The new reintegration US plan hinges on winning over moderate Taliban which in their view form 70% of total fighters. Their supposed success with some of the former Taliban officials who had worked under Mullah Omar has led them to believe that with their help they would be able to wean away the majority and isolate hardcore Taliban. $1.5 billion has been pledged to woo the reconcilable. Only the reconcilable who will renounce militancy, surrender arms and cut off links with Al-Qaeda and Mullah Omar led hardliners would stand qualified.

The Congress has always been suspicious of NCP leader and Union Minister Sharad Pawar’s political moves. At the time of Lok Sabha elections when there was talk of a split verdict, Pawar was hobnobbing with Congress rivals and did not hide his ambition of occupying the chair of the Prime Minister, if he had the numbers and enough supporting parties.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul arrived in New Delhi on February 7 on a five-day visit. Gul was accompanied by a high-profile business delegation, members of parliament and senior ministers, including Mehmet Aydin, the state minister and co-chairman of the Joint Economic Commission, Health Minister Recep Akdag and Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim.

Barathi Dasan and over 1500 members Up-Country Peoples Fronts have joined Democratic Peoples Front led by Mano Ganeshan.

Afghanistan is under illegal occupation of US-NATO forces since November 2001. So far occupation forces have been unable to achieve any of the professed objectives.

India’s indigenous long-range nuclear- capable Agni-III missile, test fired on Sunday, catapulted the country into a select group of nations that have intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM)-capability, defence sources said.

The Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal which met yesterday at the Batticaloa official residence of the Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chanthirakanthan alias Pillaiyan, has decided to take a final decision in the forthcoming Parliamentary elections, after meeting Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Basil Rajapaksa, Senior Advisor to the President and other leaders of the ruling United People Freedom Alliance.