BJP: Mani Shankar Aiyar, Salman Khurshid behaving as ISIS propagandists

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday labelled Congress leaders Mani Shankar Aiyar and Salman Khurshid as propagandists for the ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) following their very public criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"While the world is getting together against terrorism, the Prime Minister's words and agenda to fight terrorism have been accepted the world over. It is in this context the G20 summit has happened. 130 people have been killed in Paris on an open assault to civilization and it seems that these people (Congress) are behaving and conducting themselves as propagandists for ISIS and Taliban," BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi told media here.

"When it comes to condemnation atleast Azam Khan's statement was condemned by Samajwadi Party(SP) and they disassociated with it completely, but Congress party has chose to not do so in this context against Salman Khurshid and Mani Shankar Aiyar," she added.

Mani Shankar Aiyar who went to Pakistan before the Bihar assembly polls courted a controversy by saying that Islamabad should help India in defeating Prime Minister Modi and ensure that the Congress is back at the Centre.

Khurshid also during his visit to Islamabad said: "India has not responded to Pakistan's overtures for peace in South Asia the way it should have. If you look back at the first face-to-face between our PMs, your PM took a brave, farsighted decision. What we said and did made things uncomfortable for Pakistan after the visit of Nawaz Sharif at Modi's swearing-in ceremony."

Mahendra Singh Dhoni Set for Domestic Cricket Comeback After Eight Years

Bengaluru: India's limited overs captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is all set to feature in domestic cricket after a gap of eight years as he is likely to play for Jharkhand in the Vijay Hazare Trophy next month in case the Pakistan series does not happen.
Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) secretary Rajesh Verma said that the star cricketer has expressed his desire to play for the state team.
"We have spoken to Dhoni and he has said that in all likelihood he will be available (if there's no Pakistan series) to play for Jharkhand in Vijay Hazare Trophy. We have not discussed as to how many matches he will play or whether he would like to lead the side. But if he wants obviously, he will lead the side," Verma told PTI over phone from Ranchi.
Dhoni last played for Jharkhand in the 2007 East Zone leg of Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Championship in Kolkata after the Indian team made an inglorious exit from the group stage of the 2007 World Cup.
"His presence obviously will be a great boost for the boys. Whenever Dhoni has got an opportunity, he has had encouraging words for the boys. Only day before I saw him training at the main stadium alone. Right now the senior team is in Tripura for Ranji Trophy," Verma said.
What seems to have brought about this opportunity for Jharkhand is the fact that Dhoni no longer plays Test cricket. The last international he played was an ODI against South Africa on October 25.
With no clarity on the series against Pakistan, India's next assignment is the limited overs series in Australia in mid-January.
If Pakistan series does not happen, Dhoni would have been out of match practice for close to three months. The 50-over matches against first-class sides will at least allow him to get some match time before he goes Down Under.

Story first published on: Tuesday, 17 November 2015 19:46 IST

Imran Khan's Ex-Wife Reham Khan Admits She Felt Stifled in Marriage

Islamabad: Two weeks after Imran Khan's second marriage ended in a divorce in just 10 months, Reham has spoken out, claiming that she was told that she should be making chapatis in the kitchen and not to be seen outside.
The Pakistani cricket legend-turned-politician and the 42-year-old TV journalist announced their decision to split on October 30 amid reports that Imran objected to her meddling in politics. (Imran Khan Divorces Second Wife Reham Khan, Is he Seeing Jemima Again?)
The 62-year-old Imran's marriage to Reham was his second after his first marriage with English heiress Jemima Goldsmith for nine years ended in divorce in June, 2004.
Reham Khan, a divorced mother of three, left a job on regional BBC news and moved back to Pakistan in 2013. (How Imran Khan Divorced his Wife Reham Khan)
"I was told specifically by a senior adviser: they basically wanted me to be in the kitchen, to be cooking chapatis and not to be seen ever again," Reham told Sunday Times.
Reham said as soon as she and her youngest daughter moved into Imran's mansion in Bani Gala, on a hilltop overlooking Islamabad, she felt stifled.
Her career was a constant problem, particularly when she became an "ambassador for street children" in Peshawar.
"There wasn't any involvement, I never attended meetings or anything of the sort, but obviously there was insecurity," Reham said.
Reham said she gave up her television show to avoid a conflict of interest and did not work for several months.
But she still upset Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) early on when a journalist questioned her about problems in her first marriage. Asked in an interview if she had been the victim of domestic abuse, she "didn't want to lie" and said yes.
"I answered as diplomatically as I could, being a politician's wife," she told the paper.
But the media storm that followed upset Imran's party. Imran's response was silence, she said.
"I was told not to defend myself, to let it die down," she said. But the "attacks escalated". Although Imran knew about her past, she thinks it took its toll on him: "I don't know if he was surprised by it, but he was affected by it."
She said guests to Imran's home were never fed and Imran was surviving on "one chapati a day".
Imran was not, she thinks, quite prepared for married bliss.
"I tried to talk to him. I'm very talkative and I'm very chatty but, you know, you can't exactly with Imran Khan. You can't discuss the colour of the curtains; you can only talk politics. You cannot exactly discuss Bollywood films with him. God knows I tried," she said.
Reham said she plans to continue her work with street children in Pakistan, is producing two films.
"I have to make up for loss of income. I married a man who convinced me that he loved me, who looked lonely and who I thought had the same ideas about life and the same goals, but we were just too different," she said.

Story first published on: Monday, 16 November 2015 13:13 IST

2 Air France Flights Heading From US to Paris Diverted: Reports

Two Air France flights en route to Paris from the United States were diverted on Tuesday because of security issues, and passengers and crew were safely removed, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

An Airbus A-380 that departed from Los Angeles landed in Salt Lake City, where passengers and crew were being taken off the plane and escorted into the terminal, an FAA spokesman said.

A separate flight that left Dulles International Airport outside Washington was diverted to Halifax International Airport in Nova Scotia, also because of an unspecified security concern, and passengers and crew had disembarked, the FAA said.

Halifax airport spokesman Peter Spurway said the Air France Boeing 777 jet was diverted to Halifax at 10:15 pm. eastern time and was currently sitting at the end of the airport's main runway.

"It's an RCMP matter," Spurway said referring to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. "The passengers are being deplaned at this point and being transferred to a secure area of the terminal building because they're international passengers."

CNN, citing a US government official, reported that Flight 65, the flight which originated in Los Angeles, was diverted after a bomb threat was called in from the ground. The official did not know if anyone was arrested in connection with that incident.

"Several law enforcement agencies are working in concert, following established protocol, to determine the nature of the threats which caused the aircraft to divert," FBI Special Agent Todd Palmer, of the agency's Salt Lake City division, told the network.

Security officials have been on high alert since last week's deadly attacks in Paris, claimed by Islamic State militants, killed 129 people.

© Thomson Reuters 2015

Story First Published: November 18, 2015 09:01 IST

Army Pays Tribute to 38-Year-Old Colonel Who Died Fighting Terrorists in Kashmir

Army pays tribute to Colonel Santosh Mahadik who was killed in an encounter with terrorists in north Kashmir

Srinagar:  The Army is today honouring Colonel Santosh Mahadik who was killed on Tuesday in a fierce gunbattle with terrorists in the forests of Kupwara in north Kashmir.

The 38-year-old Colonel of the Army's elite Para Commando force was the Commanding Officer of 41 Rashtriya Rifles. He was leading his troops in the encounter against four terrorists when he was shot and wounded. He died in hospital.

For the last one week, the Colonel and his troops had launched a cordon and search operation in Manigah forest area. Three days ago, two soldiers were injured in a gunfight but the terrorists managed to escape. That morning, as they zeroed in on the cordon, they came under heavy firing. Three soldiers and a Jammu and Kashmir police personnel were also injured in the gunfight.

Colonel Mahadik was from Maharashtra and is survived by his wife and two children, 11 and five years of age. The Army said the Colonel had conducted many successful counter-terrorist operations and had earlier been awarded the Sena medal for gallantry.

"We owe a deep debt of gratitude to officers like Santosh who lead from the front and are willing to pay the ultimate price in the fight against terrorism," Lieutenant General DS Hooda, Army Commander, Northern Command said.

Colonel Mahadik was the second senior officer killed while fighting terrorists in Kashmir.

Colonel MM Rai, commanding officer of 42 Rashtriya Rifles, was killed in January in an encounter with terrorists in south Kashmir's Tral area.

Story First Published: November 18, 2015 09:29 IST

Russia Offers $50 Million Reward For Information on Sinai Plane Attackers

Vladimir Putin pledged to step up air strikes in Syria after Moscow confirmed a bomb brought down a Russian passenger jet in Egypt last month, the Kremlin said on November 17. (AFP)

Moscow:  Russia's federal security service (FSB) today said it would pay $50 million for information about "terrorists" who brought down the plane in Sinai last month with 224 people on board.

The FSB appealed for "help in identifying the terrorists" that exploded a bomb on the A321 plane travelling from Egypt to Russia. "There will be a reward of $50 million for information helping to arrest the criminals," it said on its website.

Story First Published: November 17, 2015 15:49 IST

After Inspiring Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh Tweets Zaheer Khan to Marry

Harbhajan Singh, who recently married Geeta Basra, was the first to hint about Yuvraj Singh's engagement with Hazel Keech, which turned out to be true. The off-spinner now wants Zaheer Khan to announce his marriage plans 

Harbhajan Singh wants Zaheer Khan to get married by next year. He had earlier hinted Yuvraj SIngh's engagement with Hazel Keech.

© AFP

Harbhajan Singh, who got married to Bollywood actress Geeta Basra on October 29, is turning out to be a match-maker of sorts for top Indian cricketers. The India off-spinner, who was the first to hint about Yuvraj Singh's engagement with Hazel Keech, said Zaheer Khan is 'next in line' to get hitched.
Harbhajan, who is on a comeback trail to the national team after being part of both the ODI and the T20I squads in the South Africa series, took to Twitter to say that Zaheer may tie the knot soon.