13:16 Update from the fire at the parking lot of the Aero India show: According to the fire department, 80-100 cars have been gutted in the fire.
13:11 Car catches fire near Aero India: Fire breaks out at the car parking area at the Aero India show.
The mishap happens days after two aircraft of Indian Air Forces aerobatic team Surya Kiran crashed after grazing each other mid-air, killing a pilot and injuring two who ejected to safety during a rehearsal for the Aero India show.
12:56 Will respect government decision: Kohli on Indo-Pak World Cup game:
India captain Virat Kohli on Saturday said that his team will “respect the decision of the government” with regards to playing Pakistan in the upcoming World Cup in the wake of the Pulwama terror attacks where 40 CRPF personnel were martyred.
There has been calls to boycott the June 16 World Cup face-off against Pakistan at the Old Trafford in the aftermath of the dastardly attack but the Indian cricket board has not taken a call, putting the ball in government’s court.
“Our stand is simple. We stick by what the nation wants to do and what the BCCI decides to do and that is basically our opinion,” skipper Kohli said on the eve of India’s opening T20 International against Australia on Sunday.
“Whatever the government and the board decide, we will eventually go by that and will respect that. So that is our stand on this particular issue,” Kohli added.
The captain offered his condolences on behalf of the entire Indian team to the families of the martyred soldiers.
“Our sincere condolences to the families of the soldiers who lost their lives. The Indian team is really shocked and sad about what happened.”
Kohli’s stand is pretty similar to what chief coach Ravi Shastri echoed in an interview to a television channel where he said that the team will “accept whatever decision that the government takes.”
“It’s entirely left to the BCCI and the government. They know exactly what is happening and they will take a call. We will go by what they decide,” Shastri said.
On Friday, the Committee of Administrators run BCCI decided against taking any stand on the World Cup clash against Pakistan but urged the ICC and other nations to “sever ties” with countries from where “terrorism emanates”.
— PTI
12:35 AIADMK MP S Rajendran killed in road accident in TN:
AIADMK Lok Sabha MP S Rajendran died on Saturday after a car in which he was travelling rammed into a road median at Tindivanam near Villupuram, police said.
The 62-year old MP representing Villupuram suffered serious injuries and died on the spot this morning, they said.
“Two others who were with the MP — his driver and a relative who assisted him in his work — were taken to a local hospital and then shifted to Government Medical College Hospital at Mundiyampakkam (Villupuram district),” said a police official.
According to preliminary enquiries, the accident occurred after the driver lost control of the vehicle and hit a road median at Tindivanam and a probe was on.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister K Palaniswami condoled Rajendran’s death and said he was anguished to learn about it.
He lauded Rajendran’s for his efficient work as an MP, long service to the people and for his committment to the AIADMK’s principles.
“Rajendran has been in public life for a long time and worked for the people’s welfare. He was affable and held many responsibilities in the party. His death is a huge loss for the AIADMK and the people,” he said in a statement in Chennai.
Palaniswami conveyed his condolences to Rajendran’s family members, party colleagues and prayed for the departed soul to rest in peace.
— PTI
12:09 PV Sindhu to soar in a Tejas:
Badminton player PV Sindhu waves as she is about to take off for a sortie in the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft – Tejas in Bengaluru at the Aero India show.
Photograph: ANI/Twitter
12:04 Centre moves 100 companies of paramilitary units to Srinagar amid crackdown:
The Centre airlifted an additional hundred companies of paramilitary forces to Srinagar to boost security build up after police detained JKLF chief Yasin Malik Friday night and arrested dozens of Jamaat-e-Islami workers in the Valley.
The fresh deployment includes 45 CRPF companies, 35 BSF companies, 10 SSB companies and 10 ITBP companies.
There has been a considerable build-up of security forces across Jammu and Kashmir after the February 14 terror attack in Pulwama which killed 40 CRPF troopers.
About two dozen people associated with the Jamaat-e-Islami were also arrested from central, north and south Kashmir as part of a crackdown after the terror attack on a CRPF convoy that killed 40 troopers in Pulwama on February 14.
Police have so far not commented on the detentions.
The Jamaat-e-Islami termed the move a “well-designed conspiracy to pave way for further uncertainty in the region”.
“During the intervening night of 22-23 February, 2019 police and other forces agencies launched mass arrest drive and raided many houses in the Valley wherein dozens of its central and district level leaders have been arrested,” it said in a statement.
Police and paramilitary forces have been put on high alert but there was no confirmation about any more detentions.
11:21 Trump nominates Kelly Kraft as Nikki Haley’s successor at UN:
President Donald Trump has nominated his envoy to Canada Kelly Knight Craft as the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations to succeed Indian-American Nikki Haley.
In October, Haley announced that she was leaving the post by the end of the year.
The 46-year-old former South Carolina governor has served nearly two years in the post. She was the first Indian-American ever appointed to a Cabinet position in any US presidential administration.
If confirmed by the Senate, Craft, 56, would replace Haley.
“I am pleased to announce that Kelly Knight Craft, our current Ambassador to Canada, is being nominated to be United States Ambassador to the United Nations,” Trump announced on Twitter Friday night.
“Kelly has done an outstanding job representing our nation and I have no doubt that, under her leadership, our country will be represented at the highest level. Congratulations to Kelly and her entire family!” Trump said.
Haley congratulated Craft shortly after the president’s online announcement.
“She’s done a great job representing us as @USAmbCanada and we know she’ll be a strong voice for America at the United Nations. #USstrong,” the former ambassador said in a Tweet.
A former businesswoman, Craft is the country’s first woman ambassador to the Canada.
Craft is Trump’s second choice to replace Haley.
His first choice, former State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert, withdrew her name from consideration on February 16, citing personal and family reasons.
Craft has been ambassador to Canada since October 2017.
She previously served as an alternate delegate to the UN during the George W Bush administration.
During her time in Ottawa, she raised eyebrows when she said that she believes in ‘both sides of the science’ when it comes to climate change.
Craft has also been a supporter of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the trade deal that was negotiated by the Trump administration to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), although not yet approved by Congress.
The Kentucky native has been married to billionaire coal mining businessman Joe Craft since 2016.
The couple are both long-term and generous donors to the Republican party. — PTI
11:15 Surya Kiran flies incomplete formation at Aero India:
Indian Air Force’s Surya Kiran aerobatic team at Aero India 2019 flew the first formation as an incomplete diamond with Wing Commander Sahil Gandhi’s place vacant as a tribute to him.
Wg Cdr Gandhi died on February 19 in mid-air collision between two Hawk trainer jets of Surya Kiran aerobatic team while rehearsing for the show.
The team had earlier decided not to take part in the event after the mishap. — ANI
11:02 Crackdown on Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir, top leaders detained:
Police swooped on Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir members in Kashmir during the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, and detained around two dozen of its cadres, including its chief Abdul Hamid Fayaz, officials said in Srinagar.
Though police termed the detentions as routine, officials privy to the developments said this is the first major crackdown on the organisation that is part of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, a separatist conglomerate.
The Jamaat issued a statement condemning the detentions and said “…The move is a well designed conspiracy to pave way for further uncertainty in the region.”
The Jamaat claimed that during the intervening night of February 22 and February 23, police and other agencies launched a mass arrest drive and raided many houses in the Valley, wherein dozens of its central and district level leaders were arrested, including its Ameer (chief) Jamaat Dr Abdul Hamid Fayaz and advocate Zahid Ali (spokesperson).
The Jamaat cadres were picked up from various places, including Anantnag, Pahalgham, Dialgam, Tral — all in south Kashmir.
The Jamaat termed the raids as ‘fishy’ at a time when the Supreme Court is to hear a petition regarding Article 35A of the Constitution, which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
“…The way forces personnel unleashed the spree of mass arrest and detained dozens of Jamaat members prior to the hearing seems something is hatching behind the curtains. Any attempt of eroding or tampering Article 35A is unacceptable for people of Jammu and Kashmir,” it said.
Besides this, police also detained JKLF chief Yaseen Malik on Friday night.
Additional troops have been also rushed to Jammu and Kashmir but no one has been able to provide reasons for such a massive deployment.
The action comes eight days after an audacious terror attack on a convoy in Pulwama district in which 41 CRPF personnel lost their lives. — PTI
10:31 Indian-Americans hold protests outside Pak, Chinese consulates in US:
Braving sub-zero temperature, Indian-Americans from in and around Chicago on Friday held peaceful protests outside the Pakistani and Chinese diplomatic missions.
Indian-Americans urged the Chinese Consulate in Chicago that Beijing should ‘stop sheltering and supporting hard line extremist terrorists’ at the United Nations.
They were referring to China, a veto-wielding permanent United Nations Security Council member, blocking India’s repeated bids in the Security Council Sanctions committee to designate Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.
JeM has claimed the responsibility of the Pulwama attack in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 41 CRPF personnel.
“China should urge Pakistan to stop supporting terrorism worldwide,” Bharat Barai, chairman of Indian American Cultural Centre, said in a memorandum to the Consul General of China in Chicago.
This was the first ever protest by the Indian-American community in front of the Chinese Consulate in Chicago.
Several Indian-Americans also protested before the Pakistani consulate in Chicago.
With placards displaying ‘stop supporting terrorism’, the protestors chanted ‘Bharat Matha Ki Jai’ and demanded that Pakistan be declared a state sponsoring terrorism.
In a memorandum submitted to the Pakistani Consulate in Chicago, the the Indian-American community urged Pakistan to stop supporting terrorists.
The community leaders said Pakistan is a hub of terrorism and is constantly manufacturing company of terrorists, while harbouring and nurturing them to be ‘dark men of death’.
Indian-Americans in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut on Thursday also held a candle light vigil at the Royal Alberts Palace.
The event was organised by the Federation of Indian Association. — PTI
09:51 Special train for passengers visiting Statue of Unity:
The Indian Railways is all set to launch a special train for tourist visiting the Statue of Unity in Gujarat from March 4.
The development comes five months after the world’s tallest statue was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The tourist train being run under the ‘Bharat Darshan Tour Scheme’ will offer 7 nights and 8 days tour package and will commence its journey from Chandigarh covering pilgrimages like Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga in Ujjain, Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga near Indore, and Shirdi Sai Baba Darshan, Trimbakeshwar in Nashik and Ghrishneshwar Jyotirlinga in Aurangabad.
The tour will be conducted by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) and is priced at Rs 7,560 per person.
The tour package has multiple boarding and de-boarding stations viz Chandigarh, Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Panipat, Delhi Cantt., Rewari, Alwar and Jaipur for the facilitation of the tourists.
“The package has been designed to pay tribute to the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The Statue of Unity is situated on the river island called Sadhu Bet in front of the Narmada Dam in Gujarat.
“It is the worlds tallest statue at a height of 182 metres. The train will halt at Vadodara station and passengers will be taken to the statue of Unity by buses,” said a government press release.
Further, the package includes train journey in non-AC sleeper class, hall/dormitory accommodation at places of night stay, morning freshen up, road transportation, pure vegetarian meals, sightseeing as per the itinerary by non-AC vehicles, services of the tour manager and security arrangements.
The package can be booked online on www.irctctourism.com or on the IRCTC Mobile App under Bharat Darshan link. — ANI
09:18 JKLF chief Yaseen Malik detained:
Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front chief Yaseen Malik was detained on Friday night amid indications of a wider crackdown on separatists in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
Police and paramilitary forces have been put on high alert but there was no confirmation about any more detentions.
The action comes eight days after an audacious terror attack on a convoy in Pulwama district in which 41 CRPF personnel lost their lives. — PTI
08:31 Failure of US, India to establish deterrence encouraged Pak to back terror: Report: Failure of both the United States and India to impose accountability or establish deterrence on Pakistan has encouraged the country to ‘continue a policy of backing extremists’ in both India and Afghanistan, a leading American daily has said.
The Washington Post in an editorial in the aftermath of Pulwama attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed said India is confronted with a dilemma that both it and the US have repeatedly faced: what to do about the sponsorship of Islamist terrorist groups by Pakistan, a nuclear-armed state?
‘Diplomacy, sanctions and targeted military strikes haven’t worked; full-scale war is unthinkable. Yet the failure to impose accountability or establish deterrence only encourages the Pakistani military and its intelligence service to continue a policy of backing extremists in both India and Afghanistan,’ it said.
The editorial underlined that Pakistan is unlikely to act on any evidence provided by India on the Pulwama attack.
‘If the record of past terrorist attacks in India is any indication, Pakistan will not act even if evidence is provided. The same has been true of its response to terrorist attacks in Afghanistan, such as assaults on the US Embassy and other Western targets by a Taliban faction known as the Haqqani network, which Pakistan is also believed to support,’ it said.
Pakistan has long sought to use terrorists to gain leverage over India, with which it disputes control of Kashmir, and the US, which it would like to force to accept rule by the Taliban in Afghanistan, the daily said.
‘It is making headway on the latter goal with the Trump administration, which has been negotiating with the Taliban about withdrawing US troops. That increases the complications for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who faces a national election in the coming months,’ it said. — PTI
08:08 Trump: Very bad situation between India, Pak; in talks with both:
Describing the current situation between India and Pakistan as ‘very, very bad’, United States President Donald Trump on Friday said his administration was in contact with both sides and hoped hostilities would soon end in the Valley.
“Right now between Pakistan and India, there is a very, very bad situation. A very dangerous situation. We would like to see it (hostilities) stop. A lot of people were just killed.
“We want to see it just stop. We are very much involved in that (process),” Trump told reporters at the Oval Office.
The US president was responding to questions on last week’s terrorist attack in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir in which 41 Central Reserve Police Force personnel were killed.
Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) has claimed responsibility for the attack.
“India is looking at something very strong. India just lost almost 50 people in the attack. I can understand that too,” Trump said, adding that his administration was talking to authorities in both countries.
“We’re talking. A lot of people are. It’s going to be a very, very delicate balance. There is a lot of problems between India and Pakistan because of what just happened,” he said.
The President said the US has improved ties with Pakistan and works are on for meetings with Pakistan leaders and officials.
“I stopped paying Pakistan the $1.3-billion that we used to pay them. In the meantime, we may set up some meetings with Pakistan. Pakistan was taking very strong advantage of the United States under other presidents.
“We were paying Pakistan $1.3 billion a year. I ended that payment, because they were not helping us in the way they should have,” Trump said.
He said the United States’ relation with Pakistan has developed in the last few months. — PTI
Source: Rediff