A criminal court ordered the authorities to detain former Maldivian president Abdulla Yameen in connection with a money laundering case.

The prosecutor general's office sought a court order to take Yameen into custody following which he was summoned for a hearing which was scheduled on short notice on Monday, reported Maldives Independent.

The former Maldivian president will be detained for the duration of the trial. He has been accused of attempting to bribe witnesses to change or retract their statements, prosecutors told the court.

The criminal court has ordered former president Abdulla Yameen to be detained for the duration of his trial on money laundering charges.

A secret document to reveal Yameens alleged attempt to block a police investigation into a suspicious transaction flagged by the Financial Intelligence Unit was also submitted as evidence in the court.

Yameen, however, denied the allegations of bribery and challenged the legality of the money laundering charges.

Following the hearing, the former president was taken out on a military vehicle to a remand centre on Maafushi Island.

US President Donald Trump has issued an angry response after a TV interview on Sunday alleged that officials had held discussions to have him removed.

Trump tweeted of "illegal and treasonous" behaviour and an "illegal coup attempt".

In the interview, ex-acting FBI chief Andrew McCabe said talks had been held in 2017 about invoking a clause that can remove a US president deemed unfit.

The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman has vowed to investigate the claims.

Lindsey Graham said the claims were an "attempted bureaucratic coup".

McCabe said Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein had held discussions on the number of cabinet members and others needed to invoke the clause, the 25th Amendment of the US Constitution.

In a series of tweets on Monday morning, he condemned "so many lies by now disgraced acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe. He was fired for lying and now his story gets even more deranged.

"He and Rod Rosenstein, who was hired by [then Attorney General] Jeff Sessions (another beauty), look like they were planning a very illegal act, and got caught."

Trump added: "There is a lot of explaining to do to the millions of people who had just elected a president who they really like and who has done a great job for them with the military. Vets. Economy and so much more. This was the illegal and treasonous 'insurance policy' in full action!"

The US president quoted a comment on the Fox and Friends programme saying this was "an illegal coup attempt", adding "True!"

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra told party workers from Uttar Pradesh's Bundelkhand region that they should not expect a "miracle" from her and the party's performance depends on its booth-level organisation.

  

The AICC General Secretary Uttar Pradesh East warned the party workers that anyone found indulging in anti-party activities will be shown the door, a leader who attended the meeting said.

During the meeting, held at the Congress's war room at 15 Gurudwara Rakabganj Road, Priyanka Gandhi reviewed the booth-level organisation of the party in the region -- under which 19 Assembly and four Lok Sabha seats fall.

The four parliamentary segments in Bundelkhand are -- Jhansi-Lalitpur, Jaluan, Banda and Hamirpur.

She asked the Congress workers to strengthen the booth-level organisation of the party.

"I cannot do a miracle from above, the workers need to strengthen the party at the booth level and I need your support for strengthening the party in the state," the leader quoted Priyanka Gandhi as saying during the meeting.

The leaders told Priyanka Gandhi that she reminded them of former prime minister Indira Gandhi.

Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh doesn't want India to play Pakistan in the upcoming ODI World Cup in the aftermath of the ghastly terror attack in Pulwama.

 

Harbhajan said India are strong enough to win the World Cup even if they decide to forfeit the match against Pakistan in Manchester on June 16.

Harbhajan's statement came after the terror attack in Pulwama killed 40 personnel CRPF personnel. Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad had claimed responsibility for the ghastly act.

"India should not play Pakistan in the world Cup. India are powerful enough to win the World Cup without having to play Pakistan," Harbhajan Singh told 'Aaj Tak' news channel.

"This is a difficult time. The attack that has happened, it was unbelievable and it's very wrong. Strict action will surely be taken by the government. When it comes to cricket, I don't think we should have any relations with them otherwise they will keep treating us like this," he added.

Harbhajan said India doesn't need to revive any sort of sporting ties with Pakistan as a mark of respect for the armed forces. 

"I don't think India should play the World Cup match against Pakistan. Country comes first and we are all standing behind our country. Cricket or hockey or sports, it should be kept aside because this is a huge thing and repeatedly our soldiers are killed.  

"We should stand with our country. Cricket or hockey or any sport, we don't need to play with them," he said.

"We should not keep any kind of ties with Pakistan: we are powerful enough to feed the world on our own. Cricket, sports is not as important. We stand with every member of the defence force. Their sacrifices should no go to waste," Harbhajan said.

India should focus on redrawing its anti-terrorism policy rather than blaming Pakistan without evidence for the Pulwama attack and holding China responsible for blocking efforts to list JeM chief, Masood Azhar, as a terrorist at the UN also without proof, Chinese state media has said.

India has failed to provide solid evidence against Azhar and China has rightly practised caution against listing him as a terrorist, the state media comment piece said.

It advised quiet diplomacy on Indias part to better address the Azhar issue.

At least 40 Indian soldiers were killed in Pulwama in the worst suicide bombing in Kashmir, an attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, proscribed as terror group since 2002 by the UN.

The comment piece published in the nationalistic tabloid Global Times -- affiliated to the Communist Party of Chinas mouthpiece, Peoples Daily -- dismissed New Delhis assertions.

Without solid evidence, India has long accused Pakistan of sponsoring terrorist attacks by JeM and other militant groups and China of providing uncritical support for Pakistan, the article said.

It asked a rhetorical question: Instead of simply blaming other countries, especially Pakistan and China, shouldnt the Indian government make more self-introspection on its anti-terrorism policy and dwell more on how to better administer the India-controlled part of Kashmir?

As for the issue of listing Azhar, Beijing has reiterated its stand several times that New Delhi should provide solid facts and proofs for banning Azhar.

BJP's association with the Shiv Sena goes beyond politics and is bound by a desire to see a strong India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday after the two parties agreed to contest the Lok Sabha and Maharashtra assembly elections together.

 

He said the decision to contest together strengthens the NDA significantly.

"I am sure our alliance is going to be Maharashtra's first and only choice," the PM tweeted.

"Inspired by the vision of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Bal Thackeray, BJP-Shiv Sena alliance will continue working for the well-being of Maharashtra and ensuring the state once again elects representatives who are development oriented, non corrupt and proud of India's cultural ethos," he wrote.

He also said the BJP's association with the Shiv Sena goes beyond politics.

"We are bound by a desire to see a strong and developed India," Modi said.

While several Kashmiri students from different cities have been slapped with sedition charges for allegedly supporting the Pulwama terror attack, two colleges in Dehradun have decided not to admit those from the Valley, with students here saying they were in a state of fear after the incident.

  

The Jammu and Kashmir administration Monday asked students outside the state to not pay heed to any rumours and try to stay put at their respective places.

Dehradun-based Alpine College of Management and Technology, and the Baba Farid Institute of Technology have decided not to admit any Kashmiri students from the upcoming academic session.

Top officials of the two colleges have confirmed the development in separate letters shared with students' unions, who have been demanding expulsion of all Kashmiri students following the attack.

In the Uttarakhand capital, some Kashmiri youths had also alleged that they were harassed and asked by their landlords to vacate accommodations fearing attacks on their properties in the aftermath of the Pulwama incident.

On Friday, a student in  Dehradun was also booked for allegedly sending WhatsApp messages supporting the Pulwama suicide attack.

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Sunday had asked its liaison officers across the country to look into problems being faced by students from the state.

Dehradun Police on Monday said to have registered a first information report against former JNU Students Union leader Shehla Rashid for allegedly trying to incite a community to commit offence, indulging in wanton vilification and provoking someone to breach peace in the wake of Pulwama terror attack in J-K on February 14.

Senior Superintendent of Police Nivedita Kukreti said: An FIR under Sections 505 (to incite any class or community to commit any offence against any other class or community), 153 (indulge in wanton vilification or attacks), and 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against Shehla Rashid at Prem Nagar police station. She had tweeted about Kashmiri students in the city, added Kukreti.

Rashid is accused of circulating a message on social media On February 16, stating that about 15-20 Kashmiri girls were trapped in a hostel at Dolphin College in Dehradun with a mob demanding their expulsion from the institute. Police were quick to intervene and salvage the situation.

Rashid stated in her tweet on Saturday evening: 15-20 Kashmiri girls trapped in a hostel in Dehradun for hours now, as an angry mob outside demands that they be expelled from the hostels. This is in Dolphin institute. Police is present but unable to disperse the mob (sic).

As many as 40 jawans of CRPF were killed when their convoy was attacked by a suicide bomber of Jaish-e-Mohammed in Awantipora area in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir on February 14.      

BJP president Amit Shah met Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Monday and following that announced that the two sparring allies will retain the tie-up for the ensuing election. 

Addressing the media after their meeting, Maharashtra's CM Devendra Fadnavis said, "We have had our differences, but in terms of ideologies we are alike, hence have stayed together for this long."

He added, "We couldn't stay together during last assembly elections for some reason but for the last 4.5 years, we have stayed together, both in the centre and states."

The BJP will contest 25 and Sena 23 seats in Lok Sabha elections and for the assembly elections, BJP and Shiv Sena will contest half seats each after consulting the smaller allies.

The BJP and the Shiv Sena, who have had a strained relationship for over four years despite being partners in the central and the state government, took the decision a year after the Thackeray-led party passed a resolution to go solo in the forthcoming elections.

Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the two parties along with their allies had won 42 out of the 48 seats. The BJP had bagged 23 seats, while the Shiv Sena had emerged victorious in 18 constituencies.

The two parties had contested the October 2014 Maharashtra assembly election separately and came together to form government in a post-poll arrangement. 

Asserting that the entire country was "fed up" with the senseless killings of Indian soldiers in Kashmir, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday called for coercive action against Pakistan, which, he suggested, could be military, diplomatic or economic, or a combination of all the three.

  

Calling for the death of two "of them" for every Indian soldier killed in Pulwama attack, Singh said it's clear that the Pakistan Army was calling the shots, with Prime Minister Imran Khan also a "plant" of the military.

"We should get 82 of them since 41 of our men have been killed," the chief minister asserted, demanding an "eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth".

He said it was for the Centre to decide what action should be taken, but it was clear that some measures have to be taken urgently.

"India wants it now," he said.

"No one is asking anyone to go to war, but these killings of soldiers are not a joke. Something has to be done. I'm fed up, the country is fed up," he said.

The chief minister said the Indian government should take "whatever measures" are required and "we will support them."

"Pakistan can't hold India to ransom just because they are a nuclear nation, even we are nuclear," he said, asserting that Indian forces had defeated them during the 1999 Kargil war in spite of their nuclear capability.

India on Monday tore through the "opaque proceedings" of Pakistani military courts which try civilians against the international norms, saying the judges, who tried Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, are not required to have judicial or legal training or even a law degree.

  

India's plea at the International Court of Justice came as the top UN court began a four-day public hearing in the case of Jadhav, 48, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage.

Ex-solicitor general Harish Salve, who represented India, said that a foreign detainee has the right to life, the right to a fair trial and an impartial judiciary.

"However, Pakistan has sentenced 161 civilians to death in their military courts in opaque proceedings in the last two years," Salve said.

International standards require that military courts like all courts must be independent, impartial and competent, and must respect minimum guarantees of fairness, he said.

"Pakistani military courts are not independent and the proceedings before them fall far short of national and international fair trial standards.

"Judges of military courts are military officers who are part of the executive branch of the government and do not enjoy independence from the military hierarchy," Salve said.

He claimed that the judges of the Pakistani military courts are not required to have judicial or legal training or even a law degree, and they do not enjoy any security of tenure which are prerequisites of judicial competence and independence.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday expressed condolences to the families of soldiers killed in the Pulwama encounter, saying the bloodshed will only stop when the Centre overhauls its approach to Jammu and Kashmir.

 

"Deepest condolences to the families. This bloodshed will only stop when GoI (Government of India) overhauls its approach (rather lack of it) towards J&K," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said in a tweet.

She expressed the need to "stop the obsession with Pakistan" and "set our own house in order".

"Lets drop the obsession with Pakistan and get our own house in order. The current attitude will only worsen the situation & polarise the nation (sic)," she added.

Two Jaish terrorists, including a Pakistani commander of the group being investigated for his role in the February 14 CRPF bombing, and an Army major were among the seven people killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Monday, officials said.

At least six security personnel, including a Brigadier, a lieutenant colonel and a deputy inspector general, were injured in the gun battle in Pulwama's Pinglan area, about 12 km from where a suicide bomber belonging to the Jaish-e-Mohammed drove his explosives-laden vehicle into a CRPF bus last week, killing 40 jawans.

DIG South Kashmir Amit Kumar has been hit by a bullet in the Pulwama encounter.

Kumar was hit by a bullet in his leg and was shifted to Army hospital, the police said.His condition is said to be stable.

A lieutenant colonel and a captain have also been injured in the Pulwama encounter, they are being provided medical care.

A gun battle took place in Pulwama's Pinglan area, about 12 km from the spot where a suicide bomber from the Jaish-e-Mohammed drove his ex plosives-laden vehicle into a CRPF bus last week, killing 40 jawans and critically wounding five.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation during the night after receiving inputs about the presence of militants in the area, a police official recounted.

Azhar, who had used a Portuguese passport to enter India through Bangladesh and reach Kashmir, was arrested in February 1994 in Anantnag in South Kashmir. 

In custody, intelligence agencies did not have to do much work on Azhar who started speaking after the first slap from an army officer and gave deep insights into the functioning of terror groups operating from Pakistan, the officer said. 

"He was an easy man to handle and a slap from an army officer had shaken him completely," former Director General of Sikkim Police Avinash Mohananey, who interrogated Azhar many a times during his two-decade tenure in the Intelligence Bureau, told PTI. 

After his release in exchange of passengers of hijacked IC-814 flight of Indian Airlines in 1999 by the then BJP government, Azhar formed Jaish-e-Mohammed and scripted many audacious terror strikes in India, including on the Parliament House, Pathankot air force base, army camps in Jammu and Uri, and the latest suicide attack on CRPF in Pulwama which claimed the lives of 40 personnel. 

While in custody, Azhar, in his early 50's now, shared information about recruitment process and functioning of terror groups in Pakistan at a time when the intelligence agencies were still grappling to understand the proxy-war unleashed by Pakistan's espionage agency ISI, said Mohananey, a 1985-batch IPS officer who headed the Kashmir desk in the agency at that time. "There were several occasions when I met him in Kot Balwal jail and interrogated him for hours together. We did not have to use any coercive method as information flowed consistently from him," he said. Azhar gave the Indian agencies vital insights into diversion of Afghan terrorists into Kashmir Valley and merger of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami (HuJI) into Harkat-ul-Ansar, represented by him as its general secretary, he said. After his arrival into India from Bangladesh in 1994, Azhar had travelled to Saharanpur before reaching Kashmir where he held meetings of warring factions of HuM and HuJI to formulate a common policy, Mohananey said. "I came on a forged Portuguese passport for ensuring that HuM and HuJI are together in the valley. It was not possible for me to cross the Line of Control on foot," the police officer recalled Azhar telling them. A man of mannerism and etiquette during questioning sessions, Azhar used to give a detailed description to any question that was asked to him, he said.  Mohananey recalled that Azhar would often boast that police could not keep him in custody for long as he was important for Pakistan and the ISI. "You are underestimating my popularity. The ISI would ensure that I am back in Pakistan," the police officer recalled him as saying.

India on Monday said the trial of its national Kulbhushan Jadhav by a Pakistani military court "hopelessly failed" to satisfy even the minimum standards of due process and requested the International Court of Justice to declare it "unlawful". 

India's plea came as the top UN court began a four-day public hearing in the case of Jadhav, 48, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage. India, during the first day of the hearing, based its case on two broad issues -- breach of Vienna Convention on consular access and the process of resolution.

BJP president Amit Shah will visit Shiv Sena's chief Uddhav Thackeray at his residence Matoshree in Mumbai on Monday evening.

Senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut said Amit Shah and Uddhav Thackeray will announce the alliance for the Lok Sabha and assembly elections in a joint press conference at 6:30 pm.

The development comes as the Sena has been openly critical of the BJP leadership and its policies over the last couple of years. The two allies had even directed party cadre to prepare to contest the elections solo.

After a nearly a month-long informal talks over the alliance, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had met Thackeray last Thursday for a face to face poll negotiations.

It has been reported that the Sena has sought 50-50 seat sharing for the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra and in the 288-member state assembly election slated to be held later in the year. The party also wants to split the chief minister's post and tenure between them if they win in the assembly polls.

This is said to be a sticking point in clinching the deal.

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu who is facing flak for his recent comment on the Pulwama terror attack, said he is firm on his stand and reiterated that the country's fight is against terrorism and perpetrators of terror.

"I am firm on my stand. Terrorism will not be tolerated. People who are responsible should be punished so harshly that it acts as deterrence for generations to come," Sidhu told reporters.

Following the terror attack, the Punjab minister had said that a nation cannot be held responsible for the acts of terrorists.

Speaking to reporters today, Sidhu raked up the 1999 Kandahar incident wherein an Air India flight was hijacked by members of Jaish-e-Mohammed (the perpetrators behind the Pulwama terror attack) and asserted that those responsible should be extradited.

"I want to ask who released those involved in 1999 Kandahar incident? Whose responsibility is it? Our fight is against them. Why should a soldier die? Why can't there be a permanent solution? Terrorism has no community. The issue is not what I am saying - the issue is this (terrorism). Our fight is against those who claimed responsibility (for 1999 attack). It is my fight as well," he said.

Agitated by Sidhu's statement on "nation cannot be held responsible... ," Shiromani Akali Dal leaders raised objections in the state assembly on Monday, demanding Sidhu's resignation over the matter.

Nearly 40 CRPF personnel were killed in Awantipora in a terror attack orchestrated by Jaish-e-Mohammed, a Pakistan based terror outfit.

The convoy of 78 buses, in which around 2,500 CRPF personnel were travelling from Jammu to Srinagar, came under attack at around 3.15 pm at Ladhu Modi Lethpora on February 14. 

Sources revealed that the Army is constantly briefing Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and other senior government functionaries on the developments in Kashmir, after the dastardly Pulwama terror attack. 

Pakistan Army positions across the border on the Line of Control (LoC) are seeing heightened activities as they are on high operational alert, the sources said.

This major development came after the 40 CRPF personnel were killed in Awantipora area of Pulwama district in an attack orchestrated by Jaish-e-Mohammed. 

The convoy of 78 buses, in which around 2500 CRPF personnel were traveling from Jammu to Srinagar, came under attack at around 3.15 pm at Ladhu Modi Lethpora on February 14. -- ANI

According to the report, prepared by investigative and security agencies working in the counter-terrorism grid in Jammu and Kashmir, terrorists "suddenly shifted their tactics" last year to deploy a remote control mechanism to blast improvised explosive devices using electronic tools such as mobile phones, walkie-talkie sets and anti-theft devices used to secure two- and four-wheelers. 

The report accessed by PTI said these electronic gadgets are "easily available" in the market and terrorists operating in Kashmir Valley are using them to "fabricate" remote-controlled IEDs as they want to not only avoid one-to-one combat with the forces which are conducting operations almost every day against them but also to inflict maximum casualties. 

"It is expected that the militants in J-K may use more anti-theft devices, similar to the devices used by Naxals in other states, in the future. Hence, the security forces deployed in J-K need to be more vigilant," the report on the history and emerging trends of IEDs in the state said. 

The report stated that sometime back, an IED attack was engineered to target the personnel of the Army's 44 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) unit in Shopian district and it was found that the explosive was triggered using a remote key used to lock and unlock a two-wheeler. -- PTI

India moved the ICJ in May in 2017 against the "farcical trial" by the military court of Pakistan against 48-year-old Jadhav.

Jadhav, a retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April 2017. India first approached the ICJ on May 8, 2017 for the "egregious violation" of the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963 by Pakistan by repeatedly denying it consular access to Jadhav.  

Harish Salve representing India and Kulbhushan Jadhav in the ICJ: It is an egregious violation of the Vienna Convention, Salve said. "Jadhav's continued custody without consular access should be declared unlawful. There is no manner of doubt that Pakistan was using this as a propaganda tool. Pakistan was bound to grant consular access without delay. On 30th March 2016, India reminded Pakistan of its request of consular access (for Jadhav) & received no reply. 13 reminders were sent by India on various dates.  On 19th June, 2017, India responded to the request for assistance in investigation and pointed that not only Jadhav had been denied consular access but no credible evidence have been provided by Pakistan to show his involvement in any act of terrorism. His (Jadhav's) purported confession clearly appears to be coaxed." 

Reports say he was cornered by security forces along with two more terrorists in an encounter that started in the early hours of Monday. A joint team of Indian Army's 55 Rashtriya Rifles, CRPF and Special Operation Group launched a cordon and search operation last night. Kamran, a Pakistani national, is believed to have radicalised Kashmiri youth to wage war against India. He is also believed to be an IED expert. 

Some Kashmiri youths studying in the Uttarakhand capital have alleged they were harassed and asked by their landlords to vacate accommodations fearing attacks on their properties after the terrorist strike in Pulwama on Thursday that left 40 CRPF personnel dead.

Over the past two days, nearly 280 students have arrived from Dehradun and up to 30 from Haryana's Ambala district, said Jammu and Kashmir Students Organisation president Khwaja Itrat. He said nearly 150 of the total students have moved towards Jammu, from where they will head to their homes in Kashmir Valley. "The students told us they wanted to make a halt in Mohali as it was a safer place. We helped them arrange a temporary stay here," Itrat said.  One student has alleged that unknown people attacked him on Saturday night when he was returning to the university hostel in Mullana in Ambala district. 

On Sunday, talking informally to reporters in Mohali, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Sing made it clear that all Kashmiri students will be given full protection by his government. No one will be harassed, he stressed.  Officials said the security around other educational institutes in Haryana, including in Panchkula district, where a large number of Kashmiri students are enrolled, has been stepped up. PTI

Indias oral arguments in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case at the International Court of Justice, Hague, begins.  The three-hour hearing will be split into two -- one and a half hour sessions -- preceded by the swearing in ceremony of Former Chief Justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Jilani as an ad hoc judge in the case. This will take the total number of judges hearing the case to 16, including Indias Dalveer Bhandari.

India is likely to ask the top UN court to direct Pakistan to revoke the death sentence awarded to Jadhav on allegations of espionage.

Coming soon after a terror incident in South Kashmir's Pulwama, where at least 40 security personnel lost their lives in a suicide attack apparently by Pakistan-based outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, the hearing on Jadhav case could stoke fresh tension between the two countries.

Ministry of external affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar refused to make any comment on the ICJ hearing in Kulbhushan Jadhav case but hinted that Indian side is prepared for the legal battle.

After talks with Argentine President Mauricio Macri, Modi said dithering to take action against terrorists and their supporters will be like encouraging terrorism. 

In his comments, Macri called for united action to deal with terrorism. The two sides finalised 10 MoUs providing for deeper cooperation in a range of areas including in information and communications technology, nuclear energy and agriculture. -- PTI

"We dismiss the petition. The petition has no merit," said an apex court bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi. "We are using Mirage of 3 or 3.5 generation. It's bound to crash. Is it the Supreme Court's job to order judicial inquiry into Mirage crash?" CJI Gogoi asked and dismissed the PIL.

Srivastava had moved the apex court seeking a direction to the Centre to take appropriate steps and effective measures (including proper maintenance of aircraft) to ensure that unfortunate incidents like the Mirage crash don't happen in future.

Indian Air Force pilots Squadron Leaders Siddhartha Negi and Samir Abrol lost their lives when Mirage 2000 crashed at the HAL airport earlier this month after the aircraft allegedly experienced a technical snag immediately after takeoff.

IAF sources said India is sending to France the black box of the ill-fated aircraft to ascertain the reasons for the mishap. -- ANI

Image: Indian Air Force pilot Squadron Leader Samir Abrol lost his life  in a Mirage 2000 crash. 

Also read: 'For him the nation came first; himself last'

 "Till when will the three day period of mourning keep getting extended? Everyday we get news of the brave martyrdom of our jawans while smiling BJP politicians accompany their funeral processions. Why is the govt waiting and watching?," he said in a tweet. 

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also tagged a news report with the headline -- "Four Army personnel including Major martyred in encounter with terrorists in Pulwama" -- with his tweet. Yadav had, on February 15, visited the house of slain CRPF personnel Pradeep, one of the 40 victims of the Pulwama terror attack, in Kannauj and paid condolences. The SP leader also took to Twitter on Sunday to attack the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government after the Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat Express developed a technical snag.

"After the inauguration, fumes were seen in Vande Bharat train, power failure inside coaches, snag developed in brakes after which train came to a halt. Vande Bharat is a story of development. Farmers are angry, youths are unemployed, security system has collapsed and country's economy shattered," he tweeted. The country's first semi-high speed train had broken down on its return journey to New Delhi from Varanasi. -- PTI

"I have been successfully operated for hernia here in Mumbai due to timely detection," Gehlot said in a tweet. He stressed that being aware and vigilant was the key to all curable diseases, including swine flu, which, he said, was 100 per cent curable. The disease claimed more than 70 lives in Rajasthan recently. "I appeal to all the people to be aware of their health and get timely treatment," he urged.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished good health to the senior Congress leader. "Happy to know about the successful operation. Best wishes for your good health Ashok Ji," Modi said in a tweet.

A bench headed by Justice RF Nariman allowed Tamil Nadu's appeal against the National Green Tribunal order only on grounds of maintainability and said the tribunal has no jurisdiction to order reopening of the plant. 

The court was hearing a plea by Vedanta group seeking a direction to Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to implement the NGT order which had set aside the government's decision to close the plant. 

On January 8, the apex court had paved the way to re-open the plant by refusing to stay the tribunal's order. It had also stayed the last year's December 21 decision of the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court which had ordered status quo with respect to re-opening the plant. 

The state had moved the top court, saying the NGT had "erroneously" set aside various orders passed by the TNPCB last year with regard to the Sterlite plant. It had said the tribunal had consequentially directed the TNPCB to pass fresh orders of renewal of consent and issue authorisation to handle hazardous substances to Vedanta Limited. 

On December 15, the NGT had set aside the state government's order for closure of the Sterlite copper plant, saying it was "non sustainable" and "unjustified".

At least 13 people were killed and several injured on May 22 last year when police had opened fire on a huge crowd of people protesting against environment pollution being allegedly caused by the factory. The Tamil Nadu government had, on May 28, ordered the state pollution control board to seal and "permanently" close the mining group's copper plant following violent protests over pollution concerns. -- PTI

Four Army personnel, including a major, and two Jaish terrorists were killed in the encounter, three days after a suicide bomber from the group drove his explosives-laden vehicle into a CRPF bus in the area, defence officials said.

A civilian was also killed in the exchange of fire in Pinglan area of south Kashmir's Pulwama district, they said. "The terrorists are believed to be linked to the February 14 car bombing. The exact identities of the two terrorists killed are being ascertained," a defence spokesperson said. Militants fired at forces as the searches got under way, triggering a gun battle, officials said.

Security forces have also launched a cordon and search operation during the night after receiving inputs about the presence of militants in the area, a police official said.  A cordon and search operation by the security forces have started in village Krawora in Shopian.

Meanwhile, Dr Mohammad Faisal, Spokesperson Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan tweeted to say its High Commissioner in India for consultations. The Pak envoy left New Delhi this morning.

In a statement issued late Sunday night, the PCB's Managing Director Wasim Khan said the PCB Wasim Khan said sports has always played a key role in defusing political tensions. The ICC meeting is scheduled to be held in Dubai but the dates are not yet out. "...we have always believed and emphasised that sports and politics should be kept separate. History tells us that sports, particularly cricket, have always played a key role in building bridges between people and countries," Khan said in the statement. "... covering or removing portrait of former Pakistan cricket captain and Prime Minister Imran Khan and other legendary cricketers from one of the most historic cricket clubs and venues are highly regrettable actions," he added. -- PTI

Bhatia said that the Indian Home Ministry has approved their visa and forwarded it to the High Commission and Islamabad.

Home Ministry has given its approval and it has been now forwarded to High Commission and Islamabad. "On Friday, I got a call from the Indian High Commission and they confirmed the names of the shooters again and hopefully today the Visa will be granted," Bhatia told ANI.

The secretary further informed that one coach and two Pakistani rifle shooters are expected to arrive on February 20 and asserted that Home Ministry is in no denial on their visa. They wrote to us that they are scheduled to come on 20th (February). They wrote to us that we will get flight details once visa is granted. Visa will not be denied. Home Ministry is very clear about it so there is no denial on that, he said.Shooting World Cup 2019 is slated to be held from February 20 to 28 in New Delhi. The tournament holds significance as there are 16 Tokyo 2020 Olympics quota places up for grabs. -- ANI 

The encounter broke out early this morning in the Pinglan area of Pulwama district.

The deceased personnel have been identified as Major V S Dhoundiyal from Dehradun, Havaldar Sheo Ram from Jhunjhunu, Sepoy Ajay Kumar from Meerut and Sepoy Hari Singh from Rewari. They belonged to 55 Rashtriya Rifles. 

As many as 40 CRPF personnel were killed after their convoy came under attack in Pulwama's Awantipora area on February 14.Pakistan-based terror outfit JeM had claimed responsibility for the attack. -- PTI

Image: The encounter broke out early this morning in the Pinglan area of Pulwama district.

As commander of the XV Corps based in Srinagar, General Hasnain conceived the 'Hearts Doctrine' in Kashmir. The general has been hailed for 'the balance he brought between the employment of hard power in counter infiltration and counter terrorist operations and military soft power.'

"If Kashmiri students are going to be threatened in universities and cars of Kashmiris are being burnt in Jammu, that is not going to help us with what we wish to do across the border. Then, what is going to happen is that unlike 1965 and 1971 when the Kashmiri population was with the army and you did not have to look over your shoulder for the security of your convoys and garrisons, this time the army will feel more threatened in Kashmir on internal security -- the army will be looking rearward half the time!" General Hasnain tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih in the aftermath of the Pulawama attack on February 14, 2019.  Read the interview here. 

"It is unfortunate that despite there being no war, soldiers of our country are dealing with the killings," the party said in its editorial mouthpiece, Saamna.

The Shiv Sena opined that the need of the hour is to stand by the security forces and the families of the deceased, and not to place blame on one another.

"A similar incident happened in Kashmir while Congress was in power. At that time. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was the chief minister of Gujarat, had stated that 'it is not our soldiers that are weak but the government at the Centre.' Everyone is now waiting to see what the Centre will do in order to take the revenge of the killings of our soldiers. This is not the time to point out mistakes. This is the time to stand with the army and motivate them."

The party also advised the Centre to follow the footsteps of former prime minister Indira Gandhi in order to take "revenge", in reference to Gandhi's decision to wage war in 1971 and "go into East Pakistan." -- ANI

It asked television channels to be "particularly cautious' with any content which "is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against maintenance of law and order or which promotes anti-national attitudes; and/or... contains anything affecting the integrity of the nation'.

On the face of it, the advisory seemed utterly pointless. Given the ultranationalist tenor of most television news even in normal times, the chances of any channel promoting "anti-national attitudes' after such a horrific attack on security forces were less than nil.

On the contrary, the advisory provided the perfect backdrop for many a channel to indulge in unabashed warmongering. Television studios were transformed into "war rooms" and there were shrill demands for retribution and revenge against Pakistan.

Heart-rending stories about the families left behind by the hapless soldiers killed while defending the unity and integrity of the country only added to the sense of national outrage.

The advisory, it soon transpired, had had its desired effect. Such has been the impact of the hyper-emotional coverage of the Pulwama tragedy that every political party has come out in full support of the government in this "hour of national crisis'.

The Congress, living up to its reputation of being the "natural party of governance' has taken the lead. Even though the Bharatiya Janata Party and Narendra Modi himself (when in the Opposition) seized upon every terror attack to pillory previous governments, the Congress chose not to retaliate in kind.   Read Manini Chatterjee's column for the Telegraph. 

In a letter written to Modi, LJP parliamentary board chairman Chirag Paswan pleaded that the drive against terrorism "must not be halted this time, until a single terrorist was alive". 

"Under your able leadership, the country has made all-round progress in the last five years. This has unsettled Pakistan. The neighbouring country has sponsored many cowardly acts so far, but the latest incident has left the nation, especially the youth, enraged," Paswan said in the letter, copies of which were shared with the media in Patna late Sunday night.

"I saw pictures of many of the martyred CRPF jawans in papers and experienced the pain of the bereaved family members. Our party's national executive meeting proposed in Ranchi was, in view of the tragedy, converted into a condolence meeting and the party programme cancelled thereafter, the LJP leader wrote in the letter. The dastardly attack had caused much anguish among the LJP workers who were angry with the terrorist organisations and their bosses, he said. 

"I hereby convey to you a sentiment shared by party workers and the entire nation that expeditious action be taken to root out Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and this time, such an operation must not be halted until a single terrorist is alive," Paswan, whose father -- Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan -- is the founding president of the LJP, added.  -- PTI

Image: The mortal remains of Major Bisht draped in a tricolour is held aloft by thousands of mourners in Dehradun. 

"Shabana and Javed sahab have always been seen as progressive people who have spoken out in favour of bettering Indo-Pak relations. So their reaction to the Pulwama incident has come as a surprise to the arts and literary community in Karachi," Omair Alavi, a well-known film critic, said. 

On Saturday, the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi, regretted the two artistes' decision. Arts Council president Ahmed Shah also expressed regrets over Akhtar's comments. "His comments do not seem appropriate for a literary person." In one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir's three decades of militancy, a Jaish suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a CRPF bus in Pulwama district, killing at least 40 personnel and leaving many critically wounded.

Azmi on Friday said she and her husband Javed Akhtar have decided not to attend Kaifi Azmi's birth centenary celebrations in Karachi. The couple was invited to Pakistan by the Karachi Arts Council for a two-day event. After the attack, Azmi said she feels weakened in her belief that people-to-people contact can force the establishment to do the right thing. 

The Arts Council president said he felt sorry that Azmi has lost hope. "I don't criticise her but we deeply feel saddened the way she had expressed disappointment after the Pulwama attack," he said. "We firmly believe that artistes and people who are regarded for their literary and artistic contribution are the ones who give hope to people. They never disappoint them. But this time, Shabana Azmi sounds extremely disappointed." -- PTI

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Sunday likened the Pulwama terror incident, in which 40 Central Reserve Police Forces personnel were killed, to the "attacks of Mughals".

 

The chief minister was addressing a public rally of the Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha Lakhimpur in presence of Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah.

"The recent Kashmir incident is an Islamist terrorist attack on India. Our brave jawans were martyred and I pay my sincere homage to them.

"... We have to continue the fight against the Mughals even today. The attack of the Mughals is not over yet and the Kashmir incident is a proof of that," Sonowal said. 

Forty CRPF jawans were killed and five injured when a Jaish suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden vehicle into a bus carrying the soldiers on Thursday, nearly 20 kilometres outside Srinagar. 

The bus was part of a convoy of 78 vehicles in which the CRPF soldiers were heading to the Kashmir Valley. -- PTI

Veteran West Indies batsman Chris Gayle has announced that he will retire from one-day international cricket after the World Cup slated to be held in England and Wales later this year.

"Yes, I'm looking to draw the line after the World Cup," he said. 

"Or should I say cut the string? Definitely, in 50-over cricket, the World Cup is the end for me. I'll let the youngsters have some fun and I can sit back in the party stand and watch them have some fun," Gayle was quoted by ESPNCricinfo as saying while speaking to reporters.

Asked whether he was satisfied with his career, the 39-year-old explosive batsman remarked, "You're looking at a great man. I'm the greatest player in the world. Of course, I'm still the Universe Boss. That will never change. I'll take that to the grave."

Gayle said that if West Indies lifted the trophy in this year's World Cup, it would be a "fairy-tale finish" for him.

"Winning the World Cup would be a fairy-tale finish. The youngsters owe it to me to win. They have to do that for me and try and get me the trophy. I'll be looking to put my input in as well," he added.

The World Cup is slated to be held from May 30 to July 14.

Gayle, who made his debut back in 1999, has scored 9,727 ODI runs in 284 matches and is second only to former West Indies captain Brian Lara who amassed 10,405 runs.

In his illustrious career, Gayle has hit 23 ODI centuries. 

His 215 against Zimbabwe in the 2015 World Cup is the highest score and is one of only six players who have scored a double hundred in the 50-over format. -- ANI

Amidst fresh Indo-Pak tensions, top legal eagles of the two countries will present their arguments in the high-profile Kulbhushan Jadhav case before the International Court of Justice in The Hague from Monday during four days of public hearings.

Jadhav, a retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April 2017.

India moved the ICJ in May the same year against the "farcical trial" by the military court of Pakistan against 48-year-old Jadhav.

India first approached the ICJ on May 8, 2017 for the "egregious violation" of the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963 by Pakistan by repeatedly denying it consular access to Jadhav.

A 10-member bench of the ICJ, which was set up after World War II to resolve international disputes, on May 18, 2017 had restrained Pakistan from executing Jadhav till adjudication of the case.

The ICJ has set a timetable for the public hearing in the high-profile case from Febraury 18 to 21 in The Hague.

The hearings at the ICJ will take place four days after one of the worst terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 41 CRPF soldiers. The terror attack happened when a suicide bomber of Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammad blew up an explosive-laden vehicle near a convoy of CRPF buses in Pulwama district on Thursday.

India on Friday summoned the Pakistan high commissioner to issue a very strong demarche over the terror attack. On Saturday, India hiked the customs duty to 200 per cent on all goods imported from Pakistan, following revocation of the Most Favoured Nation status following the Pulwama attack.

Former solicitor general Harish Salve is expected to represent India while Pakistan will be represented by Barrister Khawar Qureshi at the ICJ.

While India will argue first on February 18, Pakistan will get its chance to make submissions on February 19. Then India will reply on February 20 while Islamabad will make its closing submissions on February 21.

It is expected that the ICJ's decision may be delivered by the summer of 2019. -- PTI