Twin blasts in Moscow Metro, 37 dead

Two female suicide bombers blew themselves up in central Moscow's subway during the morning rush hours on Monday killing at least 37 people and wounding 60 others as terror revisited the city.

Though no organisation claimed responsibility for the attacks, Chief of the Federal Security Service (FSB) blamed the militant groups active in Russia's volatile North Caucasus region (Chechnya) for the deadly blasts.

The first suspected bomber wearing an explosive belt struck at the Lubyanka station under the Federal Security Service (FSB) headquarters near Kremlin, claiming 24 lives.

Forty minutes later, the second bomber hit a moving train at the Park Kultury station near the famous Gorky Park killing at least 12 people.

The second blast occurred in the third carriage of the train which had slowed down near the city centre.

The Moscow subway system is one of the world's busiest, carrying more than seven million passengers every day.

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Operation Lalgarh Begun in West Bengal

Fifty villages in and around Lalgarh in West Midnapore district of West Bengal have been captured and declared a ‘free zone’ by Maoists.

At last West Bengal government has begun its offensive against the Maoists in Lalgarh with a large contingent of police and CRPF personnel.

The Centre has told the that the offensive must be led by its own police force and that Central forces will only assist them.

Near about 2000 tribals under the banner of People's Committee Against Police Atrocities, dug up roads amid reports that they were laying landmines to stop the security forces.

200 personnel of the elite COBRA trained in anti-Maoist operations alongwith 500 CRPF personnel have been deployed to deal with the situation.

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US pleased with India-Pak reconnect

Glossing over a very public reprimand delivered to Pakistan by the Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in front of television cameras, the United States has welcomed renewed dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad while maintaining that "the pace, scope, and the character of the dialogue" is something for the two sides to decide.
There is quiet satisfaction in Washington that New Delhi has finally relented and picked up the threads of the dialogue despite deep reservations

about Pakistan's bonafides in the capping and rolling back terrorist activities directed against India, specifically its inaction on the Mumbai terrorist attack by Pakistani jihadis.

"A resumption of such high-level engagement in the aftermath of the November Mumbai attacks is encouraging. We have aid before that India and Pakistan need to continue their dialogue to find joint solutions against terrorism and to promote regional stability," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said on Wednesday, hours after Prime Minister Singh upbraided Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari in their first meeting after the Mumbai attacks.

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