U.S-INDIA: U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is urging Pakistan to give
absolute cooperation into the investigation of the terror attacks in
India's financial capital, Mumbai.
Speaking today (Monday) to reporters on her flight to
London, two days before going to India, Rice said she is not jumping to
conclusions. But she said Pakistan must let the evidence lead wherever
it takes investigators.
India accuses Pakistan of involvement in the attacks. Islamabad denies the accusation.
A White House spokeswoman (Dana Perino) said Sunday that
Rice's visit to New Delhi this week is "a further demonstration of the
U.S. commitment to stand in solidarity with the people of India."
INDIA ATTACKS: Another top Indian official has offered to resign following a three-day
terror attack that paralyzed India's financial capital, Mumbai.
The chief minister of the Indian state of Maharashtra, Vilasrao
Deshmukh, says he is willing to step down to take responsibility for
perceived shortcomings. At a news conference today (Monday), Deshmukh said he is waiting for leaders from his ruling Congress Party to make a final decision.
His second-in-command in the state where Mumbai is located, Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil, has already resigned.
PAKISTAN VIOLENCE: Pakistani officials say a suicide car bomber has killed nine people,
and injured more than 30 others, during an attack on a military
checkpoint in northwest Pakistan's Swat Valley.
Officials say most of those killed in the explosion today (Monday) were civilians.
Earlier today (Monday) Pakistani police say Taliban militants killed two drivers of trucks loaded with supplies for NATO and US forces in Afghanistan.
The attack took place early this (Monday) morning at a terminal in the northwestern city of Peshawar.
THAILAND PROTEST: Protest leaders in Thailand say demonstrators who have occupied Prime
Minister Somchai Wongsawat's office compound since August are
withdrawing to reinforce a blockade at Bangkok's two main airports.
People's Alliance for Democracy activists said today (Monday) it is too dangerous to stay at Government House because of repeated attacks against the group.
In the latest incident, a grenade attack at the compound early Sunday
wounded 49 people. Other explosions occurred at the city's domestic
airport, which is occupied by thousands of anti-government
demonstrators, and an anti-government television station.
BURMA: A Thailand-based rights group says Burma sentenced at least 215 dissidents to prison in November.
The "Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma)" said in a statement today (Monday) that since October eighth, at least 384 activists have been sentenced, over half of them in the past month.
The Association said the recent sentences are some of the "harshest punishments handed out by the regime" in over a decade.
The details listed in the statement cannot be verified.
