Islamabad, December 23
The Interpol today expressed satisfaction over measures taken by Pakistan in extending whatever help possible to India in the wake of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

The Interpol team, headed by its secretary-general Ronald Noble, said during a meeting with adviser on Interior Affairs, Rehman Malik that India did not provide any concrete evidence about the alleged involvement of any Pakistani in the Mumbai attacks.

India blamed the attack on militants belonging to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which former President Pervez Musharraf had banned in January 2002.

Malik said steps were taken against Jamaat-ud-Dawa, an off-shoot of LeT, in accordance with the United Nations resolution.

Pakistan is ready to extend whatever help possible, but so far India has not provided any concrete proofs.

Noble told a press conference after meeting Malik that India had not yet authorised the sharing of any information with the Interpol about those allegedly involved in the Mumbai attacks.

He added that New Delhi has not yet authorised its police to enter any data relating to the terrorist attacks in Mumbai into Interpol’s database.

“We have the same information that you have about what happened in Mumbai,” the Interpol chief added.

Malik said, “India has not yet provided us either officially or unofficially any evidence about the Mumbai terror attacks.” — UNI

New York, December 23
US President-elect Barack Obama is considering appointing a special envoy to India in his administration, a member of his transition team has said.

The New York Times today said a transition official has confirmed that Obama’s foreign policy advisers are discussing the possibility of appointing a special envoy to India.

But another official of the Obama team dismissed as “speculation” reports in the Indian media that former President Bill Clinton was being considered for appointment as a special envoy to deal with the Kashmir issue, the paper said. — PTI

New York, December 23
The same economic turmoil, which has siphoned off billions of dollars from the rich and famous, has made Uncle Sam - a national personification of the United States - the richest person, but in the world of fiction.

With his “infinite” net worth, the 232-year-old US armyrecruitment officer, who has become synonymous with anything American over the years, has replaced Scrooge McDuck, the iconic penny-pinching duck, as the richest of their world, according to an annual list of richest fictional characters compiled by the US business magazine Forbes.Noting that “times are tough” even in the imaginary richie-rich club, the magazine has said in its latest issue of ‘The Forbes Fictional 15’ - an annual compilation of world’s richest fiction characters, that there were significant turnover and turmoil on this year’s list.

“More than half of last year’s members fell off the lost, and those who remain are poorer on average,” Forbes said, adding that it required at least $1.3 billion to make the cut a year ago, which has now dropped to $800 million.

“Economic woes thrust a new member of the Fictional 15 to the top spot: Uncle Sam, the 232-year-old former frontiersman and US army recruitment officer.” “This American icon is enjoying a second act on Wall Street, thanks to his strategy of investing exclusively in companies on the brink of bankruptcy. His infinite net worth can be attributed to his crafty purchase of the US Mint in 1792, this guy can print his own cash,” it said. — PTI