The Malaysian Insider

MUMBAI, Dec 4 - Airports in India went on high alert today following fresh attack warnings as officials said India suspects two senior leaders of a banned Pakistani militant group orchestrated the deadly Mumbai attacks.

The alert comes as Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari promised the visiting US secretary of state his country would take "strong action" against any elements in his country involved in the siege.

The new alert that warned of possible airborne attacks focused on three major airports - New Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai - but security was stepped up across the country. No details about the threat were released.

BANGKOK, Dec 4 - Thailand's ailing king today failed to deliver his traditional birthday speech, which many Thais had hoped would help resolve the country's political paralysis and unify a divided nation.

Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn went on national radio to inform Thais that King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who turns 81 on Friday, was unable to deliver the speech "because he was a little sick."

"The king has said to thank (you) for the wishes given out of loyalty. He wants to return the good wishes. He wants everyone to have strong mental and physical health to perform their duties for the public," said Vajiralongkorn, the king's son.

BANGKOK, Dec 4 - Thailand's battered political parties tried to find a replacement for the ousted prime minister as airport authorities hurried today to restore international air links severed by protesters who occupied Bangkok's two airports for a week.

The airport sieges, which were lifted yesterday, had stranded more than 300,000 travellers while an unknown number have been trying to fly into Thailand from around the world.

Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi international airport will be "open for full services including check-in and immigration" at 11:00 a.m. (0400 GMT) tomorrow, airport chief Serirat Prasutanont said in a statement.

It is now up to the airlines to resume operations from Suvarnabhumi, which was shut after anti-government protesters swarmed the facility Nov. 25.

MUMBAI, Dec 4 - India suspects that two senior leaders of a banned Pakistani militant group masterminded last week's three-day terrorist attacks that killed 171 people in Mumbai, an Indian intelligence official said today.

Evidence collected in the investigation of the deadly siege points to Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Yusuf Muzammil, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak publicly about the details.

Lakhvi and Muzammil are believed to be top members of the outlawed Pakistani group Lashkar-e-Taiba, which India blames in the attacks. Muzammil is the group's chief of operations in Kashmir and other parts of India and Lakhvi its chief of operations, authorities said.

TORONTO, Dec 4 — Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper yesterday condemned an opposition plan to gain power by ousting his government in a confidence vote, calling the effort undemocratic.

Harper, speaking in a televised address, vowed to use "every legal means" to stop the legislative move to unseat his minority Conservative government next week and replace it with an opposition-led coalition.

The embattled Conservative leader was responding to three parties that have united against his handling of the economy, saying he has failed to deal with the global meltdown.