panetta was entitled to his views but Pakistan had cooperated extensively with the US.

Here's the latest on Dorjee Khandu:

Although an official confirmation about Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu is awaited, Home Minister P Chidambaram told newsmen in New Delhi that the 'information about Khandu was not encouraging".

He said this after the wreckage of the helicopter carrying Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu and four others, that went missing on Saturday, has been located in Lobothang near Tawang district in the state.

According to sources, the search team has reportedly found the wreckage of the chopper near a waterfall in Lobothang. Television channels are reporting that three bodies of the occupants of the chopper have also been found.

The missing Pawan Hans AS350 B-3 helicopter that took off from Tawang at 9.50 am on Saturday lost communication with the ground after it flew past the Sela Pass along the Chinese border about 20 to 25 minutes later. The helicopter was scheduled to land in Itanagar at 11.30 am on Saturday.

Apart from Khandu, the people on board included crew members Captain J S Babbar and Captain K S Malick, Khandu''s security officer Yeshi Choddak and Yeshi Lamu, sister of Tawang legislator Tsewang Dhondup.

It's been eight days since the Air India pilots struck work, thousands of passengers have been inconvenienced since then, the courts have been seized of the matter and issuing strictures against them, but the men who fly the magnificent machines simply refuse to retract.

Eight days on, the national carrier has been operating just 10 pc of its overall flights, 10 each from Mumbai and Delhi.

So far seven pilots have been sacked and six suspended, and the airline has been incurring a loss of Rs 26 crore a day thanks to the strike.

Really, the next time we fly Air India, we shouldn't make any negative comparisons with other airlines. We know what primarily ails Air India.

A goods train rammed into the Koraput-Rourkela Inter City Express in Bolangir district, Orissa, early today, injuring at least 26 passengers. The goods train rolled into the parking bay where trains are held, where it rammed into the Inter City Express. No casualties have been reported. Nor has there been reports of any disruption in train services on the sector.

The body of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, whose Pawan Hans helicopter flight went missing on Saturday morning, has been found, sources said.

The wreckage of the helicopter has been found in Lobthang.

The chief minister was headed to Itanagar from Tawang when the copter lost contact as it approached Sela Pass. '

All the five people on board are reported to be dead.

More details soon.

He's not yet fully a man, so 17-year-old Justin Bieber shouldn't take it amiss.

Recently, the teen pop sensation was on a Qantas flight from Sydney to Melbourne when he decided to walk around while the plane was still taxiing. Promptly, he was pulled up by an air-hostess who scolded Bieber for "acting like a child".

She also lectured him about "respecting her workplace", and that she was treating him like a child because he was acting like one. Bieber promptly apologised for his behaviour and returned to his seat.

Errr... maybe he should've also shown the air-hostess some proof of his age?

Sorry to keep reverting to news about Osama, but you can't but agree that it's the biggest news story of the year -- at least so far. So bear with us. Here's some interesting sidelight:

US President Barack Obama's speech late Sunday night announcing world's most wanted terrorist Osama bin Laden's death was watched by over 56 million people, making it the biggest TV audience for Obama so far.

According to estimates by Nielsen Co, some 56.6 million viewers watched the about 9 minute speech, which was aired live on networks ABC, CBS, NBC, Telemundo, Univision, CNN, Fox News Channel, HLN and MSNBC.

Did someone say, re-election?

Rediff India Abroad's man in Washington, DC, the redoubtableAziz Haniffa, writes that Central Intelligence Agency Director Leon Panetta, immediately after he provided a classified briefing to the House leadership in the US Congress on the covert mission inside Pakistan that killed Al Qaeda's Osama bin Laden, was peppered with questions by members about Pakistani duplicity, particularly the ISI's perfidy about how it could have not known about bin Laden living right under their nose in Abbottabad, where the Kaul Military Academy, Pakistan's equivalent of west Point was located.

Await Aziz's report, soon to be published on rediff.com!

For all those fretting that there's been no focus on the search for the missing Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, thanks to Osama hogging on the newsprint and airtime and html links, here's some news:

The Indian Air Force has pressed six helicopters to hunt for the missing CM. Two MI-17 choppers took off from Tawant this morning, while two Cheetah and two Chetak copters flew out of Tezpur to search for the CM.

Apart from these, there's also a massive ground search operation underway, with 3000 personnel from the Army, SSB, ITBP, NDRF and the state police, along with local people, scouring five probable locations where the copter carrying Dorjee could have crashed.

Talking of the search, don't miss reading this article from the Indian Express about Khandu's son leading the hunt!

Hello good morning and welcome to another edition of Live! News As It Happens.

He has been dead for a little more than 2 days, but terrorist Osama bin Laden's death has, far from making things better for the nation that hosted him, Pakistan, only made things difficult.

For starters, the White House has said there is no question of apologising to Paksitan for violating its airspace and mounting an assault on its territory. And a first-time Congressman from Florida, Allen West,has urged that the United States cease all aid to Pakistan for harbouring Osama all along.

Let's see what more the day brings on l'affaire Osama!