Two FBI officials have appeared before the special court in Mumbai to testify on the 26/11 attack. Three other FBI officials will provide evidence using a video conferencing facility. The attack happened last November on the city of Mumbai, terrorists had killed over 170 people in the horrific act. Six American citizens were also killed in the attack.

This is the first time a non Indian citizen is testifying in the 26/11 case. FBI officials have provided information on the communication equipment and other details relating to the case. A team of FBI officials had visited Mumbai to help the Mumbai police in the investigations post the attack.

Mohammad Ajmal Amir Qasab is the lone surviving attacker and faced 86 charges including charges of waging war on the nation, murder, possessing arms and explosives. Qasab initially denied the charges but later on confessed to his crime in the court. Six American citizens were also killed in the attack.

Although Pakistan had first denied that its citizens were involved in the 26/11 attack but had later accepted the involved of Pakistani citizens and also confirmed that Mohammad Ajmal Amir Qasab was a Pakistani citizen.

As per the latest reports coming out of Islamabad, Pakistan’s most wanted man with a US$ 5 million reward on his head is said to have died in Wednesday’s drone strike. Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud was killed when two US missiles hit the house of Taliban chief’s father-in-law, Malik Ikramuddin. Mehsud’s second wife was also killed in the same missile strike. Latest report confirm that there was a large gathering the next day for funeral of the leader confirming the point that a high value target had been executed.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi, foreign minister Pakistan confirmed that the Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud was killed and the authority was in the process of doing ground verification before they give a 100% confirmation. The attack was done once the forces received solid intelligence on the ware bouts of the Taliban leader.

Taliban has not yet released any statement on the issue and is yet to confirm the leader’s death. But there have been reports that Taliban leadership is gathering in Southern Waziristan to elect the successor of Baitullah Mehsud. Three names have come under consideration as the probable replacements. Hakimullah Mehsud, Maulana Azmatullah and Wali-ur-Rehman are the names in running for the successor.

Baitullah Mehsud had been blamed for many suicide attacks including the one that killed Benazir Bhutto. He was also blamed for September 2007 bombings in Rawalpindi and the March 2009 Lahore police academy attack. Mehsud had his strong hold in South Waziristan and was the leader of Tehrik-i-Taliban since 2007.

A US drone is suspected to have fired two missiles killing one of the wives of the Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud. She was the second wife of the Taliban leader and Baitullah Mehsud married her last year. The home of Baitullah Mehsud’s Father-in-law was hit by two missiles today morning in Southern Waziristan’s tribal area. The attacked house was located in the Zangarha area and is 15 kilometers north east of Ladha. Malik Ikramuddin, father-in-law of the Taliban leader Baitullah Meshud owned the house.

As per reports, at the time of attack there were more then 40 people in the house but remained unharmed as they were in the other rooms. The body of the Baitullah Mehsud’s wife had to be dug out from the debris. Although drone attacks are common in the area but this was the first time when a close relative of the Taliban leader was targeted. The Pakistani government has come under criticism from their own people of the country on the support it has provided to US which in carrying out these attacks. This would only add support for Taliban and is expected to have a large backlash on Islamabad.

Osama bin Laden’s son, Sa’ad bin Laden is considered to be dead following a US Predator drone strike in Pakistan’s clannish area. The US intelligence bureaus is 80-85% convinced that Sa’ad bin Laden was killed in the former part of the year due to a drone attack. According to US intelligence, Sa’ad bin Laden, a well-known character involved in the gloomy association between Iran and al Qaeda, was considered to have spent many years in house detention in Iran prior to going to Pakistan.

It is still quite fuzzy as to whether he was present close to his father during the drone attacks. Sa’ad bin Laden believed to be close to his thirties, was not regarded as significant enough to be made a target, considering he was accidently present at the inopportune time.

Al Qaeda which is known to issue proclamation of martyred top leaders and chiefs has neither refused nor authenticated Sa’ad’s death.

According to sources, Sa’ad made crucial judgments for al Qaeda and belonged to a tiny al Qaeda faction that was engaged in managing the group from Iran. Sa’ad had come to Pakistan in September to meet up with Zawahiri.

The monsoons that swathe the subcontinent during the months of June through September, despite the fact that they hail in the much sought after respite to arid farm areas, drinking water reservoirs, they also cause mass mayhem leaving mud slides, destruction of life and property with inundation taking countless lives. Karachi, the biggest city in Pakistan experienced unusual rain of close to 22.9cms or 9inches that commenced Friday night and went on till Sunday. The Mayor, Syed Mustafa Kamal has stated that this scale of rainfall has not occurred since 1977.

Clearout operations unfurled post the most devastating monsoon rains during the weekend that has taken dozens of lives and severed power to 15million for nearly 28 to 30 hours. This record breaking rainfall that has surpassed the scale seen in 32 years, has the death counter running at 32 and still counting. Majority of them have died due to drowning or due to crumpling of property. Life came to a standstill with water inundating establishments causing loss of water and shut down.

There were widespread demonstrations by distraught inhabitants who thronged the streets hauling stones at offices of the power corporation, complaining about the substantial power cut in the south city.

The only surviving suspect Ajmal Kasab captured during the 26/11 terrorist assault on Mumbai has confessed his involvement in the attack. He took a U-turn on his stand and gave a full confession of how the act was planned and carried out. He also gave full details of who all from across the border in Pakistan were involved in planning and providing logistic supports to carry out the terror attack. Out of the 10 terrorists of Pakistani origin who carried out the attack 9 were killed by the armed forces.

Police sources confirmed that the terrorists had killed more then 160 people which also included many foreigners as targets were Taj Mahal Palace and Tower and Oberoi-Trident hotel, Mumbai’s historic CST train station and the Jewish cultural center, Chabad House. Police sources also confirmed that Ajmal Kasab, age 21, was trained in Pakistan by the banned terrorist outlet Lashkar-e-Tayyiba.

The Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam has provided all the evidence which also includes video footage from surveillance camera and 134 witnesses. Kasab was involved in the massacre at CST station and Cama hospital. He faces 86 criminal charges which also include murder, attempt to murder and waging war against India.

Today during the court proceeding when prosecution witness Constable Arun Jadhav stepped into the witness box, Kasab asked court permission for speaking to his lawyer Abbas Kazmi. After talking to him for 30 seconds, his lawyer confirmed to the court that Kasab wanted to confess. After that Kasab said in the court that “Mujhe mera gunha kabool hai (I plead guilty to my crime).”

Hillary Clinton, slated for an imminent trip to India, post donning the role of Secretary Of State, inscribed a note exclusively to a famed Indian tabloid. She sounded optimistic regarding the steadily growing relationship between India and the US, at a time when headlines are most often gloomy. This boost in the relationship would benefit both the countries and the rest of the world.

She stated that the recent elections in both India and US have presented the newly elected governments with vivid prospects to expand their affiliation and face threatening global challenges head on. She mentioned that along with President Obama, she was totally dedicated towards pressing forward this goal during her visit to New Delhi and Mumbai.

She pointed out how both the countries were typically characterized by their democracy, demography and their diversity, with people from both countries having similar interests, values and wager in the 21st century.

Despite the global meltdown, India has shown a laudable 6% growth rate with bilateral trade and investment flows increasing two fold in the past five years. Mrs. Clinton also highlighted the fears of many Americans who are wary of the budding relationship with India might lay a toll on their jobs or earnings, but she believes that if matters are managed well, both the countries can gain from India’s economic progress.

She stated that the two nations should work in unison towards common challenges like security issues, climate changes and non-proliferation regime. Mrs. Clinton further added that Pakistan should be encouraged as it faces the challenge of fierce radicalism.

An Al Qaeda website has a voice recording posting of the second in line command, Ayman al-Zawahiri that states that it is the individual responsibility of every Muslim in Pakistan to unite with the Mujahedeen in a campaign to flush out the US-allied government forces in their noble race to establish Pakistan as the stronghold of Islam.

Zawahiri has charged the US of heralding a movement to segregate Pakistan from a Muslim nuclear rule into a split nation of small fragments by stamping out the budding jihad nub. This divide would transform Pakistan into diminutive fractions faithful and reliant to the US.

Zawahiri, the Egyptian radical leader has termed the US allies in Pakistan as a dishonest gang of political leaders and military officials who are skirmishing for the sole purpose of staying on the US pay roll by utilizing Pakistan’s resources and military forces in America’s fight against Islam.

The Pak army undertook anti-insurgency measures to tackle the Taliban in the Swat valley who had laid siege over a district close to Islamabad. This heightened concerns about Pakistan’s nuclear weapon safety and its stability. Pakistan was lauded by the US for its offensive measures against the Taliban.

A leader of Taliban’s faction in Afghanistan, Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, has commented on air in June that if it was possible, the Al Qaeda would utilise Pakistan’s nuclear warehouse to put up a befitting fight against the US.