Pakistan has made great sacrifices in fighting terror and the world community should recognise this effort, China said on Monday, mounting an all-out defence of its “all-weather ally” amid a campaign by New Delhi to isolate Islamabad over cross-border terrorism.
The Chinese foreign ministry’s strong defence came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to Pakistan as the “mothership of terrorism” at the BRICS Summit in Goa.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
At least 19 patients died of asphyxiation and several others turned critical after a major fire broke out in the ICU and dialysis wards of SUM Hospital-cum-medical college, an upscale hospital on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar on Monday evening.
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(Source: The Indian Express)
India is finally close to operationalising its long-awaited nuclear weapons triad – the capability to launch nukes from land, air and sea.
Although the land-based Agni ballistic missiles as well as fighter bombers configured to deliver nuclear weapons have been available for a while, the triad's missing – and most potent – sea leg has been a big operational gap till now.
(Source: The Times of India)
Top military officers nearing retirement are abusing disability benefits to extract higher and tax-free pension, Hindustan Times learnt. The revelations come at a time when the government is under fire over “sharp cuts” in benefits for disabled soldiers.
The military’s medical services wing warned the government two years ago about an “alarming trend” of absolutely fit generals, admirals and air marshals exploiting the welfare measure by getting themselves placed in the lower medical category.
A medical downgrade entitles a soldier to better retirement benefits.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today virtually credited the RSS with the “surgical strikes” across the Line of Control, suggesting the Prime Minister and he had been able to summon the will for the operation because of their Sangh training.
Speaking at a “know your Army” event at Ahmedabad's Nirma University, Parrikar had begun by wondering how the strikes could have happened given the non-martial origins of the political leadership.
(Source: The Telegraph)
A day after the BRICS failed to reach a consensus on including Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in its Goa declaration, the BIMSTEC countries on Monday, endorsing the Indian stand without naming Pakistan, slammed states which “support and finance terrorism, provide sanctuary to terrorists and terror groups”.
(Source: The Indian Express)
The Supreme Court reserved orders on Monday on the Lodha Committee’s plea to replace the present BCCI management with administrators for smooth implementation of SC-dictated reforms, but appeared willing to give the cricket board a chance to pinpoint unimplementable measures.
Appearing for BCCI, senior advocate Kapil Sibal said it would not be able to commit to implementing the reforms in total without the approval of three-fourths of its members in the AGM. Although the court had a few tough things to say , Sibal succeeded in prising open a window of relief for BCCI by persuading the bench to take a look at the Board's difficulties in implementing certain reforms, most crucial being ‘one-state, one-vote’.
(Source: The Times of India)
In a blistering attack on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said its entire establishment is engaged in fueling terrorism in India and warned that “those who rear snakes would be bitten”.
The Home Minister’s attack on Pakistan comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi dubbed it as the mothership of terrorism.
(Source: The Indian Express)
When everything appeared lost, hope has sprung from an unexpected source.
By protesting attempts to convert India into Pakistan II, Priyanka Chopra and others are demonstrating that there is more to Bollywood than pretty faces.
“Artistes and actors are always held responsible for every bigger political agenda that happens in our country. Why are only we reflecting it? Why not businesses, why not doctors, why not politicians, why not anyone else except for public people which are actors, movie industry?” Priyanka asked while speaking to NDTV.
(Source: The Telegraph)
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