Free Republic

Of all the genres of interviews, those conducted by the media with family and friends of victims of tragedy are among the most difficult and often least successful. A remarkable exception to that rule comes in the form of the interview David Gregory conducted on this morning's Today show with Rabbi Shalom Paltiel, who was a friend of the Chabad couple murdered in Mombai and is a fellow member of the Chabad movement. Gregory demonstrates knowledge and sensitivity, and Rabbi Paltiel exhibits a faith and optimism in the face of tragedy that people of all faiths should find inspiring. I...

Indian security forces have begun an attack on a Jewish centre in Mumbai where an unknown number of people are being held hostage by gunmen. TV footage showed troops abseiling from a helicopter into the centre, and soldiers on the ground closing in. (video at link) Commandos are also clearing the last gunmen from two luxury hotels, more than a day after a series of attacks that killed 119 people and injured 300. Indian PM Manmohan Singh has vowed to track down the perpetrators. Gunmen armed with automatic weapons and grenades targeted at least seven sites in Mumbai late on...