Blagojevich scandal prompts Indian American soul searching

CHICAGO - The involvement of prominent Indian Americans in the unfolding corruption scandal involving Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has prompted some soul searching in the Indian American community.

Obama books return to bestseller list

NEW DELHI - While the top of the bestseller lists remained the same this week, with Nandan Nilekani’s ‘Imagining India’ atop the non-fiction category and Aravind Adiga’s ‘The White Tiger’ heading the fiction group, two books by US president-elect Barack Obama return to the bestseller list.

Bush revokes pardon granted a day earlier to party donor’s relative

WASHINGTON - In a remarkable reverse, US President George W. Bush has revoked a pardon he granted a day earlier to a real estate developer whose relatives donated over $40,000 to the Republican Party, a news report said.

Obama maintains fitness routine as he prepares for office

WASHINGTON - Barack Obama is maintaining a rigorous fitness routine involving one-and-a-half hours a day in the gym as he prepares to take over as US president, the Washington Post reported Thursday.

Engineer’s lynching provokes Samajwadi party’s shutdown call

NEW DELHI - Uttar Pradesh’s main opposition Samajwadi Party has called for a statewide shutdown Thursday after a ruling Bahujan Samaj party (BSP) legislator was named in a police case for lynching a government engineer.

Canadian banks, finance minister bicker over lending

TORONTO - With the Canadian finance minister blaming them for not giving enough loans to stimulate the economy and issuing an ultimatum, major banks have hit back, issuing reports and advertisements to rebut the charges.

Satish Bagrodia takes charge as president of PHD Chamber

NEW DELHI - Winsome Textile Industries chairman Satish Bagrodia Wednesday formally took charge as the president of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, succeeding L.K. Malhotra.

Uttar Pradesh engineer lynched by BSP legislator, supporters

LUCKNOW - An engineer was lynched by a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) legislator and his supporters in Uttar Pradesh’s Auraiya district after he refused to pay an alleged extortion demand for the birthday celebrations of Chief Minister Mayawati, police said Wednesday. An FIR has been filed against the lawmaker.

BSP legislator lynches engineer in Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati link denied

LUCKNOW - A Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) legislator and his supporters lynched an engineer in Uttar Pradesh’s Auraiya district allegedly after he refused to pay extortion for Chief Minister Mayawati’s birthday celebrations, police said Wednesday. The state administration said the incident had no connection with Mayawati.

Obama team had no ‘inappropriate’ contact with Blagojevich: probe

WASHINGTON - President-elect Barack Obama’s team had no ‘inappropriate’ discussions with scandal-plagued Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich about naming a successor to the Senate, according to a report on an internal inquiry released Tuesday.

Rajya Sabha opens, and adjourns

NEW DELHI - The Rajya Sabha was adjourned within three minutes of its opening Tuesday, as opposition MPs created an uproar over remarks by Minority Affairs Minister A.R. Antulay and over the insurance bill.

Signalling new ties, China sends two giant pandas to Taiwan

TAIPEI/BEIJING - Two giant pandas given by China to Taiwan arrived in Taipei Tuesday amid huge public interest in the latest sign of improving ties between the two political rivals.

Maldives is a model for democracy in Islamic world: Nasheed

NEW DELHI - Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed Tuesday said his country was a model for bringing democracy into an Islamic nation.

Rajya Sabha adjourned for the third time

NEW DELHI - The Rajya Sabha was adjourned five minutes after it convened post-lunch as opposition MPs continued to disrupt proceedings over the remarks by Minority Affairs Minister A.R. Antulay questioning the death of Maharashtra police officer Hemant Karkare in the Nov 26 Mumbai terror attacks and the insurance bill.

Champagne sales fall in festive season

LONDON - Champagne sales have been falling in keeping with the tone of global doom and gloom, according to new figures, but manufacturers say people should be drinking up the bubbly to keep up spirits.

Bid to assassinate Bolivian president foiled

LA PAZ - Bolivian intelligence officials have foiled a plot by right-wing extremists to assassinate President Evo Morales, the EFE news agency reported Tuesday.

Medvedev support to Palestinian president

MOSCOW - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev Monday ensured Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Russia’s continued support for the Palestinians in the Middle East.