TopNews

Geneva (Switzerland), Sept. 22 : United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) chairman Shaukat Ali Kashmiri on Thursday criticised Nawaz Sharif for glorifying slain Hizbul Mujahidden commander Burhan Wani as a 'young symbol' of 'Kashmiri freedom movement' and said Pakistan's Prime Minister does not understand the ground realties of Kashmir.

He said that it was wrong to call Wani as the 'symbol' of' freedom movement' as he was carrying out communal activities in a multi religious Kashmir society.

"It is undisputed that Burhan Wani was the commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, all his details are available in Facebook and other social media websites. Wani also claimed that he was fighting to uphold Islam," Ali told ANI.

New York [USA], Sept. 22 : Asserting that a new Cold War threatens to engulf Europe, Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said intolerance has revived the ghosts of xenophobia and Islamophobia in many countries.

"A new Cold War threatens to engulf Europe. The momentum there towards "greater union" has already reversed. Barricades and walls are going up, especially against the tide of misery flowing out of a turbulent Middle East. In many countries, intolerance has revived the ghosts of xenophobia and Islamophobia," he said in his remarks at the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

New Delhi [India], Sept. 22 : The negotiations to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets came through on Wednesday, as India announced the decision to sign the mega deal with France this Friday.

French Defence Minister Yves Le Drian is arriving on September 23 to finalise the deal which will cost Euros 7.8 billion to India.

The development comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi today headed the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to discuss the deal which is crucial to boost the Indian Air Force.

In June, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had stated that the of the fighter jets were "on path of coming to conclusion".

New Delhi [India], Sept. 22 : Hitting out at Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for 'glorifying' slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani at the United Nations, India has asserted that his statement only proves Islamabad's attachment to terrorism.

Taking to Twitter, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that Sharif glorifying Wani in his address at the United Nations General Assembly, which is one of UN's highest forum, shows Pakistan's continued connection with terrorism.

New Delhi [India], Sept. 22 : The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is mulling over connecting about 22 airports under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) in the first phase.

Dr Guruprasad Mohapatra, the chairman of Airports Authority of India, expressed hope of making airfares affordable to encourage flying among the masses.

He said another 30 airports can be made ready for operations under the scheme by making some investments.

He was also of the opinion that very less population of the Indian middle class, who have high aspirations, travel by air.

New Delhi [India], Sept. 22 : The Supreme Court will on Thursday hear the plea of Vikas Yadav, who is serving a 25-year jail term without any remission for brutally murdering Nitish Katara in 2002. Yadav has appealed for his prison term to be reduced.

Yadav had made the plea for leniency yesterday, and Senior Supreme Court advocate U.R. Lalit appearing for the convict who is the son of former parliamentarian, D.P. Yadav, told a division bench of the apex court headed by Justice Dipak Misra and Justice C. Nagappan, that his client had already served over 14 years of his jail sentence.

He also said that his client has been serving his jail sentence without parole, despite both the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court granting him custodial parole several times.