1. China Defends ‘All-Weather’ Ally Pak after Modi Calls it ‘Mothership of Terror’
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.
There was no mention of terrorism in the official statement issued by China after the meeting between Modi and President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the summit. If that was an indication of China’s position on India’s anti-Pakistan campaign, Monday’s statement put the official stamp on things – Beijing will not allow Islamabad to be isolated diplomatically over the issue of terrorism.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
2. Hospital ICU Turns Death Trap: 19 Killed in Bhubaneswar blaze
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.
According to initial reports, 22 people were declared dead by privately-owned AMRI Hospital and government-owned capital, where the patients were admitted after evacuation. Later, Odisha Chief Secretary Aditya Padhi confirmed that 19 people died during the fire. So far 100 are being treated in different hospitals across the city, with most patients admitted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar.
Read The Quint’s full report here.
(Source: The Indian Express)
3. After Land and Air, Arihant Set to Complete India’s Nuclear-triad
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.
Sources said on Monday that the country’s first indigenously-constructed nuclear submarine INS Arihant (which means annihilator of enemies), propelled by an 83 MW pressurised light-water reactor at its core, was commissioned into service in August after extensive sea trials since December 2014.
(Source: The Times of India)
4. Retiring Military Officers Abuse Disability Benefits for Higher Pension
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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.
“I would like to apprise you of an alarming trend evolving in the services, with regards to claims for disability pension being preferred by senior officers of the rank of lieutenant general and major general and their equivalent,” Lt Gen BK Chopra said in a letter to the defence secretary. He was then heading the armed forces medical services.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
5. Whodunnit? RSS Did it, Silly
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.
“I wonder... a Prime Minister who comes from Mahatma Gandhi’s village (Gujarat), a defence minister from Goa, where there is no martial race, and... surgical strikes?” he said. “Maybe (it) was because of the RSS’s basic teaching code. But this was a very different kind of combination.”
(Source: The Telegraph)
6. Terrorists Shouldn’t be Glorified: BIMSTEC Backs India’s Stand
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”.
The BIMSTEC also said “there should be no glorification of terrorists as martyrs” – a clear reference to Hizbul militant Burhan Wani, who was killed by security forces in Kashmir on 8 July and later hailed as a “martyr” by Pakistan.
(Source: The Indian Express)
7. Hard to Carry Out All Reforms: BCCI
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)
8. Pakistan’s Entire Establishment Fueling Terrorism in India: Rajnath Singh
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”.
India is against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, but does not hate its people, the minister said and offered help to conduct anti-terrorism campaign in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir for the “closure of terror factories”.
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)
9. Actors Dare to Tread Where Anchors Won’t
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.
Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has wondered aloud why the movie fraternity is singled out every time a terror attack with Pakistani roots strikes India, while everyone else goes about their business as usual – a view Priyanka has not hesitated to echo.
“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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