The US media proclaimed that Baitullah Mehsud had been killed in a drone attack in Waziristan. The US and Pakistani media had proclaimed his death many times in the past. Baitullah was the dreaded leader of the Tehrike Taliban in Pakistan’s lawless western provinces and carried a bounty of a couple of million dollars on his head. He is rumoured to have masterminded Benazir Bhutto’s assassination. If his death is confirmed, the Pakistani military establishment will heave a sigh of relief. It will...

Delhi had unprecedented rains last week. There were cars and other flotsam floating around various posh areas of the Capital. The city was at the receiving end of 125 mm of rain in 24 hours. Though this was nowhere near the 994mm rain which swamped Mumbai, Delhi came to a standstill. The new hi-tech airport was in knee deep water. Roads caved in and the roof leaked. The new owners called it a minor glitch. What is more surprising is that the administration had all the time to clean the drains be...