"Kulbhushan Jadhav is a very sad case. I think Pakistan handled this issue very clumsily. They gave too much of publicity and also said that they will hang him. Now obviously, they are not going to hang him."


Amarjit Singh Dulat, former chief of the Research and Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency speaks to Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf and Saisuresh Sivaswamy on Pakistan's spy agency ISI, the RAW, espionage and everything that's fit to print.

Dulat co-authored the book, The Spy Chronicles with Lieutenant General Asad Durrani the former head of the Inter Services Intelligence.

Read the 1st part of a multi-part interview here.

The first meeting of the coordination committee of the ruling JDS-Congress coalition in Karnataka will be held in Bengaluru tomorrow where the two parties would mull over a common minimum programme, senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah said today.


Announcing the power sharing arrangement on June 1, after the assembly polls delivered a fractured verdict, the two parties had said the common agenda for governance will have salient features of their election manifestos. Siddaramaiah, however, remained non-committal on farm loan waiver promised by the JDS in the run up to the elections. -- PTI

Deepika Padukone @deepikapadukone tweets: I am safe.Thank You everyone. Let us pray for our firefighters who are at site risking their lives...

For context, a fire broke out in a multi-storey building in Mumbai which houses the residence and office of Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone. Deepika was not inside the 34-storey Beaumonde building in the Prabhadevi area where the blaze emanated from the top floor, according to fire department officials and sources close to the actress.


Deepika's house is on one floor of the building and office in another but both were unaffected by the fire, said sources close to her.

No one was injured so far in the blaze which was reported at 2.08 pm, fire brigade sources said. Over 90 people have been safely evacuated from the building even as the fire department personnel were trying to douse the fire, the sources said.

At least 10 fire engines, two quick response vans, five water tankers have been put in service to douse the fire.

So, does the Mumbai fire brigade have a snorkel that reaches the 33rd floor? The fire in the Beaumonde building at Prabhadevi is on the 32nd and 33rd floor.

A 2015 report in the Indian Express says that the Mumbai Fire Brigade has a 90-metre snorkel at the Byculla fire station, The hydraulic platform can scale up to 30 floors and has a turntable ladder and elevated water pumps to conduct firefighting and rescue operations.

Headline inflation surging to a four-month high of 4.87 per cent in May is likely to force the Reserve Bank of India to hike rates once again at its August monetary policy review, analysts said.


The commentary comes a day after industry body Confederation of Indian Industry said that monetary policy tightening will increase the cost of doing business and force India Inc to slowdown on investments, which are critical for pushing the growth agenda.


"With both core and headline inflation only likely to face greater upside pressure from various factors in the coming months, we continue to expect one more 0.25 per cent rate hike from the RBI. This could occur as soon as the July 31-August 1 meeting," analysts at the French brokerage BNP Paribas said in a note. -- PTI

Atul Kochhar, a popular Indian-origin chef in the United Arab Emirates, was today sacked by a Dubai hotel after he courted controversy by posting an anti-Islam tweet that caused outrage on social media.


Kochhar, 48, the second Indian to receive a Michelin star, is well known for his Rang Mahal restaurant at the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel, Dubai.


He caused a furore after taking a dig at Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra over an episode in American television series 'Quantico' that purportedly portrayed Hindu nationalists as terrorists.


"Following the recent comments made by Chef Atul Kochhar, we have taken the decision to end our agreement with him for Rang Mahal. With the termination of our agreement, Chef Atul will no longer be associated with the restaurant," Bill Keffer, general manager of the hotel, was quoted as saying by the Gulf News.


According to the hotel, the restaurant will continue to operate without the chef's affiliation.


"At the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai we pride ourselves on creating a culture of diversity and inclusion for our guests and associates across the hotel and our restaurants. We also remain committed to delivering the traditional culinary experience and high service standards that Rang Mahal is renowned for," the hotel statement added.


Reacting to the hotel's move, Kochhar said he was "deeply upset" by the hotel's decision to cut ties with him. "The decision by JW Marriott Marquis Dubai is deeply upsetting, however I fully accept the great pain I have caused and the difficult position the hotel has been put in," the paper quoted him as saying.


"I hope my friends and well-wishers in Dubai will forgive me and continue to support me in the future," he continued.


In his controversial tweet on Sunday, Kochhar had said, "It's sad to see that you (Priyanka) have not respected the sentiments of Hindus who have been terrorised by Islam over 2000 years. Shame on You (sic)." He later deleted the tweet and apologised for the "major error" that was "made in the heat of the moment". The tweet had caused outrage on social media with the twitterati calling for firing the chef. -- PTI


Image: Chef Atul Kocchar. Courtesy: @atulkochhar

Just in: Atal Bihari Vajpayee has shown significant improvement; hope we'll be able to discharge him in next few days: AIIMS director. "We are hopeful of Vajpayee's full recovery in the next few days,"  AIIMS director Randeep Guleria said.


Guleria said Vajpayee's kidney function is back to normal, heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure are also normal and the parameters are being maintained without support.


The former PM (93) was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi on Monday with an urinary tract infection, lower respiratory tract infection and kidney issues, but his condition was reported to be stable since on Tuesday.

A team of doctors, under the supervision of AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria, evaluated his condition, a source said.

The former prime minister underwent dialysis on Monday and continued to remain in the intensive care unit of the cardiothoracic centre of the AIIMS, the source said.

Vajpayee, a diabetic, has one functional kidney. He suffered a stroke in 2009, weakening his cognitive abilities. Later, he developed dementia.

The entire corridor of the first-floor ICU has been cordoned off and only patients' attendants or relatives are being allowed after showing proof.

A host of political leaders, including former prime ministers Manmohan Singh and H D Deve Gowda, visited the ailing leader on Tuesday.

Donald J Trump @realDonaldTrump Just landed - a long trip, but everybody can now feel much safer than the day I took office. There is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea. Meeting with Kim Jong Un was an interesting and very positive experience. North Korea has great potential for the future!

The Madhya Pradesh Government elevated state Cow Protection Board chairperson Swami Akhileshwaranand to Cabinet minister rank on Wednesday.


He was earlier given Minister of State rank.As per reports, Akhileshwaranand reportedly expressed his displeasure over his inclusion in the panel without his consent and on being put at par with Computer Baba and Yogendra Mahant, who were also part of this panel.


The state government in March had constituted a committee to conduct a public awareness campaign on the banks of river Narmada. Earlier on April 3, the state government granted the status of Minister of State to five religious figures. He did not even attend any meeting conducted by the panel. -- ANI

Former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today smelled a BJP "conspiracy" to "malign" him in reports of damage to the bungalow vacated by him in Lucknow and sought to know as to why two state officials had entered the house before it was shown to the media.


The SP leader also hit out at the state Governor over the issue, saying he has the "soul of RSS". "I want to ask from the government as to why CM's OSD Abhishek (Kaushik) and IAS Mrityunjay Narain went to my house before it was shown to the media. I want to asked them to check the inventory of the house and tell me what I have taken. I am waiting for the report," a fuming Akhilesh said at a hurriedly convened press conference here.


"It's a conspiracy of the BJP after its humiliating defeat in by-elections in Gorakhpur, Phulpur, Kairana and Noorpur. It is rattled after these repeated defeats. I want to tell them (BJP) that the same officers will find out something when you (BJP) leave your house. They might come out with a 'chilam' (a small pipe that holds tobacco and other substances being smoked)," he said.


"If I am told about missing things, I will return the items immediately. Someone is saying Rs 42 crore was spent on the bungalow...Some say there was a swimming pool, which I filled before leaving the premises. I am ready to go there again. Show me where is the pool," he said. Attacking the governor, Akhilesh said, "He is a good person but he is not following the Constitution.


He does not have the Constitution in his soul but there is the RSS," he said, adding that he has "good relations" with the governor. Akhilesh said "The BJP is saying that he had taken away taps. I want to give them taps through the media."


"I had my gym and a steel structure there. In my new house I will use it. The BJP is trying to humiliate me with the help of media. I also know photography and the angle used to show what is to be emphasised," he said.


In a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the governor said reports about the damage at 4, Vikramaditya Marg, were doing the rounds in the media and among the common people. He said this was a "serious matter".  -- ANI

The top two floors of the 33-storey Beaumonde building in Worli, Mumbai, is on fire. Images show smoke bellowing out of the top floors of the 'B' wing of the building. Actress Deepika Padukone's apartment is on the 26th floor or the same building. The Mumbai fire brigade said four fire engines were at the spot and were taking charge of the situation. No reports of anyone trapped or any casualties have been reported.

"The sanctions are biting Kim Jong-un. He also has a chance to come out into the world and reshape his nation."


Ravi Velloor, Associate Editor, The Straits Times, Singapore's leading newspaper, has compared the handshake between United States President Donald J Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Tuesday as one of the two watershed moments in the first half of the 20th century. The first being the 2008 election of Barack Obama as America's first Black president.


Velloor explains why the meeting is lead news across the world and its Indian connection. Read the interview with Archana Masih/Rediff.com here.

US President Donald Trump today hit back at Robert De Niro for his expletive-laced Tony Awards address, for which the Hollywood veteran received a standing ovation.


Making a sly reference to the actor's various boxing-related films such as "Raging Bull", "Hands of Stone", "Grudge Match" and "Night in The City", Trump said De Niro received too many shots to his head. Trump also dubbed the actor as a "very low IQ individual".


The POTUS took to social media where he said he watched the awards ceremony and believes the actor was "punch-drunk". "Robert De Niro, a very Low IQ individual, has received to many shots to the head by real boxers in movies (sic). I watched him last night and truly believe he may be 'punch-drunk'. "I guess he doesn't realize the economy is the best it's ever been with employment being at an all time high, and many companies pouring back into our country. Wake up Punchy!," Trump wrote on Twitter.


De Niro, who has been a vocal critic of the president, had dropped an F-bomb in his speech to call out Trump. The 74-year-old actor had taken to the stage to introduce music icon Bruce Springsteen's performance at Radio City Music Hall but went off script in his remarks, the channel CBS said.


The masses, however, could not hear De Niro shouting "F** Trump" as the CBS Program Practices executive monitoring the show used the discretion to push a delete button to drop audio entirely from the telecast. -- PTI

The US should express publicly that China needs to engage in a meaningful and direct dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives, without preconditions, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has told lawmakers, ahead of his visit to Beijing.


The Chinese government officials and the Dalai Lama or his representatives have not met in formal negotiations since 2010.


The US has encouraged both sides to engage in meaningful and direct dialogue, without preconditions, to lead to a settlement that resolves differences.


In response to written questions from Members of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Pompeo said he was committed to press for respect of human rights for Tibetans, including freedom of religion and belief, in his conversations with the Chinese officials, and advocating for the release of Tibetan political prisoners.


Pompeo will visit China tomorrow and will exchange views with his Chinese counterpart on bilateral ties and major global and regional issues of common concern, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said today.


"I will recommend that the United States express publicly, and at the highest levels of government that Chinese authorities need to engage in meaningful and direct dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives, without preconditions, to lower tensions and resolve differences," Pompeo said.
-- PTI

Pakistan has summoned India's acting Deputy High Commissioner alleging ceasefire violation by India along the Line of Control.


Four personnel of the Border Security Force have died in Pakistani firing in the Chambliyal sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district. One among the four is a BSF assistant commandant.


The major ceasefire violation by Pakistan comes nearly a week after top level military officers of both countries agreed to implement the ceasefire pact of 2003 in "letter and spirit".


Kamal Nath Choubey, ADG, BSF, Jammu  Frontier, said, "Ceasefire is always a bilateral decision, we have always maintained the sanctity of ceasefire, but Pakistan has violated it. We are always prepared, ceasefire or no ceasefire there is no let up in border surveillance. Every instrument required to protect the territorial integrity of the border is maintained."


"Pakistan Rangers initiated cross border firing along the International Border in Ramgarh last night. We have lost four of our personnel, including an assistant commandant rank officer, while other 3 of our personnel suffered injuries," Inspector General, BSF, Ram Awtar told news agency PTI. The police chief of Jammu and Kashmir, SP Vaid, in a tweet expressed his condolences.


Image: Kamal Nath Choubey, ADG, BSF, Jammu  Frontier, said ceasefire is always a bilateral decision, but Pakistan has violated it.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un received a letter from Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong congratulating him for the successful Democratic People's Republic of Korea-United States of America summit talks.


Extending congratulations to Kim, the letter said, the joint statement signed by Kim and US President Donald Trump is the first significant step in the long course toward permanent peace and stability on the denuclearized Korean Peninsula, as per KCNA.The letter further said that Singapore is honoured to have had sponsored the historic summit.


It said Singapore wishes that the DPRK and the US will make achievements in implementing their agreements.


The Singaporean Prime Minister in the letter also expressed his wish to meet Kim again in the near future.


After the summit, addressing a press conference in Singapore, President Trump on Tuesday assured North Korea that the US will lift the sanctions slapped on the reclusive nation after it's certain that nuclear missiles are "no longer a factor". -- ANI

The family of a patient has lodged a case of medical negligence against the Columbia Asia Hospital in Kolkata. The family has alleged that the hospital staff infused blood of a wrong group while performing a surgery. The case has been filed in Kolkata's Bidhan Nagar police station.


The patient, identified as Baishakhi Saha, was taken to hospital after she had complained of abdominal pain. Thereafter, she underwent a surgery on June 5.


The woman is now battling for her life and is on the ventilator as post operation instead of A+ blood - which is her blood group - the hospital allegedly transfused AB+ into her body. Following which she suffered multiple organ failures.


"I admitted my wife to Columbia Asia hospital on June 5. She was administered blood of a wrong group during surgery. Her lungs and kidneys are damaged. Administration is now threatening to stop treatment if I refuse to pay the bills. I have already paid Rs 2.5 lakh," Baishakhi's husband Abhijit Saha told ANI.


Abhijit has also sent a letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asking her to take strict actions against the hospital authorities. -- ANI

Congress candidate Sowmya Reddy has won the Jayanagar Assembly polls by 4000 votes. She defeated the BJP's BN Prahlad, her closest rival. The seat was held by the BJP earlier.

Fifty-five per cent polling was recorded in the Jayangar Assembly constituency on June 11. The assembly elections were held across the state on May 12, but poll in Jayanagar was countermanded following the death of BJP candidate B N Vijayakumar, who was holding the seat.


Sowmya Reddy is Congress former minister Ramalinga Reddy's daughter while BJP's B N Prahlad is the brother of Vijaykumar. In all, 19 candidates are in the fray.


Ahead of the polls, Janata Dal-S had on June 5 pulled out its candidate from the contest and extended the party's support to its ruling coalition partner, the Congress.


This was the first election after coming to power, where both coalition partners had joined hands. Both Congress and JD-S had fielded candidates against each other, despite being coalition partners, in the recent election to the Rajarajeshwari Nagar Assembly seat in the city.


Congress candidate Munirathna had won the seat, relegating the JD-S candidate to a distant third behind BJP. -- PTI


Image: Congress workers celebrate the victory in the Jayanagar polls. Pic: ANI