Ahead of Republic Day, Uttar Pradesh Police killed two suspected Pakistani terrorists, including one hailing from Mohammad Kasab’s district, in a pre-dawn shootout when the duo tried to enter Delhi from neighbouring Ghaziabad possibly for an operation in the capital.

An Uttar Pradesh ATS personnel was also injured.

The shootout took place at 2.35 am at Sector 97 near Unitech plot after the terrorists, travelling in a white Maruti car, opened fire on the ATS team, leading to an exchange of fire between the two sides.
One of the terrorists was Farooq, a resident of Okara in Pakistan, and his companion as Abu Ismail from Rawalakot (POK).

Two AK-47 assault rifles, four magazines, 120 bullets, five hand-grenades, nine suspected RDX rods, detonators, a Pakistani passport and Rs 18,000 were recovered from the terrorists.

An appeal by Pope Benedict XVI to the new “digital generation” led to the Vatican’s launch of its own channel on video-sharing internet site, YouTube.

New media technologies including the Internet are helping “create a great family that knows no boundaries,” said Pope Benedict XVI in a video posted on the new site.

The main featured video showed Pope Benedict XVI delivering on a recent Sunday Angelus prayer from his Apostolic Palace above St Peter’s Square. In it he prayed for peace in the Gaza Strip.

In the message Benedict praised the opportunities for “dialogue” which the Internet offers to people from different countries, cultures and religions.

The site, which was developed jointly with internet search-engine company Google – owner of YouTube.Google says it is offering the site free of charge to the Vatican and will not make money from it in any other way. [Youtube link]