United States

Manmohan Singh to meet Zardari, Wen Jiabao and World Bank President in NY today

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan SinghNew York, Sept 24: Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh is scheduled to meet Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick here today on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.

Dr. Singh reached New York last night on the first leg of his 10-day visit to the United States and France.

Freddie Mac did pay millions to McCain aide’s firm despite denial: NYT

Washington, Sep 24: Freddie Mac did pay millions to McCain aide’s firm despite denial: NYTFreddie Mac, one of the giant mortgage companies at the heart of the credit crisis, paid 15,000 dollars to a firm owned by John McCain’s campaign manager despite earlier claims by Republican presidential candidate that the aide had broken ties with the company.

The disclosure undercuts a statement by McCain on Sunday night that the campaign manager, Rick Davis, had had no involvement with the company for the last several years, The New York Times reported.

US set to deploy 15,000 troops marking biggest military reinforcement in Afghanistan

London, Sep 24: The US said today that an additional 14,000 troops could soon be deployed in Afghanistan, signaling the biggest military reinforcement in the country since the war began.

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates told the Senate Armed Services Committee that up to three combat brigades, each including about 3,500 soldiers, could be sent to Afghanistan by mid-2009.

They would bolster an additional 3,700 ground troops recently promised by President Bush for January, The Times reported.

Gates warned, however, that a troop “surge” could be counter-productive in a country with a historic resistance to outsiders.

Manmohan Singh On A Visit To United States And France

Manmohan Singh On A Visit To United States And FrancePrime Minister Manmohan Singh left on Tuesday for a 10-day visit to the United States and France. After a procedural halt at Frankfurt, he is scheduled to leave for New York on Tuesday for the 63rd session of the United National General Assembly (UNGA). 

This will be his second address to the UN General Assembly, on Friday. He missed out the UNGA in 2006 and 2007. 

US Senate panel clears Indo-US Nuke deal

 US Senate panel clears Indo-US Nuke dealWashington, Sept 24 : A US Senate panel has reportedly cleared the Indo-US Nuke deal with an overwhelming 19-2 vote. This has been described as a key hurdle cleared in the US ahead of the finalization of the deal, much awaited in India as the US goes to Presidential poll in November.

The brief hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday included just one amendment. A proposal by Sen. Russ Feingold, Wisconsin Democrat, to toughen restrictions on selling India the technology to reprocess nuclear fuel was defeated on a 15-4 vote.

Pak claims US drone shot down in South Waziristan

Islamabad, Sept 24 : If Pakistan intelligence officials are to be believed, the country’s security forces shot down a suspected US military drone close to the Afghan border last night. If true, it would be the first US pilot-less aircraft brought down by Pakistan.

The aircraft was reportedly hit at the village of Jalal Khel in South Waziristan after it made several rounds of the area for several hours. Wreckage was strewn on the ground, said the Pakistan intelligence sources.

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