LIVE! US govt ignores India's protest, justifies decision on F-16s

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Sat, 13 February 2016

US govt ignores India's protest, justifies decision on F-16s

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23:20 US govt ignores India's protest, justifies decision on F-16s

Notwithstanding India's strong protest, the Obama Administration today justified its move to sell eight F-16 fighters to Pakistan claiming that these jets were "critical" to the country's counter-terrorism operations.

"We support the proposed sale of eight F-16s to Pakistan to assist Pakistan's counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations. Pakistan's current F-16s have proven critical to the success of these operations to date," a State Department official told PTI.

He was responding when referred to the strong objection expressed by India which said it "disagrees" with the rationale presented by the Obama administration.

Earlier in the day, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar summoned US Ambassador to India Richard Verma in New Delhi to convey India's "disappointment" over the US decision.

"We are disappointed at the decision of the Obama administration to notify the sale of F-16 aircraft to Pakistan. We disagree with their rationale that such arms transfers help to combat terrorism. The record of the last many years in this regard speaks for itself," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

On February 11, the US State Department notified the Congress of its decision to sell eight F-16 to Pakistan worth about USD 700 million. Now all eyes are on the US Congress where there is stiff opposition to giving such military hardware to Pakistan.

Delhi Police today continued its questioning of DU professor Ali Javed in connection with an event where slogans were raised allegedly hailing Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, leading to registration of a case of sedition against SAR Geelani, a former lecturer of the varsity and an accused in the Parliament attack case who was later acquitted.

Javed, a member of Press Club of India who had booked a hall on its premises for the event, was questioned for hours for the second consecutive day, a police official said.

All those who were present on the dais at the said event will be asked to join investigation at the earliest, the official added.

Among those present on the dais were Geelani, Javed and two other Delhi University professors -- Nirmalangshu Mukherji and Tripta Wahi.

21:12 Rahul's speaking like Hafiz Saeed: BJP

The BJP today accused Rahul Gandhi of "insulting" the nation for charging the government with suppressing students' voice in the JNU row and alleged that he was supporting "anti-national" forces and speaking the voice of LeT founder and terrorist Hafiz Sayeed.

The party said the Congress vice president's comments amounted to supporting those students who had allegedly raised slogans in favour of Pakistan and terrorists.

"What kind of ideology is Rahul Gandhi supporting? The ideology that says 'Pakistan zindabad' and 'Bharat ki barbadi tak, jang rahegi jang rahegi' (Till the downfall of India, we will fight) is anti-national. His remakrs are an insult to the nation, our Constitution and legal system. It shows his mental bankruptcy.

"Rahul Gandhi and his friends are speaking in the voice LeT terrorist Hafiz Sayeed who had tweeted in support of anti-India event in JNU. It is an insult to our martyrs and armed forces who sacrifice their lives on the border and will boost the morale of anti-national forces," party national secretary Shrikant Shamra said.

An arrest order was today issued against RJD MLA Raj Ballabh Yadav in connection with the rape case of a minor girl last week, a senior police officer said.

The order was issued following a complaint against the MLA by a 15-year-old girl from Nawada who has alleged that Yadav raped him on February 6, Deputy Inspector General of Police Shalin told PTI.

The statement of the girl has been taken under section 164 of IPC and an FIR in the case was lodged against Yadav with Women police station, Nalanda, on February 9, he said.

The girl had identified the accused MLA when his photograph was shown to her and later she identified him in person also, the DIG said.

Yadav won from Nawada seat on RJD ticket in the recent assembly election and has previously served as a minister in the RJD government.

Taking a jibe at Devendra Fadnavis over the Make in India Week, the Shiv Sena said Maharashtra has so far failed to attract investments that would at least compensate for the foreign travel costs of the Chief Minister.

The Shiv Sena also said that while efforts of the Chief Minister and state Industries minister to bring investments need to be appreciated, Vidarbha and Marathwada region also need to be developed as over 1,000 farmers have committed suicide there in the past year.

"Maharashtra has always contributed to the nation in a big way, but Mumbai has always been looted. There have been many investor summits held in the city in the last 50 years to boost the industrial growth but Mumbai has to keep struggling to get its dues," the Shiv Sena said in an edit in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

"Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is touring foreign nations along with a large number of delegates. What investments has Maharashtra been able to garner through these tours? Not even enough money that would compensate for the travelling costs of these delegates," the Shiv Sena said.

In the backdrop of the raging JNU row, Union Minister Jitendra Singh today said the country is going through a crisis of values as those who challenge Indianness are considered intellectuals while those speaking for it are labelled as fools.

"We are going through a crisis of values. This is a time when those who talk about 'Bharatiyata' (Indianness) are labelled as fools. While those challenging Indianness are termed as intellectuals," said the Minister of State in the PMO.

"Is this situation a paradox or a perversion?" he questioned and added that humility is considered weakness and oppressors are considered brave.

Singh's comments come amid a row over the arrest of JNU students union president Kanhaiya Kumar in connection with an event organised on the campus against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. There were allegations that anti-India slogans were raised during the event.

The minister also hit out at the critics of the government on debate over tolerance saying, "Can tolerance be virtue of those who themselves do not have the strength to be tolerant?"

19:36

What is anti-national? Most anti-national people are those suppressing the voice of students in JNU: Rahul Gandhi.

19:01 Make in India has become the biggest brand India has ever created: Modi

Highlights of PM Narendra Modi's address at the Make in India event at the event at MMRDA Grounds in Mumbai.

* India is blessed with 3 Ds: Demand, Demography and Democracy. We have added a fourth one- Deregulation

* There is no time for incremental changes. We are looking at a quantum jump, in a cleaner and greener way.

* We are particularly keen to scale up investments in next generation infra - from roads and railways to digital networks & clean energy.

* India has consistently been ranked as the most attractive investment destination by several global agencies and institutions

* I believe in minimum government and maximum governance.

* We have made our systems cleaner, simpler, proactive and business friendly.

* We know under the pressure of this campaign the governing machinery will need to make a number of corrections on policy front.

* Our FDI inflow has gone up by 48% since the day my government came into office.

* We want to present to the world the enormous opportunities that India offers for manufacturing, design and R&D

* In a year's time, Make in India has become the biggest brand India has ever created within and outside the country.

* Make in India is an opportunity to take stock of our performance and showcase our progress.

* This year we will record highest ever coal production.

* Please see for yourself the direction India is taking. Make in India has become a big brand both within and outside India.

* The formation of Company law tribunal is at the final stage, soon we shall be put in place an effective IPR policy and patent regime

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched the Make in India Week at NSCI, Worli, a flagship event designed to impart greater momentum to the initiative to boost the manufacturing sector in the country.

The Make in India Week is aimed at showcasing to the world the achievements of the nation in the manufacturing sector and promote India as a preferred manufacturing destination.

At the moment, the Time India Awards are being given away. The awards recognize notable achievements in manufacturing in one of the worlds fastest growing economies.

Best in Class Manufacturing Award: Tata Steel

Innovator of the Year Award: Hero Moto Corp

Renowned Malayalam Poet and lyricist O N V Kurup passes away at the age of 84.

ONV, as he was popularly known, was part of the progressive movement in Kerala and penned some of the most remembered poems and film lyrics. He died at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram a short while ago owing to age-related ailments. He was 84.

He was honoured with the Padma Sri in 1998 and with the Padma Vibhushan in 2011. He was awarded the Jnanpith in 2007.

He is survived by his wife Sarojini and two children.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi accompanied by Anand Sharma will visit the Jawaharlal Nehru University this evening. The visit comes amidst an uproar by non-BJP parties over the arrest of JNU students' union president in a sedition case.

JNU students' union leader president Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested in a sedition case over an event held at the varsity campus against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, drawing flak from the Left and Congress which dubbed it an "Emergency-like" situation and called it "curbing" students' voice.

On the eve of first anniversary of the Aam Aadmi government in Delhi, Congress gave zero to it, saying the Kejriwal dispensation only indulged in politics rather than development and governance.

"I will give zero to the Kejriwal government because I can not give it minus mark," Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken said, adding the first year of AAP government was marked by its "conflict" with the central government and other agencies and "passing" blame for its failures to others.

"AAP government followed a course of conflict with the Centre and other agencies to divert focus from their governance and lack of delivery on their promises, shrugging of its responsibility while passing the blame to others," he said

16:55 SP's Azam Khan wades into JNU row

Samajwadi Party fiery leader Azam Khan has also offered his opinion on the entire JNU row. Khan says, "JNU is being targeted like AMU and Jamia. Govt wants to shut down JNU."

Amid the raging JNU row, Home Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that no innocent will be harassed but the guilty "will not be spared" as Left leaders met him questioning the police action against students including arrest of JNUSU leader. "No question of harassment of students. But the guilty will not be spared," he said.

The Home Minister's statement came after a delegation of Left and JD-Uleaders met him demanding release of president of JNU students union Kanhaiya Kumar who was arrested yesterday on charges of sedition in connection with an event organised on the campus against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

Ex-servicemen who are alumni of JNU threatened to return their degrees, saying they "find it difficult" to be associated with an institution that has become a "hub of anti-national activities" amid a controversy over an event held on the campus against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

15:23 Jaya launches free Amma Drinking Water Scheme

As part of rolling out people friendly initiatives, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today launched 'Amma Drinking Water Scheme' aimed at providing free mineral water for the poor and downtrodden. As a first step, drinking water dispensing units based onreverse osmosis technology would be installed in 100 localities that has large number of poor and downtrodden, she said.

More major attacks in Europe are a "certainty", French prime minister Manuel Valls told an audience at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. "We have entered -- we all feel it -- in a new era characterised by the lasting presence of 'hyper-terrorism'," said Valls, whose country was hit by two Islamist attacks last year.

"We must be fully conscious of the threat, and react with a very great force and great lucidity. There will be attacks. Large-scale attacks. It's a certainty. This hyper-terrorism is here to stay," he said.

BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav is expected to be here tomorrow for talks with PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti to break the impasse over formation of government in Jammu and Kashmir following the death of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

"Madhav is expected to meet the PDP president tomorrow or day after. The day and time of the meeting will be finalised once the BJP leader arrives in Kashmir," a senior PDP leader.

Madhav, who played a crucial role in forging an alliance with the ideologically opposite PDP last year, is expected to convey a message from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Mehbooba on government formation.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who never skips a chance to reach out to voters, marked 100 days in office on Friday by fielding Twitter questions on topics from Star Wars to economics to what he had for lunch.

Critics were already complaining that Trudeau is more style than substance, but he shows no sign of ditching an intensely personal style of governing, which often involves stopping for selfies with well-wishers.

14:05 JNU row: 7 more students detained

A day after JNU Student's Union president Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested in connection with a case of sedition, seven more students from the university have been detained.

The students, who face the same charges as Kanhaiya, have been taken to the Parliament Street police station for questioning in connection with the case.

The Delhi Police had on Friday late evening written to the Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University demanding his cooperation in nabbing rest of the students who they claimed were absconding.

Senior Congress leader Gulam Nabi Azad on Saturday formally announced that the party will fight the assembly polls in an alliance with the DMK. "Our mail goal is to put in place a government led by the DMK," he said after meeting DMK president M Karunanidhi at his residence in Chennai.

Azad said the DMK leadership will identify other potential allies and initiate talks. On whether there would be a coalition government after polls, he said such "small things" do not matter at the moment.On seat sharing, he said further talks would take place with DMK.

Congress took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Obama administrations decision to sell F-16 jets to Pakistan, saying his singular achievement on foreign policy front is that both US and Russia have become major arms suppliers to Pakistan.

The singular achievement of Modis foreign policy is that both US and Russia have become major arms suppliers to Pakistan, party spokesperson Manish Tewari said.

He said the US has a long standing defence relationship with Pakistan despite it being virtually a terrorist entity at its core.

F-16s are not tactical weapons. They are strategic platforms that have the potential of tilting the conventional power balance in the region, he said.

India summoned US Ambassador Richard Verma and conveyed its displeasure and disappointment over Obama administrations decision to sell F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley hit back at Manmohan Singh after the former PM slammed the Modi sarkar in an interview, saying that the PM's foreign policy when it came to Pakistan was not well thought out and that Modi should know that he's the PM of all.

Jaitley writes, "I am sure if Dr Singh would dispassionately analyse the present government, he would really realize the India has a government where the PM has the last word, where natural resources are allocated without corruption through transparent process, where industrialists no longer visit North Block to push files/decisions, where environmental clearances are dealt with in routine and not stalled on sadistic or corrupt considerations."

Read Jaitley's article HERE

The mortal remains of the nine soldiers, who perished after an avalanche hit the army post in Siachen, has been airlifted from the base camp. The defence PRO said that the weather conditions have been difficult, causing the delay in airlifting the bodies out.

11:59

That's PM Modi on the 'Make in India' bus. Today, the Make in India week begins in Mumbai. Today, PM Modi will inaugurate the Make in India Centre at the MMRDA grounds in Mumbai's Bandra-Kurla Complex.

Over 2,500 international and 8,000 domestic companies will be participating in MIIW, a week-long multi-sectoral industrial event, which will be attended by foreign government delegations from 68 countries and business teams from 72 nations.

11:48 JNU students not anti-national: CPI-M's Sitaram Yechury

After Delhi Police arrested JNU student wing president Kanhaiya Kumar over raising anti-India slogans, the political game has begun. While the nation has expressed outrage over the shocking antipathy shown by some sections of students at JNU, political parties are not leaving any stones unturned to score political brownie points.

Communist Party of India-Marxist's General Secretary met Home Minister Rajnath Singh and expressed his concerns. He said, "What is happening in JNU? Police on campus, arrests and picking up students from hostels. This last happened during Emergency."

He also said that all the students should not be held responsible and that the government was attacking the autonomy of the institution.

Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union lashed out at the Centre for ordering the arrest of its President Kanhaiya Kumar. The students faction alleged the government of deliberately targeting ideological opponents.

A prompt wedding will be forced upon couples found celebrating Valentine's Day in Ramgarh. A Jharkhand district unit of the Bajrang Dal has even formed '10 raiding teams' to catch such couples. Bajrang Dal announced that it will have ready mandaps to marry off couples caught in parks and other public areas celebrating February 14.

At first look, the fellow might seem a greenhorn in international diplomacy -- or at the very least, an unvarnished bureaucrat from America. But what the faceless US defence official said was unacceptable by diplomatic norms regarding the confidentiality of inter-state exchanges.

You don't go to a foreign capital, enjoy their traditional hospitality, transact business with the counterparts in the ministry of defence on a sensitive issue relating to the US' containment strategy against China, and then give a parting kick to the hosts by 'leaking' to the media...

Read more HERE

For the first time after the Lok Sabha polls in 2014, Varanasi will again witness Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal 's presence on the same day. Both the leaders are schedule to visit the city on February 22 on the occasion of Ravidas Jayanti.

Both of them had contested the Lok Sabha polls from the constituency where PM Modi emerged as the winner. Since then, PM Modi had visited the city several times whereas, it will the Delhi CM's first visit after then. Prime Minister Modi is expected to address a gathering at Ravidas temple in the city. Kejriwal is also likely to visit the temple but his detailed planned is yet to be announced.

10:19

JUST IN: Biraja Prasad, Indian Ambassador to Tajikistan, passed away today morning.

10:19 Facebook's India Head Kirthiga Reddy quits

Facebook's India head, Kirthiga Reddy, has said she is stepping down and plans to return to the US where she has "begun to explore new opportunities at Facebook back at Menlo Park" in California.

Her announcement -- made on Facebook -- comes at the end of a week which began with a huge setback to the social network giant with India banning internet providers from charging users different rates for different sorts of content.

The decision means that Facebook's free internet program, Free Basics, has been rejected here.

Reddy, Facebook's first employee in India, said her family's intent was always to return to the US and her children's schooling makes this the right time to head back. She said it will be "business as-usual over the next 6-12 months" and she will help find a successor over the period.

Pakistani-American terrorist David Headley continues his deposition in front of a Mumbai court via videoconferencing on day 5. Currently lodged in an American prison and serving a time of 35 years, the Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative for the past few days has been revealing the how the terrorist group along with the help of the ISI wants to spread terror in India.

Here are the highlights of his testimony today:

-- From March 11, 2009 to 13 March 2009, I visited Pushkar (Rajasthan). I travelled and made a video of the city including Chabad House

-- In Pune, I visited Indian Army installation

-- Previously, Major Iqbal told me to visit the Indian Army installation in Pune to recruit people from Indian army to have some classified info

-- After the 26/11 terror attack, I met Dr Tahawwur Rana in Chicago. Rana was pleased with the terror attack in Mumbai

-- On March 3, 2009, I sent an e-mail to DrTahawwur Rana, with the subject on the mail 'personal will" which he had executed

-- I sent this 'will' to Dr.Rana because I was going back to India again, I thought I may be killed and arrested in India

-- gulati22@hotmail.com was my e-mail id and rare.lemon@gmail.com was Sajid Mir's e-mail and we used to exchange mails by this

-- On July 8, I sent a mail to Sajid Mir. In this mail, I asked "Are most of the problem solved for uncle & his friends?"

-- In this mail, Hafiz Saeed is "Uncle" and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi is "his friends"

-- I sent this mail because after terror attack in Mumbai, government of Pakistan carried out investigation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's penchant for greeting his fellow world leaders on micro-blogging site Twitter backfired on Friday after he mistakenly wished Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani Happy Birthday; three months too early.

"Happy birthday @ashrafghani. Praying for your long life and exceptional health" tweeted Modi.

President Ghani responded to the tweet with good humour. "@narendramodi Greetings from Munich Mr. PM. Although, my Birthday is on 19th May, but I'd still like to thank you for your gracious words :)"tweeted the Afghan leader, who is currently in Munich.

India today expressed disappointment over US administration's decision to sell eight F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan, saying it disagrees that "such arms transfers will help combat terrorism".

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar will summon US Ambassador Richard Verma to convey India's "displeasure".

"We are disappointed at the decision of the Obama Administration to notify the sale of F-16 aircraft to Pakistan. We disagree with their rationale that such arms transfers help to combat terrorism.

"The record of the last many years in this regard speaks for itself. The US Ambassador will be summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs to convey our displeasure," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Police say two female students died in a shooting at a school in a Phoenix suburb.

Glendale Officer Tracey Breeden told reporters today that both victims were 15 years old and were shot once. She says authorities are not searching for any suspects and a weapon was found near the bodies.

She did not have any information on the relationship between the girls, who died at the scene.

Breeden told parents awaiting word on their kids that "your children are safe."

Five United Nations peacekeepers were killed and some 30 others wounded when suspected Islamists attacked their base in Mali's restive north today, as three Malian soldiers perished in an ambush in the same

region, the UN chief and security sources said.

The latest attacks highlighted the vulnerability of the sprawling arid north, where UN peacekeepers and Malian soldiers are struggling in their fight against jihadists who seized vast swathes of territory in 2012.

UN Secretary general Ban Ki-moon condemned the "massive" assault on the base of the UN mission in Mali, or MINUSMA, in the strategic town of Kidal and recalled that targeting peacekeepers constitutes a war crime.

News reports are indicating that an FIR has been registered with respect to a public meeting organized on the JNU campus on the evening of 9th February.

These reports claim that the meeting was about the hanging of Afzal Guru, and it is alleged that during its course, some people raised incendiary slogans.

According to reports, the FIR has been registered under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code (sedition), and the Police have already arrested one person.

It is important to note that under the Indian law of sedition, the events at the public meeting, even if completely true, do not even come close to establishing an offence.

In Kedar Nath Singhs Case, 5 judges of the Supreme Court a Constitution bench made it clear that allegedly seditious speech and expression may be punished only if the speech is an incitement to violence, or public disorder.

Subsequent cases have further clarified the meaning of this phrase.

Indian and Israeli relations are getting even friendlier: Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj visited Israel in January, and the trip is widely thought to precede higher level visits, including by Prime Minister Narendra Modi (hed be the first Indian head of government to visit Israel).

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have both also indicated that they plan to travel to India soon.

The foreign ministers visit was part of the ongoing Indian effort not just to broaden and deepen Indias relationship with Israel, but also to make it more public. But the tripnot just to Israel, but to what the Indian government now routinely calls the state of Palestinealso highlighted the Modi governments attempt to de-hyphenate Indias relations with the Israelis and Palestinians.

What is the state of Indias relationship with Israel, the Modi governments approach toward it, and this de-hyphenated approach?

President Bashar al-Assad has vowed to recapture the whole of Syria and keep "fighting terrorism" while also negotiating an end to the war, as

international pressure mounts for a ceasefire.

His defiant stance, in an exclusive interview with AFP released today, doused hopes of an imminent halt to hostilities, which world powers are pushing to take effect within a week.

Assad said the main aim of a Russian-backed regime offensive in Aleppo province that has prompted tens of thousands of people to flee was to cut the rebels' supply route from Turkey.

He said his government's eventual goal was to retake all of the country, large swathes of which are controlled by rebel forces or the Islamic State jihadist group.

"It makes no sense for us to say that we will give up any part," he said in the interview conducted yesterday in Damascus.

The US Congress adopted tougher sanctions on North Korea today, in a bid to punish the reclusive Asian nation for its provocative recent nuclear test and rocket launch.

The House voted 408 to 2 in favour of the bipartisan measure, which would slap sanctions on any person or entity importing goods or technology or training related to weapons of mass destruction into North Korea, or anyone who knowingly engages in human rights abuses.

The Senate adopted the legislation on Wednesday, following a similar move by the House earlier this month. Today's vote was on a compromise version.

It now goes to President Barack Obama for his signature.

The measure also heaps additional financial pressure on the already-sanctioned regime of leader Kim Jong-Un, by aiming at cutting down on money laundering and narcotics trafficking, two major illicit activities believed to be funneling millions of dollars into Kim's inner circle.

00:37 Top headlines of the last hour

Bihar BJP Vice President Visheshwar Ojha shot dead

Sedition case: JNU student body head arrested; Left parties say Emergency is back

2 soldiers injured in encounter with militants in Jammu and Kashmir

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